SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS., Dec. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- StemBioSys, Inc., a privately held biomedical company that manufactures and develops innovative, advanced human stem cell technologies to improve the predictive power of pre-clinical drug safety screening, today announced its President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Hutchens will participate in Biotech Showcase Digital being held January 11-15, 2021.

Event: Biotech Showcase Digital
Date: January 11-15, 2021
Registration: https://informaconnect.com/biotech-showcase/registration-options

During Biotech Showcase Digital, Mr. Hutchens will host virtual one-on-one meetings with registered investors and pharmaceutical companies to discuss StemBioSys' business and its groundbreaking technology, CELLvo™ Matrix Plus, which is an extracellular matrix technology derived from human perinatal stem cells that can help more accurately predict the cardiac safety of drugs in the early development stage. Matrix Plus has been shown to support rapid functional and structural maturation of human induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) in culture and enable high throughput cardiotoxicity screening using mature human cardiomyocytes.

Recently published data indicate that Matrix Plus enables hiPSC-CM maturation in seven days compared to current approaches that deliver partial hiPSC-CM maturation within 30 to 100 days. Matrix Plus has also been shown to promote mature hiPSC-CM electrophysiological function and enable the in vitro visualization of reentrant arrhythmia responsible for fatal cardiac events in humans. StemBioSys is further working to show the technology can improve preclinical drug/toxicity testing for other indications and cell types.

About StemBioSys, Inc.
StemBioSys, Inc., is a privately held, San Antonio-based biomedical company that manufactures and develops innovative, advanced human stem cell technologies to improve the predictive power of pre-clinical drug safety screening. Its patented and proprietary technology platforms – licensed from the University of Texas System – overcome key obstacles to creating clinically useful cell therapies. StemBioSys markets its products to the global research community under the CELLvo™ brand name.

Source: : https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stembiosys-inc-to-participate-in-biotech-showcase-digital-during-jp-morgan-week-2021-301193731.html

December 16th 2020

Xenex Disinfection Services has unveiled a new line of germ-zapping robots as part of its ramped-up effort to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The LightStirke6 devices are the latest in the San Antonio-based company’s arsenal, and company officials said they are more intuitive, durable, faster and smarter than the original robots, which have a proven high rate of disinfection against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.

The new robots also feature enhanced wireless reporting capabilities. Like the earlier model, they can quickly deactivate other pathogens including Clostridioides difficile, or C. diff; methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA; vancomycin-resistant enterococcus; influenza; and other multidrug-resistant organisms.

“The world is looking for tools to help battle the coronavirus, and we are humbled to be in a position to provide a technology that is proven to destroy SARS-CoV-2,” said Irene Hahn, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Xenex. “As our science and engineering teams worked together on the design of the LS6, we were focused on providing customers with a durable robot that would help them easily and quickly achieve their disinfection goals.”

LightStrike6 includes multiple new features that have been embraced by initial adopters, such as a rapid start disinfection cycle to enable more rooms to be disinfected per day; flexibility to customize room type and users; handles on both sides of the robot for improved transportation, pushing or pulling; and an updated safety cone with embedded timers.

LightStrike robots were primarily used in hundreds of health care facilities across the U.S. and abroad prior to Covid-19. Since the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic, other facilities — including hotels, airports, sports stadiums, schools and offices — and other businesses where disease transmission is a concern have deployed the robots. Each LS6 robot can disinfect dozens of rooms per day.

In early November, I reported that Xenex had awarded a $20 million contract to Astronics Corp., a New York-based company, to help manufacture more of the LightStrike robots.

“The demand for our technology has necessitated our rapid expansion plans,” Xenex CEO Morris Miller said.

Hahn said the first LS6 robots are now available for shipment to organizations battling the coronavirus and will still prove essential once the pandemic subsides.

Source: : https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2020/12/16/xenex-launches-next-line-of-germ-zapping-robots.html

December 16th 2020

SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--To provide quick, effective disinfection against SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 disease, Xenex Disinfection Services, the world leader in UV disinfection for healthcare facilities, today announced the availability of LightStrike6, the highly-anticipated new version of its patented Germ-Zapping Robots.

LightStrike6 (LS6) provides the same intense germ deactivating power of current LightStrike robot models, but is more intuitive, durable, faster and smarter (with enhanced wireless reporting abilities). LightStrike robots emit high intensity bursts of broad spectrum ultraviolet (UV) light proven to deactivate severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19, in 2 minutes, according to a peer-reviewed study published in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. LightStrike robots are also proven to quickly deactivate other pathogens including Clostridioides difficile (C. diff), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or staph), vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE), influenza, and other multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs). Different pathogens are susceptible to UV light at different wavelengths. With broad spectrum UV light (200-315nm), LightStrike robots deactivate viruses and bacteria where they are most vulnerable without damaging surfaces or materials.

LightStrike robots provide a quick, effective approach to environmental disinfection that helps clients optimize cleaning time, increase throughput and improve financial outcomes. LightStrike6 includes multiple new features that have already been embraced by the first adopters, such as a rapid start disinfection cycle to enable more rooms disinfected per day, flexibility to customize room type and users, handles on both sides of the robot for improved transportation (pushing or pulling), and an updated safety cone with embedded timers.

“The world is looking for tools to help battle the coronavirus and we are humbled to be in a position to provide a technology that is proven to destroy SARS-CoV-2. Being able to help healthcare facilities and other organizations safely and effectively destroy viruses and bacteria that can lurk in their facilities is important and not something we take lightly,” said Irene Hahn, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Xenex. “As our science and engineering teams worked together on the design of the LS6, we were focused on providing customers with a durable robot that would help them easily and quickly achieve their disinfection goals. The new LS6 robots are immediately available to ship to organizations battling the coronavirus, and will continue to provide outstanding germ-fighting value even after the pandemic is over.”

LightStrike robots were primarily used in hundreds of healthcare facilities prior to the COVID-19 pandemic but as a result of the robot’s speed and efficacy against SARS-CoV-2, they are now deployed in office buildings, airports, schools, hotels, professional sports facilities, police stations and jails, convention centers, and other places where contamination and disease transmission is a concern. Healthcare facilities (including the Mayo Clinic and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center) and leading researchers have published more than 40 peer-reviewed studies validating the efficacy of the LightStrike robot technology, which is also in use in more than 110 Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense military hospitals. Each robot can disinfect dozens of rooms per day.

Source: : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201215005464/en/Xenex-Introduces-the-Next-Generation-of-Coronavirus-Killing-Robots

December 15th 2020

• Median Overall Survival of 12.5 Months Observed in Patients with Recurrent Glioblastoma
• Four Patients Being Followed for Survival Beyond 23 Months, Including Two Durable Complete Responses
• Pivotal Phase 3 Study Planned

HOUSTON, Nov. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- DNAtrix, a biotech company advancing virus-driven immunotherapies for cancer, today announced that the Phase 2 CAPTIVE study evaluating treatment with DNX-2401 (tasadenoturev) and pembrolizumab in patients with recurrent glioblastoma (GBM) demonstrated a median overall survival of 12.5 months. DNX-2401 is an adenovirus-based immunotherapy that is engineered to selectively kill tumor cells and trigger a robust anti-tumor immune response.

"We are excited by the promising activity seen in patients with recurrent GBM, which is a notoriously difficult-to-treat cancer with a high mortality rate," said Jeffrey Knapp, chief executive officer of DNAtrix. "The median overall survival of 12.5 months achieved with DNX-2401 and pembrolizumab compares very favorably against historical benchmarks for standard of care agents, lomustine and temozolomide, where our meta-analysis indicates the median overall survival achieved with either of these therapies is on the order of 7.2 months. We look forward to advancing this treatment regimen into a global, randomized Phase 3 study. Additionally, we are also evaluating DNX-2401 in a Phase 1 study for the treatment of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, where we have received FDA Fast Track and Rare Pediatric Disease designations. Beyond DNX-2401, we are poised to begin a Phase 1 study in patients with colorectal and other cancers with liver metastases with our second product candidate, DNX-2440, an armed oncolytic virus that induces the expression of OX40 ligand on tumor cells."

Gelareh Zadeh, M.D., Ph.D., FRCS(C), FAANS, professor and dan chair of Neurosurgery at the University of Toronto, head of the Division of Neurosurgery at Toronto Western Hospital, and president of Society-of-Neuro-Oncology added, "My clinical and research focus has been in neuro-oncology, and I have seen the devastating impact of recurrent GBM first-hand. The data we have from the Phase 2 CAPTIVE study are very promising, demonstrating prolonged survival unlike what we have seen with available therapies. I can say that having seen some of the long- responders in my own patients genuinely has me very excited about the promise this therapy holds for GBM, in particular the subset who respond well. If successful, this could represent an important treatment for patients who are in desperate need of additional therapeutic options."

The Phase 2 multicenter CAPTIVE trial studied DNX-2401 in combination with the anti-PD-1 antibody, pembrolizumab, in 49 patients with GBM at first or second disease recurrence. In the study, patients were given a single dose of DNX-2401 followed by 200 mg pembrolizumab infusions every three weeks. The median treatment duration with pembrolizumab was seven cycles. The first part of the study evaluated escalating doses of DNX-2401, and the highest dose evaluated was selected for advancement into the dose expansion phase of the study.

The median overall survival for patients treated with the full dose DNX-2401 and pembrolizumab (n=42) was 12.5 months, and the survival rate at 18 months was 20.2%. Four patients, all of whom have survived more than 23 months, continue to be followed for survival. Five patients (11.9%) had confirmed responses, including two durable ongoing complete responses and 3 partial responses. The median duration of response has not been reached. The most commonly reported adverse events were headache, fatigue, and brain edema, which were primarily mild to moderate and manageable. Detailed results were presented at a late-breaking session during SNO's 25th Annual Scientific Meeting and Education Day.

About DNX-2401 (Tasadenoturev)
DNX-2401 is an oncolytic adenovirus engineered specifically to infect, replicate in, and directly kill cancer cells, as well as elicit a broader anti-tumor immune response. DNX-2401 is currently being evaluated as a potential treatment for highly aggressive brain tumors, including recurrent glioblastoma in adults and newly-diagnosed diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) in children. Clinical studies have demonstrated that DNX-2401 was well tolerated and extended survival for patients with recurrent glioblastoma. DNX-2401 has been granted Fast Track and Orphan designation by the FDA and PRIME and Orphan designation by the EMA.

About DNX-2440
DNX-2440 is an oncolytic adenovirus expressing the immune modulator OX40 ligand, a powerful costimulatory molecule known to enhance T cell responses directed to tumors. DNX-2440 is in Phase 1 clinical testing following the demonstration of anti-cancer activity in preclinical studies, including tumor reductions, immune memory, and abscopal effect.

About DNAtrix
DNAtrix is a privately held biotech company developing virus-driven immunotherapies to treat cancer. Its proprietary adenovirus platform is based on an engineered version of the common cold virus that is designed to selectively infect and kill cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed. The company's lead product candidate is DNX-2401, which is expected to enter into a global pivotal Phase 3 clinical study for patients with recurrent glioblastoma. DNX-2401 is also being evaluated in a Phase 1 study for diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, for which it has received FDA Fast Track and Rare Pediatric Disease designations. A second product candidate, DNX-2440, is entering a Phase 1 clinical study in patients with colorectal and other cancers with liver metastasis. The company's investors include Morningside Ventures and Mercury Fund. For more information, please visit the company website at www.DNAtrix.com.

Source: : https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dnatrix-announces-positive-data-from-phase-2-captive-keynote-192-study-with-dnx-2401-in-patients-with-recurrent-glioblastoma-highlighted-in-an-oral-late-breaking-presentation-during-society-for-neuro-oncology-sno-annual-meetin-301178137.html

November 20th 2020

The Ruidoso Municipal School District is the first school system in the world to deploy Xenex LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots, which are proven to deactivate SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in two minutes. The robots are disinfecting classrooms, libraries, offices, cafeterias, restrooms, locker rooms, gymnasiums, and more. (Photo: Business Wire).

RUIDOSO, N.M.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As schools around the world evaluate how to reopen safely amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ruidoso Municipal School District is taking important steps to provide a safer environment for students and employees as they return to in-person learning. It is the first school system in the world to deploy Xenex Germ-Zapping Robots, which are proven to deactivate SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in two minutes. As part of their strategy to reduce the risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2, the school district is utilizing six LightStrike™ robots to quickly disinfect its classrooms, offices, cafeterias, restrooms, locker rooms, gymnasiums, and more.

Manufactured by Xenex Disinfection Services, the world leader in ultraviolet (UV) light disinfection for healthcare facilities, LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots use pulsed xenon to create intense bursts of broad spectrum UV light that quickly destroys viruses and bacteria that may be lurking on high-touch surfaces throughout the schools, such as desks, doorknobs, lockers, and tables. The robots require no warm-up or cool-down time, so the district is able to disinfect dozens of rooms per day (per robot). Operated by the facility’s cleaning team, the robots are currently zapping rooms in the district’s two elementary schools and will be used in its middle and high schools when they reopen and students are able to return to campus.

LightStrike robots were primarily used in healthcare facilities prior to the COVID-19 pandemic but as a result of the robot’s speed and efficacy against the novel coronavirus, they are now deployed in office buildings, schools, hotels, professional sports facilities, police stations and jails, airports, convention centers, and other places where contamination and disease transmission is a concern. Healthcare facilities (including the Mayo Clinic and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center) have published more than 40 peer-reviewed studies validating the efficacy of the LightStrike robot technology.

In addition to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, the LightStrike robots have been proven effective against common pathogens that lurk on surfaces in schools such as influenza (flu virus), MRSA, and norovirus.

"We want to do everything possible to provide our students and employees with the safest possible environment, and the LightStrike robots are a vital part of our reopening and ongoing safety protocols,” said Dr. George Bickert, superintendent of the Ruidoso Municipal School District. “We carefully evaluated the scientific evidence before investing in Xenex LightStrike robots and I feel very comfortable having students in the classrooms after the robots have disinfected those areas."

"LightStrike robots are the most powerful UV robots in the world and we are honored to be part of the Ruidoso School System’s reopening strategy,” said Morris Miller, CEO of Xenex. “The investment Ruidoso has made in LightStrike technology will continue to help them well into the future, as the robot is also effective at deactivating staph and the flu virus, which are frequently problematic for schools."

