Misr Capital, the investment arm of Banque Misr, and Elevate Private Equity have launched a $380m healthcare investment platform, Nile Misr Scan & Labs.

The platform managers are looking to raise $150m before the first closing in Q1 2022, after seeding initial investments Banque Misr’s cash commitment and Elevate Private Equity’s in-kind contribution to the platform.

Elevate Private Equity has built a strong track record of achieving 38% CAGR over the past four years as the strategic manager of Nile Scan & Labs Co, effectively making it the fastest growing healthcare entity in Egypt and the region.

The platform, Nile Misr Healthcare, is structured on the strong investment and medical expertise of the two partners, who will actively manage the fund strategy and acquire highly selective targets with strong potential across healthcare verticals spanning hospitals, diagnostic facilities, pharmaceuticals, medical education, and digital medical services among others in Egypt and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Akef El Maghraby, Chairman of Misr Capital and Vice Chairman at Banque Misr, said: “Responsible investments come at the top of Misr Capital’s priorities, especially in sectors like healthcare that contribute to the society in which we operate.”

“Investing in healthcare not only adds positive, real value to the society, but also comes in line with SDG 3 of the UN’s sustainable development goals and the United Nation’s Principles of Responsible Investments.”

Tarek Moharram, a healthcare veteran with over 14 years of experience in managing, developing, and growing medical entities in Egypt, will take the helm as chief executive officer of the platform.

“This partnership leverages the technical and strategic expertise of Elevate Private Equity with Misr Capital’s renowned financial and investment track-record; effectually forming a platform that will actively pursue M&A transactions in the highly-fragmented healthcare spaces across our targeted

jurisdictions. Our long-term strategy is to establish larger, consolidated entities that provide comprehensive, world-class healthcare to larger populations across Egypt and Sub-Saharan Africa, in addition to creating a positive impact on the wider economies while delivering superior returns to investors,” he said.

“Most importantly, the platform is built on a comprehensive skill-set that brings to the table veteran healthcare experts, seasoned finance professionals, and a strong line-up of experienced investors backed by Banque Misr, one of the oldest and most renowned banks in Africa,” he added.

The platform is expected to enter its first sale and purchase agreement (SPA) within weeks upon the completion of all necessary approvals.

Ernst & Young Egypt acted as the financial and tax advisor and Alliance Law Firm and Al Kamel Law Firm as the legal advisors to Misr Capital.

T-Mobile and Zyter, Inc. announced a preferred partnership to deliver virtual healthcare solutions — i­­ncluding telehealth and remote patient monitoring and care team collaboration — to more healthcare organizations and their patients across the U.S. Together, the companies are making virtual care more accessible to more people, which serves to improve patient outcomes, reduce readmission rates and increase overall patient wellbeing.

Since COVID-19, there has been more demand than ever for virtual healthcare. According to IDC1, 51% of U.S. consumers are concerned or very concerned about going to a healthcare facility. Additionally, the Federal Communications Commission has reported that more than 18 million Americans do not have access to high-speed broadband networks. By partnering with T-Mobile, Zyter’s award-winning Digital Health platform — Zyter Digital Health Platform and products including, Zyter Telehealth, Zyter Remote Patient Monitoring and ZyterHome™ — will reach more people over the nation’s largest, fastest, and most reliable 5G network.

“We believe that every American has the right to quality healthcare that is safe and secure,” said Mike Katz, EVP, T-Mobile. “By partnering with Zyter, we can outfit healthcare organizations of all sizes with solutions that reach more people and enable faster and more reliable virtual care through familiar devices like smartphones and tablets.”

Under the terms of this agreement, Zyter and T-Mobile will collaborate to deliver integrated healthcare solutions to existing and potential T-Mobile customers nationwide. Together, the companies will enable healthcare organizations to provide patients with remote and secure collaboration with care teams who can monitor, diagnose, and remotely treat patients anytime, virtually anywhere, using the T-Mobile 4G LTE/5G network.

