Why M&A is back; AI regulations lacking; quantum sensing investment, and more: Pharma Pulse for February 23, 2024

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Pharma Pulse rounds up insights every weekday morning from across health care. Here is the February 23, 2024 edition:

Is M&A back in 2024?

From PharmExec’s interview with Arthur Wong, managing director of S&P Global Ratings, on the state of the M&A market: “Last year, pharma companies basically stopped M&A, so the big trend right now is the return of M&A. This underscores how important it has become for the industry, especially for companies looking to hit their target growth in the future.”

Regulators say they need help monitoring AI tech in health care

As reported by Ruth Reader in Politico: “Doctors are already using unregulated artificial intelligence tools such as note-taking virtual assistants and predictive software that helps them diagnose and treat diseases. Government has slow-walked regulation of the fast-moving technology because the funding and staffing challenges facing agencies like the Food and Drug Administration in writing and enforcing rules are so vast. It’s unlikely they will catch up any time soon.”

Novo Nordisk invests in ‘quantum sensing’ for disease diagnosis, prevention

From their news release: “Quantum sensing holds the potential to reform biomedical and health sciences by improving the diagnosis and prevention of diseases. The Novo Nordisk Foundation has awarded a grant of DKK 150 million to establish the Copenhagen Center for Biomedical Quantum Sensing, under which an international research collaboration aims to develop novel quantum sensing principles and techniques for early detection of diseases.”

Are digital health interventions a hypertension equalizer?

From the American Journal of Managed Care: Patients from disadvantaged populations who underwent digital health interventions for management of hypertension experienced significant reductions in blood pressure (BP), according to a new study.

Sarcoidosis breakthrough

From National Institutes of Health (@NIH) on X: “News: Scientists develop a simple blood test to quickly diagnose sarcoidosis.”

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