Tag Archives: MEQ

PRNews

Frost & Sullivan Recognizes Acelity as a Leader in the Field with its new V.A.C.ULTA™ 4 Therapy System and V.A.C. VERAFLO CLEANSE CHOICE™ Dressing

Acelity’s innovative negative-pressure wound therapy system changes the game by enhancing delivery of four therapies on a single device

SANTA CLARA, California, Sept. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Based on its recent analysis of the negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Acelity with the 2017 North American Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy Product Leadership Award for its two new therapies: V.A.C.ULTA™ 4 Therapy System, which incorporates a fifth-generation software upgrade that provides delivery of four therapies on a single device, allowing physicians to treat various wounds with a single system, and V.A.C. VERAFLO CLEANSE CHOICE™ Dressing, which provides clinicians with a novel, adjunctive non-surgical option that may help clean large complex wounds when complete surgical debridement is not possible or appropriate.

Healthcare economies, such as the United States (US), are faced with shifting challenges, including rising operational costs at hospitals, staffing constraints, and cost burdens carried by care facilities for hospital-acquired infections. While US healthcare policies, along with value-based reimbursement models, are a clinical and economic driver in the wound care market, the need exists for wound care companies to integrate their treatment modalities into new care models that better track and manage chronic wounds across various care settings due to the shift from pay-for-service models to pay-for-performance and quality-of-care based payment models. The current chronic wound care market is also significantly fragmented because of the many ways a typical wound can be treated, including active healing dressings, advanced passive dressings, other unique energy- or mechanical-based solutions, and negative-pressure wound treatment systems (NPWT), including vacuum assisted-closure (V.A.C.®) therapy.

“Acelity is a leading provider of advanced wound care solutions,” said Patrick Riley, Principal Analyst at Frost & Sullivan. “The company pioneered NPWT, and its advanced V.A.C. VERAFLO™ Therapy combines the benefits of V.A.C.® Therapy and automated topical wound solution distribution and removal to help heal and prepare the wound for closure quickly and effectively. The new V.A.C.ULTA™ 4 Therapy System sets the benchmark with its capability to delivery four therapies through a single device.”

The four therapies include:

  • V.A.C. VERAFLO™ Therapy with Instillation, which automates alternating cycles of wound cleansing with a topical solution and V.A.C.® Therapy, allowing for wound cleansing and therapy to maintain a closed environment to enhance healing. V.A.C. VERAFLO™ Therapy is poised to become the new gold standard of NPWT, as studies have reported patient outcomes better than the current gold standard V.A.C.® Therapy.
  • Traditional V.A.C.® Therapy
  • ABTHERA™ Open Abdomen Negative Pressure Therapy, which provides negative-pressure therapy for temporary abdominal closure to help reduce edema and fluid, empowering primary fascial closure.
  • PREVENA™ Negative Pressure Incision Management Therapy, which provides NPWT therapy for closed incisions after a surgical procedure.

Furthermore, all four therapies utilize Acelity’s advanced SENSAT.R.A.C.™ Technology with EASYCLEAR PURGE™ which employs advanced software and algorithms in addition to multi-lumen technology that work together to monitor and regulate the set pressure continuously at the wound site, as well as helping reduce blockages. Acelity’s recently launched V.A.C. VERAFLO CLEANSE CHOICE™ dressing for use with V.A.C. VERAFLO™ Therapy helps loosen, solubilize, detach, and remove viscous wound exudate without surgical intervention, effectively preparing the wound for closure.

“Acelity’s software upgrade has also improved the ease-of-use factor for the V.A.C.ULTA™ 4 Therapy System,” said Riley. “Acelity has designed the interface to be similar to a mobile phone, with applications (apps) corresponding to each therapy for easy selection; thus, reducing the number of steps needed for therapy delivery.”

Acelity conducts hands-on training for clinicians, as well as transitioning training for customers moving to the new V.A.C.ULTA™ 4 Therapy System. The company also maintains customer, technical and clinical support teams that are committed to providing detailed support to customers for administrative questions, technological troubleshooting, and can give guidance on use of Acelity’s products.  

Acelity also recently launched V.A.C. VERAFLO CLEANSE CHOICE™ Dressing. When used with V.A.C. VERAFLO™ Therapy, Acelity’s negative pressure wound therapy and instillation (NPWTi-d) system, the dressing may provide rapid cleansing of wounds with the goal of augmenting the healing environment. The novel therapeutic dressing facilitates removal of thick wound exudate when surgical debridement is not possible or delayed, and offers prompt adjunctive wound cleansing for complex wounds.

In addition, Acelity has led the way in the next frontier of NPWT with its digital health offerings.   iOn RESULTS™ Remote Therapy Monitoring works in conjunction with the V.A.C.ULTA™ Therapy System to monitor the therapy units’ performance in the hospital setting. iOn PROGRESS™ Remote Therapy Monitoring delivers the first continuous monitoring and ready intervention for patients receiving negative pressure wound therapy in the home.

Due to Acelity’s commitment to improve patient outcomes through continuous technological innovation and outstanding customer support, Acelity has earned Frost & Sullivan’s 2017 North American Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy Product Leadership Award.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has developed a product with innovative features and functionality that is gaining rapid market acceptance. The award recognizes the quality of the solution and the customer value enhancements it enables.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

About Acelity

Acelity L.P. Inc. and its subsidiaries are a global advanced wound care company that leverages the strengths of Kinetic Concepts, Inc. and Systagenix Wound Management, Limited. Available in more than 90 countries, the innovative and complementary ACELITY™ product portfolio delivers value through solutions that speed healing and lead the industry in quality, safety and customer experience. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, Acelity employs nearly 5,000 people around the world.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today’s market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion.

Contact:

Estefany Ariza
P: 210.477.8469
F: 210.348.1003
E: Estefany.Ariza@frost.com

PRNews

Efficacy of Philips’ Stellarex .035″ low-dose drug-coated balloon demonstrated in clinical trial at two years

– Two-year data from the ILLUMENATE European randomized clinical trial (EU RCT) validates durable clinical performance of Stellarex low-dose drug-coated balloon

– Trial includes 328 peripheral arterial disease patients from 18 centers across Germany and Austria

AMSTERDAM and LAS VEGAS, Sept. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG; AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, announced the two-year results from the ILLUMENATE European randomized clinical trial (EU RCT) demonstrating the efficacy of Philips Spectranetics’ Stellarex .035″ drug-coated balloon (DCB) for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in comparison to uncoated balloon angioplasty. Marianne Brodmann, M.D., of the Medical University of Graz in Austria, presented the data today as a late-breaking trial at the Vascular Interventional Advances (VIVA 17) Annual Conference.

The ILLUMENATE EU RCT, which is part of a series of five trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of Stellarex for superficial femoral artery and popliteal disease, includes 328 PAD patients from 18 centers across Germany and Austria and compares the Stellarex DCB to an uncoated angioplasty balloon. The results show that at 24 months, 75.9% of patients treated with Stellarex maintained blood flow through the treated segment of the diseased artery, assessed through blinded core-lab adjudicated patency. Only 61.0% of patients treated with an uncoated balloon still maintained blood flow at 24 months. The data shows that Stellarex demonstrates higher efficacy and patency results, and longer treatment durability compared to an uncoated balloon, which is the current standard of care in the United States.

“The Stellarex DCB produced durable results in this rigorous trial, validating earlier findings among the ILLUMENATE trial series,” stated Marianne Brodmann, M.D. “These consistent, top-tier outcomes are achieved with a low-dose balloon.* Stellarex is the first low-dose DCB to demonstrate a significant treatment effect at two years.”

The ILLUMENATE EU RCT has independent evaluation including supervision by a clinical events committee, a data safety and monitoring board, and assessment by angiographic and duplex ultrasound core laboratories. Philips Spectranetics fully funded the ILLUMENATE EU RCT as part of the ILLUMENATE series of five trials to evaluate the benefits of Stellarex .035″ for various patient groups in comparison to an uncoated percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) balloon, which is the current endovascular standard of care.

“We are committed to providing proven clinical solutions that positively impact patient outcomes,” stated Christopher Barys, Image Guided Therapy Devices Business Leader for Philips. “We are proud to have the only low-dose drug-coated balloon with a proven treatment effect at two years compared to the current endovascular standard of care in the U.S. The addition of Stellarex in the Philips portfolio through the Spectranetics acquisition reinforces our commitment to helping physicians decide, guide, treat and confirm the right therapy for their patients.”

The Stellarex drug-coated balloon is designed to restore and maintain blood flow to arteries in patients with peripheral arterial disease. Spectranetics launched the device in Europe in January 2015 and received FDA approval in the U.S. in July 2017. Philips acquired Spectranetics in August 2017 to continue the advancement of its unique portfolio of image-guided therapy solutions to deliver enhanced care for patients.

Visit the Philips and Spectranetics booths (406 and 405) at VIVA 17 to experience Stellarex and Philips’ other innovative offerings that deliver seamless care in the vascular space. Follow the #VIVA17 conversation at @PhilipsLiveFrom throughout the event.

* Low-dose DCBs are those that deliver a dose of only 2 micrograms of the drug paclitaxel per square millimeter, which is lower than some other DCBs on the market.

For further information, please contact:

Alicia Cafardi 
Philips Group Press Office 
Tel: +1 412-523-9616
E-mail: Alicia.Cafardi@philips.com

Kathleen Lozen
Philips Image Guided Therapy Devices
Tel: +1 617-529-2958
E-mail: Kathleen.Lozen@philips.com

About Royal Philips
Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people’s health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips’ health technology portfolio generated 2016 sales of EUR 17.4 billion and employs approximately 71,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.

PRNews

15 million Connected Disposable Medical Sensors to Ship by 2023

Vendors are investing to further the potential of a range of single-use, wireless healthcare sensors.

OYSTER BAY, N.Y., Sept. 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — The adoption of an emerging generation of disposable, connected sensors will be driven by the ongoing development of remote patient monitoring applications, according to the latest healthcare report from ABI Research. Combined with use in hospitals and clinics, shipments of single-use sensors capable of transmitting patient data wirelessly, will exceed 3.5 million sensors annually by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 30% from 2016 shipments.

“Disposables are already a feature of healthcare provision around the globe and medical sensors will have to fit into that world. Efforts already underway promise considerable progress over the next few years,” says Jonathan Collins, Research Director at ABI Research. “Their potential to extend and simplify the benefits of remote patient monitoring will help drive the adoption of both,” he says.

Disposable sensors, without embedded wireless transmitters are already commonplace in remote patient continuous glucose monitoring applications from Dexcom, Medtronic and others, but their potential reaches far beyond. Disposable connected sensors can support applications including medication tracking, temperature, heart rate and pulse oximetry as well as activity/movement/post-surgery orthopedics monitoring that address a far larger user-base.

A host of companies ranging from established players including Philips Healthcare and Medtronic to well-backed ventures like Qualcomm Life and smaller start-ups like GenTag and Proteus Digital Health are all investing in developing disposable sensors, but are taking varied approaches regarding sensor format and supporting technologies. In addition, a range of wireless protocols are under consideration for adoption in disposable smart health sensors including Bluetooth, NFC and Proprietary offerings.

“What these and many other companies share is an understanding that healthcare workflows and reimbursement payments are already steeped in the broad use of disposable devices. Between now and 2022 will be a key time for these vendors and others to address technical and ecosystem complexity around disposable sensor connectivity. It will also be the primary time for vendors to gain a foothold in the emerging market,” says Collins.

These findings are from ABI Research’s Disposable Medical Sensors report. This report is part of the company’s Smart Health research service, which includes research, data, and analyst insights. 

About ABI Research

ABI Research stands at the forefront of technology market intelligence, providing business leaders with comprehensive research and consulting services to help them implement informed, transformative technology decisions. Founded more than 25 years ago, the company’s global team of senior and long-tenured analysts delivers deep market data forecasts, analyses, and teardown services. ABI Research is an industry pioneer, proactively uncovering ground-breaking business cycles and publishing research 18 to 36 months in advance of other organizations. For more information, visit www.abiresearch.com.

PRNews

Vatech Introduces the PaX-i Insight – the Latest Evolution in 2D Imaging

FORT LEE, N.J., Sept. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ —  Vatech officially launches the PaX-i Insight, the next generation of panoramic technology. PaX-i Insight aims to deliver an astonishing feature of adding depths to a panoramic image.


Depth added panoramic image

The all new PaX-i Insight features the ‘Insight Pan’, which is the 4th generation of panoramic radiography presented by Vatech for the first time in the market. While the conventional panoramic systems may miss important details which land outside of a single focal trough, the PaX-i Insight is capable of taking multi-layered images and providing in-depth look across a single focal trough.

Having the option to choose from a variety of images, the Insight Pan offers clinicians to explore 41 images (each sliced in 1 mm) when exploring their region of interest. This feature not only provides an accurate diagnosis for periapical diseases, periodontitis and pericoronitis but also allows clinicians to find hidden roots and canals.

In the case studies released by Vatech, visible fractured roots are often ‘missed out’ in conventional panoramic images with a single layer. Utilizing the PaX-i Insight’s ‘multi-slice’ mode, clinicians can discover buccal roots by examining each root and its periodontal ligament separately.

One notable feature of the PaX-i Insight is the 1.9 second acquisition time. Cephalometry radiography is an essential part of an orthodontic treatment and yet, it was not always easy to acquire a superb image quality that clinicians desire due to the motion artifact. Standing still for 12 seconds is difficult especially for children and teenagers. Furthermore, any movement during the image acquisition would leave clinicians with blurred images. Now with PaX-i Insight’s rapid ceph technology, clinicians can obtain accurate images in the shortest time span by minimizing motion artifacts.

Besides the functionality of the PaX-i Insight, the user-friendly EzDent-i software serves as a powerful solution to maximize the capability of the PaX-i Insight. The Easy-to-use interface allows clinicians to be more efficient with treatment planning and patient consultation. An efficient practice leads to a much better standard of care delivered to the patients.

“We are glad to present Vatech’s latest innovation which fascinated many clinicians at the IDS 2017. The new product will not only reduce the number of retakes by accurately exploring anatomical structures of the teeth but also enable faster diagnostic workflow. Since PaX-i Insight offers a unique feature which other products could not produce, we are all eager to see how this new product will transform the way clinicians work on their cases and communicate with their patients,” said Brian Hwang, CEO of Vatech America.

PaX-i Insight will make its first release in the United States. Shortly, the new product will be introduced to other global markets throughout the year; including Germany, Italy and France. For more information, please visit www.vatechamerica.com.

About Vatech America Inc.

Vatech is a leading provider of digital dental radiography products. As the US subsidiary of Vatech Co., Ltd., Vatech America is dedicated solely to innovative digital dental X-ray imaging technologies that aid dentists and ultimately help to improve the health of dental patients. The company is responsible for technological advances in recent years that offer every American dental practice, from small to large, endless possibilities to achieve higher standards.

PR Contact
June Chang
+1-201-210-5028
jchang@vatechamerica.com 
Vatech America


PaX-i Insight

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vatech-introduces-the-pax-i-insight—the-latest-evolution-in-2d-imaging-300512079.html

Source: Vatech Co., Ltd.

PRNews

European XFEL: World’s Largest X-ray Laser to Launch in Hamburg

HAMBURG, Germany, Sept. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ —

From 1 September 2017, the European XFEL – the world‘s biggest X-ray laser – will be in regular operation. The €1.22 billion research facility in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region involves eleven European countries. 

The facility is a project of superlatives: with 27,000 X-ray laser flashes per second and a luminance a billion times higher than that of the best conventional X-ray sources, XFEL will open up entirely new research opportunities and help transcend the current boundaries of scientific research. It will enable international scientists to decipher the molecular composition of viruses and cells, take three-dimensional images of the nanoworld, film chemical reactions and study processes occurring deep inside planets. XFEL will help develop e.g. new medication and new materials.

