Today's Healthcare Pulse
Allogene Therapeutics CEO David Chang to step down
Allogene Therapeutics announced that chief executive David Chang will leave his role. The news was reported by STAT+ and echoed in a follow‑up piece covering broader pharma updates.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Boston Scientific invests $1.5B for 34% stake in MiRus
ADLM Urges Federal Action to Ensure Safe, Equitable AI in Clinical Labs
The Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (ADLM) has issued a position statement urging Congress and federal regulators to update the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) to explicitly govern AI tools used in clinical laboratories. ADLM warns that without modernized oversight, AI algorithms trained on biased or incomplete data could exacerbate health disparities for marginalized groups. The group also calls for standardized data reporting, diverse training datasets, and a federal‑led expert consortium to create validation guidelines. Failure to act could leave labs vulnerable to regulatory scrutiny and patient‑safety risks.
The Trust Problem With Healthcare AI
In this brief clip, host David Williams talks with Dr. Sarah Matt about the critical role of explainability in building trust for AI-driven healthcare. Dr. Matt emphasizes that patients and providers must understand how AI models make decisions to feel...
STAT+: Biotech Startup Raises $175 Million to Advance Alzheimer’s Antibody Therapy
Korsana Biosciences announced a $175 million financing round led by Fairmount, Venrock, Wellington Management and TCGX to develop its Alzheimer’s antibody candidate KRSA‑028. The startup positions KRSA‑028 as a next‑generation “brain shuttle” designed to clear amyloid plaques more efficiently than existing...
![[Clinical Rounds] A Multidisciplinary Management Approach to Cervical Cancer During Pregnancy](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/5281f8873aca1a3c24d65c4c50a98a5f.webp)
[Clinical Rounds] A Multidisciplinary Management Approach to Cervical Cancer During Pregnancy
A 39‑year‑old gravida 3 woman presented at 10 weeks gestation with vaginal bleeding and a prior diagnosis of high‑grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) that had not been followed up. Cervical cancer testing confirmed HSIL while the intrauterine pregnancy remained viable. The...
Epetōme Secures Multi-Million-Pound Investment to Scale Its Subscription-Based Gut Health Range Globally
Epetōme, the UK‑based gut‑health brand founded by nutritionist Emily English, has secured a multi‑million‑pound investment led by Active Partners and Redrice Ventures. The funding will accelerate its international rollout and fund expanded clinical trials on probiotics and prebiotics. Since its...
The Biotech Bi-Weekly: A 48-Channel SPR Platform, Robust RNA-Seq Libraries and Microgravitational Discoveries
Carterra unveiled Vega, the industry’s first 48‑channel high‑throughput SPR platform, delivering roughly 12‑fold higher screening capacity for small‑ and large‑molecule drug candidates. Covaris introduced the truCOVER® Total RNA Library Prep Kit, enabling robust RNA‑seq libraries from as little as 10 ng...
Chlorine Dioxide, Raw Camel Milk: The FDA No Longer Warns Against These and Other Ineffective Autism Treatments
The FDA removed a consumer webpage that warned against chlorine dioxide, raw camel milk, chelation and hyperbaric oxygen as ineffective autism treatments, citing a routine cleanup of outdated content. The page, unchanged since 2019, remains only via the Internet Archive,...
NICE Backs First Disease-Modifying Drug for ARG1 Deficiency
Immedica’s pegzilarginase (Loargys), the first enzyme replacement therapy for arginase‑1 (ARG1) deficiency, has received NICE endorsement for NHS use in the UK. The weekly IV or subcutaneous treatment cuts blood arginine levels by roughly 80% and is recommended for patients...
£20M Fund Backs UK Addiction Treatment Tech
The UK government, via Innovate UK, has launched a £20 million funding programme to accelerate development of medicines, medical devices, wearables, virtual‑reality therapies and AI‑enabled tools for drug and alcohol addiction. Grants of up to £10 million for late‑stage projects and up to...
Portal Diabetes’ Insulin Pump Receives FDA Breakthrough Device Designation
Portal Diabetes has secured FDA breakthrough device designation for its implantable Portal Pump, an insulin delivery system that pairs an abdominal pump with continuous glucose monitoring and concentrated insulin. The company also launched a Phase I study of temperature‑stable Portal Insulin...
Janux Commences Participant Dosing in Phase I JANX011 Trial
Janux Therapeutics has dosed the first participant in a Phase I, open‑label, dose‑escalation trial of JANX011, its inaugural candidate from the adaptive immune response modulator (ARM) platform. The bispecific antibody targets CD19‑expressing B cells to achieve a deep, lasting immune reset...
J&J’s Rybrevant Faspro Gains FDA Approval for New Dosing in NSCLC
Johnson & Johnson received FDA approval for a once‑monthly subcutaneous regimen of Rybrevant Faspro combined with Lazertinib for first‑line treatment of advanced EGFR‑mutated non‑small cell lung cancer. The new schedule delivers clinical outcomes comparable to the earlier bi‑weekly dosing while preserving...
Six Biotechs to Know in Barcelona
Barcelona is emerging as a premier European life‑sciences hub, contributing 7.6 % of Catalonia’s GDP and ranking sixth in scientific output. Six local biotech firms—Accure Therapeutics, Oryzon Genomics, SpliceBio, Peptomyc, Ona Therapeutics and Integra Therapeutics—are advancing diverse modalities from small‑molecule neuroprotectors...
Extens-Backed Orthalis Picks up Dentalsoft
Orthalis, backed by private equity firm Extens, announced the acquisition of Dentalsoft, a specialist orthodontic software provider. The purchase creates a new entity, SignalSoft Développement, focused on delivering software services to orthodontic professionals. By integrating Dentalsoft’s tools, Orthalis expands its...
AI Dr. CaBot Outperforms Physicians in Diagnosis, Generates Expert Presentations
In a new study, authors created a physician-validated benchmark spanning 10 text-based and multimodal tasks, against which they evaluated leading large language models (LLMs). "Then, we developed “Dr. CaBot,” an AI discussant designed to produce written and slide-based video presentations...
AI and OCT Integration Highlights Promising Advances in Detecting Lipid-Rich Coronary Artery Plaques
Researchers at KAIST unveiled an AI‑driven method that extracts wavelength‑dependent information from standard optical coherence tomography (OCT) to automatically detect lipid‑rich coronary plaques. The weakly supervised deep‑learning model learns from frame‑level labels, eliminating the need for pixel‑wise annotations and works...
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc. (COLL) Gains Momentum on Jornay PM, Truist Highlights Robust Pain Portfolio
Collegium Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ:COLL) saw Truist Securities lift its price target to $58 and reaffirm a Buy rating, citing a strong pain‑management portfolio and growing momentum for its extended‑release opioid, Jornay PM. The company released its 2026 outlook, projecting total product revenue...
Nanoparticle-Based Gene Editing Could Expand Treatment Options for Cystic Fibrosis
UCLA researchers have engineered lipid nanoparticles to co‑deliver CRISPR/Cas9 components and a full‑length CFTR gene, achieving precise, mutation‑agnostic insertion in human airway cells. The non‑viral system corrected 3‑4% of cells yet restored up to 100% of normal chloride channel function,...
Injectable Nanocomposite Hemostat Speeds Blood Clotting for Trauma Care
Researchers at Texas A&M have created injectable nanocomposite hemostats that cut blood clotting time from six‑seven minutes to one‑two minutes, slashing bleeding duration by up to 70% in internal hemorrhage models. The devices combine clay‑derived nanosilicates with a shape‑memory foam...
Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMRX) Added to S&P SmallCap 600 Index, Boosting Investor Visibility
Amneal Pharmaceuticals (AMRX) was added to the S&P SmallCap 600 Index on Jan. 29, giving the company heightened investor exposure. JP Morgan subsequently raised its price target by $4 while keeping a Buy rating, signaling analyst confidence. The firm also announced a...
Bank of America Cites Zoetis Inc.’s (ZTS) Strong Q4 Performance and Fiscal 2026 Outlook
Bank of America raised its price target for Zoetis Inc. (ZTS) to $140 from $135 while maintaining a Neutral rating, citing the company’s strong fourth‑quarter 2025 results and an upbeat fiscal 2026 outlook. Zoetis reported adjusted EPS of $1.48, topping...
AI-Powered Liquid Biopsy Advances Pediatric Brain Tumor Classification
Researchers at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital introduced M‑PACT, an AI‑driven liquid‑biopsy platform that classifies pediatric brain tumors from cerebrospinal fluid with 92% accuracy. The deep neural network was trained on over 5,000 DNA methylation profiles covering about 100 tumor...