About Xenex
Xenex is a world leader in UV technology-based disinfection strategies and solutions. Xenex's mission is to save lives and reduce suffering by destroying the deadly microorganisms that can cause infections. Xenex is backed by well-known investors that include EW Healthcare Partners, Piper Jaffray, Malin Corporation, Battery Ventures, Targeted Technology Fund II, Tectonic Ventures and RK Ventures. For more information, visit xenex.com.

Source: : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201118005923/en/Ruidoso-School-District-is-First-to-Deploy-Xenex-Germ-Zapping-Robots-Technology-Proven-to-Destroy-SARS-CoV-2-in-2-Minutes

November 18th 2020

StemBioSys, Inc. and CarTox, Inc. announced today the publication of research in Nature Scientific Reports demonstrating that CELLvo™ Matrix Plus, an extracellular matrix (ECM) technology derived from human perinatal stem cells, supports rapid functional and structural maturation of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) in culture and enables high throughput cardiotoxicity screening using mature human cardiomyocytes.

The paper, entitled "Human perinatal stem cell-derived extracellular matrix enables rapid maturation of hiPSC-CM structural and functional phenotypes," was performed under the stewardship of Todd Herron, Ph.D., of the University of Michigan and a founder of Cartox, and Travis Block, Ph.D., the Chief Technology Officer of StemBioSys.

The research investigated Matrix Plus alongside conventional approaches to hiPSC-CM culture, including the commonly used Matrigel ECM, to determine the efficiency, reproducibility, and functionality of the technology. As detailed in the paper, the data indicate that Matrix Plus enables hiPSC-CM maturation in seven (7) days compared to current approaches that deliver partial hiPSC-CM maturation within 30 to 100 days.

Furthermore, Matrix Plus promoted mature hiPSC-CM electrophysiological function and enabled the in vitro visualization of reentrant arrhythmia responsible for fatal cardiac events in humans. Lastly, and importantly, Matrix Plus enabled high throughput cardiotoxicity screening using mature human cardiomyocytes with validation utilizing reference compounds recommended for the evolving Comprehensive In Vitro Proarrhythmia Assay (CiPA) coordinated by the Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI).

"The study published in Nature Scientific Reports is a watershed moment in the advancement of in vitro cardiotoxicity screening using human cardiomyocytes," said Bob Hutchens, StemBioSys President, and CEO.

While hiPSC-CMs offer promise in pre-clinical drug discovery, the technology's adoption has thus far been hindered by hiPSC-CM immaturity and inconsistencies in cell production and functionality. The research by Drs. Herron and Block conclusively demonstrate that Matrix Plus promotes efficient development of highly functional, biologically-relevant hiPSC-CMs while enabling a testing environment for human cardiomyocytes that results in experiments with higher verisimilitude that can successfully predict the cardiac safety of drugs in the early development stage."

Over the last two years, StemBioSys and Cartox have been working together on an important application of StemBioSys's unique human-derived CELLvo ECM technology, branded as CELLvo Matrix Plus. The paper published in Nature Scientific Reports was borne out of research conducted by Dr. Herron and his team in the Frankel Cardiovascular Regeneration Core Laboratory.

StemBioSys supported this work by developing and characterizing unique formats of the CELLvo Matrix Plus for use in Dr. Herron's work. The paper highlights several important aspects of the technology including the unique nature of the matrix used to complete these studies and confirmation of the nature of the cells when placed on this matrix.

Most importantly, the paper demonstrates that using a set of validation drugs specified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the CELLvo Matrix Plus technology is an accurate predictor of a drug's potential to cause cardiac toxicity. Many of the paper's findings have been separately confirmed by StemBioSys' commercial partners, several of whom have validation studies underway.

Todd Herron, President and CEO of Cartox and Director of the Frankel Cardiovascular Regeneration Core at the University of Michigan stated: "In collaboration with StemBioSys' scientific and management teams, we have made a great discovery to improve the quality of pre-clinical cardiotoxicity screening assays.

The novel ECM generated using StemBioSys' unique process consistently improves the quality of the human cardiomyocytes that we use at Cartox and at the University of Michigan for cardiotoxicity and proarrhythmia screening. These improvements provide a solution that FDA regulators, pharmaceutical companies, and researchers have been searching for to improve the predictive power of pre-clinical safety screening using human cells.

This represents a big step towards reducing, refining, and replacing the use of animals in the drug discovery and toxicity testing fields."

“This work is tremendously important for drug and toxicity screening on cardiomyocytes, but the implications are much broader. The evidence we have just published provides a rationale for utilizing our technology to improve preclinical drug/toxicity testing for many cell types. This will be the major focus of our research efforts in the coming year." Dr. Travis Block said.

In January of 2020, StemBioSys announced that it had acquired a majority stake in Cartox. Based upon the progress of achieving key milestones, StemBioSys anticipates completing the acquisition of Cartox no later than the middle of 2021.

About CARTOX, Inc.
CARTOX is a private startup company based in Ann Arbor, MI that develops innovative assays for human cardiotoxicity high throughput screening. Its patent-pending technologies utilize human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes for detecting potential cardiotoxicity associated with medications, oncology drugs, environmental toxins, and genetics.

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 cell therapies. StemBioSys markets its products to the global research community under the CELLvo™ brand name.

Source: : https://www.news-medical.net/news/20201112/StemBioSys-and-Cartox-Announce-Publication-of-Research-Demonstrating-CELLvoe284a2-Matrix-Plus-Significantly-Enhances-the-Functionality-of-hiPSC-Cardiomyocytes.aspx

November 12th 2020

StemBioSys has completed research validating that its core stem cell expansion technology, CELLvo Matrix Plus, can predict the safety of cardiac drugs in early-stage development.

That milestone is expected to expand the San Antonio-based company’s commercial viability nationally and internationally, and help expedite new drug development.

"This finding, at its most basic, will change how we test drugs for safety before they ever get into a human being. That’s what this is," StemBioSys CEO Bob Hutchens told me.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been searching for a better way to test drugs for cardiac safety. That pursuit dates back decades, when Hutchens said there were some "very famous failures."

One of the challenges has been finding enough heart cells to test. The research by StemBioSys and Cartox Inc., the Michigan-based biotech it acquired earlier this year, recently published by peer-reviewed journal Nature Scientific Reports, concluded that their jointly developed Matrix Plus platform enables the widescale testing of experimental drugs via cardiomyocytes derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells.

Furthermore, the technology expedites the maturation of such cells.

“We are on the precipice of changing how drug toxicity testing is done globally and being an integral part of that change,” Hutchens said.

StemBioSys, which was launched in 2012, is working with six companies involved in drug development, and half of them are international. All of them could benefit from StemBioSys’ advancements.

Hutchens said the FDA is fully aware that there are drugs that could be safe but are failing current tests. As such, the agency looks to utilize the Matrix Plus technology to improve delivery of safe drugs to market that might otherwise never make it.

“The ultimate goal is a more accurate test. What this means from a commercial standpoint as we look to 2021, is that there is a significant opportunity for us to take this business to a very different level,” Hutchens said. “We’ve gone from selling products to researchers to something that could be an integral part of the drug development cycle.”

Source: : https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2020/11/11/sa-biotech-on-cusp-of-global-commercial-breakout.html

November 11th 2020

HOUSTON, Nov. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- DNAtrix, a biotech company advancing virus-driven immunotherapies for cancer, today announced that four abstracts on the company's platform technology have been accepted for presentation at the 25th Annual Scientific Meeting and Education Day of the Society for Neuro-oncology (SNO) to be held November 19-21, 2020. Updated data from the Phase 2 CAPTIVE study in recurrent glioblastoma (GBM) have been selected as a late-breaking abstract for oral presentation on Friday, November 20, 2020 at 11:45 a.m. ET.

The Phase 2 multicenter CAPTIVE study is evaluating DNX-2401 (tasadenoturev), DNAtrix's adenovirus-based immunotherapy, in combination with pembrolizumab for the treatment of GBM at first or second recurrence. Data from 49 patients will be presented.

Additionally, presentations will include data on DNX-2401 as a potential treatment for diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), a highly aggressive pediatric cancer of the brainstem.

The live and on-demand sessions can be found on the SNO event website at https://www.eventscribe.com/2020/SNO.

DNAtrix Late-Breaking Presentation:

Title: Phase 2 multicenter study of the oncolytic adenovirus DNX-2401 (tasadenoturev) in combination with pembrolizumab for recurrent glioblastoma; CAPTIVE Study (KEYNOTE-192)
Abstract Number: LTBK-04
Presenter: Gelareh Zadeh, M.D., Ph.D., Princess Margaret Cancer Center
Date/Time: November 20, 11:45 a.m. ET

Presentations:

Title: Oncolytic virus for DIPG: The clinical experience with DNX-2401
Abstract Number: CTIM-25
Presenter: Marta M. Alonso, Ph.D., Clinica Universidad de Navarra
Date/Time: On Demand – Pediatric (Clinical) Session I

Title: Delta-24-RGDOX (DNX-2440) activation of the IDO-Kyn-AhR cascade in glioblastoma: old targets for a new therapy
Abstract Number: EXTH-45
Presenter: Teresa Nguyen, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Date/Time: On Demand – Experimental and Translational Sciences Session IV

Title: Characterization of the oncolytic adenovirus Delta-24-RGD (DNX-2401) as therapeutic agent for the treatment of the pediatric embryonal brain tumors AT/RT and CNS-PNET
Abstract Number: EXTH-60
Presenter: Marc Garcia-Moure, Ph.D., Clinica Universidad de Navarra
Date/Time: On Demand – Pediatric (Basic Science) Session I

About DNX-2401 (Tasadenoturev)
DNX-2401 is an oncolytic adenovirus engineered specifically to infect, replicate in, and directly kill cancer cells, as well as elicit a broader anti-tumor immune response. DNX-2401 is currently being evaluated as a potential treatment for highly aggressive brain tumors, including recurrent glioblastoma in adults and newly-diagnosed diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) in children. Clinical studies have demonstrated that DNX-2401 was well tolerated and extended survival for patients with recurrent glioblastoma. DNX-2401 has been granted Fast Track and Orphan designation by the FDA and PRIME and Orphan designation by the EMA.

About DNX-2440
DNX-2440 is an oncolytic adenovirus expressing the immune modulator OX40 ligand, a powerful costimulatory molecule known to enhance T cell responses directed to tumors. DNX-2440 is in Phase 1 clinical testing following the demonstration of anti-cancer activity in preclinical studies, including tumor reductions, immune memory, and abscopal effect.

About DNAtrix
DNAtrix is a privately held biotech company developing virus-driven immunotherapies to treat cancer. Its proprietary adenovirus platform is based on an engineered version of the common cold virus that is designed to selectively infect and kill cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed. The company's lead product candidate is DNX-2401, which is expected to enter into a global pivotal Phase 3 clinical study for patients with recurrent glioblastoma. DNX-2401 is also being evaluated in a Phase 1 study for diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, for which it has received FDA Fast Track and Rare Pediatric Disease designations. A second product candidate, DNX-2440, is entering a Phase 1 clinical study in patients with colorectal and other cancers with liver metastasis. The company's investors include Morningside Ventures and Mercury Fund. For more information, please visit the company website at www.DNAtrix.com

Source: : https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dnatrix-announces-multiple-data-presentations-including-late-breaking-phase-2-captive-keynote-192-data-in-recurrent-glioblastoma-planned-for-the-society-for-neuro-oncology-sno-annual-meeting-301169025.html

November 9th 2020

Xenex Disinfection Services is expanding to professional sports in a big way.

The San Antonio-based company, which makes germ-zapping robots that have been especially helpful in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, has struck a deal with the NFL’s Carolina Panthers to deploy its technology at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.

“When it comes to the NFL, it’s one of the world’s most recognized brands with some of the hardest-working players in the history of sports,” Xenex CEO Morris Miller said. “We’re just proud to be able to do this with them and for them.”

The Panthers will deploy Xenex’s LightStrike robots and pods to disinfect player and personnel spaces, as well as equipment. The robots will be used in suites, offices, rehabilitation areas, locker rooms, restrooms and weight rooms to minimize the risk of exposure to the novel coronavirus at Bank of America Stadium and at the team’s training facilities.

The Panthers host the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 4. Team officials said the Xenex robots are already in rotation throughout the stadium.

The Panthers have worked since March to develop a "comprehensive health and safety plan" to help people feel safe and comfortable returning to Bank of America Stadium, said Eddie Levins, director of security and infection control officer for the Panthers and Bank of America Stadium.

“Xenex has been an important part of those efforts," he said.

LightStrike robots use pulsed xenon to create intense bursts of broad spectrum ultraviolet light that quickly destroy viruses and bacteria on surfaces. In May, I reported that testing by the Texas Biomedical Research Institute proved the robots can deactivate SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes Covid.

“These players, their cardiovascular condition is unbelievable. They don’t want to breathe in any kind of chemicals that are going to adversely affect their respiratory system while they are getting ready to play,” Miller said. “Having something that leaves no chemical residue is a huge advantage in the sports industry.”

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Miller said Xenex is in discussions with other professional sports teams and leagues. University stadiums are also potential customers.

“We’ve had some colleges that want to do this,” he said.

Source: : https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2020/10/01/nfl-panthers-to-use-xenex-robots-at-bofa-stadium.html

October 1st 2020

Manufacturer Xenex is preparing to expand as it finds new markets and customers for its germ-zapping robots that use ultraviolet light to kill microbes, including the virus that causes COVID-19.

The San Antonio company recently filed for a license to redevelop a nearly 22,000-square-foot building near San Antonio International Airport, with an expected completion date in early 2021, according to documents filed with the request. Executives declined to discuss details of the expansion, but the company has grown rapidly since the coronavirus pandemic exploded in the U.S.

Sales of the $100,000-plus robots have skyrocketed 600 percent, according to Xenex CEO Morris Miller, as the company has widened its initial focus on hospitals to other businesses, such as hotels, in need of regular sanitizing. One of the company’s first customers outside of health care was Houston hotel development and management company Pearl Hospitality.

On ExpressNews.com: For most businesses, coronavirus is a threat. For San Antonio robot makers, it’s an opening.

“The business has continued to expand,” Miller said. “We’ve seen a huge pickup in demand in places we never expected — so hotels, schools, pro sports, corporate headquarters, most recently a luxury residential high-rise.”

Xenex, which employs about 125, is on track to exceed $100 million in sales this year, the company said. As demand for the robots has grown, the company has converted surplus office space into manufacturing space, Miller said.

The need for office space decreased as employees began working from home.

“We just kept on converting other space that we had left over for the current needs,” he said. “So some of the corporate offices are now storage rooms. When you have a crisis, you just have to move fast and do what you need to do.”

The company produces thousands of the machines annually, Miller said. Xenex’s international segment has increased to about 30 percent of the company’s business, he said. Japan, Spain, Italy, France, South Africa and Ecuador account for most of its international deals.

‘Ghostbusters’ of disinfecting

In addition to manufacturing, the company operates a disinfecting service. Like a “Ghostbusters” for infectious disease, vans full of robots and Xenex workers in personal protective equipment cruise around Texas zapping microbes.

The Strikeforce UV mobile service provides cleaning on an as-requested basis for customers that, so far, include restaurants, car dealerships, smaller schools and banks, Miller said.

“It’s been a huge relief for a lot of businesses that they just need somebody to come out today to take care of a problem because one of their employees was COVID-19 positive,” he said. “They don’t want to take a risk of the rest of their workers becoming ill.”

To date, Miller said, the robots have disinfected more than 24.5 million rooms worldwide, or about one room every 4.3 seconds.

The robots use broad-spectrum, high-intensity ultraviolet light to destroy pathogens, according to Miller. Once started, the mini-fridge-sized robot scans the room to ensure people aren’t present, then raises its round head to nearly 6 feet, exposing the pulsing light.

The devices clean rooms in five minutes, according to Xenex.

“In a post-pandemic world,” Miller said, “the public is going to have a focus on disinfection the same way that there was a focus on security after 9/11.”

Source: : https://www.expressnews.com/business/local/article/SA-robot-company-files-to-develop-facility-near-15547960.php

September 7th 2020

Bluegrass Vascular Technologies has announced the publication of the results of its prospective, multicentre SAVE-US (Surfacer system to facilitate access in venous occlusions—United States) study in the Journal of Vascular Access.

This US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved investigational device exemption (IDE) study was designed to evaluate the performance and safety of the Surfacer Inside-Out access catheter system (Surfacer system) when used to facilitate central venous access in patients with thoracic central venous obstructions. The results of this study led to the FDA recently granting de novo classification of the Surfacer system.

“The SAVE-US study met both its primary safety and effectiveness endpoints while demonstrating the ability to use the Surfacer system to gain central venous access in patients with upper body venous obstructions,” commented Mahmood Razavi, an interventional radiologist at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, USA, was the principal investigator for the SAVE-US study and lead author for the publication reporting these results. “The Surfacer system provides a potentially life-saving approach for patients on haemodialysis and other therapies where placement of central venous catheters is required for treatment.”

“The publication of the results of the SAVE-US study further adds to the clinical evidence supporting the valuable role the Surfacer system can have in helping to establish central venous access in patients with venous obstructions,” stated Gabriele Niederauer, CEO and president of Bluegrass Vascular. “The findings of this study are consistent with previous reports associated with the use of Surfacer system, confirming the safety and efficacy associated with the use of the device.”

Launch of the Surfacer system in the USA is in progress and first commercial cases were successfully performed in May 2020.

Source: : https://vascularnews.com/surfacer-system-ide-study-results-published/

July 20th 2020

For guests checking into a high-profile California hotel, they might be staying in rooms that have been sanitized in part by an unusual new staff member: a three-foot-tall robot named Kennedy.

Kennedy is among the Beverly Hilton Hotel's newest lines of defense against coronavirus. It's a machine designed to kill the virus by flashing intense, germ-killing ultraviolet light through the room, after the room has undergone the usual cleaning by Kennedy's human coworkers.

"We really shifted our focus to researching and investing in state-of-the-art hospital-grade technologies to further protect our team members and guests more than we already were," David Alagem, one of the hotel's executives, told ABC News. In addition to the rooms themselves, guests' luggage and packages will also be sanitized using the UV light robots, Alagem said.

Ultraviolet, or UV, light has long been used as a disinfectant in health care settings, but as businesses cautiously reopen their doors in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the technique is beginning to spread far more widely, from the hospitality industry to public transportation, even potentially to entertainment.

“UV light disinfection has been around about 100 years,” said James Malley, professor of civil and environmental engineer at the University of New Hampshire. “Done well, it can be a great tool in the toolbox, because it’s an extremely rapid physical disinfectant that is chemical free and it literally works at the speed of light.”

Since the start of the pandemic, scientists have worked to determine how long the virus can live on various surfaces -- and found it's from a few hours to a few days depending on the surface. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the virus that causes COVID-19 spreads easily from person to person and that close contact is the driver for the current pandemic. It may also be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or eyes.

That may be why some industries are turning to new methods to sanitize their spaces in hopes of keeping people safer.

Kennedy is one of three robots the Beverly Hills Hilton is using from the San Antonio-based company Xenex Disinfection Services. The firm said it has been deploying UV light robots in over 500 hospitals around the world for nearly a decade, working with large health care institutions like the Mayo Clinic and MD Anderson.

Recently, the Texas BioMedical Research Institute tested the Xenex’s “Light Strike” robot against SARS-COV2, the virus that causes COVID-19. It found that after two minutes of exposure to the UV light at one-meter distance, about three feet, the virus was eliminated by 99.999%.

“The robot creates a high-energy pulse of UV light that gets into the DNA and the RNA, the genetic material of viruses and bacteria, and basically makes it so they can't replicate anymore," said Dr. Mark Stibich, Xenex's founder and Chief Science Officer. "By pulsing the light, we're able to create very, very high intensity. So in a microsecond we're hitting [those] viruses and bacteria with all sorts of high-energy photons and that really messes up their genetic materials."

The robots "phone home" to Xenex where they can be monitored for any malfunctions, and they have a safety feature that shuts off if it detects movement in the room. Xenex requires purchasers of their product to undergo training sessions to learn how to safely operate the robot.

That's because the kind of UV light used to kill germs, known as UV-C, can be extremely harmful to humans if they are directly exposed to it at high intensities or for extended periods of time.

“We worry about UV light exposures doing damage to the eyes and to the skin,” said Malley.

Damage to the eyes can include cataracts, problems with cornea and temporary, or in some cases, loss of vision. Prolonged exposure to UV light can also impact the skin, making it harder for it to heal, and can cause skin cancer, he said.

Malley said it was imperative the technology be used in secure spaces where no humans could potentially be exposed, and it should only be used by trained operators wearing proper Occupational Safety and Health Administration-approved personal protective equipment.

UV light is not believed to have any lingering effects on the surfaces after the "cleaning" is over, Malley said. When it's gone, it's gone, and does not leave residual particles in air, water, or on solid surfaces, he said.

Now, done right and safely, more businesses are exploring ways to use the technology.

In addition to the Beverly Hilton, the InterContinental Hotels Group, which includes hotel brands Holiday Inn and Candlewood Suites, told ABC News they are now using UV light sanitizing technology in some of their hotels, including at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in White Plains, New York.

Monika Henry, the general manager at the Plaza, said the hotel uses four UV light lamps from the company Fight with Lights as part of their cleaning process. Henry pointed out the importance of this extra step because their hotel has been “home” to many medical first responders who work at nearby hospitals.

Stibich, who was an epidemiologist before founding Xenex, said that major airlines are in discussion with them about using a robot that would fit in a beverage cart. And movie studios who are looking to sanitize their sets have also shown interest.

“Movie studios pose a unique challenge. For example, the costumes are very difficult to disinfect. You can’t use chemicals. You can’t use sprays or anything. But we know our robot won’t fade the materials and it will be effective in reducing the amount of potential contamination on costumes and props,” Stibich told ABC News.

In New York City, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which runs the city’s subway system, said a pilot program announced last month using portable UV lamps from PURO Lighting is expanding Friday to test the lights on a full train.

"UV is a proven technology that has worked effectively in hospital emergency rooms, hospital operating rooms, urgent care centers, universities and first-responder locations," Patrick Foye, chairman and CEO of the MTA, said at a news conference last month where the technology was demonstrated. "I don't want to mislead anybody into thinking this is a cure-all. There is still much work to be done, but this is a significant and promising new development."

Amazon recently announced its robotics team developed a UV light robot that they tested in a Whole Foods Market.

“We’re excited about the possibilities and will continue to innovate,” said Amazon spokeswoman Alyssa Bronikowski, though she added none of the UV light mobile units are currently deployed in any Amazon or Whole Foods Market location.

PBA Group, a robotics group based in Asia, has developed and deployed its “Sunburst UV Robot” in malls across Singapore. The company told ABC News they have orders from countries across Southeast Asia and estimate a rollout of over 500 robots in the future.

But experts said UV sanitation does have its limitations and should only be part of a cleaning regimen, especially for consumers.

“UV light only travels in straight lines,” said Charles Gerba, Professor of Epidemiology and Environmental Sciences at the University of Arizona, whose team of researchers have tested the efficacy of multiple disinfectants, including UV light. “You have to be directly pointing to the surface you want to disinfect, and it’s really tricky for a consumer to use.”

He also said that proximity to the light source is a very important factor, because the amount of energy can vary based on the distance you are from the UV light source.

“UV light is best used on a table top,” said Gerba.

Dr. Kinna Thakarar, an infectious disease specialist at Maine Medical Center, also stressed that it would take more than UV light to defeat the spread of the coronavirus.

"UV light should not be used alone as a disinfectant," Thakarar said. "To protect yourself and others from COVID-19, it is important to follow CDC guidelines around prevention: hand-washing, wearing a mask, physically distancing yourself and cleaning surfaces."

Source: : https://abcnews.go.com/Health/hotels-uv-light-robots-lamps-protect-coronavirus/story?id=71205829

June 12th 2020

Before the coronavirus pandemic started, San Antonio-based robotics company Xenex was already putting its disinfection robots in hospitals. But once businesses all realized they would need to prioritize sanitation, business inquiries rolled in.

“Hotels started calling us, restaurants started calling us, office buildings, and the government is using them in all sorts of places, but they need disinfection everywhere and that’s what happened over the last eight or nine weeks,” Xenex CEO Morris Miller said during a Thursday afternoon panel hosted by the Rivard Report.

The “Tech of Tomorrow: A Conversation with Xenex and Plus One Robotics” virtual event launched a Rivard Report event series examining how businesses have had to change their business models as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Plus One Robotics CEO Erik Nieves joined Miller and Rivard Report technology reporter Lindsey Carnett for a discussion on how the two robotics companies have adapted to the coronavirus crisis. Nieves co-founded Plus One Robotics in 2016 while Miller, who co-founded cloud services company Rackspace, stepped in as Xenex’s CEO in 2012.

During the hour-long discussion, the two men talked about how their business operations have changed and how they pivoted their vision for the future. Nieves explained that though he originally perceived Plus One Robotics’ products (billed as “robot perception software and solutions”) as designed for parcel sorting, his company truly specializes in hand-eye coordination.

“It’s just artificial lines and mechanical hands,” Nieves said. “And when you put that lens on, you acknowledge that you all of a sudden see that there are 100 different manifestations of hand-eye coordination, in a warehouse or a fulfillment center or etc. … So we started to think in terms of a more general skill set for the technology.”

Plus One Robotics now provides an attractive solution for a world dependent on e-commerce and grappling with the coronavirus: When a robot is handling your packages, that means fewer humans are touching it, lowering the chance for contagion. (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said coronavirus is unlikely to spread through mail but cautioned people to wash their hands after handling mail or packages before touching their faces.)

“Today, if you click on online order from your direct to consumer e-commerce or whoever it is that you order from, there’s an average of 22 different people that are going to touch that order before it shows up at your port,” he said. “Twenty-two. And in this age of transmissibility where that is so forefront in people’s thinking, people want fewer than 22 people touching their orders.”

Robots and human employees must coexist, Nieves acknowledged, and in that case, people would like to know the humans that do handle their online orders are not sick. That’s where Xenex finds its place. In May, the company became the first to manufacture a device proven to kill the novel coronavirus, Miller said. And completely disinfecting a room takes very little time. A hotel room only takes six minutes to disinfect, which costs 90 cents. A hospital requires more time and money – about $3 for each disinfection run – because there are more bacteria and viruses to kill. But that cost-per-use price should be low enough to encourage businesses to invest in robotic disinfection, Miller said.

“I think that at some point you’re going to insist if I’m going to stay at your [hotel], I need to know that I’m safe,” Miller said. “Spend the extra money. I’m willing to pay $3 more so you can make a profit on it, but I want a properly disinfected room.”

The Xenex robot uses a xenon light bulb that kills the novel coronavirus. The robot has also proved its ability to kill Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in five minutes.

The robots are designed for industrial use, so people interested in having their homes disinfected should simply call the company or email for assistance, Miller said. He also shared his cell phone number and email address with listeners.

“I always answer texts, I answer phone calls, and we would send the strike force out to do the home,” he said. “It’s a much more economical way. Just like Erik’s robots, these are industrial robots. They’re made to be used, hundreds and hundreds of times. And so they’re not really practical for an individual.”

Source: : https://sanantonioreport.org/xenex-plus-one-robotis-ceos-morris-miller-erik-nieves-coronavirus-impact-on-robotics/

June 11th 2020

MINNEAPOLIS, June 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Predictive Oncology Inc. (NASDAQ: POAI) (the “Company”) a knowledge-driven company focused on applying artificial intelligence (“AI”) to personalized medicine and drug discovery, announced that it has completed the acquisition of the assets of Soluble Therapeutics, Inc. and BioDtech, Inc., each of which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of InventaBioTech, Inc. The Company acquired the assets of Soluble and BioDtech, including, certain intellectual property relating to contract research organization (“CRO”) services and technology, certain equipment useful in such services and technology and all other assets of Soluble Therapeutics and BioDtech for 125,000 shares of common stock, in addition to waiving all remaining amounts due and payable to the Company under a secured promissory note of InventaBioTech in the principal amount of $1,070,000 relating to advances made by the Company in 2017.

Dr. Carl Schwartz, CEO and Director of the Company, commented, “These two acquisitions meaningfully expand revenue and monetization prospects for our precision medicine business. First, the Soluble Therapeutics assets increase the Company’s capabilities to provide services for the pharmaceutical and biotech industries and predict and provide the best formulation with the highest concentration and the most stable solution for protein and peptide-based drugs. Second, the Company’s purchase of BioDtech’s assets provides it with ownership over BioDtech’s successfully developed test used to ‘unmask’ endotoxins, which allows a monitoring physician to perhaps change the strategy of treatment or treat the patient with antibiotics. These acquisitions will allow Predictive Oncology to further maximize opportunities within the Company’s precision medicine business."

About Predictive Oncology Inc.

Predictive Oncology Inc. (NASDAQ: POAI) operates through three segments (Domestic, International and other), which contain four subsidiaries; Helomics, TumorGenesis, Skyline Medical and Skyline Europe. Helomics applies artificial intelligence to its rich data gathered from patient tumors to both personalize cancer therapies for patients and drive the development of new targeted therapies in collaborations with pharmaceutical companies. Helomics’ CLIA-certified lab provides clinical testing that assists oncologists in individualizing patient treatment decisions, by providing an evidence-based roadmap for therapy. In addition to its proprietary precision oncology platform, Helomics offers boutique CRO services that leverage its TruTumor(TM), patient-derived tumor models coupled to a wide range of multi-omics assays (genomics, proteomics and biochemical), and an AI-powered proprietary bioinformatics platform to provide a tailored solution to its clients’ specific needs. Predictive Oncology’s TumorGenesis subsidiary is developing a new rapid approach to growing tumors in the laboratory, which essentially “fools” cancer cells into thinking they are still growing inside a patient. Its proprietary Oncology Discovery Technology Platform kits will assist researchers and clinicians to identify which cancer cells bind to specific biomarkers. Once the biomarkers are identified they can be used in TumorGenesis’ Oncology Capture Technology Platforms which isolate and help categorize an individual patient’s heterogeneous tumor samples to enable the development of patient specific treatment options. Helomics and TumorGenesis are focused on ovarian cancer. Predictive Oncology’s Skyline Medical division markets its patented and FDA cleared STREAMWAY System, which automates the collection, measurement and disposal of waste fluid, including blood, irrigation fluid and others, within a medical facility, through both domestic and international divisions. The company has achieved sales in five of the seven continents through both direct sales and distributor partners. For more information, please visit www.Predictive-Oncology.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain of the matters discussed in this press release contain forward-looking statements that involve material risks to and uncertainties in the Company’s business that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the statements made herein. Such risks and uncertainties include: we may not be able to continue operating without additional financing; current negative operating cash flows; the terms of any further financing, which may be highly dilutive and may include onerous terms; no assurance that a vaccine will be successfully developed in collaboration with Dr. Daniel Carter, or that definitive documentation of all arrangements with Dr. Carter will be completed; risks related to the 2019 merger with Helomics including: 1) significant goodwill could result in further impairment, 2) possible failure to realize anticipated benefits of the merger, 3) costs associated with the merger may be higher than expected, 4) the merger may result in the disruption of our existing businesses, and 5) distraction of management and diversion of resources; risks related to our partnerships with other companies, including the need to negotiate the definitive agreements, possible failure to realize anticipated benefits of these partnerships, and costs of providing funding to our partner companies, which may never be repaid or provide anticipated returns; risks related to the acquisition of Soluble Therapeutics and BioDtech and the pending acquisition of Quantitative Medicine including: 1) completion of the Quantitative Medicine transaction, 2) possible failure to realize anticipated benefits of the transactions, 3) costs associated with the acquisitions may be higher than expected; 4) the transactions may result in the disruption of our existing businesses, and 5) distraction of management and diversion of resources; risk that we will be unable to protect our intellectual property or claims that we are infringing on others’ intellectual property; the impact of competition; acquisition and maintenance of any necessary regulatory clearances applicable to applications of our technology; inability to attract or retain qualified senior management personnel, including sales and marketing personnel; risk that we never become profitable if our product is not accepted by potential customers; possible impact of government regulation and scrutiny; unexpected costs and operating deficits, and lower than expected sales and revenues, if any; adverse results of any legal proceedings; the volatility of our operating results and financial condition; and, and management of growth and other risks and uncertainties that may be detailed from time to time in the Company’s reports filed with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov.

Source: : https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/06/02/2042221/0/en/Predictive-Oncology-Completes-Acquisition-of-Soluble-Therapeutics-and-BioDtech.html

June 6th 2020

CHICAGO — The coronavirus crisis has not only sent the hotel industry reeling by cratering occupancy rates. It’s forcing hotels to ramp up their cleaning protocols and hygiene — things that will be more of a priority for consumers in a post-pandemic world, where safe is the new sexy.

"What would have been in the back of customers’ minds is now front and center," said Phil Cordell, Hilton’s global head of new brand development.

Hilton, Marriott and Chicago-based Hyatt have all announced plans for updated cleaning standards and other steps aimed at protecting the health of guests and staff at thousands of properties around the world.

Demand for hotel rooms has tanked during the pandemic. Among the U.S. hotels that are still open, about 3 out of 4 rooms are vacant, according to data released by the hospitality research company STR. In Chicago’s central business district, the occupancy rate is just shy of 14%.

When people start staying in hotels again, they’ll notice some changes as new hygiene measures get rolled out in the coming weeks and months.

Expect less furniture to make way for more social distancing in lobbies and other public areas. Hand sanitizing stations will be highly visible. So will housekeepers, whose role moves from behind-the-scenes to center stage as they frequently and conspicuously wipe down railings, elevator buttons and door handles with hospital-grade disinfectants.

"You can’t just tell people you’re cleaning, you have to let them see people cleaning," said Jonathon Day, associate professor at Purdue University’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management in West Lafayette, Ind. "These companies need to be transparent about what they’re doing and demonstrate it, so we have a sense of comfort. It’s only when I feel safe about going back to hotels that I’m going to let my guard down enough to leave my house."

Some housekeeping teams will have high-tech tools at their disposal, such as germ-zapping robots that look straight off the set of "Star Wars" and electrostatic sprayers to rapidly disinfect guest rooms and fitness centers. The latter is part of Marriott’s plan, which also involves testing ultraviolet light technology to sanitize guests’ key cards.

The Westin Houston Medical Center hotel started using its pair of LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots in March. Made by Xenex Disinfection Services and costing about $100,000 each, the machines emit broad-spectrum ultraviolet light to destroy viruses and bacteria within minutes. They’ve been used for infection control in hundreds of hospitals for several years. Now the hospitality industry is showing interest.

"We’ve been contacted by dozens and dozens of hotels in Europe, the Middle East, here in the U.S.," company spokeswoman Melinda Hart said. "They’re all trying to find a way for travelers to feel safe again."
Hilton is working with health experts at Mayo Clinic and the makers of Lysol for its new "CleanStay" program at the company’s 6,100-plus properties spread over 18 brands, including Waldorf Astoria, Embassy Suites and Hampton hotels.

The new measures mandate extra disinfection of the 10 most-often touched parts of a hotel room — light switches, TV remotes, thermostats, toilet handles — and putting a seal on room doors to let guests know they’re the first to enter their freshly cleaned quarters.

Marriott recently created a Global Cleanliness Council that’s outlined multiple measures to reduce the spread of disease. Disinfecting wipes will be put in all guest rooms throughout the company’s 7,300 properties. In nearly half of these hotels, guests can use their phone to check in, access their room with a digital key and order a meal that will be packaged and deposited outside the door.

Over at Hyatt, a new initiative requires that each of its 900-some properties has at least one specially trained hygiene manager by September. Hyatt also is the first hospitality brand to commit to getting all of its hotels accredited by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council, a division of the Northbrook, Ill.-based cleaning industry trade association, ISSA.

The new GBAC STAR certification is meant to ensure that a hotel — or restaurant, arena or convention center — has the proper chemicals, equipment and procedures to remove harmful pathogens. The concept of GBAC STAR certification predates the coronavirus crisis, but the pandemic fast-tracked the launch of the program, which started accepting applications Thursday.

Housekeepers at the Red Roof chain now sanitize corridors, elevators, the front desk and other high-traffic areas up to four times a day with coronavirus-killing products approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.

When The Langham hotels in the U.S. start accepting new reservations, the luxury properties will be taking guests’ and employees’ temperatures. If they have a high enough fever, a security officer wearing personal protective equipment will escort them to a room set aside for quarantine so they can contact their doctor for guidance.

"If they cannot reach a doctor, we will find one for them," Langham spokeswoman Louise O’Brien responded in an email.

Source: : https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/05/10/hotels-ramp-up-cleaning-routines-for-post-pandemic-travel/

May 10th 2020

Officials with San Antonio-based Xenex Disinfection Services said testing at Texas Biomedical Research Institute has proven its LightStrike pulsed xenon robots can deactivate the SARS-Cov-2 coronavirus from contaminated surfaces, adding a new weapon to combat Covid-19.

The germ-zapping robots represent the only ultraviolet disinfection technology capable of such deactivation against the novel coronavirus, Xenex CEO Morris Miller said.

"The independent testing took place over the last the last several weeks at Texas Biomed under the watchful eye of Dr. Larry Schlesinger, their CEO," Miller told me.

Xenex validated the efficacy of the LightStrike disinfection robot against live SARS-CoV-2 at Texas Biomed’s biosafety level 4 containment laboratory. Testing showed that Xenex robots can deactivate SARS-Cov-2 from surfaces in two minutes.

Texas Biomed also tested the effectiveness of Xenex technology in disinfecting N95 respiratory masks, as medical facilities have been forced to reuse such personal protective equipment due to stretched supplies. It took five minutes, Morris said, for the robots to achieve a 99.99% level of disinfection rate with the masks.

Xenex robots use a xenon lamp to generate bursts of high intensity, full germicidal spectrum UVC light that’s more intense than sunlight. Different pathogens are susceptible to such light at different wavelengths.

"Covid-19 caused the world to stop in its tracks. As we discuss and plan for re-entry, disinfection of public spaces is a major priority to reduce the risk of disease transmission," said Dr. Mark Stibich, chief scientific officer for and co-founder of Xenex. "Putting an effective infection prevention infrastructure in place now is essential."

Texas Biomed’s Schlesinger said the Covid-19 pandemic has "unearthed distinct scientific challenges, one of which is the ability to quickly engage in partnerships for the sake of moving technologies."

Source: : https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2020/05/01/sa-germ-zapping-robots-pass-test-in-disinfecting.html

May 1st 2020

The CEO of Xenex Disinfection Services explained to Fox News on Wednesday how ultraviolet light can disinfect the coronavirus on masks in "about two minutes."

"Different germs are vulnerable to UV light at different wavelengths," Morris Miller told "Fox & Friends First."

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles said Monday that a research team is in the "pre-clinical stages" of developing ways to harness UV light to treat viruses and bacteria, though such technology has not been tested on patients.

"When you have broad-spectrum high-intensity light, you can get pathogens, you can get germs wherever it’s most vulnerable," he explained. "It would be nice if it can be done in the body. Who knows? It’s something that’s worth examining, it’s an interesting concept."

Miller's comments came after President Trump said disinfectant and sunlight could provide a potential cure to coronavirus, which prompted a number of stories in the media and a statement from Reckitt Benckiser Group, the makers of Lysol, warning against improper use of disinfectant products.

Source: https://www.foxnews.com/media/xenex-ceo-explains-how-uv-light-can-be-used-to-disinfect-masks

April 29th 2020

SAN FRANCISCO: Sharp Fluidics, LLC, a private medical device company whose innovative Operative Armour System leads the way in open surgery closure efficiency and safety, announced the acquisition of neoClose, a laparoscopic and robotic port site closure technology from neoSurgical, LTD.

This is a significant step to enhance Sharp Fluidics' product portfolio, said Doug Rimer, President, Sharp Fluidics, LLC. We strive to introduce innovative thinking to surgical closure, and neoClose is highly complementary to our Operative Armour System. With Operative Armour, clinicians can self-dispense and self-secure their own suture needles in open surgery closures without scrub tech assistance, dramatically improving workflow efficiency while minimizing exposure to contaminated suture needles. neoClose enables us to now offer an extremely elegant and user-friendly, needle-less approach to perform safer, more efficient closure of minimally invasive surgeries.

neoClose brings a simple, intuitive and reliable solution to assist the surgeon in closing port site defects, up to 3cm, following laparoscopic and robotic abdominal surgery. By utilizing bio-absorbable anchors with a pre-attached suture, neoClose is changing the standard of care in port site closure. neoClose is faster, safer, and provides less port site pain than the standard practice of closing port sites.

With the acquisition of neoClose, Sharp Fluidics has expanded its product offerings beyond traditional open surgery, now providing a faster and safer surgical closure option for clinicians performing minimally invasive and robotic surgery, said Mark Froimson, MD, MBA, Orthopedic Surgeon and Past President of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons. neoClose and Operative Armour reduce OR surgical times and improve OR staff safety, two of the most important initiatives that many leading hospitals have prioritized.

Source: https://www.newkerala.com/news/2020/75718.htm

April 29th 2020

Healthcare providers across the U.S. and around the world are finding new applications for robotic technology to care for COVID-19 patients.

The robots help stem the spread of COVID-19 and conserve personal protective equipment during the pandemic. Here are seven ways hospitals have deployed robots over the past few months.

1. Nuro robots, called R2, are delivering food, fresh linens and protective gear from a supply depot to a field hospital in Sacramento, Calif., according to a Wall Street Journal report.

2. The Nuro robots are also delivering food from an off-site kitchen to COVID-19 patients in quarantine in San Francisco.

3. In China, Antwork Technologies' drone delivery service is making deliveries to hospitals, including flying test samples from one hospital to another to expedite the process.

4. Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston is testing a robot called Spot to interview patients with less serious COVID-19 cases, according to NPR. The robot, developed by Boston Dynamics, includes four "legs" and a screen that allows for video visits between clinicians and patients.

5. In Italy, the Circolo Hospital is using a robot with blinking eyes, wheels and a tablet monitor that includes a microphone to help clinicians interact with COVID-19 patients, according to PRI. The robot can measure patients' blood pressure and oxygen saturation, even if they are hooked up to ventilators.

6. Wuhan Wuchang Hospital in China developed a field hospital that includes a large number of robots that monitor patient vital signs using thermometers and other wearable devices. The robots also deliver food to patients, according to Harvard Business Review.

7. Baptist Health in Jacksonville, Fla., expanded its use of robotic disinfecting technology to clean and preserve N95 masks. The health system uses LightStrike from Xenex Disinfection Services and set aside one robot at each of its hospitals to clean N95 masks.

