A recently published article in Experimental Biology and Medicine (Volume 247, Issue 14, July, 2022) identifies a potential cause of disproportionate COVID-19 disease severity in certain racial/ethnic groups. The study, led by Dr. Douglas Jay Perkins, Director of the University of New Mexico Center for Global Health (New Mexico, USA), reports that hospitalized patients who self-reported as American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) had higher SARS-CoV-2 viral loads in peripheral blood and more severe COVID-19.  

From the start of the pandemic onward, COVID-19 has disproportionately affected certain racial/ethnic groups, including American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations who have experienced high rates of infection, hospitalization, and mortality. Several studies have found that detection of SARS-CoV-2 in peripheral blood is associated with the development of severe COVID-19 and mortality. However, data are largely unreported for SARS-CoV-2 viral load dynamics and COVID-19 severity in some groups of patients. 

In this study, Perkins and colleagues examined viral load dynamics and disease severity in a diverse cohort of hospitalized patients at the University of New Mexico Hospital. The group found that the strongest predictor of severe COVID-19 in the study population was the average viral load in peripheral blood. The AI/AN patients had comparable comorbidities to the other groups, yet more severe COVID-19, twice the length of hospital stay, and higher viral loads in peripheral blood during hospitalization. Self-reported race/ethnicity as AI/AN was the strongest predictor of elevated viral loads in peripheral blood. These findings show that detection of SARS-CoV-2 in peripheral blood is associated with severe COVID-19. The group is currently exploring novel treatment interventions that target SARS-CoV-2 in peripheral blood as a strategy for improving patient outcomes, especially in vulnerable populations. 

Dr. Perkins said: "We are grateful to present findings that address the disproportionate COVID-19 disease burden in our American Indian brothers and sisters. It is our great hope that such findings can provide a scientific foundation to foster the development of improved prevention and treatment strategies for those most affected by COVID-19."

Dr. Steven R. Goodman, Editor-in-Chief of Experimental Biology and Medicine, said, "Dr. Perkins and colleagues have presented clear evidence that the strongest predictor of severe COVID-19 in their patient cohort was SARS-CoV-2 viral load in peripheral blood. Further, they demonstrated that those who self-reported as American Indian and or Alaska Native had more severe COVID-19 and higher peripheral blood viral load. This provides a strong case for more frequent detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the peripheral blood being an important factor for more severe COVID-19 observed in epidemiological studies on American Indian and Alaska Native populations."

Experimental Biology and Medicine is a global journal dedicated to the publication of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research in the biomedical sciences. The journal was first established in 1903. Experimental Biology and Medicine is the journal of the Society of Experimental Biology and Medicine. To learn about the benefits of society membership visit www.sebm.org. If you are interested in publishing in the journal, please visit http://ebm.sagepub.com/.

For more information, please contact [email protected].

Prolocor Logo
Prolocor Logo

Prolocor, Inc., a healthcare startup developing an innovative precision diagnostic test with the potential to predict the risk of thrombosis by quantifying FcγRIIa on the surface of platelets, today announced the closing of an oversubscribed $3.2 million seed round. The round was led by Green Park & Golf Ventures, with participation from Labcorp and a group of angel investors.  

Prolocor also announced the receipt of a $2 million Phase II grant from the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Funds from this grant will be used to support the analytical validation of platelet expression of FcγRIIa as a precision tool.

Dr. Clay Heighten, Managing Partner at GPG Ventures, remarked, "We are inspired by the work of Co-Founder and CSO Dr. David Schneider in advancing the understanding of thrombotic risk in coronary artery disease and are excited to participate in moving the technology from the lab to the clinic. Dr. Peter DiBattiste is eminently qualified to coordinate the clinical studies, which are expected to prove the value of the Prolocor test." 

There are 50 million people living with chronic coronary artery disease in the U.S., Europe and Japan. Of these, over two million suffer from acute coronary syndrome every year. In each case, the doctor and patient must decide whether to use more powerful therapy to prevent thrombosis — increasing the risk of bleeding — or less-intensive therapy — reducing bleeding risk at the expense of more thrombotic events such as heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular-related death. Prolocor's precision tool will guide treatment decisions, effectively matching the intensity of therapy with the risk of events.

According to Dr. DiBattiste, Co-Founder and CEO of Prolocor, "The combined funding from the seed round and the NIH SBIR grant will allow us to make significant progress towards validating FcγRIIa as a precision tool for patients with cardiovascular disease." With this funding in hand, the company plans to establish a CLIA-certified laboratory and complete an ongoing prospective, observational multicenter non-interventional cohort study in 800 patients who have experienced heart attacks.

ABOUT PROLOCOR, INC.

Founded by a team that deeply understands thrombosis and cardiovascular disease, Prolocor is building its strategy around platelet FcγRIIa and embarking on a journey to commercialize an innovative precision diagnostic test that quantifies FcγRIIa on the surface of platelets. For more information on Prolocor, please visit the company's website at www.prolocor.com and follow us on LinkedIn. 

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements include projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions and expectations with respect to future financial results, events, operations, services, product development and potential, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "plans" and similar expressions. Although Prolocor's management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Prolocor, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, future clinical data and analysis, including post marketing, decisions by regulatory authorities regarding whether and when to approve any device or application that may be filed for any such product candidates and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of such product candidates, the fact that product candidates if approved may not be commercially successful, the future approval and commercial success of therapeutic alternatives, Prolocor's ability to benefit from external growth opportunities, to complete related transactions and/or obtain regulatory clearances, and risks associated with intellectual property. Other than as required by applicable law, Prolocor does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements.

CONTACT
Mika Stojanovic
TNG Creative, LLC
[email protected]

SpendMend
SpendMend

SpendMend, a leading provider of solutions to optimize the cost cycle for the healthcare industry, today announced the successful completion of its purchase of Trulla, one of the healthcare industry's leading providers of pharmacy procurement software. 

Trulla was founded in 2018 by company CEO, Curtis McEntire, a former executive in pharmacy sourcing and supply chain at Intermountain Healthcare, one of the largest healthcare providers in the Intermountain West of the United States. 

The acquisition of Trulla should enable SpendMend's pharmacy division to further expand its suite of solutions aimed at helping healthcare systems, hospitals, and clinics reduce annual pharmacy costs and better manage 340B program compliance and optimization. Concurrent to the acquisition, SpendMend is releasing SpendMend Trulla, an advanced Pharmacy Procurement Software application aimed at helping pharmacy buyers select the right NDCs and suppliers while navigating overly complex drug purchasing processes.

The current release of Trulla is designed to enable health systems to maximize pharmacy savings through superior pricing algorithms, product standardization, and supplier selection. In addition to the flagship procurement module, Trulla also offers an advanced pharmacy analytics module, as well as a host of pharmacy distribution center consulting services.

"I founded Trulla to help health systems capture previously unattainable cost savings," states, Curtis McEntire, "I could not be prouder of the solution we've created and its impact on reducing pharmacy costs and helping healthcare facilities to drive better patient care."

"We are thrilled to integrate Trulla software into the larger SpendMend suite of pharmacy solutions," states Rob Nahoopii, PharmD, MS, ACE, Sr. VP of Pharmacy Services at SpendMend. "In the last year, we've provided compliance and optimization services for over 300 pharmacies. We believe every one of those clients could benefit immediately by using the Trulla solution."

The acquisition of Trulla by SpendMend is made in partnership with Morgan Stanley Capital Partners (MSCP) as part of a strategic initiative to expand the value of the SpendMend Pharmacy division. Investment funds managed by MSCP invested in SpendMend in early 2022, recognizing the company as a leader in cost-cycle management and compliance management services to hospitals.

Existing Trulla clients will not experience any disruption to services as a result of the acquisition. The newly acquired group will continue operations as usual. Curtis McEntire will continue to manage division operations from his company headquarters in Draper, Utah.

About SpendMend

SpendMend is the leading provider of tech-enabled, cost-savings solutions in the healthcare industry. Combining the use of data, proprietary technology, and rigorous analytics with its healthcare focus and expertise, SpendMend partners with healthcare networks to expose the dark data to improve and optimize their costs in meaningful and collaborative ways. SpendMend's mission is to help its clients improve their patient care through innovative cost-savings solutions.

About Trulla

Trulla, the healthcare industry's leading provider of pharmacy procurement software, leverages a senior leadership team with over 100 years of combined pharmacy experience. The company delivers a set of solutions, including pharmacy procurement software, a pharmacy analytics reporting platform, and a host of pharmacy distribution center consulting services.

RIVANNA®, developers of world-first, imaging-based medical solutions, announced the results of a clinical case study demonstrating that Accuro played a crucial role in aiding the placement of an epidural catheter in a parturient with extreme obesity. The study, published in The Ultrasound Journal, further concluded that the benefits gained by pre-procedural AI-US are multiple: 

• increases patient satisfaction, 

• provides immediate recognition of anatomical structures,

• increases first-attempt success rates,

• reduces needle placement times, 

• and predicts needle direction and distance from the skin to reach target structures. 

As reported in the study, a patient requesting epidural analgesia for labor presented with a calculated BMI of 64.5 kg. Initial landmark palpation for localization of interspinous spaces proved unsuccessful. Secondarily, acquiring standard ultrasound imaging of the lumbar spine was ineffective in identifying target structures due to the amount of subcutaneous tissue. Accuro, which utilizes AI-enabled automatic recognition of spinal anatomy, provided rapid identification of the desired intervertebral space, the correct point for needle insertion and the estimated depth to the epidural space. A senior attending physician placed the epidural catheter on the first attempt. 

Quoted from the study, "…morphological alterations secondary to pregnancy and obesity created difficulties that could not be overcome using traditional landmark palpation nor standard ultrasound techniques." 

"Numerous studies have confirmed the effectiveness and safety of the Accuro-guided technique over the palpation-based approach for spinal placement or epidural catheterization," commented Will Mauldin, Ph.D., co-founder, and CEO of RIVANNA. "This study is notable because it examined the viability of standard ultrasound imaging in labor and delivery, especially in obese patients, as the visibility of the ligamentum flavum, dura mater and epidural space decreases significantly during pregnancy."

Neuraxial ultrasound competency using conventional equipment relies on the operator to provide accurate results. Conversely, Accuro's integrated AI-US technology provides clinicians with more detailed information that can be crucial in complex clinical scenarios. It may offer a new advantage in improving outcomes and training for operators not experienced in neuraxial ultrasound techniques. 

Conducted via the Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine Division at the University of Parma, Parma, Italy, the clinical case study was published in The Ultrasound Journal volume 14, Article number: 34 (2022).

ABOUT RIVANNA

RIVANNA® is a commercial-stage medical device innovator and manufacturer in Charlottesville, Va. RIVANNA's mission is to develop and commercialize world-first imaging-based medical technologies that elevate global standards of care. RIVANNA's technology platform combines the benefits of ultrasound with bone imaging capabilities of x-ray to fill unmet clinical needs. BoneVision™ and BoneEnhance® optimize ultrasound image acquisition and visualization to provide radiation-free alternatives to X-ray-based imaging. When paired with SpineNav3D™ AI-enabled image recognition, the platform offers comprehensive clinician assistance that improves decision-making, clinician workflows, health outcomes and patient satisfaction. The company operates an FDA-registered and ISO 13485:2016 certified manufacturing facility where it produces the Accuro® product line and related medical equipment and components. For more information, visit rivannamedical.com.

Media contact: [email protected].

HospiRank 2022
Report on medical equipment market Latin America including best hospitals

Global Health Intelligence (GHI), the leading healthcare data analytics provider in Latin America, has just published HospiRank 2022, its ranking of the best-equipped hospitals in Latin America.

Based on quantitative analysis of data from more than 19,000 Latin American hospitals in GHI's database, HospiRank ranks medical institutions according to eight specific categories, including best-equipped for high-risk patients, best-equipped to host patients, highest counts of basic surgical equipment, best installed base for treating cancer, best-equipped for primary diagnostics, and more.

"While there are other rankings of Latin American hospitals, HospiRank is the only ranking to offer verified hard data about the hospitals' infrastructure," explains Guillaume Corpart, CEO and founder of Global Health Intelligence. "We include specific data related to operating rooms, beds and counts of critical capital equipment that help hospitals stand out as leaders within their fields of focus. We offer this as a resource for medical equipment and device manufacturers. HospiRank is not designed for patients, since medical equipment counts are only part of what determines quality," observes Corpart.

Beyond the rankings, which include a total of more than 400 hospitals in the 6 countries included, HospiRank 2022 also has new features:

• A data portrait of Latin American hospitals, including penetration rates of both basic and specialized equipment,
• Data on infrastructure and hospitals in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, among other countries
• Interviews with the leaders of the best-equipped hospitals, to gain insights into their acquisitions and future plans
• A recently updated list of all hospitals in Latin America that have robotic surgery systems

"Beyond concrete medical equipment market data for Latin America, HospiRank may also be helpful for hospitals, because it allows them to see how they compare to other hospitals in terms of equipment levels," says Corpart.

The main report can be downloaded from Global Health Intelligence's website. It covers the top 5 hospitals in each category for each country featured in HospiRank 2022. However, journalists can contact GHI directly for specific country reports featuring the top 10 hospitals in each category.

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About Global Health Intelligence (GHI)
Global Health Intelligence created HospiScope, the world's largest hospital demographics database focused on Latin America, as well as SurgiScope, the first database to track surgical procedures performed in Latin America. The firm updates more than 2 million hospital data points each year, helping clients with custom research, data on the medical devices market, competitive profiling for the LatAm healthcare industry, marketing sizing, segmentation and pricing/cost analyses.

Press Contact: Abel Delgado, Digital Marketing Director, [email protected]