Devising a viable global strategy to combat Cholera

Since mid-2021, the world is facing an acute upsurge of the 7th cholera pandemic characterised by the number, size and concurrence of multiple outbreaks, the spread to areas free of cholera for decades and alarming high mortality rates. Based on the current situation and lack of vaccines and other resources, the World Health Organisation (WHO) assesses the risk at the global level as very high.

How Digital Transformation Strategy could transform Indonesia's healthcare system for the better

Since the COVID-19 epidemic, the digital healthcare business in Indonesia has rapidly expanded. The country needed to modernise its healthcare system, including digitalisation, in addition to enhancing performance and accessibility. Concerns over Indonesia’s healthcare future led to investments in digital healthcare, and the government is now working to encourage its spread.

"We plan to manufacture one million tests of VANSCAN Typhoid RT PCR test in our first year in India"

Indian firm Vanguard Diagnostics recently launched the VANSCAN Typhoid RT PCR Test, which is India’s first Typhoid RT PCR test based on patented technology. With typhoid fever being common in developing countries, India is an endemic country for typhoid with a burden of approximately 4.8 million cases per year. Veena Kohli, Chief Executive Officer, Vanguard Diagnostics spoke, at length, with BioSpectrum about the growing cases of typhoid in the country and how the new diagnostic solution can solve this problem. Edited excerpts:

"Bringing a drug to market successfully goes beyond proving its efficacy in treating a particular disease"

Kyowa Kirin, a Japan-based Global Specialty Pharmaceutical Company has been expanding its pipeline in rare diseases, with a focus on endocrinology and paediatrics. In 2020, the company launched a corporate venture capital firm to invest in early-stage companies, particularly for research and development (R&D) platforms that complement their own research and will hopefully lead to future product development. Dr Tan Boon Heon, President, Kyowa Kirin Asia Pacific, highlights the company’s tech-driven innovation approach, emerging trends in the pharma industry and the increasingly stringent regulatory landscape. Edited excerpts:

"We'll focus on genomic medicine and growing our business in China"

In May 2023, Cytiva and the life sciences business of Pall Corporation completed their integration and are now united as one business under the Cytiva brand. Emmanuel Ligner, President and CEO, Cytiva and Danaher Group Executive shares some pertinent details with BioSpectrum Asia about the merger, including the strategic rationale behind the decision, the impact on employees, customers, and stakeholders. Ligner reveals the long-term vision and goals for the newly-merged company. Edited excerpts:

Turning Microbiome Therapy into Modern Panacea

The United States Food and Drug Administration’s (US FDA) approval of Seres Therapeutics’ (USA) VOWST in April 2023 and Ferring Pharmaceuticals’ (Switzerland) REBYOTA in November 2022, has marked a pivotal moment in the microbiome therapeutics landscape. There are many disease areas with significant unmet medical needs that are linked to the state of an individual’s microbiome. In recent years, there has been growing interest and research in the field of microbiome therapies. Researchers are exploring the potential of manipulating the microbiome to prevent, treat, or manage a wide range of health issues, including gastrointestinal disorders, metabolic disorders, autoimmune diseases, and neurological disorders. Let’s explore this new era of microbiome therapeutics and challenges in developing such therapies.

Can India's National Medical Devices Policy Unleash Sector's Full Potential?

The National Medical Devices Policy, 2023 that got the approval of the government of India on April 26 seems to have made the medical devices sector happy. The slew of strategies mentioned in the policy assures a win–win outcome for the manufacturers as well as patients. Experts are upbeat about the projected growth of the sector in the near future. The policy aims to bring a range of interventions in a coherent manner that would facilitate focussed and efficient support and facilitation for the sector by the respective agencies. Let’s explore further.

