The Americas
mRNA nanobodies have shown promise in colorectal cancer, with a preclinical study reporting tumour suppression using lipid nanoparticle-delivered anti-PD-L1 therapy. An original study published in eGastroenterology describes how lipid nanoparticles carrying nucleoside-modified mRNA encoding anti-PD-L1 nanobodies suppressed tumour growth in both sporadic and colitis-associated colorectal cancer models. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer [...]
A US$80m grant will support exceptional longevity research into families whose members live far longer than average, as scientists look for genetic clues to healthy ageing. The funding renews support for the Long Life Family Study, a long-running international project examining multiple generations of families with unusually high numbers of people living to 100 and [...]
Hims & Hers Health beat Q4 earnings forecasts, though shares fell 2 per cent in aftermarket trading after the telehealth firm issued full-year guidance largely in line and a softer first quarter. The company reported Q4 earnings per share of US$0.08, ahead of analyst expectations of $0.05. Revenue rose to US$617.8m, compared with consensus forecasts [...]
Hims & Hers has agreed to buy Eucalyptus in a deal worth up to US$1.15bn, expanding its international digital health reach beyond the US. Eucalyptus, founded in 2019, operates consumer health brands including Juniper and Pilot across Australia, the UK, Germany, Japan and Canada. The company says it has served more than 775,000 customers and [...]
Sanofi has backed Altesa BioSciences in a US$75m series B round for the rhinovirus-focused biotech led by former acting FDA commissioner Brett Giroir. The funding will mainly support a phase 2b study, a mid-stage clinical trial, of vapendavir, an oral antiviral pill for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a long-term lung condition that [...]
Sleep trackers may spot depression relapse weeks before symptoms return, a study of 93 adults with remitted major depressive disorder suggests. Researchers followed people whose symptoms had eased but who remained at risk of recurrence. Participants wore research-grade wrist actigraphy devices, which track movement to estimate sleep and activity, for up to two years, generating [...]
GE HealthCare has secured a US$35m BARDA contract expansion for AI ultrasound tools intended to help non-expert users assess trauma patients. The deal with the US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) builds on a US$44m agreement struck in 2023 to fund tools for diagnosing patients in mass casualty incidents. Under the original deal, [...]
Preclinical eye-disease biotech EIR Biopharma aims to raise up to US$17.1m via a NYSE listing. San Francisco-based EIR plans to offer 3.75m shares priced between US$4 and US$5, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. At the midpoint, it expects US$14.9m in net proceeds. If underwriters take up their option for an extra 562,500 [...]
Garner Health has raised US$118m in Series D funding to expand its doctor ranking platform, taking total funding to US$200m. Founded in 2019, the digital care navigation company uses data analytics and artificial intelligence to help employers and employees identify high-quality, cost-effective healthcare providers. It then creates financial incentives for patients to see those doctors. [...]
Anterior has raised an additional US$40m, taking its total funding to US$64m. The oversubscribed round included existing investors NEA and Sequoia Capital, along with new backers FPV and Kinnevik. The New York-based company is integrating AI into clinical workflows for health plans, using a clinician-led deployment approach to improve accuracy and adoption. Since [...]
