News Hub | News Direct

Healthcare

Addiction Biotech Cannabis Genetics Healthcare Medical Devices Pharmaceutical Science Veterinary
Article thumbnail News Release

ST. MATTHEWS SPECIALTY PHARMACY EXPANDS HEPATITIS C MEDICATION ACCESSIBILITY TO HELP COMBAT “SILENT EPIDEMIC”

Cordant Health Solutions

St. Matthews Specialty Pharmacy ( stmatthewsrx.com ), a Cordant Health Solutions® company, is partnering with healthcare providers to make an impact on reducing barriers to treatment and increasing access to medication for hepatitis C virus (HCV) in conjunction with the treatment of substance use disorder (SUD). There are approximately 42,500 people living with hepatitis C in Kentucky. Often called a “silent epidemic,” cases of acute HCV have increased 124% in the U.S. since 2013 and 16% from 2019 to 2020 alone. HCV is highly preventable and curable in more than 95% of people in as few as 8–12 weeks with direct-acting antiviral (DAA) medications, yet more than half of people who become infected with the virus will develop a chronic infection that can cause liver damage, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and death. HCV disproportionately affects marginalized groups, including people with substance use disorder. Approximately 70% of patients on opioid agonist treatment (OAT) and an estimated 40% of people who inject drugs are HCV positive. St. Matthews Specialty Pharmacy has a unique integrated care model led by pharmacists and technicians with advanced experience in managing co-existing and co-occurring health disorders, such as hepatitis, in individuals suffering from substance use disorder. Patients at St. Matthews Specialty Pharmacy are enrolled in a patient management plan where they are provided one-on-one individualized disease state education, drug therapy management and medication counseling. This personalized approach to care using customized pharmacist intervention increases treatment adherence and improves success of patients reaching their health goals. “We have been curing patients with HCV since 1998,” said Dr. Bennet Cecil, founder of the Hepatitis C Treatment Center in Louisville. “We have been able to reach many more Kentuckians by coordinating our efforts with St. Matthews Specialty Pharmacy and substance abuse specialty clinics. This coordination produces many more cured patients than the previous models of care.” “There are so many obstacles that prevent people from seeking treatment for substance use disorder,” said Bob Mann, executive vice president of Cordant Health Solutions’ integrated services. “Many experience homelessness, are uninsured, have limited or no transportation available to get to appointments, or don’t have a doctor or know how to find one. But once they take that first step, we need to take that opportunity to treat the whole patient, not just an individual condition. We work with clinicians to coordinate pharmacy services for substance use disorder and other diseases like hepatitis to bring extended care to patients at the same time and place they’re receiving their other treatments.” St. Matthews Pharmacy also offers a managed addiction treatment pharmacy program, which delivers medication to patients at their doctor’s office at the time of their appointment, eliminating additional transportation and time challenges and helping to increase retention in their treatment program. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA ), addiction treatment facilities are well-positioned to greatly impact access to screening and treatment of HCV positive patients. Additionally, the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) states “integration of service delivery, addressing the unique needs of addiction patients, including HCV treatment, is strongly encouraged.” About Cordant Health Solutions® Cordant Health Solutions® (cordantsolutions.com) provides innovative solutions for clinicians, organizations and payers involved with substance use disorder, pain management and criminal justice cases to provide accurate, actionable results to hold patients accountable, reduce risk and improve patient outcomes. A leader in quality standards, Cordant integrates its unique specialized pharmacy services for medication-assisted treatment and associated behavioral health conditions with drug testing options that include monitoring and risk assessment tools to improve patient accountability and optimize quality of life. For media inquiries, contact Kim Kudasik, Senior Marketing Manager, kkudasik@cordanths.com. ### Contact Details Kim Kudasik +1 303-842-7975 kkudasik@cordanths.com

January 25, 2023 06:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Article thumbnail News Release

Tonix CEO Calls for New Class of Covid-19 Pre-Exposure and Therapeutic Antibodies for High-Risk Populations

Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp.

