March-April. 2026 | The HEALTH

FOREIGN NEWS

The procedure involved a 60-yearold patient living with severe knee osteoarthritis for nearly ten years. Previous treatments, including medication, joint injections, platelet-rich plasma therapy, and arthroscopy, failed to halt the disease ' s progression. Her right knee showed stage-4 degeneration. Significant cartilage loss, bone

SPEAKING AGAIN: MIRA Voice enables critical care patients to express needs and engage with clinicians, improving communication and care efficiency.

LARONIX Inc( Laronix), a commercialstage medical technology( MedTech) company specialising in voice restoration, has partnered with Greater Baltimore Medical Centre( GBMC) to launch an investigational study of its MIRA Voice system for ICU patients.

The device aims to restore speech for patients who lose their voice follow-

ADVANCED KNEE

REPLACEMENT: The CORI robotic system allows surgeons to perform highly precise knee replacement surgeries with smaller incisions and faster recovery.

spurs, and deformity made mobility extremely difficult.

The CORI robotic system delivers sub-millimetre precision in bone cuts, ensuring a customised fit for the artificial joint. Unlike conventional methods, it does not require preoperative CT or MRI scans. Instead, the system generates a 3D model during surgery, calculates biomechanical parameters in real time, and reduces preparation time, costs, and radiation exposure.

The Hospital ' s Head of the Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery Department, Kieu Quoc Hien, said the minimally

ing tracheostomy or intubation.

MIRA Voice, previously used to help laryngectomy patients regain speech, uses a computer-controlled artificial lung and synthetic vocal folds to mimic a natural voice. It offers customisable male and female options. The system also informs Laronix ' s next-generation AI product, MIRA Voice AI, which seeks invasive approach reduces incision size, limits soft-tissue damage, lowers postoperative pain, and shortens recovery times. Under ideal conditions, patients can begin standing and walking within 24 hours and resume near-normal activities within two to three weeks.

This technology minimises complications, reducing the likelihood of joint misalignment and vascular or ligament injuries. Additionally, the cost of robot-assisted knee replacement in Vietnam is significantly lower than in neighbouring countries. Advanced treatment is becoming more accessible

to recreate a patient ' s original voice.

Laronix Chief Operating Officer Mousa Ahmadin said: " This is the first study to explore the use of MIRA Voice, a next-generation artificial larynx, as a potential treatment for ICU voice loss.

" ICU-related voice loss is a significant, untreated global health issue, and we believe MIRA can enable ICU patients to communicate in a critical care environment."

The Milton J. Dance Jr. Head and Neck Centre at GBMC is leading the study, which will involve about 12 patients. Researchers plan to finish by mid-2026. They will evaluate whether the device enables patients to express immediate needs, sustain casual conversation, and improve ICU workflow efficiency.

" Voice loss is a significant issue in ICUs," said Bushra Lohrasbi, MA, CCC-SLP, a speech-language pathologist with the Milton J. Dance Centre at GBMC and the study ' s primary investigator.

HOPE is on the horizon for prostate cancer patients as GI Innovation and Johnson & Johnson are teaming up for a trial that could give new therapeutic options to those battling advanced, treatment-resistant disease.

The study will test GI Innovation ' s immuno-oncology drug GI-102, together with pasritamig( KLK2-CD3), a first-in-class bispecific T-cell engager, to determine whether the combination offers new treatment options for a disease with few alternatives.

Under the clinical supply agreement, Johnson & Johnson will provide pasritamig. GI Innovation, meanwhile, will sponsor and manage the trial. Research will be conducted in both Korea and the United States. Dr Mark Stein of Columbia University Irving Medical Centre will serve as the global coordinating investigator, and leading Korean hospitals, such as Asan Medical Centre and Severance Hospital, will also participate.

GI Innovation CEO Dr Myoung-ho Jang explained: " This agreement represents a meaningful step toward validating the potential of GI-102 in combination with next-generation modalities such as T cell engagers, together with Johnson & Johnson.

" As combination strategies become increasingly important in the field of immuno-oncology, clinical collaborations with global partners will serve as an important opportunity to strengthen the technological credibility of our platform further."- The HEALTH

PROSTATE THERAPY TRIAL: The study will evaluate the combination therapy ' s effectiveness in helping patients with limited treatment alternatives.