The Johns Hopkins University

Epigenetic test for risk-stratification impacts gastroenterologists' decision making and improves confidence when caring for patients with Barrett's esophagus. BALTIMORE, Oct. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Previse, a gastrointestinal health company, today announced the company presented prospective real-world clinical utility data for Esopredict at the 2024 American College of Gastroenterology Annual Scientific Meeting (ACG) being held October 25-30 in Philadelphia, PA and virtually. This presentation, awarded for Outstanding Poster Presentation, underscores Previse's commitment to clinicial impact and innovation with Esopredict, the first and only clinically validated and commercially available epigenetic test designed to aid gastroenterologists in optimizing care of patients diagnosed with precancerous Barrett's esophagus. About the poster presentation: Presentation Title: A COMMUNITY-BASED STUDY TO ASSESS A PROGNOSTIC ASSAY'S IMPACT ON GASTROENTEROLOGISTS' BARRETT'S ESOPHAGUS PATIENT SURVEILLANCE AND TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS The prospective study evaluates the clinical utility of real-world Esopredict testing in patients with Barrett's esophagus (BE) at multiple gastroenterology centers throughout the United States. Results demonstrate increased intensive surveillance and endoscopic treatment in higher risk patients, reduced surveillance in lower risk patients, and higher confidence in surveillance and treatment decisions. "The ACG Annual Scientific Meeting provides a premiere forum to showcase the real-world versatility of Esopredict, a prognostic solution that offers clinical value to gastroenterologists to support patient needs across the BE care spectrum," said Daniel Lunz, Chief Executive Officer at Previse. "This data demonstrates how Previse is transforming the care and treatment landscape for patients living with Barrett's esophagus." About Previse and Esopredict Established in 2018, Previse is a gastrointestinal health company with a primary focus on chronic acid reflux related diseases, including esophageal cancer. Previse's mission is to save lives and improve patient health through prevention and early detection. Previse leverages groundbreaking biomarker technology developed by Stephen Meltzer, M.D., and his GI Early Detection Biomarker Lab at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. This technology, backed by funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and decades of research, forms the foundation of Previse's commitment to combating GI diseases, including cancer. At the forefront is Esopredict, a highly sensitive epigenetic test designed to predict the risk of progression to high-grade dysplasia or esophageal adenocarcinoma in patients with precancerous Barrett's esophagus. With a turnaround time of about two weeks after a sample is received, Esopredict empowers gastroenterologists to tailor effective treatment strategies, marking a pivotal advancement in the battle against esophageal cancer. For additional information about Esopredict, please visit . SOURCE Previse WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

The program aims to bring together a supportive network for people dealing with chronic health challenges for themselves and their loved ones DENVER, Oct. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The DaVita Giving Foundation today announced an investment in the National Kidney Foundation (NKF)'s PEERS program, a program that provides social and emotional support for patients, care partners, and living donors through connections with mentors living through similar experiences. Prioritizing mental health in chronic disease care is essential, and mentorship can help provide people with support and comfort in a time when they might otherwise feel alone. Studies1 show that social connection can help reduce the risk of chronic disease and other serious illness, and lead to better mental and physical health. "Receiving a chronic disease diagnosis can be a distressing and emotional experience for patients as well as their loved ones. Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) often manage multiple health conditions at once, and our dedicated care teams come together to support patients throughout their kidney care journey. While the support of care teams and partners is invaluable, nothing quite matches the comfort and understanding that comes from connecting with peers," remarked Dr. Jeff Giullian, chief medical officer for DaVita, a leading provider of kidney care services. "We celebrate the NKF PEERS program for its commitment to connecting patients with a broader health community, and we are truly grateful to be part of this vital effort." Today, more than 356 individuals participate as mentors and mentees in the program, with 81% of participants managing a chronic illness like kidney failure. "Going through a kidney disease diagnosis, being on dialysis, and getting evaluated for a transplant can be such a lonely process. NKF PEERS helps people in these moments make connections with someone else who's 'been there before,'" said Marissa Argentina, patient programs director for the NKF. "Connecting with trained peer mentors who have those lived experiences, can share their stories and are able to be a source of support for someone new to living with kidney disease, dialysis or transplant can make a huge difference." Patients living with chronic disease are significantly more likely to experience depression and other mental health conditions2, and studies3 show that social connection improves the psychological well-being of those living with mental health conditions. "When I first started dialysis, I felt depressed, so I asked my social worker at DaVita if there was a program where I could talk to someone experiencing the same things I was," said Felicia Tarnecki, DaVita patient and mentee participant in NKF PEERS. "My mentor answered my questions, and we talked on the phone often. It helped me feel less alone and more in control of my health." The program connects participants telephonically and provides them with an opportunity to discuss their kidney care journey and ask questions in a comfortable environment with someone who has lived through similar experiences. "I want to give others the encouragement through their journey that I wish I'd had, because I felt like nobody understood what I was going through," said Janine Prazza, mentor for the NKF PEERS program and a dual heart and kidney transplant recipient. To learn more about DaVita's giving and community partnerships, visit DaVita.com/About. To learn more about support groups and other resources for those affected by kidney disease, visit DaVita.com/Support or Kidney.org/PEERS. About DaVita Inc. DaVita (NYSE: DVA) is a health care provider focused on transforming care delivery to improve quality of life for patients globally. As a comprehensive kidney care provider, DaVita has been a leader in clinical quality and innovation for more than 20 years. DaVita cares for patients at every stage and setting along their kidney health journey—from slowing the progression of kidney disease to helping to support transplantation, from acute hospital care to dialysis at home. As of June 30, 2024, DaVita served approximately 265,100 patients at 3,124 outpatient dialysis centers, of which 2,672 centers were located in the United States and 452 centers were located in 13 other countries worldwide. DaVita has reduced hospitalizations, improved mortality, and worked collaboratively to propel the kidney care industry to adopt an equitable and high-quality standard of care for all patients, everywhere. To learn more, visit DaVita.com/About. Media Contact: DaVita Newsroom [email protected] 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024, March 27). Social Connection. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved October 2, 2024, from 2Based on 2021 data. John's Hopkins (2021, December 16). The Intersection of Mental Health and Chronic Disease. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 3Based on 2017 data. Harandi TF, Taghinasab MM, Nayeri TD. The correlation of social support with mental health: A meta-analysis. Electron Physician. 2017 Sep 25;9(9):5212-5222. doi: 10.19082/5212. PMID: 29038699; PMCID: PMC5633215. SOURCE DaVita WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A study published in JAMA Network Open , led by Andrew Huhn, PhD, MBA, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Kelly Dunn, PhD, MBA, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and co-authored by Millennium Health researchers, illustrates striking increases in the amounts of illicit fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine detected in urine drug testing (UDT) specimens since 2013. The analysis showed that the concentrations of fentanyl and methamphetamine were 8.3 and 5.2 times higher, respectively, in 2023 compared to 2013 (Figure). Cocaine concentrations also doubled across this time period, whereas those for heroin fell by more than half. The JAMA Network Open article can be accessed here . “Fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine concentrations are higher now relative to any time in the past decade, suggesting that the people who are using these drugs are doing so in larger quantities and/or with greater frequency now,” said Huhn. “The findings also demonstrate that aggregated, quantitative UDT data offer a scalable surveillance method that can provide swift and nimble feedback on real-time changes in drug exposure levels as well as emerging threats, like xylazine, that are not routinely captured by other methods,” he added. The analysis of 921,931 unique patient UDT specimens collected in substance use disorder treatment settings across the U.S. also evaluated how these concentrations have changed in different parts of the country. With a few exceptions (e.g., greater methamphetamine concentrations in the West and part of the South, largely stable heroin concentrations in the West), changes in drug exposure concentrations have been relatively similar across the U.S. over time. “These findings reveal that the drug use epidemic is evolving not only in terms of what drugs are being used but how much drug is being used ,” said Millennium Health Chief Clinical Officer Angela Huskey, PharmD, CPE. “This is the most granular assessment of drug use patterns in the U.S. to date and highlights an important, underappreciated nuance about drug use that may affect overdose risk and other clinically relevant phenomena.” About Millennium Health Millennium Health is an accredited specialty laboratory with over 15 years of experience in drug testing . We provide objective information about patients’ recent use of prescription medications and/or illicit drugs which helps clinicians monitor and treat millions of Americans living with chronic pain, substance use disorders, mental health disorders or other health conditions. Our ability to monitor drug use trends allows us to alert clinicians, health agencies and others to real-time drug use changes to help inform more targeted drug overdose prevention and response strategies to save lives. Contacts MEDIA CONTACT: Jody Schneider Millennium Health Jody.Schneider@millenniumhealth.com 619-917-6810