Michigan Launches Rare Disease Advisory Council

The Michigan Department of Health & Human Services has made appointments to a newly constituted Rare Disease Advisory Council. A rare disease is a condition that affects fewer than 200,000 people in the United States. There are more than 7,000 known rare diseases and almost 1 in 10 Michiganders suffer from a rare disorder. The…

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FTC HOLDS PUBLIC MEETING ON PBMs

  The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a virtual open meeting on the heels of issuing its Interim Report on Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs). A press release summarized the report’s findings. Members of the public and other stakeholders provided arguments for PBM reform at the virtual meeting, citing the many ramifications that PBM business practices have had on patient…

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State Supports Establishing Innovation Evergreen Fund

A new $60 million Michigan Innovation Fund to help launch Michigan-based startups got the support of the Michigan legislature last month, as it was included in the $82.5 billion state budget lawmakers passed for the 2025 fiscal year. While the $60 million met most lawmakers’ expectations, three House representatives are sponsoring a pending bill package that would…

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Proposed USPTO Rules Likely to Cause Harm

The US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding Terminal Disclaimer Practice to Obviate Nonstatutory Double Patenting. The intent is to make it cheaper and easier to strike down whole families of patents to prevent them “from potentially deterring competition.” “BIO [Biotechnology Innovation Organization] believes that the proposed…

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Cayman Chemical Expands Molecular Diagnostic Research Offerings Through Partnership with PCRassays.com

ANN ARBOR, MI, JUNE 5, 2024—Cayman Chemical, a leading supplier of research tools for the life science community, has widened their portfolio to include molecular-based detection kits through a strategic partnership with PCRassays.com. PCRassays.com offers more than 200 qPCR-based assays for infectious diseases, over 50 of which are multiplex assays, including panels for wound, upper respiratory, urinary tract,…

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Stryker to Acquire Artelon, Expanding Soft Tissue Fixation Solutions

Stryker (NYSE: SYK), a global medical technology leader, has signed an agreement to acquire Artelon, a company specializing in soft tissue fixation products for foot and ankle and sports medicine procedures. This acquisition aims to bolster Stryker’s capabilities in ligament and tendon reconstruction. Artelon’s synthetic technology enhances biological and mechanical reconstruction, with over 60,000 implantations…

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Michigan’s Bio-Industry Strategic Roadmap to be Updated

MichBio, the association for Michigan’s biosciences industry, announced during the 2024 Mackinac Policy Conference that it is launching a statewide effort to update the Michigan Bio-Industry Roadmap for Success. The Roadmap is a strategic plan released in early 2016 for growing Michigan’s biosciences industry into a global leader.  “Michigan’s bio-industry is at a critical point…

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Scherdel Medtec NA Achieves ISO 13485 Certification for Enhanced Quality Standards

Muskegon, Michigan, US – April 18, 2024 – Scherdel Medtec North America, part of Scherdel Medtec GmbH, a leading global provider of medical device components, today announced it has achieved certification to the ISO 13485:2016 standard. This internationally recognized standard outlines the requirements for a quality management system (QMS) specific to the medical device industry.…

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TrialAssure Joins NVIDIA Inception

CANTON, Mich. (April 22, 2024) — TrialAssure today announced it has joined NVIDIA Inception, a program that nurtures companies revolutionizing industries with technological advancements.  TrialAssure is a leader in using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) across pharmaceuticals, finance, and government to create technology solutions that meet regulatory compliance goals for clinical trial disclosure, data sharing…

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State R&D Tax Credit to be Reestablished

A package of bills that would reestablish a state research & development (R&D) tax credit in Michigan – HBs 4368, 5099, 5100, 5101 and 5102 – passed by the Michigan Senate in bipartisan fashion 22-13 on March 19, 2024. As proposed, taxpayers and authorized businesses with 250 or more employees could claim up to $2.0…

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