Amazon is already reshaping healthcare 🛒🏥

DNA-based IQ test, Facebook's privacy issues, new blood test for Alzheimer's disease and other interesting reads from the past week.

General

  • Melanoma trial deals blow to immunotherapy hopes. Link

  • China pharma stocks surge on Beijing policies to boost the sector. Link

  • Pharma gives twice as much money to patient advocacy groups than to lobbyists. Link

  • Ferring picks up microbiome specialist Rebiotix. Link

  • ‘Nightmare Bacteria’ stalk U.S. hospitals. Link

  • The U.S. may revoke special tariff if India continues pricing control on medical devices. Link

  • Amazon is already reshaping health care. Link

  • Fujifilm to acquire 2 biotech units for $800M. Link

  • Facebook quietly explored getting patient data from hospitals. Link

Digital Health

  • Global digital health investments would reach $10.3 bn in 2018. Link

  • Self-care apps are booming. Link

  • A Chinese hospital is betting big on artificial intelligence to treat patients. Link

Research

  • Disease-responsive hydrogel can release drug during arthritis flares. Link

  • New blood test could detect people at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Link

  • Portable device can monitor white blood cell levels non-invasively. Link

  • Injectable MDP-hydrogel may help heal diabetic ulcers. Link

Perspective and Opinions

  • Can doctors choose between saving lives and saving a fortune? Link

  • Why I want to stop talking about the “developing” world. Link

Interesting

  • DNA-based IQ test. Link

  • Is the world ready for synthetic people? Link

  • Mood disorders could be diagnosed by the way you fiddle with your phone. Link

Startups of the Week

ITBMed is a Swedish biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development of specific immunomodulatory biologics for use primarily in organ and stem cell transplantation. Completed an equity investment of up to $67m.

Sotera is a medical device company focused on innovative solutions for cardiac procedures. Closed initial seed funding in excess of $1m.

Virta delivers a clinically-proven treatment to safely and sustainably reverse type 2 diabetes and other chronic metabolic diseases without the use of medications or surgery. Raised a $45m Series B funding round.

TFF Pharmaceuticals is an early-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of new inhalation products for the treatment of chronic respiratory diseases and lung conditions. Closed a $14m Series A funding.

Macrolide develops macrolides for a broad range of multi-drug resistant bacterial infections. Completed a $20m financing.