This week in InnovationRx, we cover the escalating measles outbreak, a clinical trial for a noninvasive brain-computer implant, using robots to replace heart valves, and more. To receive this newsletter directly in your inbox, subscribe here.
The measles outbreak continues to spread, with Texas being the epicenter where one child has tragically died and the number of confirmed cases has now reached 223. Cases have been reported in a dozen states, including New Mexico, New Jersey, and Maryland. The decline in vaccination rates due to misinformation circulating online has contributed to the spread of the highly contagious disease. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has promoted alternatives like Vitamin A, cod liver oil, and steroids, but experts emphasize the importance of increasing vaccination rates.
As the number of measles cases rises, some Texas cities are running out of the MMR vaccine, including Austin, Ft. Worth, and Lubbock. Vaccination rates need to reach at least 95% for herd immunity, but in rural areas like Gaines County, the rate among kindergartners is only 82%. Most of the affected children were unvaccinated.
In other news, a startup called Cognixion has developed a brain-computer interface that allows paralyzed individuals, like Rabbi Yitzi Hurwitz who has ALS, to interact with computers without the need for a chip implanted in the head. The company has launched a clinical trial with ALS patients to study the effectiveness of this technology.
Meanwhile, pharmaceutical company Gilead has released new data suggesting that a new formulation of its HIV prophylactic lenacapavir could be effective for an entire year. The company plans to launch a phase 3 trial for this new formulation soon.
In the digital health and AI space, Lila Sciences has emerged from stealth with AI software that can turn scientific data into tangible results. The company has received $200 million in seed funding and aims to create “scientific superintelligence.” Elsevier has also introduced ScienceDirect AI, a generative AI tool that allows researchers to search and access information from millions of articles and book chapters. The world’s largest platform for peer-reviewed research announced that a new tool has been developed to help scientists reduce their literature research time by half.
MEDTECH
Two patients underwent successful robotic surgery to replace their mitral valve, a crucial component controlling blood flow in the heart. This innovative procedure, developed by Santa Cruz-based Capstan Medical, utilizes a robotic arm to replace the valve through a catheter-based approach, eliminating the need for traditional open heart surgery.
PUBLIC HEALTH AND HOSPITALS
Utah is set to become the first state to ban fluoride in public water systems, a decision made by Governor Spencer Cox despite recommendations from public health experts. The American Dental Association opposed the ban, citing the benefits of water fluoridation in preventing tooth decay and its recognition as a significant public health achievement by the CDC.
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Sun Pharmaceuticals, under the leadership of billionaire Dilip Shanghvi, has agreed to acquire Checkpoint Therapeutics, a U.S.-based biotech company, in a deal worth $355 million. The FDA recently approved Checkpoint’s drug Unloxcyt for treating advanced skin cancer, and the acquisition is expected to be finalized pending regulatory approval and shareholder consent.
WHAT WE’RE READING
Recent developments include orders for USAID staff to destroy classified documents, staff cuts at Veteran Affairs impacting clinical trials, proposed Medicaid cuts threatening rural hospitals, and warnings from former NIH director Francis Collins about the risks to major health research programs. Additionally, a man in Australia survived for 100 days with an artificial heart before receiving a donor heart.
MORE FROM FORBES
Forbes highlights fintech innovations in maximizing credit card rewards and the challenges faced by startups in the weather forecasting industry. The profitability of FICO scores and their impact on financial decisions are also explored in-depth. Please rewrite the following sentence for me. Could you please provide a different version?
