An all-female panel of medtech DEI leaders at the LSX Congress USA conference discussed the importance of diversity and inclusion in research, clinical trials, product development and services to advance health equity as well as fundamental business goals.

Otsuka steps into the ocular gene therapy field through a technology licensing deal worth up to $1.5bn with ShapeTX, which in turn further expands the US firm's global reach following a $3bn collaboration with Roche. 

AnGes has terminated R&D work on a DNA vaccine for COVID-19 and will now look at intranasal candidates with a US partner. Although the original project received funding from the Japanese government, a spike in related costs caused the Japanese firm's net loss to triple last year, and the decision represents the latest in a string of pipeline setbacks.

CEO Adrian Rawcliffe talked with Scrip about filing and early commercial plans for afami-cel in synovial carcinoma if it is approved by the FDA.