💊 Health Futures #46

Happy Monday 👋

Eisai and Biogen launched Leqembi in South Korea as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease which is a new option for managing a condition affecting millions of patients globally. Teladoc Health launched a new technology Virtual Sitter which uses AI to monitor patients in hospital beds to minimize the risk of patients falling highlighting the growing use of AI in healthcare for patient monitoring and safety. Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals and Sarepta Therapeutics joined forces to develop RNAi-based therapies for rare genetic diseases affecting muscle, lung, and central nervous system. The agreement grants Sarepta exclusive rights to several of Arrowhead's clinical-stage programs. In health funding, Roche signed an agreement to acquire Poseida Therapeutics in a $1.5B deal.

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HolonIQ’s new Green Skills Map and Workforce section reveal industry-wide sustainability skills and jobs, as well as workforce development initiatives, supporting upskilling for a sustainable economy.

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💊 Drug Production

⚕️ Eisai and Biogen launched Leqembi, a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease in South Korea. The drug is developed to slow cognitive decline in the early stages of Alzheimer’s and offers a new option for managing a condition affecting millions globally.

💉 The University of Kansas partners with Design-Zyme. Through the collaboration, the companies would advance vaccine development for Lyme disease and chlamydia.

🧑‍⚕️ Biden administration planned to propose expanded Medicare and Medicaid coverage for obesity drugs.  The proposal addresses the growing prevalence of obesity in the U.S., which affects millions and contributes to various chronic health conditions, including diabetes and heart disease.

🌐 AI in Health

🤖 Canon Medical USA introduced an AI-powered MRI system. The new system uses artificial intelligence to enhance image quality, reduce scan times, and improve diagnostic precision hence this launch would increase competition in advanced imaging technology.

🩺 Teladoc Health launched an AI motion-detection solution Virtual Sitter to enhance patient safety in hospital beds. This aims to monitor patient movements to reduce risks such as falls or other safety incidents, providing real-time alerts to healthcare staff.

🩻 CorTechs.AI partnered with Mermaid Beach Radiology to implement precision AI imaging solutions for MRI and CT services. This collaboration aims to enhance diagnostic capabilities by integrating AI tools into radiological imaging, enabling more accurate and efficient analysis of medical scans.

🧬 Biotechnology

🧪 Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals partners with Sarepta Therapeutics to develop RNA-based therapies for rare genetic diseases. This partnership combines Arrowhead's expertise in RNA interference technology with Sarepta's focus on precision genetic medicine, targeting conditions like Duchenne muscular dystrophy. 

🔬 SunAct and AbGentil partnered to bring CAR-T, TCR, and TIL therapies to India. These therapies use the body’s immune cells to target and eliminate cancer cells, offering personalized treatment options for patients with certain types of cancers. 

🏥 AstraZeneca's TruQap in a Phase III trial for prostate cancer treatment showed promising results. The drug showed promising results in improving survival rates for patients with advanced prostate cancer, a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men globally. 

🛠️ Skills and Workforce

With reskilling and upskilling playing a key role in closing workforce gaps, HolonIQ is now tracking these impactful initiatives shaping the health industry. Read on for this week’s insights, and discover more in HolonIQ's latest Skills newsletter.

🩺 Siemens Healthineers Partners with Ohio State Wexner on a $105M Innovation Initiative. Siemens Healthineers and The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center launched a 10-year, $105 million partnership to advance diagnostic imaging, AI, and clinical care. This collaboration will include a cutting-edge imaging excellence center focusing on translational research and workforce development. By integrating expertise across disciplines, the initiative aims to pioneer medical innovations and improve healthcare workforce standards globally while maintaining a longstanding relationship in advanced imaging technology.

🏥 East Central Indiana Emerges as Healthcare Workforce Training Leader. East Central Indiana is emerging as a hub for training healthcare professionals, leveraging its historic institutions like Ball State University and IU School of Medicine-Muncie. Innovative programs and simulation labs prepare graduates to meet workforce demands, addressing healthcare shortages across Indiana. Partnerships with local hospitals ensure practical training, fostering retention of professionals in the region. Supported by initiatives like READI 2.0, this effort underscores the region’s commitment to strengthening healthcare and economic resilience.

🧑‍⚕️ Weekend Licensed Practical Nurse program boosts rural healthcare workforce training. Maria College, SUNY Cobleskill, and Bassett Healthcare Network have partnered to expand nursing education in rural New York, launching a weekend LPN certificate program in Cobleskill starting January 2025. Graduates will become licensed practical nurses after the NCLEX exam. Plans include offering associate and bachelor's nursing degrees in underserved areas. This initiative addresses severe nursing shortages in rural communities, providing advanced training facilities and career pathways. The collaboration highlights efforts to bolster healthcare services in central New York.

HolonIQ has also launched the Green Skills Map, an open-source framework initiated for cataloging, evaluating, and contextualizing the different components of the rapidly expanding field of green jobs. This comprehensive taxonomy will serve as a resource for understanding the full spectrum and complexity of green skills required across various sectors, thereby enabling a cohesive approach toward achieving net zero and decarbonizing the global economy. Green Skills Map spans 11 areas, 54 sub-areas, and 243 green skills clusters. A snippet of the map covering four areas has been included above. Explore the full map on greenskills.org.

💰 Deals of the Week

💉 Roche to acquire Poseida Therapeutics for $1.5B giving Roche access to Poseida’s advanced gene-editing technology including its proprietary platform for creating gene therapies targeting diseases.

🧬 Adcendo raised $135M in Series B funding. The company plans to use the funds to advance, broaden, and accelerate the development of its ADC pipeline.

💊 Enveda Biosciences secured $130M in a Series C funding round to accelerate drug discovery and development programs. 

🩹 Cortica secured $80M in a funding round to expand its network and services.

🧫 Cradle raised $73M in Series B funding intending to use the funds to accelerate development efforts.

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Thank you for reading. Have a great week ahead!
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