Closing the Women’s Health Gap

A January 2024 report by the World Economic Forum and the McKinsey Health Institute announced that women are spending more time in poor health than men, due in major part to gaps in science, data, care delivery and investment. Addressing this gap, according to the report, could potentially boost the global economy by at least $1 trillion by 2040. In the months following the report’s release, 42 organizations have joined the newly formed Global Alliance for Women’s Health, with over $55 million already pledged toward the improvement of women’s health. Health equity translates to longer workforce participation for women and happier, healthier lives. Here are five Biocom California member companies on a mission to do just that.

A New Solution for BV

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal condition in women aged 15 to 44 years, affecting over 21 million women in the US alone. Many different kinds of bacteria and other organisms exist naturally in the vagina and can easily lead to a pH imbalance, causing BV. Enter Organon, a spinoff of Merck, and a global health care company dedicated to “making a better and healthier every day for every woman” and Dare Bioscience, a San Diego-based biotech with the sole focus of accelerating improved treatment options in women’s health. Together, they announced this January that XACIATO vaginal gel 2% is now available by prescription to treat this condition in women ages 12 and older with a one-time dose.

Using AI to Better Diagnose Cervical Cancer

The convergence of tech and biotech is increasing at a rapid pace and having a profound impact on the outcomes of patients worldwide. Take a cervical cancer, for instance – the fourth most frequently observed cancer in women that kills more than 340,000 annually. This past January, BD, a leading global medical technology company, and Techcyte, a world leader in AI-based digital diagnostics, announced a strategic collaboration agreement to offer an AI-based algorithm that better diagnoses cervical cancer using whole-slide imaging. The algorithm reduces the potential for human error and enables greater throughput, so that labs can achieve results with greater standardization, reproducibility, and efficiency from a Pap smear. With a shortage of health care lab technicians, specifically in the area of cytology, this solution allows for a digital slide to be created and read from a remote location, prioritizing and presenting clinically relevant cells for visual evaluation.

Federal Approval for AI-Powered Cancer Screening

Recent data from the American Cancer Society predicts there will be 13,820 new cases of invasive cervical cancer and approximately 4,360 related deaths in the US in 2024. Luckily, San Diego-based medical technology firm, Hologic, was granted clearance from the FDA last month to market its digital cytology system–a medical diagnostic tool using deep learning-based AI to examine cells under a microscope–to help identify cervical cancer cells and precancerous lesions. While cervical cancer screenings will still involve a Pap test, the company says that by digitizing glass slides for analysis through the AI algorithm, the system can facilitate more timely and effective treatment decisions. The company claims the system reduces false negatives by 28% compared to traditional microscopic review and can be reviewed remotely which harnesses the expertise of geographically dispersed experts.

Four Breast Cancer Treatment Innovations to Look For in 2024

City of Hope Los Angeles doctors and surgeons are providing leading-edge treatments that optimize survival and quality of life. With a newly appointed chief of the Division of Breast Surgery in the Department of Surgery, Veronica Jones, M.D., City of Hope continues to seek out the latest advancements and look to the future in order to provide the most innovative treatments for patients with breast cancer. Doctors at City of Hope are currently leading a Phase 1 clinical trial that is essentially training the immune system to kill HER2-positive cancer cells that have traveled to the brain with a type of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy. They’re also now offering Phesgo, a new drug that offers faster administration of Herceptin and Perjeta, to patients who qualify. Plastic surgeons on site are also now offering 3D nipple areolar complex tattooing for patients who have had their nipple and areola removed during a mastectomy. And for those mastectomy patients who are not candidates for implants following radiation, one plastic surgeon specializes in a new form of breast reconstruction – latissimus dorsi flap procedure- with lower risks, fewer side effects, and faster recovery times.

FDA Approves Novel Drug to Treat Hot Flashes Caused by Menopause

Menopause is a normal, natural change in a woman’s life when her period stops for 12 consecutive months, usually occurring between ages 45 and 55. During menopause a woman’s body slowly produces less of the hormones estrogen and progesterone and hot flashes can occur (in around 80% of menopausal women) and can include periods of sweating, flushing and chills lasting for several minutes. Last May, the FDA approved Veozah, an oral medication from Astellas Pharma for the treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms, or hot flashes, caused by menopause. Veozah is the first neurokinin 3 (NK3) receptor antagonist approved by the FDA to treat moderate to severe hot flashes from menopause, and it works by binding to and blocking the activities of the NK3 receptor, which plays a role in the brain’s regulation of body temperature.