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Aug. 27, 2020
 
 
ONCOLOGY
 
 
COVID‐19 and oncology: Service transformation during pandemic
Wiley Online Library
The COVID‐19 pandemic has challenged healthcare systems around the world, where resources have refocused on increasing critical bed capacity to prepare for the peak in incidence of COVID‐19. Oncology faces an unprecedented challenge as patients require multidisciplinary care and are more likely to be immunosuppressed.
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Better survival in oropharyngeal cancer after robotic surgery
Medscape
Transoral robotic surgery was associated with better survival and improved surgical outcomes in comparison with nonrobotic surgery in patients with early-stage oropharyngeal cancer in a retrospective analysis of nearly 10,000 cases.
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New surgical approach for women at risk of ovarian cancer
ScienceDaily
For women at high risk of ovarian cancer, the standard preventive practice is to offer removal of both the fallopian tubes and ovaries, but the surgery induces menopause in women who have not yet reached this stage of life. Early menopause is associated with side effects like increased risk of heart-disease, osteoporosis, neurocognitive decline and sexual-dysfunction.
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GENOMICS
 
 
DNA nanoswitches may provide an inexpensive platform to rapidly detect emerging viruses
News-Medical.Net
Programmable DNA nanoswitches that bind to viral RNA in human body fluids may provide an inexpensive platform to rapidly detect a wide variety of emerging viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, according to a new study. This approach may make testing more manageable in resource-limited areas, since it does not require enzymes or significant laboratory infrastructure, only costs about ¢1 cent per reaction, and can be performed within hours.
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There are 568 genes that can trigger cancer, researchers say
Becker's Hospital Review
Scientists in Spain have identified more than 500 genes with the potential to trigger cancer. Researchers from Institute for Research in Biomedicine Barcelona in Spain performed a computational analysis of about 28,000 tumors from 66 types of cancer. They pinpointed 568 cancer driver genes, which play specific roles in the regulation of cell growth, the cell cycle and DNA replication.
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Genomics study shows multiple and diverse SARS-CoV-2 introductions in the US capital region
News-Medical.Net
A recent study led by the researchers from Johns Hopkins University reveals multiple and diverse introductions of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in the U.S. National Capital Region during the initial phase of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
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EMERGING MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES
 
 
New potential targeted therapy in triple-negative breast cancer
Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News
Triple-negative breast cancer accounts for about 10–15% of all breast cancers. It differs from other types of invasive breast cancer, in that, it grows and spreads faster, has limited treatment options and a worse prognosis.
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How new technologies are benefitting in rehabilitation
MedTech Outlook
Demand for physical therapy services is rising due to the aging population and the growing number of bone and organ replacement surgeries. With the increasing development in robotics and 3D technology, physiotherapy professionals and health clinics are applying assistive technology and robotics rehabilitation.
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Link between gut microbiome and cancer treatment outcomes
Technology Networks
Physicians at City of Hope, working in collaboration with scientists at Translational Genomics Research Institute, have found that greater gut microbial diversity in patients with metastatic kidney cancer is associated with better treatment outcomes on Food and Drug Administration-approved immunotherapy regimens. Their findings are outlined in a study published Aug. 20 in the journal European Urology.
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BIOTECH/DIAGNOSTICS/PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
 
 
Highly automated precision medicine is the future of cellular immunotherapy
Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News
Challenges remain in cell therapy manufacturing optimization and scalability, especially when developing autologous therapies. In a recent GEN webinar, Matthew Hewitt, PhD, head of R&D and clinical development, personalized medicine at Lonza, and Stacey Willard, PhD, director of product management at IsoPlexis, provided an overview of the Cocoon™ cell therapy manufacturing platform and the IsoLight™ single-cell proteomics system along with data from case studies.
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Precision medicine provides vital ‘checklist’ to individualize patient therapy
Healio
An increasing number of predictive biomarkers, along with deeper understanding of “-omics” like genomics and metabolomics, is pushing rheumatology closer to treatment using precision medicine, according to a recent presentation.
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RENEGERATIVE MEDICINE
 
 
A new molecular guardian of intestinal stem cells
ScienceDaily
Researchers investigated how intestinal stem cells are controlled at the molecular level to remain stem cells or to develop into one of various intestinal cells. By studying mice lacking the protein IRF2, the researchers found a blunted regenerative response and an increased development of immature Paneth cells upon intestinal inflammation and infection. These findings help clarify the molecular biology of intestinal stem cells.
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Scientists discover stem cells in the optic nerve for the first time
Optometry Today
Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine have located stem cells in the area of the optic nerve that transmits signals from the eye to the brain. The study, which is described in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, provides new insight into how glaucoma may develop.
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MANAGED HEALTHCARE NEWS
 
 
Survey finds nearly half of Americans having insurance coverage troubles
Fierce Healthcare
The first half of this year had 43% of working-age adults without stable insurance, an issue compounded by not just the COVID-19 downturn but by lingering problems with health plan affordability, a new survey finds. The survey, published Aug. 19 by the Commonwealth Fund, looks at reasons for instability in health insurance coverage, which has been thrown into disarray due to major job losses from the COVID-19 pandemic.
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How technology can revolutionize outcomes-based care
Managed Healthcare Executive
Sometimes, big changes in how we work and live are driven by technology. Think smartphones, for example. At other times, social change and technological innovation dovetail perfectly to help us reimagine what we do. In healthcare, over the last decade, the focus on outcomes-based care has coincided perfectly with advances in network-based communication to open a new world of patient experience solutions that produce results for hospitals and the public.
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FDA: NEW TREATMENTS AND TECHNOLOGY
 
 
FDA approves wider use of plasma as coronavirus treatment
HealthDay News via U.S. News & World Report
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Aug. 23 cleared the way for more hospitalized coronavirus patients to be treated with the blood plasma of COVID-19 survivors. President Donald Trump announced the emergency approval as a "breakthrough" treatment during a news briefing Aug. 23 — even though many scientists said the approval was rushed through.
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Novartis wins FDA approval to repurpose leukemia drug against multiple sclerosis
Reuters
Novartis on Aug. 20 won U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to repurpose an 11-year-old blood cancer drug against multiple sclerosis as the Swiss drugmaker takes on rival Roche’s big-selling Ocrevus for the autoimmune disorder.
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ACCOUNTABLE CARE ORGANIZATIONS
 
 
Less than 20% of Medicare spending is value-based
HealthLeaders Media
Less than 20% of Medicare spending is value-based, according to a Coverys study released Aug. 18. The Boston-based health insurance company stated in its report that around $1 trillion of healthcare risk must shift from the federal government to hospitals in order to meet the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services' goal for Medicare providers to be in a fully value-based reimbursement model by 2025.
READ MORE
 
 
Proposed 2021 Medicare pay schedule: 9 things doctors should know
AMA
Significant positive changes are on the way for 2021 related to coding and payment for evaluation and management physician office-visit services. Also looming, however, are several potential negative changes, such an offsetting across-the-board payment cut for all physicians and other health professionals, as detailed in the proposed 2021 Medicare physician payment schedule issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
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NAMCP UPDATES
 
 

In late 2018, the National Association of Managed Care Physicians (NAMCP) decided to create the Value Based Care Council (VBCC). The VBCC mission supports empowering medical directors with information and resources to assist them in making value based decisions that support achieving the Triple AIM of improved outcomes and the patient experience while reducing overall costs. The goal is to improve the integration of cost, quality, and access in the clinical decision making process so as to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of extracting value from the associated spend in order to optimize outcomes.

Pursuant to the above, and in response to an unmet need in the marketplace, the VBCC developed a short form in order to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency with which value propositions can be shared between industry and the medical leadership of various payers throughout the country. This same short form provides a concise and consistent manner with which value propositions can be shared and provides the ability to align expectations prior to actually conducting conversations or having a meeting regarding a product or service.

The Product Value Proposition Customer Engagement Short Form can be found on the NAMCP website (www.namcp.org) in the Value Based Care Council subsection of the Councils tab, under tools and resources. Please contact Will Williams at wwilliams@namcp.org with questions or for additional information.


Jazz Pharmaceuticals is excited to announce the approval of ZEPZELCA™ (lurbinectedin) for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic small cell lung cancer (SCLC) with disease progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. ZEPZELCA is a second-line therapy that has been studied in both platinum-sensitive and -resistant SCLC patients. Please click here for more information.


Takeda Pharmaceuticals is part of, "The Fight Is In Us", an initiative to maximize the individual and societal benefit of COVID-19 plasma. The campaign will focus on recruiting COVID-19 survivors to donate their plasma at licensed blood and plasma donor centers.
  • If you’ve recovered from #COVID19, your immune system has antibodies that could be used as a treatment. See if you can help others by donating plasma www.TheFightIsInUs.org. #TheFightIsInUS

  • The antibodies that helped you or someone you know fight off COVID-19 may be able to help others. Visit www.TheFightIsInUs.org to see if you qualify to donate plasma. #TheFightIsInUs
You are a survivor, now you could be a hero. Plasma from recovered #COVID19 patients could play a key role in creating a potential therapy for coronavirus. Learn how you can donate at www.TheFightIsInUs.org #TheFightIsInUs


Biodesix, Inc., a leading diagnostic company in lung disease, recently announced a partnership with Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: BIO and BIOb) to bring a COVID-19 Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR) test to the FDA for an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) approval to support the escalating need for testing in the U.S. Two studies published this month, ahead of peer review, reported that ddPCR testing showed superior sensitivity and precision for clinical detection of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) compared to existing test methods that are performed using qPCR. Biodesix currently has a focus on lung disease and offers other diagnostic testing for lung cancer utilizing the ddPCR platform.Click here for more information.


"Modeling Cost-Effectiveness of On-Demand Treatment for Hereditary Angioedema Attack" was recently published in the Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy's February 2020 issue. Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare disease that causes painful and potentially fatal episodes of swelling (attacks). HAE attacks can be unpredictable and the need to treat sudden attacks promptly and effectively is critical to minimize risk of hospitalization, morbidity, and mortality. A cost-effectiveness model was evaluated that considers evaluation of on-demand medications, healthcare utilization and patient well-being. For access to the publication, please click here.


Biodesix, Inc. announced initiation of the next phase of their biomarker development program with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Pfizer Inc. The companies have completed initial discovery and development of a new proteomic test that identifies likely responders to the anti-PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor (BAVENCIO®) (avelumab). Development efforts will now focus on transferring the test into Biodesix's CLIA lab in Boulder, CO for clinical phase test validation. The new test was developed through retrospective analysis of the circulating proteome of cancer patients treated with the investigational drug candidate, utilizing the proprietary Biodesix Diagnostic Cortex™ artificial intelligence (AI) platform. Click here to read the full press release.


The NAMCP Medical Directors Institute recently held the first meeting of its Executive Leadership Council (ELC) at the recent Fall Managed Care Forum. The NAMCP Medical Directors Institute decided in late 2018 to create the Value Based Care Council (VBCC) with a mission to empower medical directors with information and resources to assist them in making value based decisions that support achieving the Triple AIM of improved outcomes and the patient experience while reducing overall costs. Click here to view an overview of the genesis, formation, and work of NAMCP's Value Based Care Council. Please click here to view the press release.


LivaNova PLC (NASDAQ:LIVN), a market-leading medical technology and innovation company, today announced the first patient enrolled in "A Prospective, Multi-center, Randomized Controlled Blinded Trial Demonstrating the Safety and Effectiveness of VNS Therapy® System as Adjunctive Therapy Versus a No Stimulation Control in Subjects With Treatment-Resistant Depression" (RECOVER). The study will evaluate Vagus Nerve Stimulation Therapy (VNS Therapy) for Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD) in accordance with the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) National Coverage Determination as part of its Coverage with Evidence Development Program. The first patient was enrolled by Dr. Azfar Malik in St. Louis. Click here to read the full press release.


Biodesix, Inc. this week highlighted findings from multiple studies demonstrating the significance and clinical utility of its VeriStrat® blood-based proteomic test as a predictive biomarker for patient survival outcomes and as a diagnostic tool to improve the clinical management of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This information is vital to implementing optimal treatment strategies for patients and supports disease state monitoring. To date, VeriStrat testing has helped more than 50,000 patients in determining the best treatment for their lung cancer. Click here to see the full press release.
 
 
Genomics Biotech and Emerging Medical Technologies Institute eBrief
 
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