In an age of overwhelming volumes of data that don’t fall together effortlessly into a lucid representation of reality, computational power is often the vital ingredient in leveraging existing data to push the frontiers of medicine. The Cleveland Clinic and IBM unveiled a quantum computing center that provides the sheer computational power needed to sort through the avalanche of data at a pace that will provide real insights into drug development and disease prediction, a development that portends truly revolutionary advances in disease prevention and treatment.
March 17 brought neither good luck nor good news to Pear Therapeutics Inc. Just prior to the opening bell, the prescription digital therapeutics company reported that it had engaged MTSA Health Partners LP to explore strategic alternatives for the company. In addition, Pear filed an 8-K with the SEC withdrawing its revenue and operating guidance for fiscal 2022 and 2023 and indicating that it does not plan to hold a fourth quarter and full year 2022 earnings conference call and webcast.
From Carl Icahn’s point of view, Illumina Inc.’s desired reintegration of its former spinoff is more a poisoned chalice than a holy Grail. In his opening salvo to a proxy fight, Icahn published an open letter March 13 to other Illumina shareholders referencing the “extreme displeasure” of investors with Illumina’s “reckless” determination to acquire Grail Inc., despite European regulators’ strong opposition to the deal.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released its annual premerger notification report, this one for fiscal year 2021, during which more than 3,400 transactions were reported under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act (HRS Act). Roughly 17% of these were valued at more than $1 billion, but the FTC is facing bad publicity with the resignation of the sole Republican member of the commission, Christine Wilson, who charged FTC chairwoman Lina Khan with abuse of power.
Insulet Corp. went on a buying spree this week with the acquisition of the assets of Automated Glucose Control LLC (AGC) and Bigfoot Biomedical Inc.'s automated insulin delivery (AID) patents. The Bigfoot and AGC deals each rang in at $25 million.
Bayer AG acquired Blackford Analysis Ltd., a British developer of artificial intelligence systems that help make diagnoses using medical images in the U.K. and U.S. The companies did not disclose any financial details. “This deal is part of our strategy to drive innovation in radiology, including the development and adoption of AI within the workflow, with the goal of ultimately improving patient care and advance our position in digital medical imaging,” Stefan Oelrich, a board member at Bayer AG and president of Bayer’s pharmaceutical division, told BioWorld.
Abbott Laboratories reported its plans to acquire Cardiovascular Systems Inc., (CSI), makers of an orbital atherectomy system, and will pay shareholders of CSI $20 per share. Analysts see the acquisition as a smart move for Abbott even though the purchase price represents a 50%-plus premium over the Feb. 8 closing price of $13.31, but the companies did not provide a date by which the transaction will close.
Globus Medical Inc. entered into a definitive agreement to buy Nuvasive Inc. in an all-stock transaction that will combine two leaders in the musculoskeletal industry into one of the largest companies in the spinal surgery market. While there are many companies in the spine market, the acquisition may still set off an alarm among regulators concerned about consolidation in the field. Both boards unanimously approved the deal.
Baxter International Inc. has joined forces with Miromatrix Medical Inc. to advance the development of bioengineered organs for patients with acute liver failure (ALF). Under the collaborative research agreement, Baxter will combine its Prismax system with Miromatrix's single-use bioengineered liver, miroliver, to provide external support to patients' native livers as they await transplant or potential regeneration.
RSS