by Faith As hmore - Benzinga The strength and frequency of COVID variants have created a whack-a-mole approach for pharmaceutical companies trying to provide effective pre-exposure protection and therapies for both the general public and immunocompromised individuals. A new variant pops up, and doctors must essentially go back to the drawing board to develop new monoclonal antibodies to counter the new variant effectively. Tonix Pharmaceutical’s ( NASDAQ: TNXP ) CEO Seth Lederman, MD told the audience at the 2023 Biotech Showcase earlier this month in San Francisco that a new class of more mutant-resistant pre-exposure antibody therapies for patients at high-risk of Covid-19 is urgently needed and their development is within reach of Tonix’s technology. For immunocompromised individuals, SARS-CoV-2 is especially a real and dangerous threat. People who are immunocompromised are more likely to get COVID, could be sick for an extended period of time and have higher rates of hospitalization. Due to these increased comorbidity factors, pharmaceutical companies came out with therapeutic and pre-exposure monoclonal antibody-based medicines for people with higher risk factors. However, with the onslaught of new variants almost all of the monoclonal antibody drugs have become obsolete. Currently, the only monoclonal antibody therapy remaining on the market is EVUSHELD TM, which is the pre-exposure drug that can be taken every six months to help prevent COVID. “Although four therapeutic monoclonals and one preventative monoclonal were approved under the FDA’s Emergency Use regulations, the four therapeutic monoclonal antibodies are no longer marketed in the U.S. because SARS-CoV-2 variants have rendered them ineffective. Only the single preventative monoclonal remains on the market, Now that remaining antibody drug, EVUSHELD, appears to be nearing the end of its utility because of new variants,” Dr. Lederman said. A study in December 2022 showed that only about 24% of COVID-19 infections nationwide were from variants that have been shown to be neutralized by EVUSHELD. Tonix Is Tackling COVID Variants From Two Angles In addition to a rich pipeline of virus-based vaccines, Tonix is developing two monoclonal antibody platforms for COVID -- TNX-3600 for quick turnaround variant-specific therapies and TNX-3800 for potentially variant-agnostic treatments and preventatives that may provide broader protection across variants and have the potential to replace the current “whack a mole” approach. Tonix believes that it may be possible to develop long-term antibody drugs that may retain efficacy despite the appearance of new variants. However, they also understand that in the short term, there is a need for variant-specific monoclonal antibodies until a broadly protective monoclonal antibody therapy can be created and supplied to the public. TNX-3600 is being developed to use human cells to make fully human antibodies, which is currently the most common approach on the market, variations of which were used to develop the EUA approved treatments that were effective for a period of time. This approach has been successful, but as new variants develop, efficacy drops; this is because COVID variants may get a “head start” at evading human-derived monoclonal antibodies because the COVID variants arise to evade human immunity. The Company’s TNX-3800 product in development differs from the EUA therapies that have been marketed because these antibodies are mouse-derived monoclonal antibodies. Mice are not infected with SARS-CoV-2 and therefore, by using mice the company believes antibodies can be produced that are effective against a range of variants that arise over time. Mice antibodies could very well be the source of mutation-resistant therapies, which are the need of the hour. Tonix is in a strong position to develop and provide these solutions. The company has experience developing new drugs for immunocompromised individuals who would also benefit from a pre-exposure COVID drug. For example, its Phase 1 drug TNX-1500 is being developed to prevent organ transplant rejection and increase survival rates. 78% of solid organ transplant recipients who get COVID require hospitalization. The company also has a strong foundation to develop new vaccinations. Tonix has domestic, in-house R&D facilities, as well as manufacturing sites. As of Q3 2022, the company had no debt and $140 million in cash. Tonix also has relationships with strong research organizations like Columbia University. The company has a stated goal of being a partner with other innovators and researchers, and it is always seeking world-class academic and non-profit organizations as well as other biotech companies to partner with to bring innovative therapeutics to market faster. As new COVID variants continue to appear, the need for monoclonal antibody therapeutics that can effectively survive new variants is apparent. Tonix seems like they are on the path to creating broadly reactive COVID monoclonal antibodies for the most vulnerable populations that may be useful after drugs like EVUSHELD are made obsolete by the continued mutation of SARS-CoV-2. Dr. Lederman noted that the Federal government is keenly aware of needs in this area and that the FDA convened a meeting of stakeholders to discuss how to speed the review of new anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody candidates. To watch a recording of the event, click here. For more information about Tonix click here. Important notice, please read: Certain statements in this document are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “forecast,” “estimate,” “expect,” and “intend,” among others. These forward-looking statements are based on Tonix’s current expectations and actual results could differ materially. There are a number of factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, risks related to failure to obtain FDA clearances or approvals and noncompliance with FDA regulations; delays and uncertainties caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic; risks related to the timing and progress of clinical development of our product candidates; our need for additional financing; uncertainties of patent protection and litigation; uncertainties of government or third party payor reimbursement; limited research and development efforts and dependence upon third parties; and substantial competition. As with any pharmaceutical under development, there are significant risks in the development, regulatory approval, and commercialization of new products. Tonix does not undertake an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement. Investors should read the risk factors set forth in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 15, 2021, and periodic reports filed with the SEC on or after the date thereof. All Tonix’s forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by all such risk factors and other cautionary statements. The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date thereof. This is not a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell. Redington, Inc. is paid by Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. for investor relations services, and its employees or members of their families may from time to time own an equity interest in companies mentioned herein. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Featured Photo by Waldemar Brandt on Unsplash Contact Details Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. Jessica Morris (corporate) investor.relations@tonixpharma.com Company Website http://www.tonixpharma.com

