Xtalks Life Science Podcast

World’s First Digital Fabric + Amazon’s Direct-to-Consumer COVID-19 Test

In this episode, Ayesha talks about a new digital fabric fiber developed by MIT researchers. The fiber contains temperature sensors and memory devices that can sense, record, analyze and store digital health data. The polymeric fiber was designed with hundreds of microscale digital chips embedded into it and can be sewn into fabrics using a needle. Using AI approaches, the digital fiber can analyze temperature recordings and infer a user’s activity. It has the capacity to record and store all types of digital data, including movies and music, creating exciting possibilities for digital data capture, analysis, storage and sharing.  The team also discussed the FDA’s recent authorization of Amazon’s direct-to-consumer (DTC) COVID-19 test. The PCR-based test can be bought online through Amazon without the need of a prescription. The test involves self-collection of nasal swab samples with the option of sample pooling. Consumers mail in the samples to Amazon, which are processed at laboratories the company set up for routine testing of its employees. Not only is the test a part of Amazon’s continuing COVID-19 pandemic efforts, but it is also a part of the company’s larger forays into health care, as the online retail giant recently launched Amazon Care, a virtual-first health care platform.Read the full articles here:MIT Researchers Develop World’s First Digital Fabric That Can Measure and Store Health DataAmazon Gets Green Light from FDA to Sell COVID-19 Tests Directly to ConsumersFor more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @Xtalks Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

Fruit and Type 2 Diabetes Risk + Moderna’s Manufacturing Partnerships

In this episode, Ayesha talks about new research from Australia showing that eating fruit could lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Researchers at the Edith Cowan University’s (ECU) Institute for Nutrition Research in Perth, Australia found that consuming at least two servings of fruit a day was linked to an over one third lower odds of developing the disease. The same benefit was not seen for drinking fruit juice. This isn’t the first study that has found a link between fruit intake and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Fruit is loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that likely work together to offer significant health benefits.The group also discussed Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing partnerships, including its latest deal with South Korea’s Samsung Biologics. As Moderna’s first authorized product, the company doesn’t have the manufacturing capacities to produce enough doses of its COVID-19 mRNA vaccine to meet global demands. Given this, CDMOs like Lonza and Catalent partnered early on with Moderna to manufacture millions of doses of the vaccine. And now with more manufacturing deals, Moderna has ambitiously pledged to produce up to 1 billion doses of its vaccine this year, and 3 billion by 2022. Read the full articles here:Can Fruit Lower the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes?Moderna Strikes Manufacturing Deal with Samsung Biologics for COVID-19 Vaccine ProductionFor more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @Xtalks Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

Google’s AI Dermatology App + WHO’s Investigations into the Coronavirus Lab Leak Theory

In this episode, Ayesha talks about Google’s new AI-based dermatology tool designed to help people identify and research conditions of the skin, hair and nails. The tool involves downloading an app on your phone and using its camera to take images of the affected area(s). These images, along with information about things like symptoms and skin type, are used to offer a list of possible matching conditions by linking to a database of 288 conditions that includes verified, peer-reviewed information. The tool is set to be piloted this year. While not a diagnostic tool, the team discussed how it could help users get more reliable and targeted information about skin conditions compared to a random internet search, which could help relieve some anxiety until they see a doctor.The group also discussed the WHO’s calls for renewed investigations into the origins of the COVID-19-causing SARS-CoV-2 virus. The calls come after a recent US Intelligence report identified three researchers at a virology institute studying bat coronaviruses in Wuhan, China who became sick and were hospitalized in November 2019. This has led to speculation that the novel coronavirus may have been accidentally released through a lab leak. Details of the intelligence report has prompted the WHO and other world leaders to call for an investigation into the lab leak origin theory, which is causing divides politically and within the scientific community. The team talked about how the meddling of politics in science continues to be harmful during the pandemic.Read the full articles here:Google Launches AI-Based Dermatology Assist ToolWHO Calls for Probe into SARS-CoV-2 Origins as Lab Leak Theories IntensifyFor more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @Xtalks Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

