Fitbit and Belgium-based FibriCheck have extended their partnership to bring the latter’s atrial fibrillation detection app to four new countries in the EU: France, Germany, Italy and Spain. It was previously made available to Fitbit smartwatch users in the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands and Belgium back in September 2019.

“For more than a decade, Fitbit has helped millions of people around the world take control of their health by providing them with a holistic picture of their health and wellness,” Nicola Maxwell, director of health solutions and services, EMEA at Fitbit, said in a statement. “Our partnership with FibriCheck expands on this vision by offering an accessible way for people to detect irregular heart rhythms using their Fitbit smartwatch, helping them to potentially identify and monitor heart conditions like atrial fibrillation.”

The CE-marked tool is similar to FibriCheck’s smartphone app in that it uses light and sensors to observe blood flow rates and, subsequently runs these readings through an algorithm to determine the user’s heart rhythm.

After roughly 60 seconds, these measurements can be displayed as a simple color-coded result on the screen of the smartwatch or through as a more detailed report via a paired smartphone app. Additionally, results can also be shared with medical professionals through a supported web interface.

Nerve stimulation device maker LivaNova is partnering with Verily on a research collaboration that will use the Verily Study Watch and paired mobile app to investigate the Vagus Nerve Stimulation Therapy (VNS Therapy) product’s impact on difficult-to-treat depression. According to the companies’ announcement, quantitative data collected from Verily’s devices will be considered alongside qualitative observations of the study participants’ conditions, with the former consisting of heart rate, activity level, sleep quality and related other domains of function.

“The goal of the RECOVER study is to assess how VNS Therapy can offer patients with [difficult-to-treat] relief from their symptoms and improve their quality of life,” Damien McDonald, CEO of LivaNova, said in a statement. “Through this collaboration with Verily, we can build on our work to study depression and better understand the complex elements that contribute to the disorder, enhancing our ability to treat the patients who battle it.”

Digital mental health startup Meru has signed a new commercial agreement with patient engagement platform dacadoo. The pair will be focused on a new streamline effort to detect and treat anxiety and depression early on. 

“The strategic partnership with Meru Health reflects our desire to collaborate with companies, who share our vision to prevent mental health issues and offer the right expertise & support. dacadoo’s platform and Meru Health’s treatment program both serve the need to improve symptom detection and prevention in the area of mental health. We are very happy to announce our partnership with Meru Health in this area,”Peter Ohnemus, President & CEO of dacadoo, said in a statement. 

This morning the University of California San Francisco inked a deal with Proscia, an artificial intelligence enabled pathology company, in order to validate the ladders AI application. The pair will start with a focus on prostate cancer 

“UCSF prides itself as being an institution in the intersection of research and clinical practice of medicine, continuously working to translate new findings into more effective prevention, diagnosis, and treatment,” Zoltan Laszik, Professor of Pathology at UCSF, said in a statement. “Proscia’s focus on delivering practical AI solutions strongly aligns with our efforts, and we are pleased to work together to improve the routine pathology workflow.”