January 24, 2023 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Image
Article thumbnail News Release

79% Of Americans Drink 2+ Cups Of Coffee Per Day, Survey Finds

Finance News

America runs on coffee with the average US adult consuming more than one cup per day, a number which is increasing with more people working from home. After crunching numbers sourced from Statista, the data analysts at Safe Betting Sites have found that 79 percent of coffee drinkers in the US are drinking two or more cups per day when they are at home on a weekday. Meanwhile, 62 percent of coffee drinkers are consuming a to-go coffee at least once per week with 20 percent drinking a to-go coffee every day. Drip coffee remains America’s preferred way to enjoy a cup of joe with 36 percent of respondents saying it was their favorite. More than half of US adults (51 percent) also agreed with the statement that “coffee is a pure pleasure to me”. 79% Of American Coffee Drinkers Are Consuming 2+ Cups Of Coffee Per Day Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, more Americans have been working from home, and for some, that means drinking more coffee. According to a recent survey by Statista, 79 percent of American coffee drinkers are consuming at least two cups per day when at home on a weekday. Only 21 percent of respondents said that they drank just one cup of coffee or fewer when at home. The survey, which was sourced from Statista, analyzed the habits of 831 daily coffee drinkers in the US aged 18-74. By comparison, 31 percent of respondents drank 4-6 cups of coffee per day while 20 percent consumed 3 cups and 27 percent consumed 2 cups of coffee per day. 62% Of Coffee Drinkers Buy A To-Go Coffee At Least 1x Per Week Coffee lovers aren’t just drinking coffee when they are at home either. In fact, 44 percent of Americans are drinking a to-go coffee more than once per week. That compares to 21 percent that said they drank one to-go coffee per week and 38 percent that said they drank a to-go coffee less often or even never. Overall, 20 percent of coffee drinkers said that they drank at least one to-go coffee every day. Drip Coffee (36%) Is America’s Favorite Way To Drink Coffee The survey also asked Americans to rate their favorite way to brew their coffee. Good old-fashioned drip coffee remains America’s preferred way to drink coffee with 36 percent of respondents saying it was their favorite. Cappuccino (11 percent), Iced Coffee (10 percent), and Instant Coffee (nine percent) were among the next on the list of America’s favorite way to drink coffee. Drip Coffee — 36% Cappuccino — 11% Iced Coffee — 10% Instant Coffee — 9% 74% Of Americans Drink Coffee Every Day Of course, this isn’t the first time that Statista polled Americans on their coffee drinking habits. The findings confirm another Statista study from the summer. Back in June 2022, Statista asked 1,592 Americans how often they drank coffee. A whopping 73.9 percent of respondents answered “every day” compared to 17.5 percent that responded “most days”. Meanwhile, only 8.5 percent of respondents were occasional coffee drinkers who responded “sometimes”. Coffee Is 2nd-Most Popular Drink After Bottled Water Coffee is still America’s drink of choice, according to a Statista poll that surveyed over 7,500 US adults from October 2021 to September 2022. In fact, only bottled water is consumed by more Americans as their drink of choice (63 percent). Trailing coffee, soft drinks (56 percent), juice (50 percent) and tea (48 percent) were also among the most common beverages consumed by US adults. When it comes to alcohol, beer (25 percent) edged out wine (24 percent) for the most popular alcoholic beverage in the US. Here are the full results from the poll below. Bottled Water — 63% Coffee — 57% Soft Drinks — 56% Juice — 50% Tea — 48% Energy Drinks — 27% Beer — 25% Wine — 24% For full survey data, visit: https://www.safebettingsites.com/2023/01/19/79-of-americans-drink-2-cups-of-coffee-per-day-survey-finds/ Contact Details Finance News Alex Brown alex@financenews.com

January 23, 2023 05:40 PM Eastern Standard Time

Article thumbnail Digital Asset Direct

BiVictriX Therapeutics makes 'fundamental step forward'

BlueRush Inc.

Contact Details Proactive UK Ltd +44 20 7989 0813 uk@proactiveinvestors.com

January 22, 2023 07:55 AM Eastern Standard Time

Video
Article thumbnail News Release

Agile Therapeutics: This BioPharma Firm Is Nimbly Solving Unmet Needs For Women

Agile Therapeutics, Inc.

By Johnny Rice, Benzinga Al Altomari, Chairman and CEO of Agile Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: AGRX), was recently interviewed by Benzinga. Agile Therapeutics says it is a women's healthcare company dedicated to fulfilling the unmet health needs of today’s women. Its products and product candidates are designed to provide women with contraceptive options that offer freedom from taking a daily pill, without committing to a longer-acting method. The company’s flagship product is Twirla® (levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol), a non-daily prescription contraceptive utilizing a transdermal system. Twirla is based on proprietary transdermal patch technology, called Skinfusion®, designed to allow drug delivery through the skin. Watch the full interview here: Agile Therapeutics is a women's healthcare company dedicated to fulfilling the unmet health needs of today’s women. Our product and product candidates are designed to provide women with contraceptive options that offer freedom from taking a daily pill, without committing to a longer-acting method. Our initial product, Twirla®, (levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol), a transdermal system, is a non-daily prescription contraceptive. Twirla is based on our proprietary transdermal patch technology, called Skinfusion®, which is designed to allow drug delivery through the skin. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Matt Riley - Head of Investor Relations & Corporate Communications mriley@agiletherapeutics.com Company Website https://agiletherapeutics.com/

January 20, 2023 08:45 AM Eastern Standard Time

Video
Article thumbnail News Release

Kinspire Raises $3.6M to Reimagine Pediatric Occupational Therapy By Including Parents for Better Outcomes