Source: https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/artificial-intelligence/7-ways-hospitals-use-robots-during-the-pandemic.html

April 27th 2020

Bluegrass Vascular Technologies has announced that the first US commercial cases using the Surfacer Inside-Out access catheter system were completed at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, California.

The procedures were performed by Ehab Sorial and Ajit Nair. Sorial is a clinical associate professor of Surgery in the Division of Vascular Surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine and staff surgeon at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. Nair is a staff interventional radiologist at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.

The device was used to obtain venous access in two haemodialysis patients with central venous obstructions, one of which had limited access options. Bluegrass Vascular was granted de novoclassification by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the Surfacer system in February of this year.

"We are excited to be the first programme in the USA to incorporate use of the Surfacer system into our day-to-day clinical practice,” said Nair and Sorial. “The Surfacer system provides us with a safe and effective option for obtaining right-sided central venous access in patients with venous obstructions, enabling us to preserve secondary central veins and avoid alternative access procedures, which are not as effective and have a higher risk of complications."

"Dr Sorial, Dr Nair and their team at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center played an integral role as one of several clinical sites for the US investigational device exemption (IDE) study, which led to our recent FDAde novo clearance. We are honoured to have Drs Sorial and Nair perform our first US cases," stated Gabriele Niederauer, CEO and president of Bluegrass Vascular. "We envision US clinical adoption of the Surfacer system mirroring our positive commercial experiences in Europe and look forward to providing this truly novel technology to physicians and their patients across America."

Source: https://vascularnews.com/bluegrass-vascular-technologies-announces-first-us-commercial-cases-with-the-surfacer-inside-out-access-catheter-system/

April 19th 2020

Updated 2019 guidelines emphasize vessel preservation, aligns with the Surfacer® System's "Don't Go Left™" approach

SAN ANTONIO, April 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Bluegrass Vascular Technologies (Bluegrass Vascular), a private medical technology company focused on innovating lifesaving devices and methods for vascular access procedures, welcomes the recent publication of the 2019 Update to National Kidney Foundation's Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI) Clinical Practice Guidelines for Vascular Access. The completely revamped new guidelines, published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases (AJKD), emphasize a patient-focused approach to vascular access care focusing on the preservation of vessels which may be needed for future access.

"The new KDOQI Vascular Access Guidelines focus on the importance of access succession planning and recommend prioritizing a patient's longer-term access needs when considering current options," stated Monnie Wasse, M.D., M.P.H, Vice Chairperson and Director of Interventional Nephrology and Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology at Rush Medical College, who was also a co-investigator of the U.S. IDE Study for the Surfacer System. "This includes avoiding left-sided placement of central venous catheters, when possible, since placement is associated with increased risk of central venous stenosis and can therefore limit subsequent vascular access options."

According to the KDOQI guidelines, the ideal access site for hemodialysis catheters is the right internal jugular vein. This preferred right-sided access path is supported by the Surfacer System's novel Don't Go Left™ approach. The use of the Surfacer device also avoids left-side catheter placement, better enabling the maturation of permanent arteriovenous access options in the left arm and minimizing unnecessary access-related procedures and complications.

"We are pleased with the emphasis the new guidelines place on preserving vessels for future access. This strongly aligns with the Surfacer System's "Don't Go Left" approach," stated Gabriele Niederauer, Ph.D., CEO and President of Bluegrass Vascular. "For hemodialysis patients with right-sided central venous obstructions, the Surfacer System offers patients a reliable and repeatable solution for right-sided catheter placement, avoiding the need to place catheters on the left side. Bluegrass Vascular looks forward to supporting the implementation of these new guidelines."

The Surfacer System has received FDA De Novo device clearance and is CE marked. The device is currently distributed in North America and Europe by Merit Medical, a global distributor of medical devices.

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 right 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.

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: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bluegrass-vascular-technologies-welcomes-national-kidney-foundations--revamp-of-the-kidney-disease-outcomes-quality-initiative-kdoqi--clinical-practice-guidelines-for-vascular-access-301039414.html

April 14th 2020

The UV Light Disinfection market statistical analysis data provided in the research report is not only qualitatively but also quantitatively sufficient in terms of understanding the overall market growth and development. The report includes CAGR, market share, sales, gross margin, value, volume and other key market numbers that provide a clear picture of the growth of the UV Light Disinfection market. The client-specific details such as enterprises gross margin, present industrial policies, market statistics, import-export details, and government regulations are also mentioned. The current case study has all the details regarding the specific UV Light Disinfection market mentioned on the basis of market size and share, future scope, industrial norms, competitive players, and so on.

Get Free Sample PDF Copy (including full TOC, Tables, and Figures) of UV Light Disinfection Market Report @ https://www.esherpamarketreports.com/request-sample/es-17662/

Key Businesses Segmentation of UV Light Disinfection Market:

Global UV Light Disinfection Market Segment by Type, covers
Ordinary cathode low preure mercury UV disinfection
High-intensity ultraviolet disinfection
Ozone UV disinfection

Global UV Light Disinfection Market Segment by Applications, can be divided into

Drinking Water and Wastewater
Air and Surface
Food Procein

This Report Covers Leading Companies Associated in Worldwide UV Light Disinfection Market:

Halma, Atlantic Ultraviolet , Heraeus Holding, Calgon Carbon, Oceanpower, Xylem, Philips Lighting, Trojan Technologies, American Ultraviolet, HYDROTEC, Evoqua Water, Severn Trent Services, Onyx, Newland Entech, GElighting, Xenex, Cnlight,

UV Light Disinfection Market Report Covers Following Questions

What are the weaknesses and strengths of the key vendors?
What are the key outcomes of the five forces analysis of the Global UV Light Disinfection market?
What are the various threats and opportunities faced by the dealers in the Global UV Light Disinfection market?
Who are the leading key players and what are their key business strategies in the Global UV Light Disinfection market?

Source: https://sciencein.me/2020/04/08/new-study-uv-light-disinfection-market-astonishing-growth-technology-and-top-key-vendor-halma-atlantic-ultraviolet-heraeus-holding-calgon-c-more/

April 8th 2020

HOUSTON: The Westin Houston Medical Center is the first and only hotel in the U.S. to utilize LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots to sanitize and disinfect its guest rooms and common areas to help combat the threat of coronavirus.

The room disinfection technology, provided by San Antonio-based Xenex Disinfection Services, was developed by two epidemiologists in Houston, with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center as their first customer. The Westin Houston Medical Center purchased two of the decontaminating robots, which are already at work sanitizing rooms inside the building.

LightStrike robots have been proven to quickly destroy viruses, bacteria, and fungi using intense pulsed xenon ultraviolet (UV) light. Hundreds of healthcare facilities use LightStrike robots to disinfect their facilities as part of their comprehensive infection prevention program and several hospitals have published peer-reviewed studies showing 50%-100% reductions in their Clostridium difficile (C.diff), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and surgical site infection (SSI) rates after they used LightStrike robots and Xenex's recommended protocols for room disinfection.

We are taking significant proactive measures, along with following CDC guidelines, to minimize risk while also keeping day-to-day business momentum, said Archit Sanghvi, Vice President of Operations for Pearl Hospitality, the hotel's owner and operator. Wellness is at the core of our business and with the LightStrike technology, we saw a distinct and innovative opportunity to create a well-prepared environment for travelers within our hotel.

The LightStrike robot uses intense germicidal UV light to disinfect rooms by quickly destroying microscopic bacteria and viruses that may be missed during the manual cleaning process. Operated by hotel staff, the robot uses pulsed xenon (a noble gas) to create intense broad-spectrum UV light, unlike older technologies that use mercury bulbs (mercury is toxic) to create continuous, single spectrum UV light.

Dr. Sarah Simmons, Xenex Senior Director of Science, DrPH CIC FAPIC, said, Xenex is honored that The Westin Houston Medical Center has invested in LightStrike robots to provide a superior level of cleaning for its guests. Our LightStrike Germ Zapping Robots have been successfully used for years to disinfect healthcare facility rooms, and we are glad to be able to work with Pearl Hospitality to provide that same level of cleanliness to hotel guests.

Along with utilizing cutting-edge robotic room disinfection technology, The Westin Houston Medical Center is implementing enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols including

All public areas and guestrooms are disinfected using hospital-grade cleaner (Ecolab's TB Disinfectant Cleaner).

All guest room consumable amenities (bath amenities, coffee & tea) and items such as the remote control are disinfected on-site and placed in sealed bags for guests.

Removal of all non-essential (magazines, collateral, decorative pillows, etc.) items in guest rooms to ensure a continually clean, disinfected environment.

EcoLab's disinfectant cleaning protocols in all areas of the hotel including public areas, guest rooms and back of house areas (i.e. kitchen, etc.)

Dedicated team member to use enhanced sanitization methods on all guest-facing public areas - 24 hours coverage.

The hotel has also created immune-boosting food and beverage offerings including

A special immune system boosting menu packed with antioxidants, vitamins, probiotics and prebiotics for guests to ensure continued health.

Immune Booster Kits - Energize Kit and Travel Kit with tinctures and Airborne products.

The 273-room Westin Houston Medical Center hotel is located at 1709 Dryden Road, between Main Street and Fannin Street. The newly opened hotel is situated in the heart of the Texas Medical Center, which attracts more than 15 million annual visitors. For more information, visit www.westinhoustonmedicalcenter.com.

Source: https://www.newkerala.com/news/2020/60287.htm

April 7th 2020

SAN FRANCISCO, April 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sharp Fluidics®, LLC, a private medical device company whose innovative Operative Armour® System leads the way in open surgery closure efficiency and safety, announced the acquisition of neoClose®, a laparoscopic and robotic port site closure technology from neoSurgical, LTD. "This is a significant step to enhance Sharp Fluidics’ product portfolio," said Doug Rimer, President, Sharp Fluidics, LLC. "We strive to introduce innovative thinking to surgical closure, and neoClose is highly complementary to our Operative Armour System. With Operative Armour, clinicians can self-dispense and self-secure their own suture needles in open surgery closures without scrub tech assistance, dramatically improving workflow efficiency while minimizing exposure to contaminated suture needles. neoClose enables us to now offer an extremely elegant and user-friendly, needle-less approach to perform safer, more efficient closure of minimally invasive surgeries."

neoClose® brings a simple, intuitive and reliable solution to assist the surgeon in closing port site defects, up to 3cm, following laparoscopic and robotic abdominal surgery. By utilizing bio-absorbable anchors with a pre-attached suture, neoClose® is changing the standard of care in port site closure. neoClose® is faster, safer, and provides less port site pain than the standard practice of closing port sites.

"With the acquisition of neoClose, Sharp Fluidics has expanded its product offerings beyond traditional open surgery, now providing a faster and safer surgical closure option for clinicians performing minimally invasive and robotic surgery,” said Mark Froimson, MD, MBA, Orthopedic Surgeon and Past President of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons. “neoClose and Operative Armour reduce OR surgical times and improve OR staff safety, two of the most important initiatives that many leading hospitals have prioritized."

About Sharp Fluidics®, LLC

Sharp Fluidics®, LLC a San Francisco Bay Area based surgical device company is a leader in development and marketing of innovative medical technologies and devices to improve surgical closure efficiency and safety.

For more information on Sharp Fluidics, visit the Company’s Web site at www.sharpfluidics.com

Contacts

• Sharp Fluidics, LLC
• Tom Keegan
• tkeegan@sharpfluidics.com

Source: https://apnews.com/PR%20Newswire/c6687d128283a4ec6005de7c9578f64d

April 7th 2020

The robots use UV light to help destroy viruses and other deadly pathogens to help hospitals avoid infections.

The COVID-19 outbreak has prompted surging interest in robotics to address some of the big challenges posed by the pandemic. One Texas startup in that hospital tech space is Xenex Disinfection Services, which uses its robots and UV light to deactivate viruses, bacteria, and spores on surfaces.

Dallas-based AT&T has teamed up with Xenex to equip the company’s germ-zapping robots with Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity. That will provide data to optimize robot performance for hospitals and other essential businesses. Xenex’s robots, called LightStrike, could help healthcare workers avoid infections as they work and protect patients with additional levels of safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Xenex has deployed disinfection robots to more than 500 hospitals and sent robots to Italy, which has been hit hard by the illness, the company told robotics publication The Robot Report in March.

Xenex robots, which are manufactured in San Antonio and cost about $105,000 each, were used to fight Ebola in 2014.

Fast, accurate data is critical

"The data we receive from the robots is essential to our epidemiologists, researchers, and engineering team," Paul Froutan, COO for Xenex, said in a statement.

It’s important to get the data quickly and know that it is accurate, Froutan said. The data "helps us analyze how our customers’ disinfection programs are performing, which can have a dramatic impact on their ability to reduce their infection rates."

That LightStrike data is provided to Xenex through AT&T.

Wirelessly connecting the robots helps to automate the robots’ communication and data transfer processes, Xenex says. That gives Xenex and hospitals access to the information they need, such as documentation on each room the robots disinfect, for how long it is operated, and by whom.

The data can also be used to help hospitals meet their operating protocols and keep the robots in good working order with near real-time maintenance information.

Keeping hospitals as germ-free as possible is always a critical patient safety issue—and an ongoing challenge, the company said. "This reality has only been exacerbated during the COVID-19 crisis."

That’s never been more apparent than during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Chris Penrose, senior vice president of Advanced Solutions at AT&T, noting that IoT connectivity plays a critical role in healthcare.

For Xenex’s virus-killing robots, that means the AT&T connectivity can help the company "dynamically adapt to a changing business," he said.

How the germ-killing Xenex robots work

Xenex robots perform environmental disinfection that can be more effective than traditional cleaning methods, according to the company. Hospital staff first physically clean rooms by changing the linens, removing trash, and any visible dirt. Then, they turn on the robot and leave the room.

"The droid-like robot creates intense flashes of pulsed xenon UV light that quickly destroy pathogens on surfaces that may have been missed during the manual cleaning process,” the company said. “A LightStrike robot can disinfect an entire patient room in as little as 10 minutes."

The robots have been proven effective against not only the most dangerous microorganisms like Ebola and anthrax, but also more common pathogens like MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), Clostridium difficile (C.diff) and influenza. The LightStrike robot has proven effective in deactivating Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus, too, according to a release.

AT&T says it supports the Xenex mission "to save lives and reduce suffering by destroying the deadly microorganisms that cause hospital-related infections."

And during the COVID-19 pandemic, "it is even more critical to help hospitals achieve infection reduction goals, safeguard patients and employees, and reduce cost," AT&T said.

