Researchers have for the first time used human neural stem cells to print 3D brain tissues that mimic the architecture of the brain’s outer layer, the cerebral cortex. This breakthrough technique, developed by a team from the U.K.’s University of Oxford, could one day be used to provide tailored repairs to the millions of people who suffer from severe brain injuries, for which there is no effective treatment.
Microsure BV recently secured €38 million (US$40 million) in a series B2 funding round that will allow it to finalize the development of its microsurgical robot, the Musa-3. The robot system is designed to give microsurgeons the precision, stability and control that are currently beyond human capabilities. “We want to make a super microsurgeon from every microsurgeon,” Sjaak Deckers, CEO of Microsure, told BioWorld.
The recent greenlight from European regulators to Tasso Inc. to market its Tasso+ device in the EU brings another solution to the market for blood collection Tasso has developed the Tasso+, a single-use blood lancing device that collects a microliter capillary blood from the upper arm. Tasso claims that it is the first device of its kind to get both CE mark and U.S. FDA approval.
Getinge AB has acquired Healthmark Industries Co. Inc. for $320 million on a cash and debt basis in a bid to bolster its presence in sterile reprocessing in the U.S. The deal was financed using cash on hand and existing credit facilities. Getinge expects to fully integrate Healthmark’s operations by the end of 2024 and is not expected to see any material integration costs in 2023 and 2024.
The European Commission (EC) has ordered Illumina Inc. to sell Grail Inc. after it closed the acquisition without approval from EU regulators. The EC said that if Illumina fails to comply with the order, the company faces fines of up to 5% of its daily aggregate revenue or up to 10% of its annual worldwide revenue.
The U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance of Airamed GmbH’s Airascore software could see millions of people benefitting from early accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. Airascore is a medical image management and processing system that uses deep learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to assess brain volumetry data on MRI scans in as little as five minutes.
Rhythm Diagnostic Systems SA (RDS) received €1 million (US$1.1 million) from Capital Grand Est, the first venture capital (VC) firm to join its investor pool, taking its total seed capital raised to €13 million. RDS will use the funds to progress toward the next stages in the development of its Multisense product, a remote patient monitoring solution, including market launch, once it receives CE mark from the European authorities expected by the end of the year.
Inbrain Neuroelectronics SL was granted a breakthrough device designation from the U.S. FDA for its graphene-based neural platform as an adjunctive therapy for treating Parkinson’s disease. The platform, called intelligent network modulation system, harnesses the power of graphene and artificial intelligence to deliver highly focused, adaptive neuroelectronic therapy that re-balances pathological neural networks, easing the symptoms of Parkinson’s.
Dexcom Inc. revealed new clinical data at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) which highlighted the benefits of the use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Results from the COMISAIR seven-year study, the longest prospective real-world CGM trial ever conducted, showed significant and continued reduction of HbA1c with the use of real-time CGM by people with type 1 diabetes.
The U.K. has launched the first-of-its-kind national total-body positron emission tomography (PET) imaging platform that will be ‘game-changing’ for clinical research. Funded with £32 million (US$39 million) from the government, the National PET Imaging Platform (NPIP) will enable clinicians and researchers to access never-before-seen data that will improve the detection, diagnosis and treatment of complex, multi-organ diseases.
