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Blue Shield of California invests in Cricket Health expansion aimed at treating kidney disease

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“Improving clinical outcomes for people with kidney disease results in lower costs for health plan partners, according to Cricket.

Today, Cricket Health closed an $83.5 million Series B funding round led by Valtruis, which will enable Cricket’s expansion to support demand for its care model for people with kidney disease.

Blue Shield of California made a strategic investment of an unspecified amount. The round also includes existing investors Oak HC/FT and Cigna Ventures, as well as K2 HealthVentures.

The expansion will improve clinical outcomes for people with kidney disease, resulting in lower costs for health plan partners, according to Cricket. In both Texas and California, across commercial and Medicare Advantage health plan partnerships, Cricket Health said it has shown improvements in key clinical measures for its populations living with kidney disease.”

Read more, here.

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U.S. FDA authorizes COVID-19 vaccine boosters for the immunocompromised

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“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized a third dose of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and Moderna Inc (MRNA.O) for people with compromised immune systems.

The amended emergency use authorization paves the way for people who have had an organ transplant, or those with a similar level of weakened immune system, to get an extra dose.

“After a thorough review of the available data, the FDA determined that this small, vulnerable group may benefit from a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines,” Janet Woodcock, U.S. FDA’s acting commissioner, said in a tweet on Thursday.”

Read more, here.

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NIH launches study of third COVID-19 vaccine dose in kidney transplant recipients

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“A pilot study has begun to assess the antibody response to a third dose of an authorized COVID-19 mRNA vaccine in kidney transplant recipients who did not respond to two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The Phase 2 trial is sponsored and funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.

The lifelong immunosuppressive therapy that organ transplant recipients must take to prevent organ rejection blunts their immune response to both pathogens and vaccines. Research has shown that many organ transplant recipients do not develop antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, after receiving an authorized COVID-19 vaccine regimen. The purpose of the new study is to determine whether a third dose of one of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines could overcome this problem for at least some kidney transplant recipients. This is particularly important because this population has a high prevalence of conditions that are risk factors for severe COVID-19, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.”

Read more, here.

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Making transplants without a lifelong regimen of anti-rejection drugs a reality at UCLA Health

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“When he was a medical trainee, UCLA Health nephrologist Erik Lum, MD, was part of a team at Stanford University exploring how to create “tolerance” in kidney-transplant patients — a process that encourages the body to welcome the new organ without the necessity for a lifelong regimen of anti-rejection drugs.

Now, Dr. Lum is among the leaders of a multidisciplinary team making transplant tolerance a reality at UCLA Health. Two kidney transplants have been performed thus far under the advanced protocol, making UCLA Health one of only five medical centers in the world capable of the groundbreaking approach hailed as “the Holy Grail” of transplantation.

“It requires a lot of interplay between different divisions,” Dr. Lum says. “To me, it really demonstrates the strength of a place like UCLA. You can’t do this just anywhere. It’s a huge collaboration.”

The protocol brings together a broad range of specialties, including nephrology, urology, hematology, radiation oncology and others, for a series of treatments that prime the transplant recipient’s body to accept the new organ.”

Learn more, here.

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FDA authorizes Covid antibody treatment as preventive after exposure

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“The unvaccinated or people with weak immune systems at high risk of severe disease can receive an injection if exposed to an infected person.

People at considerable risk of developing severe Covid-19, including millions of Americans with compromised immune systems, now have the option of receiving a preventive monoclonal antibody treatment if they have been or are at risk of being exposed to the coronavirus.

The Food and Drug Administration’s action on Friday brings hope to the estimated 3 percent of Americans who are immunocompromised, including those with autoimmune diseases, HIV patients, cancer patients and organ transplant recipients, who may still be vulnerable to Covid even after being fully vaccinated.

This is the first time an injectable coronavirus antibody treatment has been approved for use as a prevention of Covid after someone has been exposed to the virus.”

Read more, here.

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National Kidney Foundation Partners with Alport Syndrome Foundation to expand First-Ever National Registry for Patients at All Stages of Kidney Disease

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“A new partnership between the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and the Alport Syndrome Foundation (ASF) is designed to give hope to the thousands of patients, including children and their families, who suffer from debilitating Alport syndrome, a rare genetic kidney disorder. 

NKF and ASF will collaborate on the NKF Patient Network – Alport Syndrome, a new sub-registry devoted to Alport syndrome patients within the NKF Patient Network, a registry for people with all stages of kidney disease. The NKF Patient Network is the only kidney disease registry that has both patient-entered data combined with electronic health records (EHR). Patients with all stages of kidney disease can register and add their important health information. The unique digital platform is designed to improve the lives of people with kidney disease by better informing research, clinical care, drug development, and health policy decisions, as well as give kidney patients the tools they need to stay educated and healthy.”

Learn more, here.

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FDA decision on booster shots for immunocompromised expected soon

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“The nation’s top infectious disease doctor says he believes booster shots for the COVID-19 vaccine should be given “reasonably soon” to people with weakened immune systems.

“We need to look at them in a different light,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said on CNN’s ‘Fareed Zakaria GPS’ on Sunday. “We would certainly be boosting those people before we boost the general population that’s been vaccinated, and we should be doing that reasonably soon.”

The comments from the lead medical adviser to the White House on the pandemic are a change in messaging from about a month ago.”

Read more, here.

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Heart Surgeon Serves Up Healthy Italian Food Tips

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“In the land of carb counting, a pasta advocate can be hard to find. Look no further than Dr. Alfredo Trento at the Smidt Heart Institute, who did Cedars-Sinai’s first heart transplant in 1988 and has loved Italian cooking a lot longer than that.

Dr. Trento grew up in Italy, and the love of his life, Robin, spent much of the first year of their marriage learning about one of his other great loves: his mother’s cooking. Versions of those recipes—now with Robin’s own flair—still form the staples of their meals today, drawing inspiration from what’s in season.

A great meal doesn’t necessarily require a trip to the farmers market. Chat with Dr. Trento for a few minutes, and he’ll have you scouring your kitchen cupboards for the makings of a mouth-watering meal that’s as kind to your heart as it is to your palate.”

Read more and find recipes, here.

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National Kidney Foundation and Labcorp Data Show Millions Aren’t Tested for Kidney Disease

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“New data suggest that millions of patients most at-risk for life-threatening kidney disease are unaware they have it because they are not tested according to clinical practice guidelines despite their risk. The study, by authors from the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and Labcorp, appears today in the journal Diabetes Care.

In the study, “Chronic Kidney Disease Testing (CKD) Among At-Risk Adults in the U.S. Remains Low: Real-World Evidence from a National Laboratory Database,” investigators reviewed laboratory ordered CKD tests from more than 28 million patients with diabetes, hypertension (also known as high blood pressure), or both, that were tested by Labcorp between 2013 and 2018.”

Read more, here.

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Home is where the heart is: This CNN Hero is housing transplant patients near their hospitals

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“Twelve years ago, Ava Kaufman was fighting for her life. Now, thanks to a donor heart and successful organ transplant, she’s alive — and saving others.

“My life changed on a dime,” said Kaufman, who was a professional dancer and black belt in taekwondo when an autoimmune disease went undiagnosed and wiped out her muscular system. She ultimately ended up on life support in intensive care with organ failure.

“I went from living this big life to not knowing how I was going to survive.”

In what she calls a series of small miracles, Kaufman was given a second chance at life.”

Read the full story, here.

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