Source: https://dallasinnovates.com/att-iot-technology-powers-germ-zapping-robots/

April 7th 2020

Funny how quickly a little pandemic can change your perspective. For years, we’ve been writing about what kind of jobs robots will do in the future – and how many humans will end up doing value-added tasks in the unemployment line. There’s certainly some valid concern about the loss of high-paying white-collar jobs, as well as many solid blue-collar positions in warehouses, agriculture, and elsewhere. But let’s face it: There are plenty of dull, dangerous, and dirty jobs that few of us want to do. Add a deadly virus into the mix and the prospect of replacing some people with robots suddenly seems like a very good idea. In particular, the current healthcare crisis is giving us a look into how healthcare robots will staff smart hospitals in the future. Thanks to the initial success of Intuitive Surgical, we already have many types of surgical robots performing surgeries. Surely, some of the less glamorous tasks in the healthcare industry can be displaced by robotic applications or even collaborative robots.

Actually, we don’t even have to wait for some version of Star Trek to glimpse the future. Just beam over to China right now – good luck finding a flight – or read this story from CNBC about a smart field hospital in Wuhan where all the services are carried out by robots and IoT sensors. In addition to things like 5G-connected smart thermometers and artificial intelligence-powered remote patient monitoring tech, there’s a small army of healthcare robots helping out the nurses and doctors overseeing the operation.

While the healthcare robotics market has largely focused on the glamorous robots found in surgery rooms, there are plenty of other applications for healthcare robotics. The two main categories of healthcare robots in the limelight today can be broken into service robots and disinfectant robots.

Source: https://www.nanalyze.com/2020/04/healthcare-robots-smart-hospital/

April 7th 2020

The report attempts to offer high-quality and accurate analysis of the global UV Disinfection Light Market, keeping in view market forecasts, competitive intelligence, and technological risks and advancements, and other important subjects. Its carefully crafted market intelligence allows market participants to understand the most significant developments in the global UV Disinfection Light market that are impacting their business. Readers can become aware of crucial opportunities available in the global UV Disinfection Light market as well as key factors driving and arresting market growth. The research study also provides deep geographical analysis of the global UV Disinfection Light market and sheds light on important applications and products that market players can focus on for achieving strong growth.

Major players profiled in the report:

• Advanced UV Inc.
• American Ultraviolet Company
• Aquionics Inc.
• Atlantic Ultraviolet Corporation
• Enaqua
• Evoqua Water Technologies Corp.
• First Light Technologies Ltd.
• Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Xenex Disinfection Services Inc.
• Xylem Inc.

Request sample copy of this report: https://www.reporthive.com/request_sample/2250060

You can thoroughly assess the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors using our competitive analysis. In the report, you also have access to comprehensive production and shipment analysis from point of origin to end user purchase. Furthermore, you are informed about latest industry developments to help you stay ahead of your competitors. Our analysts are always on their toes to continuously track and analyze any changes or developments in the UV Disinfection Light industry. The report is filled with statistical presentations, market figures related to revenue, volume, CAGR, and share, and global and regional market forecasts.

The report includes a detailed segmentation study of the global UV Disinfection Light market, where all of the segments are analyzed in terms of market growth, share, growth rate, and other vital factors. It also provides the attractiveness index of segments so that players can be informed about lucrative revenue pockets of the global UV Disinfection Light market. The extensive evaluation of segments provided in the report will help you to direct your investments, strategies, and teams to focus on the right areas of the global UV Disinfection Light market.

Segmentation by Type:

• General Type

Segmentation by Application:

• Residential
• Commercial
• Industrial

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Key questions answered in this research study

Who are the top players in the value stream of the global UV Disinfection Light market? What are the factors pushing their market growth?

Who are the movers and shakers in the UV Disinfection Light industry?

How is the global UV Disinfection Light market poised to show growth during the forecast period?

What is the current market scenario?

Which segment will achieve the highest growth in the global UV Disinfection Light market?

Take a look at some of the important sections of the report

Market Overview: Readers are informed about the scope of the global UV Disinfection Light market and different products offered therein. The section also gives a glimpse of all of the segments studied in the report with their consumption and production growth rate comparisons. In addition, it provides statistics related to market size, revenue, and production.

Production Market Share by Region: Apart from the production share of regional markets analyzed in the report, readers are informed about their gross margin, price, revenue, and production growth rate here. Company Profiles and Key Figures: In this section, the authors of the report include the company profiling of leading players operating in the global UV Disinfection Light market. There are various factors considered for assessing the players studied in the report: markets served, production sites, price, gross margin, revenue, production, product application, product specification, and product introduction.

Manufacturing Cost Analysis: Here, readers are provided with detailed manufacturing process analysis, industrial chain analysis, manufacturing cost structure analysis, and raw materials analysis. Under raw materials analysis, the report includes details about key suppliers of raw materials, price trend of raw materials, and important raw materials.

Market Dynamics: The analysts explore critical influence factors, market drivers, challenges, risk factors, opportunities, and market trends in this section.

We follow industry-best practices and primary and secondary research methodologies to prepare our market research publications. Our analysts take references from company websites, government documents, press releases, and financial reports and conduct face-to-face or telephonic interviews with industry experts for collecting information and data. There is one complete section of the report dedicated for authors list, data sources, methodology/research approach, and publisher’s disclaimer. Then there is another section that includes research findings and conclusion.

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Source: https://sciencein.me/2020/04/06/uv-disinfection-light-market-cagr-status-research-analysis-report-forecast-2020-2025/

April 6th 2020

Jacksonville, Fla.-based Baptist Health has started using robots to disinfect N95 masks.

After physicians use a mask, it is placed in a room dedicated to disinfecting. A wire shelf resembling a clothesline is set up to hold masks in place as they undergo a five-minute disinfection cycle on both sides.

Physicians working with COVID-19 patients and in the emergency department are the first to have their masks disinfected. Baptist Health said it plans to expand the disinfecting program to other places in the hospital.

The LightStrike robots are manufactured by Xenex Disinfection Services. They use pulsed xenon ultraviolet light to deactivate microorganisms and disinfect high-touch surfaces. The intense UV light damages the DNA of bacteria and viruses, preventing them from multiplying or mutating.

Source: https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-information-technology/florida-health-system-uses-robots-to-disinfect-n95-masks.html

April 1st 2020

The multihospital Baptist Health system is responding to the national shortage of N95 masks by sanitizing its existing supply for safe reuse. And it’s delegated the task to non-humans.

Manufactured by Xenex Disinfection Services, the technology uses pulsed xenon ultraviolet light to damage the DNA of bacteria and viruses, according to a news release.

Baptist says the deployment builds on the its existing use of the machines, called LightStrike robots, to disinfect patient areas. The health system now has assigned one robot to a single room in each of its hospitals. Each machine so dedicated cleans N95 masks—and only cleans N95 masks.

"As COVID-19 continues to spread, our teams are working hard to research and implement evidence-based strategies to address projected needs," Elizabeth Ransom, MD, chief physician executive at Baptist Health, commented in prepared remarks.

The program works with a 10-minute disinfection cycle—five minutes for one side and five for the other, Baptist health explained. Masks are strung along wire shelving like articles of clothing on a clothesline.

COVID-19 units and others that use a lot of N95s are first in line to have their masks refreshed, and plans are in place to expand the program to other departments across the health system.

David Rice, MD, the institution’s chief quality officer, said using the robots to disinfect PPE masks is "just one of the ways we are rethinking how we do things so that we can benefit our patients and team members alike."

Source: https://www.aiin.healthcare/topics/robotics/covid-busting-robots-disinfecting-ppe-baptist-health

April 1st 2020

Goal is to preserve N95 masks during shortage across country from COVID-19

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The shortage of personal protective equipment across the country has hospitals getting creative, and Baptist Health is turning to technology to help preserve its face masks.

The N95 masks help health care workers to protect themselves and others from the spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

Baptist said it is one of the first health systems in the region to use robots to disinfect the masks using ultraviolet light. By damaging the DNA of bacteria and viruses, the intense UV light prevents them from multiplying or mutating, Baptist explained.

The LightStrike robots are designed and manufactured by Xenex Disinfection Services.

Baptist Health already uses LightStrike robots to disinfect patient and operating rooms, and now one robot at each hospital has been set aside specifically for cleaning N95 masks.

As the mask cleaning program is rolled out this week, each facility will have a room dedicated to disinfecting the masks, which will be strung along wire shelving, resembling clothes on a clothesline. After a five-minute disinfection cycle, the masks are rotated and then exposed for five minutes on the other side, allowing both their exterior and interior to be decontaminated, Baptist said.

Units with high N95 use, such as the COVID-19 units and the emergency departments, are among the first to have their masks cleaned, and there are plans for the program to expand to other departments across the hospital system.

"During an ongoing crisis like the one we are facing now, our health system is applying innovative ideas that are shown to be effective,” said Dr. David Rice, senior vice president and chief quality officer for Baptist Health. “The use of Xenex robots to disinfect our masks is just one of the ways we are rethinking how we do things so that we can benefit our patients and team members alike."

Source: https://www.news4jax.com/health/2020/03/31/baptist-health-using-robots-to-disinfect-medical-masks-during-pandemic/

March 31st 2020

The door to the hotel room shuts and Zena the robot raises what looks like a domed head and begins emitting intense bursts of light. A couple minutes later, the room is sanitized, disinfected and ready for its next guest.

As the coronavirus continues to spread around the world and in the Houston area, the owner of a new hotel in the Texas Medical Center has purchased two of these germ-fighting cleaning robots from a San Antonio-based company founded in 2008 to serve hospitals and health care facilities that are constantly battling pathogens in their patient rooms, operating rooms and elsewhere.

The robots use pulses of high-intensity ultraviolet light to damage the DNA of bacteria and viruses that may be living on surfaces such as hospital beds and medical equipment, or in a hotel’s case, remote controls, bathroom countertops or coffee pods. The light is so bright, people aren’t allowed in the same room with the robot while it’s in use.

The 150-pound machines, priced at $100,000 each, are being used at The Westin Houston Medical Center, which opened in December. Houston-based Pearl Hospitality, which owns and operates the hotel, recently acquired the robots from manufacturer Xenex Disinfectant Services.

The robots, which operate for two-minute cycles in the hotel’s bedrooms, bathrooms and suites, are being used between guest stays. They are also being used throughout other parts of the 273-room property, including the restaurant and lounge, lobby and staff areas.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Coronavirus fallout gives Houston’s hospitality the chills

The machines are used after manual cleaning as an extra layer of protection. They use pulsed xenon, a noble gas, to create broad-spectrum UV light.

Pearl came across Xenex’s robots while searching online for hospital-grade disinfectants as cases of COVID-19 were becoming more widespread.

"I said let’s add another layer of protection to create a safer place," Archit Sanghvi, vice president of operations for Pearl, said Wednesday.

Xenex has sold 1,200 of its robots to more than 500 hospitals, including MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston In the health care industry, the company competes with makers of mercury vapor-based systems.

This is Xenex’s first venture outside the health care world, said Sarah Simmons, the company’s senior director of science.

The company has started marketing its robots to pharmaceutical manufacturers and long-term care health centers, similar to the nursing care facility in suburban Seattle where there have been multiple cases of COVID-19.

"We’d love also to get be able to get into cruise ships," Simmons said. “This is the perfect demonstration of why disinfection of cruise ships needs to be more robust than it is right now."

On HoustonChronicle.com: Houston’s housing market faces uncertain future amid coronavirus and oil price collapse

Xenex, which calls its patented machines LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots, has received multiple rounds of venture funding, including a $38 million round led by Essex Woodlands, a health care private equity firm.
Piper Jaffray Merchant Banking, Malin Corp. and Tectonic Ventures also invested.

In addition to the robots, Pearl is implementing other new cleaning protocols at the Westin. One of them is placing all room amenities, including bath products, coffee and tea and remote controls into sealed plastic bags after they are disinfected. Other non-essential items like magazines and decorative pillows are being removed.

Located at 1709 Dryden, surrounded by Houston’s largest hospitals, the Westin largely caters to patients receiving treatments, researchers and health care providers. However, the hotel, along with many others, has seen business slow as companies cut corporate travel as the coronavirus spreads and conferences are called off or postponed.

The largest cancellation at the Westin was the Texas Salsa Congress, a Latinx dance and culture event scheduled to take place there from March 12-15. Some 200 attendees were expected at the group’s 16th annual event.

"A lot of corporate travel has slowed down," Sanghvi said, “but the business of medicine has to continue."

Source: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/Texas-Medical-Center-hotel-employs-germ-killing-15124224.php

March 12th 2020

As coronavirus spreads across the globe, health care professionals are tapping germ-zapping robots and roving tele-doctors to help minimize human exposure to the virus.

Why it matters: Drones and other new technologies could potentially slow the spread of the illness and perhaps speed the delivery of medicines and other support where help is needed. But deploying them comes with a host of ethical questions.

What's happening: Hundreds of hospitals already use robots to disinfect operating rooms and kill MRSA and other pathogens that cause health care-associated infections. Now they want to turn them on coronavirus, too.

• • A UV emitting robot from Xenex Disinfection Services is deployed in more than 500 hospitals worldwide, including ones in California and Nebraska where there are confirmed cases of coronavirus, to destroy germs and bacteria. (It still needs to be tested on the novel coronavirus.)
• • GermFalcon, a UV robot that targets germs on airplanes, is fielding inquiries from multiple airlines, says co-founder Elliot Kreitenberg. Now he's developing a similar UV robot for hospitals.
• • Vici, a device that looks like a tablet on wheels, enabled doctors to interact with the first U.S. coronavirus patient at a hospital in Everett, Washington, according to Forbes.

What to watch: Drones and unmanned aerial vehicles can now perform a variety of tasks that could be beneficial in fighting epidemics.

• • Drones still face regulatory hurdles in the U.S. but if the FAA eventually permits them to fly longer distances, a network of distribution centers could quickly send vaccines via drone, says Justin Hamilton, a spokesperson for Zipline, a drone company that makes thousands of deliveries per day of blood and other medical supplies in Rwanda.
• • The company is already working with the U.S. Department of Defense on a rapidly deployable drone system in case of a mass casualty humanitarian event.

Yes, but: The temptation during a humanitarian crisis might be to rush technologies to the scene before they're ready, even bending regulations to do so, which would be a mistake, disaster recovery experts warn.

• • "You don't want to experiment on people and make things worse," says Robin Murphy of Texas A&M University.
• • Patients in rural areas or foreign countries might not know how to interact with alien technology, creating frustration or fear, for example.
• • Nor should robots be used to replace medical professionals or take needed jobs from those who are uninfected, Murphy added.
• • Some researchers are working on tracking and surveillance tech that would use drones to identify people through their masks, and even take vital signs of individuals in a crowd, raising privacy concerns, she said.
• • Another worry is spraying of disinfectants via unmanned drones. "Are they truly disinfecting or just practicing chemical warfare?"

Source: https://www.axios.com/robots-deployed-to-front-line-of-coronavirus-outbreak-1bafc47f-2151-400f-b43e-554737feb17a.html

March 4th 2020

Smart machines are being deployed to minimize contact between healthcare professionals and patients.

Hundreds of robots have been deployed in hospitals, office buildings and airports around the globe as healthcare professionals and businesses turn toward innovative new ways to combat the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

Also known as COVID-19, the coronavirus has infected some 80,000 people worldwide, including at least 1,700 medical staff in China alone. Nearly 2,500 people have died from the virus so far.

In a bid to minimize person-to-person contact, artificial intelligence-powered devices equipped with thermometers and cameras are taking patients’ vitals and helping doctors diagnose people with the illness from a safe distance. Others are being used to disinfect hospital rooms and even airplanes.

One such machine is the Temi robot. Developed by an Israeli company, Temi is three feet tall and features a touchscreen, Amazon’s Alexa technology, a built-in sound system, a tray for charging phones and an autonomous navigation system that allows it to move around on its own while avoiding obstacles.

“Many people are in quarantine. Doctors need to visit them. People need to bring them food and someone needs to take their temperature – all of these things a robot can do,” Yaron Yoels, the CMO of Robotemi, told The Media Line. “Then you can refrain from contact with people who are infected.”

Billed as the world’s first affordable personal robot (it costs $1,999), Temi is currently operational in a number of sectors, among them healthcare, hospitality, enterprises, retail and education. It was recently listed in TIME Magazine’s 100 Best Inventions of 2019.

Yoels explains that when news of the coronavirus first came to light, Robotemi – which is now headquartered in Shenzhen, China – decided to add special accessories to the machine, including a thermometer to check people’s temperature and a tray to carry food and drink to patients under quarantine. Temi also allows patients to communicate with loved ones.

“We started to market it to hospitals, airports and other places,” Yoels said. “Immediately, we got many requests and have already deployed in a few hospitals in Hong Kong, South Korea and China. [It] allows doctors to visit these patients without having to be in contact with them.”

So far, hundreds of Temi robots have been drafted for work in hospitals, airports and elderly-care homes. According to Yoels, the machine is also being put to use in offices throughout China to check arriving employees for fever – one of the most prominent symptoms of COVID-19. If a health issue is detected, Temi directs the employee to a doctor’s office to avoid infecting colleagues.

In addition to telepresence robots, which enable video communication, monitoring and the safe delivery of food and medicine, robots are ramping up the fight against COVID-19 by disinfecting whit might be contaminated spaces.

Xenex Disinfection Services of San Antonio, Texas, has created UV robots that are in use in over 500 healthcare facilities across the United States.

“Studies show that less than half the surfaces in a hospital room – bed rails, tray tables, door knobs, grab bars, etc. – are properly disinfected when the room is being cleaned and prepared for the next patient,” Melinda Hart, director of media relations at Xenex, told The Media Line.

“Using the LightStrike robot as part of a comprehensive infection prevention program enables hospitals to quickly get rid of those pathogens before they can endanger patients and staff,” she said.

The LightStrike robot uses xenon (an odorless, stable gas) to create an intense UV light that destroys bacteria, viruses, mold and fungus on hospital surfaces. Hospitals using the robot have shown decreases of 50%-100% in Clostridium difficile bacteria, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) super bugs and surgical site infection (SSI) rates, according to Hart.

Since the machines are portable, they can be deployed throughout a hospital, including restrooms, labs and waiting rooms, and even in ambulances. Patient rooms can be disinfected in just 10-15 minutes.

“We consider our robots to be part of a hospital's cleaning team and they do not replace any employees,” she emphasized. “First, the room has to be cleaned and all visible dirt/fluids removed, trash emptied, linens removed – a normal cleaning. Then, once the room is visually clean, the robot is brought in by the EVS team-member and quickly destroys microorganisms that may have been missed during the manual cleaning process.”

Other robotics firms are tackling germs in public spaces that are particularly prone to the spread of infectious diseases. California-based Dimer UVC Innovations has developed GermFalcon, a robot that is designed to disinfect airplane cabins.

“Germs survive [for] several days on airplane surfaces, and airlines currently have no standards for onboard hygiene,” Elliot M. Kreitenberg, president and co-founder of Dimer UVC Innovations, told The Media Line, noting that the technology had recently been used at LAX airport.

“Potentially contaminated planes arriving from China were disinfected… until flights from China were suspended,” he said.

Kreitenberg declined to share the names of airlines using GermFalcon. However, he underlined that there were currently no hygiene regulations in place for air carriers and that he therefore believes the bot “could be the most important hygiene invention since the toilet.”

Whether deployed in hospital rooms, office buildings or airplanes, industry leaders believe the healthcare industry will come to rely more and more on robots in the coming years. Already used for assisting in surgeries and dispensing medicines, autonomous machines are expected to make life easier for medical staff by providing information and other services to patients in a timely manner.

“If you’re stuck in a hospital waiting for the doctor to visit you [and] tell you what your situation is, and then you have to wait another five hours, at least a robot can somehow assist in telling you what it’s about and give you some [kind of] explanation, which doctors sometimes don’t have time to do,” Robotemi’s Yoels told The Media Line.

“It’s not for nothing,” he said, “that the healthcare sector is one of our biggest [customers].”

Source: https://www.jpost.com/HEALTH-SCIENCE/Robots-take-on-coronavirus-618551

February 24th 2020

First device to reliably and repeatedly achieve central venous access from the inside-out in patients with venous obstructions.

SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 11, 2020 /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 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted a De Novo classification order for its Surfacer® Inside-Out®Access Catheter System. The Surfacer System is intended to obtain central venous access to facilitate catheter insertion into the central venous system for patients with upper body venous occlusions or other conditions that preclude central venous access by conventional methods. The Surfacer System employs a novel Inside-Out approach.

"The Surfacer System offers a safe and effective approach to reliably preserve and restore critical upper body vascular access sites," stated Mahmood Razavi, MD, Interventional Radiologist at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, California and lead principal investigator of the SAVE-US (Surfacer®System to Facilitate Access in VEnous Occlusions – United States) IDE study. "This is an unmet clinical need for patients who require life-saving therapies, such as dialysis, and who have limited options due to venous obstructions."

The Surfacer System is the first FDA cleared medical device to facilitate upper body central venous access in patients with venous obstructions or other conditions that preclude access by conventional methods. Approval is based on the results of the SAVE-US trial. Of the thirty enrolled patients, 90% met both the primary and secondary efficacy endpoints despite a complex patient population comprised largely of Type 3 and 4 obstructions (3 or more obstructed vessels). No device related adverse events were reported, confirming the safety and performance of the Surfacer System.

"Thoracic central venous obstruction (TCVO) is a costly problem associated with increased patient morbidity and reduced quality of life," stated Bart Dolmatch, MD, Interventional Radiologist at The Palo Alto Medical Foundation. "We've recently published reporting standards that create a common language for understanding and describing signs, symptoms, functional impairment, and anatomy of TCVO. BVT incorporated elements of these reporting standards into the SAVE-US trial, demonstrating the clinical impact of the Surfacer System. Now that it has been FDA cleared, the Surfacer will be part of the treatment algorithm for my patients with TCVO."

Thoracic central venous obstruction occurs in roughly 40% of patients where hemodialysis is performed via a central venous catheter.1 While permanent arteriovenous fistulas 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 obstructions is to use an alternative vein, which reduces the ability to place and mature a functioning fistula, resulting in increased catheter days and costs.

"We are thrilled BVT has reached this important milestone. For the first time ever, physicians in the U.S. can offer patients a reliable and repeatable solution to treat central venous obstructions and restore access to the right internal jugular vein – the preferred access site," stated Gabriele Niederauer, Ph.D., CEO and President of Bluegrass Vascular. "Through our experience in Europeand other international sites, the Surfacer System has consistently demonstrated a positive clinical impact. We are eager to bring the Surfacer System and its important benefits to patients in the US."

The Surfacer System will be available in select U.S. centers in the coming months. The system received CE Mark in 2016 and is available in Europe, Canada, Singapore and Middle East.

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 right 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. The Surfacer System is CE marked and distributed in Europe by Merit Medical, a global distributor of medical devices.

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: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fda-grants-de-novo-clearance-to-bluegrass-vascular-technologies-for-the-surfacer-inside-out-access-catheter-system-301002285.html

February 11th 2020

Morris Miller, CEO of Xenex Disinfection Services, discusses how the LightStrike germ-zapping robot could aid in the fight against the coronavirus.

Source: https://cheddar.com/media/xenex-disinfection-services-offers-to-deploy-germ-killing-robots-to-china

February 10th 2020

The Xenex Germ-Zapping Robot quickly destroys viruses before they can make people sick

Twelve people in the U.S. have tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus that has killed over 600 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control’s update on Friday.

Some hospitals are turning to a special robot that can kill pathogens with xenon light pulses.

LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robot from Xenex, a Texas-based company, uses pulsed xenon to quickly deliver germicidal ultraviolet (UV) light throughout hospitals and public places.

“We have thousands of robots in use in over 500 facilities around the world,” Xenex CEO Morris Miller told CNBC on Wednesday. “We’ve been contacted by about 200 of them that are using them to disinfect emergency rooms and other spaces where they have suspected coronavirus cases while they’re doing the test to determine whether they are coronavirus or not.”

The robot’s Full Spectrum™ light destroys viruses, bacteria, and bacterial spores in about five minutes per room.

The Xenex technology has been broadly adopted by the Department of Veterans Affairs after it was tested by Dr. Chetan Jinadatha, Chief of Infectious Disease at the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, who concluded in a research paper that the pulsed xenon ultraviolet light “appears to be superior to manual cleaning alone.”

In 2014, Xenex negotiated an exclusive patent license agreement with the VA for an improvement jointly developed by Dr. Jinadatha.

Source: https://techlinkcenter.org/coronavirus-outbreak-driving-demand-for-us-companys-robots/

February 7th 2020

Xenex Disinfection Services wants to sell or loan its germ-zapping LightStrike robots to China if the company can gain assurance its intellectual property rights will be protected.

Source: https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2020/02/06/coronavirus-scare-driving-global-demand-for-sa.html

February 6th 2020

Xenex CEO Morris Miller joins CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” team to discuss his company’s robots that are used to disinfect hospitals.

Source: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2020/02/05/these-virus-fighting-robots-are-being-used-to-disinfect-hospitals.html

February 5th 2020

The hospital purchased three robots to battle bacteria, germs, and even the Wuhan coronavirus.

NAPLES, Fla. - A zapping robot is aiming to help patients with bacteria and germs that go unseen inside a hospital.

“A lot of germs, we really don’t see them, but we know by testing them. Some of our patients come in sick or are compromised with MRSA or the coronavirus, that we’re talking about. Those are looming, and this technology will help defeat those kinds of pathogens," said Dr. Georgina Kruedelbach with NCH.

NCH Baker Hospital purchased three robots to battle bacteria, germs, and even the Wuhan coronavirus.

"This robot will be able to shine a light very bright across the room which effectively kills bacteria, cells and all the harmful superbugs you hear about," said regional director with Xenex, Will Compeland.

With all the different types of viruses we see at this time a year, we asked how long it would take to zap the germs.

“A general patient room we’re going to run 3-5 minute cycles, so we can effectively kill viruses in about five minutes," Compeland said.

Doctors want to make sure rooms around the hospital are cleaned for the next patient.

"The robots are going to be used up on the patient room floors and the operating rooms, as well as the important areas," Compeland said.

The hospital has three robots that cost $105,000 each, and NCH will look to expand in the future.

Source: https://www.abc-7.com/story/41658019/naples-hospital-is-using-robots-to-fight-germs

February 4th 2020

When doctors in a Washington hospital sought to treat the first confirmed case of the Wuhan coronavirus in the United States on Wednesday, they tapped a device called Vici that allowed them to interact with their patient not in person, but through a screen.

The telehealth device, which looks like a tablet on wheels that doctors can use to talk to patients and perform basic diagnostic functions, like taking their temperature, is one of a handful of high-tech machines that doctors, airport workers and hotel staff are using to help contain the outbreak that has been sweeping the world since it was discovered in Wuhan, China, in late December.

“Caregivers provide care within the isolation unit, but technology is allowing us to reduce the number of up-close interactions,” says Dr. Amy Compton-Phillips, chief clinical officer at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, Washington, where the patient is being treated. Vici, made by Santa Barbara, California-based InTouch Health, resembles a tablet on wheels, and can protect caregivers from infection.

“Minimizing the spread of this new virus is especially important because we have not yet built up any immunity to it,” Compton-Phillips says. During the SARS coronavirus outbreak in 2003, a large portion of those affected were healthcare workers, highlighting the difficulties of remaining safe while providing treatment.

China’s national health commission and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that the infection can spread from person to person, making telehealth devices and robots that minimize human contact in hospitals potentially lifesaving.

“If it’s not essential for certain supporting staff to be in the patient areas, it’s best for them to avoid it. The fewer people who are in contact with infected patients, the better,” says Peter Seiff, an executive at Aethon, a Pittsburgh-based private company that sells a robot called TUG that autonomously ferries medical supplies throughout hospitals.

Aethon’s TUG robots are being deployed at over 140 sites, though the company wouldn’t comment on whether the device is being used at any of the U.S. hospitals where more than 240 patients have been investigated for the novel coronavirus that has so far killed at least 200 people in China.

There, robots are delivering both food and medical supplies to people suspected of having the virus, according to Chinese news reports. A robot named “Little Peanut” is delivering meals to people quarantined in a hotel, while a hospital in southern China has rolled out bots to deliver medicine and collect bed sheets and rubbish.

Beyond delivery and telehealth, there’s surging demand for cleaning and disinfecting robots. Xenex, a San Antonio, Texas-based company that sells robots that use pulsed xenon UVC light to wipe out pathogens, says its devices are currently being used to clean rooms at facilities with suspected cases of the Wuhan coronavirus.

“Our science team has been on the phone nonstop with hospitals to discuss protocols for disinfecting rooms and areas where suspect patients have been and are being treated,” says spokesperson Melinda Hart. “We’ve also been in contact with government contacts in China and the U.S. to explore how quickly we could export robots to China.”

The devices, which cost about $100,000, have been shown to decrease healthcare-associated infections—those which are contracted while a person is receiving care for something else—in several individual hospital studies, done in collaboration with the company.

Meanwhile, a Los Angeles-based company called Dimer has offered one of its germ-killing machines to an airline at the city’s international airport for free. Normally, the GermFalcon devices sell for $100,000 per unit.

“We have been disinfecting inbound planes from China at LAX the last several days,” says president Elliot M. Kreitenberg. “Our machine fits in the interior of a plane like a puzzle piece and delivers high doses of ultraviolet light to the surfaces that you are most in contact with in a long-haul flight.”

While machines to help contain a virus’ spread are much more common now than they were during the 2003 SARS epidemic, the Wuhan coronavirus has already spread faster.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jilliandonfro/2020/02/02/robots-to-the-rescue-how-high-tech-machines-are-being-used-to-contain-the-wuhan-coronavirus/#57e7cf851779

February 2nd 2020

Gabi Niederauer has medical innovation in her blood.

The CEO of San Antonio’s Bluegrass Vascular Technologies took after her father, a German engineer who developed one of Europe’s first ceramic hip implants. A trained biomedical engineer, Niederauer took over Bluegrass in 2014, as the Kentucky–based medical device firm moved its headquarters to San Antonio.

After five years navigating the often-difficult terrain that is federal regulation, she expects, in the first half of this year, to finally receive Food and Drug Administration approval for Bluegrass’ novel catheter system for kidney dialysis patients.

Sometimes patients’ veins collapse, so typical hemodialysis access points, such as the neck, become unavailable. Bluegrass’ system allows medical professionals to reach large veins for hemodialysis through the femoral artery in the thigh. Niederauer said the catheter device has saved lives in Europe and Canada, where it’s already in use.

Entering the U.S. market will be a boon to the company, but Niederauer called it a shame that it will have taken four years longer to get approval in the U.S.

“You wish you could provide a life-saving product like ours as quickly as you could,” she said.

In particular, the product would benefit Bexar County residents, who suffer from a high rate of diabetes – a risk factor for kidney disease. About 14 percent of adults in the county have diabetes compared to 7 percent nationally, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The catheter method was developed by Dr. John Gurley, a researcher at the University of Kentucky, who founded Bluegrass in 2011.

Now that the technology is nearly commercialized in the U.S., Niederauer has been seeking funding from venture capital investors in the San Francisco area. The funds will help launch the product in the U.S. David Spencer, a fellow medical device entrepreneur, believes Bluegrass will likely sell the company after the device enters the market.

Spencer, as someone who has felt the frustration of slow regulatory processes, said he knows the difficult road Niederauer has had to navigate. Prior to founding Prytime Medical, Spencer spent years in the tech industry building a software company from the ground up.

“Coming out of the techie world, the concept that you are going to let the market decide is such an important part of the free market system,” he said. “[In the medical device field] you have to spend millions of dollars to convince the FDA to allow you go into the market and then see if it works.

“Convincing the FDA can be very challenging because they are the judge, jury, and executioner. They set the rules. They get to decide, and you have literally almost no recourse.”

Spencer said Niederauer has been unflappable in the face of regulatory burdens. Because the Bluegrass catheter system is novel – there isn’t a U.S. market analogue that exists – it takes more clinical studies and a generally more rigorous process to satisfy all of the FDA’s questions and concerns, Niederauer said.

Niederauer has been part of the San Antonio biomedical community for decades and credits the city, its medical facilities, and array of talent for providing fertile ground to grow Bluegrass. She expects that once the product hits the market it will be heavily utilized by local physicians.

“San Antonio’s biomedical ecosystem has the kind of business-friendly infrastructure and workforce talent needed to foster ongoing innovation in collaboration with our academic and military medicine partners,” said Ann Stevens, president of BioMed SA, a nonprofit that supports the growth of the local biomedical industry. As a result, the pipeline of promising medical device companies and innovations based here in San Antonio – including Bluegrass Vascular – shows great promise for the future.”

Niederauer has known she wanted to become an engineer for a long time.

One of her earliest memories is sitting on her father’s lap when she was about 3 years old and helping him draw schematics. But Niederauer credits her career in engineering and biomedical entrepreneurship to her family’s move stateside. Niederauer and her family arrived in South Carolina from Stuttgart, Germany, when she was 11.

Traditional roles for women remain fairly entrenched in her native country, Niederauer said, and she feels she would not have had as many avenues to pursue a career in engineering there.

Many women step out of the workforce during their child-rearing years in part because the government provides monetary support during maternity leave, she said.

“Had I stayed in Germany, I’m not sure I would have been encouraged or had the role models to [pursue a career in engineering],” she said.

Related: TechTonics: Webhead’s Janie Gonzalez Is on a Mission to Make Entrepreneurship Inclusive.

The representation of women in leadership positions in the U.S. private sector remains dismally low, however. According to Fortune, women made up less than 7 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs in 2019, an increase from less than 5 percent the year prior.

As a female CEO with an engineering background leading a company in the STEM field, Niederauer is an even rarer sight. Women represent just 14 percent of the workforce in architecture and engineering occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Niederauer said women represent about 8 percent of CEOs in the medical device field.

She said she remembers more than a few times when she has been one of the only women in a room of 30 people. In meetings with funders, it’s rare that the person holding the purse strings is a woman, she added.

Despite the hurdles, Niederauer found many female role models at Clemson University in South Carolina, where she earned her undergraduate degree.

Despite the inherent biases that remain, Niederauer has found a way to skate past some people’s preconceived notions of women in leadership positions, said Spencer.

“Gabi has an innate ability to seek out competence,” he said. “And she knows that people that disdain women because they’re women, are not particularly competent.”

Source: https://therivardreport.com/techtonics-gabi-niederauer-preps-novel-device-for-u-s-market-after-years-long-wait/

January 30th 2020

Stephen Dilly Appointed as Chairman of Board of Directors

HOUSTON, Jan. 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- DNAtrix, a leader in the development of oncolytic viruses for cancer therapy, announced today that Jeffrey Knapp has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer and to the Board of Directors. Stephen Dilly has been appointed as Chairman of the Board of Directors.

"We are pleased to welcome Jeff as Chief Executive Officer of DNAtrix," said Stephen Dilly, MBBS, Ph.D., Chairman of the DNAtrix Board of Directors. "We look forward to benefiting from his deep industry experience as a senior leader in the pharmaceutical industry, who has helped to develop multiple products in the clinic and bring them to market. As we prepare for Phase 3 development and the potential commercialization of our lead program, DNX-2401, Jeff's knowledge will be invaluable to us as we work to achieve our mission of delivering novel oncolytic virus therapies to patients with some of the most aggressive forms of cancer."

"I am thrilled to be working with DNAtrix at this pivotal time in the company's growth," said Mr. Knapp. "The data from the Phase 2 trial (CAPTIVE) of DNX-2401 is compelling and it demonstrates the potential of DNX-2401 to transform the standard of care for patients with recurrent glioblastoma. I look forward to working with this impressive team to advance DNAtrix's pipeline of oncolytic virus candidates through clinical development and to prepare for potential commercialization."

Mr. Knapp joins DNAtrix with over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, including 20 in executive management. He has developed and executed strategies supporting clinical development, regulatory approval, and commercial launch of multiple products across a diverse array of therapeutic areas. Mr. Knapp most recently served as Chief Operating Officer at Aimmune Therapeutics where he was responsible for preparing the company's first asset, AR101, for approval and commercial launch in the United States and Europe as a treatment for children and adolescents with peanut allergies. Previously, Mr. Knapp held several executive and senior management positions in biopharmaceutical companies at similar stages of growth. Mr. Knapp holds a B.A. in Biology with a Minor in Business Administration from Wittenberg University.

Dr. Dilly added, "On behalf of the DNAtrix Board of Directors, I would also like to extend our gratitude to Dr. Frank Tufaro for his leadership over the last several years, particularly for guiding the company through several clinical trials that have brought us to this important point. We are grateful for Dr. Tufaro's hard work to grow the company and for his commitment to patients."

Dr. Dilly brings over two decades of executive and senior management experience in the biopharmaceutical industry to the DNAtrix Board of Directors. He also serves as Board Chairman of Cognoa, a pediatric behavioral health company, is a Board member of Sangamo Therapeutics and Adjuvance Technologies, and is on the Industry Advisory Board of Longitude Ventures. Previously, Dr. Dilly served as Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of Aimmune Therapeutics, where he currently serves as Special Advisor on Clinical and Regulatory affairs. Earlier in his career, Dr. Dilly served in executive and senior management roles associated with the development and launch of marketed drugs for many therapeutic areas. Dr. Dilly holds an M.B.B.S., the equivalent of an M.D. in the U.S., from the University of London in the U.K. and a Ph.D. in Cardiac Physiology from University of London.

About DNAtrix
DNAtrix is a privately held, clinical stage, biopharmaceutical company developing oncolytic virus immunotherapies for cancer. Its oncolytic adenovirus platform is based on genetic modifications to the common cold virus that allow the virus to specifically infect and kill cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed. The company's investors include Morningside Ventures and Mercury Fund. For more information, please visit the company website at www.DNAtrix.com.

Contact
DNAtrix Inc.
Karen Basbaum
SVP Business Development
kbasbaum@dnatrix.com

Stern Investor Relations
Daniella Funaro
Daniella.Funaro@sternir.com
212-362-1200

Source: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dnatrix-appoints-jeff-knapp-as-chief-executive-officer-and-to-board-of-directors-300985462.html

January 13th 2020

The move by StemBioSys Inc. to acquire stake in Michigan-based biotech Cartox was years in the making and the reaction from others in the industry interested in similar collaboration with the San Antonio company has been almost immediate.

“We’ve been working with these guys for over two years,” StemBioSys CEO Bob Hutchens said during an exclusive interview.

Hutchens said Cartox President and CEO Todd Herron took an immediate interest in StemBioSys and its work during their first meeting. Herron and Hutchens developed the company’s lead technology at the University of Michigan.

Cartox's patented technology detects potential cardiotoxicity associated with medications, oncology drugs, environmental toxins and genetics.

Hutchens said they had an initial discussion in March and the deal came together over the summer.
“We sent him a new version of our product and he had some really interesting findings, which led to a whole set of studies. Ultimately, we got a $1.3 million grant with them,” Hutchens said.

The two had an initial discussion in March and the deal came together over the summer, Hutchens said.

StemBioSys put together the first formal deal sheet in the fall and the two sides reached an agreement in the fourth quarter of 2019. The transaction officially closed on Jan. 2.

StemBioSys has reached out or visited several companies and universities across the country, talking up its advanced stem cell technologies, their potential application in regenerative medicine and drug development globally.

At one point, StemBioSys leadership contemplated entering into a joint venture with Cartox to help expedite and expand its own commercial strategy.

“It was very clear … it was going to be hard to have two separate companies,” Hutchens said. “We thought it made more sense to have this under one roof.”

It hasn’t taken long for other companies to take note of the deal. One entity has already reached out to StemBioSys about potential third-party collaboration with the two companies.

“It’s been clear that having us speak with one voice and as one team is so much easier,” Hutchens said.

He believes there will be more deal flow or collaborative opportunities to follow.

Source: https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2020/01/10/behind-the-deal-how-stembiosys-new-acquisition-can.html

January 10th 2020

StemBioSys Inc., a San Antonio-based biomedical company that manufactures and develops advanced stem cell technologies, has struck a new deal.

It has bought a majority stake in Cartox Inc., a privately held biotech startup headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan, that develops innovative assays for high throughput screening of human cardiotoxicity, or heart muscle damage sometimes resulting from patients’ use of chemotherapy drugs or other medications. The company’s patent pending technologies utilize human stem cells derived cardiomyocytes, or heart muscle cells, for detecting potential cardiotoxicity, which can also be caused by environmental toxins and genetics.

StemBioSys will acquire all remaining equity in Cartox. The deal is subject to the achievement of certain milestones, company officials said.

“We have been working with the Cartox team and the researchers at the University of Michigan for over two years,” StemBioSys CEO Bob Hutchens said. “Through our combined efforts to date, we have demonstrated that the novel form of our matrix addresses an important unmet need in drug safety screening.”

Cartox has developed an innovative approach to test cardiac safety of new drugs before those drugs are given to human patients in clinical trial programs. That technology was initially developed at the University of Michigan by Dr.Todd Herron and Dr. José Jalife, who formed the company.

StemBioSys officials said they plan to take Cartox’s novel technology to market. Hutchens and others believe what the company brings to the table holds significant commercial promise for applications in both pre-clinical cardiotoxicity testing as well as the potential to revolutionize the cardiac drug efficacy screening process.

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been working to identify new technologies for cardiac safety testing for over five years,” Hutchens said. “We believe that by combining forces with Cartox, we can offer regulators and the marketplace a unique end to end solution to address this important issue.”

Over the last two years, the two companies have been working together on an application of StemBioSys' extracellular matrix technology. Researchers at Cartox demonstrated that a form of StemBioSys technology offers a unique environment for cardiomyocytes that are used in drug safety testing. The companies have continued to work together to further develop this technology.

The plan is for StemBioSys to drive the overall product development and commercialization effort of the two company’s respective technologies. Todd Herron, president and CEO of Cartox, said collaboration with StemBioSys’ scientific and management teams has allowed the Michigan company to advance its work in pre-clinical cardiotoxicity screening assays.

“These improvements provide a solution that FDA regulators, pharmaceutical companies and researchers have been searching for to improve the predictive power of pre-clinical safety screening using human cells,” he said. “This represents a big step towards reducing, refining and replacing the use of animals in the drug discovery and toxicity testing fields.”

StemBioSys Chairman Cathy Burzik expects the deal will have international implications.

“The acquisition of Cartox advances StemBioSys’ ability to provide drug screening and drug toxicology testing to pharmaceutical companies globally,” she said.

Source: https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2020/01/08/sa-biotech-acquires-majority-stake-michigan.html

January 8th 2020