Clinical Trials Day 2021 + AbbVie’s Humira Monopoly

In this episode, Ayesha talks about Clinical Trials Day 2021 and how the COVID-19 pandemic spurred changes in trial procedures and perceptions of clinical research. At the onset of the pandemic, many clinical trial sites had to be shut down, prompting trial sponsors and practitioners to move to remote, decentralized clinical trial models. Researchers had to adapt quickly to minimize trial disruptions. Xtalks spoke to experts in the field who say decentralized and hybrid trials are here to stay even after the pandemic, as they can improve the patient experience and incorporate modern digital technologies for enhanced data collection and data sharing. The group also discussed AbbVie’s latest legal troubles over Humira, the world’s best-selling drug, with claims of patent abuses and price hikes by the company that were confirmed in a recent congressional probe. Through these strategies, AbbVie has created a monopoly over Humira to block biosimilars of the drug from entering the market. These unethical practices may deprive patients access to cheaper Humira alternatives that are just as effective. The team discussed how loopholes in US patent laws allow for such problematic exploitation and manipulation.Read the full articles here:AbbVie in Hot Water Over Patent Abuses and Price Hikes to Block Humira Biosimilar CompetitionClinical Trials Day 2021: Reflecting on a Challenging Year That’s Made the Industry StrongerFor more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @Xtalks Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

Pharma TV Ad Spending Trends + AI Algorithm for Heart Disease

In this episode, Ayesha discusses the latest trends in pharma tv ad spending, including the top spenders last week. The pandemic has led to a rise in both TV watching and health awareness, which pharma companies took advantage of by increasing spending on TV commercials by about 17 percent overall. Last week, three of the top ten TV ads by expenditure were from pharma, which included GLP-1 diabetes drugs Rybelsus and Trulicty and the anti-inflammatory Dupixent for treating eczema. The group also talked about a new AI algorithm developed by researchers at the Mayo Clinic that can help increase the identification and diagnosis of cases of low ejection fraction. Low ejection fraction is often asymptomatic in early stages and hence goes underdiagnosed in many instances. The new AI algorithm is integrated into routine electrocardiograms (ECG), which are fast and readily accessible but cannot diagnose the condition on their own. The team discussed the promise of integrating AI approaches into existing medical tools and technologies to facilitate enhanced diagnoses and treatments.Read the full articles here:Pharma TV Ad Spending Trends: Companies in the Top Ten this WeekHow a New AI Algorithm Could Help in the Early Detection of Heart DiseaseFor more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @Xtalks Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

Epigenetic Editing with CRISPR + ADHD in Preschoolers

In this episode, Ayesha discusses a new tool that uses CRISPR to modulate gene expression without editing DNA sequences. Dubbed “CRISPRoff,” the technology targets the epigenome to silence genes involved in diseases, with applications in cancer, AML and other conditions with a heritable component. The team debates the ethical considerations around epigenetic therapies and genome editing, and how scientific communications should be improved to help educate the public on complex medical breakthrough.Since May is Mental Health Awareness Month, the team also talks about the prevalence of ADHD in preschool-aged children, with Ayesha presenting the results of a study that investigated the effects of medication in this patient population. They explore the difficulties in diagnosing hyperactivity in an age group when kids are known for their changeable behaviour, and how casual use of the label “ADHD” may be damaging to families who are actually dealing with the condition.Read the full articles here:Epigenetic Editing with CRISPR Might Be Easier Than We ThoughtNew Study Looks at Effects of ADHD Drugs in PreschoolersFor more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @Xtalks Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

At-Home Sleep Apnea Test + Neurological Rehabilitation Device for Stroke Patients

