Alibaba will venture into early screening for pancreatic cancer
Recently, Alibaba launched the "Medical AI Multi-Cancer Early Screening Public Welfare Project" in Lishui, Zhejiang. This project applies cutting-edge medical AI technology from Alibaba's DAMO Academy to the field of healthcare, aiming to achieve multi-cancer early screening through large-scale randomized daily examinations. The goal is to improve the local digital health level. It is also the first AI-based multi-cancer early screening project implemented nationwide, meaning that AI research is moving out of the laboratory and has the potential to be promoted in areas with unequal medical resources.
The PANDA deep learning model developed by Alibaba's DAMO Academy Medical AI team is mainly based on the "CT scan + AI" method, which has established a screening method for early-stage pancreatic cancer on a large scale for the first time. It is reported that this project relies on Alibaba's DAMO Academy Medical AI Lab's self-developed intelligent reading product "Da Yi Zhi Ying" to assist diagnosis through routine chest and abdomen CT scans using the groundbreaking "CT scan + AI" approach.
In terms of accuracy, the PANDA deep learning model has achieved an accuracy rate of 92.9% in identifying lesions among over 200,000 cases in the population validation, and a 99.9% accuracy rate in identifying absence of disease. The project aims to leverage these achievements to assist in diagnosis and screening.
Source: Daily Economic News
1. The United States has developed a new blood test for diagnosing nodular disease.
Supported by the National Institutes of Health, a recent research project has created a fast and inexpensive diagnostic tool. This tool utilizes a simple blood test that selectively employs non-invasive diagnostic testing typically used to identify diseases. The findings of this study were published in the "American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine." To identify antigens and determine which ones may be associated with nodular disease, scientists collected samples of lung fluid and blood cells from patients with nodular disease. Genetic material was extracted, and using molecular techniques, two newly described disease-specific antigen biomarkers were identified that specifically bind to antibodies of nodular disease-positive patients. A highly specific blood test was developed, requiring only a small amount of blood, to accurately detect the presence of nodular disease. The researchers compared blood samples from 386 individuals and confirmed that this test can differentiate between patients with nodular disease and those with other respiratory system disorders. (IVD Tool Person)
2. "Redefining Medical Imaging": Another Breakthrough from Philips
Recently, Philips announced the launch of their Smart Quant Neuro 3D system, marking another significant advancement in medical imaging. Developed in collaboration with Swedish MRI software solutions company, SyntheticMR, this system offers objective decision support for diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and Dementia. The Head of Philips MR business stated that brain injuries and neurodegenerative diseases, which can impact lives significantly, are among the most challenging diagnoses for clinicians. With the Smart Quant Neuro 3D system, clinicians can utilize user-friendly tools to provide valuable quantitative data, track treatment effects, and make informed decisions regarding adjustments or alternative interventions as needed. This continuous monitoring enhances patient care by actively managing neurological disorders and optimizing treatment outcomes. Moreover, the Smart Quant technology enables shorter examinations and exploration of quantitative metrics, showcasing enormous potential for better categorization of patients with similar imaging features using traditional MR sequences. This breakthrough demonstrates the immense potential in improving patient care and streamlining diagnostic processes in the field of medical imaging. (Source: QiXieZhiJia)
3. Siemens Healthineers has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Kunshan City.
Recently, Kunshan City in China has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Siemens Healthineers from Germany. Both parties will collaborate closely in the development of the medical device industry, digital healthcare, the transformation of medical technology innovation, and the cultivation of medical talents. They will work together to establish the "Regional Medical Innovation and Empowerment Center" to promote the construction of an internationally leading high-end medical technology and service system in Kunshan, and to contribute to the high-quality development of the healthcare industry. Zhou Wei, the Secretary of Kunshan Municipal Party Committee, met with the President of Siemens Healthineers Greater China, Wang Hao, and his delegation, and witnessed the signing of the agreement. Siemens Healthineers will work with its partners to establish several projects in Kunshan, including a demonstration project for the regional medical digital remote command center, a regional metaverse virtual research and teaching center, a regional research collaboration and medical engineering innovation service pilot center, a national medical device exhibition center, a regional smart inspection center, a regional medical equipment management service center, and a regional urban healthcare group infrastructure and solution support center. These initiatives will help Kunshan create benchmark projects in the medical and healthcare field and jointly promote the construction of a world-class high-end medical device industry system in Kunshan. (Source: Medical Device Innovation Net)
4. The new strategy of multiscale immersion printing enables the 3D printing of hearts.
Recently, a collaboration between Professor Danyang Zhao's research team from Dalian University of Technology and Professor Yifei Jin's research team from the University of Nevada, Reno, along with other teams, has proposed a new strategy for 3D printing hearts called Multiscale Immersion Printing (MSEP). This strategy addresses the long-standing challenge in the field of bioprinting, which is the precise manufacturing of multiscale complex tissues and organs outside the body. The research team successfully demonstrated the extracorporeal fabrication of multiscale human tissues and organs, effectively validating the enormous potential of MSEP technology in constructing complex human tissues and organs. The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Based on MSEP technology, the study also introduced a dynamic layer height control strategy, enabling the 3D printing of engineered corneal structures with micrometer-level surface roughness. Additionally, the team utilized MSEP technology to manufacture heterogeneous human eyeball and aortic valve models with millimeter-scale feature sizes, as well as a full-size human heart model with a centimeter-scale dimension. The research outcomes provide new methods and possibilities for the precise manufacturing of multiscale human tissues and organs, establishing a crucial technological foundation for future tissue engineering research and artificial organ transplantation.
5. The neurotoxin has received FDA approval.
Recently, Hugel America announced that its neurotoxin, Letybo (letibotulinumtoxinA), has received approval from the U.S. FDA for the treatment of moderate to severe glabellar lines in adults. The clinical trial recruited over 1,000 participants in the United States and Europe, demonstrating the efficacy and safety of Letybo in treating glabellar lines. The primary efficacy endpoint of the trial was the independent assessment of glabellar line improvement by investigators and participants using the Glabellar Line Scale (GLS) at week 4, with a responder rate defined as participants achieving a score of 0 or 1 and at least a 2-point improvement from baseline in maximum frown. (Source: CDMO)
6. Brook Bruker has acquired ELITechGroup, a provider of in vitro diagnostics (IVD) systems.
Brook Bruker recently signed an acquisition agreement to acquire ELITechGroup, a provider of in vitro diagnostics (IVD) systems, for approximately $942 million (approximately CNY 6.77 billion). It's worth noting that the transaction does not include ELITech's clinical chemistry business and is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2024. Following the completion of the acquisition, ELITech will operate as an independent business within Bruker's Microbiology and Infectious Disease Diagnostics division, becoming a part of the CALID group, which encompasses Bruker's life science and mass spectrometry businesses.
7. Quanterix's blood test for Alzheimer's disease has received FDA Breakthrough Device designation.
Quanterix Corporation recently announced that its Simoa phosphorylated Tau 217 (p-Tau 217) blood test has been granted Breakthrough Device designation by the FDA as an adjunct tool for the diagnostic assessment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This Breakthrough Device designation by the FDA signifies a significant milestone in building a global network for AD detection and further validates the importance of easily accessible and non-invasive p-Tau 217 blood testing. As described in the Breakthrough Device application, the Simoa p-Tau 217 assay is a semi-quantitative in vitro diagnostic immunoassay performed using the Quanterix HD-X Immunoassay System and is specifically designed to measure the concentration of p-Tau 217 in plasma. This test is recommended for diagnostic assessment of patients with cognitive impairments who are being evaluated for the risk of AD and is not intended as a standalone diagnostic tool.
