In early December, StemBioSys Inc. locked in a deal that further expands its international footprint. The San Antonio-based biotech struck an agreement with a British company, Caltag Medsystems Ltd., that will market and distribute its cell products in the United Kingdom and Western Europe.

"This gives us a partner in Europe that has a big presence in multiple countries," StemBioSys CEO Bob Hutchens said. "Their aggressiveness in executing the agreement ... gives us a great deal of comfort that they will really help us build a meaningful presence with European researchers."

Source: https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2017/12/26/2017-in-review-san-antonio-biotech-companies-score.html

December 27th 2017

NORMAN, Okla.--(Business Wire)--Patient safety is a top priority at Norman Regional Health System. As germs and bacteria become increasingly resistant to cleaning chemicals and antibiotics, the hospital is continually on the lookout for new technologies to aid in its infection prevention efforts. In 2016, the system invested in four LightStrike® Germ-Zapping Robots™ which quickly destroy the microorganisms that can cause healthcare associated infections (HAIs). The hospital partnered with Xenex® Disinfection Services to deploy and then carefully measure the effectiveness of the disinfection robots on the hospital’sClostridium difficile (C.diff), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) infection rates.

In an innovative shared risk agreement, Xenex guaranteed Norman Regional leadership that patient infection rates on the evaluation units would decrease or they would refund the money the system invested in the robots. At the end of the measurement period, infection rates in the evaluation units dropped by statistically significant levels which resulted in a $250,000 savings for the hospital (including the cost of the robots and the labor to operate them). Because the health system has experienced such positive outcomes, it is considering expanding the program with additional robots.

"Norman Regional has even lower infection rates as a result of our robust infection prevention program, but we believe that one infection is too many. Every time someone comes in to this facility they are bringing in contamination from the outside. Adding the LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots to our thorough cleaning protocol is an additional measure we have embraced to enhance safety by destroying the microscopic germs and bacteria,” said Richie Splitt, president and CEO of Norman Regional Health System. “Our Environmental Services and Infection Prevention teams worked closely together with Xenex to ensure that we were following the plan and it’s clearly working."

Norman Regional was the first health system in the Oklahoma City metro area to utilize Xenex robots, which have been credited in peer-reviewed studies by numerous healthcare facilities for helping them reduce their infection rates. The LightStrike robots leverage pulsed xenon technology to emit a blast of intense ultraviolet (UV) light that kills bacteria and viruses in just minutes. The germicidal UV light quickly disinfects a variety of high-touch areas and surfaces including bedrails, tray tables, machines, monitors, keyboards and computers and can be used in any department and in any unit within a healthcare facility, including isolation rooms, operating rooms, general patient care rooms, contact precaution areas, emergency rooms, bathrooms and public spaces.

The Xenex LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robot is a new technology that utilizes pulsed xenon (not mercury bulbs) to create germicidal UV light. The portable disinfection system is effective against even the most dangerous pathogens, including C.diff, norovirus, influenza, Ebola and MRSA.

"Seeing the infection rate reduction results achieved by Norman Regional is incredibly rewarding for us because it’s an example of two companies successfully working together towards a common goal. They are willing to evaluate new technologies to improve patient outcomes and we were willing to share the risk of their investment because we believe in our technology,” said Joseph Authement, senior vice president of global sales at Xenex. “Xenex is continually evaluating ways to accomplish our mission, which is to stop the pain and suffering caused by Hospital Acquired Infections, and we are incredibly proud of how well the Norman Regional team has enhanced their infection prevention program with the LightStrike robots and saved hundreds of thousands of dollars at the same time."

About Xenex Disinfection Services
Xenex's patented Full Spectrum™ pulsed xenon UV room disinfection system is used for the advanced disinfection of healthcare facilities. Due to its speed and ease of use, the Xenex system has proven to integrate smoothly into hospital existing disinfection operations. Xenex’s mission is to save lives and reduce suffering by eliminating microorganisms that cause hospital acquired infections. The company is backed by well-known investors that include EW Healthcare Partners, Piper Jaffray Merchant Services, Malin Corporation, Battery Ventures, Techtonic Ventures, Targeted Technology Fund II and RK Ventures. For more information, visit Xenex.com.

About Norman Regional Health System
Norman Regional Health System is a multi-campus system that serves the healthcare needs of south central Oklahoma. It is currently comprised of an acute-care facility, Norman Regional, and the Norman Regional HealthPlex. In 2016, the Health System opened its newest facility in Moore, Oklahoma. This new facility, Norman Regional Moore, houses an Emergency Room and outpatient services. Norman Regional Health System also provides outpatient diagnostic centers, medical transport services, physician services, Centers of Excellence, durable medical equipment supplies, a primary care network, community wellness service and employer health services.

• Norman Regional Health System
• Melissa Herron, 405-307-2146
• mherron@nrh-ok.com

or

• Xenex
• Melinda Hart, 210-240-4669
• melinda.hart@xenex.com

Source: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/3599150

December 18th 2017

Commercial UV Water Purifier Market report provides forecast of 2017-2021 which is a valuable source of understanding data for business strategies, growth analysis, historical & futuristic cost, revenue, demand and supply data. Commercial UV Water Purifier Market report includes complete data which enhances the understanding driving factors, trends, challenges faced by industry vendors, regional analysis, segment by type, applications of whole industry.

Analysts forecast the Commercial UV Water Purifier Market to grow at a CAGR of 6.2% during the period 2017-2021.

Key Vendors of Market:
Aquafine, Atlantic Ultraviolet, BWT, Evoqua Water Technologies, and Xylem. Alfaa UV, American Air & Water, APPLIED MEMBRANES, Aquionics, Calgon Carbon, DAVEY WATER PRODUCTS, ESP Water Products, Heraeus, NALCO, Perfect Water Systems, Philips Lighting, Pure Aqua, PURETEC, Silverline,SUEZ,Trojan Technologies, Wyckomar, and XENEX DISINFECTION SERVICES, and many more.

Global Commercial UV Water Purifier Market report provides key statistics on the market status of the Commercial UV Water Purifier manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the Commercial UV Water Purifier industry.

Source: http://www.satprnews.com/2017/12/18/commercial-uv-water-purifier-market-2021-overview-opportunities-top-manufactures-market-dynamics-and-forecasts-to-2021

December 18th 2017

San Antonio — StemBioSys, a life sciences company with a system for growing stem cells, has made a deal to have its products distributed in the United Kingdom and Western Europe.

The deal is with Caltag Medsystems, a life science distributor that already sells similar products in those markets, according to StemBioSys CEO Bob Hutchens. The San Antonio company had previously only had its products distributed in Sweden and Denmark by Cellaviva, a Swedish stem cell bank. Hutchens says StemBioSys is in discussions about the company’s future with Cellaviva.

Europe is one of the larger markets in which StemBioSys has a distribution deal, behind the U.S. and Canada, where it has a deal with life science product mover VWR (NASDAQ: VWR). StemBioSys also has deals in South Korea and Japan.

StemBioSys raised $3 million earlier this years in order to launch new products and expand its sales through distribution deals. In March, it licensed an experimental technology from University of Texas Health San Antonio that may help identify healthy young adult stem cells among large pools of other cells.

Source: https://www.xconomy.com/texas/2017/12/07/stembiosys-continues-expanding-distribution-adding-western-europe/

December 7th 2017

StemBioSys Inc. has scored another win in its quest to expand its international footprint.

The San Antonio-based biotech company struck an agreement with a British company to market and distribute its stem cell products in the United Kingdom and Western Europe.

The deal with Caltag Medsystems Ltd. will initially involve StemBioSys’ cell expansion products. But as StemBioSys continues to add products to its portfolio, Caltag will likely expand the scope of its work with StemBioSys.

The new deal could prove extremely lucrative as Europe is a leading market for stem cell research. One of the factors that drove the company to forge a relationship with Caltag was its reputation across Europe, as well as its deep technical expertise, StemBioSys CEO Bob Hutchens said.

Both sides moved quickly to get a deal done.

"This happened extremely fast. We had an initial discussion just before thanksgiving," Hutchens told me. "They had done enough due diligence to know they wanted to proceed."

Caltag executives also wanted to get the deal done in time to represent StemBioSys at a major European Stem Cell conference that concluded earlier this week, Hutchens said.

With the latest agreement, StemBioSys now has a marketing and distribution presence in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan and South Korea. The company also markets its products directly to China.

The newest market entry could be a game changer for StemBioSys.

"This gives us a partner in Europe that has a big presence in multiple countries," Hutchens said. “Their aggressiveness in executing the agreement ... gives us a great deal of comfort that they will really help us build a meaningful presence with European researchers."

StemBioSys product offering complements the cell and tissue range already offered by Caltag Medsystems, allowing a 3-D cell culture solution to be delivered to scientists Europewide"

Source: https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2017/12/07/sa-biotech-gains-critical-entry-into-european.html

December 7th 2017

HOUSTON, Dec. 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- DNAtrix, a leader in the development of oncolytic virus immunotherapies for cancer, announced the intratumoral delivery of DNX-2401 to the first pediatric patient in a Phase 1 study for diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG).

DIPG is a highly aggressive, infiltrative tumor of the brainstem that typically affects children aged 4-11 years. There is no effective treatment, and due to the anatomical location of the tumor, surgical resection is often not possible.

The open-label, dose-escalating study is evaluating the safety and efficacy of single dose DNX-2401 for pediatric patients with newly diagnosed DIPG at the Clínica Universidad de Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. The study protocol was recently published in Neurosurgery by neurosurgeon and Principal Investigator Sonia Tejada, MD, PhD (https://doi.org/10.1093/neuros/nyx507).

DNX-2401, a potent oncolytic adenovirus, induces tumor-specific cell killing and initiates an antitumor immune response to cancer cells, while leaving normal cells intact. Clinical studies of a single dose of DNX-2401 in adults with recurrent glioblastoma have demonstrated prolonged survival while maintaining a favorable safety profile compared to approved therapies.

"There is a critical need for innovative therapeutic strategies to treat DIPG," said Joanna Peterkin, MD, MS, Chief Medical Officer of DNAtrix. "Our mission is to develop breakthrough treatments for children and adults with life-threatening brain tumors that result in better outcomes for patients and their families."

For more information about ongoing DNAtrix clinical studies, visit the ClinicalTrials.gov website:

NCT03178032 (DNX-2401 for newly diagnosed pediatric diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma) and NCT02798406 (DNX-2401 + KEYTRUDA for recurrent glioblastoma).

About DNX-2401
DNX-2401 is an investigational oncolytic immunotherapy designed to treat cancer. DNX-2401 sets off a chain reaction of tumor cell killing by selectively replicating within cancer cells (but not normal cells), causing tumor destruction and further spread of the oncolytic virus to adjacent tumor cells. This process then triggers an immune response directed against the tumor. DNX-2401 has been well tolerated in patients with recurrent glioblastoma and survival has been prolonged compared to other therapies.

About DNAtrix
DNAtrix is a privately held, clinical stage, biotechnology company developing oncolytic virus immunotherapies for cancer. DNAtrix's lead product, DNX-2401, is a conditionally replicative oncolytic adenovirus being evaluated in clinical trials for recurrent glioblastoma, a brain cancer for which there is neither a cure nor adequate treatment. The company is backed by Morningside Ventures and Mercury Fund, and has been awarded a grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). For more information, please visit the company website at www.dnatrix.com.

• Contacts
• DNAtrix
• Imran Alibhai, Ph.D.
• S.V.P. Business Development
• ialibhai@dnatrix.com

Source: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dnatrix-announces-first-pediatric-patient-treated-with-oncolytic-virus-dnx-2401-300567123.html

December 5th 2017

SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) devastate patients and can cost a healthcare facility more than $50,000 in additional patient care per infection. Surfaces in the operating room (OR) may harbor superbugs and other pathogens that contribute to the infection risk. Studies have shown that contamination builds in the OR during the day, even when it is manually cleaned between procedures. Some of the superbugs that threaten patients and can cause SSIs, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus,Klebsiella and Pseudomonas, are capable of living on OR surfaces from 1.5 hours to more than 30 months.

Xenex® Disinfection Services’ LightStrike® Germ-Zapping Robots® have been proven to quickly destroy the germs and bacteria in ORs that can cause infections using pulsed xenon ultraviolet (PX-UV) light. Hundreds of hospitals use LightStrike robots to disinfect their ORs after the day’s procedures are complete and two hospitals have published peer-reviewed studies showing 46%-100% reductions in their SSI rates when the LightStrike robot was used to disinfect ORs after terminal cleaning.

In an attempt to reduce contamination in the OR between surgeries, researchers evaluated the LightStrike robot in the OR and found that it can effectively disinfect high touch surfaces in just 2 minutes. According to the new study “Evaluation of a pulsed xenon ultraviolet disinfection system to decrease bacterial contamination in operating rooms” Haddad et al.; published in BMC Infectious Diseases, “This short cycle time may make between-case cleaning [with PX-UV] in the OR a viable option and something hospitals should consider operationalizing within their protocol.”

The study found that a 2-minute cycle of intense pulsed xenon ultraviolet (PX-UV) light disinfection eliminated 72% more pathogens on high-touch surface areas in the OR than manual cleaning alone. The authors noted that the short room turnover time is feasible, even for a busy OR, and could potentially reduce pathogen transmission to patients and reduce SSI rates.

The Xenex LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robot has been credited by numerous health care facilities across the U.S. for helping them reduce their infection rates significantly. Several hospitals have published their 46%-100%Clostridium difficile (C.diff), MRSA and/or Surgical Site infection rate reduction studies in peer-reviewed journals. Twenty-three peer-reviewed articles have been published about the LightStrike robot’s effectiveness, including nine crediting the intense pulsed xenon UV technology for contributing to a facility’s reduction in HAI rates. To date, the only SSI reduction data credited to UV disinfection and published in a peer-reviewed journal is from hospitals using Xenex pulsed xenon (non-mercury bulb) UV technology.

More than 400 hospitals, Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense facilities in the U.S., Canada, Africa, UK, Japan and Europe use Xenex robots, which are also in use in skilled nursing facilities, ambulatory surgery centers and long term acute care facilities.

Xenex Disinfection Services
Xenex LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots are used for the advanced disinfection of healthcare facilities. Due to its speed and ease of use, the Xenex system has proven to integrate smoothly into hospital cleaning operations. Xenex’s mission is to save lives and reduce suffering by destroying the deadly pathogens and superbugs that cause hospital acquired infections (HAIs). The company is backed by well-known investors that include EW Healthcare Partners, Piper Jaffray Merchant Services, Malin Corporation, Battery Ventures, Tectonic Ventures, Targeted Technology Fund II and RK Ventures. For more information, visit Xenex.com.

• Contacts
• Xenex
• Melinda Hart, 210-240-4669
• melinda.hart@xenex.com

Source: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171120006122/en/New-Study-Proves-2-Minute-Cycle-Pulsed-Xenon

November 20th 2017

HOUSTON, Nov. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- DNAtrix, a leader in the development of oncolytic virus immunotherapies for cancer, announced multiple studies detailing the mechanism and efficacy of DNX-2401 were presented at the 2017 Society for Neuro-Oncology (SNO) Annual Meeting, held in San Francisco, CA on November 16th – 19th.

Juan Fueyo, MD, Professor in the Department of Neuro-Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center, gave an oral presentation of clinical results showing that DNX-2401 therapy for high grade malignant glioma leads to a reduction in the expression of TIM3, a key marker of T-cell exhaustion and negative regulator of antitumor immunity. These results are consistent with DNX-2401 triggering an anti-tumor immune response in patients.

Additional results were presented by scientists and physicians from Erasmus MC (Rotterdam, Netherlands) and Clínica Universidad de Navarra (Pamplona, Spain), demonstrating that DNX-2401 treatment promotes a microenvironment that is detrimental to tumors and is efficacious in a model of pediatric central nervous system tumors, a devastating disease in children.

"We are excited that this important research was selected for presentation at SNO, the premier conference for neuro-oncology," saidFrank Tufaro, PhD, CEO of DNAtrix. "These results are encouraging and provide further support for the use of our lead product, DNX-2401, in combination with immunotherapeutic agents such as checkpoint inhibitors, a clinical study which is in progress."

Details of the presentations on DNX-2401 (also known as Delta-24-RGD) are as follows:

• Immunomarkers in the DNX-2401 (Delta-24-RGD) oncolytic virus Phase I clinical trial
• Abstract Number: ATIM-08
• Presenter: Juan Fueyo, MD, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
• Date: Sunday, November 19, 2017

• Oncolytic viral therapy with Delta-24-RGD induces a tumor-detrimental environment via phenotypic shift of macrophages
• Abstract Number: TMIC-03
• Presenter: Wouter van den Bossche, Erasmus Medical Center,Rotterdam, Netherlands
• Date: Friday, November 17, 2017

• The oncolytic adenovirus Delta-24-RGD mediates an efficient antitumor response in vivo in supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors
• Abstract Number: PDTM-12
• Presenter: Marc Garcia-Moure, PhD, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain

For more information about ongoing DNAtrix clinical studies, visit the ClinicalTrials.gov website: NCT02798406 (DNX-2401 + KEYTRUDA for recurrent glioblastoma) and NCT03178032 (DNX-2401 for newly diagnosed pediatric diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma).

About DNX-2401
DNX-2401 is an investigational oncolytic immunotherapy designed to treat cancer. DNX-2401 sets off a chain reaction of tumor cell killing by selectively replicating within glioblastoma cells (but not normal cells), causing tumor destruction and further spread of the oncolytic virus to adjacent tumor cells. This process then triggers an immune response directed against the tumor. DNX-2401 has been well tolerated in patients with recurrent glioblastoma and survival has been prolonged compared to other therapies.

About DNAtrix
DNAtrix is a privately held, clinical stage, biotechnology company developing oncolytic virus immunotherapies for cancer. DNAtrix's lead product, DNX-2401, is a conditionally replicative oncolytic adenovirus being evaluated in clinical trials for recurrent glioblastoma, a brain cancer for which there is neither a cure nor adequate treatment. The company is backed by Morningside Ventures and Mercury Fund, and has been awarded a grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). For more information, please visit the company website at www.dnatrix.com.

Source: http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/Mechanism-of-Action-Studies-for-DNAtrix-s-Oncolytic-Virus-DNX-2401-Presented-at-the-2017-Society-for-Neuro-Oncology-Annual-Meeting-1008799779

November 20th 2017

HOUSTON, Nov. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Juan Fueyo, MD, Professor at MD Anderson Cancer Center Department of Neuro-Oncology, presented results of a comprehensive study on the oncolytic virus Delta-24-RGDOX at the 2017 Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Meeting, held in National Harbor, MD on November 10th – 12th.

DNAtrix, an oncolytic virus company, is developing Delta-24-RGDOX (also known as DNX-2440), which locally expresses OX40L (CD252) in tumor cells following infection. The Delta-24-RGDOX backbone is based on the highly potent oncolytic adenovirus, DNX-2401, currently in Phase 2 testing with Merck's checkpoint inhibitor, Keytruda. The data presented at SITC builds on Dr. Fueyo's recent publication in Cancer Research, and demonstrates that Delta-24-RGDOX triggers an antitumor immune response, an abscopal effect, and tumor-specific immune memory, leading to prolonged survival in difficult-to-treat models of cancer.

"DNAtrix is developing best-in-class oncolytic viruses that replicate and persist for weeks to aggressively kill tumor cells while triggering an acute immune response. Delta-24-RGDOX is an excellent example of DNAtrix's platform, as it delivers effective combination therapy for cancers while minimizing side effects and cost," said Frank Tufaro, PhD, CEO of DNAtrix. "We have already shown that DNAtrix oncolytic viruses can be combined safely with other chemotherapies and immunotherapies to provide a new modality for treating cancers."

Details of the presentation:

• Efficacious Anti-Melanoma Immunity Induced by OX40 Ligand-Expressing Oncolytic Adenovirus Delta-24-RGDOX
• Abstract Number: P409
• First Author: Hong Jiang, PhD

To access the recently published paper on Delta-24-RGDOX, visit the Cancer Research website http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/77/14/3894.long

For more information about ongoing DNAtrix clinical studies, visit the ClinicalTrials.gov website: NCT02798406 (DNX-2401 + KEYTRUDA for recurrent glioblastoma) and NCT03178032 (DNX-2401 monotherapy for newly diagnosed pediatric diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma).

About DNAtrix Armed Virus Platform
DNAtrix is developing oncolytic viruses that feature the backbone of DNX-2401 and express immune modulatory molecules following infection of tumor cells. The first candidates, expressing members of the TNF receptor superfamily that enhance T-cell activity, have shown remarkable efficacy in animal models of cancer, including breast, melanoma, brain and lung. The first virus on this platform, DNX-2440, which expresses OX40 ligand, will enter the clinic soon for evaluation in a variety of solid tumors.

About DNAtrix
DNAtrix is a privately held, clinical stage, biotechnology company developing oncolytic virus immunotherapies for cancer. DNAtrix's lead product, DNX-2401, is a conditionally replicative oncolytic adenovirus being evaluated in clinical trials for recurrent glioblastoma, a brain cancer for which there is neither a cure nor adequate treatment. The company is backed by Morningside Ventures and Mercury Fund, and has been awarded a grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). For more information, please visit the company website at www.dnatrix.com.

• Contact
• DNAtrix
• Imran Alibhai, PhD
• SVP Business Development
• ialibhai@dnatrix.com

Source: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dnatrix-virus-expressing-t-cell-co-stimulator-ox40l-cd252-presented-at-the-2017-society-for-immunotherapy-of-cancer-meeting-300554430.html

November 13th 2017

San Antonio-based CytoBioscience and Skyline Medical Inc. have ended merger negotiations.

While the decision means CytoBioscience will not enter into a formal alliance with the publicly traded company, the two organizations have kept open the door to potential collaboration at some point.

CytoBioscience, which moved its headquarters from Germany to San Antonio in 2015, was nearing a deal to align itself with Skyline Medical, which bases its operations out of Minnesota’s Twin Cities area. In August, I reported that the two organizations had entered into a definitive agreement to merge operations, which CytoBioscience CEO James Garvin said would make “both companies stronger.”

But several weeks later, CytoBioscience and Skyline Medical have instead decided to call off the deal. “Sometimes, even with best of intentions, things just don’t come together,” Garvin told me on Wednesday.

CytoBioscience develops and manufactures devices used in human cell research. It also conducts contract research focused on new therapeutic drug development.

One of the factors that made CytoBioscience an attractive partner with Skyline is its current backlog of work, primarily in contract research activity. Those orders represent about $6 million in new business. Executives with Skyline Medical — which produces a fully automated waste fluid disposal system eliminating most exposure to blood, irrigation fluid and other potentially infectious fluids — also took note of the fact that CytoBioscience has nearly a dozen technologies patented in the U.S. and abroad.

“We could expand our footprint. They could hopefully tap our NASDAQ exposure,” Skyline Medical CEO Carl Schwartz said before the planned merger was called off. “We could be much stronger as their contacts would help us and our contacts would help them.”

The two companies have not ruled out collaborative opportunities that could still benefit both organizations.

“We’ll work together in a strategic way going forward to see what we can do that is helpful to us as well as them,” Garvin said.

There have been some unexpected gains as a result of CytoBioscience’s discussions with Skyline Medical that could pay off handsomely down the line. Among them, according to Garvin, is “a far greater awareness in the capital markets about who we are, what we’re about and what the future looks like for us.”

Source: https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2017/11/08/san-antonio-biotech-s-minnesota-merger-called-off.html?s=print

November 8th 2017

San Antonio may not yet be top of mind internationally when it comes to big-league bioscience players. But local leaders are working to raise the city’s visibility, and they’ve received a major assist from companies and institutions that have helped shine a brighter spotlight on the breakthrough activity occurring here.

The Alamo City took a giant leap toward greater global recognition in June, when the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston jointly entered into two landmark licensing agreements with a newly created subsidiary of China-based CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd.

UT Health San Antonio officials expect the deal to net the two Texas institutions a combined $114 million in licensing payments and royalties. But the real win for the Alamo City is the international exposure its bioscience industry should receive by working with an $11 billion Chinese company with an extensive international reach.

UT Health San Antonio President Dr. William Henrich expects the agreement with CSPC — which includes the creation of AlaMab Therapeutics Inc., a new biotech company that will be based in the Alamo City — will shine a brighter light on the region, perhaps leading to additional international collaboration.

“It is my fervent hope that this is the tip of the iceberg,” Henrich said. “This is a big step in that direction, for sure.”

Other key players are extending their reach to other continents.

Earlier this year, the San Antonio Business Journal reported that Acelity LP Inc. was making moves to strengthen its international penetration. R. Andrew Eckert, president and CEO of Acelity, said his plan was to create a “greater geographical nexus of activity” for the company.

Acelity traces its roots back to Kinetic Concepts Inc., which was established in the Alamo City in 1976. Eckert said Acelity has a “tremendous opportunity” to expand its business opportunities in markets across Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

Other San Antonio bioscience companies are expanding their reach. Bluegrass Vascular Technologies Inc., for example, which moved to San Antonio from Kentucky, is already selling its Surfacer Inside-Out Access Catheter System in more than a half-dozen countries outside the U.S. Bluegrass CEO Gabriele Niederauer said the company's distributor is now looking to into other parts of the world, including Africa and the Middle East.

James Garvin, CEO of CytoBioscience, a biotech company that moved from Germany to San Antonio in 2015, said that while the city is gaining more international recognition, it must remain dogged in its quest for more international attention and opportunities.

“San Antonio is already one of the best places in the world for biotechnology,” he said. “But we need to continue to beat our chests.”

Source: https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2017/11/02/san-antonios-bioscience-sector-expanding-its.html

November 2nd 2017

San Antonio has a long way to go to catch up with major bioscience hubs that are rolling in the dough, with vibrant venture capital networks and billion-dollar philanthropists. But that doesn’t mean Alamo City institutions are coming up empty in their dash for cash.

One of the big locally based winners this year is Xenex Disinfection Services. In February, the San Antonio Business Journal reported that the company — which has sold its germ-zapping robots to hundreds of hospitals across the U.S. — had raised nearly $40 million in a new funding round to help manufacture and distribute more of its devices.

Xenex CEO Morris Miller said more savvy investors have turned their attention to the company because of the increasing adoption of its technology.

“They want to help fuel our growth,” he said.

Earlier this year, UT Health San Antonio received $25 million from Austin residents Joe Long and Teresa Lozano Long. A large chunk of that funding — $20 million — will be used to support a President’s Endowment for Faculty Excellence in Medicine at UT Health San Antonio’s School of Medicine, which has been renamed in honor of the Texas philanthropists.

San Antonio bioscience talent has also secured critical funding support this year.

In January, Texas Biomedical Research Institute officials said one of their organization’s scientists, Dr. Timothy Anderson, had received nearly $5 million from the National Institutes of Health. The NIH grant is supporting Anderson and his team’s expanded examination of drug resistance and new gene-editing technologies.

Source: https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2017/11/02/alamo-city-medical-tech-companies-secure-major.html

November 2nd 2017

International Infection Prevention Week October 15 – 21

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ridley-Tree Cancer Center unveiled the Xenex® LightStrike® Germ-Zapping Robot™ that is used to enhance environmental cleanliness by disinfecting and destroying hard-to-kill germs, bacteria and superbugs in hard-to-clean places.

“Patients being treated here are often immunocompromised as a result of their treatments and susceptible to infectious disease. The microorganisms that cause infections are getting smarter and becoming antibiotic-resistant, which is why we need new weapons like the Xenex robot to destroy them before they pose a threat to our patients,” said Matthew Kunkel, Vice President of Oncology Services at Ridley-Tree Cancer Center. “The Ridley Tree Cancer Center is a state of the art facility with leading-edge technology. Using the Xenex LightStrike system to disinfect rooms is an example of our commitment to and focus on patient safety. Hundreds of people enter this facility every day – patients, visitors, doctors, employees and vendors – bringing a whole smorgasbord of contaminants and germs with them. Using the Xenex device enables us to get rid of those pathogens before they can endanger our patients and staff.”

The Xenex robot, named “Dr. Lightstrike Flash,” was purchased by the Ridley Tree Cancer Center thanks to a very generous donation by the Roke Foundation. “Flash” uses pulsed xenon ultraviolet (UV) light to quickly destroy bacteria, viruses, fungi and bacterial spores. The portable disinfection system is effective against even the most dangerous pathogens, including Clostridium difficile (C.diff), norovirus, influenza, Ebola and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA.

UV has been used for disinfection for decades. The Xenex LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robot is a new technology that utilizes pulsed xenon (not mercury bulbs) to create germicidal UV light. Pulsed xenon emits high intensity UVC light which penetrates the cell walls of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, mold, fungus and spores. Their DNA is fused, rendering them unable to reproduce or mutate, effectively killing them on surfaces.

The portable Xenex system can disinfect a typical patient or procedure room in five minute cycles without warm-up or cool-down times. Operated by the hospital cleaning staff, it can be used in any department and in any unit within a healthcare facility, including isolation rooms, operating rooms, general patient care rooms, contact precaution areas, emergency rooms, bathrooms and public spaces.

The Xenex pulsed xenon UV disinfection system has been credited by numerous health care facilities across the U.S. for helping them reduce their infection rates significantly. Several hospitals have published their C.diff,MRSA and Surgical Site infection rate reduction studies in peer-reviewed journals. More than 400 hospitals, Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense facilities in the U.S., Canada, Africa, UK, Japan and Europe are using Xenex robots, which are also in use in skilled nursing facilities, ambulatory surgery centers and long term acute care facilities.

About Ridley-Tree Cancer Center
Thanks to the generosity of hundreds of donors in our community, the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara with Sansum Clinic and Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara recently opened a new world-class regional cancer center, and renamed the institution Ridley-Tree Cancer Center in honor of lead donor Lady Leslie Ridley-Tree. Ridley-Tree Cancer Center’s highly trained physicians and compassionate staff utilize the latest technology and protocols, and integrate patient support programs and classes to provide every opportunity for successful treatment, recovery and a healthy return to the activities that enrich life. The flagship Ridley-Tree Cancer Center in Santa Barbara extends its reach with offices in Lompoc and Solvang to provide patients in mid-Santa Barbara County access to the myriad of services offered, close to home.

Xenex Disinfection Services
Xenex's patented Full SpectrumTM pulsed xenon UV room disinfection system is used for the advanced disinfection of healthcare facilities. Due to its speed and ease of use, the Xenex system has proven to integrate smoothly into hospital cleaning operations. Xenex’s mission is to save lives and reduce suffering by destroying the deadly microorganisms that cause hospital acquired infections (HAIs). The company is backed by well-known investors that include EW Healthcare Partners, Piper Jaffray Merchant Services, Malin Corporation, Battery Ventures, Tectonic Ventures, Targeted Technology Fund II and RK Ventures. For more information, visit Xenex.com.

• Contacts
• Ridley-Tree Cancer Center
• Jill Fonte, 805-681-1879
• jfonte@sansumclinic.org

or

• Xenex Disinfection Services
• Melinda Hart, 210-240-4669
• melinda.hart@xenex.com

Source: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171020005672/en/Ridley-Tree-Cancer-Center-Sansum-Clinic-Unveils-Xenex

October 20th 2017

The recruitment of Bluegrass Vascular Technologies Inc. from Kentucky to San Antonio is paying off in a big way as the company’s CEO, Gabriele Niederauer, has led an aggressive global expansion strategy that is expected to take its initial product to at least two more continents in the next several months.

Bluegrass, which is still working to obtain the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval to sell its Surfacer Inside-Out Access Catheter System in this country, has locked up a presence in several European countries through a distribution deal with Merit Medical Systems. Now, it’s pursing opportunities for commercialization worldwide, including Africa and the Middle East.

"We are now selling in seven countries. We are going to be adding additional countries and extending beyond Europe," Niederauer said. "Merit is already looking at Africa, the Middle East and expansion into other territories. We are working on the requirements in those countries so we can make the product available."

The Surfacer system provides what Bluegrass Vascular officials have described as reliable, efficient and repeatable central venous access to the right internal jugular vein — the optimal location for placing a central venous catheter. Those officials said the ability to secure such access more quickly leads to better patient outcomes.

"We are continuing to collect data on the experiences we are having in Europe. We are finding that, in the cases we’ve done, on average it takes 23 minutes for our system to be used," Niederauer said.

She said some more traditional approaches can take several hours.

"There is a huge economical and clinical benefit to being able to do this so much quicker," said Niederauer, who was in Denmark this week for the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe’s 2017 annual meeting in Copenhagen, where Bluegrass was scheduled to make a series of presentations.

The expectation among Bluegrass management is that Europe will serve as a launch pad for further international penetration.

"We’ve been on the market in Europe for just over a year. We are really starting to see momentum and traction there," Niederauer said.

The ultimate goal is for Bluegrass Vascular to be able to bring its technology to market in the U.S.
In the next few months, the company plans to launch additional clinical studies for its Surfacer technology. Those trials will support Bluegrass Vascular’s planned submission to the FDA for approval to commercialize its product at home.

"We’ve got some very defined steps that we need to execute for U.S. approval," Niederauer said.

Source: https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2017/09/19/sa-based-bluegrass-vascular-eyes-expansion-to.html

September 20th 2017

StemBioSys Inc. is expanding its reach to Houston, having struck a deal for space in Johnson & Johnson Innovation’s JLABS complex, a life science innovation center in the Texas Research Park that provides an environment for startup companies pursuing new technologies and research platforms.

The San Antonio-based biotech, however, has no plans to abandon its headquarters here for the Bayou City.

Johnson & Johnson has created a model under which resident companies are free to develop products on their own or through a partnership with it or other companies.

"This is incubator space for startup biotechs,” StemBioSys CEO Bob Hutchens said. “It’s space for us to use when we are in Houston. From a company standpoint, this lets us get some access to folks with Johnson & Johnson."

That could lead to some tempting opportunities. But Hutchens insists the privately held company, which manufactures and develops innovative and advanced stem cell technologies that support work in regenerative medicine, isn’t looking to move its operations to Houston.

"We’re not going anywhere,” he said. “We are looking at additional investments here."

Earlier this year, StemBioSys cleared a major hurdle on its path to commercialization. The company, which previously struck distribution deals for its stem cell products on multiple continents, secured an exclusive marketing and distribution agreement with VWR Corp. for the U.S. and Canada.

While Houston has built critical mass in the biosciences, Hutchens said there are plenty of advantages for StemBioSys to remain in San Antonio. Among them are the successes the company has had in recruiting and retaining scientific talent here, as well as in forming collaborative allegiances with other Alamo City institutions.

Affordability also works in San Antonio’s favor.

"The cost of doing business here is a phenomenal advantage for us,” Hutchens said, adding, “We’re not leaving San Antonio.

Source: https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2017/09/18/san-antonio-based-biotech-claims-houston-space.html

September 18th 2017

Novel system offers a minimally invasive Inside-Out solution to support the achievement of long-term arteriovenous access.

SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bluegrass Vascular Technologies, a private medical technology company focused on innovating lifesaving devices and methods for vascular access, today announced its upcoming Surfacer® Inside-Out® Access Catheter System educational events scheduled to take place at the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (CIRSE) 2017 Annual Meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark. The Surfacer System is indicated for obtaining central venous access to facilitate catheter insertion in patients with diminished upper body access.

Merit Medical Systems, a leading manufacturer of proprietary disposable devices and the exclusive distributor of the Surfacer System in Europe, will be sponsoring the symposium titled The Surfacer Inside-Out Access Catheter System: To Restore and Preserve Access in Chronically Occluded Veins. The symposium will take place on Sunday, September 17th from 16:15-16:35 and will be presented by Gürkan Sengölge, MD, Associate Professor and Interventional Nephrologist at the University of Vienna.

"I am very much looking forward to presenting the Surfacer System at the upcoming CIRSE meeting and sharing my positive clinical experiences using the novel Inside-Out method," stated Gürkan Sengölge, M.D. "The Surfacer System makes it possible for my patients to reliably receive life-saving central venous access via the right-sided vasculature while long-term arteriovenous access is being secured."

The Surfacer System will also be showcased during a hands-on Don't Go Left™ workshop in the Merit Learning Centre on Monday, September 18th from 17:00-17:45 and on Tuesday, September 19th from 14:30-15:15. Moderated by Gürkan Sengölge, MD, the workshop will provide an overview of the Surfacer System, offer guidance on patient selection, and enable hands-on practice using an anatomical model. Registration for the hands-on workshop is available at Merit Medical's exhibitor booth, #60. Space is limited.

"It's exciting to watch the interventional radiology and nephrology community embrace the Surfacer System and the value of 'Don't Go Left'," stated Gabriele Niederauer, Ph.D., CEO and President of Bluegrass Vascular Technologies. "We are committed to increasing the awareness of its importance and communicating the positive impact it has on improving patient outcomes and reducing provider costs."

The Surfacer System will also be highlighted at the upcoming European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS) 2017 Annual Meeting taking place September 19-22 in Lyon, France. Click here for symposium information or visit Merit Medical's booth B4-B5 to register for the hands-on Don't Go Left workshop.

About the Surfacer® Inside-Out® Access Catheter System
The Surfacer System is designed to reliably, efficiently and repeatedly gain central venous access through a femoral vein approach and navigation through the venous system to an exit point in the right internal jugular vein, the optimal location for placing a central venous catheter. This proprietary Inside-Out approach allows for the placement and maturation of permanent arteriovenous access options that are associated with improved patient outcomes and reduced cost of care for both hospitals and hemodialysis providers.

About Bluegrass Vascular Technologies
Bluegrass Vascular Technologies is a medical technology company dedicated to developing and commercializing lifesaving devices and methods that address shortcomings in vascular access procedures. For more information, please visit www.bluegrassvascular.com.

Source: http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/surfacer-inside-out-access-catheter-system-to-be-showcased-at-cirse-2017-annual-meeting-644354553.html

September 14th 2017

RICHMOND, Ind.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Reid Health is the first hospital in Indiana to deploy a new LightStrike® “germ-zapping robot” to disinfect surgery and patient rooms as part of its multifaceted arsenal to reduce risk of infection.

"We are always evaluating the latest technologies available to help make our facilities as safe as possible," said Jennifer Ehlers, vice president and Chief Quality Officer for the health system. She said the fight against infection-causing pathogens has been elevated nationally as infection-causing microorganisms have become more resistant to traditional disinfecting methods. "We are focused on and committed to patient safety, and we see this technology as another innovative way to help protect our patients."

Kim Schneider, BSN, RN, with Reid Health Infection Control, said “Xenex’s LightStrike® Germ-Zapping Robot® uses pulsed xenon ultraviolet (UV) light to disinfect rooms without leaving chemical residue or toxic fumes. Hospitals and health systems using the technology have reported significant decreases in infection rates.” Schneider emphasized Reid Health has an excellent track record in infection prevention, partly because of being open to investing in the latest prevention technologies.

The Xenex robot, named “Rosie” by Reid Health team members, uses Full Spectrum™ pulsed xenon ultraviolet (UV) light that is hundreds of times more intense than sunlight to quickly destroy bacteria, viruses, fungi and bacterial spores. The portable disinfection system is effective against even the most dangerous pathogens, including Clostridium difficile (C.diff), norovirus, influenza, Ebola and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA. Their DNA is fused, rendering them unable to reproduce or mutate, effectively killing them on surfaces.

Jeff Cook, Director of Engineering and Environmental Services at Reid Health, said his team "wants to do everything within our means to provide a clean environment at our facilities to reduce the risk of healthcare associated infections. Some superbugs have become resistant to cleaning chemicals. That’s why new technology like the LightStrike disinfecting robot is so important. This investment is significant and underscores our commitment to patient care and the communities we serve."

Julie Garrett, Manager of Environmental Services at Reid Health, said the robot has been used daily since it arrived about a month ago. "The staff loves our Rosie and are doing an excellent job at deploying her in patient rooms and operating room suites," Garrett said. “The portable Xenex system can disinfect a typical patient or procedure room in five minute cycles without warm-up or cool-down times. So far we have successfully trained 24 plus team members to work with Rosie."

• Contacts
• Reid Health
• Larry Price, 765-983-3442
• Larry.Price@ReidHealth.org

or

• Xenex
• Melinda Hart, 210-240-4669
• melinda.hart@xenex.com

Source: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170825005642/en/Reid-Health-Hospital-Indiana-LightStrike-Germ-Zapping-Robot

August 25th 2017

Rush Foundation Hospital is the first hospital in East Mississippi and West Alabama to use Xenex LightStrike® Germ-Zapping Robots® to enhance environmental cleanliness by disinfecting and destroying hard-to-kill germs, bacteria and superbugs in hard-to-clean places.

The hospital’s Xenex robots use Full Spectrum™ pulsed xenon ultraviolet (UV) light to quickly destroy bacteria, viruses, fungi and bacterial spores. The portable disinfection system is effective against even the most dangerous pathogens, including Clostridium difficile (C.diff), norovirus, influenza, Ebola and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA.

"The Xenex robots are one example of the many things we do to help make the patient care areas of the hospital as clean and germ-free as possible. Rush Foundation Hospital has always been a leader in introducing new technology to the region and we are especially pleased about the opportunity to enhance patient care and safety by using these germ-killing robots. The robots are amazing pieces of machinery and we are thankful and excited to have them," said Jason Payne, Administrator of Rush Foundation Hospital.

UV has been used for disinfection for decades. The Xenex LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robot is a new technology that utilizes pulsed xenon (not mercury bulbs) to create germicidal UV light. Pulsed xenon emits high intensity UVC light which penetrates the cell walls of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, mold, fungus and spores. Their DNA is fused, rendering them unable to reproduce or mutate, effectively killing them on surfaces.

The portable Xenex system can disinfect a typical patient or procedure room in four or five minute cycles (depending on the robot model) without warm-up or cool-down times. Operated by the hospital cleaning staff, it can be used in any department and in any unit within a healthcare facility, including isolation rooms, operating rooms, general patient care rooms, contact precaution areas, emergency rooms, bathrooms and public spaces.

The Xenex pulsed xenon UV disinfection system has been credited by numerous health care facilities across the U.S. for helping them reduce their infection rates significantly. Several hospitals have published their C.diff,MRSA and Surgical Site infection rate reduction studies in peer-reviewed journals. More than 400 hospitals, Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense facilities in the U.S., Canada, Africa, UK, Japan and Europe are using Xenex robots, which are also in use in skilled nursing facilities, ambulatory surgery centers and long term acute care facilities.

Source: http://news.sys-con.com/node/4140708

August 18th 2017

GOLDEN, Colo., June 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bio2 Medical today announced the results of the Angel® Catheter pivotal study, "Evaluation of a Device Combining an Inferior Vena Cava Filter and a Central Venous Catheter for Preventing Pulmonary Embolism Among Critically Ill Trauma Patients," published in the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (JVIR). The Angel® Catheter met all safety endpoints and demonstrated a significant reduction in clinically significant and fatal pulmonary embolism (PE). The novel device was tested in a single arm, multicenter clinical trial in which it was inserted bedside in the intensive care unit (ICU) without fluoroscopy, and safely retrieved from all patients prior to discharge. The study included 163 critically ill patients with high risk of acute PE and contraindications to anticoagulation, with 151 (93%) critical trauma patients. In this trauma group, 129 (85%) patients suffered from spinal or head trauma, 102 (79%) of which also had intracranial bleeding. With no catheter-related blood stream infections (CRBSI), the Angel®Catheter successfully averted PEs in 14 (11%) of the 129 patients with a pre-removal cavogram. The data will be presented at the 76th Annual Meeting of AAST and Clinical Congress of Acute Care Surgery.

Victor F. Tapson, MD, the primary investigator from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, stated, "Acute PE kills more than 100,000 Americans every year, and many more around the world. This study of a combined IVC filter/central venous catheter was the culmination of a panel of dedicated investigators with careful guidance by the FDA. The efficacy and safety of the device, simple bedside placement, and the need to remove it before discharge make it very appealing. Nearly the entire cohort had crucial, yet short-term filter needs so that discharge without a filter was preferred."

The Angel® Catheter is the first medical device cleared by the FDA for PE prophylaxis in critically ill patients contraindicated to anticoagulation.

The trial was conducted in 20 ICUs across the US with the treatment beginning at device insertion and ending 72 hours after the removal. Patients were evaluated daily for PE, lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT), CRBSI, and major bleeding. The primary endpoint was freedom from clinically significant PE or fatal PE at the time of hospital discharge and 72 hours after removal of the Angel® Catheter. Secondary endpoints were acute proximal DVT, CRBSI, major bleeding events, and averted PEs.

All the devices were placed and retrieved without incident. None of the patients experienced clinically significant PE or fatal PE. Of the 129 patients who had a pre-removal cavogram, 31 (24%) had thrombus within the filter, 14 (11%) of which were averted significant PEs. Twelve (86%) of the 14 underwent anticoagulation for an average of 4.1 days, 5 of whom also had a traditional IVC filter placed. Additionally, there were zero catheter related bloodstream infections in over 1,170 catheter days.

Christopher Banas, CEO of Bio2 Medical, stated, "The publication of the results of the Angel® Catheter pivotal study represents an opportunity to create awareness and further the goal of making this unique, lifesaving product available to the American public. Working collaboratively with the FDA as an initial participant in the FDA's new Early Feasibility Study Program enabled Bio2 Medical to develop a clinical protocol which contributed to the pivotal study being completed nine months ahead of schedule due to its fast enrollment. Congratulations to the primary investigators, whose support was a major factor in the study's success."

Through the pivotal study, the Angel® Catheter demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing PE. Furthermore, the Angel® Catheter generates financial savings to hospitals by reducing the costs associated with PE, the cost of complicated IVC filter removal, and the cost of IR suite time. The device has now clinically demonstrated its ability to avert PEs in high-risk patients by providing immediate PE prophylaxis. The Angel® Catheter is commercially available in the US and EU.

For more information on Bio2 Medical and the Angel® Catheter, please visit www.bio2medical.com.

Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/angel-catheter-pivotal-study-published-in-journal-of-vascular-and-interventional-radiology-300482013.html

June 29th 2017

The LightStrike Disinfection Pod™ is a mobile disinfection pod designed to help hospitals disinfect high-touch equipment, such as workstations, IV pumps, pulse oximeters, isolettes, and even patient charts.

SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Much has been reported on the growing threat of antibiotic resistance and healthcare associated infections (HAIs). The scientific evidence has clearly established that in the hospital environment, microorganisms such as Clostridium difficile (C.diff), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are responsible for the infections that kill nearly 300 people in the U.S. every day.

Xenex Disinfection Services’ LightStrike™ Robot with pulsed xenon ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light technology is a proven solution that quickly destroys deadly viruses, bacteria and spores before they pose a threat to patients and healthcare workers. LightStrike Robots help healthcare facilities reduce their HAI rates by destroying the microscopic germs that may be missed during the manual cleaning process. Xenex robots use pulsed xenon, a noble gas, to create Full Spectrum™, high intensity UV light that quickly destroys infectious germs in less than five minutes. Hospitals using Xenex devices have published clinical outcome studies in peer-reviewed journals showing 50-100 percent reductions in C.diff, MRSA and Surgical Site Infection rates when those hospitals used LightStrike Robots to disinfect rooms.

Now, for the first time, hospitals can utilize the power of LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots™ to quickly disinfect mobile equipment just as effectively as they disinfect rooms within their facility. Pathogens like C.diff, Acinetobacter baumannii, MRSA and Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE) can travel throughout a healthcare facility on mobile equipment. To address this gap in the infection control process, Xenex recently partnered with an industry leader in containment units, Mintie Technologies, Inc., to create the LightStrike Disinfection Pod.

Designed to quickly disinfect reusable mobile equipment such as isolettes, ventilators, pressure monitors, wheelchairs and workstations, the LightStrike Disinfection Pod enables the power of the LightStrike Robot’s intense, germicidal light to be used anywhere in a facility. The Pod is collapsible, mobile and can be positioned in a hospital hallway or other areas without disrupting or impeding daily workflow. Its proprietary design integrates reflective interior fabric ensuring 360 degrees of UV light coverage over difficult-to-clean equipment including anesthesia carts, ventilators, and mobile imaging machines.

"Epidemiologically speaking, mobile equipment may play a significant role in room-to-room transmission of HAIs. Studies have found alarming levels of bacteria on mobile equipment like workstations, IV pumps, pulse oximeters, isolettes, and even patient charts. We want to help hospitals ensure that their mobile equipment is not carrying dangerous pathogens from room to room and that’s what the LightStrike Disinfection Pod can accomplish. We believe this is a major step forward for room disinfection and patient safety," said Dr. Mark Stibich, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Xenex.

Xenex is demonstrating its new LightStrike Disinfection Pod on June 14-16, 2017 at the 44th Annual Conference of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) in booth 536.

About Xenex Disinfection Services

Xenex's patented Full Spectrum™ pulsed xenon UV room disinfection system is used for the advanced disinfection of healthcare facilities. Due to its speed and ease of use, the Xenex system has proven to integrate smoothly into hospital cleaning operations. Xenex’s mission is to save lives and reduce suffering by eliminating the deadly microorganisms that cause HAIs. The company is backed by well-known investors that include EW Healthcare Partners, Piper Jaffray Merchant Banking, Malin Corporation, Battery Ventures, Targeted Technology Fund II, Tectonic Ventures and RK Ventures. For more information, visit xenex.com.

About Mintie Technologies

Founded in 1940, Mintie began as a modest specialty maintenance service company and has grown into a company with an international reputation for excellent service and innovative products. Mintie is a third generation, family-owned and operated business providing indoor air quality management, preventative maintenance solutions, and portable containment products for airborne particulates, infection control, and bio-security. Its vision is to continue leading the industry with innovative products and the highest quality services which provide clients with safer, healthier and more productive environments. Visit mintie.com for more information.

Contact

Xenex
Melinda Hart, 210-240-4669
melinda.hart@xenex.com

Source: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170613005839/en/Xenex-Announces-LightStrike-Disinfection-Pod%E2%84%A2%C2%A0--Industrys-Mobile

June 13th 2017

Research increasingly implicates the patient care environment as a transmission risk factor for hospital-acquired infections.

Mobile healthcare equipment is increasingly a part of every patient care encounter. From isolettes for the tiniest of new patients, to wheelchairs carrying patients to their cars, from simple supply carts to complex mobile X-ray systems, the ability to bring care to the patient has only improved. But have we also brought along some undesirable passengers? The future of infection prevention may bundle in concern for mobile equipment disinfection.

Mobile hospital equipment is moving more than you think.

As research increasingly implicates the patient care environment as a transmission risk factor for hospital acquired infections(HAIs), surfaces that come into contact with patients both directly and indirectly are prime targets for improved disinfection. Bed rails, sinks and bed tables have each been studied for their connection to HAI transmission, and the results are worrying: a recent study found that mere “Receipt of antibiotics by prior bed occupants was associated with increased risk for Clostridium difficile infection in subsequent patients”. More evidence mounts to support that patient-to-patient transmission of infection may be helped along by all the things that patients and healthcare workers touch. Studies have found alarming levels of bacteria on mobile equipment like pulse oximeters (85% contaminated), wheelchairs (85% positive for MRSA), and patient charts (83% contaminated), with equipment housed on critical care units more likely to be carrying pathogens of concern.

Is mobile equipment getting cleaned?

Several researchers are examining the possibility that equipment cleaning may be neglected by personnel who share the responsibility, each of whom assume the other had performed cleaning between each patient. These neglected items are sometimes termed orphan items. As Dr. Mark Stibich of Xenex Disinfection Services points out, "Orphan items can happen easily when the responsibility for cleaning of equipment is shared between departments, or when environmental service workers are afraid of damaging expensive equipment with harsh chemicals. Epidemiologically speaking, some of these neglected items may play a significant vector role in room-to-room transmission of HAIs."

Furthermore, some equipment is simply difficult to disinfect, as demonstrated in a recent study where 37% of computer keyboards tested positive for MRSA despite regular manual cleaning.

Can hitchhiker pathogens be stopped?

When pathogens like C.difficile, Acinetobacter baumannii, MRSA and VRE “hitch” a ride on mobile equipment, disinfection of that equipment becomes a priority. To address this significant infection control issue, Xenex recently partnered with an industry leader in reflective pod design, Mintie, to create the LightStrike™ Disinfection Pod™.

Designed to quickly disinfect mobile equipment like isolettes, glucometers, pressure monitors and workstations, the LightStrike Disinfection Pod enables the power of LightStrike’s intense, full spectrum pulsed xenon light to be used anywhere in a facility. The pod is collapsible, mobile, and sized for the ability to be positioned in a hospital hallway. Reflective interior fabric ensures 360°coverage of difficult-to-clean equipment including anesthesia carts, ventilators, and mobile imaging machines.

Launching in June at the national APIC conference, the LightStrike Disinfection Pod is used in conjunction with LightStrike Robots to help hospitals reduce the risk of infection. Now, for the first time, hospitals can utilize the power of their LightStrike Robots to disinfect mobile equipment as effectively as they disinfect the rooms within their facilities.

Source: http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/quality/mobile-equipment-are-pathogens-hitching-ride

June 13th 2017

DUBLIN, June 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- neoSurgical®, LTD., a private medical technology company focused on advancing surgical wound healing, is pleased to report they have raised an additional$5.5 million in equity financing. neoSurgical® intends to raise an additional $1.75M to complete the round, which was led primarily by existing investors including the San Antonio-based Targeted Technology Fund 2.

This initial close of the Series B round of financing will be used to expand the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of the company's neoClose product platform. neoClose® is a simple, intuitive and reliable solution to assist the surgeon in closing port site defects, up to 3cm, following laparoscopic abdominal surgery. By utilizing bio-absorbable anchors and a Vector-X closure, neoClose® is changing the standard of care in port site closure.

"neoSurgical® has done a remarkable job of commercializing the neoClose® product for laparoscopic port site closures," said Pauric O'Grady, Chairman of neoSurgical. "neoClose® is achieving rapid adoption in the US and the company has recently entered into an exclusive European distribution agreement with one of the largest global leaders in healthcare."

About neoSurgical®

neoSurgical® is a commercial-stage company focused on being the global leader in advancing surgical wound healing. The company's initial product is neoClose®, approved for sale in the US andEurope and designed to be the new standard for Laparoscopic surgery port site closure, a potential$400 million opportunity. The company's neoClose® system for port site closure used in Laparoscopic surgery has now been used more than 25,000 times in hospitals across the United States.

Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/neosurgical-raises-55m-in-series-b-funding-300469696.html

June 6th 2015

HOUSTON, June 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- DNAtrix, a biopharmaceutical company developing oncolytic virus immunotherapies for cancer, announced today that it will present favorable safety and efficacy data for its lead adenovirus-based product, DNX-2401 (tasadenoturev), for the treatment of glioblastoma at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) inChicago, IL.

The clinical trial results will be presented by investigator Frederick F. Lang, MD, FACS, FAANS, Director of Clinical Research in the Department of Neurosurgery at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The study showed that DNX-2401 administered intratumorally provided clinical benefit and extended survival for patients with recurrent glioblastoma.

"We are honored that our study for recurrent glioblastoma was selected for an oral presentation at ASCO," said Frank Tufaro, PhD, CEO of DNAtrix. "There are very few treatment options at this stage of disease, and we are excited about the possibility that a single dose of DNX-2401 could provide benefit and has the potential to improve the lives of patients and their families."

Details of the presentation are as follows:

Title: Phase 1b Open-Label Randomized Study of the Oncolytic Adenovirus DNX-2401 Administered with or without Interferon Gamma for Recurrent Glioblastoma
Session: Central Nervous System Tumors
Presenter: Frederick F. Lang, MD, FACS, FAANS
Date: Sunday, June 4, 2017, 8:24 - 8:36 AM CDT
Location: S100a

For more information about DNAtrix clinical studies, visit the website ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02197169(DNX-2401 ± interferon gamma) and NCT02798406 (DNX-2401 + KEYTRUDA).

About DNX-2401

DNX-2401 is an investigational oncolytic immunotherapy designed to treat cancer. DNX-2401 sets off a chain reaction of tumor cell killing by selectively replicating within glioblastoma cells (but not normal cells), causing tumor destruction and further spread of the oncolytic virus to adjacent tumor cells. This process then triggers an immune response directed against the tumor. DNX-2401 has been well tolerated in patients with recurrent glioblastoma and survival has been prolonged compared to other therapies.

About DNAtrix

DNAtrix is a privately held, clinical stage, biopharmaceutical company developing oncolytic virus immunotherapies for cancer. DNAtrix's lead product, DNX-2401, is a conditionally replicative oncolytic adenovirus being evaluated in clinical trials for recurrent glioblastoma, a brain cancer for which there is neither a cure nor adequate treatment. The company is backed by Morningside Ventures and Mercury Fund, and has been awarded a grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). For more information, please visit the company website at www.dnatrix.com.

Contact

DNAtrix
Imran Alibhai, Ph.D.
S.V.P. Business Development
ialibhai@dnatrix.com

Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dnatrix-to-present-results-of-dnx-2401-for-recurrent-glioblastoma-at-asco-2017-300467483.html

June 1st 2017

Xenex's evidence-based approach sets the standard in hospital infection reductions, customer care and cost effectiveness.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on its recent analysis of the healthcare room disinfection industry, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Xenex Disinfection Services with the 2017 Global Frost & Sullivan Award for Visionary Innovation Leadership. The Xenex LightStrike™ Germ-Zapping Robot™ is a differentiated, portable, no-touch device capable of helping healthcare facilities bring down infection rates by destroying the pathogens that cause them. LightStrike robots deactivate microorganisms, including Clostridium difficile (C. diff.), rapidly and cost effectively to reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs).

"While most companies in the hospital disinfection space offer single-spectrum mercury ultraviolet (UV) systems or hydrogen peroxide-based disinfection systems, Xenex's UV disinfection system sets itself apart via its use of xenon, an environmentally-friendly inert gas, to create UV-C light," said Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst Brahadeesh Chandrasekaran. "Pulsed xenon UV light is significantly more intense than mercury UV systems and covers the entire germicidal spectrum. And while some Xenex customers report disinfecting dozens of rooms per day with a single device, we were most impressed with the hospitals that have reported 50-100% reductions in their infection rates after using the LightStrike robots to disinfect their facilities."

Xenex LightStrike robots are the only UV technology to be credited by hospitals in multiple peer reviewed and published outcome studies for their role in helping the hospitals reduce infection rates. Xenex devices stand head and shoulders above room disinfection alternatives with their quick, simple disinfection, proven infection reduction results, and have been in use for more than five years with no reported materials damage. Xenex has transformed the traditional way of disinfecting healthcare facilities through its innovative and visionary product and service offerings.

Xenex devices are used in more than 400 hospitals, surgery centers, skilled nursing, and long-term acute care facilities in the United States, Europe, Canada, Japan, UK, and Africa. In terms of unit adoption, the company has been growing at more than 50% year on year and the demand from healthcare facilities in the United States, Japan, and Europe is set to increase with more stringent infection control protocols. Moreover, its application scope could potentially extend to home care, schools, laboratories and research centers.

"Being honored for our innovation by a highly-respected organization like Frost & Sullivan is a huge honor for Xenex. Every day we talk to our hospitals and when they report seeing reductions in their infection rates after investing in a Xenex LightStrike infection prevention program, it's incredibly rewarding. We greatly appreciate that Frost & Sullivan recognizes the scientific differences that set Xenex apart in the room disinfection industry," said Dr. Mark Stibich, Xenex co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents its Visionary Innovation Leadership Award to the company that has demonstrated the understanding to leverage global Mega Trends, and integrate the vision into processes to achieve strategic excellence. The award recognizes the efficacy of the recipient's innovative process and the impact it has on business and society at large.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

About Xenex Disinfection Services

Xenex's patented pulsed xenon UV room disinfection system is used for the advanced disinfection of healthcare facilities. Due to its speed and ease of use, the Xenex system has proven to integrate smoothly into hospital cleaning operations. Xenex's mission is to save lives and reduce suffering by destroying the deadly microorganisms that cause hospital acquired infections (HAIs). The company is backed by well-known investors that include EW Healthcare Partners, Piper Jaffray Merchant Banking, Malin Corporation, Battery Ventures, Targeted Technology Fund II, Tectonic Ventures and RK Ventures. For more information, visit Xenex.com.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community.

Contact

Chiara Carella
P: +44 (0) 207.343.8314
F: 210.348.1003
chiara.carella@frost.com

Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xenex-receives-top-honors-from-frost--sullivan-for-lightstrike-the-only-pulsed-xenon-uv-disinfection-system-in-the-healthcare-market-300462672.html

May 24th 2017

HOUSTON, May 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- DNAtrix, a clinical stage biotechnology company developing oncolytic viruses for cancer, today announced a podium presentation on the use of DNAtrix's oncolytic myxoma virus for treatment-resistant cancer at the upcoming 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT) in Washington, DC.

Grant McFadden, PhD, Director of the Biodesign Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy at Arizona State University, will present his pre-clinical results showing that ex vivotreatment of stem cells with myxoma virus prior to transplantation efficiently eliminates residual chemotherapy-resistant myeloma cells that remain in the transplant recipient.

Myxoma virus is an oncolytic poxvirus with the ability to selectively kill cancer cells without infecting or perturbing normal cells. More importantly, it can exploit T-cells and other white blood cells as virus "carriers," which can be systemically delivered to target and destroy tumors.

"This report by Dr. McFadden represents years of research to uncover the remarkable cancer-targeting properties of this virus," said Frank Tufaro, PhD, CEO of DNAtrix. "It appears that myxoma virus could be especially effective in combination with T-cell-based therapies, such as CAR-T therapy and stem cell transplantation."

Details of the presentation are as follows:

Title: The Next Steps for Oncolytic Viral Therapies
Session: 305 - Designing the Next Generation of Viral Vectors
Presenter: Grant McFadden, PhD
Date: May 12, 2017, 9:10 - 9:45 am

About DNAtrix

DNAtrix is a privately held, clinical stage, biotechnology company developing virus-driven immunotherapies for cancer. DNAtrix's lead product, DNX-2401, is a conditionally replicative oncolytic adenovirus being evaluated in clinical trials for recurrent glioblastoma, a brain cancer for which there is neither a cure nor adequate treatment. The company is backed by Morningside Ventures and Mercury Fund, and has been awarded a grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). For more information, please visit the company website at www.dnatrix.com.

Contact

DNAtrix
Imran Alibhai, Ph.D.
S.V.P. Business Development
ialibhai@dnatrix.com

Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dnatrix-oncolytic-myxoma-virus-eliminates-treatment-resistant-cancer-300455939.html

May 11th 2017

SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Santalis Pharmaceuticals has announced enrollment of the first U.S. subject into a multi-center, placebo-controlled, double-blind, safety, tolerability and efficacy study of a unique 5% Sandalwood Album Oil (SAO), also known as East Indian Sandalwood Oil (EISO), cream formulation for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD), also known as eczema.

Subjects will be 18 to 65 years old with a clinically stable diagnosis of atopic dermatitis with a total body surface area (BSA) involvement of 2-15%. Up to 60 subjects will be enrolled to determine preliminary efficacy after 28 days of twice-a-day treatment. This study follows on from a prior open-label pediatric study and complements a similar Phase 2 study in Australia announced previously.

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic skin condition involving inflammation, dryness and itching. This disease can lead to skin damage and secondary bacterial infections. Approximately 18 to 25 million people in the United States are believed to suffer from atopic dermatitis, 80-90% of whom have mild or moderate disease.

There is currently no cure for atopic dermatitis and current therapies are primarily palliative, focused on reduction of symptoms (redness, itching, etc.). Moisturizers, anti- inflammatory drugs, phototherapy and other approaches are often used but long-term use of many of the current treatments is often not effective or can lead to complicating side effects. There is a need for topical treatments that are effective and safe enough for chronic use.

The pharmaceutical-grade SAO from Quintis (ASX: QIN, Santalis’ parent company) has been demonstrated to inhibit inflammatory and proliferative pathways thought to underlie this condition, including down-regulation of phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) activity and direct inhibition of several isoforms of the enzyme. In addition, SAO is effective in controlling many pathogens associated with secondary infections of AD, such as Staphylococcus aureus ("Staph").

"Treatment of atopic dermatitis and its complications remains a challenge," said Dr. John Browning, Chief of Dermatology at Children’s Hospital of San Antonio and Lead Investigator for the study. "We’re excited to be participating in this new clinical trial and hopeful that this study will lead to new safe and effective therapy options for those suffering from AD."

Ian Clements, Chief Operating Officer of Santalis Pharmaceuticals, remarked: "This is another milestone in our on-going efforts to bring novel medicines to market based on traditional botanical uses. The unique biological properties of our drug candidate, SAO, make it an attractive candidate to develop in this potential indication."

ABOUT SANTALIS PHARMACEUTICALS

Santalis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Quintis Ltd., (ASX:QIN). Santalis is developing scientifically- and clinically-validated over-the-counter and prescription products that utilize Quintis’ cultivated, sustainable, pharmaceutical grade Sandalwood Album Oil (SAO). Santalis’ product development programs are focused in dermatology and oral health, where SAO’s well documented safety and anti-infective, anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory properties are well suited to a number of prevalent and under - served conditions. In addition to the atopic dermatitis studies, Santalis has ongoing Phase 2 studies in pediatric Molluscum contagiosum, adult psoriasis, oral mucositis, and is preparing to initiate a Phase 3 study for pediatric HPV skin warts.

http://www.santalispharma.com

Contact

Santalis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Jim Traa, 210-399-2318
CBO
jim@santalispharma.com

Source: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170509005244/en/Santalis-Pharmaceuticals-Enrolls-U.S.-Subject-Phase-2

May 9th 2017

The short silver cans with a domed top being wheeled around the floors of the Queen of the Valley Medical Center may look like droids from a “Star Wars” movie, but this is no sci-fi fantasy.

They are germ-zapping robots, and they help destroy deadly pathogens, including multi-drug-resistant organisms that can make patients or workers sick.

The two robots, made by a company called Xenex Disinfection Services of San Antonio, use ultraviolet (UV) light to quickly destroy harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi and bacterial spores in hard-to-clean places.

Named Snoopex and QVR2 by hospital employees, the portable disinfection system is effective against pathogens, including Clostridium difficile (C. diff), norovirus, influenza, Ebola and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA.

The robots, which cost an estimated $100,000 each, are being used to disinfect surgical rooms, the ER, patient rooms and bathrooms and other areas.

"We are excited to use the Xenex system to help us achieve our goal of zero infections,” said Larry Coomes, chief executive. “This investment is important and underscores our commitment to patient care and the communities we serve."

The disinfection system works by pulsing xenon, an inert gas, at a high intensity in a xenon ultraviolet "flashlamp." It’s hundreds of times stronger than sunlight, according to Xenex.

This produces intense ultraviolet C (UVC) light which penetrates the cell walls of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, mold, fungus and spores.

Their DNA is fused, rendering them unable to reproduce or mutate, effectively killing them on surfaces without contact or chemicals.

Here’s how the robot works.

The device is wheeled into a patient room, bathroom or other space that needs to be cleaned. Patient rooms are never cleaned when the patient is in the room.

Employees stay out of the room during use because the bright light has the potential to irritate human eyes. It is safe to watch through a glass window, though. Once the door is closed, the top of the machine then rises, exposing a xenon light bulb.

Once turned on, a very bright light fills the room and starts killing germs and bugs. It makes minimal noise.

The Xenex robot cleaning can cover 7 feet in every direction, creating a 14-foot sanitary bubble.

During cleanings, the robot is moved around the room so the light reaches all surfaces. The disinfection process takes from five to 25 minutes, depending on how big the room is or how many times the robot needs to be moved within that space.

The term "UV light" might make some think of tanning beds. However, the light emitted in a tanning bed is UV-B.

The Xenex robot produces UV-C light, which doesn’t occur naturally on earth (it’s blocked by our ozone layer), according to the manufacturer. As a result, germs and bacteria have no resistance to the robot’s UV-C light.

Before Snoopex and QVR2 were on the job at Queen of the Valley, rooms and areas were cleaned the tried and true way, using microfiber cloths and hydrogen peroxide based cleanser.

Those methods are certainly still used, said Kevin Herring, director of environmental services, facilities and engineering.

"We haven’t changed any of the other cleaning processes” already in place. The robot cleaning "is a supplement to what we already do," he said. "It’s an extra layer."

"This is just another way we can be proactive and ensure the safety of patients and our staff," he said.

According to a news release, the Xenex robot has been tested and proven using independent lab verification and has been credited by health care facilities across the U.S. for helping them reduce their infection rates significantly.

Queen of the Valley began using the Xenex robot early in 2016. By the second half of 2016, the Xenex cleaning program was fully in place.

Infections can have a direct effect on the bottom line of the hospital. Over the past three years, the federal government penalized the Queen because of various hospital-acquired conditions, including having a higher rate of C. Diff, which can cause diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps.

However, from July 2016 to December 2016, the Queen decreased rates of C. Diff by 47.3 percent, when compared to the same period in 2015. Using the Xenex robots – and other processes and tools — helped bring down that rate, according to the hospital.

More than 300 community hospitals, Veterans Affairs and DoD facilities in the U.S., Canada, Africa and Europe are using Xenex robots, which are also in use in skilled nursing facilities, ambulatory surgery centers and long-term acute care facilities, said the news release.

According to the manufacturer, hospitals often calculate the incremental cost of various types of hospital-acquired infections to be from $3,000 to $5,000, all the way to $20,000 to $30,000.

Compared to the cost of one robot, the hospital needs only to avoid a handful of infections to recoup the investment, said the manufacturer.

According to Xenex, the closest other hospital to the Queen using the Xenex machine is Sonoma Valley Hospital.

All Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Northern California have been using ultraviolet light as a supplement to manual cleaning practices for three years, said a Kaiser spokeswoman.

St. Helena hospital does not use a Xenex or a similar machine at this time, said spokeswoman Jill Kinney.

"We do, however, continuously review infection prevention-related products and cleaning processes based in evidence-based research," Kinney wrote in an email.

Source: http://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/germ-zapping-robots-help-clean-rooms-at-napa-s-queen/article_4d8ea280-96cb-5f13-9237-97245c23bed6.html

May 5th 2017

OAKLAND — Mitch and Venus, two recent additions to Highland Hospital’s cleaning crew, could show Rosie, the robot housekeeper in the 1960s cartoon series "The Jetsons," a thing or two.

Mitch and Venus are R2D2-looking robots that, in a matter of minutes, can KO some of the world’s toughest germs. With pulses of ultraviolet light beamed from mushroom-shaped towers that rise from their canister-shaped bodies, they disinfect hospital spaces when nobody is around.

Since September, when the hospital bought the two 3-foot-tall, 155-pound robots for $150,000 each, they have been busy around the clock, working in patient rooms, operating rooms, public restrooms, utility rooms, any place that needs their services, said Marcel Smith, the hospital’s director of environmental services.

"They remind you of ‘Lost in Space,’ " he said, referring to the futuristic TV show from the 1960s.

Marcel emphasized that the robots do not replace hospital cleaning crews or the chemicals they use. Rather, the machines are an enhancement of the work cleaners do before deploying the robots.

When the hospital discharges a patient, the room gets the traditional scrubbing down from a cleaning crew. Then, one of the beeping and whirring robots is wheeled in to top off the job. They start in the restroom, running for four minutes, before being deployed first to one side of the bed, then the other.

Highland is the third Bay Area hospital to use the robots, after Stanford and Marin General, and the first in the East Bay.

But the robots disinfect in more than 400 hospitals, nursing facilities, outpatient surgery centers and long-term acute care facilities around the world, said Melinda Hart, of the manufacturing company Xenex.

Ultraviolet light has been used as a disinfectant for decades, she said. But what is different about Highland Hospital’s “LightStrike” robots is that they use pulses of the inert gas xenon to create the light, producing an intense, full spectrum light that is more effective than what is produced by the traditional source, mercury bulbs.

Hospitals are trying to phase out mercury, a highly toxic element, Hart said. Mercury bulbs require 45 minutes to disinfect a space, whereas the xenon-produced light, killing across the entire germicidal spectrum, can do the job in four or five minutes.

The robots are WiFi-enabled, providing data that allows staff to track their progress, and equipped with motion detectors that, if triggered, switch the robots off until the room is cleared.

Mitch and Venus are primarily deployed in the hospital’s nine-story acute care tower. Mitch’s first responsibility is its 24 intensive care beds; Venus gets the operating rooms. After that, they go to work on the rest of the hospital’s 169 beds, which are mostly in single rooms, a Highland Hospital spokesperson said. The robots also are dispatched to other sites around the four-building hospital campus as needed when they are available.

The light does not penetrate through solid surfaces beyond the thickness of plastic wrap, though, so its risk to people is primarily as an eye irritant. As a precaution, when the robots are working, there’s a plastic cone outside the door with a sign on it, the spokesperson said, although incidental exposure to the robots’ ultraviolet light is not considered cause for concern.

The robots have proven their mettle.

During the Ebola scare, the robots were used at Dallas’ Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital to disinfect rooms where Ebola victims were treated. The robots also proved themselves in Veterans Administrations studies, safely disinfecting protective garments medical staff wear in treating the virus, Hart said, while workers were still wearing them. Disrobing from them is a 20-minute process some staff scrimp on, putting themselves at risk, she said.

The robots, though, were safe enough for staff to disinfect the garments before taking them off by exposing themselves to a five-minute blast of the robots’ light.

The Ebola virus “is relatively easy to kill,” Hart said. More challenging are some of the superbugs, such as clostridium difficile, known as C. diff, a frequent culprit in hospital-acquired infections.

Patients treated with antibiotics, especially older ones, can lose their natural ability to fend off the effects of C. diff, a common bacteria that is easily spread. Killing C. diff with bleach takes immersing it in the liquid for 10 minutes. Unchecked, the bug can survive for five months, Hart said.

Xenex’s ultraviolet light, though, is routinely effective against C. diff. A study by Westchester Medical Center in New York published in the American Journal of Infection Control attributed a 70 percent reduction in C. diff infections to using the robots.

The robots have also been successful against MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), an antibiotic-resistant strain of staph bacteria that is another common hospital-acquired infection; norovirus; CRE (carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae); a family of germs that includes E.coli; and Anthrax.

The federal Centers for Disease Control estimates that hospital-acquired infections afflict one in every 25 hospital patients and prove fatal more than 10 percent of the time. Treatment expenses can quickly run into five figures, making a hospital’s investment in robots a good value.

"In a perfect world, I’d have two more, one for each building," Highland’s Smith said.

Source: http://www.eastbaytimes.com/2017/05/05/germ-zapping-robots-find-a-home-at-highland-hospital/

May 5th 2017

Forrest General Hospital is the first hospital in south Mississippi to deploy Xenex LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots to destroy the germs and bacteria that can pose a risk to patient and employee safety.

HATTIESBURG, Miss.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Forrest General Hospital today unveiled LightStrike™ Germ-Zapping Robots™ that are being used to destroy potentially lethal germs and bacteria that can pose a risk to patient and employee safety. Forrest General is the first hospital in south Mississippi to tap into a technology that uses pulsed xenon ultraviolet (UV) light to quickly destroy bacteria, viruses, mold, and other pathogens.

"We want to do everything within our means to provide a clean environment at our facilities to reduce the risk of infections. In addition to our regular cleaning and disinfecting schedules, we will be using this new technology to provide an additional measure of protection. That’s why new technology like the LightStrike disinfecting robot is so important," said Melissa Mazer, MLS (ASCP)CM , infection preventionist. "This investment underscores our commitment to patient care and the communities we serve."

The four Xenex robots use Full Spectrum™ pulsed xenon UV light to quickly destroy bacteria, viruses, fungi, and bacterial spores. The portable disinfection system is effective against even the most dangerous pathogens, including Clostridium difficile(C.diff), norovirus, influenza, Ebola, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA.

The portable Xenex system disinfects hospital rooms in five minute cycles without warm-up or cool-down times. Operated by the hospital cleaning staff, it can be used in any department and in any unit within a healthcare facility, including isolation rooms, operating rooms, general patient care rooms, contact precaution areas, emergency rooms, bathrooms and public spaces.

UV has been used for disinfection for decades. The Xenex LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robot is a new technology that utilizes pulsed xenon (not mercury bulbs) to create germicidal UV light. Pulsed xenon emits high intensity UVC light which penetrates the cell walls of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, mold, fungus and spores. Their DNA is fused, rendering them unable to reproduce or mutate, effectively killing them on surfaces without contact or chemicals. In fact, according to publishedpeer reviewed outcome studies, hospitals have seen a 53% reduction rate in C.diff and a 57% reduction in MRSA infection rates. Another hospital reported a 100% elimination in Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) in isolation rooms after using the Xenex robot for room disinfection, and other facilities have experienced significant reductions in their Surgical Site Infection (SSI) rates.

In a news conference today, Forrest General also announced the kick-off to a robot naming contest. The contest is open to the public. Contest details and submission forms are available at forrestgeneral.com/nametherobots. The robots’ names will be announced on Wednesday, May 24.

Xenex Disinfection Services

Xenex's patented Full SpectrumTM pulsed xenon UV room disinfection system is used for the advanced disinfection of healthcare facilities. Due to its speed and ease of use, the Xenex system has proven to integrate smoothly into hospital cleaning operations. Xenex’s mission is to save lives and reduce suffering by destroying the deadly microorganisms that cause hospital acquired infections (HAIs). The company is backed by well-known investors that include Essex Woodlands, Piper Jaffray Merchant Services, Malin Corporation, Battery Ventures, Tectonic Ventures, Targeted Technology Fund II and RK Ventures. For more information, visit Xenex.com.

Contact

Forrest General Hospital
Amanda Kirby, 601-288-1303
Media Coordinator
amanda.kirby@forrestgeneral.com

Xenex
Melinda Hart, 210-240-4669
melinda.hart@xenex.com

Source: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170426006655/en/Forrest-General-Hospital-Unveils-Xenex-LightStrike-Germ-Zapping

April 26th 2017

HOUSTON and LOWELL, Mass., April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- DNAtrix, a clinical stage biotechnology company developing virus-based immunotherapies for cancer, and Alcyone Lifesciences, a leader in neural intervention systems and advanced drug delivery, will reveal clinical data demonstrating the precise administration of DNX-2401, an oncolytic adenovirus, into brain tumors using Alcyone's MEMS Cannula (AMCTM) at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) in Los Angeles, CA.

Neurosurgeon Frederick Lang, MD, FACS, FAANS, will present results from a Phase 1b study confirming reproducible delivery of DNX-2401 by the AMC into recurrent glioblastoma tumors. Infusion accuracy was determined using the "aura method," the displacement of DNX-2401 by gadolinium.

DNX-2401 is a potent oncolytic adenovirus that replicates in tumors and activates an anti-tumor immune response. The AMC is a dual-channel, MRI-safe cannula with the smallest-in-class micro-tip, ensuring optimal and consistent drug distribution while eliminating backflow.

"The AMC cannula standardizes the efficient delivery of DNX-2401 into the tumor of patients with recurrent glioblastoma," said Frank Tufaro, PhD, CEO of DNAtrix. "Based on these results, neurosurgeons in the US and Canada are using the AMC in our Phase 2 clinical trial of DNX-2401 with pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA®)."

"The lessons learned from more than a decade of attempts at exploiting convection enhanced delivery (CED) for brain cancer treatment weighed critically on the design, development, and implementation of the AMC delivery platform. The drawbacks centered around sub-optimally designed devices that have poor bio-distribution characteristics as well as surgeons' inability to monitor the distribution of these drugs within the tumor," said PJ Anand, CEO of Alcyone Lifesciences. "It is our vision that the AMC intraparenchymal delivery platform will make this modality of treatment a permanent addition to clinical management of brain malignancies."

Details of the presentation are as follows:

Title: Intra-tumoral Infusion of DNAtrix's Oncolytic Adenovirus DNX-2401 Using Alcyone's Micro-Fabricated Cannula.

Session: AANS/CNS Section on Tumors I
Presenter: Frederick Lang, MD, FACS, FAANS
Date: April 25, 2017, 4:31 - 4:40 pm

For more information about DNAtrix clinical studies administered with the AMC, please visit the ClinicalTrials.gov website: NCT02798406 (DNX-2401 with pembrolizumab) and NCT02197169 (DNX-2401 with/without interferon gamma).

About DNX-2401

DNX-2401 is an investigational oncolytic immunotherapy designed to treat cancer. DNX-2401 sets off a chain reaction of tumor cell killing by selectively replicating within tumor cells for a period of weeks to months while sparing normal cells then secondarily triggering an anti-tumor immune response directed against the tumor. DNX-2401 has been well tolerated in patients with recurrent glioblastoma and survival has been prolonged compared to other therapies.

About Alcyone's MEMS Cannula (AMC) Targeted Delivery System

The Alcyone MEMS Cannula Targeted Delivery System was developed using the company's proprietary microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technology platform. Without burdening the neurosurgery community with unnecessary additional capital equipment, the AMC can be utilized with any existing commercial imaging and stereotactic system in conjunction with the work-flow friendly clinical use guideline designed by the company's scientist and neurosurgery advisors. Under intra-procedural MRI guidance, neurosurgeons can select a target, navigate the AMC precisely, and observe precision delivery of the therapeutic agent in real time. In addition to the MEMS tip, which has dual micro-channels, the AMC features a unique patented distal end design that helps prevent reflux or back flow along the cannula shaft. This can be a significant drawback with current devices. The AMC platform device is designed for optimal targeted bio-distribution and neurosurgeon's ease of use.

About DNAtrix

DNAtrix is a privately held, clinical stage, biotechnology company developing virus-driven immunotherapies for cancer. DNAtrix's lead product, DNX-2401, is a conditionally replicative oncolytic virus being evaluated in clinical trials for recurrent glioblastoma, a brain cancer for which there is neither a cure nor adequate treatment. The company is backed by Morningside Ventures and Mercury Fund, and has been awarded a grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). For more information, please visit the company website at www.dnatrix.com.

About Alcyone Lifesciences

Alcyone Lifesciences, based in Lowell, Massachusetts, is a privately-held medical device company focused on development of novel treatment modalities for difficult to treat chronic neurological conditions. The Company's patented technology platforms are based on a uniquely engineered amalgamation of microfabrication technologies along with advanced biomedical engineering. Its core products focus on intraparenchymal, intrathecal, and intra-vascular advanced drug therapy, along with the treatment of hydrocephalus. Alcyone's team of scientists, physicians, and advisors includes recognizable leaders in the field of neurology and neurosurgery. For more information, please visit www.alcyonels.com.

Contact

DNAtrix
Imran Alibhai, Ph.D.
S.V.P. Business Development
ialibhai@dnatrix.com

Alcyone Lifesciences
PJ Anand
Chief Executive Officer
info@alcyonels.com
(978) 709-1946

Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/precision-intratumoral-delivery-of-dnx-2401-with-the-alcyone-mems-cannula-300443988.html

April 24th 2017

SAN ANTONIO, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bluegrass Vascular Technologies (Bluegrass Vascular), a private medical technology company focused on innovating lifesaving devices and methods for vascular access procedures, announced today that it has successfully enrolled over one third of its patients in the company's post-market SAVE (Surfacer® System to Facilitate Access in VEnous Occlusions) Clinical Study. The SAVE study is an international, prospective, multicenter clinical follow-up study designed to confirm clinical performance and safety of the Surfacer® Inside-Out® Access Catheter System, a novel device indicated for obtaining central venous access to facilitate catheter insertion into the central venous system in patients with chronically occluded veins.

"I look forward to presenting initial results of my experience in the SAVE study at the upcoming Charing Cross Symposium," stated Vladimir Matoussevitch, MD, Vascular Surgeon at the University Hospital of Cologne in Germany and one of the multicenter Investigators of the SAVE study. "The Surfacer System is an exciting new technology that offers my patients a promising option for reliable catheter placement during AV access creation."

Early results of the SAVE study will be presented by Vladimir Matoussevitch, MD on Tuesday April 25th from 2:10 - 2:15 p.m. during his presentation "From the Alien to HeRo: first European in-man case of combined use of the Surfacer Inside-Out Device and the HeRo Graft (S)" at the Charing Cross (CX) International Symposium in London, United Kingdom.

"I am extremely pleased by the early positive results and steady enrollment progress of the SAVE study," stated Gabriele Niederauer, Ph.D., CEO and President of Bluegrass Vascular. "Over one third of registry patients have been successfully treated across 6 sites in Europe, bringing us one step closer to preserving access options in patients with compromised central vascular access."

Bluegrass Vascular will be co-presenting with Merit Medical Systems (Merit Medical), a prominent distributor of medical devices and world-wide distributor of the Surfacer System, during a lunch symposium on Wednesday, April 26th from 12:30-1:30pm titled Surfacer: from Inside-Out Concept to European Use. The symposium will be presented by Gürkan Sengölge, MD, Associate Professor, Interventional Nephrologist at the University of Vienna and John Gurley, MD, Interventional Cardiologist at the University of Kentucky Medical Center and founder of Bluegrass Vascular. The Surfacer System will also be on display at Merit Medical's exhibitor booth, #415.

The company secured CE Mark approval of the Surfacer System in 2016 and recently announced its strategic, world-wide distribution relationship with Merit Medical, a company dedicated to developing and commercializing lifesaving devices and methods that address shortcomings in vascular access procedures.

About the Surfacer® Inside-Out® Access Catheter System

The Surfacer System is designed to reliably, efficiently and repeatedly gain central venous access by inserting the Surfacer System through the femoral vein and navigating it up through the patient's venous system with an exit point in the right internal jugular vein, the optimal location for placing a central venous catheter. This proprietary Inside-Out approach allows for the placement and maturation of permanent arteriovenous access options that are associated with improved patient outcomes and reduced cost of care for both hospitals and hemodialysis providers.

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/first-patients-enrolled-bluegrass-vascular-110000929.html

April 24th 2017

The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW) finished trading at $37.91. The Charles Schwab Corporation reported that its net income for Q1 of 2017 was a record $564M, surged 8% from $522 million for the prior quarter, and up 37% from $412 million for the first quarter of 2016. The company’s financial results for the first three months of 2017 reflect a new accounting standard for equity compensation; a description of this item is included under the following table.

CEO Walt Bettinger stated that they continue to build a bigger, stronger, and more capable Schwab through a steadfast focus on their “Through Clients’ Eyes” strategy. During the first quarter, the equity markets began in positive territory and remained solidly positive throughout. Investors were engaged, and Schwab was there to provide guidance and support along the way.

Clients opened more than 100,000 new brokerage accounts per month during the quarter, putting total new accounts at 362,000, the highest quarterly total in 17 years excluding acquisitions. Our Retail business gathered record levels of core net new assets over the past three months, posting an 83% increase over the year-earlier period. At the same time, Advisor Services attracted near-record inflows from the independent advisor clients who custody with us and achieved a 57% increase. Net new assets across the company reached $39 billion for the first quarter, up 22%, and total client assets rose to $2.92 trillion at month-end March, up 14% year-over-year. Corporation has 52-week high price of $-13.15% and its 52-week low was recorded at $60.12%.

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS) shares price turned down -4.72% to close at $215.59. Goldman Sachs Group (GS) declared that it has been hired financial advisor to the former head of sandalwood plantation group Quintis Ltd as he considers a joint bid for the A$450 million ($340.34 million) company, his spokesman said on Tuesday. Frank Wilson, who owns around 13 percent of Quintis, resigned as the company’s managing director on March 28 to consider making a takeover offer alongside an unidentified international group.

A spokesman for Wilson said on Tuesday that, “Goldman Sachs, as financial advisor, will be managing a process to assess the approaches to Mr Wilson. “The process is in its early stages and it will take some time to work through the details before any potential offer can be presented to the Quintis board.”

Quintis, formerly known as TFS Corp, owns Indian sandalwood plantations. Oil from the trees is sold to India and China for fragrances, cosmetics and medicinal uses. U.S. private equity firm KKR & Co LP is one of several parties that has approached Wilson about a bid for Quintis, Reuters has declared previously. A spokesman for KKR declined to comment on Tuesday. Its return of equity was recorded 9.40% and its return on investment was calculated 1.30%. Its 50-Day moving average was -10.22% and 200-Day moving average was 6.66%.

Source: http://www.emarketsdaily.com/the-charles-schwab-nyseschw-and-goldman-sachs-group-nysegs-investment-brokerage-giants-in-matter-of-declaration/1854113/

April 19th 2017

Operating rooms are supposed to be sterile environments, but studies show that they remain contaminated with microscopic pathogens that can cause Surgical Site Infections (SSI) even after they have been cleaned. SSIs, which are some of the most commonly occurring infections, can be devastating to patients and cost the hospital tens of thousands of dollars in additional patient care.

Xenex Disinfection Services’ LightStrike™ pulsed xenon Full Spectrum™ ultraviolet (UV) disinfection technology has been proven to quickly destroy the germs and bacteria in Operating Rooms (OR) that cause SSIs. Hundreds of hospitals use LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots™ during the terminal cleaning process in the OR after the day’s procedures are complete. Xenex recommends running the robot for two 8- or 10-minute positions (depending on robot model) during the terminal clean. Multiple positions greatly reduces the impact of shadows on UV disinfection efficacy.

Studies show, however, that bioburden increases in the OR during the day. A leading U.S. medical institution recently studied the effectiveness of the Xenex LightStrike robot in its ORs and found that the LightStrike robot can effectively disinfect high touch surfaces in an OR in 2 minutes. This short cycle time may make between-case cleaning in the OR a viable option and something hospitals should consider operationalizing within their protocol.

"Running a quick cycle in between cases can be very effective at bringing down the vegetative bacteria bioburden in the OR," said Dr. Sarah Simmons, Science Director, Xenex. "The LightStrike robot turns on instantly (no warm-up or cool down time) so it can be brought into the OR to quickly disinfect the area around the surgical table in between procedures."

Hospitals using the Xenex LightStrike system as part of their infection prevention protocol have published numerous studies reporting dramatic reductions in hospital infection rates, even Clostridium difficile (C.diff), which is particularly hard to destroy. Two hospitals experienced significant reductions in their SSI rates after they began using LightStrike to disinfect their ORs and published their results in peer-reviewed journals, crediting the Xenex disinfection robot for the role it played in those reductions.

Xenex is demonstrating its patented pulsed xenon UV technology at the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN) Surgical Conference & Expo in Boston, MA, April 2-6, 2017. In addition, Xenex is hosting a Continuing Nurse Education (CNE) activity sponsored by Pfiedler Enterprises and recognized by AORN in the Xenex booth (2912) during exhibit hours. The CNE activity “Exploring the Future of Operating Room Disinfection Standards” will discuss the role of the environment in the risk and transmission of SSIs and what you can expect in the future of OR disinfection standards.

"Hospitals considering UV disinfection technology need to carefully evaluate the clinical evidence that the technology is effective in the hospital setting – which means peer-reviewed studies that show how a hospital has experienced a decrease in infection rates after using a UV disinfection system," said Dr. Mark Stibich, Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of Xenex. "Numerous facilities have reported dramatic reductions in their infection rates, including SSI rates, after using our pulsed xenon UV disinfection system to destroy pathogens in their facilities. Our robots work quickly and efficiently, which enables hospital EVS to run them consistently – and enhance patient safety by destroying the microorganisms that could cause infections."

The Xenex system is the only UV light disinfection technology shown, in multiple peer-reviewed published studies, to help hospitals reduce infection rates. Xenex Germ-Zapping Robots have been credited for helping healthcare facilities in the U.S. decrease their Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), C.diff and Surgical Site infection rates by more than 50, 70 and 100 percent respectively.

Uniquely designed for ease of use and portability, a hospital’s environmental services staff can operate the Xenex robot without disrupting hospital operations and damaging materials or equipment in the OR. With a four- or five-minute disinfection cycle, the robot can disinfect 30-62 hospital rooms per day (according to Xenex customer reports), including patient rooms, ORs, equipment rooms, emergency rooms, intensive care units and public areas. More than 400 hospitals, Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense facilities in the U.S. are using Xenex robots, which are also in use in skilled nursing facilities, ambulatory surgery centers and long term acute care facilities.

Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/xenex-announces-2-minute-run-120000102.html

April 3rd 2017

JACKSON, MI - They look something like Star Wars' R2-D2 and leave a room smelling like the calm after a spring storm.

Three new germ-zapping robots have joined the staff at Henry Ford Allegiance Health.

The Xenex LightStrike robots use new technology, pulsed xenon, to create ultraviolet light that quickly destroys bacteria, viruses, fungi and bacterial spores in patient rooms and elsewhere in the Jackson hospital.

They also are effective against pathogens such as clostridium difficile, a potentially deadly bacterium often called C. diff; norovirus; influenza; Ebola; and staph infection.

The robots are not intended to replace housekeeping or other employees but compliment steps the hospital already takes to reduce the potential for hospital-acquired infections. It is a "whole new level of disinfection," said Jeff Mitchell, supervisor of environmental services.

Presently, they are being used in isolation rooms, where certain illnesses require special precautions, and are being introduced in operating rooms and the dialysis unit, Director of Hospitality Services Jason Hammond said.

He was standing Friday afternoon in a pediatric room at the hospital, where Dan McClure of Henry Ford Allegiance Health central equipment management did a robot demonstration.

A center piece lifts about five feet from the base and sprays the room with a light so bright observers have to step in to the hall. It reminds Mitchell of an arc from a welding machine. The process, done after a traditional cleaning and before beds are dressed, takes about 15 minutes.

"Our nursing staff loves them," McClure said. "You can smell it's been cleaned. They know everything is clean. It's spotless."

Environmental studies showed bleach removed 70 percent of C. diff spores from an area; the Xenex removed 95 percent. It is said to be seven times more effective than traditional cleaning.

Henry Ford Health System already has been using the robots at its other locations. It is the only health system in the United States to use the robots in every one of its hospitals, staff said.

The investment is "significant," said Hammond, declining to be specific on the robot costs.

He said the goal is to monitor C. diff infection rates before and after the robot acquisitions with a goal of reducing them, ideally to zero over time and this year, by 30 percent.

Preventing C. diff infection, which causes colon inflammation, is a clear priority in Jackson and across the country. Studies indicate that C. diff, most typically affecting older adults, has become the most common microbial cause of healthcare-associated infections in U.S. hospitals, and the cost to those facilities is high, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Two new employees will work with the robots, which penetrate the cell walls of microorganisms, rendering them unable to reproduce or mutate, "effectively killing them on surface without contact or chemicals," according to a statement from the Jackson hospital.

Source: http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/index.ssf/2017/04/germ-zapping_robots_join_staff.html

April 2nd 2017

Xenex Disinfection Services, the market leader in UV disinfection technology, today announced that the Henry Ford Health System and HonorHealth are the first health systems in the U.S. to deploy Xenex LightStrike™ Germ-Zapping Robots™ across all of their hospitals.

Healthcare associated infections (HAI) caused by pathogens such as Clostridium difficile (C.diff), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are a global problem and predicted to become worse as antibiotic resistance increases. Xenex’s LightStrike pulsed xenon ultraviolet (UV) room disinfection technology is a proven solution that destroys deadly microorganisms so they do not infect patients and healthcare workers. Xenex is the only UV technology that has been shown, in multiple peer-reviewed published outcome studies, to help hospitals reduce infection rates.

Henry Ford is using 13 LightStrike robots across its health system and HonorHealth is using 12 robots in its hospitals.

Studies show that less than half of the surfaces in a room are disinfected properly in between patients. Xenex robots help hospitals reduce the risk of infection by destroying the microscopic germs that may be missed during the manual cleaning process. Xenex’s germ fighting robots take room decontamination to the next level with LightStrike pulsed xenon technology, which uses xenon gas, an environmentally-friendly element, to create Full Spectrum™, high intensity UV light that quickly destroys infectious germs. The robot destroys C.diff spores, MRSA and other microorganisms in less than five minutes. Hospitals using Xenex devices have published outcome studies in peer-reviewed journals showing 50-100 percent decreases in C.diff, MRSA and Surgical Site Infection rates when those hospitals used the Xenex robots to disinfect rooms.

Operated by hospital cleaning staff, the Xenex LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robot is designed for speed, effectiveness and ease of use. With a four- or five-minute disinfection cycle (depending on robot model), the robot can disinfect 30-62 hospital rooms per day (according to Xenex customers), including patient rooms, operating rooms, equipment rooms, emergency rooms, intensive care units and public areas. More than 400 hospitals, Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, skilled nursing, ambulatory surgery centers and long-term acute care facilities in the U.S., Africa, Canada, Europe and Japan use Xenex robots for room disinfection.

Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/henry-ford-honorhealth-first-health-141300769.html

March 30th 2017

HOUSTON, March 30, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- DNAtrix, a clinical stage biotechnology company developing virus-driven immunotherapies for cancer, today announced that results from four studies based on the DNAtrix armed virus platform, co-authored by Juan Fueyo, MD, a professor at MD Anderson Cancer Center Department of Neuro-Oncology, will be presented at the upcoming 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) in Washington, DC, from April 1st - 5th.

The DNAtrix armed virus platform combines the clinically effective and safe virus backbone of DNX-2401 with potent immune modulators. The studies to be presented demonstrate that DNAtrix armed viruses trigger antitumor immunity, immune memory, and an abscopal effect, ultimately leading to survival in various animal models of disease.

"Dr. Fueyo and collaborators have demonstrated the remarkable effectiveness of the DNAtrix armed virus platform," said Frank Tufaro, PhD, CEO of DNAtrix. "DNX-2440, which expresses OX40L, will enter the clinic soon for evaluation in a variety of solid tumors."

Details of the presentations (listed chronologically) are as follows:

Therapeutic potential of Delta24-ACT, a novel immunostimulatory oncolytic adenovirus, for the treatment of pediatric solid tumors: Initial study in pHGG, DIPG and osteosarcoma

• Abstract Number: 704 / 21
• Presenter: Marc Garcia Moure, PhD
• Date: Sunday, April 2, 2017

Forced expression of GITRL in cancer cells enhances adenovirus-mediated in situ vaccination

• Abstract Number: 4565 / 10
• Presenter: Yisel A. Rivera-Molina, PhD
• Date: Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Oncolytic adenoviruses expressing OX40L or GITRL immune modulators show antitumor effect on immune-competent mouse breast cancer models

• Abstract Number: 3668 / 11
• Presenter: Francisco W. Puerta Martinez, PhD
• Date: Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Cancer-killing viruses combined with tumor-targeting immune checkpoint modulation elicits an in situ vaccination effect and expansion of tumor-specific T cells responsible for efficacious systemic anti-cancer activity

• Abstract Number: 3680 / 23
• Presenter: Hong Jiang, PhD
• Date: Tuesday, April 4, 2017

For more information about DNAtrix clinical studies, please visit the website ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02798406 (DNX-2401 + pembrolizumab), NCT02197169 (DNX-2401 ± interferon gamma), and NCT01956734 (DNX-2401 + temozolomide).

About DNAtrix Armed Virus Platform

DNAtrix is developing oncolytic viruses featuring the backbone of DNX-2401 that express immune modulatory molecules following infection of tumor cells. The first candidates, expressing various members of the TNF receptor superfamily that enhance T cell activity, have shown remarkable efficacy in animal models of cancer, including breast, melanoma, brain and lung. The first virus of this platform, DNX-2440, which expresses OX40 ligand, will enter the clinic for evaluation in a variety of solid tumors.

About DNAtrix

DNAtrix is a privately held, clinical stage, biotechnology company developing virus-driven immunotherapies for cancer. DNAtrix's lead product, DNX-2401, is a conditionally replicative oncolytic virus being studied in clinical trials for recurrent glioblastoma, a brain cancer for which there is neither a cure nor adequate treatment. The company is backed by Morningside Ventures and Mercury Fund, and has been awarded a grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). For more information, please visit the company website at http://www.DNAtrix.com.

Contact

• DNAtrix
• Imran Alibhai, Ph.D.
• S.V.P. Business Development
• ialibhai@dnatrix.com

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/antitumor-immunity-triggered-dnatrix-armed-130000671.html

March 30th 2017

NEWTON, Mass., March 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- neoSurgical, LTD., a private medical technology company focused on advancing surgical wound healing, is pleased to report the execution of an exclusive distribution agreement with a global partner for the commercialization of neoClose® within Europe. The partner is a world leader in laparoscopic surgery with an extensive product portfolio available worldwide. This agreement anticipates initial product launch in Europe in May 2017.

Ronan Keating, neoSurgical's CTO, stated, "This agreement is an important milestone for our company and our pursuit of advancing surgical wound healing. The quality of our European partner, their longstanding dedication to patient wellbeing, and their ambitions for the products in the marketplace are a testament to the efficacy and benefit of neoClose®."

neoClose® brings a simple, intuitive and reliable solution to assist the surgeon in closing port site defects, up to 3cm, following laparoscopic abdominal surgery. By utilizing bio-absorbable anchors and a Vector-X closure, neoClose® is changing the standard of care in port site closure.

About neoSurgical

neoSurgical® is a commercial-stage company focused on being the global leader in advancing surgical wound healing. The company's initial product is neoClose®, approved for sale in the US and Europe and designed to be the new standard for Laparoscopic surgery port site closure, a potential $400 million opportunity. The company's neoClose® system for port site closure used in Laparoscopic surgery has now been used more than 20,000 times in hospitals across the United States.

To learn more, visit www.neosurgical.com

For media inquiries please contact info@neosurgical.com

Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/neosurgical-signs-exclusive-distribution-agreement-150700966.html

March 29th 2017

UHC Enhances Patient Safety by Deploying Xenex Germ-Zapping Robots to Destroy Pathogens That Can Cause Infections and Pose a Risk to Patient Safety

BRIDGEPORT, W. Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--United Hospital Center (UHC) announced today that it has the most Xenex LightStrike™ Germ-Zapping Robots™ in West Virginia. The three robots will be used to enhance environmental cleanliness by disinfecting and destroying hard-to-kill germs, bacteria and superbugs in hard-to-clean places.

The three Xenex robots will use Full Spectrum™ pulsed xenon ultraviolet (UV) light to quickly destroy bacteria, viruses, fungi and bacterial spores. The portable disinfection system is effective against even the most dangerous pathogens, including Clostridium difficile(C.diff), norovirus, influenza, Ebola and methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA.

"We want to do everything within our means to provide a clean environment at our facilities to reduce the risk of hospital acquired infections," said Dr. Mark Povroznik, vice president of quality and chief quality officer. “UHC has long been recognized as a leader in medical technology and highly specialized care, so it’s only fitting that we should employ the same level of technological innovation when it comes to removing the pathogens that can cause these infections. One hospital acquired infection is one too many, so we are excited to begin using the Xenex system to help us achieve our goal of zero infections. This investment is important and underscores UHC’s commitment to patient care and the communities we serve."

UV has been used for disinfection for decades. The Xenex LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robot is a new technology that utilizes pulsed xenon (not mercury bulbs) to create germicidal UV light. Pulsed xenon emits high intensity UVC light which penetrates the cell walls of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, mold, fungus and spores. Their DNA is fused, rendering them unable to reproduce or mutate, effectively killing them on surfaces without contact or chemicals.

The portable Xenex system can disinfect a typical patient or procedure room in four or five minute cycles (depending on the robot model) without warm-up or cool-down times. It can be used in any department and in any unit within a healthcare facility, including isolation rooms, operating rooms, general patient care rooms, contact precaution areas, emergency rooms, bathrooms and public spaces.

The Xenex pulsed xenon UV disinfection system has been credited by health care facilities across the U.S. for helping them reduce their infection rates significantly. Several hospitals have published their C.diff, MRSA and Surgical Site infection rate reduction studies in peer-reviewed journals - showing infection rate reductions in excess of 70 percent. Over 400 hospitals, Veterans Affairs and DoD facilities in the U.S., Canada, Africa, UK, Japan and Europe are using Xenex robots, which are also in use in skilled nursing facilities, ambulatory surgery centers and long term acute care facilities.

"In 2010, UHC was among the first hospitals on the east coast to install UV technology," said Dr. Povroznik. "Deployment of the new Xenex LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots represents the next step in UHC’s commitment to continuously improve the quality of our patient care."

About United Hospital Center

United Hospital Center is the result of a merger between St. Mary’s and Union Protestant hospitals in 1970. This bold move provides north central West Virginia with a regional community hospital that offers a vast array of services. The new UHC opened in 2010 and is located along I-79 in Bridgeport. The 692,000 square foot structure rises eight stories. It is designed around the environment with the patient, family, staff and community in mind—which includes enhanced patient privacy, a high level of technology integration and improved access to care. The acute care facility has 292 private inpatient rooms and 24 observation rooms with a medical staff that consist of more than 140 primary care and specialty physicians. UHC employs more than 2,000 Associates and is a member of WVU Medicine (West Virginia United Health System). For more information about United Hospital Center, please visit thenewuhc.com.

About WVU Medicine

WVU Medicine is West Virginia’s premier provider of advanced specialty care and the state’s only academic medical center. It encompasses the specialists, sub-specialists, and primary care physicians of West Virginia University; Ruby Memorial Hospital, WVU Medicine’s flagship hospital on the WVU campus; the WVU Eye Institute, WVU Heart Institute, and WVU Cancer Institute in Morgantown; University Healthcare, which serves the Eastern Panhandle; Potomac Valley Hospital in Keyser; United Hospital Center in Bridgeport; St. Joseph’s Hospital in Buckhannon; and Camden Clark Medical Center in Parkersburg. WVU Medicine also includes dozens of medical offices and a diverse network of affiliated organizations. To learn more, visit WVUMedicine.org.

Xenex Disinfection Services

Xenex's patented Full Spectrum pulsed xenon UV room disinfection system is used for the advanced disinfection of healthcare facilities. Due to its speed and ease of use, the Xenex system has proven to integrate smoothly into hospital cleaning operations. Xenex's mission is to save lives and reduce suffering by eliminating the deadly microorganisms that cause hospital acquired infections (HAIs). The company is backed by well-known investors that include Essex Woodlands, Piper Jaffray Merchant Services, Malin Corporation, Battery Ventures, Targeted Technology Fund II, Tectonic Ventures and RK Ventures. For more information, visit Xenex.com.

Contacts

• United Hospital Center
• Matt Chisler, 681-342-1611
• chislerm@wvumedicine.org

or

• Xenex
• Melinda Hart, 210-240-4669
• melinda.hart@xenex.com

Source: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170320005775/en/UHC-Xenex-Germ-Zapping-Robots-West-Virginia

March 20th 2017

They’re the unseen visitors in hospitals. But they can be fatal.

Germs that cause hospital-acquired infections – lurking in the bloodstream and surgical wounds – are a stubbornly difficult problem for hospitals, which are continually seeking better ways to banish bacteria and germs that can be killers.

Last week, Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento showed off its first-ever “germ-zapping” robot, a wheeled machine that emits pulsating ultraviolet light that’s been shown to kill off infection-causing bacteria. It’s even got a name, chosen by hospital staffers: Xhaiden, an American baby name said to mean "beam of cleansing light."

"The robot gives us one more tool in the arsenal," said Debbie Sandberg, director of environmental services for Sutter Health Medical Center in Sacramento, which started using Xhaiden in mid-February. "People want to know they’re in a clean environment. This gives everyone more confidence from a patient-safety perspective."

Resembling a bug zapper or camping lantern, Xhaiden’s pop-up UV cylinder emits blinding-white, xenon-fueled light that bounces into walls, floors, ceilings and hard-to-clean crevices, places where manual cleaning might miss. On any eight-hour shift at Sutter, Xhaiden goes to work primarily in areas where patients are most at risk for infections: pediatric oncology, cardiac surgery and bone marrow transplant rooms. The high-intensity UV light passes through the cell walls of bacteria, viruses and bacterial spores to break down or destroy them.

Germ-hunting robots are just one of many ways that hospitals combat infections, which are among the most troubling and stubborn aspects of modern health care. On any given day, 1 in 25 patients has a "hospital-acquired" infection, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 750,000 infections occur annually in acute care hospitals, according to the CDC. About 75,000 patients die during their hospitalizations.

But in the past decade, hospitals nationwide have seen a "significant decrease" in most categories of health care-acquired infections, according to the most recent CDC data, from 2014. One area, in particular, has proved tougher to eliminate: Clostridium difficile (known as "C. diff").

"There’s no end to the efforts. It’s an all-consuming, never-ending (concern) for hospitals," said Dr. Gregory A. Maynard, chief quality officer for the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento.

He said those efforts range from simple things like more staff training on hand washing or having patients take an antiseptic-solution bath before heading to the hospital for surgery. He said UC Davis is also running pilot programs, such as testing incoming patients for C. diff, even if they show no diarrhea symptoms. If patients test positive, they can be isolated to reduce the risk of spreading the bacteria to other patients.

Aside from patient safety, there’s a lot at stake financially for hospitals coping with infection rates. According to a 2013 study, U.S. hospital-caused infections cost $9.8 billion a year. Some insurance companies refuse to cover those costs; Medicare penalizes a hospital’s reimbursement rates, dropping them 1 percent for discharges involving infections.

Nationally, California has fared better than many states in combating health care-acquired infections, according to the CDC.

By law, California hospitals are required to report these infection categories to the state Department of Public Health: Clostridium difficile (which causes acute, sometimes fatal diarrhea); surgical sites (such as hysterectomies); catheter-associated bloodstream infections; and bloodstream infections caused by staph and Enterococci bacteria.

In 2015, nearly 400 acute care hospitals statewide reported 19,847 instances of infections, according to the department. Its interactive map shows individual, county-by-county hospital infection statistics.

In January, Consumers Union urged California’s health department to ramp up its investigation of hospitals with the worst infection records. Last month, the public health department said it had already begun sharing infection rates with investigators and focusing on its requirement to conduct licensing investigations every three years.

Sutter is the first hospital in the Sacramento area to deploy the anti-germ robot manufactured by San Antonio-based Xenex, one of several disinfecting UV robots on the market. The company says its robots operate in about 40 California hospitals, from California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco to smaller facilities such as Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera.

The $100,000 robots can quickly pay for themselves in treatment costs, according to Sandberg, Sutter’s environmental services director. In a previous position at an out-of-state hospital, Sandberg said the use of a fleet of four robots dropped C. diff rates by 40 percent in three months. That translates into cost savings, she said, noting that hospitals typically spend $15,000 to $50,000 treating patients who are readmitted with C. diff infections.

After a patient is discharged, hospitals must do an extensive room cleaning, first removing linens and paper debris, then sending staff in to thoroughly disinfect a room, especially all “high-touch” surfaces, such as bed rails, light switches, bed tables and toilet seats. Many also conduct random follow-up tests, such as dabbing a germ-detecting gel on surfaces, then scanning with a black light to see whether germs still lurk.

At Sutter, “Xhaiden comes in and finishes the job,” said Sandberg, taking about 15 minutes total as the robot is positioned in three locations: in the patient’s bathroom and on both sides of the bed. She described the robot as an additional tool, not a replacement for manual disinfecting and cleaning by human staffers.

In a 2015 study by Duke University School of Medicine, the combination of cleaning chemicals and UV light “cut transmission of four major superbugs” by 30 percent among patients in rooms where someone with a known infection had previously been treated.

But not everyone is convinced that germ-killing robots will make a huge difference. "We have looked at using the ultraviolet lights and are actively considering them, but the jury is out on whether they add a lot to standard disinfectant processes," said Maynard of UC Davis.

Dr. Clifford McDonald, a CDC hospital infection disease expert, said: "The UV lights do seem to work and provide that incremental impact on improved cleaning. Whether it will change the incidence of actual infections is still unclear."

Overall, through more training, better cleaning techniques and innovative approaches, hospitals are doing a better job – with the exception of C. diff – in tamping down infections, McDonald said. "Fifteen years ago, there was a perception that infections are an inevitable part of getting hospital care. It has long been a stubborn problem, but we’ve started seeing success," he said, noting a 50 percent decrease in U.S. infections related to catheters.

UC Davis’ Maynard added: "It’s a supremely long list of things that have to be done right to make sure an infection doesn’t occur. It’s hard to do all of them well 100 percent of the time."

Source: http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/health-and-medicine/article137612233.html

March 13th 2017

National Patient Safety Foundation Program Aligns Stakeholders from Across Health Care in a Unifying Mission

The National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF), a central voice for patient safety since 1997, recently welcomed Xenex Disinfection Services as a member of the NPSF Patient Safety Coalition.

San Antonio, Texas-based Xenex has a patented pulsed xenon ultraviolet (UV) room disinfection technology designed to quickly destroy the viruses, bacteria, mold, fungus and bacterial spores in health care facilities that can cause infections. This pulsed xenon UV technology has been shown, in multiple peer-reviewed published outcome studies to help hospitals reduce infection rates.

Health care associated infections (HAI) caused by pathogens such as Clostridium difficile (C.diff), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are a global problem and predicted to become worse as antibiotic resistance increases. Xenex's robotic disinfection technology is an effective solution that destroys deadly microorganisms so they do not infect patients and health care workers. Hospitals using Xenex devices have published outcome studies in peer-reviewed journals showing 50-100% decreases in C.diff, MRSA, and surgical site infection (SSI) rates when those hospitals used the Xenex robots to disinfect rooms.

"Health care associated infections negatively impact the lives of millions of patients and families every year and are often preventable. Our mission at Xenex is to stop the pain, suffering, and death caused by these infections by destroying the pathogens that cause them," said Morris Miller, CEO of Xenex. "In joining the NPSF Patient Safety Coalition, we hope to work with the Foundation and other Coalition members to continue the push to make health care safer for patients."

Xenex is currently the only ultraviolet disinfection manufacturer that is a member of the NPSF Patient Safety Coalition, which was created to align stakeholders from across the continuum of care in a unifying mission to make health care safer for all. Membership is open to myriad groups, including solutions providers working to address patient safety challenges, professional associations, advocacy organizations, and other similarly committed organizations. Coalition members gain valuable opportunities for networking, learning, and knowledge-sharing through quarterly webinars, an annual member meeting, special projects and events, and other high-value activities.

"Members of the NPSF Patient Safety Coalition share the Foundation's goal of making health care safer for all," said Tejal K. Gandhi, MD, MPH, CPPS, president and CEO of NPSF. "We are very pleased to welcome Xenex as a new member and an innovator in patient safety. We look forward to working with them to share knowledge and promote advances in the field."

For more information about the NPSF Patient Safety Coalition and how to join, contact David Coletta, senior vice president, at dcoletta@npsf.org.

About the National Patient Safety Foundation

The National Patient Safety Foundation's vision is to create a world where patients and those who care for them are free from harm. A central voice for patient safety since 1997, NPSF partners with patients and families, the health care community, and key stakeholders to advance patient safety and health care workforce safety and disseminate strategies to prevent harm. NPSF is an independent, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. To learn more about the Foundation's work, visit http://www.npsf.org.

Source: https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/17/03/p9159848/npsf-patient-safety-coalition-welcomes-xenex-manufacturer-of-germ-zappi

March 10th 2017

OSS Health announced today it has taken a leap into the future with the installation of two LightStrike™ Germ-Zapping Robots™ that destroy deadly pathogens and kill multi-drug resistant organisms that can cause Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI).

The two Xenex robots use Full Spectrum™ pulsed xenon ultraviolet (UV) light to quickly destroy bacteria, viruses, fungi and bacterial spores. The portable disinfection system is effective against even the most dangerous pathogens, including Clostridium difficile (C.diff), norovirus, influenza, Ebola and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA.

The Xenex system disinfects a typical patient or procedure room in four or five minute cycles (depending on the robot model) without warm-up or cool-down times. Hospitals using LightStrike devices have published outcome studies in peer-reviewed journals showing 50-100 percent decreases in C.diff, MRSA and Surgical Site Infection rates when those hospitals used the Xenex robots to disinfect rooms.

"We want to do everything within our means to make patient safety a top priority and provide a clean environment at our facilities to reduce the risk of hospital acquired infections,” said Michael Enriquez, OSS Health CEO. “OSS Health has long been recognized as a leader in medical technology and highly specialized care, so it’s only fitting that we should employ the same level of technological innovation when it comes to removing the pathogens that can cause these infections. One hospital acquired infection is one too many, so we are excited to begin using the Xenex system to help us achieve our goal of zero infections. This investment is important and underscores our commitment to patient care and the communities we serve."

OSS Health currently uses the LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots in its Pain Center, Orthopaedic Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center, and patient rooms.

OSS Health

OSS Health is the premier provider of orthopaedic services in South Central Pennsylvania with offices in York, Adams, and Cumberland counties. Our physicians are board-certified and specialize in spine and joint care, podiatry, sports medicine, pain management, and adult and pediatric orthopaedic care. OSS Health is dedicated to patient satisfaction and helping patients get back to life. To learn more about our locations and services, visit osshealth.com.

Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/oss-health-first-ambulatory-surgery-174500209.html

March 9th 2017

Agreement Includes Equity Investment and Exclusive Rights to Distribute Innovative Surfacer® Inside-Out® Access Catheter System

SAN ANTONIO, March 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bluegrass Vascular Technologies (Bluegrass Vascular), a private medical technology company focused on innovating lifesaving devices and methods for vascular access procedures, announced today that it is entering into a strategic relationship with Merit Medical Systems (Merit Medical), a leading manufacturer and marketer of proprietary disposable devices. The agreement will streamline European distribution of the recently CE mark approved Surfacer® Inside-Out® Access Catheter System and will provide funding to support the company's efforts to secure FDA clearance for product sales in the U.S.

"We are very pleased to be partnering with Merit Medical, a prominent distributor of medical devices in Europeand the U.S. that shares the same vision of addressing the clinical gaps that exist in vascular access care for hemodialysis patients," stated Gabriele Niederauer, Ph.D., CEO and President of Bluegrass Vascular. "We are excited about Merit's choice to commercialize the innovative Surfacer System and deepen their superb customer relationships."

"The Surfacer System is an innovative Inside-Out approach to restore access to the right internal jugular vein and to preserve treatment options in hemodialysis patients with occluded veins," stated Fred Lampropoulos, Chairman and CEO of Merit Medical. "This unique approach addresses an unmet need in hemodialysis care and aligns with Merit's interventional portfolio, which includes the HeRO Graft, a complementary device designed to reduce catheter-associated complications and costs. We are very excited to bring this novel technology to market."

Central venous obstruction occurs in roughly 40% of instances where hemodialysis is being received by a central venous catheter.1 While permanent arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) are the preferred form of vascular access for hemodialysis patients, central venous catheters continue to serve as an important bridge to securing long-term access for life-saving hemodialysis treatment. The current approach for most patients with central venous occlusions is to use an alternative vein, which reduces the ability to place and mature a functioning fistula, resulting in increased catheter days and costs.

The Surfacer Inside-Out Access Catheter System provides reliable, efficient and repeatable central venous access to the right internal jugular (RIJ) vein, the optimal location for placing a central venous catheter. By securing safe and repeatable central venous access to the RIJ, the Surfacer System allows physicians to "avoid going left", thereby protecting AVF placement for better patient outcomes and improved health economics for both hospitals and hemodialysis providers.

About Bluegrass Vascular Technologies

Bluegrass Vascular Technologies is a medical technology company dedicated to developing and commercializing lifesaving devices and methods that address shortcomings in vascular access procedures. For more information, please visit www.bluegrassvascular.com.

Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bluegrass-vascular-announces-strategic-relationship-with-merit-medical-300417893.html

March 6th 2017

CERRO MAGGIORE, Italy--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ab medica spa, the leading Italian provider of medical technologies, and Xenex Disinfection Services, the market leader in ultraviolet (UV) light room disinfection technology, today announced that ab medica spa is the exclusive distributor of Xenex LightStrike™ Germ-Zapping Robots™ at hospitals and healthcare facilities in Italy.

Infections caused by superbugs like Clostridium difficile (C.diff), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are a global problem and Xenex’s pulsed xenon UV light robots are a proven solution to destroy these deadly microorganisms before they can harm patients and healthcare workers. Xenex robots take room disinfection to the next level by pulsing xenon, an environmentally-friendly noble gas, to create Full Spectrum™, high intensity UV light that quickly destroys infectious germs. Multiple hospitals utilizing Xenex robots have published peer-reviewed patient infection reduction outcome studies showing 50-100 percent decreases in C.diff, MRSA and Surgical Site infection rates in highly regarded scientific journals.

“We carefully evaluated the peer-reviewed research and were impressed with the number of hospitals that have reported dramatic infection rate reductions after using Xenex robots for room disinfection. Bringing this technology to Italy is a game changer for Italian healthcare facilities and the patients they treat because we finally have a weapon to help stop superbugs and dangerous bacteria before they pose a risk to our patients and employee safety,” said ab medica Business Director, Filippo Pacinotti. “We are pleased to join other international distributors of Xenex’s technology like Terumo in Japan. We chose Xenex because Xenex does not utilize mercury bulbs that contain toxic mercury and require special hazardous waste handling. Xenex is proven and published in peer-reviewed journals to work in the hospital environment and reduce the rates of patient infections.”

“ab medica is highly regarded for its leadership position in the production and distribution of medical technologies in Europe. They have a proven track record for delivering high quality, life-saving technologies to Italian healthcare facilities,” said Joseph Authement, senior vice president of global sales for Xenex. “As we evaluated international partners, we quickly realized that ab medica was the right partner for us in Italy because of their vast experience in surgical robots and technological innovation and the high importance they place on scientific research and peer-reviewed data.”

The Xenex robot is designed for speed, effectiveness and ease of use, which allows hospital cleaning staff to operate the robot without disrupting hospital operations. With a proven five-minute disinfection cycle for C.diff and less than 90 seconds for other pathogens like MRSA, VRE, and Acenitobacter, the robot can disinfect 30-62 hospital rooms per day (according to Xenex customers), including: patient rooms, operating rooms, equipment rooms, emergency rooms, intensive care units and public areas. LightStrike is ideal for use in hospitals worldwide because Xenex has patented protocols for use in multi-bed wards. The robot’s speed enables it to disinfect areas and rooms quickly so it can be used throughout the entire facility, including multi-bed wards, to enhance patient and healthcare worker safety.

About ab medica spa

ab medica, founded in 1984 through the initiative of Aldo Cerruti, the President of the company, develops and distributes innovative medical products in the fields of robotics, minimally invasive surgery, vascular and heart surgery, cardiac interventions, anaesthesia, radiosurgery and interventional radiology and neuroradiology. The mission of ab medica is to make minimally invasive and non-invasive technologies available to the greatest number of people, enabling more precise interventions, faster and less painful post-operative recovery. Since 2004 ab medica is also a production centre and an R&D scientific park, engaged in the design and realization of a vast range of products and projects.

About Xenex Disinfection Services

Xenex's patented Full Spectrum™ pulsed xenon UV room disinfection system is used for the advanced disinfection of healthcare facilities. Due to its speed and ease of use, the Xenex system has proven to integrate smoothly into hospital cleaning operations. Xenex’s mission is to save lives and reduce suffering by eliminating the deadly microorganisms that cause HAIs. The company is backed by well-known investors that include Essex Woodlands, Piper Jaffray Merchant Banking, Malin Corporation, Battery Ventures, Targeted Technology Fund II, Tectonic Ventures and RK Ventures. For more information, visit www.xenex.com.

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ab-medica-chooses-xenex-lightstrike-175100598.html

March 1st 2017

Xenex Disinfection Services, which markets UV light-emitting, "germ-zapping" robots, picked up $38 million in a Series I round. It will use the funds to boost its sales force and its international presence, as well as to ramp up R&D.

The LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots are designed to help hospitals cut down their rates of hospital-acquired infection (HAI) by killing bacteria that can be missed during manual cleaning, the company said in a statement Friday. According to the CDC, there were 722,000 HAIs in U.S. acute care hospitals in 2011.

The LightStrike device works by pulsed xenon to create high-intensity UV light to quickly destroy bacteria, viruses and spores, the company said. It has been shown in studies to cut down on HAI rates, including those of MRSA and C. difficile. It has also been tested against the Ebola virus and anthrax spores.

About 400 hospitals around the world are using the device, which may be used to clean patient rooms, operating rooms, equipment rooms, emergency rooms, intensive care units and public areas, the company said.

“Hospitals can and should do more to keep patients safe. No one wants a loved one to go to the hospital and contract C. diff, MRSA or CRE. Hospitals using Xenex LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots have repeatedly demonstrated that using our technology lowers infection rates and enhances patient safety,” said Xenex CEO Morris Miller, in the statement. “Hospitals using our technology can stop the spread of infections while improving their bottom line.”

Essex Woodlands led the financing, with participation from existing backers Malin Corporation and Tectonic Ventures and new investor Piper Jaffray Merchant Banking. Xenex previously raised $25 million in 2015.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/brief-xenex-disinfection-services-says-i-idUSFWN1G90VW

February 27th 2017

Sandalwood company TFS is considering a $US300 million float of its US pharmaceutical subsidiary, Santalis.

Announcing weaker interim financial results today, TFS said it was “currently assessing how to unlock best value for TFS shareholders from the considerable progress Santalis is achieving”.

The US business is developing and seeking US regulatory approval for sandalwood oil-based pharmaceuticals for the treatment of skin conditions.

Addressing a healthcare conference last month, management suggested Santalis was worth between $US300 million and $US500 million based on the value of companies at a similar stage of development.

TFS, soon to be renamed Quintis, paid $US23.4 million for the remaining 50 per cent stake in Santalis and 100 per cent of another US business, ViroXis, in early 2015.

TFS’s first-half net profit fell 58 per cent to $28.3 million from $67.4 million for the same half-year in 2015 when the group benefited from one-off gains and higher foreign exchange gains on the valuations of its Indian sandalwood trees.

Cash earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, which strips out various factors including revaluations of trees and properties, as well as foreign exchange movements, was off 12 per cent at $7.6 million.

Revenue was down 4 per cent at $152.6 million.

The results are consistent with the TFS’s guidance, with the group’s sales traditionally weighted to the fourth quarter.

Subsequently, TFS is sticking to its forecast of a 25 per cent increase in full-year cash EBITDA to an implied $78 million.

TFS shares were 2¢ lower at $1.49 as at 12.25pm.

Source: https://thewest.com.au/business/tfs-mulls-us300m-float-of-high-achiever-santalis-ng-b88399326z

February 27th 2017

Hospital-acquired infections kill about 100,000 Americans every year, more than car wrecks, breast cancer and AIDS combines. A San Antonio company produces a device that’s an effective weapon in the fight against these microscopic threats.

Viral, bacterial and fungal infections can leave hospital patients sicker than when they came in.
"All of them are really scary. They’re all very deadly," said Morris Miller, CEO of Xenex Disinfection Services, a company that manufactures germ-zapping robots.

The robot looks a little like R2D2 of Star Wars fame. It’s a large metal cylinder about four feet tall with a domed top that lifts up to reveal the disinfecting light.

Hospitals name their robots. Some of the names are creative. There’s the Germinator, Hector the Disinfector, and Snap, Crackle and Pop.

The $100,000 machine packs a powerful punch. It uses pulsed xenon light that is 1400 times more intense than sunlight to kill pathogens on surfaces where they lurk.

Miller says in a span of as little as four minutes, the robot can wipe out unseen threats. "So you’re talking about being able to do a huge amount of damage to pathogens in a very short period of time," he explained.

Xenex started five years ago with 5 employees. Now the company employs more than a hundred people who make and sell robots to more than 400 hospitals around the country.

San Antonio’s University Hospital is one of them. "We have five units in the hospital. We have one unit in the clinic. And they are used daily," said infectious disease specialist Dr. Jason Bowling.

Bowling said “no touch” disinfection like the robot is an extra layer of protection for patients, after humans have used chemicals and cloths to clean. His facility uses the robots to cut down on infections like drug-resistant staph, pneumonia, and a particularly horrible diarrhea-causing organism called Clostridium difficile or C. diff.

"This bacteria forms spores," Bowling explained. "And these spores can sit in the environment and they can sit on the surface for months to years. They also are not inactivated by standard hospital disinfectants."

Bowling says University documented a 55 percent decrease in C. diff. infections at its hospital in 2016. He believes the robots are part of the reason why, along with hand washing and isolation precautions.

At Morningside Ministries, three Xenex robots get a workout."
We let the robot do its thing and it destroys any germ," commented Irene Salinas, Vice President of Clinical Services.

She says the nursing home and assisted living facilities are ripe for infection spread, since the living setting is communal. "We use them every single day," she added. Morningside Ministries zaps 23 rooms a day with robots.

"These robots just add an extra layer of protection," Salinas emphasized.

University Hospital’s Bowling said he likes the idea that the robot standardizes cleaning, since crews aren’t always complete. "When you put in this machine that bathes the room in light, you’re standardizing that disinfection," he commented.

There are a number of companies that make no-touch cleaning systems. Hospital acquired infections are the number one complication of being in the hospital. That’s why new technologies using powerful UV light to kill the germs are catching on quickly.

Source: http://tpr.org/post/germ-zapping-robots-made-san-antonio#stream/0

February 23rd 2017

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As hospitals around the world look for new and innovative ways to battle deadly pathogens and kill multi-drug resistant organisms that can cause Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI),Western Reserve Hospital has taken a leap into the future with the installation of a LightStrike™ Germ-Zapping Robot™ that destroys hard-to-kill bugs in hard-to-clean places.

Western Reserve Hospital today unveiled the Germ-Zapping Robot that is being used to destroy potentially lethal germs and bacteria lurking in rooms that can pose a risk to patient and employee safety.

The Xenex robot, affectionately named “Violet” by Western Reserve Hospital team members, uses Full Spectrum™ pulsed xenon ultraviolet (UV) light to quickly destroy bacteria, viruses, fungi and bacterial spores. The portable disinfection system is effective against even the most dangerous pathogens, includingClostridium difficile (C.diff), norovirus, influenza, Ebola and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA.

“We’ve long been recognized for our commitment to patient satisfaction and exceptional patient care, and a big part of that is providing a thoroughly clean environment at our facility to reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections,” said Dr. Rick Gemma, general surgeon at Western Reserve Hospital. “Using the latest technology for sanitization, such as the Germ-Zapping Robot, gives the hospital an even greater level of patient safety and cleanliness.”

UV has been used for disinfection for decades. The Xenex Germ-Zapping Robot is a new technology that utilizes pulsed xenon (not mercury bulbs) to create germicidal UV light. Pulsed xenon emits high intensity UVC light, which penetrates the cell walls of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, mold, fungus and spores. Their DNA is fused, rendering them unable to reproduce or mutate, effectively killing them on surfaces without contact.

The portable Xenex system can disinfect a typical patient or procedure room in four- or five-minute cycles without warm-up or cool-down times. It can be used in any department and in any unit within a healthcare facility, including isolation rooms, operating rooms, general patient care rooms, contact precaution areas, emergency rooms, bathrooms and public spaces.

The Xenex pulsed xenon UV disinfection system has been credited by healthcare facilities across the U.S. for helping them reduce their infection rates significantly. Several hospitals have published their C.diff, MRSA and Surgical Site infection rate reduction studies in peer-reviewed journals – showing infection rate reductions in excess of 70 percent. Nearly 400 hospitals, Veterans Affairs and DoD facilities in the U.S., Canada, Africa, UK and Europe are using Xenex robots, which are also used in skilled nursing facilities, ambulatory surgery centers and long-term acute care facilities.

About Western Reserve Hospital

Western Reserve Hospital is the Northeast Ohio region’s only physician-owned, for-profit, full service hospital. With a commitment to patient satisfaction and improved healthcare delivery, Western Reserve Hospital offers general and acute care services, including a 24/7 emergency department. Western Reserve Hospital is also a teaching facility and sponsors graduate medical education teaching programs in osteopathic medicine. The hospital is a majority physician-owned venture of Western Reserve Hospital Partners, which represents a collaboration of more than 200 physicians, including primary care physicians, surgeons and specialists.

About Xenex Disinfection Services

Xenex's patented Full SpectrumTM pulsed xenon UV room disinfection system is used for the advanced disinfection of healthcare facilities. Due to its speed and ease of use, the Xenex system has proven to integrate smoothly into hospital cleaning operations. Xenex’s mission is to save lives and reduce suffering by eliminating the deadly microorganisms that cause hospital acquired infections (HAIs). The company is backed by well-known investors that include Malin Corporation, Battery Ventures, Targeted Technology Fund II, Tectonic Ventures and RK Ventures. For more information, visit www.xenex.com.

Contacts

Western Reserve Hospital
Jason Clevenger, 330-926-3411
jclevenger@westernreservehs.org
Mobile: 330-760-9325

or
Xenex Disinfection Services
Melinda Hart, 210-240-4669
melinda.hart@xenex.com

Source: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170221006751/en/Western-Reserve-Hospital-Deploys-Xenex-Germ-Zapping-Robot

February 21st 2017

Australia is challenging India's dominance in exports of the aromatic wood

In a climatic sweet spot running across the far northern Australian outback, 15 years of patience may be about to pay off for two of the world’s biggest growers of plantation sandalwood trees.

The parasitic trees—prized for their aromatic wood and essential oil that’s used in perfumes, cosmetics and medicines—are approaching maturity, more than a decade after they were planted. The trees are maturing just as prices soar amid a production shortfall from the biggest producer India and rising demand from China. A kilogram of Indian sandalwood oil now sells for about $3,000, or about five times as much as silver, and prices are rising by at least 20 to 25 percent a year, according to the South India Sandalwood Products Dealers & Exporters Association. That makes the mature trees on the Australian plantations run by TFS Corp. and KKR & Co.-backed Santanol Group worth about $1,500 apiece.

“You have a fundamental supply demand imbalance,” TFS Chief Executive Officer Frank Wilson said in an interview from Perth. “We are a price maker.”

Global demand for sandalwood is set to gain five-fold to 20,000 tons of wood a year in the decade to 2025, according to TFS, the largest plantation operator in Australia. China will account for half of the increase, where it’s used in traditional medicines, handicrafts and fragrances. That comes as M. M. Gupta, the honorary secretary of South India Sandalwood Products Dealers & Exporters Association, says supply of legally sourced sandalwood from India is limited partly because of government restrictions on production and exports.

“The business can be very big,” Remi Clero, the CEO of Santanol, said by phone from Paris. Santanol currently sells the oil for just under $3,000 a kilogram, which Clero said “corresponds to a long-term price.”

India has historically been the dominant supplier but sales from government auctions plunged in recent years due to over exploitation and smuggling, according to papers presented at a Food and Agriculture Organization conference in 2011. Centuries-old restrictions that made all sandalwood government property in India also severely discouraged private growers, Gupta said in an e-mail response to questions.

Santanol’s plantation at Kununurra, on the border of Western Australia and the Northern Territory some 3,000 kilometers (1,900 miles) from WA’s capital, Perth, will be among the sources filling the gap, Clero said.

Sales of sandalwood sourced illegally from natural forests in India are estimated to dwarf official production, which was mostly state-controlled until the middle of last decade. Supply from India remains variable and fell to just 250 tons of wood a year in 2016 from almost 4,000 tons a year in 1970 and more than 1,300 tons in 2002, according to government data. That variability increases the attractiveness of plantation supply.

“When you create a fragrance, a formula, you need to be able to give to your customers a consistent product,” Santanol’s Clero said. “They need to be able to do deals with companies like ours for 10 years or more of guaranteed supply.”

India isn’t standing still, however. The government of Karnataka, one of the largest growers of sandalwood in India, is backing cultivation in a bid to rebuild supply. Some 470 farmers have so far joined up to the plan covering an area of more than 2,000 acres of land, according to the website of Karnataka Soap and Detergents Ltd., the state-backed company that oversees the program. That may pressure future prices of both sandalwood oil and timber. A fifteen-year-old tree produces about 500 milliliters of oil, according to Clero.

“Australia will capture share of the Indian sandalwood market for another 10 years,” Gupta said. “Cultivators should have the free hand in cutting and sale/export, since they have to conserve and protect sandalwood for over 15 years. There will be no theft and illegal smuggling since the farmers can help themselves in protecting the property as they are doing for other crops.”

Currently there are about 6,000 acres of sandalwood plantations in India, and the area planted is increasing by more than 2,000 acres a year, Gupta said.

Still demand from new sectors, dwindling Indian output and the difficulty of replicating the maturing Australian plantation trees, has TFS confident in the future.

TFS plans to increase output 30-fold to 10,000 tons of timber a year from its 30,000 acres of plantations located in a strip of land running through the northern parts of Western Australian, the Northern Territory and Queensland. “It is very beautiful, rugged, high rainfall, very fertile area,” Wilson said. “It’s an oasis in the desert."

The company manages about 5.4 million trees maturing at different stages and completed its first commercial harvest in 2014, according to its website. The trees, which need a host plant to help them get water and other nutrients from the soil making them semi-parasitic, are harvested whole. TFS uses almost the entire tree, selling oil—that it refines at its Mount Romance distillation plant—as well as wood chips, wood powder and resins.

Santanol manages about 2,200 hectares of sandalwood in Kununurra. It first harvested trees in 2014 and is selling “tons” of oil a year, said Clero who declined to give more detail.

The biggest growth in demand will come from pharmaceuticals and TFS is in the process of developing dermatological products to treat conditions including acne and psoriasis.

“There’s not a business in the world where good economics don’t attract competition and we’ll be the same,” Wilson said. “But there are many barriers to entry because it takes a long time to grow, it’s a difficult crop to grow and there’s a narrow band of geography where it can grow.”

Wilson, a former lawyer and also TFS’s largest shareholder, said revenue will grow more than tenfold to $1.5 billion by 2025.

TFS, founded in 1997, sold shares to the public in 2004 at 20 Australian cents each. They have risen about seven-fold since then. Its customers include Estee Lauder Cos, which uses sandalwood oil as a base note in its Pleasures brand perfume.

“We need a lot more customers to absorb the supply but they are not very hard to find,” Wilson said.

Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-02-21/australian-sandalwood-plantation-is-about-to-make-its-owners-a-lot-of-money

February 21st 2017

There are not many companies - if any - that could capture an 80% market share of their industry. But that's the reward that Australian sandalwood grower TFS (TFC.AU) is eying as its investment in new supplies of the fragrant timber and oil are set to pay off as production ramps up to meet strongly growing Chinese demand.

CEO Frank Wilson, who owns a 12% stake in TFS, laughs off suggestions he's running the OPEC of sandalwood when he sat down with Barron's Asia, but he's acknowledges the company is in a strong position as its transitions from being a forestry investment play to a provider of products hotly demanded for use in incense, perfumes and traditional Chinese medicine.

The company has around 30% market share now, but as its plantations mature - trees take 15 years to grow - it could emerge with an 80% market share by 2030. The stock has done well over the past 12 months, with a 37% increase bringing its advance over the past five year to 140%.

TFS is the lone survivor of the shakeout of the Australian timber industry, one that saw a large number of forestry managed investment schemes (MIS) collapse under the weight of too much debt, leaving thousands of investors nursing heavy losses. For Wilson, the ability of TFS to survive the travails of the MIS debacle reflects a focus on a niche part of the industry, rather than more commodity type plantations favored by those forestry plays that hit the wall. "The reason I went into it is that it has big barriers to entry and it had a good end market that wasn't aimed at one particular manufacturer, industry or country, and that should eliminate the boom-bust cycle you have in agriculture," Wilson says. "That's proved to be true."

TFS, which as a market cap of AUD600 million, owns 12,000 hectares of sandalwood plantations across Australia. About half of its production is sold to China, where there is strong demand for use in traditional Chinese medicine. The company has a five-year contract to supply 150 tonnes a year to Chinese buyers. Other big buyers include U.K.-based Lush Cosmetics and U.S.-based Young Living. But it's the growth in the Chinese and Indian markets that Wilson is most excited about over the long term, especially given forecasts that global demand could grow to 20,000 tonnes by 2025. "We think there's always going to be a compelling supply-demand imbalance in our favor to support prices. It's the one area of our business that I don't have any concerns about – it's just the size of the Chinese and Indian market".

The forward selling of the bulk of harvests out until 2021 means that revenues are locked in. Those contracts will see the demands of existing clients met, but it leaves enough free supply to provide to new clients in the hope they will then sign on for more as TFS works up to a sustainable annual production of between 10,000 tonnes and 12,000 tonnes a year. "It's about balance between having enough travel in the system to feed new customers but having enough locked in to make everyone feel comfortable and certain you've got a market". The company has forecast a 25% increase in its cash EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) in the 2017 financial year, which ends on June 30. One strongly growing area of demand for sandalwood products is pharmaceuticals. TFS' Santalis business is developing drugs aimed at alleviating eczema and psoriasis – there are four drugs in phase two trials with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Wilson sees the Santalis business as a bit of a hidden gem with the TFS business, and believes a sale of a stake in the business of an IPO could help realize its value. "At the moment you have this agribusiness company with a pharmaceutical subsidiary stuck in there. If we can shift it out so it has its own spotlight that can have a valuation that can equal the current valuation of TFS pretty quickly."

Source: http://www.tfsltd.com.au/blog/barrons-asia-tfs-set-harvest-growth-china-and-india/

February 14th 2017

February 13, 2017 LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Healthcare associated infections (HAI) are a global problem and NHS Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt recently launched new plans to reduce infections in the NHS. Speakers representing NHS Improvement, NHS England and Public Health England will share their thoughts and plans during Knowlex’s Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) conference on February 22, 2017 in London. In preparation for the event, the Knowlex team carefully sought new technologies for infection prevention and selected Xenex LightStrike™ Germ-Zapping Robots™ to present at their exclusive invitation-only event on ultraviolet (UV) light room disinfection technology.

“Our mission is to seek, research and procure ideas, innovations and best practices to share with healthcare professionals. We are bringing together experts to discuss best practices for putting a stop to the infections caused by dangerous microorganisms residing in healthcare facilities and when we looked at the UV disinfection providers, Xenex clearly stood apart from many others. Multiple hospitals have experienced 50-100 percent decreases in their infection rates and published their results in peer-reviewed journals after using Xenex’s pulsed xenon UV technology to disinfect their facilities,” said Paul Anthony, Conference Producer for Knowlex.

LightStrike is ideal for use in hospitals worldwide because Xenex has patented protocols for use in multi-bed wards. The robot’s speed enables it to disinfect areas and rooms quickly so it can be used throughout the entire facility, including multi-bed wards, to enhance patient and healthcare worker safety.

Knowlex is an organization dedicated to disseminating information on research and innovative practices to help healthcare professionals in their working lives. Its objective is to help all organisations involved in health – acute trusts, CCGs, and local authorities – to become more efficient and effective in delivering better outcomes for the public.

Another important differentiator between room disinfection technologies is the fact that Xenex devices use pulsed xenon, a noble gas, to create UV-C light. Other UV providers use mercury bulbs to create single-spectrum continuous UV-C light. Mercury UV technology has not been proven to bring down infection rates in multiple facilities and because mercury is toxic, most hospitals are avoiding the use of mercury in their facilities.

Dr. Mark Stibich, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Xenex, will present a workshop “No-Touch Disinfection: The New Frontier in Patient Safety” during the conference, where he will review current methods for no-touch disinfection for the hospital environment with a focus on evidence for clinical outcomes.

“Antibiotic resistance and HAIs are real threats today – in the UK and around the world. But when you remove the pathogens from the patient environment, infections and antibiotic use are reduced. We want hospital professionals to understand best practices for implementing UV disinfection in their facilities to stop the transmission of HAIs and enhance patient safety,” said Dr. Stibich.

For more information on the 2017 Infection Prevention and Control conference, visit http://www.infectioncontrol2017.co.uk.

LightStrike is designed for speed, effectiveness and ease of use, which allows hospital cleaning staff to operate the robot without disrupting hospital operations. With a four- or five-minute disinfection cycle (depending on robot model), the robot can disinfect 30-62 hospital rooms per day (according to Xenex customers), including patient rooms, operating rooms, equipment rooms, emergency rooms, intensive care units and public areas. More than 400 hospitals, Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, skilled nursing, ambulatory surgery centers and long-term acute care facilities in the U.S., Africa, Canada, UK and Europe use Xenex robots for room disinfection.

Xenex Disinfection Services

Xenex's patented Full SpectrumTM pulsed xenon UV room disinfection system is used for the advanced disinfection of healthcare facilities. Due to its speed and ease of use, the Xenex system has proven to integrate smoothly into hospital cleaning operations. Xenex's mission is to save lives and reduce suffering by eliminating the deadly microorganisms that cause hospital acquired infections (HAIs). The company is backed by well-known investors that include Malin Corporation, Battery Ventures, Targeted Technology Fund II, Tectonic Ventures and RK Ventures. For more information, visit Xenex.com.

Source: https://www.dotmed.com/news/story/35482?p_begin=1

February 14th 2017

LOWVILLE — Pathogens and bacteria beware. “Hector the Disinfector” is on the job at Lewis County General Hospital.

“I’m excited for the patients and the residents,” Karen Aubertine, infection prevention and environmental services manager at the county-owned hospital, said Tuesday during a media unveiling of the robot cleaner. “It’s such a good protection for them.”

Hector, a Xenex Lightstrike™ Germ-Zapping Robot that was named through an employee poll, is now being used by custodial staff to more completely disinfect many rooms following their regular cleaning, Mrs. Aubertine said.

“We’re disinfecting the operating rooms every night, whether they’re used or not,” she said. Rachael Sparks, technical director at Xenex Disinfection Services, said the robot uses a xenon ultraviolet flashlamp to emit intense blasts of UV-C light, which is found naturally in sunlight but is completely filtered by the Earth’s atmosphere.

After activation, Hector’s top slides up, revealing a large UV bulb that bathes the room with light until the disinfecting cycle ends.

The 3-foot-tall device is generally left in an empty room for five-minute cycles, Ms. Sparks said. And, since it operates on a line-of-sight principle, rooms containing beds generally require two cycles, one for each side of the bed, she said.

Dangerous pathogens like Ebola, MRSA or C.Diff can potentially be missed by regular cleaning or even mutate to resist some chemicals, so bathing the room in ultraviolet light afterward can bring more reassurance the room is germ-free, Mrs. Aubertine said.

“This literally destroys the DNA, so it’s gone,” she said, commending hospital administrators for supporting the purchase.

Xenex officials said the hospital here is the first in the north country — and one of roughly 400 in the country — that are now using one of their germ-zapping robots.

“Lewis County General Hospital is really investing in something that is cutting edge,” Mrs. Sparks said.

“We want to do everything within our means to provide a clean environment at our facilities to reduce the risk of hospital acquired infections,” said interim chief executive officer Michele E. Prince.

And, given the facility also operates a 160-bed nursing home, hospital officials will be considering whether to purchase a second unit to “keep up with all the rooms,” she said. Although each robot costs roughly $100,000, Xenex Business Development Manager Anthony Iannone said treating infections picked up at the hospital can cost roughly $12,000 to $20,000 per patient, and Medicare and Medicaid won’t reimburse any of those expenses. “If you could take care of four or five infections, that essentially pays for itself,” he said.

The knowledge such a machine is in use could also help draw patients to a facility, Mr. Iannone said.

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 25 hospital patients in the U.S. has at least one hospital-associated infection, or infections, acquired while receiving medical treatment. In 2011, approximately 722,000 HAIs were reported in hospitals across the country and around 75,000 HAI patients died during their hospitalizations.

A “show-bot” model and more information on the robot will be on display in the hospital lobby for the next couple weeks.

Source: http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/news04/lewis-county-general-hospital-unveils-hector-the-disinfector-video-20170208

February 8th 2017

GenCure will be exclusive producer for StemBioSys-developed regenerative medicine products

GenCure, a subsidiary of San Antonio-based nonprofit biotech BioBridge Global, has entered a development and manufacturing agreement with stem cell technology developer StemBioSys Inc. of San Antonio.

In the agreement, GenCure will be the exclusive manufacturer for cell-based products that StemBioSys has developed or co-developed with GenCure. The agreement expands on the work GenCure and StemBioSys have done on single cell lines.

The $7.8 million Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC) contract awarded in October to BioBridge Global, StemBioSys, Maryland-based RoosterBio Inc. and the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR) Coagulation and Blood Research is driving this further collaboration around cell expansion in a xeno-free (animal-product free) model, said Becky Cap, GenCure chief operating officer. Xeno-free therapies are preferable to cell therapeutics that use bovine-derived materials. In the collaboration with StemBioSys, GenCure exclusively procures and works to expand noncontroversial stem cells from donated umbilical cord blood and birth tissue.

"This agreement with our associates at StemBioSys is one more step in GenCure's long-term goal to function as a premier biomedical contract development and manufacturing organization," Cap said. "It helps establish GenCure's position in the regenerative medicine space where we leverage the benchtop work of a large group of researchers using GenCure's quality and regulatory expertise and extensive history of working with cell-based products."

Cap added the agreement provides GenCure with the opportunity to use cord blood cells from donations that are not large enough to meet the clinical standards for transplant to support development of new regenerative medicine-based therapies that save and enhance lives in South Texas and around the world.

The agreement engages BioBridge Global's unique operational assets such as research and development, biologic testing, raw source material and nearly 4,000 square feet of FDA-regulated cGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Practice) lab space.

"This is an important agreement for StemBioSys. As we continue to grow our business with our existing and new products, having GenCure for a partner will ensure we can meet the regulatory and quality needs of our customers around the world," StemBioSys CEO Bob Hutchens said. "Our ongoing work with GenCure is exploring a number of areas within regenerative medicine. We're excited about the results we've already seen in this collaboration and look forward to announcing some of the results of this work in the near future." GenCure and StemBioSys' collaborative efforts over the years have focused on utilizing donated umbilical cord blood and birth tissue – both sources GenCure collects from donors – to develop regenerative medicine products.

About GenCure: GenCure, a subsidiary of Texas nonprofit BioBridge Global, focuses on regenerative medicine and uses the power of human cells and tissues to inspire hope, enhance lives and enable clinical advancements. Using processed tissue and cell-based therapies, GenCure works to connect health care requirements with innovative solutions that best serve the needs of the global patient community.

About StemBioSys: StemBioSys Inc. is a privately held San Antonio-based biomedical company that manufactures and develops innovative, advanced stem cell technologies to meet the promise of regenerative medicine in a surging global market. Its patented and proprietary technology platforms – licensed from the University of Texas System – overcome key obstacles to creating clinically useful stem cell therapies.

Source: https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/17/02/p8996870/gencure-stembiosys-forge-stem-cell-product-manufacturing-agreement

February 6th 2017

GenCure will be exclusive producer for StemBioSys-developed regenerative medicine products

SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--StemBioSys Inc. announced today that it has entered into an agreement with VWR (NASDAQ: VWR) to distribute and market StemBioSys products. VWR, the leading global independent provider of product and service solutions to laboratory and production facilities, will be the exclusive distributor for StemBioSys in both the United States and Canada.

“I cannot overstate the importance of this agreement to StemBioSys and its development,” shared StemBioSys President and CEO Bob Hutchens. “VWR is a leading distributor of life science research products and we are honored to have the opportunity to work with them. The United States and Canada are key areas of focus for StemBioSys and our ability, as a small company, to capture opportunities in these locations was previously limited. We could never build this kind of presence on our own. By working with VWR, we believe we will be able to successfully grow our company.”

“StemBioSys’ unique technology allows users to isolate and grow greater amounts of usable stem cells, compared to other culture-treated plastic offerings, providing customers with cells of a higher quality and motility,” said Mark McLoughlin, SVP and President, Americas Lab & Distribution Services at VWR. “This product will expand VWR’s cellular science offering to customers in the life science industry.”

About StemBioSys Inc.

StemBioSys, Inc., a privately held, San Antonio-based biomedical company, manufactures and develops innovative, advanced stem cell technologies to meet the promise of regenerative medicine in a surging global market. Its patented and proprietary technology platforms – licensed from the University of Texas System – overcome key obstacles to creating clinically useful stem cell therapies.

Contacts

StemBioSys Inc.
Bob Hutchens, 914-661-2077
bob.hutchens@stembiosys.com

Source: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170118005825/en/StemBioSys-Announces-Canadian-Distribution-Agreement-VWR

January 18th 2017

CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Christ Hospital Health Network is the first healthcare system in the region to use five Xenex LightStrike™ Germ-Zapping Robots™ to enhance environmental cleanliness and transform the way care is delivered by disinfecting and destroying hard-to-kill pathogens in hard-to-clean places.

These five Xenex robots, named after The Christ Hospital team members, use Full Spectrum™ pulsed xenon ultraviolet (UV) light to quickly destroy bacteria, viruses, fungi and bacterial spores. The portable disinfection system is an emerging technology in healthcare focusing on the most effective and efficient method of sanitizing surfaces throughout hospitals and healthcare facilities. These technologies enable environmental services personnel to increase their effectiveness in providing the safest environment for patients and staff.

“We want to do everything within our means to provide the safest and cleanest environment at all of our facilities. This is one more tool to help reduce the risk of hospital acquired infections,” said Deborah Hayes, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of The Christ Hospital. “The Christ Hospital has long been recognized as a leader in medical technology and highly specialized care in our clinical areas, so it’s only fitting that we should employ innovative technological solutions to care for our facilities. One hospital acquired infection is one too many, so we are excited to begin using the Xenex system to ensure that we have a comprehensive tool belt to assist us in delivering the finest quality of care. Our mission is to continue innovating to improve the health of the community by creating patient value and this is one more way in which we can demonstrate that.”

UV light has been used for disinfection for decades. The Xenex LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robot is a new technology that utilizes pulsed xenon (not mercury bulbs) to create germicidal UV light. Pulsed xenon emits high intensity UVC light which penetrates the cell walls of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, mold, fungus and spores. Their DNA is fused, rendering them unable to reproduce or mutate, effectively killing them on surfaces without contact or chemicals. The Xenex system is effective against the most dangerous pathogens, including Clostridium difficile (C.diff), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), VRE, Ebola, norovirus and influenza.

The portable Xenex system can disinfect a typical patient or procedure room in four or five minute cycles (depending on the robot model) without warm-up or cool-down times. It can be used in any department and in any unit within a healthcare facility, including isolation rooms, operating rooms, general patient care rooms, contact precaution areas, emergency rooms, bathrooms and public spaces.

The Xenex pulsed xenon UV disinfection system has been credited by health care facilities across the U.S. for helping them reduce their infection rates significantly. Several hospitals have published their C.diff, MRSA and Surgical Site infection rate reduction studies in peer-reviewed journals - showing infection rate reductions in excess of 70 percent. Nearly 400 hospitals, Veterans Affairs and DoD facilities in the U.S., Canada, Africa, UK and Europe are using Xenex robots, which are also in use in skilled nursing facilities, ambulatory surgery centers and long term acute care facilities.

About The Christ Hospital Health Network: The Christ Hospital Health Network is an acute care hospital located in Mt. Auburn with five ambulatory centers and 181 neighborhood offices conveniently located throughout the Greater Cincinnati area. Its mission is to improve the health of the community and to create patient value by providing exceptional outcomes, affordable care and the finest experiences. Led by the region’s Most Preferred Hospital (National Research Corporation) for 21 consecutive years, the network is dedicated to transforming care by delivering integrated, individualized healthcare and wellness services through its comprehensive physician network and advanced specialty service. The Christ Hospital is among only 6% of hospitals in the nation to be awarded Magnet recognition for nursing excellence and among the top 5% of hospitals in the country for patient satisfaction. For more than 125 years, The Christ Hospital has provided compassionate care to all those it serves.

About Xenex Disinfection Services: Xenex's patented Full Spectrum™ pulsed xenon UV room disinfection system is used for the advanced disinfection of healthcare facilities. Due to its speed and ease of use, the Xenex system has proven to integrate smoothly into hospital cleaning operations. Xenex’s mission is to save lives and reduce suffering by eliminating the deadly microorganisms that cause hospital acquired infections (HAIs). The company is backed by well-known investors that include Malin Corporation, Battery Ventures, Tectonic Ventures, Targeted Technology Fund II and RK Ventures.

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/christ-hospital-health-network-unveils-182600107.html

January 18th 2017

Let’s catch up with the latest innovation news from Texas.

Initially set up as a crowdfunding-type platform for small to medium oil and gas operators, EnergyFunders has now expanded its services beyond providing cash. The site, which launched in 2015, also connects operators to hardware and specialized talent they might need to fully realize their project’s potential. “We’ve developed an expertise in managing a whole life cycle of a project,” says Philip Racusin, EnergyFunders’ co-founder and CEO.

We have “Five Questions For … ” Neal Murthy, a Houston entrepreneur and investor. We talk about his yearly innovation trips (2017 is all about machine learning), the use of play in socialization, and how a boss can never really manage his or her employees.

Researchers at the University of Michigan are planning a study of the effectiveness of Xenex Disinfection Services’ robot for healthcare facilities. The researchers have been awarded a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. The San Antonio company sells robots that use pulses of xenon-based ultraviolet light to kill so-called drug-resistant “superbugs”—organisms like Clostridium difficile (C. diff) or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that can cause severe infections in hospital patients.

Anecdotally, it feels like the tech world is largely comprised of white men. A recent study by Amalie Barras, a co-organizer of the Open Austin meetup, shows that, at least in Austin, that’s true. The Austin American-Statesman reported that Barras’ study found that of 15 Austin tech meetups last year, only 14.5 percent of 255 speaking slots were occupied by women. Out of 74 single-speaker events, 11 women spoke; in multi-speaker events, 25 of 146 speakers were women.

Carnegie Technologies says it has developed technology that can prevent interruptions in service that occur when the cellular network is switching from a WiFi network to a wireless one. (Say, when you are talking to someone in your home and you step outside to walk somewhere.) The San Antonio company hopes to sell its product, a cloud-based system that’s attached to an operator’s network, to various mobile and fixed-line network operators.

In other funding news, Austin’s LiveOak Ventures has led a round of investors in a $3.4 million Series A round of funding into a San Antonio cybersecurity startup. Infocyte uses a so-called threat-hunting method to seek out hidden or dormant hackers before any malicious software can strike. The startup had raised about $1.4 million in funding from LiveOak previously.

Source: http://www.xconomy.com/texas/2017/01/17/texas-roundup-energyfunders-neal-murthy-xenex-xeris-liveoak/

January 17th 2017

SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Santalis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today the Notice of Allowance by the United States Patent Office of a patent containing nine claims covering the use of East Indian sandalwood (Santalum album) oil-containing compositions to treat Clostridium infections including Clostridium difficile (C. diff). This will be the first patent issued to Santalis Pharmaceuticals for the use of sandalwood oil to treat infectious disease.

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a potentially-fatal infection caused by the spore-forming bacteria. Bacterial toxins cause often-severe diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain and inflammation of the colon. C. diff spores are very resistant to most antibiotics and make treatment of the disease very challenging. More recently, fecal transplants have been used to treat CDI where antibiotics have failed.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), C. diff causes almost half a million infections among patients in the United States yearly and about 15,000 deaths were estimated to be directly attributable to C. diff infections. More than 80 percent of the deaths associated with CDI occurred among Americans aged 65 years or older. CDI has become the most common microbial cause of healthcare-associated infections in U.S. hospitals and costs up to $4.8 billion each year in excess healthcare costs for acute care facilities alone.

East Indian sandalwood oil (EISO) is an essential oil with a long history of use in traditional medicine and its broad range of biological activities and excellent safety profile make it an attractive, unique drug candidate for clinical development in a variety of indications. While current clinical testing mostly relates to dermatological diseases, EISO was previously listed in the US Pharmacopoeia as an oral medication to treat urinary tract infections.

Santalis’ Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Corey Levenson stated: “EISO is known to be active against many gram-positive bacteria, such as Clostridium, as well as the drug-resistant varieties of these organisms. What was especially surprising was that EISO was also active against the C. diff spores, which are particularly resistant to many other types of antibiotics. We’re hopeful that the promising preclinical findings outlined in our patent will translate in the clinic to a benefit for those who are suffering from CDI.”

ABOUT SANTALIS PHARMACEUTICALS:

Santalis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of TFS Corporation, Ltd. (ASX: TFC). Santalis is developing scientifically- and clinically-validated over-the-counter and prescription products that utilize TFS’ cultivated, sustainable, pharmaceutical¬grade East Indian Sandalwood Oil. EISO’s well documented safety and anti-infective, anti¬proliferative and anti-inflammatory properties are well suited to a number of prevalent and under¬served conditions. Santalis is currently studying EISO-based drug candidates in several Phase 2 clinical trials in Australia and the US for the treatment of psoriasis, warts, atopic dermatitis (eczema) and molluscum contagiosum. In addition, EISO is being evaluated in a Phase 2 clinical trial for prevention of oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients undergoing high dose radiation therapy.

Contacts

Santalis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Jim Traa, CBO, 210-399-2318
jim@santalispharma.com

Source: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170109005389/en/Santalis-Pharmaceuticals-Announces-Notice-Allowance-Patent-East

January 9th 2017

Terumo Chooses Xenex LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots to Disinfect Healthcare Facilities & Improve Patient Safety in Japan.

San Antonio, Texas, and Tokyo, Japan – January 5, 2017 – Terumo Corporation, one of the world's leading medical device manufacturers and distributors, and Xenex Disinfection Services, the market leader in ultraviolet (UV) room disinfection technology, today announced that Terumo is the exclusive distributor of Xenex LightStrike™ Germ-Zapping Robots™ in Japan.

Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs) caused by pathogens such as Clostridium difficile (C.diff), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are a global problem and the Xenex pulsed xenon ultraviolet (UV) room disinfection technology is a proven solution that destroys these deadly microorganisms before they can pose a threat to patients and healthcare workers. The Xenex Germ-Zapping Robot has been proven effective against the Ebola virus and Anthrax, and can easily be incorporated into a facility's disease containment and biodefense strategy.

"We have carefully analyzed the room disinfection industry and evaluated the various technologies that are being used to combat HAIs. In Xenex, we found an environmentally-friendly and evidence-based UV technology that has been shown to reduce hospital infection rates in multiple peer-reviewed published outcome studies, and this is why we have partnered with Xenex," said Tsuyoshi Tomita, Division President, General Hospital Products Division, General Hospital Company at Terumo Corporation. "We are dedicated to combatting infections, as evidenced by being the first company to launch disposable syringes in Japan. Helping hospitals bring down their infection rates is our goal and we are confident that the Xenex LightStrike system will enable hospitals in Japan to reach this goal."

Studies show that less than half of the surfaces in a room are disinfected properly in between patients. Xenex robots help hospitals reduce the risk of infection by destroying the microscopic germs that may be missed during the manual cleaning process. Xenex's germ fighting robots take room decontamination to the next level by using pulsed xenon, an environmentally-friendly noble gas, to create full spectrum, high intensity UV light that quickly destroys infectious germs. The robot destroys C.diff spores, MRSA and other microorganisms in less than five minutes. Hospitals using Xenex devices have published outcome studies in peer-reviewed journals showing 50-100 percent decreases in C.diff, MRSA and Surgical Site Infection rates when those hospitals used the Xenex robots to disinfect rooms.

"Like Xenex, Terumo was founded by scientists and has been a leader in helping hospitals reduce their infection rates for many years. They share our passion for patient safety and we are very proud to partner with them to provide our LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robot technology to hospitals in Japan," said Joseph Authement, Senior Vice President of Global Sales at Xenex. "The robot is very efficient and its speed enables it to disinfect areas and rooms quickly so they can be used throughout the entire facility, including multi-bed wards, to help reduce the risk of infection throughout the hospital."

The Xenex LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robot is designed for speed, effectiveness and ease of use, which allows hospital cleaning staff to operate the robot without disrupting hospital operations. With a four- or five-minute disinfection cycle (depending on robot model), the robot can disinfect 30-62 hospital rooms per day (according to Xenex customers), including patient rooms, operating rooms, equipment rooms, emergency rooms, intensive care units and public areas. More than 400 hospitals, Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, skilled nursing, ambulatory surgery centers and long-term acute care facilities in the U.S., Africa, Canada and Europe use Xenex robots for room disinfection.

About Terumo Corporation

Tokyo-based Terumo Corporation is one of the world's leading medical device manufacturers with over $5 billion in sales and operations in more than 160 nations. Founded in 1921, the company develops, manufactures and distributes world-class medical devices including products for use in cardiothoracic surgery, interventional procedures and transfusion medicine; the company also manufactures a broad array of syringe and hypodermic needle products for hospital and physician office use. Terumo contributes to society by providing valued products and services to the health care market and by responding to the needs of health care providers and the people they serve. Terumo Corporation's shares are listed on the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (No. 4543, Reuters symbol <4543.T>, or Bloomberg 4543: JP) and is a component of the Nikkei 225, Japan's leading stock index.

Xenex Disinfection Services

Xenex's patented Full SpectrumTM pulsed xenon UV room disinfection system is used for the advanced disinfection of healthcare facilities. Due to its speed and ease of use, the Xenex system has proven to integrate smoothly into hospital cleaning operations. Xenex's mission is to save lives and reduce suffering by eliminating the deadly microorganisms that cause hospital acquired infections (HAIs). The company is backed by well-known investors that include Malin Corporation, Battery Ventures, Targeted Technology Fund II, Tectonic Ventures and RK Ventures. For more information, visit Xenex.com.

Source: https://www.dotmed.com/news/story/34682?p_begin=1

January 5th 2017