Large intestine

Oxford Biodynamics Announces US Launch of its 94% Accurate EpiSwitch® Prostate Screening Blood Test to Men With Prostate Cancer Risk

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, September 26, 2023

The current blood screening test, the PSA test, is only 55% accurate, and is considered an unreliable test by many doctors, including the NHS in the UK2.

Key Points: 
  • The current blood screening test, the PSA test, is only 55% accurate, and is considered an unreliable test by many doctors, including the NHS in the UK2.
  • It feels wholly appropriate that the early launch of the test coincides with Prostate Cancer Awareness month," said Dr Jon Burrows, OBD's Chief Executive Officer.
  • Reducing Unnecessary Biopsy During Prostate Cancer Screening Using a Four-Kallikrein Panel: An Independent Replication, Journal of Clinical Oncology [online], 28:15.
  • Short term outcomes of prostate biopsy in men tested for cancer by prostate specific antigen: prospective evaluation within ProtecT study.

Fight Colorectal Cancer Hosts Congressional Black Caucus Panel to Tackle Disparities and Drive Progress

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, September 21, 2023

Recognizing the urgency of this issue, Fight Colorectal Cancer (Fight CRC) , the nation's largest colorectal cancer (CRC) advocacy organization, is set to host their inaugural panel at The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) .

Key Points: 
  • Recognizing the urgency of this issue, Fight Colorectal Cancer (Fight CRC) , the nation's largest colorectal cancer (CRC) advocacy organization, is set to host their inaugural panel at The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) .
  • Scheduled for September 22, 9-10 am EST, this panel will convene experts, advocates, and policymakers to address the critical disparities in colorectal cancer outcomes among Black Americans.
  • Fight CRC's panel titled 'A Call to Action: Fighting Colorectal Cancer in the Black Community' is co-hosted by Members of Congress, including Representative Donald Payne Jr. (D-NJ) and Representative Nikema Williams (D-GA).
  • Colorectal cancer has a devastating impact on the Black community, with Black Americans being 20% more likely to receive a diagnosis of colorectal cancer compared to their white counterparts.

Surgical Instrument Tracking System Market to grow by USD 157.17 million from 2022 to 2027, North America to account for 41% of market growth- Technavio

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, September 20, 2023

NEW YORK, Sept. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The surgical instrument tracking system market is expected to grow by USD 157.17 million from 2022 to 2027.

Key Points: 
  • NEW YORK, Sept. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The surgical instrument tracking system market is expected to grow by USD 157.17 million from 2022 to 2027.
  • In addition, the momentum of the market will progress at a CAGR of 9.34% during the forecast period, according to Technavio Research.
  • Surgical Instrument Tracking System Market: Segmentation Analysis
    The market share growth by the hardware segment will be significant during the forecast period.
  • In addition, the mandatory adoption of Unique Device Identification (UDI) regulations in surgical instrument tracking is mainly expected to drive the growth of the hardware segment in the surgical instrument tracking system market.

DoMore Diagnostics And Proscia Partner To Inform Personalized Treatment Decisions For Colorectal Cancer Patients

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, August 30, 2023

OSLO and PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- DoMore Diagnostics, a leader in deep learning precision diagnostics for digital pathology, and Proscia®, a leading provider of digital and computational pathology solutions, have partnered to help pathologists predict outcomes for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. The collaboration paves the way for integrating artificial intelligence (AI)-powered clinical decision support into routine pathology workflows, unlocking new insights that can guide increasingly precise treatment decisions and ensure patients receive optimal care.

Key Points: 
  • "We look forward to adding Histotype Px Colorectal to our ecosystem to help Proscia users make increasingly personalized diagnoses that can ultimately reduce overtreatment for more patients."
  • - Stephan Fromme, Proscia's Head of Strategic Alliances
    CRC is the third most common and second most deadly cancer worldwide[1].
  • "We have proven that Histotype Px Colorectal can offer valuable insight to guide personalized treatment decisions and help improve patient outcomes," said Torbjørn Furuseth, MD, CEO and Co-founder of DoMore Diagnostics.
  • We look forward to adding Histotype Px Colorectal to our ecosystem to help our users make increasingly personalized diagnoses that can ultimately reduce overtreatment for more patients."

Biomerica Reports Fiscal 2023 Year End Results

Retrieved on: 
Friday, August 25, 2023

Net sales for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2023 were $5.3 million as compared to net sales of $18.9 million in fiscal 2022.

Key Points: 
  • Net sales for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2023 were $5.3 million as compared to net sales of $18.9 million in fiscal 2022.
  • Net loss was $7.1 million for fiscal 2023 compared to a net loss of $4.6 million for fiscal 2022.
  • The decrease in sales for fiscal 2023 was related to the Company’s decrease in sales of COVID-19 antigen tests in fiscal 2023 compared to the prior fiscal year.
  • Sales revenues excluding Covid test sales increased by 15% for fiscal 2023 compared to fiscal 2022.

Eloxx Pharmaceuticals Reports Second Quarter 2023 Financial and Operating Results and Provides Business Update

Retrieved on: 
Monday, August 14, 2023

Podocytes are specialized cells that bind to the glomerular basement membrane and form finger-like extensions called foot processes that enable efficient ultrafiltration.

