Healthcare Matters

Not much of a deal.

Why Regeneron May Not Profit Much From Today’s FDA Approval

The Food and Drug Administration just announced that it approved Zaltrap for colorectal cancer, giving Tarrytown, N.Y.-based Regeneron its third approved drug — an impressive achievement. . Regeneron’s shares have nearly quadrupled this year based largely on the prospects of another drug, Eylea, for macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness.  Regeneron posted profits of $77 million on sales of $300 million in the second quarter of 2012 and now sports a $13 billion market capitalization.

No more strings tied around one’s finger?

‘Digital pill’ with chip inside gets FDA green light

Ever wonder if you remembered to take your pills this morning? A medial tech startup has a novel solution: Swallow a computer chip that will help you keep track. Proteus Digital Health scored a big victory this week when theU.S. Food and Drug Administration granted approval for the company’s “ingestible sensor” invention. The 1 square millimeter device — roughly the size of a grain of sand — can relay information about your insides to you, and if you choose, to your doctor or nurse.

Spray-on skin? And I thought liquid bandages were cool.

‘Spray-on skin’ helps heal leg ulcers

A “spray-on skin” which coats a wound with a layer of skin cells could help healing, according to US and Canadian researchers. The spray was tested on 228 people with leg ulcers, which are painful open wounds that can last for months. The findings, published in the Lancet, showed that ulcers treated with the spray were more likely to heal and did so more quickly. Experts said faster healing could save money despite the cost of the spray.

From Spend Matters

MFG.com Lands Huge Department of Defense Engagement: in the Cloud!

Headquartered in Atlanta, MFG.com has been active since 2000, building an online marketplace for the sourcing of components ranging from custom to standard parts, assemblies and textiles. In the process, they’ve built a global supplier network upward of 150,000 suppliers worldwide. The company has broadened its initial scope and now offers LiveSource, a sourcing suite, along with professional services. Clients range from large firms like Kimberly Clark (and after today’s press release, the DoD) to mid-market organizations.

From Spend Matters UK/Europe

Manufacturing PMIs suggest deepening global economic gloom

Not wishing to bring everyone down at the end of this week of Olympic hysteria, but did you notice the various Manufacturing indices that were published this week? The US was the brightest spot, but even here, the rate of growth slowed and was below expectations. Here’s the Telegraph. The final Markit US Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index stood at 51.4 in July, below both a preliminary estimate of 51.8 and June’s reading of 52.5. It was the lowest reading since September of 2009. A reading above 50 indicates growth.