Page 114 - Mployee Wellness Programs News Today

Novartis’s acquisition of DTx Pharma brings a lead program for a rare disease with no FDA-approved therapies. But the deal could also help the pharma giant bring new RNA therapies to new places in the body, a top Novartis executive explained.

Peppermint is an “online clubhouse community” for adults aged 55 and older that allows them to connect with others through online clubs (like for traveling or gardening), workshops (like for nutrition or photography) and collaboration (where members can work together on activities like creating a recipe book). It aims to reduce loneliness by creating a sense of community and purpose for older adults, Peppermint's CEO said.

The restructuring of cardiovascular drugmaker Amarin means the layoff of about 30% of staff. Sales of Vascepa, the company’s only commercialized product, have suffered as generic versions gain traction in the market.

Quantum Health has bolstered its collaboration with Sword Health by integrating MSK services to members to track home exercise, avoid unnecessary surgery and support treatment of pelvic conditions.

Kraft Heinz recently sued Aetna, claiming that the insurer is not providing all of Kraft Heinz's medical claims data. More lawsuits of this sort are likely to come, experts warned.

AstraZeneca and Sanofi drug Beyfortus is now FDA approved for preventing respiratory problems from RSV infection in infants and toddlers. Antibody engineering enables the drug to last longer in the body, providing protective effects for potentially the entire RSV season.

NYU researchers conducted a study this year in which nearly 400 people were asked to identify whether responses to patient questions were produced by human providers or ChatGPT. Participants had a limited ability to tell the source of the responses apart, so the study authors concluded that the use of LLMs like ChatGPT could be an effective way to streamline healthcare providers’ communication with patients.

Pfizer and Flagship Pioneering are partnering in a drug research alliance leveraging the capabilities of the more than 40 biotech startups in the venture capital firm’s portfolio. The new partners aim to develop drugs for unmet needs, including those in broad patient populations.

Herself Health's $26 million Series A funding round was led by Michael Cline, founding managing partner of Accretive, and included participation from Juxtapose. It comes six months after Herself Health raised $7 million in seed funding. In total, the company has raised $33 million.

A new survey revealed that 64% of clinicians feel physically unsafe at work. The perceived risk of violence was especially high among women, clinicians under age 40, emergency department physicians and employees who work with patients struggling with addiction or other mental health conditions.