SensNews Jan 2016

Sensor100

January 2016

Healthcare

Theranos FounderYoungest Self

Made Billionaire

Elizabeth Homes (31) who dropped out of Stanford

University to found Theranos (“Therapy”+”Diagnosis”) in

2003, is reported to be the youngest self-made billionaire

with a fortune worth $4.5 billion, valuing Theranos at

$9 billion. Theranos claims to be able to perform many

diagnostic tests using a fingerprick of blood and advanced

microfluidics technology. In 2015, the company came

under intense media scrutiny for overstating its technology claims, and was

also challenged by the FDA. At

in November 2015,

Homes defended her claims, and denied that the company was hiding. This will

be an ongoing story in 2016 with the expectation that the valuation of what ef-

fectively is a start-up can only move in one direction.

Meanwhile the

Financial Times

reported on 28 January that Theranos has

been warned by US Regulators that one of its laboratories poses a serious risk

to patient’s health because of the way it is performing blood tests. The Cali-

fornia laboratory was issued a warning letter by the Centres for Medicare and

Medicaid Services requiring corrective action to be taken within ten days, or

risk losing its certification. Theranos has said that a full plan of corrective ac-

tions will be submitted to CMS.

Xip Unveils GO Platform for Drop of BloodTesting

Xip unveiled the GO platform at the 9th annual OneMedForum in SF. The

device takes a drop of blood from a fin-

ger-stick and wirelessly uploads lab-quality

high-sensitivity troponin measurements in

minutes.This platform - built around a digital

microchip that counts one or more target

molecules - can be used for comprehensive

blood testing at the Point-of-Need. Tropo-

nin is a marker which differentiates cardiac

infarctions.

For more information see the company website: