thermofisher Magmax

Thermo Fisher unveils DNA/RNA extraction kit for haematological cancer research

A new sequential DNA/RNA isolation kit has been launched by Thermo Fisher Scientific, designed to streamline genomic analysis workflows in haematological cancer research. The MagMAX Sequential DNA/RNA kit enables concurrent extraction of DNA and RNA from a single sample, potentially accelerating research into blood-based malignancies.

SAA CLI 250121

Serum Amyloid A (SAA) nephelometric and turbidimetric assays

TRIMERO Diagnostics offers assays for testing Serum Amyloid A (SAA) on Beckman Coulter’s IMMAGE® Immunochemical Systems and Clinical Chemistry Analyzers.

JJ depression

Johnson & Johnson acquires lumateperone developer in £14.6bn deal

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has announced the acquisition of Intra-Cellular Therapies for $14.6 billion, marking a significant expansion of its neuroscience portfolio. The deal centres on CAPLYTA (lumateperone), a novel antipsychotic with a distinctive pharmacological profile characterised by high serotonin 5-HT2A receptor occupancy combined with lower dopamine D2 receptor binding at therapeutic doses.

PrecisionLife Bill Keating

PrecisionLife advances diagnostic strategy with new chief commercial officer appointment

PrecisionLife has appointed Bill Keating as chief commercial officer for diagnostics and healthcare, marking a significant step in the company’s expansion of its Mechanostic testing platform for complex chronic diseases. The Oxford-based precision medicine company announced the appointment on 8 January 2025, signalling an intensified focus on commercialising its non-invasive genotypic testing capabilities.

revvity Aviti

Revvity partners with Element Biosciences to develop sequencing-based IVD neonatal screening

Revvity Inc. has announced a strategic partnership with Element Biosciences Inc. to develop and commercialise an in vitro diagnostic (IVD) workflow solution for neonatal sequencing. The collaboration builds upon Revvity’s existing next-generation sequencing (NGS) workflow for newborn sequencing research and aims to strengthen Element’s regulatory approval pathway for their AVITI benchtop sequencing system.

Roche Car T

Roche acquires allogeneic CAR-T developer Poseida Therapeutics for $1.5bn

Roche has announced a definitive merger agreement to acquire the San Diego-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Poseida Therapeutics, marking a significant expansion of its cell therapy portfolio. The acquisition, valued at up to US$1.5 billion, builds upon an existing partnership established in 2022 and aims to accelerate the development of off-the-shelf CAR-T cell therapies.

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Leica Biosystems invests in Indica Labs to advance AI-powered digital pathologyIBA Lifesciences acquisition

Leica Biosystems has announced a significant strategic investment in artificial intelligence (AI) specialist Indica Labs, marking a pivotal advancement in digital pathology. The collaboration, announced on 8 January 2025, aims to accelerate the development of AI-enabled companion diagnostics (CDx) and enhance the detection of complex biomarker expression profiles that exceed human visual capabilities.

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Beckman Coulter modernises South West London Pathology diagnostic capabilities with advanced laboratory installation

South West London Pathology (SWLP) has initiated a comprehensive modernisation of its clinical blood science services, beginning with the installation of state-of-the-art analysers at Croydon Hospital. This development marks the first phase of a broader implementation strategy across the SWLP network, encompassing clinical chemistry, haematology, coagulation, serology, and pre-analytical automation systems.

paul geeleher

Scientists develop GPU-powered AI tool to analyse single-cell gene data

A new machine learning algorithm developed by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital researchers enables faster and more accurate analysis of large-scale single-cell gene expression datasets, potentially accelerating discoveries in cancer and other diseases.

extracellular vesicles

BKCa channels identified as essential regulators of extracellular vesicle integrity

Scientists have discovered how extracellular vesicles maintain their structural integrity during cellular transport through blood vessels and bodily fluids, revealing a critical role for specialised ion channels that regulate internal conditions.