News Archive

Children’s National Hospital successfully performed the first-ever high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) surgery on a pediatric patient with neurofibromatosis (NF). This is the youngest patient to undergo HIFU treatment in the world. The advancement of children’s medical devices in the U.S. continues to significantly lag behind adult devices. This is why this milestone marks a significant advance in making pediatric surgery more precise and less invasive.

The hospital is offering this treatment to patients under an ongoing research clinical trial. Children’s National is one of the first pediatric hospitals in the nation to use HIFU for neuro-oncology patients. It’s also the first hospital in the world to use it to treat a pediatric patient with NF. NF is a condition that occurs in approximately 1 in 3,500 births and causes tumors to form in the brain, spinal cord and nerves.

“Using HIFU to treat our pediatric patients is a quantum leap towards non-invasive surgery for kids,” said Robert Keating, M.D., division chief of Neurosurgery and co-director of the HIFU program at Children’s National. “It’s exciting because the future is now here and it’s significantly better for our kids, in terms of non-invasive surgery with lower risk of complications and no exposure to radiation.”

Image: Children’s National Hospital successfully performed the first-ever high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) surgery on a pediatric patient with neurofibromatosis (NF). This is the youngest patient to undergo HIFU treatment in the world. Image provided by Insightec.

At some point, all of us experience moments when we must face the difficult decision to let go of something that formerly offered us purpose. But big decisions, like a career change, should be approached thoughtfully. While sometimes this can be done by reinventing your current work, there are times where the right choice is to strike out on a fresh path.

While domestic sales to American customers are typically cash in advance or on open account, did you know that companies outside of the United States are often accustomed to other methods of payment? Offering attractive and flexible payment terms is an excellent way to win business internationally, but can be risky for your business. It’s important to be well versed in the technicalities so you can prevent payment-related issues before they happen. 

As a mentor to many entrepreneurs and business owners, I find that many of you have a real fear of uncomfortable interaction situations with individuals on your team, and often delay these discussions endlessly until a crisis occurs. I am often asked for ways to reduce the stress of these impending confrontations, and build up your courage in tackling the inevitable negative conversations.

I’m sure that many of you have some good thoughts on how to deal with difficult situations, but I was very impressed with the summary of recommendations provided in the new book, “Compassionate Leadership,” by Rasmus Hougaard and Jacqueline Carter. Both of these authors come from leadership backgrounds, with much experience in management training and consulting.

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In 2020, the failure rate of startups was around 90%. Research showed that 21.5% of startups failed in the first year, 30% in the second year, 50% in the fifth year, and 70% in their 10th year. Stats like these can make a startup founder or a venture capital investor feel like things are a bit bleak, but perhaps there is a better way.

There are ways to avoid failing like setting goals, doing accurate research, loving the work you do and not quitting at the first sign of challenges. These all sound easier said then done, but the recipe for success can be just that simple. Let’s dive into some of the main reasons startups fail.

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FREDERICK, Md. and BRISBANE, Australia, Jan. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Digital diagnostics company Ellume today announced that the QIAreach QuantiFERON-TB test (QIAreach QFT), developed with Ellume technology, and designed to advance the control of tuberculosis (TB) in areas with limited infrastructure, has been approved by the Global Fund’s Expert Review Panel for Diagnostics.  Approval of QIAGEN N.V.’s battery-operated QIAreach QFT means the product will now be available to public health programs and institutions in more than 100 countries that qualify for Global Fund and/or UNITAID resources, as well as through the Stop TB Partnership’s Global Drug Facility (GDF). This development comes after the QIAreach QFT product was launched in October 2021, following CE marking.

Johns Hopkins researchers Nickolas Papadopoulos, Ken Kinzler and Bert Vogelstein have spent their careers working on ways not just to treat cancer but to detect it before it becomes a threat. The goal: a blood test for the earlier detection of cancer incorporated into routine medical care. Their dream is closer to reality thanks in part to a $2.15 billion acquisition of their company, Thrive Earlier Detection Corp., one year ago by Exact Sciences Corp., a global leader in cancer-detection testing.

The heart of the researchers’ work is the liquid biopsy, a test done on a blood sample to look for signals derived from cancer cells circulating in the blood. In 2011, they invented SafeSeqS, a next-generation gene sequencing technology that simultaneously and individually analyzed millions of DNA molecules to identify mutations in the bloodstream more accurately than other methods.

Blockchain and “connected health” technology are two trends hospitals should not rush to adopt, according to two hospital innovation executives.

Discussions of blockchain have been increasingly prominent in the technology industry in recent years, and it shows potential for healthcare applications. However, it can be tricky for hospitals to figure out how to deploy the technology, Michelle Stansbury, vice president of IT innovation at Houston Methodist, told Becker’s.

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Feb. 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Arcellx, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACLX), a biotechnology company reimagining cell therapy through the development of innovative immunotherapies for patients with cancer and other incurable diseases, today announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 8,250,000 shares of common stock at a public offering price of $15.00 per share. The gross proceeds from the offering, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses payable by Arcellx, are expected to be approximately $123.8 million. In addition, Arcellx has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 1,237,500 shares of common stock at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions. All of the shares of common stock are being offered by Arcellx. Arcellx’s common stock is expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on February 4, 2022, under the ticker symbol “ACLX.” The offering is expected to close on February 8, 2022, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

BofA Securities, SVB Leerink, Barclays and William Blair are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering.