In a letter to President Donald Trump dated March 14, a bipartisan group of senators led by US Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Chairman Pat Roberts has announced support of biotech agricultural innovations and a system for reviewing biotech ag products that is transparent, timely and science-based. The senators expressed concern that Chinese regulations could hamper these innovations and urged the president to consider the ramifications while negotiating a trade agreement.
Researchers from the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory demonstrated the cost-competitiveness of sustainable jet fuel produced from plants by simulating five production pathways to four fuel molecules. The team reported in the journal Energy & Environmental Science that biofuel products could be created at a $2.50-per-gallon target price using all pathways, provided that manufacturers can convert lignin into a chemical that can be marketed to balance out the fuel cost.
Baxter and bioMerieux are partnering on the development of biomarkers for acute kidney injury. The team at Astute Medical, which was recently acquired by bioMerieux, will develop the biomarkers in hopes of improving patient care and quickly identifying AKI.
A round of financing involving seven investors has brought in $5.6 million for Phraxis. The company, which makes the InterGraft device to enable nonsurgical vascular access during hemodialysis, intends to use the proceeds for completion of a clinical study to seek FDA approval.
Rami Elghandour has resigned as CEO and board member at Nevro, effective Tuesday, and will be replaced by former Thoratec President and CEO Keith Grossman. The company has also tapped Kevin O'Boyle and Elizabeth Weatherman to serve on its board, after the resignation of Ali Behbahani as a director.
A round of Series A financing has generated around $6 million for UK-based neuroscience-focused health technology company Neurovalens, which makes the Modius headset for noninvasive stimulation of the brain to address appetite and cravings.
The company will use the money to conduct further trials in type 2 diabetes and obesity, as well as look into other areas such as mental health, insomnia and epilepsy.
Tactile Systems Technology has announced its appointment of Peter Schaubach as chief information officer, effective late January. Schaubach most recently held the same position at K2M.
Cantel Medical has promoted Jean Casner to senior vice president and chief human resources officer. Casner will also become a member of the executive leadership team.
Data from a 100-patient study show Boston Scientific's LUMINIZE RF Balloon Catheter demonstrated an 88.9% pulmonary vein isolation rate in the first phase, which tested the original design, and a 99.4% rate at the second phase, which tested improved steering and electrodes. Use of the single-shot ablation catheter, designed for atrial fibrillation, also resulted in a median total procedure time of 71 minutes without any serious adverse events in either stage at 30 days.
Data from an FDA-mandated post-approval study show use of Abbott Vascular's CardioMEMS heart failure monitoring system led to reductions in all-cause hospitalizations and hospitalizations for death and heart failure at one year post-procedure. The device also met the study endpoints by demonstrating 99.9% freedom from sensor failure and 99.7% freedom from system-related complications at one year.