“This is a significant agreement for Zyter as it enables us to leverage the vast resources and footprint of T-Mobile to make our digital health solutions more accessible to more patients,” said Sanjay Govil, founder and CEO of Zyter, Inc. “By working together, we can help organizations improve patient satisfaction while maintaining care quality and lowering costs.”

These solutions are already available for integrated delivery networks, life science companies, hospitals, health systems and payer organizations around the country, and with T-Mobile, more healthcare providers will be able to quickly scale and deploy these virtual health solutions to ensure that more Americans have access to quality care, in the safety and convenience of their own home.

5G coverage not available in some areas; fastest based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data 5G median download speeds for Q1 2021. Ookla trademarks used under license and reprinted with permission. Capable device req’d; some uses may require certain plan or feature; see T-Mobile.com. Most reliable according to an audit report conducted by independent third party umlaut containing crowdsourced data for user experience collected from September 2020 until February 2021.

About Zyter
Zyter delivers a wide range of cloud-based, software as a service (SaaS) digital health products for providers, payers and patients that span telehealth, home health and remote patient monitoring, as well as care, utilization and population health management. In 2021, Zyter acquired Casenet®, LLC and together the two company’s products are used to manage healthcare for 11% of the U.S. population. Zyter’s products improve clinical operations and patient outcomes while reducing healthcare costs by enhancing interoperability, communication and collaboration. The company’s 5G-ready platform also supports IoT/smart technology and thermal imaging solutions. In 2020, the company won more than 50 awards for its products including Best Health Care and Medical Innovation as well as Company Innovation of the Year. In 2021, the company won an award as The Most Innovative Digital Health Startup. Founded in 2017, the privately-held company is based in Rockville, Md.

About T-Mobile
T-Mobile U.S. Inc.   is America’s supercharged Un-carrier, delivering an advanced 4G LTE and transformative nationwide 5G network that will offer reliable connectivity for all. T-Mobile’s customers benefit from its unmatched combination of value and quality, unwavering obsession with offering them the best possible service experience and undisputable drive for disruption that creates competition and innovation in wireless and beyond. Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile provides services through its subsidiaries and operates its flagship brands, T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile and Sprint. For more information please visit: https://www.t-mobile.com.

AmMax Bio, Inc., a private clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel treatments with AMB-05X, its proprietary anti-CSF1R monoclonal antibody platform, announced that it will present at the BofA Securities 2021 Virtual Healthcare Conference. Larry Hsu, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, will review the company’s pipeline of clinical programs targeting serious macrophage-driven inflammatory, neovascular, and fibrotic diseases on May 13th at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

The presentation will be webcast live during the conference and management will be available for 1-on-1 meetings for conference attendees.

AmMax was founded in 2020 to develop therapies under an exclusive worldwide license from Amgen, Inc. that leverage the diverse and critical roles played by the colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) signaling pathway for macrophage regulation in multiple organ systems. AmMax is enrolling patients in a Phase 2 clinical program for tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT) and has achieved nonclinical proof-of-concept in both neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

About the TGCT Program

Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumor (TGCT), affecting over 300,000 patients worldwide, is a serious and debilitating disease in which patients can experience severe pain, disability, and diminished quality of life. Surgical resection is the primary standard of care for TGCT, but carries with it significant risk to patients, including complications, prolonged postoperative care, infections, and frequent relapse. Significant unmet needs exist for a safe and efficacious pharmacological therapy. AmMax is uniquely positioned to address the unmet needs by leveraging the target selectivity of AMB-05X and its enhanced safety profile in treating TGCT, while creating a sizable commercial opportunity for improved patient care.

About the nAMD Program

Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness, impacting approximately 3 million US patients and 19 million patients worldwide. While anti-VEGF products are considered broadly effective, the development of macular fibrosis can compromise vision in a large percentage of patients over time. A long-acting AMB-05X with strong anti-fibrotic activity will reduce patient treatment burden and is expected to limit vision loss from macular fibrosis. AMB-05X should be complementary to anti-VEGF agents, and offer the potential for both first line and combination therapy.

