Careology and Entia have announced a partnership to enhance cancer care through innovative digital and at-home solutions. The collaboration aims to empower patients to self-manage aspects of their treatment and reduce hospital reliance.

Entia’s Liberty, an at-home blood monitoring solution, will integrate with Careology’s platform. This allows patients to conduct blood tests at home for their clinicians to monitor treatment responses remotely. Such tools alleviate routine patient assessments and support personalised, preventative care pathways.

Careology’s platform supports patients and cancer care teams across the UK and US. It provides tools for managing symptoms, medication schedules and holistic supportive care, enabling early interventions and care closer to home.

Paul Landau, Founder and CEO of Careology, says: “We are excited to work closely with Entia to continue enhancing the cancer care experience in a truly patient-centric manner. By providing patients with self-service tools, they feel less restricted by treatment and allow their cancer teams to monitor progress remotely, enabling oversight and early intervention.”

Entia’s Liberty includes the UK-approved at-home full blood count analyser, developed in collaboration with leading oncology centres. Dr Toby Basey-Fisher, Founder and CEO of Entia, says: “This collaboration marks a significant step forward in patient empowerment, allowing individuals to manage their health with greater ease and autonomy.”

By integrating data such as heart rate and medication patterns, the partnership provides comprehensive insights for clinicians. This combined effort is set to revolutionise cancer care, easing pressures on health systems and optimising patient outcomes.

Octapharma has announced that, for the first time in almost 30 years, NHS patients are receiving medicines made from UK-donated plasma.

These plasma-derived medicinal products (PDMPs), including immunoglobulins and albumin, are essential for thousands of UK patients with chronic diseases, immune deficiencies, and critically ill patients following trauma, burns, or surgery.

In 2023, NHS England appointed Octapharma as the sole manufacturer for the Plasma for Medicines (PfM) programme, providing immunoglobulins and albumin made from UK-donated plasma until at least 2030. While Octapharma has supplied the NHS with medicines made from imported plasma for decades, this marks the first time it has manufactured medicines from UK plasma donations.

Clare Worden, General Manager of Octapharma UK, said: “We’re incredibly proud of all the accomplishments achieved through this unique collaboration with the NHS and blood collection services since we were appointed sole manufacturer.

“Bringing this programme to fruition is testament to our collective dedication, expertise and teamwork. This landmark joint initiative is building a more resilient supply chain for patients nationwide, reducing the country’s reliance on medicines made using imported plasma.”

Sir Stephen Powis, National Medical Director NHS England, said: “This landmark moment ensures patients relying on crucial plasma-derived medicines will always have access to the treatment they need. Thanks to NHS efforts, new plasma-derived products, owned from start to finish by the UK, will reduce our reliance on imported stock and boost the fortitude of hospital supplies.”

Dr Jo Farrar, Chief Executive of NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “Thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors, NHS patients are now receiving medicines made from UK plasma for the first time in a generation. Plasma makes up 55 per cent of our blood and contains antibodies which strengthen or stabilise the immune system.”

Using UK plasma to make immunoglobulins and albumin was banned in 1998 to prevent the potential transmission of variant Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease (vCJD).