Adults with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma can now access a new treatment option after NICE recommended brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris) in combination with other therapies for routine NHS use. This new treatment could benefit approximately 800 people annually with previously untreated stage 3 or 4 CD30-positive Hodgkin lymphoma. The combination includes brentuximab vedotin alongside doxorubicin, dacarbazine, and vinblastine.

This recommendation marks the first for previously untreated late-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma, following an improved confidential discount from the manufacturer, Takeda. The introduction of this combination therapy is particularly significant for patients who have exhausted other treatment options and were facing limited alternatives.

Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE, emphasized that the evidence shows brentuximab combination therapy delays disease progression and may extend survival compared to standard chemotherapy treatments. The ECHELON-1 trial demonstrated impressive overall survival rates for those receiving the new therapy.

Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer affecting the lymphatic system, and advanced stages often impact younger adults aged 20 to 24 and older adults aged 75 to 79. Current treatments can lead to severe side effects, including lung toxicity, fertility issues, and increased heart disease risk.

Brentuximab vedotin is administered via infusion, typically as part of several therapy cycles. This recommendation ensures the treatment is available immediately through the Cancer Drugs Fund, with interim funding until routine commissioning begins. This marks a significant milestone for patients with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma.

Cognito Therapeutics, a leading neurotechnology company, announced promising results from its OVERTURE feasibility trial at the AD/PD™ 2025 International Conference on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases. The trial assessed Spectris™, a non-invasive neuromodulation device designed to modify the course of neurodegenerative diseases. The data revealed that Spectris helped preserve the corpus callosum structure and induced gamma oscillation responses in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease.

After six months of daily treatment, Spectris patients showed significant preservation of the corpus callosum, the brain's primary white matter tract. In comparison to matched controls from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), Spectris patients exhibited a +0.58% increase in brain volume, while ADNI controls showed a -0.91% decline, a net difference of +1.49% (p<0.004). Additionally, subregions of the corpus callosum, including the genu, anterior and posterior body, and splenium, showed notable treatment differences.

Further analysis showed a correlation between gamma oscillations induced by Spectris and brain structure, particularly in the temporal and occipital lobes. These findings suggest that Spectris may be capable of modifying brain structure, providing strong evidence for its potential as a disease-modifying therapy.

Spectris is currently undergoing the pivotal HOPE trial, enrolling 670 patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Unlike traditional anti-amyloid treatments, Spectris is designed for at-home use, with no observed risk of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) and over 80% adherence in the OVERTURE study. The therapy has been granted Breakthrough Device Designation by the U.S. FDA.

Thermo Fisher Scientific, a leader in scientific advancements, has introduced the Thermo Scientific™ Krios™ 5 Cryo-TEM, a next-generation platform designed to revolutionize molecular structure analysis. This cutting-edge system combines enhanced optics with AI-enabled automation to deliver unprecedented throughput and precision, enabling researchers to study molecular interactions at atomic resolution.

The Krios 5 Cryo-TEM enhances techniques such as single particle analysis (SPA) and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), providing vital insights into the functioning of proteins, viruses, and cells. With a 25% improvement in throughput over previous models, the Krios 5 allows for detailed 3D visualization of proteins and their dynamics within biological cells. Key upgrades include AI-driven experimental setup and data acquisition, as well as a vacuum capsule transfer to prevent sample contamination during cryo-ET workflows.

This next-gen system builds on Thermo Fisher’s legacy in cryo-electron microscopy, supporting researchers in advancing drug discovery and developing innovative treatments. "By delivering unmatched automation and throughput, the Krios 5 empowers researchers to unlock crucial insights and combat diseases more effectively," said Trisha Rice, VP of Life Sciences at Thermo Fisher.

The Krios 5 also aligns with sustainability goals, featuring a low-power standby mode with quick wake-up capabilities to reduce energy consumption. Certified with the My Green Lab ACT Ecolabel, it helps scientists reduce their environmental footprint while advancing groundbreaking scientific research.

Novartis has announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval for Vanrafia® (atrasentan), a potent and selective endothelin A (ETA) receptor antagonist. This approval is for the reduction of proteinuria in adults with primary immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) at risk of rapid disease progression, typically defined as a urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPCR) ≥1.5 g/g. Vanrafia is a once-daily, non-steroidal oral treatment that can be used alongside supportive care, including a renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitor, with or without a sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor.

The FDA’s accelerated approval was based on an interim analysis from the Phase III ALIGN study, which showed a reduction in proteinuria after 36 weeks of treatment compared to placebo. However, it remains unproven whether Vanrafia slows kidney function decline in IgAN patients. Continued approval may depend on verification of clinical benefit from the ongoing Phase III ALIGN study, which is evaluating whether Vanrafia can slow disease progression as measured by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline, with data expected in 2026 to support traditional FDA approval.

Dr. Richard Lafayette, Professor of Medicine at Stanford University and an investigator in the ALIGN study, emphasized that this approval offers a new treatment option for IgAN patients, helping reduce proteinuria, a key risk factor in the disease. IgAN is a progressive kidney condition where the immune system attacks the kidneys, often leading to kidney failure. Up to 50% of IgAN patients with persistent proteinuria may progress to kidney failure within 10 to 20 years, requiring dialysis or a transplant.

Bonnie Schneider, Co-Founder of the IgA Nephropathy Foundation, highlighted that Vanrafia’s approval adds an important treatment option for a disease with diverse patient needs, helping to personalize care.

Gurugram-based pathology and imaging company, Modern Diagnostic & Research Centre Ltd, has filed its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on April 1.

Founded in 1985, Modern Diagnostic began its operations in pathology and imaging from New Railway Road in Gurugram. Over the years, the company has served over 1.5 crore customers. As per data from its official website, the company operates 21 centers nationwide, comprising 17 laboratories and 4 diagnostic centers, where it has conducted more than 20 crore tests.

Modern Diagnostic IPO Details

Through this book-built issue, Modern Diagnostic aims to raise capital by issuing 41 lakh equity shares, each with a face value of ₹10. The offer document does not include any offer-for-sale (OFS) component, and the total amount to be raised is not disclosed in the filing.

The SME IPO will be open for subscription for three days and will be listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange SME index after the subscription rounds are completed.

The company intends to utilize the funds raised from the IPO to meet its capital expenditure (capex) needs, which include purchasing medical equipment for its diagnostic centers and laboratories. Additionally, the proceeds will help fund working capital requirements and repay or prepay certain outstanding borrowings. The remaining funds will be used for general corporate purposes.

Beeline Capital Advisors Private Limited is serving as the book-running lead manager for the public issue, while MUFG Intime India Private Limited will act as the registrar for the offer.

For the financial year ending March 31, 2024, Modern Diagnostic reported a net profit of ₹5.79 crore and a revenue of ₹67.13 crore. For the July to September quarter of the 2024-25 financial year, the company reported a net profit of ₹4.95 crore and a revenue of ₹39.97 crore.

Kerala has been recognized by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for conducting the highest number of Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAAT) during the national 100-day TB Elimination campaign, which ran from December 7, 2024, to March 7, 2025. NAAT is a rapid molecular diagnostic test used to detect tuberculosis (TB).

During the campaign, Kerala tested 87,330 individuals for active TB infection, performing NAAT on 71,238 of them (82%). The early diagnosis provided by NAAT helps initiate faster treatment, reducing the risk of TB transmission. As part of the campaign, Kerala also increased the rate of preventive TB screening from 1,500 to 2,201 tests per lakh population.

The 100-day drive aimed to identify individuals at high risk of developing TB, reaching out to 81.6 lakh people. Of these, 1,98,101 individuals with possible TB symptoms underwent detailed examination. The campaign successfully detected 5,588 new cases of active TB, significantly contributing to the national effort to eliminate tuberculosis. Kerala's proactive measures have been praised for their success in early detection and case management, demonstrating a strong commitment to TB control.

In response to the US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose a 27 percent tariff on Indian goods, Rajiv Nath, the Forum Coordinator of AiMeD (Association of Indian Manufacturers of Medical Devices), emphasized the need for India to explore new avenues to reduce the impact of this tariff. AiMeD, which represents Indian manufacturers of medical devices across various categories like consumables, disposables, equipment, instruments, electronics, diagnostics, and implants, cautioned that the new tariff could pose a significant challenge to India’s medical device exports to the US.

Nath noted that India has been a key supplier of cost-effective, high-quality medical devices to the US, especially in the low-value, high-volume consumables category. However, with the imposition of this new tariff, the dynamics could shift, and India’s medical device exports could face potential setbacks. He suggested that India explore opportunities in areas where the US is seeking to diversify its supply chain dependence to mitigate the impact.

In the fiscal year 2023-24, India’s medical device exports to the US totaled $714.38 million, while imports from the US were significantly higher at $1,519.94 million, according to the Export Promotion Council of Medical Devices. Despite the relatively lower tariff imposed on India compared to China, which faces a 34 percent tariff, Nath noted that the true impact of this tariff on Indian exports would depend on how competitive India’s prices are compared to other countries.

Himanshu Baid, Managing Director of Polymedicure, added that the real challenge for India lies not in tariffs but in non-tariff barriers, particularly regulatory hurdles. The high costs associated with FDA approvals, which range from $9,280 to over $540,000, create a significant barrier for Indian companies seeking to enter the US market. In contrast, US exporters face far lower regulatory costs when entering India. Baid emphasized that addressing these imbalances through bilateral collaboration is essential to ensure a level playing field.

Nath reiterated Prime Minister Modi’s call to prioritize healthcare security by strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities in India, reducing dependence on foreign markets. AiMeD has urged the Government of India to engage in bilateral negotiations with the US to create a more balanced approach to both tariffs and regulatory policies. By doing so, India can position itself as a competitive global player in the medical device industry, ensuring the sustainability and growth of the sector while maintaining fair trade practices.

Becton Dickinson (BD), a leading US medical device company, is in talks with Thermo Fisher Scientific and Danaher about potentially selling its life sciences unit, which includes biosciences and diagnostic solutions. The unit is valued at up to $21.5 billion, according to analysts from Bank of America.

This move follows BD’s February announcement of plans to spin off the unit after activist investor Starboard Value pushed for its divestiture. Since the announcement, BD’s stock has dropped by about 7.5%. Alongside discussions with Thermo Fisher and Danaher, BD is also considering a tax-free Reverse Morris Trust transaction with smaller diagnostics firms such as Waters Corp, Qiagen, and Revvity.

The life sciences division is responsible for diagnostic products used in detecting diseases like cancer and infections. The potential sale is part of BD’s broader strategy to streamline its business and focus on core medical device operations. While talks are ongoing, none of the companies involved, including BD, Thermo Fisher, Danaher, Waters Corp, Qiagen, or Revvity, have commented publicly on the matter.

Pillar Biosciences, a leader in Decision Medicine™, has announced that its oncoReveal® CDx pan-cancer solid tumor in vitro diagnostic (IVD) next-generation sequencing (NGS) kit has received nationwide Medicare coverage from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This coverage marks a significant milestone in making cutting-edge cancer diagnostics more accessible.

The oncoReveal® CDx is a NGS-based IVD kit that leverages Pillar’s proprietary SLIMamp (Stem-Loop Inhibition-Mediated amplification) technology to detect single nucleotide variants (SNVs), insertions, and deletions in 22 genes. It utilizes DNA extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor tissue specimens, enabling pan-cancer tumor mutation profiling. This diagnostic tool is intended for use by qualified healthcare professionals in accordance with oncology guidelines, specifically for patients with previously diagnosed solid malignant tumors.

In addition to its role in cancer mutation profiling, oncoReveal® CDx has been approved as a companion diagnostic to identify patients who may benefit from specific therapies. It aids in identifying patients eligible for EGFR TKI therapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and guides treatment decisions in colorectal cancer (CRC) through its KRAS testing for ERBITUX® and VECTIBIX®. The oncoReveal® CDx has received FDA clearance for use on the Illumina MiSeqTM Dx platform and is reimbursed using the Proprietary Laboratory Analysis CPT code 0523U.

Traci Pawlowski, Vice President of Clinical Solutions at Illumina, emphasized that the partnership with Pillar Biosciences is crucial to making genomic testing more accessible and affordable, ensuring that more cancer patients can benefit from targeted therapies. Brian Wright, Chief Marketing Officer of Pillar Biosciences, added that this Medicare coverage will help ensure that actionable and reimbursable NGS testing is available to clinical laboratories and biopharmaceutical companies, leading to faster treatment decisions and improved patient outcomes.

Alcon, the global leader in eye care dedicated to helping people see brilliantly, today announced the launch of wavelight plus, India’s first fully personalized Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) treatment. Alcon is a leader in refractive vision correction and its next-generation wavelight plus technology introduces a new era of precision in refractive surgery, with unprecedented levels of personalization offering patients outstanding visual outcomes with minimal risk and excellent predictability. Wavelight plus has received Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) India approval, CE Mark and recently received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval.

Myopia is the most common refractive error, and globally, more than 30% of the population currently suffers from myopia. This number is expected to grow to nearly 50% by 2050. In India, cases of refractive errors are steadily increasing because of factors like increased screen time, reduced outdoor activities and lifestyle changes. Alcon’s latest refractive technology is an advanced LASIK solution that addresses the growing need with a highly personalized and sophisticated vision correction.

"Today's generation embraces an active lifestyle, fuelled by diverse passions and ambitious aspirations from an early age. However, wearing glasses can sometimes feel like an obstacle on their journey to fully realize their potential,” said Amar Vyas, Country Head, Alcon India. “Wavelight plus is a breakthrough in personalized vision correction, designed for the younger generation who refuse to be limited by spectacles. We are excited to offer Alcon’s latest innovation in vision correction in India. This launch also marks a new chapter in Alcon’s longstanding commitment to laser eye surgery, as we enable surgeons in India for the first time to deliver a fully personalized procedure, tailored to every patient’s complete eye system.

Unlike conventional Lasik treatment, wavelight plus uses Ray Tracing Technology to create a Digital Eye Twin, a highly detailed 3D model of each patient’s eye. This allows surgeons to simulate, test and optimize a fully customized treatment plan before surgery, ensuring a high level of accuracy and personalized vision correction. By considering the complete optical system rather than just the cornea, this innovation enhances surgical precision, safety and visual outcomes, often enabling patients to achieve vision beyond 20/20.

“Many patients come with high expectations for their vision—they are young professionals, athletes, artists who don’t want to be held back by glasses. Whether it’s swimming, adventure sports, dancing, or simply wanting sharper vision for daily activities, they seek the best possible results from LASIK surgery. With Alcon’s latest technology, it is now possible to offer them a truly personalized treatment that is unique to their optical system ensuring the highest level of precision without compromising safety. This advanced technology has transformed the way we approach LASIK, giving the patients 20/20 vision or better, helping them see the world with newfound clarity and confidence,” said a leading Eye Care Professional from Wavikar Eye Institute, Thane, who has completed 100 procedures with wavelight plus.  

The real-world clinical evidence of 200 patients who underwent wavelight plus LASIK found that the technology delivered visual acuity results that raised the bar for refractive outcomes, which is in line with Alcon’s clinical study. Key results from Dr. Chandra Bala’s study include:

·   100% of myopic eyes achieved uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) of 20/20 at 3 months.

·   89% of myopic eyes achieved postoperative UDVA of 20/16 and 50% achieved 20/12.5 at 3 months.

·    98% of eyes achieved postoperative UDVA within 1 line of their preoperative corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) by 3 months.

·    94% of eyes achieved the same or better postoperative CDVA than their preoperative CDVA by 3 months.

Since LASIK became widely available in India, the technologies have continually advanced from keratometry and refraction to corneal tomography and wavefront aberrometry. Wavelight plus builds on these advancements, using Sightmap diagnostic technology to analyze and refine treatment plans before surgery, offering patients outstanding visual clarity.

The decision to undergo refractive surgery is personal and Alcon’s latest technology in refractive surgery can help people reach 20/20 vision and beyond to live free from glasses. This information is for educational purposes only. Please consult a medical practitioner for further details.

Wavelight plus was first launched in China. It is available in several markets in Europe, Asia, and has recently received approval in the U.S.