News
MINNESOTA-based Medtronic has agreed to acquire neurovascular technology company Scientia Vascular for US$550m. Scientia’s neurovascular access devices are used to navigate the brain's complex vasculature, helping prevent cognitive decline by treating conditions such as strokes and aneurysms. The Scientia proposal is Medtronic’s second deal of the year, after the company announced an acquisition of CathWorks [...]
A new report by Clue has revealed the ‘Cost of Bleeding’ - a deep dive into the true cost of menstruation and the impact of related expenses adding up year after year. The consumer research reveals that, on average, respondents spend an estimated £41 on their cycle each month, amounting to an astounding £20,359 across [...]
Osteoporosis drugs may lower dementia risk, with a study suggesting one widely used treatment could help prevent Alzheimer’s and related dementias. The research found that nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates, drugs widely used to treat osteoporosis, may significantly reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in older adults with osteoporosis or fragility fractures. Osteoporosis and dementia [...]
Routine blood pressure checks could help flag dementia risk, according to two studies tracking changes in blood vessel stiffness over time. The findings add to growing evidence that uncontrolled high blood pressure may contribute to dementia by speeding up the ageing and stiffening of blood vessels. Dr Newton Nyirenda is an epidemiologist at Georgetown University [...]
A prebiotic fibre supplement may ease arthritis pain and improve grip strength in people with knee osteoarthritis, a study suggests. The daily supplement, made from inulin, a dietary fibre found in chicory root, Jerusalem artichokes and other vegetables, also lowered pain sensitivity and saw fewer people drop out than a digital physiotherapy programme tested alongside [...]
An NHS diabetes drug costing as little as 2p a tablet could cut prostate cancer risk by more than a third, a study suggests. Metformin is already taken by millions to control blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes. One of the biggest studies of its anti-cancer effects has found it could also work against [...]
MemoryAid, a phone-like device for dementia care, has shown positive trial results and is due to launch to the public this year. Developed by a team from Western Sydney University and Deakin University, the home assistance device resembles a traditional telephone and is designed to help people living with dementia maintain their independence for as [...]
Vision-restoration company Science Corp has closed a US$230m Series C financing round which will allow it to complete the commercialisation of its brain-computer interface, retinal implant, known as PRIMA. The deal, which was oversubscribed, secured participation from pre-existing investors Khosla Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Y Combinator, IQT, and Quiet Capital amongst others. It raised the [...]
An Alzheimer's mutation may delay disease onset by about 20 years in people otherwise expected to develop memory loss in their mid-40s. The mutation affects a protein called reelin, which directs brain cells to break down amyloid plaques and tau tangles, harmful protein build-ups linked to Alzheimer's. New research suggests the mutation makes reelin work [...]
A trial is enrolling men with stress urinary incontinence to test a new implant, after regulators in the US and France cleared the study. Stress urinary incontinence, or SUI, causes involuntary urinary leakage and affects an estimated 40m Americans and 90m Europeans. It can significantly affect quality of life and often leads to depression, low [...]