Healthcare Before Medicare: How to Lower Your Costs
In this third episode of his four‑part series, Roger Whitney guides listeners through practical ways to lower health‑care costs before Medicare, from daily health habits to smart insurance shopping. He demystifies the ACA premium subsidy system now that the expanded...
Apple Watch Detects Hypertension with 69% Accuracy
A lot of people don't even know they have high blood pressure, while over 200 million people wear an Apple Watch. The bridge between the two is whether an Apple Watch can properly detect hypertension. A new JAMA study aimed...
ScribeRyte ClickNote Seamlessly Flows AI-Generated SOAP Notes Into Browser-Based EMRs
ScribeRyte AI introduced ClickNote, a free Chrome extension that automatically inserts AI‑generated SOAP notes into any browser‑based EMR. The tool leverages ambient speech technology, multilingual support, and HIPAA‑secure protocols to streamline documentation. ScribeRyte claims providers can reclaim up to ten...
Kipu Health Launches Elevate 2026
Kipu Health announced Elevate 2026, a three‑day customer conference in Carlsbad, California, showcasing its AI‑native Kipu Helix Intelligent Operating System for behavioral health. The event gathers executives, operators and administrators to explore AI‑driven strategies, hands‑on programming and peer insights. Kipu...
Routes Healthcare Unifies a Complex SaaS and ERP Landscape with BPA Platform to Strengthen Operations and Continuity
Routes Healthcare, a leading health and social care provider in northern England, adopted the BPA Platform to integrate its Sage 200 ERP with a wide range of SaaS applications. The low‑code integration layer unified data, automated workforce communication, recruitment, and...
AI Restores Voice, Restores Dignity for the Disabled
This is the kind of AI that moves me. After 18 years of silence, Ann spoke again. A brain implant reads signals from her speech cortex. AI decodes them in real time. A digital avatar restores her voice and facial expressions. What’s new? Not text on...
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Launches CardMedic to Break Down Communication Barriers and Reduce Health Inequalities
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will pilot CardMedic, a clinically validated communication app, for twelve months starting with a soft launch in October across four key departments. The charity‑funded initiative aims to eliminate language, visual, hearing and...
NHS Business Services Authority Improves Online Baby Loss Certification
The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) has completed a beta reassessment of its Baby Loss Certificate service, achieving compliance with all 14 government service standards. The digital service, created after the Pregnancy Loss Review, now offers bereaved parents formal recognition...
TheKey’s CEO Plots Home Health Expansion
TheKey, a Delray, Florida‑based home‑care provider, is moving to add private‑pay nursing services in four new states, aiming for a total of six states by the end of 2026. The company is finalizing licensure for the southern half of California...
Ongoing Regulatory Uncertainty Means Innovation Is Now Higher Risk
Regulatory uncertainty is rising as the FDA shifts leadership, adopts a single‑trial approval pathway, and tightens its benefit‑risk framework. While the one‑trial standard promises faster, cheaper market entry, recent surprise complete response letters (CRLs) show that even successful Phase 3 results...
Ionis Paves Its Own Path as Initial Tryngolza Launch Defies Expectations
Ionis Therapeutics announced that its GSK‑partnered antisense drug bepirovirsen achieved a statistically significant functional cure rate of roughly 15‑20% in a Phase 3 trial, far surpassing the 1‑3% rate of existing hepatitis B therapies. The company also reported a strong first‑year launch...
Proliferating Patents, Lawsuits Stave Off Pharmas’ Generic Competitors
A new analysis in Health Affairs Scholar reveals that brand‑name drugmakers are exploiting the Hatch‑Waxman framework through serial patent litigation and continuation patents to extend market exclusivity. By filing multiple overlapping patents, companies can repeatedly sue generic challengers, triggering 30‑month...
Low-Value X-Ray Imaging for Facial Trauma Still Prevalent, Despite CT’s Superiority
A new JAMA Network Open study of 281,000 U.S. facial‑trauma patients shows that 26% still receive plain X‑ray as the first imaging test, despite CT being the gold‑standard for fracture detection. Use of low‑value radiographs has fallen from 33% in...
Resveratrol Activates SIRT1 to Shield Kidneys From Fat
Resveratrol protects kidneys from fat accumulation and diabetic kidney disease by activating SIRT1, similar to its effects on fatty liver 🐁 www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1098882326000067
Medical AI Advice Still Too Risky for Clinical Use
AI medical advice: Not ready for prime time. A study by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, published in The Lancet Digital Health, reveals vulnerabilities in medical AI systems. https://t.co/ArD323yhzL #research #AI #healthcare #medicine
ArgenTag, PacBio Partner on Long-Read Single-Cell Transcriptomics
ArgenTag, a Buenos Aires‑based startup, has entered PacBio’s Compatible Partner Program, confirming that its Single‑Cell RNA Library Kit works with PacBio’s Kinnex RNA kits for long‑read isoform sequencing. The partnership eliminates the need for expensive cell‑partitioning instruments by using ArgenTag’s...
Metrics Miss the Mark: Data Gaps Hinder Value Care
Value-based care data gap: Why metrics fail to reach the bedside https://t.co/CvUOKiL4Ki #Policy #PublicHealthPolicy via @kevinmd
NB Releases New Digital Health Strategy
New Brunswick’s government unveiled a comprehensive digital health strategy aimed at creating a modern, connected, and patient‑centred system. The plan expands the “digital front door,” modernizes electronic health records, and introduces AI‑driven tools to streamline provider workflows. It allocates a...
INOVAIT Announces Innovation Award Winners
INOVAIT announced the 2025/26 award winners at its Ottawa meeting, honoring Altis Labs with the Maple Leaf Award for AI imaging collaborations, Nova Scotia Health with the Aurora Borealis Award for industry‑academic synergy, and Profound Medical with the Mount Logan...
NWT Looks at Acquiring MRI Scanner
The Northwest Territories is conducting a feasibility study to install an MRI scanner at Yellowknife’s Stanton Territorial Hospital, aiming to end the practice of sending patients to Alberta for scans. Health Minister Lesa Semmler highlighted that the study will assess...
Infoway Pulls the Plug on PrescribeIT
Canada Health Infoway announced that its e‑prescribing platform PrescribeIT will be discontinued on May 29, ending a program that has cost more than $250 million since its 2017 launch. The service never achieved scale, with fewer than 5 percent of prescriptions routed through...
Bausch + Lomb Corp (BLCO) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Glaukos Corp reported record fourth‑quarter 2025 sales of $143.1 million, a 36% year‑over‑year increase, and annual net sales of $507.4 million, up 32%. The company reaffirmed its 2026 revenue outlook of $600‑$620 million, indicating more than 20% growth. Growth was powered by the...
Sex Differences in Placebo and Antidepressant Response to Intranasal Esketamine for Treatment-Resistant Depression
A pooled analysis of five double‑blind, placebo‑controlled intranasal esketamine trials (n≈1,016) confirms that esketamine significantly reduces Montgomery‑Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores versus placebo. Female participants showed larger total MADRS improvements at later visits (days 22 and 28) and greater reductions in...
Community Health Systems Inc (CYH) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Community Health Systems reported a 2.1% year‑over‑year increase in same‑store net revenue for Q4 2025, driven by rate growth and higher acuity, while adjusted EBITDA reached $395 million with a 12.7% margin. The company continued its aggressive deleveraging, cutting net leverage...
Insulet Corp (PODD) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Inspire Medical Systems reported a strong fourth‑quarter, with revenue rising 12% to $269 million and full‑year sales up 14% to $912 million, driven by existing and new center growth. The company set 2026 revenue guidance between $950 million and $1 billion, reflecting a 4%‑10%...
Ocular and Upstream Drop on Less-than-Wow Data; Compass Rallies on Second Phase III Win for Psilocybin
Ocular Therapeutix reported that its VEGF1/2/3 inhibitor Axpaxli outperformed aflibercept in the Phase III SOL‑1 trial, with 74.1% of patients maintaining visual acuity at 36 weeks versus 55.8% for the comparator. The study also met a 52‑week durability endpoint, showing 65.9%...
STAT+: At Drugmakers’ Forum, Oz Gets a Friendly Embrace, While Makary Faces Tough Questions
At a PhRMA‑hosted forum, CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz engaged warmly with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, championing vaccines and proposing closed‑door policy talks and even suggesting industry executives consider government jobs. In contrast, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary was sharply questioned by...
Induction Cooktops Safe for Pacemakers with Proper Awareness
Are induction cooktops dangerous for people with pacemakers? In rare cases, magnets can interfere with heart devices, but typically only when held extremely close. That doesn’t mean the technology is dangerous. It means awareness matters. Modern shielding + thoughtful device placement significantly reduce...