Waters Corp launches next generation Xevo TQ Absolute IVD mass spectrometer

Waters Corporation has unveiled its next generation Xevo TQ Absolute IVD mass spectrometer, expanding its family of MassTrak IVD LC-MS/MS Systems for clinical diagnostic applications

BD introduces advanced ultrasound technology for optimal IV placement

BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), a leading global medical technology company based in the US, has launched a new, easy-to-use advanced ultrasound device with a specialised probe designed to provide clinicians with optimal IV placement

Korea designs artificial kidney for early detection of drug toxicity

A research team from Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), in South Korea, has engineered an artificial kidney that allows for the early detection of adverse drug reactions

India develops screening device to assess blood vessel health

A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) has developed a novel, non-invasive device to assess the health and age of blood vessels and thereby provide early screening for cardiovascular diseases

International dementia research collaboration to address key health challenge in Australia and Japan

Three expert teams in Australia will share $1.5 million to undertake research into causes of dementia through projects funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)

Sydney University strengthens international ties in research and innovation

New international opportunities are open to Sydney researchers and students as the University expands partnership agreements with the University of Glasgow, Scotland and the University of California San Diego, US

WHO certifies Azerbaijan and Tajikistan as malaria-free

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has certified Azerbaijan and Tajikistan for achieving elimination of malaria in their territories

Fujitsu launches new cloud-based platform for healthcare in Japan

Fujitsu has announced the launch of a new cloud-based platform that allows users to securely collect and leverage health-related data to promote digital transformation in the medical field

Takeda to invest ¥100 B in new facility for plasma-derived therapies in Japan

Takeda Pharmaceutical will invest approximately 100 billion yen (Y) to build a new manufacturing facility for plasma-derived therapies (PDTs) in Osaka, Japan

Singapore gives nod to first smart wearable stethoscope

Aevice Health, a Singapore-based medtech startup that specialises in developing remote respiratory monitoring solutions, has announced that its flagship medical device, the AeviceMD Monitoring System, has received approval from the Health Sciences Authority of Singapore (HSA).

Australia announces world first framework for rural and remote nursing

A world-first guide addressing the unique demands and challenges for Registered Nurses in rural and regional Australia has been released

India exempts full customs duty on all drugs used in rare diseases treatment

The Government of India has given full exemption from basic customs duty on all drugs and food for special medical purposes imported for personal use for treatment of all rare diseases listed under the National Policy for Rare Diseases 2021 through a general exemption notification

$15B Pharma R&D Spends ROCKS APAC

Earlier seen as a generic powerhouse, Asia is now an important hub for pharma R&D innovation

The Key To A Precision Medicine Future: AI Plus Human Ingenuity

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used to find new promising targets and design new molecules to treat diseases. It is also being applied in the optimisation of the clinical trial process – analysing data to predict outcomes to help prevent timely and costly late-stage failures, and producing health digital twins to speed up trials, and precision public health. It’s very possible to imagine a data-driven, streamlined, precision medicine future merging the best of human and machine intelligence to manage our individual health in ways we never previously imagined.

"Immutep has started exploring the potential of the first ever triple combination therapy with Eftilagimod"

Australian firm Immutep has partnered with Merck and Pfizer for a new Phase I clinical study in patients with urothelial cancer for its lead product candidate -eftilagimod, in combination with avelumab (BAVENCIO).

"APAC continues to be a global hub for clinical trials"

The Asia Pacific (APAC) represents more than a third of all cell and gene therapy in global trials.

Addressing 'Orphaning' of Rare Diseases

To tackle any disease requires sustained research and development (R&D), to help us learn more about it and to create effective treatments. However, when it comes to R&D around rare diseases, there are few key challenges which ultimately impact patient outcomes.

"India is now working on the target of ending TB by 2025"

Noting the declining number of Tuberculosis (TB) patients, India resolved to eliminate TB by 2025 as against the global target of 2030.

A World Sans MALARIA

Malaria has long been a major public health concern in the Asia Pacific region, particularly in South East Asia (SEA) affecting millions of people.

Scientists In New Zealand Identify Drug That Could Extend Lifespan

The age-old quest for immortality has taken a step forward with the results of a New Zealand study recently published by the researchers at the University of Auckland.

How Plausible Is Ending TB Scourge?

Despite countries making bold commitments to end TB by 2030, in the Sustainable Development Goals, the WHO End TB Strategy and the 2018 political declaration on the fight against TB, the epidemic shows no sign of slowing down.

Can Med Tourism Industry Hit Goldmine With Robot-Assisted Surgery?

The quality of Healthcare is projected to become enhanced in the future, aided by new innovations in technology.

Sciex expands protein characterisation capabilities

Sciex, a US-based leader in life science analytical technologies, has announced the launch of the Fast Glycan Labeling and Analysis kit for quantitative glycan analysis  and an update for Biologics Explorer software to enhance critical protein therapeutic analysis workflows.