Kinspire

Denver, CO — January 20, 2022 – Kinspire, the leading pediatric occupational therapy platform designed to pair expert therapists with parents, co-founded by Lily Baiser and Robert Seigel, today announced it has closed $3.6 million in seed funding. The round was co-led by Corazon Capital and Looking Glass Capital, with participation from Difference Partners, Great Oaks VC, Service Provider Capital, The Fund, Copper Wire Ventures, and Bradley Tusk. Launched in 2020, Kinspire provides a family-centered and value-based care model for pediatric occupational therapy to families of children with developmental delays and disabilities. Roughly 1 in 6 children in America are diagnosed with developmental delays or disabilities and can greatly benefit from services such as occupational therapy. However, long waitlists for evaluations, high costs of services, and inconvenient provider distribution produce accessibility and affordability constraints. Moreover, studies have repeatedly demonstrated that involving parents in their child's occupational therapy leads to better outcomes and faster progress. Despite this, traditional OT approaches do not always fully incorporate parent involvement. These constraints often lead to significant delays or a complete lack in children receiving critical pediatric therapeutic services, such as occupational therapy. “The current model for delivering development support services to children fails far too many kids. We have invested in Kinspire to accelerate its mission to make occupational therapy more accessible, affordable, and effective,” said Sam Yagan, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Corazon Capital. In response, Kinspire has pioneered an entirely new approach to pediatric occupational therapy designed to empower parents to support their child's therapy at home and become an active member of the treatment team. This family-centered care model is in alignment with Harvard’s Center for the Developing Child and Early Intervention Programs. The Spiral Foundation conducted a 12-week study on the use of the Kinspire app for occupational therapy in pediatrics. Over 70% of parents reported that Kinspire made it easier to select activities for home therapy, and the study concluded that the app has preliminary potential as a tool for augmenting clinic-based services. Guided by Kinspire’s expert occupational therapists, children receive high-quality care and parents learn the skills, strategies, and techniques needed to help their child reach their full potential and reduce their own stress. By focusing on the unique needs and goals of each child, Kinspire provides the most effective and efficient care possible for the entire family unit. "As a parent who has personally gone through OT with my child, I have seen firsthand the benefits of being an active participant in the therapy process. That's why we have made it a cornerstone of our pediatric OT platform at Kinspire. This funding allows us to create high levels of collaboration between therapists and parents for better outcomes and faster progress for every child.” said Robert Seigel, CEO & Co-Founder of Kinspire. Unlike traditional occupational therapy, families who use Kinspire pay a monthly membership fee for Kinspire’s multimodal connection to their therapist. Families receive around-the-clock support from their Kinspire therapist with unlimited messaging services, a live 1:1 monthly session, daily parent education, and ongoing access to Kinspire’s mobile app and video library to monitor and measure progress. ABOUT KINSPIRE: Kinspire is the leading family-centered and value-based care model for pediatric occupational therapy on a mission to deliver the highest quality developmental care with better outcomes in less time. Currently providing services in Florida, California, Colorado, and Texas. Kinspire accepts FSA and HSA and is actively working to expand its list of insurance coverage providers to ensure its services are accessible to more children and families. For more information about Kinspire, please visit www.kinspirehealth.com Contact Details Christina Goldstein cgoldstein@tuskholdings.com Jennifer Mingucci Jennifer@KinspireApp.com Company Website https://www.kinspirehealth.com

January 20, 2023 08:15 AM Eastern Standard Time

Article thumbnail News Release

Medica Group eyeing up "significant opportunity"

Medica Group PLC

Medica Group PLC (LSE:MGP) chief executive Dr Stuart Quin speaks to Proactive's Thomas Warner following the release of a 2022 trading update. He reveals more information about what he calls a "significant opportunity' for the Medica Group as it heads into another new year, and discusses where he believes the bulk of its growth will come from. Contact Details Proactive Proactive UK Ltd +44 20 7989 0813 uk@proactiveinvestors.com

January 20, 2023 07:05 AM Eastern Standard Time

Video
Article thumbnail News Release

Prescriptions Generated Three Times More Frequently on POC Mediums: Doceree 2022 Annual Report

