Nicotine

以色列特拉维夫 2024年11月18日 /美通社/ -- 专注于开发独特肾脏去神经治疗系统的医疗器械公司 SoniVie Ltd. 今日宣布，任命Raymond W. Cohen为董事会主席。 Cohen先生曾担任总部位于加利福尼亚州尔湾的全球医疗技术公司Axonics, Inc.的首席执行官及董事会成员， 他于2013年共同创立了该公司，并在2018年10月31日带领公司成功上市。 Axonics在2021年Deloitte Technology Fast 500™和2022年《金融时报》美洲增长最快公司排名中均位列第一。 在Axonics被Boston Scientific Corporation（纽约证券交易所股票代码：BSX）以37亿美元收购后，Cohen将从Axonics退休。 在加入Axonics之前，Cohen担任Vessix Vascular, Inc.（私人控股）的首席执行官，该公司研发了一种基于导管的肾脏去神经支配系统，并于2012年末被BSX收购。 SoniVie首席执行官Tomaso Zambelli表示：“我们期待借助Cohen先生在推动医疗技术公司成长方面的丰富经验，以及他在肾脏去神经领域的专长，帮助我们推进美国FDA批准的PMA研究，并规划产品的商业化路径。” 关于Raymond W. Cohen Cohen先生是一位具有40多年生命科学行业经验的上市公司认证董事。他同时担任私营的商业化阶段公司Kestra Medical Technologies, Inc.的独立董事，Kestra专注于为面临短期心脏骤停风险的患者研发并销售可穿戴除颤设备。 Cohen近期荣获2024年MedTech MVP奖项，并被Orange County Business Journal评为年度商业人物。 2021年，Cohen先生因在医疗技术行业四十年的贡献荣获SoCal Bio终身成就奖。 2020年末，Cohen先生被Ernst & Young评为美国西南太平洋区年度企业家。 关于SoniVie Ltd. SoniVie开发了TIVUS™（治疗性血管内超声系统），该系统利用高频非聚焦超声能量对肾动脉中的神经进行消融，以帮助降低高血压患者的血压。高血压是一种影响数亿人健康的疾病，显著增加了心脏病发作、中风和肾衰竭的风险。 2024年7月，美国FDA批准了该公司的PMA研究，目前该研究正在美国、欧洲和以色列招募患者。 “THRIVE”研究是一项国际多中心、随机、双盲、对照的临床试验，旨在评估TIVUS ™系统在高血压患者中的安全性与有效性，这些患者在接受手术前一个月停止使用抗高血压药物，并持续至手术后两个月。 揭盲将在手术后6个月进行。 SoniVie的业务覆盖以色列、美国和欧洲。 如需更多信息，请访问 www.sonivie.com 公关联系人： 首席执行官Tomaso Zambelli Sonivie Ltd. tomaso@sonivie.com

The NHS spends £2.5bn each year on smoking- related illnesses and hospitalisations. Image credit: Shutterstock/ Gorynvd. As the UK Government presses ahead with laws to create a smoke-free generation, tens of thousands of smokers will now benefit from an improved version of a smoking cessation pill thanks to a roll-out by the National Health Service (NHS). Varenicline will be offered to around 85,000 smokers in England to help them kick the habit alongside behavioural support, as per a 12 November press release. NHS England states that the tablet is as effective as vapes in helping people stop smoking, and even better than nicotine-replacement gum or patches. Around a quarter of those taking varenicline in tandem with behavioural support stop smoking for at least six months, the health service said. Varenicline helps block cravings for nicotine, the addictive chemical found in tobacco products. The drug also helps with withdrawal symptoms such as irritability and sleep issues. The smoking cessation pill was previously known under the brand name Champix, made by Pfizer since 2006. Champix was withdrawn in 2021 as a precaution after an impurity was discovered, with a new generic version approved by the Medicines Health and Regulatory Authority (MHRA) this month. Pharmaceutical company Teva UK will manufacture the drug for the NHS. A decline in smoking rates over the past couple of decades means that only 11.6% of adults in England still smoke – about 6 million people. There were nevertheless approximately 74,600 deaths in the UK linked to smoking in 2019, accounting for around 15% of all deaths that year. Varenicline’s use could help avoid 1,890 smoking-related deaths each year, according to research carried out by University College London. In addition, previous data on Champix showed that £1.65 was saved in healthcare costs for every £1 spent on the drug. NHS England expects the cost-benefit ratio to be even better with the cheaper generic version. NHS chief executive, Amanda Pritchard says: “This simple daily pill could be a game-changer for people who want to quit smoking and is another vital step in shifting our NHS further towards prevention.” The UK Government introduced the Tobacco and Vapes Bill in Parliament last week as it looks to curb the £2.5bn spent each year on the NHS treating health issues caused by smoking. The new set of laws will prevent anyone who was born on or after 1 January 2009 from buying tobacco, which effectively raises the legal age for buying cigarettes in England by one year every year. “Alongside supporting the Government’s ambition to create the first smoke-free generation, we are giving current smokers the tools they need to quit – with proven treatment options like this, alongside specialist care, helping to save thousands of lives and the NHS millions of pounds in treatment costs,” Pritchard adds. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence ( Nice ) is currently reviewing a second drug called cytisine that could also help in the fight against smoking – this compound works in a similar way to varenicline. Semaglutide, marketed as weight loss and diabetes drugs Wegovy and Ozempic respectively, has also been touted as a potential helper, with a study showing patients on the medication were less likely to take smoking cessation treatment .