This Friday, the facility will be launched by Germany’s Research Minister Johanna Wanka, Hamburg’s First Mayor Olaf Scholz, Schleswig-Holstein’s Science Minister Karin Prien, Russia’s Presidential Advisor Andrei Fursenko, French Research Minister Frédérique Vidal and other high-ranking representatives. They will be joined by several external researchers, who are currently preparing for their first experiments in mid-September.

XFEL is a non-profit organisation that closely collaborates with DESY Hamburg and other international institutions. It employs about 300 people. With a cost of €1.22 billion for construction and launch and a 3.4-kilometre tunnel system that extends to the state of Schleswig-Holstein, it is among Europe’s biggest and most ambitious research projects. Eleven countries are involved: Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland; the UK is in the process of joining. For Hamburg as a science and business location, XFEL marks a further step in establishing itself as an international innovation hub.

More about XFEL: http://www.xfel.eu
More on Hamburg: http://www.hamburg.com

Hamburg Marketing
Guido Neumann
+49-40-300-583    
guido.neumann@marketing.hamburg.de

European XFEL GmbH
Dr Bernd Ebeling
+49-40-8998-6921
press@xfel.eu

PRNews

PQ Bypass Earns Frost & Sullivan’s European Technology Innovation Award for Its Proprietary DETOUR System for Percutaneous Bypass

Novel technology enables a new, minimally invasive treatment for patients suffering from extremely long peripheral artery blockages

LONDON, Aug. 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Frost & Sullivan is pleased to recognize PQ Bypass with the 2017 European PAD Interventions Technology Innovation Award. PQ Bypass’ DETOUR System is a minimally invasive technology that enables physicians to re-direct, or detour, blood flow around extremely long blockages in the upper leg arteries to restore blood flow to the lower leg and foot.

“PAD is a potentially fatal condition that affects more than 200 million people worldwide—3 to 12% of the global population. PQ Bypass’ proprietary DETOUR System is a promising, innovative approach for patients with extremely long lesions whose current treatment options are not ideal,” said Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Analyst, Norma Vela. “We anticipate rapid, widespread technology adoption once the DETOUR System launches commercially. The global market potential for treating this type of advanced peripheral arterial disease is significant, and PQ Bypass has first-mover status in the space.”

Extremely long blockages in the leg arteries, especially those that are greater than 20 centimeters, are challenging to treat. Historically, physicians have treated these blockages with open bypass surgery (fem-pop bypass), which has the benefit of durability, however, it is associated with an increased risk of complications, longer hospital stays, and prolonged rehabilitation. More recently, minimally-invasive technologies have emerged that go through blockages. These technologies work very well on shorter blockages; however, they have not been as effective on these longer blockages as open surgery.

The DETOUR System is designed to deliver the durability advantages of open bypass surgery with a minimally-invasive approach. During a DETOUR procedure, a pathway is created by crossing from the SFA into the femoral vein and back into the artery that allows DETOUR stent grafts to be placed in a continuous line. The new path through the stent grafts re-directs oxygen-rich blood around the blockage and restores blood flow to the lower leg and foot of the patient.

“With an increased focus on value-based and patient-centered medicine, surgical advancements that minimize trauma to patients, reduce length of hospital stay and recovery times are critical global needs,” said Richard Ferrari, Chairman of the Board of PQ Bypass. “We designed the DETOUR System to be a transformative step forward in how physicians treat extremely long peripheral artery disease.”

In March 2017, PQ Bypass received CE Mark approval for the DETOUR System and is planning a pivotal investigational device exemption study to support premarket approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The clinical results of the DETOUR I trial conducted in Europe were promising, demonstrating excellent safety and effectiveness with patency results of 84.7% at 6 months.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to a company that has developed a pioneering technology that enhances current products and develops newer products and applications. The award recognizes the high market acceptance potential of the recipient’s technology.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards acknowledge companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

About PQ Bypass

PQ Bypass, Inc. is a Silicon Valley-based medical device company working to transform the treatment of long-segment peripheral artery disease with minimally-invasive endovascular solutions.

PQ Bypass is operated by recognized leaders in the medical device industry. Our executive team members have held senior leadership positions at companies including Medtronic, Abbott, Johnson & Johnson, and Stryker and also have extensive experience developing medical devices for startups such as Evalve, Access Closure, Avinger, and DVI.

The underlying technology and technique used in the percutaneous PQ DETOUR procedure were co-developed by two world-renowned cardiologists and innovators, Dr. James Joye and Dr. Richard Heuser, who are recognized experts in PAD.

The PQ Bypass technology platform is not available for sale in the US. For more information, please visit www.pqbypass.com.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, collaborates with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today’s market participants. For more than 50 years, Frost & Sullivan has been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector, and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion.

PRNews

Tekni-Plex begins production at new China manufacturing facility

$15 million investment supports Tekni-Plex’s continued commitment to global supply network

WAYNE, Pennsylvania, Aug. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Tekni-Plex, Inc.’s new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Suzhou, China, near Shanghai has begun production. The company will hold a grand opening celebration on September 19th.


Tekni-Plex, Inc.’s new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Suzhou, China, near Shanghai has begun production. The company will hold a grand opening celebration on September 19th. The facility is producing Natvar’s recently-announced silicone extrusion tubing and Colorite custom compounds for medical device applications. Production will also include Action Technology’s dip tubes for food/beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, industrial and household pump products.

Earlier this year, Tekni-Plex announced a $15 million investment in the facility to support the growing needs of the Asia-Pacific pharmaceutical and medical device market.

The more than 140,000-square-foot (13,000-square-meter) facility has already started manufacturing products for Tekni-Plex’s Natvar, Colorite and Action Technology business units. The facility features three Class 100K cleanrooms to accommodate medical-grade tubing and components production plus one Class 10K cleanroom that will produce Natvar’s pharma-grade tubing.

The facility is producing Natvar’s recently-announced silicone extrusion tubing for catheters, feeding tubes, drug delivery and peristaltic pump applications. Production for microextrusion tubing that targets a wide variety of demanding neurovascular interventional therapies and surgical applications is expected to be onstream early next year. The facility will also manufacture Colorite custom compounds for medical device applications, and Action Technology’s dip tubes used in a wide variety of food/beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, industrial and household pump applications.

Among those representing Tekni-Plex at the ribbon cutting will be Paul Young, chief executive officer, Russell Hubbard, vice president-international and general manager, Ian Kenny, global managing director, Colorite, and Bob Donohue, general manager of the company’s Natvar business unit.  Local officials are also expected to attend.

For further information about attending the event contact Coco Xu at Coco.Xu@tekni-plex.com.

About Tekni-Plex, Inc.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2017, Tekni-Plex is a globally-integrated company focused on developing and manufacturing innovative packaging materials, medical compounds and precision-crafted medical tubing solutions for some of the most well-known names in the medical, pharmaceutical, personal care, household and industrial, and food and beverage industries. Tekni-Plex is headquartered in Wayne, Pennsylvania, and operates manufacturing sites across eight countries worldwide to meet the needs of its global customers.  For more information visit www.tekni-plex.com.

Logo – http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/177084/tekni_plex_logo.jpg

Source: Tekni-Plex, Inc.

PRNews

Decision Resources Group Acquires Context Matters to Expand Global Market Access Intelligence Offerings

BURLINGTON, Massachusetts, Aug. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Decision Resources Group (DRG), the life sciences industry’s most trusted provider of market intelligence and global data products and services, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Context Matters, the innovative data technology start-up that developed a first-of-its-kind global market access integrated data platform. Previously the lead investor in a Series B funding round for the startup last fall, DRG’s full acquisition and planned integration of Context Matters cements its position as the partner of choice for global market access data products, analytics, and strategic guidance.

The acquisition of Context Matters reinforces DRG’s commitment to providing a deep understanding of global market access landscapes which life sciences organizations can leverage to drive profitable asset management from development through commercialization. It will fortify DRG’s global market access portfolio by combining the novel Context Matters data model, which links global regulatory and health technology assessment data to detailed clinical trial data, with DRG’s existing suite of products and services.  The addition of Context Matters will result in a full service global market access and drug value navigation partner to the life sciences industry, with the flexibility to deliver solutions scaled to client needs and timing—from tactical target points to end-to-end enterprise strategy.

“There is an ever-rising demand to optimize global access to treatments for patients in therapy areas that continue to have unmet need. In our increasingly complex and cost-benefit driven markets, it is imperative for healthcare companies to build robust, evidence-based approaches to plan and prepare their assets for successful global market access,” says Peter Hempshall, Senior Vice President of DRG. “With the acquisition of Context Matters, DRG is pleased to welcome an experienced team of pioneering global market access experts. They have been at the forefront of compiling and connecting disparate forms of data to provide life sciences companies with the depth of data and direction needed to plan and implement successful access, reimbursement and asset valuation strategies for varied global markets.”

“Context Matters was created from the idea that data from market access and reimbursement can be used to inform clinical trial design,” explained Yin Ho, M.D., M.B.A., the Founder and CEO of Context Matters. “It has been extremely gratifying to watch Context Matters become a force to change the thinking of the pharmaceutical industry around how to use data to position and honestly evaluate the value of customers’ assets in a global marketplace,” said Dr. Ho. “We have been leaders in the industry and our vision will continue to live on in our products, services, and customers as we move forward with DRG.”

About Context Matters, Inc.

Context Matters modernizes and improves the process of valuing drug therapies, empowering life sciences organizations to achieve optimal reimbursement for their innovation. The Context Matters Market Access Platform (MAP) defines a new product category for global drug valuation — a configurable technology platform linking drug development and market data through a sophisticated model making comparative analysis and contextual views possible to establish reimbursement and market access. The MAP is a disruptive innovation that provides pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies direct access to the insights they need to inform key product development decisions and gain optimal reimbursement value. Visit ContextMatters.com for more information.

About Decision Resources Group

Decision Resources Group, a subsidiary of Piramal Enterprises Ltd., is the premier source for global healthcare data and market intelligence. A trusted partner for over 20 years, DRG helps companies competing in the global healthcare industry make informed business decisions. Organizations committed to the development and delivery of life-changing therapies rely on DRG’s in-house team of expert healthcare analysts, data scientists, and consultants for critical guidance. DRG products and services, built on extensive data assets and delivered by experts, empower organizations to succeed in complex healthcare markets. Please visit decisionresourcesgroup.com for more information.

For press inquiries, please contact Tori Gillern at tgillern@teamdrg.com.

PRNews

Ondine’s President and CTO receives 2017 Clinical Research Excellence Award at Global IPA Conference

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Ondine Biomedical Inc. is pleased to announce that its President and Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Nicolas Loebel, was the 2017 recipient of the International Photodynamic Association’s CLINICAL PDT RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AWARD. The award was presented at the World Congress held in Coimbra, Portugal. The Coimbra World Congress was the 16th conference held by the International Photodynamic Association, marking 32 years of this global meeting. The IPA World Congresses, held every two years, are the leading PDT meetings bringing together members of the global photodynamic community in order to advance scientific and clinical research relating to photodiagnosis and photodynamic therapies.

“I am delighted to see that Dr. Loebel was duly recognized by his peers for his clinical advancement of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy and track record of research excellence. This IPA recognition is well deserved.” stated Professor Michael Wilson, inventor of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy. Professor Wilson is Emeritus Professor of Microbiology at the Eastman Dental Institute in the Faculty of Medical Services of University College London (UCL). Professor Wilson was the first to successfully treat complex biofilm infections using antimicrobial PDT, demonstrating the potency of this technology against multidrug-resistant pathogens.

Ondine Biomedical Inc. is a Canadian medical device company developing and commercializing antimicrobial photodynamic therapies to treat and prevent multidrug resistant infections. Dr. Nicolas Loebel and his team at Ondine Research Laboratories have developed 5 antimicrobial photodynamic products, including Periowave™ (oral infections), Sinuwave™ (sinus infections), MRSAid™ (nasal decolonization), Steriwave™ (skin infections) and Exelume™ (VAP reduction), positioning Ondine as the global leader in Photodisinfection based therapies.  More than 300,000 patients have been treated with Ondine’s technologies globally, demonstrating excellent clinical outcomes and safety profiles. For more information, please visit: www.ondinebio.com

Source: Ondine Biomedical Inc.

PRNews

European Patent Office to Grant Merck’s Patent Application for CRISPR Technology

– Patent application covers integration of an external DNA sequence into the chromosome of eukaryotic cells using CRISPR

– Related patent application recently awarded in Australia; similar patents pending in other countries, favourable outcomes anticipated

DARMSTADT, Germany, Aug. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Merck, a leading science and technology company, today announced the European Patent Office (EPO) has issued a “Notice of Intention to Grant” for Merck’s patent application covering the company’s CRISPR technology used in a genomic integration method for eukaryotic cells.


Merck’s patent application covers integration of an external DNA sequence into the chromosome of eukaryotic cells using CRISPR. The patent will give Merck’s CRISPR genomic integration technology broad protection, further strengthening the company’s patent portfolio.

The patent will provide Merck’s CRISPR genomic integration technology with broad protection, further strengthening the company’s patent portfolio. A related patent was approved in Australia in June 2017.  Merck anticipates favourable outcomes in other countries as well, because many patent offices worldwide consider the status of related European cases to be highly relevant to the decision to grant patents.

“This is a significant and exciting decision by the EPO, and we view this announcement as recognition of Merck’s important contributions to the genome-editing field,” said Udit Batra, Member of the Merck Executive Board and CEO, Life Science. “This patent provides protection for our CRISPR technology, which will give scientists the ability to advance treatment options for the toughest medical challenges we face today.”

With Merck’s CRISPR genomic integration technology, scientists can replace a disease-associated mutation with a beneficial or functional sequence – a method important for creation of disease models and gene therapy. Scientists can also use the method to insert transgenes to enable basic research, using the technology to label endogenous proteins for visual tracking within cells, for example.

This patent application is one of Merck’s multiple CRISPR patent filings since 2012. In May 2017, Merck introduced an alternative CRISPR genome-editing method called proxy-CRISPR. Unlike other systems, the proxy-CRISPR technique allows cutting of previously unreachable cell locations, making CRISPR more efficient, flexible and specific—giving researchers more experimental options.

Merck, with its 14-year history in the genome-editing field, was the first company to offer custom biomolecules globally for genome editing (TargeTron™ RNA-guided group II introns and CompoZr™ zinc finger nucleases), driving widespread adoption by researchers. In collaboration with the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Merck was also the first company to manufacture arrayed CRISPR libraries covering the entire human genome, allowing researchers to explore more questions about disease and develop cures faster. Availability of arrayed CRISPR libraries is an important advancement in genome editing and reinforces the company’s leadership position.

The company also supports development of gene- and cell-based therapeutics and manufactures viral vectors, in addition to conducting basic genome-editing research. In 2016, Merck launched an initiative to advance research in novel treatment modalities, from genome editing to gene medicine manufacturing, through a dedicated team and enhanced resources. This venture further solidifies the company’s commitment to the genome-editing field.

All Merck news releases are distributed by email at the same time they become available on the Merck website. Please go to www.merckgroup.com/subscribe to register online, change your selection or discontinue this service.

About Merck
Merck is a leading science and technology company in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 50,000 employees work to further develop technologies that improve and enhance life – from biopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer or multiple sclerosis, cutting-edge systems for scientific research and production, to liquid crystals for smartphones and LCD televisions. In 2016, Merck generated sales of €15 billion in 66 countries.

Founded in 1668, Merck is the world’s oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed corporate group. Merck holds the global rights to the “Merck” name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials.