Harnessing the Power of the Heart and Mind: Overcoming Atrial Fibrillation and Launching a Business | By Jim Kaveney

September 18, 2024

The journey of overcoming personal health challenges while navigating the rough waters of entrepreneurship can be both physically and mentally taxing. For me, the dual battle of managing atrial fibrillation (AFib) and building my company, Alkemy Partners, required a steadfast commitment to resilience. AFib, a condition that impacts millions globally, disrupts the heart’s normal rhythm and can lead to serious complications. At the same time, launching a business in the wake of the Great Recession brought its own set of unique challenges.

Understanding Atrial Fibrillation and Its Impact on Life

Atrial Fibrillation is the most common heart arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, that can increase the risk of strokes, heart failure, and other heart-related complications. Affecting approximately 2.7 to 6.1 million people in the United States alone, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), it is estimated that by 2030, 12 million Americans will be living with AFib, driven by aging populations, lifestyle factors, and advancements in diagnostics that are identifying more cases than ever before.

When I was diagnosed with AFib at the age of 38, it felt like a physical betrayal. I was relatively young, leading a business, and suddenly my heart seemed to develop a mind of its own. At times, it would beat uncontrollably fast (tachycardia), and at other times, it would slow to an alarming rate (bradycardia). This was later diagnosed as tachy-brady syndrome, which eventually necessitated the insertion of a pacemaker. Despite undergoing multiple cardiac ablations and cardioversions to reset my heart’s rhythm, AFib proved to be a persistent challenge. My heart, quite literally, was out of sync.

My heart’s unpredictability often made me question my ability to lead and inspire while building a company from scratch. But it was precisely this combination of challenges that pushed me to rethink how to harness the power of both the heart and mind.

The Entrepreneurial Mindset and Its Parallels to Overcoming Afib

Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. It requires resilience, grit, and the ability to adapt quickly to changing circumstances. According to research from the Harvard Business Review, 75% of startups fail due to various factors, including lack of market fit and financial challenges. This statistic can weigh heavily on business leaders, many of whom experience burnout, anxiety, and even depression while navigating the constant ups and downs of entrepreneurship. I know it weighed heavily on me.

Entrepreneurial success, much like the management of AFib, is heavily reliant on mindset. In my experience, two key factors were essential in dealing with both my health and business challenges: adaptability and tenacity. From a business perspective, adaptability meant pivoting my strategy as the market shifted and responding to unexpected obstacles—such as my partner leaving the company early in the venture. The same adaptability applied to my AFib diagnosis. Learning to live with AFib required me to change my lifestyle, including modifying my diet, exercising cautiously, and undergoing multiple medical procedures.

One striking parallel between entrepreneurship and managing a chronic health condition is the unpredictability that characterizes both experiences. The marketplace can shift at any moment, just as my heart could go into an arrhythmic episode without warning. I quickly learned that in both situations, it wasn’t the avoidance of difficulty that led to success but the ability to thrive in uncertain conditions. This concept is often echoed in the entrepreneurial world, where resilience and the ability to embrace failure are seen as keys to eventual success. AFib taught me that even when I couldn’t control the rhythm of my heart, I could control my response to it. Similarly, in business, I couldn’t always control external factors, but I could control how I responded to market forces, financial hurdles, and personal challenges.

The Heart and Mind: A Powerful Partnership

Physically, my heart became the epicenter of my struggle, but mentally, it became a symbol of the resilience I needed to keep going. Researchers have long acknowledged the close connection between heart health and mental health. Studies show that up to 35% of patients with chronic heart conditions, including AFib, experience anxiety, while nearly 20% struggle with depression, according to the American Heart Association. This mind-body connection was particularly relevant in my case, as the stress of running a business intensified my AFib symptoms, and those symptoms, in turn, fed into a cycle of anxiety and stress. This mind-body connection was particularly relevant in my case, as stress from running a business exacerbated my AFib symptoms, and my AFib symptoms, in turn, created additional stress.

To combat this vicious cycle, I focused on what I could control: my mindset. I turned to mindfulness as a way to calm my mind and manage the stress that inevitably triggered AFib episodes. The American Heart Association highlights that stress management plays a crucial role in reducing AFib episodes, emphasizing the need to treat both the body and mind when facing heart conditions. Such seemingly small things can significantly improve heart health by lowering blood pressure, reducing inflammation, and stabilizing heart rhythms. By cultivating a sense of mental calm, I was able to keep my heart more stable.

Building Resilience: Lessons Learned from Pain and Purpose

Resilience, however, is not an inherent trait but a learned skill. Research by psychologist Angela Duckworth has shown that “grit,” or the perseverance and passion for long-term goals, is often a better predictor of success than talent or intelligence. In both health and business, grit became the defining factor that helped me move forward, even when circumstances seemed overwhelming.

When I was diagnosed with AFib, it was easy to feel alone in the battle. But over time, I realized the importance of having a solid support system—doctors, family, friends, and mentors. A study from the National Library of Medicine found that heart patients with strong social support had better health outcomes and lower mortality rates. The same holds true for entrepreneurship. Surrounding yourself with people who believe in your vision, who can offer advice and emotional support, is crucial. Entrepreneurs with strong mentor relationships are more likely to succeed, according to research from Forbes.

Ultimately, the experiences of living with AFib and building a business coalesced into a singular journey of transformation. I went on to sell Alkemy Partners in 2020 after eight years, a testament to the grit and adaptability that helped me navigate its early challenges.

From Pain to Purpose: Launching a New Venture

If there’s one thing that ties my journey through AFib and entrepreneurship together, it’s the importance of purpose. Managing AFib for me is not just about staying healthy—it’s about being there for my family, living my life fully, and building my business to help other patients find the same balance.

The future of AFib treatment is bright, thanks to groundbreaking advances. Catheter ablation, a procedure that uses radiofrequency energy to destroy the heart tissue responsible for irregular heartbeats, has become a game-changer. Studies show that this treatment can reduce AFib recurrence by up to 80%, significantly improving patients’ quality of life. Additionally, the integration of AI and machine learning in diagnostics is revolutionizing how AFib is detected and managed. Wearable technology, such as smartwatches with electrocardiogram (ECG) capabilities, now enables real-time monitoring and early detection of AFib episodes, leading to timely interventions and better outcomes.

Purpose-driven entrepreneurs are more successful in the long term, as research from Psychology Today shows. Having a clear vision helps them navigate obstacles and maintain focus, even in the toughest moments when giving up feels like the easier option. For me, this sense of purpose not only kept me going in business but also in my commitment to health—because I want to live long enough to see my dreams realized.

The Dual Power of the Heart and Mind

In both entrepreneurship and managing AFib, I have learned that the heart and mind are not in opposition but work together in powerful harmony. Whether navigating the unpredictable rhythms of my heart or the rollercoaster ride of building a business, I discovered that resilience is born from this partnership. By harnessing the power of both, I transformed my pain into purpose, allowing me to overcome the challenges of AFib and entrepreneurship, and ultimately, to help others do the same.

Editor’s Note: Jim Kaveney is all heart. In 2012 Jim founded Alkemy Partners (a Life Sciences Learning and Performance company that was ranked by Inc5000 in 2019 and 2020 before achieving acquisition in 2020 by EVERSANA™) and he is currently the founder of Unlimited Heart Health & Wellness—a collaborative organization of health care professionals accelerating cardiac innovation. After years of balancing entrepreneurial ambitions with his own growing cardiac issues, Jim Kaveney, M.S. has turned his pain into a purpose to become an expert in navigating the burgeoning worlds of digital therapeutics, global startup initiatives, and the mindset training required to tackle the pillars of a holistic work-health-faith-family-life balance.

Growing up as the youngest of nine in Erie, Pennsylvania, he sought understanding and solace in forces greater than himself, a quest that has influenced his personal and professional journey. Through his story, he hopes to empower others to find strength and resilience in the face of health challenges, while continuing to innovate and advocate for better patient care solutions.

ACEP to CMS: Require Hospital Plans to Address Boarding in Emergency Departments

September 16, 2024

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) calls on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to require hospitals to develop and implement response plans to better address boarding in the emergency department.

“Overloaded health systems are jamming emergency departments with admitted patients waiting for inpatient beds to become available—people’s lives are at risk,” said Aisha Terry, MD, MPH, FACEP, president of ACEP. “Boarding of these patients is a deadly combination of systemic delays and dysfunction that has become a public health crisis. Emergency care teams are doing all they can, but patients deserve better.”

ACEP proposes that CMS update its emergency services Condition of Participation (CoP) with a requirement for hospitals to have a plan in place, and to act on it, when the number of patients boarding in the emergency department for hours, days, or longer until a staffed inpatient bed becomes available exceeds a particular threshold.

The letter said:
“ED boarding and crowding are not caused by ED operational issues or inefficiency; rather, they stem from broader health system dysfunction. This dysfunction also leads to negative patient outcomes, as a substantial body of evidence has shown that ED boarding and crowding lead to increased cases of mortality related to downstream delays of treatment for both high and low acuity patients.

Boarding can also lead to ambulance diversion, increased adverse events, preventable medical errors, lower patient satisfaction, violent episodes in the ED, emergency physician and staff burnout, and higher overall health care costs.”

ACEP’s proposal is designed to be flexible for facilities of all sizes and locations with protocols that can be customized based on specific staffing arrangements and other considerations.

This is the latest piece of ACEP’s comprehensive campaign to address boarding in emergency departments that includes alerting the White House, gathering hundreds of troubling stories directly from the frontlines, convening the nation’s first stakeholder summit on boarding, tying boarding-related attestations to hospital performance measures, and advocating for solutions at the state and national level.

“Challenges that arise from boarding are often seen in emergency departments, but that’s not where they start,” said Dr. Terry. “Emergency physicians cannot solve this crisis alone. Solutions require collaboration across the health care continuum. Together, we must address the root causes of boarding in the emergency department to provide better, faster care for our patients.”

Contact sarnoff@acep.org to speak to a national spokesperson for ACEP and/or an emergency physician in your community.

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John Beeler Appointed SVP of Business Development at BPGbio

September 16, 2024

BPGbio, Inc., a pioneering biology-first, AI-powered, clinical-stage biopharma specializing in mitochondrial biology and protein homeostasis, today announced the appointment of John Beeler, Ph.D., as Senior Vice President of Business Development. Dr. John Beeler, a seasoned biopharma executive with extensive experience in growing innovative companies, will lead BPGbio’s business development team in securing licensing and commercial partnership opportunities for BPGbio’s NAi Interrogative Biology platform and its extensive pipeline of AI-developed therapeutic candidates.

“We are excited to welcome John to our leadership team,” said Daniel Elliott, Executive Chairman of BPGbio. “BPGbio has made significant progress on the commercial front in the last 18 months. Dr. Beeler’s deep industry knowledge and business development prowess will power BPGbio’s next phase of commercial growth as we continue to advance our pipeline and build impactful licensing deals and platform partnerships.”

Dr. John Beeler brings over two decades of experience in biotechnology and business development to BPGbio, with extensive experience in novel therapeutics. Before joining BPGbio, he most recently served as Business Development Search & Evaluation Lead at Bristol-Myers Squibb, where he was pivotal in sourcing and evaluating licensing opportunities and strategic partnerships. Before that, he held various leadership roles at Inivata, bioMerieux, and GSK. He received his Ph.D. in biomedical science from the University of South Carolina and holds a BS and MS from Villanova University.

“BPGbio is one of the few biotech companies that has successfully leveraged AI to advance a robust pipeline of drug candidates in all stages of development,” added John Beeler, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of BPGbio. “While many have tried, BPGbio’s unique biology-first approach, coupled with its proprietary NAi platform, has led to the development of several highly effective assets that are currently in phase 2 and going into phase 3. I’m excited to share BPGbio’s remarkable achievements with potential partners and explore synergies that will bring transformative solutions to patients worldwide.”

Christopher Whitmore Appointed CFO at Ray Therapeutics

September 16, 2024

Ray Therapeutics, a leading optogenetics company, announced today the appointment of Christopher Whitmore as Chief Financial Officer.

Christopher Whitmore is a highly accomplished executive who brings over 20 years of strategic finance, accounting, and operational expertise. His deep experience spans from early-stage biotech to publicly-traded companies, with a focus on both private and public capital raising. He most recently served as CFO at Immune-Onc where he was instrumental in supporting the company’s progress into later-stage clinical trials, fundraising and executing strategic collaborations with Roche and Beigene. His leadership experience also includes management positions at Harpoon Therapeutics and Immune Design (both acquired by Merck), AcelRx Pharmaceuticals, and Sangamo Therapeutics.

“Chris brings extensive experience leading high-performing teams in the private and public sectors. He has a proven track record of success in our industry, and we are thrilled to welcome him to the team as we enter a new and exciting stage of development,” said Paul Bresge, CEO, Ray Therapeutics. “Chris will be an invaluable asset to our leadership team as we advance our clinical pipeline of optogenetic therapies to restore vision in patients with degenerative retinal diseases.”

Chris Whitmore, Chief Financial Officer, Ray Therapeutics.

“I am excited to join Ray Therapeutics at such a dynamic time and I couldn’t be prouder to support the company’s mission to demonstrate the power and restorative capabilities of optogenetics for so many individuals with high unmet need. I am very much aligned with Paul’s patient-centric approach and look forward to working with Paul and the rest of the team to advance our pipeline.”

Mr. Whitmore started his career at KPMG LLP, where he served as a manager in the audit practice. He received his B.A. in Business Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara and holds an active CPA license.

Andy Fuller Appointed VP of Market Access at AESAR

September 16, 2024

AESARA, a leading digital-forward Value & Access agency, is pleased to announce the appointment of Andy Fuller as Vice President of US Market Access within its Strategic Partnerships team. With over 27 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Andy Fuller brings extensive expertise in developing and executing go-to-market and payer engagement strategies across highly competitive markets.

Ruslan Horblyuk, Chief Strategic Consulting Officer at AESARA, commented, “Andy’s impressive track record in Sales, Marketing, and Market Access leadership roles makes him an ideal addition to our Strategic Partnerships team. His expertise aligns perfectly with our focus on expanding AESARA’s Value and Access portfolio and capabilities. We’re excited to work alongside Andy and benefit from his wealth of experience.”

Fuller’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for AESARA as the company continues to deliver innovative and trusted solutions that drive transformative market access for its clients.

“I’m thrilled to join AESARA and contribute to its mission of powering transformative market access,” said Andy Fuller. “The pharmaceutical landscape is rapidly evolving, and I look forward to leveraging my experience to help our clients navigate these changes and maximize their market impact.”

Sissi Pham, CEO of AESARA, added, “We are delighted to welcome Andy Fuller to our Value & Access team. His extensive industry knowledge and strategic insights will be invaluable as we continue to elevate our clients’ market access influence within their organizations and the decisionmakers within the US healthcare ecosystem. With Fuller’s addition, AESARA reinforces its commitment to providing cutting-edge market access solutions and further solidifies its position as a leader in the Value & Access space.”

Somite Therapeutics Announces FDA Orphan Drug and Rare Pediatric Disease Designations for SMT-M01 in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

September 16, 2024

Somite Therapeutics, a fully integrated TechBio company leveraging big data and AI to introduce novel cell replacement therapies, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted both Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) and Rare Pediatric Disease Designation (RPDD) for the company’s lead program, SMT-M01, for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

“Receiving both Orphan Drug and Rare Pediatric Disease Designations for SMT-M01 is a significant milestone for Somite Therapeutics and, more importantly, for patients suffering from Duchenne muscular dystrophy,” said Dr. Micha Breakstone, Founder and CEO of Somite Therapeutics. “These designations underscore the critical unmet need in DMD and the potential of our AI-driven approach to develop innovative cell therapies. We are committed to advancing SMT-M01 through clinical development as rapidly as possible to make a meaningful difference for DMD patients and their families.”

The FDA’s Orphan Drug Designation program provides orphan status to drugs and biologics intended for the safe and effective treatment, diagnosis, or prevention of rare diseases that affect fewer than 200,000 people in the United States. Rare Pediatric Disease Designation and Priority Review Voucher Program are granted for serious or life-threatening diseases that primarily affect individuals aged from birth to 18 years and impact fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S. Once approved, the RPD designation also makes the product eligible for a priority review voucher. This voucher can be used for a subsequent marketing application for a different product or sold to another sponsor to expedite their marketing application review.

“These FDA designations validate the innovative nature of our SMT-M01 program and its potential to address the significant unmet medical need in Duchenne muscular dystrophy,” commented Dr. Kristy Brown, SVP Translational Development at Somite Therapeutics. “The designations will provide important benefits as we advance SMT-M01 through clinical development, including tax credits for qualified clinical trials, exemption from user fees, and eligibility for seven years of market exclusivity upon regulatory approval.”

Somite Therapeutics’ SMT-M01 program leverages the company’s proprietary AlphaStem AI platform to develop a novel cell replacement therapy for DMD. The company plans to initiate clinical trials for SMT-M01 in the next 18 months, with the goal of providing a mutation-agnostic therapeutic for patients with this devastating disease.

Circular Genomics Announces Launch of MindLight, the 1st SSRI Antidepressant Response Test Using Brain-Derived Biomarkers

September 16, 2024

Circular Genomics, the global leader in circular RNA biomarkers for precision psychiatry and neurology, today announced the launch of MindLight, the first circular RNA biomarker-based assay designed to predict whether a patient with depression, also known as major depressive disorder, will respond to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant treatment. The new SSRI response test can help physicians streamline medication management of patients diagnosed with depression, and has the potential to revolutionize precision psychiatry treatment while setting a new standard in mental health care.

“The current standard of care for depression treatment relies on a process of educated guessing, which can lead to delays in managing the condition effectively. SSRIs are the most widely prescribed antidepressant medications, yet less than half of patients achieve clinical response from those drugs,” said Paul Sargeant, PhD, CEO of Circular Genomics. “We’re aiming to improve this standard of care through a biomarker-based approach to personalized psychiatric treatment. The MindLight antidepressant response test can help doctors determine if SSRI medication will be beneficial, and patients can start a personalized and effective treatment plan in as little as one week.”

Though SSRIs can be highly effective for the treatment of depression, data has shown that only 41% of patients achieve clinical response to this treatment, while the other 59% may find relief using a different medication. The test is enabled through the identification of circular RNA biomarkers, which are highly stable circularized RNA molecules that are enriched in the brain, can escape the blood-brain-barrier, and can be readily detected in the blood. Based on clinical study data for MindLight:

The precision test has a prognostic accuracy of 77%, compared to standard first-line therapy response rates of 40-50% seen in clinical trials with SSRIs.
Patients categorized as “High Likelihood of Response” by MindLight are 3.4 times more likely to respond to SSRIs than patients who are categorized as “Low Likelihood of Response.”

“By harnessing the power of brain-derived circular RNA biomarkers and getting access to well-characterized independent clinical studies, we are now able to introduce a simple blood PCR-based assay that can provide physicians with a highly accurate prediction of a patient’s likelihood to respond to SSRI antidepressant treatment,” said Nikolaos Mellios, MD, PhD, CSO of Circular Genomics. “This is poised to dramatically improve the current standard of care for depression and potentially improve clinical outcomes.”

EDETEK Announces New Insights on Conducting End-to-End Clinical Trial Solutions

September 16, 2024

EDETEK Inc., a leading global provider of specialized software and services for the biopharma, devices, and diagnostics industries, announced today that it will present at the 2024 DPHARM (Disruptive Innovations to Modernize Clinical Research – #DPharm2024) conference. This session, entitled, “Transforming Clinical Trials: From Reactive to Predictive,” takes place during the DPHARM Innovative Collaborations Track C, on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, at 4:10pm EDT.

“We are leading the trend from a reactive to a predictive approach in clinical trials with a unified, end-to-end platform that connects all stakeholders and automates key processes,” said Munther Baara, VP, Product Strategy & Innovation, EDETEK, Inc. “Collecting data in real-time is critical to creating a frictionless and seamless experience for clinical trial participants. At the event, I will share how our solution automatically applies complex algorithms to data in near real-time, enabling sites to make timely decisions while patients are at their study visits. This ensures that decisions about staying on the investigational product or switching to rescue treatment can be made immediately, alleviating the burden on sick patients and their caregivers who would otherwise need to return for results the next day.”

Most organizations offer a range of biometric services but often focus only on specific areas or lack seamless integration. At EDETEK our CONFORM™ platform delivers solutions that utilize AI resulting in a powerful end-to-end platform for complex trials of today and digital trials of the future.

“By integrating systems and optimizing decision-making, this approach reduces the burden on sponsors, sites, and patients,” explains Mr. Baara. “Our cutting-edge innovations accelerate timelines, and enhance overall data quality, driving faster and more reliable clinical trial outcomes.”

The EDETEK CONFORM™ platform has emerged as a transformative business and technical solution for increasingly complex clinical trials. It creates an end-to-end digital interoperable ecosystem to rapidly orchestrate the movement, evaluation, and submission of clinical research data through a seamless, transparent experience for all stakeholders.

CONFORM provides sponsors the ability to transfer large volumes of data in near real-time and delivers expandable storage capacity, flexible workflows with transformations, mappings, validation, search, and flagging capabilities. CONFORM also ensures full data lineage and improved quality, due to proactive monitoring of data acquisitions and the ability for multiple stakeholders to quickly access and review data. It performs secure data exchange while maintaining HIPPA, 21 CFR Part 11 and GDPR compliance.

“We offer a full range of biometric services that cover the entire clinical trial lifecycle, resulting in robust data collection, analysis, and reporting,” said Jian Chen, CEO, EDETEK. “We help our partners ensure data quality and integrity through the orchestration of biostatistics, data management, advanced analytics, and integration of biometric data with all data collected.”

Spartan Medical Broadens Single-Use Sterile Instrument Portfolio to Improve Outcomes, Increase Efficiency, and Generate Cost Savings

September 16, 2024

Spartal Medical — Spartan Medical Sterile Minor Surgical Kit

Spartan Medical, Inc., a veteran-owned medical solutions company, has expanded the industry’s most extensive range of single-use, sterile, pre-packaged (SSP) surgical instruments for use in the Veterans Administration (VA), the Department of Defense (DoD), and select civilian hospitals and Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) nationwide. Spartan Medical products portfolio of single-use, sterile med tech includes micro and minor surgical convenience kits, kerrison rongeurs, spinal and general surgical retractors, dural repair kits, synthetic biologics, and a wide range of orthopedic pre-sterilized implants and devices.

In addition to their well-documented ability to reduce Surgical Site Infections (SSI), this set of innovative SSP solutions can substantially reduce the number of reusable trays and instruments per surgery, driving increased Operating Room (OR) throughput, lowering overall costs to re-sterilize while reducing environmental impact.

As Spartan Medical’s President Vince Proffitt explained, “when you have the opportunity to not only make the surgery safer for the patient but also improve the efficiency of a hospital’s whole surgical system, converting to single-use sterile instruments is a clear winner. Driving surgical innovation doesn’t always take the form of a flashy new implant — the most complex part of any surgery is the massive support system required to put the right tools in the right hands, well before they are needed.” Using its ‘target-backwards’ problem-solving methodology, Spartan’s SSP portfolio aims to streamline the sterilization, inventory, and set-up costs of preparing an OR for surgery. Mr. Proffitt continued, “improving this broader system is not only the greatest opportunity to improve surgical outcomes but also one of the best avenues to reduce the cost of surgical care.”

Single-Use Sterile Instruments Reduce OR Time and Saves Costs

As a key part of its SSP portfolio development, Spartan worked directly with VA and DoD surgeons across the spectrum, from routine procedures to battlefield trauma. The endgame was to build pre-sterilized convenience kits containing the optimal mix of instruments needed for both microsurgical and minorsurgical procedures for the OR, clinic, as well as forward operating locations. Spartan developed customized convenience kits from scratch, based on direct surgeon feedback, in less than 120-days from concept to commercialization. Proffitt added, “We are a solutions-oriented company, and once we understand the surgeon preference, we will source the necessary items to meet the clinical need … and if we can’t find it, we’ll make it.”

Spartan’s SSP portfolio helps to reduce sterile processing delays, limits the impact of staff shortages in sterile processing departments, minimizes redundant capital purchases, and ensures required instruments are sterile and ready for use, on time, every time. Single-use instruments can save up to 30 minutes of total OR time,i reduce OR set-up time by 30%,ii and avoid frequent delays in surgery due to reusable instrument unavailability.iii

Single-use sterile instruments’ efficiency improvements can dramatically increase OR utilizationiv and patient throughput, facilitating an extra procedure in up to 51% of days.v They also result in direct cost savings — depending on the surgery type, the avoided staff time and sterilization requirements can save hundredsvi to well over a thousand dollarsvii per procedure.

Single-Use Instruments Actually Reduce Environmental Impact

It is commonly — mistakenly — understood that sterile, pre-packaged instruments generate a greater environmental impact. In fact, when considering the full sterilization lifecycle and disposable plastic wrapping used to maintain sterility of each reusable metal tray, a published study found, “the environmental impact of [single-use sterile instruments] was significantly lower” than reusable instruments.viii

Spartan Medical is excited to offer this innovative portfolio of single-use, sterile, pre-packaged surgical instruments as part of its mission to provide the world’s finest medical products to our nation—particularly to our soldiers, veterans, and their families. All products and solutions referenced are currently available on contract at VA and DoD medical centers across the country and overseas.

Sheba Medical Center to Utilize Sequentify’s InfiniSeq Panel in Study to Detect Clonal Hematopoiesis in Cancer Patients

September 16, 2024

The Hematology Laboratory, Molecular Hematology Unit, at Sheba Medical Center, Israel’s largest medical center, is conducting a joint study utilizing Sequentify’s InfiniSeq™ Myeloid Malignancies Panel. This study involves leading clinicians from the Cancer Center Institute, Maccabi Healthcare Services, and Sheba Cancer Research Center, focusing on identifying Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential (CHIP) in patients previously diagnosed with solid tumors. The results from this study aim to advance personalized medicine in oncology, potentially influencing future patient care protocols.

Sequentify’s myeloid malignancy panel is a highly effective tool for sequencing patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The straightforward and efficient InfiniSeq library prep protocol is an ideal choice for laboratories aiming to enhance or expand their sequencing capabilities, whether they are upgrading existing workflows or establishing new ones.

Dr. Dan Dominissini, Director of the Diagnostic Division at Sheba Medical Center, commented: “We are thrilled to partner with Sequentify on this study. As one of Israel’s leading research institutes and hospitals, ranked #9 among the world’s best hospitals by Newsweek, Sheba Medical Center is committed to staying at the forefront of diagnostic innovation. Our ultimate goal is to deliver better, faster, and more cost-effective results to our patients.” As part of the study, all patients will undergo sequencing using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, with all procedures conducted at the Sheba Medical Center facility to ensure the highest level of accuracy and depth in identifying CHIP.

Sequentify’s InfiniSeq technology reduces sample preparation time to just 3.15 hours, from DNA extraction to sequencing, using a single-tube reaction. It supports full automation and significantly reduces costs. The patent-pending InfiniSeq technology is compatible with most sequencing machines and seamlessly integrates into any lab workflow.

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The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) calls on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to require hospitals to develop and implement response plans to better address boarding in the emergency department.

Ray Therapeutics, a leading optogenetics company, announced today the appointment of Christopher Whitmore as Chief Financial Officer.

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