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BIOTECH Development Partners provides funds to Biomagnetics

Biomagnetics Diagnostics Corp., (PINK SHEETS:BMGP) a developer of revolutionary diagnostic systems and technology for HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis, cholera and malaria detection, and other innovative technologies, today announced it has begun receiving funds from a biotech-oriented investment group called BIOTECH Development Partners, LLC.

20 Apr 2011

Quest Diagnostics first quarter revenues increase to $1.8 billion

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, the world's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, announced that for the first quarter ended March 31, 2011, adjusted income from continuing operations was $164 million, or $1.00 per diluted share, compared to $182 million, or $0.99 per diluted share in 2010.

From Quest Diagnostics 20 Apr 2011

Diagnostic test Xpert MTB/RIF proven fast and effective in low-resource settings

The Lancet published a significant development for TB diagnostics yesterday with concrete and encouraging study outcomes on the effectiveness of the new Xpert MTB/RIF test for TB and rifampicin resistance in realistic health care field conditions. One of the authors, Prof. Mark Nicol of the University of Cape Town (South Africa) who contributed to this study, is an EDCTP Senior Fellow. The article demonstrates that the test can effectively be used in low-resource settings to simplify early and accurate diagnosis of patients. The potential impact is a reduction in the morbidity associated with diagnostic delay, dropout and mistreatment. The article has appeared online on 19 April 2011 and will be published in volume 377 on 30 April 2011.

20 Apr 2011

Chembio initiates FDA Modular PMA process for DPP HIV 1/2 Screening Assay

Chembio Diagnostics, Inc., which develops, manufactures, markets and licenses point-of-care diagnostic tests, reported it recently filed the first module of its Pre-Marketing Approval (PMA) application to the United States Food & Drug Administration for its DPP® HIV 1/2 Screening Assay.

19 Apr 2011

EraGen, Applied BioCode partner to commercialize molecular diagnostics

Applied BioCode, Inc. and EraGen Biosciences Inc. today announced that they have entered into a strategic partnership and license agreement. The agreement provides EraGen with access to Applied BioCode's Barcoded Magnetic Bead technology and the CE-marked BioCode-1000 system.

19 Apr 2011

Johnson & Johnson reports net sales of $16.2 billion for first quarter 2011

Johnson & Johnson today announced sales of $16.2 billion for the first quarter of 2011, an increase of 3.5% as compared to the first quarter of 2010.

19 Apr 2011

Commonly used strategy has no effect in reducing MRSA, VRE in hospital ICUs

A new research study of the effect of a commonly used strategy to reduce the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospital intensive care units shows that the strategy had no significant effect. That's the surprising finding of a multisite study led by Mayo Clinic investigators.

19 Apr 2011

Bexion earns Biotech Innovation Award for new cancer treatment approach

Bexion Pharmaceuticals was named the Biotech Innovation Award winner at the Cincinnati USA Innovation Awards program sponsored by the Cincinnati Business Courier, the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber and CincyTech.

19 Apr 2011

New biomarker-based test more effective for early acute kidney injury detection

A new biomarker-based diagnostic test is more effective than the current best practice for early detection of adverse outcomes after acute kidney injury, which can be fatal for an estimated 50 percent of the critically ill patients who get the condition.

19 Apr 2011

Roche introduces new EMR interface for the U.S. Department of VA

Roche announced today that it has introduced a new Electronic Medical Record interface for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that helps VA healthcare facilities improve their efficiency and accuracy by transmitting patient diabetes management data directly into the VistA computerized patient record system.

From Roche Sequencing and Life Science 19 Apr 2011

Quest Diagnostics launches AccuType IL28B test for HCV

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, the world's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, today announced the availability of its AccuType® IL28B test for aiding in the prediction of patient response to peginterferon alpha-based therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

From Quest Diagnostics 18 Apr 2011

OnPoint Medical Diagnostics becomes wholly-owned subsidiary of Vertical Health Solutions

OnPoint Medical Diagnostics, Inc., a privately-held Minnesota corporation, and Vertical Health Solutions, Inc., a Florida corporation, have completed a reverse merger. Pursuant to the merger agreement, OnPoint has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vertical Health Solutions (VHS) and shall constitute the sole business and operations of VHS.

18 Apr 2011

Pharma Tech expands agreement for Shasta Genstrip

InstaCare Corp. a leading provider of prescription diagnostics, home testing products for the chronically ill, a leading fulfillment provider of direct to patient diabetes programs, and a leading developer of revolutionary cell phone centric e-health products and technologies, today announced that its operating subsidiary, Pharma Tech Solutions, Inc., has significantly expanded its agreement to control, manage and distribute the novel at-home diagnostic product, the Shasta Genstrip.

18 Apr 2011

Intellectual disability may have genetic origin, but is not hereditary

Mutations in a group of genes associated with brain activity frequently cause intellectual disability, according to a study led by scientists affiliated with the University of Montreal and the research centre at the Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine. Intellectual disability is a severe handicap that affects between one and two percent of children worldwide. It can often be attributed to genetic causes, but the specific genes involved were mostly unknown.

18 Apr 2011

Thermo Fisher Scientific introduces wireless sample monitoring solution

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, today introduced its new Thermo Scientific Smart-Vue wireless monitoring solution. Smart-Vue™ protects precious samples by monitoring key laboratory parameters including temperature, CO2 concentration, humidity and differential pressure. It can be installed by the user on most laboratory equipment, including ultra-low temperature freezers, laboratory refrigerators, CO2 incubators and clean rooms.

From Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 16 Apr 2011

Abbott submits ARCHITECT 25-OH Vitamin D assay application to FDA for clearance

According to a recent report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a third of Americans have vitamin D levels that are either inadequate or deficient. While many people know that vitamin D is necessary to help the body absorb calcium, which helps create strong bones and muscles, many don't know that insufficient levels of this important vitamin may lead to other health problems.

16 Apr 2011

Scientists identify novel small molecules that block human tumor cell growth

Researchers from the Cancer Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center have identified three novel small molecules that interrupt a crucial cellular communication pathway that regulates many aspects of development and cancer.

15 Apr 2011

SQI enters clinical validation agreement with University North Carolina Kidney Center for Vasculitis Assay

SQI Diagnostics Inc., a medical systems automation company focused on evolving laboratory-based autoimmune biomarker testing, today announced it entered into a clinical validation agreement with University North Carolina Kidney Center, Chapel Hill, to evaluate SQI's new multiplexed, automated approach for biomarker detection in vasculitis.

15 Apr 2011

Novartis, Duke sign deal to develop pandemic flu vaccine

The Duke Human Vaccine Institute today announced a collaboration and strategic agreement with Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics to enable the rapid development of a vaccine and accelerate preparedness in case of a pandemic virus threat such as pandemic influenza.

15 Apr 2011

Trial of non-invasive prenatal test to determine Down syndrome successful

At the moment, the only reliable way of diagnosing chromosomal irregularities during pregnancy is to use invasive prenatal methods. This causes miscarriage in about one per cent of these risky surgical procedures.

14 Apr 2011