Industry news

Belgian researchers say AI could improve accuracy of diagnosing lung disease

Joseph Keenan / Fierce Biotech

Researchers at the University of Leuven in Belgium said a study they conducted showed artificial intelligence could help interpret, and thereby improve, lung function tests used to diagnose long-term lung disease.

Benefits for international multicenter clinical trials in Russia

Dmitry Sharov / CenterWatch

In the last 20 years, Russia has seen an increasing growth of the clinical trials industry. Among the factors contributing to that are topgrade research facilities, vast and easy-to-access populations and low participation costs. Over the past two years, significant changes have occurred in this market that are likely to have a global impact. All recent legislative efforts were aimed at harmonizing the local regulatory requirements with international standards and pharmacovigilance procedures. Clinical trials in Russia undergo regular FDA inspections and are among one of the world’s best in terms of quality, exceeding Western countries. 

New “shape memory” exoskeleton underway in Voronezh

Marchmont Innovation News

Andrei Sinegub, a 21-year-old inventor in Voronezh, in Central Russia, is developing a new exoskeleton based on nitinol, a shape memory alloy of nickel and titanium said to possess very useful properties, 3dtoday.ru  reported. 

Siberians and Americans work together to ban ischemic stroke

Marchmont Innovation News

Scientists at the Laboratory for Neuroprotection run by the RASA Center at the Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) in partnership with colleagues from the Center for Cardiovascular Research and the Department of Cardiology, Massachusetts General Hospital (Harvard Medical School, U.S.) are looking into a new compound that is believed to be able to protect the human brain against ischemic stroke. Researchers from the University of Montana and colleagues from other Russian universities are also participating, the TPU website  announced. 

Six teams seek to identify biological factors that influence neural regeneration

U.S. National Institute of Health

The National Institutes of Health will fund six projects to identify biological factors that affect neural regeneration in the retina. The projects are part of the National Eye Institute (NEI) Audacious Goals Initiative (AGI), a targeted effort to restore vision by regenerating neurons and their connections in the eye and visual system. These projects will receive a total of $12.4 million over three years, pending availability of funds.

Help wanted: A gig economy that works for everyone

Pitch Book Blog

The three-year-old startup from LA that you may have never heard of was an on-demand laundry service. And among the growing number of on-demand service companies in the “gig economy,” it ranked as one of the oldest. But if you’re like most Americans, you probably know next to nothing about the “gig economy” that runs on companies like Washio.

Global Diabetes and Obesity Drugs Market to 2022 – Insulins and GPCRs Retain Commercial Prominence, While High Unmet Need Remains in Weight Loss Treatment

GBI Research

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia (high blood glucose levels) that results from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. Chronic hyperglycemia in diabetic patients is associated with long-term damage, dysfunction and failure of multiple organs, including the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and blood vessels.

NIH review finds nondrug approaches effective for treatment of common pain conditions

U.S. National Institute of Health

Data from a review of U.S.-based clinical trials published today in Mayo Clinic Proceedings suggest that some of the most popular complementary health approaches — such as yoga, tai chi, and acupuncture — appear to be effective tools for helping to manage common pain conditions. The review was conducted by a group of scientists from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) at the National Institutes of Health.

Which European cities generate the biggest VC returns?

Pitch Book Blog

With cities like London, Paris, Stockholm, Dublin and Barcelona in the mix, the hubs of VC activity in Europe represent centuries of international trade. But make no mistake, each city also represents an ecosystem fostering startups at every stage of development, along with the VC firms backing them.

Google DeepMind, NHS explore deep learning in head and neck cancer treatment

Amirah Al Idrus / Fierce Medical Device

Google DeepMind is partnering with England’s National Health Service to determine whether machine learning can streamline radiotherapy planning for head and neck cancers, freeing up clinicians’ time for patient care and research.