💊 Health Futures #50

Happy New Year! 🎉

Mankind Pharma partners with Innovent Biologics to commercialize sintilimab in India. Sintilimab is an immune checkpoint inhibitor. The collaboration highlights the growing importance of making advanced cancer treatments accessible in regions with unmet medical needs. KGMU introduced bedside X-ray services for critically ill patients enabling imaging to be performed directly at the patient’s bedside to enhance patient safety and accelerate diagnosis and treatment for critical care patients. Pfizer ended its partnership with Sangamo Therapeutics on a hemophilia gene therapy project. The collaboration aimed to develop a one-time treatment for hemophilia but faced challenges in its progress. In health funding,  Anthem Biosciences filed for a $397M IPO. Anthem Biosciences focuses on producing generic drugs and biologics, aiming to strengthen its position in the growing global pharmaceutical market.

What's new?

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

🎗️ Mankind Pharma partners with Innovent Biologics to commercialize sintilimab in India. The partnership aims to advance the growing global emphasis on immuno-oncology therapies designed to leverage the body's immune system in the fight against cancer.

🗂️ IDEAYA Biosciences licensed SHR-4849 from Hengrui Pharma. SHR-4849, a Phase 1 therapy targeting small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). The drug is an antibody-drug conjugate designed to deliver targeted cancer treatment.

🎯 Amylyx partners with Longaevus to develop long-acting GLP-1 drugs for metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. This collaboration focuses on extending the therapeutic potential of GLP-1 drugs, widely used in managing diabetes and obesity, into new areas such as neurological health. 

🖥️ Health Hardware and Devices

🩻 KGMU introduced bedside X-ray services for critically ill patients. This service allows imaging to be done directly at the patient’s bedside, reducing the need to transport unstable patients to radiology departments.

💻 FDA granted 510(k) clearance for Inogen’s SIMEOX 200 Airway Clearance Device. This device is designed to help patients with chronic respiratory conditions by improving mucus clearance. This clearance provides a new option to enhance respiratory care and improve quality of life.

💉 HLB Life Sciences received FDA approval for its Softjek disposable syringe. The company is introducing human syringes to the U.S. market and planning to export human syringes to the U.S. through its partner, Allison Medical.

🧬 Biotechnology

🧪 Pfizer ended its collaboration with Sangamo Therapeutics on a hemophilia gene therapy program. This decision was taken after challenges in the development of the program, which aimed to provide a potentially one-time treatment for hemophilia.

🔬 RGCB partners with Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. The collaboration aims to advance research and innovation in biotechnology combining RGCB's expertise in molecular biology and biotechnology with Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham's research and educational resources.

📋 New data may expand the use of Novartis' SMA therapy, Zolgensma. The updated results show that Zolgensma could help a wider range of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients, including older patients or those with less severe cases.

🛠️ 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.

🧑‍⚕️ The Philippines and Denmark are preparing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to improve the education, training, and welfare of Filipino healthcare professionals aspiring to work in Denmark. The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) plans to develop specialized training programs, streamline recruitment processes, and ensure fair hiring practices. Filipino healthcare workers will also receive protections in Denmark, including employment rights and social security. The MOU aims to strengthen ties and benefit Filipino healthcare workers through improved training and welfare measures.

💉 The Welsh Government has surpassed its target for recruiting healthcare professionals from India. Over 300 healthcare workers have joined positions across Wales' health boards and the Velindre University NHS Trust. This achievement is part of the "Wales in India" initiative, a year-long program aimed at strengthening economic, educational, artistic, and sporting connections between the two nations.

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

⚕️Anthem Biosciences filed for a $397M IPO. The company plans to raise funds to expand its operations and enhance its research and development efforts.

🩺 Ascentage Pharma filed for a $100M IPO. The company aims to raise capital to advance its pipeline of oncology and antiviral therapies.

🧑‍⚕️ Neurent Medical secured $9M in growth capital. The company plans to use the funding to expand its medical device portfolio, focusing on treatments for chronic nasal conditions.

🌐 CareCode raised $4.3M to enhance AI-powered customer service in healthcare. The company plans to use the funds to develop its AI platform, which will improve patient interactions and streamline healthcare services.

🏥 Vitalic launched with $4M in seed funding. The company, backed by Redesign Health and Medicare Advantage payor VNS Health, focuses on providing behavioral health care for the older population.

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Thank you for reading. Have a great week ahead!
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