Page 145 - Mployee Wellness Programs News Today

Johnson & Johnson is acquiring rights to two next-generation cell therapies from Cellular Biomedicines, both potential treatments for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. One therapy is already in the clinic while the other is on track to begin human testing this year.

Sparsentan failed to meet the main goal of a Phase 3 test in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Nevertheless, Travere Therapeutics says the totality of data points to patient improvement in the rare kidney disorder and the biotech will talk with regulators about a potential path forward.

Kinnos — a startup reimagining the way hospitals disinfect their surfaces by colorizing the process — recently raised $15 million in financing. Through better sanitization practices, the company is seeking to decrease hospital-acquired infections, which cause 72,000 deaths every year.

Sanofi is acquiring rights to a Maze Therapeutics drug candidate for Pompe disease that could give the pharmaceutical giant another option to offer patients who have the rare metabolic disorder. In February, the drug posted positive data from a Phase 1 study.

Healthcare investment firm Patient Square Capital launched a new portfolio company: Elevage Medical Technologies. The company will support growth-stage medical device companies by providing capital, as well as operational and clinical expertise — it received an initial investment of $300 million from Patient Square.

New CVS Health data found that while 42% of respondents are concerned about their mental health, only 12% are seeing a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, psychotherapist or wellbeing therapist. Younger respondents are especially struggling: 60% of those aged 18 to 32 years old are concerned about their mental health.

The burnout crisis among nurses has gotten significantly worse since the peak of the pandemic in 2021, according to new research from AMN Healthcare. Only 40% of nurses said that they have no plans to change their work status in the coming year, and only one-third said they have ideal time to spend with their patients — marking a decrease of 10 percentage points from 2021.

Astellas Pharma is acquiring Iveric Bio in a deal that brings a vision loss-disorder drug on track for an FDA decision this summer. Iveric’s pipeline also includes genetic medicines that fit Astellas’s gene therapy strategy.

Medicare could have saved $128 million if the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services had the correct controls in place to avoid duplicate payments with the Veterans Health Administration, an audit by the Office of Inspector General found.

A new study found that ChatGPT might actually be quite successful in providing high-quality answers to patient questions during an era in which doctors and nurses are too busy to do so. The research evaluated two sets of answers to patient inquiries — one written by physicians, the other by ChatGPT. A panel of healthcare professionals determined that ChatGPT's answers were significantly more detailed and empathetic.