About the IPF Program

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic progressive inflammatory and fibrotic interstitial lung disease with a 3-5 year median survival if untreated. It is reported to affect approximately 300,000 people in the U.S. and Europe and approximately 3 million people worldwide. AMB-05X offers a first-in-class opportunity for IPF that is potentially disease modifying.

About AMB-05X

A potent anti-CSF1R monoclonal antibody, AMB-05X, is a therapeutic platform targeting macrophage-driven diseases with significant unmet medical needs and substantial commercial potential. The CSF1R, via its binding to two regulatory cytokines, CSF1 and IL-34, is critically involved in the regulation of macrophages and related cells in multiple biological processes across multiple organ systems, making it an attractive target with broad therapeutic applications. Overactivation of the CSF1/IL-34 – CSF1R axis substantially contributes to the inflammation and fibrosis inherent in many diseases. Thus, the potent inhibition of CSF1R activity by AMB-05X represents a novel and powerful means of therapeutic intervention via its dual action.

GPI USA, a specialized software provider for transfusion medicine including blood, plasma and tissue, and InVita Healthcare Technologies, a leading software provider for complex medical environments including blood, plasma, tissue, and implants, have announced a partnership in the world’s first end-to-end blood management system. The broad integrated product suite will bridge all blood center operations from donor recruitment and collections through to blood transfusion and patient care follow-up.

GPI USA provides web-based software to blood centers, blood banks, cell therapy labs, cord blood banks and tissue banks. With a Blood Establishment Computer Software (BECS) system, 510(k)-cleared as medical devices by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, GPI USA is a leader in providing web-based solutions delivered as cloud services. GPI USA is the North American headquarters of GPI SpA, an international Healthcare Software provider, deploying its solutions in over 60 countries worldwide.

Todd Collins, President and CEO of InVita Healthcare Technologies quoted “This partnership creates a single, scalable and dynamic ecosystem for blood product collection and management. For the first time, blood collectors will be able to see their collections and products in motion throughout their supply chain, with cohesive chain of custody tracking. Regardless of blood center size—community, multi-state or country—this system has what every blood collector has wanted and needs to thrive.”

Through this partnership, InVita and GPI USA customers and their staff will have visibility into real-time data across the management spectrum and accessibility to that information from any location on their preferred device. Never before have blood and plasma collectors had such insight into their operations at the local, regional, divisional and enterprise level.

Bruno Rousselin, CEO of GPI USA, Inc. quoted “This agreement is an important milestone in GPI USA’s strategy to focus on delivering web-based Blood Establishment Computer Systems while partnering with fully integrated partner solutions for Donor Marketing and Mobile Scheduling. Our web-based e-Delphyn Donor BECS will be the only solution on the market to be fully integrated to InVita’s products with real-time interactions which will bring additional visibility and faster decision-making to our clients.”

About GPI USA

GPI USA is a leading technology company in the Healthcare IT market. GPI SpA, the mother company of GPI USA is a publicly traded company that provides web-based software solutions for blood centers, blood banks, cell therapy labs, cord blood banks, tissue banks, clinical laboratories, and human milk banks in more than 60 countries.

About InVita Healthcare Technologies

InVita provides healthcare technologies for complex medical environments. Its solutions optimize supply chain performance and visibility for blood, plasma, tissue, implants, and beyond. All for increased compliance, greater cost control, and improved patient safety. InVita has offices in Baltimore, MD, Jacksonville, FL, Chicago and Lake Zurich, IL.

PixCell Medical , an innovator of rapid point-of-care diagnostic solutions, announced an exclusive distribution agreement with Axonlab , a leader in point-of-care testing in Europe providing healthcare equipment and services in the fields of medical diagnostics, life sciences and software solutions, to distribute HemoScreen ™, PixCell’s hematology analyzer, in key European geographies .

Axonlab will have exclusive distribution rights in Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic.

“Collaborating with renowned international suppliers to deliver innovative diagnostic systems to clinics, physicians and the research sector is at the heart of our identity as a company. We are focused on providing comprehensive, future-oriented services, and we believe PixCell’s HemoScreen is an important tool in improving the diagnostic and decision-making capabilities of clinicians, ”said Dr Tamara Hensel, head of sales and marketing at Axonlab. “This is especially important for ‘Point-of-Care’ locations. In decentralized sites and at the bedside, the HemoScreen POC System complements our existing broad portfolio in hematology in physician offices and routine laboratories. AI-driven diagnostic tools like HemoScreen represent the next evolution in diagnostic technology. Making this technology available at the point of care for hospitals, doctor’s offices, pharmacies, private laboratories and research organizations can increase patient safety, reduce the time it takes to receive key diagnostic results, and help clinicians to make informed decisions. ”

HemoScreen ™, developed by PixCell Medical, is the only complete blood count (FSC) analyzer with 5-part differential that is both FDA cleared and CE marked for use in the point of care. HemoScreen Provides Laboratory Quality Diagnostic Results Equivalent to Large Complex Laboratory Analyzers traditionally used for haematological tests, and in much less time. Using a disposable cartridge preloaded with all necessary reagents, HemoScreen eliminates the need for routine maintenance and calibration and should not be used by a lab technician. With just one drop of blood and in six minutes, HemoScreen provides FCS results with 20 standard FCS parameters as well as complete labeling of abnormal cells for earlier detection of infections and certain types of cancer.

“Making HemoScreen widely available allows healthcare organizations to maximize diagnostic resources and helps physicians make faster, more informed clinical decisions. Ultimately, we want to increase the efficiency of diagnostics while maintaining the accuracy of results to help improve care and patient outcomes in many settings of care, including intensive care, emergency departments and oncology services, ”said Dr Avishay Bransky , CEO of PixCell Medical. “We are proud to collaborate with one of the largest point-of-care testing distributors in Europe, a company known for its uncompromising quality. We are confident that Axonlab will be a great partner and help dramatically improve the accessibility of FCS, the most essential blood test, in the markets it serves. ”

About PixCell Medical
PixCell Medical provides the only simple-to-use and portable point-of-care blood diagnostic solution. PixCell’s FDA-cleared and CE-marked HemoScreen platform shortens diagnostic results delivery from days to minutes. With just one drop of blood and within six minutes, HemoScreen delivers accurate readings of 20 standard blood count parameters, with the high clinical sensitivity of central lab results, saving patients, clinicians and health systems significant time and costs. PixCell leverages their patented Viscoelastic Focusing and lab-on-a-cartridge technologies, along with AI-powered machine vision, to deliver rapid point-of-care diagnostic results anywhere.

Lumenis Ltd., the world’s largest energy-based medical device company for ophthalmic, aesthetic and surgical applications and the inventor of intense pulsed light (IPL) technology, announced that the FDA has granted De Novo authorization for Lumenis’ newest IPL device for improving signs of dry eye disease due to meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).

Dry eye disease is a common disorder that causes dry, gritty, burning, tired eyes and fluctuating vision. About 16 million Americans have been diagnosed,1 and twice as many may be undiagnosed with dry eye. MGD is the leading cause of dry eye disease, accounting for about 86% of cases.2

The Lumenis multi-center, double-blinded, randomized controlled FDA trial showed that Lumenis IPL with patented Optimal Pulse Technology (OPT®) significantly improved tear breakup time, meibum quality, and meibomian gland expressibility.3 The clinical trial joins a long list of studies of Lumenis’ IPL with OPT® that have shown the same results, as well as reduction of inflammatory markers.4-7

Subsequent to the FDA approval, Lumenis is launching OptiLight™, a bright solution for dry eyes. OptiLight™ with Lumenis’ patented OPT® technology is designed for a consistent, precise, and controlled light-based treatment of signs of dry eye disease.

“We deal with dry eye every day, but unless we address the underlying inflammation, it’s difficult to meaningfully impact the disease. OptiLight™ helps us to address the inflammation, as shown in Lumenis’ IPL clinical trials, and improves signs of dry eye disease due to MGD, positioning it as a valuable tool in our dry eye toolkit,” said Dr. Steven J. Dell, medical director of Dell Laser Consultants and lead investigator in the Lumenis’ clinical trial submitted to the FDA.

“Lumenis has launched many ‘firsts’ in eye care, and we never stop innovating. This is why we are excited that our IPL device with patented OPT® technology is the first and only such device to receive FDA approval for improving signs of dry eye disease. We’re exceptionally proud to elevate dry eye management and to improve the quality of life for millions of patients,” said Lumenis CEO Tzipi Ozer-Armon. “We are proud to launch OptiLight™?, a light-based system that provides doctors with a safe and effective dry eye procedure to add to their toolkit. We look forward to continued collaboration with doctors across the U.S. and globally in elevating dry eye care.”

About Lumenis

Lumenis is the world’s largest energy-based medical device company for surgical, aesthetic and ophthalmic applications in the area of minimally invasive clinical solutions. Regarded as a world-renowned expert in developing and commercializing innovative energy-based technologies, including Laser, Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) and Radio-Frequency (RF). For nearly 50 years, Lumenis’ ground-breaking products have redefined medical treatments and have set numerous technological and clinical gold standards. Lumenis has successfully created solutions for previously untreatable conditions, as well as designed advanced technologies that have revolutionized existing treatment methods.

About OptiLight

OptiLight™ is a new intense pulsed light (IPL) device, with a spectrum of 400-1200 nm, that is indicated for improvement of signs of Dry Eye Disease (DED) due to Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (MGD), also known as evaporative dry eye or lipid deficiency dry eye, in patients 22 years of age and older with moderate to severe signs and symptoms of DED due to MGD and with Fitzpatrick skin types I-IV. IPL is to be applied only to skin on the malar region of the face, from tragus to tragus including the nose (eyes should be fully covered by protective eyewear). IPL is intended to be applied as an adjunct to other modalities, such as meibomian gland expression, artificial tear lubricants and warm compresses.

Getting older is a fact of life. It’s something we all have to contend with, although some of us may embrace it more keenly than others. There are certainly plenty of benefits to ageing – retirement for one, and hopefully you’re fortunate enough to surround yourself with grandchildren and even great grandchildren, spending plenty of quality time together as a family.

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics reveal that the average life expectancy in the UK is 83.1 years for women and 79.4 for men – a marginal rise from when the previous data set was collected, between 2016 and 2018.

So, as a general rule, we’re living longer, which is a positive. But of course, ageing brings plenty of challenges too. High on the list of those is mobility, with many members of the older generation struggling to move around as freely as they’d like. So, what can be done to improve the situation?

Exercise

According to the NHS, a lot of adults aged 65+ spend at least 10 hours a day sitting or lying down. Of course, it’s unrealistic to expect many people in that age group to get out and run 10 miles a day, but there are still plenty of options open to them when it comes to exercising. For example, a simple daily walk – even if it’s just down to the shops or around the block – can improve circulation, flexibility and any respiratory problems. Other options include a spot of gardening, water aerobics or even taking up social sports such as lawn bowls or doubles tennis.

Walking aids

It might be that they struggle to walk distances of any kind without some assistance, in which case there are various walking aids that are available. Crutches, walking frames, walkers and trolleys can all help the elderly move about more freely, while their choice of footwear is also vitally important. Even if they’re just moving about the house, they need to have a pair of slippers that offer plenty of support, are easy to fasten and fit properly so that they don’t cause a trip or a fall.

Transport

When it comes to mobility, we’re not just talking about moving around the house, the garden or the local park. We’re also talking about experiencing freedom, and that means getting out and enjoying a change of scene once in a while. To do this, many of the older generation might rely on a wheelchair and a specially adapted vehicle. That way, they can venture further afield for fun days out or to go and visit their loved ones, and their reduced mobility needn’t stand in their way.

The coronavirus has gripped the world in fear and uncertainty for the entirety of 2020. With new strains of the disease making their way to various countries, the same feeling of dread extends to 2021. But vaccinations have since started, and many can heave a sigh of relief.

However, hospitals are still struggling to keep up with the surge of patients due to COVID-19. This doesn’t leave much room for those who need to visit the emergency room for other reasons.

Common illnesses and vehicular mishaps such as bus accident negligence can occur anytime. The latter can cause severe pain and injury to those parties involved, especially to the passengers. During these times that emergency visits cannot delay, hospitals must be ready to receive all kinds of emergencies.

Here are the ways that hospitals are coping with the situation:

1. Improving Outpatient Management

Outpatient clinicians strive to improve management by being proactive at emergency departments, especially to patients with diabetes and hypertension. Developing a triage to cater to those suffering from acute conditions directly at emergency departments should also help prevent severe complications later on. Doing so will lower the risks and reduce the demand for inpatient beds and the rise of emergency department count by non-covid patients.

Healthcare workers, or doctors, may utilize telehealth kits to continuously monitor those who are now outside of hospital premises. They may include devices such as heart rate monitors, pulse oximeters, and more.

Digital consultations with patients can also be initiated by virtually meeting with them instead of contacting their respective doctors. Collaborations across specialists, healthcare and social workers, administrative, and patients should be possible this way to ensure that disease management control remains consistent.

2. Centralizing Location for All Critical Non-Covid Services

The untold dangers of patients with non-covid conditions refusing to see their doctors has prompted   to promote location-pooling. It means that there should be a single location that must provide all the non-Covid services instead of different hospitals using up valuable resources all at the same time.

It means that if one area of the institution is caring for cancer patients, there should be another designated . It means to balance the flow of patients so that it equates to proper revenue equally distributed to the departments.

3. Setting Guideline for Hospital Visits

Hospital administration can set up guidelines that will allow staff to prepare patients to see their doctors. They can provide a set of instructions that both in can follow regarding the best time to seek medical care, whether in the ER or urgent care.

Both ER and urgent care must conduct  advanced diagnostic testing. Hospitals might be using automated software to detect the presence of the virus efficiently and support global healthcare efforts.

Patients can call in for an emergency room visit or contact an ambulance if they are experiencing the following:

• Sudden weakness or numbness
• Chest pain
• Difficulty breathing, wheezing, or shortness of breath
• Unstoppable bleeding
• Dizziness, fainting
• Inability to move, walk, or see
• Vomiting or coughing out blood
• Fever accompanied by convulsions
• Bloody diarrhea or urine
• Abdominal pain
• Head injury, severe headache
• Mental status changes, confusion

If you have any of the following, call for urgent care:

• Fever, flu-like symptoms
• Cough, cold, or sore throat
• Mild injuries
• Earaches
• Mild shortness of breath
• Mild rashes or skin irritations

Urgent care is open to those with non-covid symptoms. Hospitals might  limit face-to-face interactions, so it’s still advisable to call and find such precautionary measures before leaving home to visit the hospital.

4. Implementing COVID-19 Safety Measures

Data has found that about 80% of adults are worried about catching the virus at the emergency room. However, hospitals are doing what they can to prevent the spread of the disease inside their institution to provide safe emergency care. As people with non-COVID symptoms must make visits to their respective doctors, hospital staff are making sure to follow protocols strictly at all times.

First, masking is highly promoted, as it serves as protection from possible carriers and prevents those with regular coughs and colds from spreading the common viral infection. The hospital staff provides masks to patients and enforces social distancing to ensure that there’s little to no chance of viral spreading inside the health facility.

Secondly, amenities  are divided into two receiving and confinement areas. One, where COVID patients stay and receive treatment, and the other is where patients visit for non-COVID ailments and symptoms.

Thirdly, patients coming into the hospital are screened by taking temperatures or asking relevant questions for contact tracing.

Fourthly, the cleaning crew–wearing protective equipment and armed with tools–are cleaning and disinfecting areas where people frequent, such as at the entrance, restrooms, and various surfaces, while adhering to the COVID-19 hospital cleaning protocols.

In Conclusion 

Hospitals are doing their best to keep patients safe during this pandemic. Patients should not be afraid to seek medical help as delays can endanger their health. It’s better to trust hospitals as they know better how to keep the virus at bay more than anyone else.