Australian startup Biomebank, known for its world-first regulatory approval of fecal microbiota transplants, is raising $4 million to develop a lab-grown gut therapy aimed at the U.S. market. Founder Sam Costello shared that initial feedback from the FDA on their cultured therapy has been positive, with clear manufacturing parameters established. However, Biomebank’s U.S. expansion faces regulatory uncertainty as potential reforms under Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and shifting political dynamics, including RFK Jr.’s influence, create an unclear future for FDA oversight.
Author: Abhay Panchal
QIAGEN has received FDA clearance for its QIAstat-Dx Gastrointestinal Panel 2 Mini B, expanding its U.S. syndromic testing portfolio for gastrointestinal infections. The panel rapidly detects five key bacterial pathogens—Campylobacter, Salmonella, STEC, Shigella, and Yersinia enterocolitica—in about one hour, supporting fast outpatient diagnostics. This is QIAGEN’s second FDA-cleared QIAstat-Dx panel in 2025 and complements their existing bacterial and viral GI panels, offering laboratories targeted, flexible solutions for diverse clinical settings.
A new study examining U.S. physician mortality reveals a surprising trend—unlike the general population where women live significantly longer than men, women doctors do not share this mortality advantage. While women in other high-income, high-education professions like law and engineering experience lower death rates than their male counterparts, female physicians die at rates similar to male physicians. The reasons remain unclear but may include chronic workplace stress, gender bias, slower promotions, pay gaps, and the double burden of professional and home responsibilities.
The Scope Forward Show is Back – Kicking Off with Dr. Michael Dragutsky The wait is over—The Scope Forward Show returns with Season 5, and we’re starting with someone who has been at the center of GI’s transformation: Dr. Michael Dragutsky, Chairman of One GI. A lot has changed since we last spoke. Private equity in GI has evolved. Consolidation is accelerating. AI is no longer a distant concept—it’s happening now. Where does this leave private practice? What’s next after the first, second, and third bites of private equity? And for those who feel like they’re losing control of their practice, is there still…
Summerville Medical Center recently marked a major milestone in its minimally invasive robotic surgery program, performing the first procedure using its new state-of-the-art robotic surgical system.
Teladoc Health (NYSE: TDOC) has announced a pharmacy integration agreement with Eli Lilly’s LillyDirect pharmacy partner, Gifthealth, aimed at streamlining access to Zepbound® (tirzepatide) for Teladoc Health members enrolled in its Comprehensive Weight Care Program.This collaboration ensures that eligible patients without insurance coverage for GLP-1s can receive affordable, safe, and effective weight-loss medication. Through LillyDirect, prescribed Zepbound® will be delivered directly to patients’ homes in single-use vials.
Between 600,000 and 900,000 Americans suffer from ulcerative colitis (UC), yet many do not respond to existing treatments. Now, two major global studies—published in the New England Journal of Medicine and The Lancet—have revealed two promising new therapies that could change the landscape of UC treatment.
Geneoscopy’s Chief Medical & Science Officer, Erica Barnell, MD, PhD, will be presenting at the American College of Gastroenterology’s inaugural ‘Leading with Guts: Women Shaping the Future of Gastroenterology’ on March 14, 2025, in New Orleans.Her lecture, “Consider Opportunities for Administrative Roles Inside and Outside Gastroenterology,” will explore non-clinical career pathways in GI, including lab research, clinical trial design, and regulatory engagement—offering fresh perspectives on professional growth in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.
A telehealth pilot program led by Dr. Naresh Gunaratnam (MNGI Digestive Health) and Dr. Russ Arjal (WovenX Health) successfully diverted 90% of gastrointestinal-related emergency visits, demonstrating significant cost savings and improved access to care. Conducted in the Seattle/Tacoma area from January to April 2024, the study connected patients with advanced practice providers supervised by board-certified gastroenterologists, with a median wait time of under six minutes.
Novo Nordisk has successfully integrated Anthropic’s Claude 3.5 Sonnet AI into drafting regulatory drug documents, significantly reducing errors and slashing the process from 15 weeks to under 10 minutes. Previously requiring over 50 writers, the task is now handled by just three, thanks to AI-assisted workflows. The company employs retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to enhance accuracy, ensuring AI-generated content aligns with expert-approved definitions. Despite cost savings—less than a single writer’s salary—Novo Nordisk says it won’t cut staff but will slow hiring. This shift marks an unprecedented acceleration in AI adoption within the highly regulated pharmaceutical industry.