Undiagnosed and untreated sleep apnea can have serious health consequences such as increased risk of heart disease, stroke and obesity. Conventional sleep apnea testing involves invasive, cumbersome equipment and an overnight stay at a hospital or sleep clinic. However, a new sleep apnea test device developed by Belgian start-up Sunrise may soon change that. Listen to this episode to find out about a new lightweight, wireless, AI-powered device sleep apnea testing device that can be administered in the comfort of your own home.In this episode, Ayesha also looks at another new innovative medical device designed to facilitate rehabilitation in stroke patients with upper limb motor deficits. Neurolutions’ IpsiHand System is a brain-computer interface (BCI) system that consists of a robotic hand brace, a headset with EEG electrodes and a tablet computer that translates brain activity into physical movement. The team discusses the promise and power of BCI applications for the treatment of neurological conditions, including the hype around Elon Musk’s latest brainchild (no pun intended!) Neuralink and its new brain chip technology.  Read the full articles here:How Sunrise’s Sleep Apnea Test Could Be A Game Changer For At-Home Testing How IpsiHand Can Help Stroke Patients Regain Movement through Neurological RehabilitationFor more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @Xtalks Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

Malaria Vaccine + Sugar’s Effect on Brain Development in Children

Stories about the development of COVID-19 vaccines have dominated the news for months, but a huge breakthrough in the prevention of another infectious disease has just been announced. Listen to this episode to learn about a new malaria vaccine developed by researchers at the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford that is 77 percent effective at blocking the parasite.In this episode, Ayesha also shares the results of a study that gives parents another reason to limit their kids’ sugar intake. Research involving rats has identified a mechanistic link between high sugar consumption and impaired learning and memory later in life that involves a specific genus of gut bacteria. The team discusses the challenges of regulating added sugar in processed foods, and the applicability of animal models in understanding human development. Read the full articles here:Malaria Vaccine a Breakthrough Success with 77 Percent Efficacy How Sugar May Impair Brain Development in ChildrenFor more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @Xtalks Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

J&J COVID-19 Vaccine and Thrombosis + Medtronic’s Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Approval

More cases of blood clots in those vaccinated against COVID-19 — this time in six women who took the J&J shot — has US regulators recommending that vaccination efforts be paused. In this episode of the Xtalks Life Science podcast, Ayesha discusses the type of thrombotic events reported in these patients, and the team explores whether the benefits of getting vaccinated outweigh the risks of getting COVID-19, and suffering infection-associated thrombosis. Also in this episode, Ayesha talks about the approval of the first non-surgical option for patients with severe pulmonary valve regurgitation, a system developed by medical technology veteran Medtronic, called the Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve. The team debates the ethical and religious considerations of using pig tissue in heart valves.Read the full articles here:First Non-Surgical Heart Valve Wins FDA Approval for Severe Pulmonary Valve RegurgitationUS Regulators Recommend Pause on J&J’s COVID-19 Vaccine, But Just as a PrecautionFor more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @Xtalks Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured

Parkinson’s Disease: Link With Melanoma + Drug Development

FDA-mandated clinical holds, strategic partnership breakups and $800 million biotech acquisitions. In this episode of the Xtalks Life Science Podcast, Sarah revisits two Parkinson’s biotech companies — Prevail Therapeutics and Voyager Therapeutics — to see what progress they’ve made in their gene therapy clinical development programs since April 2019. She shares how well the firms have weathered the COVID-19 pandemic, and the team discusses the outlook for the drug development industry in general.Also in this episode, Ayesha explores the link between Parkinson’s disease and melanoma, and how gene therapies could target both. The team discusses the disconnect between basic, academic research and applied research in industry, and how funding is at the heart of the problem.Read the full articles here:6 Parkinson’s Biotech Companies: Where Are They in 2021?Parkinson’s and Melanoma Share an Amyloid Link, Says New ResearchFor more life science and medical device content, visit the Xtalks Vitals homepage.Follow Us on Social MediaTwitter: @Xtalks Instagram: @Xtalks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Xtalks.Webinars/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xtalks-webconferences YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/XtalksWebinars/featured