The French government has unveiled future investment plans. It reported the “Innovative Medical Devices” plan as part of the France 2030 initiative, in support of the medical devices industry. At the start of 2022, an innovative “Healthcare 2030” initiative came into effect, which sees the mobilization of $8.35 billion in credit for the life sciences sector.

Differential leg length is perhaps not the most common orthopedic problem in the medical literature, but the U.K. National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) sees a place for some sort of improvement over the standard of care.

LONDON – The European Commission (EC) has put forward proposals for a Data Act that is intended to both give users greater rights over their own data and allow greater third-party access. The Act sets out who can use and access data generated in the EU across all sectors of the economy. It is pitched by the EC as opening the doors to an under-used resource that will in turn promote research and innovation and create new markets in information services.

PARIS – Ziwig SAS has developed the Endotest saliva test, for quickly detecting endometriosis. François Golfier, head of the gynecology-obstetrics department at Angers University Hospital and chairman of the endometriosis committee for the National College of French Gynecologists and Obstetricians, claims this new generation of in vitro diagnostic medical devices is going to be a game-changer “as it finally allows this chronic debilitating disease to be detected sooner and within the space of just a few days.”

The EU initiated a dispute complaint with the World Trade Organization over China’s intellectual property (IP) enforcement allowing Chinese courts to block infringement litigation worldwide. The Feb. 18 complaint, posted by the WTO last week, takes issue with Chinese courts issuing global injunctions barring patent holders from asserting their rights through legal proceedings in other countries until the case is settled in China.

Oxford Biodynamics plc is launching its clinical assay Episwitch CIRT in the U.S. following clinical validation that demonstrated the 3D genomic eight biomarker panel can predict a cancer patient’s response to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy at up to 93% sensitivity, 82% specificity and 85% accuracy. ICIs are currently used against more than 15 types of cancer but less than one in three patients show any benefit from the treatment.

The European Union’s (EU) Medical Device Coordination Group (MDCG) posted a guidance addressing verification of manufactured, high-risk in vitro diagnostics (IVDs), which indicates that manufacturers should submit samples to a reference lab for batch testing. However, the requirement for batch testing may not apply if no European reference lab has been designated for a test type, suggesting that some high-risk tests may go to market without adequate testing.

PARIS – Siemens Healthineers AG has unveiled its growth plans for 2025 at its annual general meeting. The Erlangen, Germany-based medical technology giant, valued at nearly $67 billion on the Frankfurt stock exchange, is ramping growth. “We are setting ourselves the objective of annual growth of up to 8% on a like-for-like basis up to 2025, compared with a previous objective of 5%,” said Ralf Thomas, supervisory board chairman, Siemens Healthineers AG. Adjusted earnings per share should, accordingly, rise by 15% a year over that period as part of this strategic plan, compared with a target of at least 10% previously.

PARIS – One year after inception, Lauxera Capital Partners SAS reported final closing of its Lauxera Growth I fund at nearly $300 million, making it the leading European fund devoted to financing health-tech businesses. Lauxera Capital’s objectives involve supporting fast-growing European firms and ramping their international business development.