Doceree

Point-of-Care (POC) channels have changed the dynamics of how life sciences brands interact with healthcare professionals (HCPs) which has led to script generation to become three times on POC than on other online mediums, Doceree has revealed in its annual report – Doceree 360 (2022 Edition). Doceree, a global platform building unprecedented solutions for HCP programmatic messaging with proprietary data tools, today released its annual report, compiled post analysis of more than 250 POC campaigns run on its platform over the last year. To drive prescriptions, it is crucial for life sciences brands to target HCPs while they tend to their patients, which is only on point-of-care channels, concludes the report. Doceree has pioneered initiatives to evolve the POC ecosystem with insightful learnings for life sciences brand marketers and platforms. A few months prior to the report launch, the company’s Founder and CEO Harshit Jain, MD launched a book on the subject with the goal of preparing marketers and point-of-care platforms for the next way to effectively reach and engage clinicians through online platforms. “The POC landscape is in its nascent stage and is evolving at a fast pace,” Jain said. “There is apparently a lack of standardization owing to limited availability of data points and metrics at this stage. “We are attempting to fill this gap by diving into the multiple POC campaigns we have executed on our platform in the past year to deduce some insightful learnings for marketers to take cognisance of,” he continued. “It will empower them to embrace data-driven strategies and personalize HCP communications with a deep understanding of online behavior patterns of providers based on real-time campaigns.” The other key findings in the report are: HCPs spend an average of six hours out of an average 11-hour workday on EHR Script lift is 32% higher in trigger-based messaging Cost per HCP is 17% less on POC than on other mediums Doceree gauged more than 21 million impressions served to more than 600,000 HCPs on its over 70-partner POC channels. Campaigns of around 100 advertisers - comprising consumer healthcare and medical devices companies, life sciences brands, hospitals, and diagnostics - run on a blend of POC channels, consisting of EHR, eRx, telemedicine, EHR apps, were taken into account. Brand campaigns for more than 190 specialties, including Primary Care, Cardiology, Oncology, Hematology, Nephrology, Gynaecology and Pulmonology, were studied as part of the research for the report findings. View the complete report by visiting: https://doceree.com/in/reports/doceree-360-2022-edition/ About Doceree Doceree is a global platform building unprecedented solutions for healthcare professional (HCP) programmatic messaging with proprietary data tools. It facilitates messaging between life sciences brands and HCPs through an extensive global network of digital endemic and point-of-care platforms to programmatically deliver personalized communications to HCPs and transparent marketing campaign metrics at scale. To learn more, visit doceree.com. Contact Details Kite Hill PR +91 70420 89805 doceree@kitehillpr.com Company Website https://doceree.com/us/

January 19, 2023 11:20 AM Eastern Standard Time

Image
Article thumbnail News Release

Oliver Inc. Acquires Tap Packaging + Design

Oliver Inc.

Oliver Inc. (“Oliver”) is pleased to announce that it has acquired Tap Packaging + Design. Tap Packaging is a leading manufacturer of custom folding cartons, serving customers in food and beverage, beauty, confection, health and wellness, and consumer goods markets. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, Tap Packaging will continue delivering design-forward packaging solutions from its current location. This partnership will enable Oliver to expand its product offerings and strengthen its position as the nation’s largest independent specialty packaging supplier. “We are thrilled to welcome the Tap team to the Oliver family,” said Dan Rodenbush, President/CEO of Oliver Inc. "Their diverse range of capabilities will allow us to expand our product offerings and enhance our overall service for our customers.” “Oliver and Tap Packaging share similar core values, and both companies have a passion for providing an exceptional customer experience,” added David Chilcote, Chairman of Tap Packaging. “Partnering with Oliver increases our capacity, provides redundancy, and allows us to better leverage our combined scale to offer enhanced solutions for our customers.” Oliver has made significant investments in modern equipment, facilities, and people since 2016. The Tap Packaging transaction will represent Oliver’s fifth strategic acquisition and aligns with the company’s vision to build a leading provider of innovative, specialty packaging solutions. The transaction closed on January 18, 2023. To learn more about Oliver, please visit www.oliverinc.com. About Oliver Oliver Inc. is a leading provider of highly customized, quick-turnaround, specialty packaging solutions. Known for its white-glove approach to customer service, the company provides a turnkey platform from design to fulfillment, simplifying complex requirements with consistent on-time, on-budget, ultra-high-quality products and services. About Tap Packaging + Design Since 1906, Tap Packaging + Design has been committed to enhancing their customers’ image by providing high-quality packaging and presentation products. The company’s success can be attributed to the creative craftsmanship of their dedicated workforce, and their sincere desire to partner with their customers and suppliers. Contact Details Oliver Inc. Doug Doroh +1 631-234-1400 ddoroh@oliverinc.com Company Website https://www.oliverinc.com/

January 19, 2023 09:20 AM Eastern Standard Time

1 ... 166167168169170 ... 302