Life Science Healthcare News | February 2024

Online doctor appointment services growing 

The number of people making doctor’s appointments online continues to grow according to bitkom, a German digital industry association. A survey of 1,138 respondents aged 16 years and older conducted by the digital association found that 36 percent of those surveyed had already made an online appointment. Thirty-two percent have yet to do so but can envision doing it in the future, with just 30 percent of respondents categorically ruling online appointment booking out. Online platform providers like Doctolib, who Germany Trade & Invest helped establish operations in Germany, are enjoying the rewards of the Digital Care Act (that relaxed the telemedicine rules and eased market entry) and a reassessment of all things digital after the global Covid-19 pandemic. Seventy percent of respondents are also of the opinion that all medical practices and facilities should offer online appointment booking services, with almost one quarter of those surveyed choosing their medical practitioner according to whether they provide this service. 

ITM raises quarter of biotech capital in 2023

Bavarian biotech company Isotope Technologies Munich (ITM) generated a quarter (EUR 255 million) of fresh capital in Germany’s resurgent biotech sector in 2023. According to industry association BIO Deutschland, the domestic biotech sector pulled in new capital and venture capital of more than EUR 1 billion last year – up 17 percent from the EUR 921 million generated in 2022. ITM proved to be the standout performer in sector in 2023, with the privately financed company that specializes in radioactive medications for the treatment of cancer drawing in the most capital for a single company. The company’s use of radioactive drugs to destroy tumors is one of the most promising therapy approaches to combat cancer. 

First lupus patient successfully treated with CAR T-cell therapy

Scientists at the Mainz University Medical Center have successfully treated a patient with the autoimmune disease lupus with CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) T-cell therapy for the first time. The state-of-the-art immunotherapeutic procedure represents a promising new treatment option, particularly for severe diseases where existing therapies are insufficiently effective. As one of two centers in Germany and the only location in Rhineland-Palatinate, Mainz University Hospital is now also offering this innovative immunotherapy to patients with autoimmune diseases as part of a clinical trial.

New biotech and medtech guides launched

BIOCOM has launched the 25^th anniversary edition of the Guide to German Biotech Companies in English. More than 100 companies are listed in the new publication, covering everything from start-ups and medium-sized concerns to successful global players. In other news, the Guide to German Medtech Companies 2024 has also been published. The new guide covers the entire value chain of medtech products and healthcare service providers. 

Magdeburg University Hospital successfully treats myasthenia for first time

Magdeburg University Hospital has successfully treated the autoimmune disease myasthenia for the first time. The new therapy has been developed to counter the rare autoimmune disease in which the immune system disrupts an interface between nerve and muscle.  The patient from Salzwedel had been wheelchair bound and ventilated in intensive care for several weeks. The new treatment, which the medical team is calling an “immunological reboot,” involves removing and treating a key component of the immune system that is then readministered to the patient as a “living” drug in infusion form. The clinic has already identified other patients from the spectrum of neuroimmunological diseases for a transfer of the principles of the new treatment. 

Student doctor app expanded to include nursing care

The Amboss Plege (“Amboss Care”) platform which helps student doctors prepare for examinations has now been expanded to create a service for student nurses. Established in 2012, the platform has two million users in 170 countries. The new nursing platform will provide practice-relevant information and evidence-based procedures specifically for prospective nurses.