Biologics, Wound Care, Infection Prevention

Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) is buying Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc (ANAC.O) in a $5.2 billion deal to add an eczema gel to its portfolio, just a month after the U.S. drug major scrapped plans to acquire Allergan Plc (AGN.N). Anacor shares surged as much as 56 percent to $99.94 on Monday, above the offer price of $99.25…

Scientists claim to have developed an invisible elastic film that can be applied to the skin to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and eye bags. Once applied, the formula dries to form a film that “mimics the properties of youthful skin”, Nature Materials reports after a series of small trials. At the moment it is…

HOSPITAL-acquired infections at a private academic hospital in Johannesburg dropped significantly after a new system for infection prevention and control was established, a study finds. Ventilator-associated pneumonias in the intensive care unit (ICU) decreased by 42% and central-line associated bloodstream infections in the same unit fell by 100% over a three year period at the…

Scientists have been able to make and study human embryos in their labs for decades. But they have never been able to keep them alive outside a woman’s womb for more than about a week. That limitation meant scientists were unable to conduct a range of detailed research into early human development. But now researchers…

TIDI Products, LLC, a leading manufacturer of clinically differentiated, single-use, infection-prevention products, today cited the presentation of important scientific research at the annual meeting of the International Association of Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management (IAHCSMM) in San Antonio, Texas. IAHCSMM is a professional association of more than 23,000 members dedicated to protecting employee and patient…

The new technique, developed by researchers from the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, was designed to enable selected molecular constituents in situ to rapidly and repeatedly regenerate after device implantation—a process that can significantly extend the life of implantable devices, and possibly be used as a means of controlled drug delivery. When it comes to ensuring…

  A new infection alert system in catheters could prevent serious infections in millions of hospital patients worldwide. The system, detailed in a new paper in Biosensors and Bioelectronics, changes the color of the urine so patients and carers can see easily if bacteria are starting to block the catheter. The researchers who invented the…

In November of 2015, scientists in southeastern China were combing through bacterial samples collected from hospitals in the Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces when they discovered something that would immediately grab the attention of the entire medical community. Many of the bacteria collected were carrying a new gene called MCR-1. It’s an innocuous-sounding name for a…

Some people appear to be born with ‘superhero DNA’ that cancels out genetic diseases like cystic fibrosis, say researchers. The study of nearly 600,000 people found 13 who should have developed debilitating diseases, but did not. The hope is discovering what, against the odds, keeps them healthy and if that could lead to new therapies.…

A wide range of hand-hygiene compliance monitoring systems are available to help facilities managers decrease the growing number of health care-associated infections (HAIs). These systems are designed to monitor the patient care environment, remind personnel of critical hand-washing events and provide data to drive improved compliance. While the market penetration is relatively low, health care…