Key Points: 
  • Podocytes are specialized cells that bind to the glomerular basement membrane and form finger-like extensions called foot processes that enable efficient ultrafiltration.
  • Podocyte injury leads to the effacement (loss) of podocyte foot processes and proteinuria in nearly all cases of Alport syndrome.
  • An IND application for ELX-02 is expected to be submitted to the FDA in the third quarter of 2023.
  • Eloxx remains focused on its liquidity position and is committed to raising additional capital in the near term in order to fund its operating plan through the end of 2023 and beyond.

Kips Bay Endoscopy Center Now Incorporates Artificial Intelligence System for Enhanced Colonoscopy Screenings in New York City

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, August 17, 2023

Kips Bay Endoscopy Center (KBEC), a Covenant Physician Partner , will offer patients receiving a colonoscopy an enhanced screening with the aid of GI Genius™ intelligent endoscopy module.

Key Points: 
  • Kips Bay Endoscopy Center (KBEC), a Covenant Physician Partner , will offer patients receiving a colonoscopy an enhanced screening with the aid of GI Genius™ intelligent endoscopy module.
  • The GI Genius™ module employs artificial intelligence (AI) to help physicians detect polyps—a powerful new ally in the fight against colorectal cancer.
  • “We are the only privately-owned and fully independent surgery center offering artificial intelligence assisted colonoscopies in Midtown Manhattan,” added Ms. Yuen.
  • New artificial intelligence system: first validation study versus experienced endoscopists for colorectal polyp detection.

Genetically engineered bacteria can detect cancer cells in a world-first experiment

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, August 10, 2023

Using synthetic biology, we can also engineer new and improved cells that could help us manage various diseases.

Key Points: 
  • Using synthetic biology, we can also engineer new and improved cells that could help us manage various diseases.
  • In a new study published today in Science, my colleagues and I describe how we engineered bacteria to successfully detect cancer cells.

Leveraging competent bacteria

    • Rob was studying genes and gene transfer in bacteria.
    • When bacteria hoover up cell-free DNA into their cells, it’s called natural competence.
    • So, competent bacteria can sample their nearby environment and, in doing so, acquire genes that may provide them with an advantage.
    • If bacteria can take up DNA, and cancer is defined genetically by a change in its DNA, then, theoretically, bacteria could be engineered to detect cancer.

We put the bacterium through its paces

    • Acinetobacter baylyi, a naturally competent bacterium, was chosen to be the experimental biosensor – a disease-detecting cell.
    • It was important to integrate – hold in place – the tumour DNA.
    • In doing so, we could activate other integrated genes, in this case an antibiotic resistance gene, as a signal for the cancer being detected.
    • In a mouse model of colorectal cancer, we inject mouse colorectal cancer cells into the colon, using mouse colonoscopy.

CATCH’s promising start – but more testing is needed

    • We have named this technology CATCH: cellular assay for targeted, CRISPR-discriminated horizontal gene transfer.
    • Read more:
      What is CRISPR, the gene editing technology that won the Chemistry Nobel prize?
    • The most exciting aspect of cellular healthcare, however, is not in the mere detection of disease.

Independence Blue Cross and The Colorectal Cancer Alliance Launch 45+ Reasons Campaign to Support Colorectal Cancer Prevention

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, August 8, 2023

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Independence Blue Cross (Independence) and the Colorectal Cancer Alliance (the Alliance) announced the launch of 45+ Reasons, a campaign to get more than 5,000 Black Philadelphians ages 45-75 screened for colorectal cancer to reduce the significantly higher incidence and mortality rates of Black Americans. The campaign supports the Cycles of Impact initiative launched by Independence and the Alliance in 2022.

Key Points: 
  • To ensure that the colorectal cancer prevention and screening messages reach those most at risk, the Alliance is launching a compelling new awareness campaign called 45+ Reasons.
  • The community engagement, social media, and advertising campaign aims to instill much-needed trust in the healthcare system with fact-based support for colorectal cancer as a preventable cancer.
  • One way we are addressing this is through this partnership with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance to reduce gaps in colorectal cancer screening rates among Black Philadelphians, who are disproportionately impacted by colorectal cancer."
  • "As the largest nonprofit organization solely committed to ending colorectal cancer, the Alliance is uniquely positioned to lead this bold health intervention," said Michael Sapienza, CEO of the Colorectal Cancer Alliance.

CVS Health to Begin Nationwide In-Store Sales of Biomerica’s EZ Detect™ Colorectal Disease Screening Test

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, August 3, 2023

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 03, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Biomerica, Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRA) (the “Company”) today announced that CVS Pharmacy has begun in-store sales rollout of the Company’s EZ Detect™ colorectal disease screening test in over 7,000 stores nationwide throughout the CVS Pharmacy retail system.

Key Points: 
  • IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 03, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Biomerica, Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRA) (the “Company”) today announced that CVS Pharmacy has begun in-store sales rollout of the Company’s EZ Detect™ colorectal disease screening test in over 7,000 stores nationwide throughout the CVS Pharmacy retail system.
  • Biomerica has shipped the EZ Detect product to CVS Health distribution centers in the US, and the product is projected to be on store shelves in September.
  • The Company is also working with CVS Health to introduce an additional Biomerica product to be sold in CVS pharmacies.
  • The EZ Detect™ colon disease screening test is the simplest at-home test to detect hidden (occult) blood in a person’s stool, which can be an early warning sign of colorectal diseases, including colon and rectal cancers.