October 26, 2021 - Fierce Biotech
The lack of representation in clinical trials has long been an issue and it appears little to no improvements have been made in one critical condition over the past 30 years: stroke. The average prevalence of stroke in women is about 48%, whereas about 37.4% of the nearly 589,000 patients in clinical trials between 1990 and 2020 were women, according to a new study, published this month in Neurology, the medical journal from the American Academy of Neurology. Inclusion of women in stroke trials in this timeframe across various metrics, "did not significantly change," according to a study of 281 such trials.
October 26, 2021 - Fierce Pharma
When it comes to health equity, Johnson & Johnson believes in going local for advice. The pharma’s latest innovation challenge bears that out by focusing on six cities—and by seeking suggestions directly from the people healthcare is leaving behind. The Health Equity Innovation Challenge is set to start in Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York City and Philadelphia, all areas that suffer extreme health inequality within the Black and Hispanic communities. The challenge is an open call to these communities to submit ideas to help open up access to quality care, improve diversity in science, push for more trustworthy community-based healthcare and prevent and treat illnesses that disproportionately affect them.
October 26, 2021 - Fierce Biotech
Cambrian Biopharma is on a mission to slow down the aging process and treat humans before they even develop cancer or Alzheimer's disease. Before the biotech can test its compounds in prevention-focused trials, though, it has to prove its chops in acute diseases and the company now has a $100 million boost for such work. The company is taking the "hub and spoke" approach to biotech building that Roivant has done by setting up, building and selling off its multiple Vants and like Atai Life Sciences has born out through its development of psychedelics-focused startups. Atai, which raised $225 million when it hit the Nasdaq in June, and Cambrian are co-founded by the same person: German billionaire Christian Angermayer.
October 27, 2021 - Fierce Healthcare
A new study estimates there remains $26.8 billion in a pot of money meant to shore up hospitals’ revenue holes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and more money could be on the way. The Urban Institute released an analysis Tuesday estimating what is left of a $178 billion fund passed by Congress last year under the CARES Act. The analysis, commissioned by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, called for the Biden administration to better target which providers are still facing problems fighting the virus. Urban’s analysis of publicly available information found that $7.1 billion of the provider relief fund has not been allocated as of this month. Another $19.7 billion has been allocated to certain providers but hasn’t been sent out.
