GERRY: ELI LILLY AND COMPANY IS
NOW ON A MISSION TO HELP PEOPLE
WHO HAVE TROUBLE HEARING. KYLIE
VELETA IS HERE WITH MORE IN THE
BUSINESS OF HEALTH.
THANKS, GERRY.
LILLY HAS AGREED TO A $487
MILLION DEAL TO BUY BOSTON-BASED
AKOUOS
TO DEVELOP GENE THERAPIES FOR
HEARING LOSS.
THE DEAL COULD INCREASE TO $610
MILLION, IF THE COMPANY HITS
CERTAIN BENCHMARKS DURING
VARIOUS TESTING PHASES.
THE COMPANIES SAY THE PROPOSED
ACQUISITION WILL ACCELERATE GENE
THERAPIES THAT AIM TO RESTORE,
IMPROVE, AND PRESERVE HEARING
FOR AN ESTIMATED 40 MILLION
PEOPLE IN THE U-S WHO ARE LIVING
WITH DISABLING HEARING LOSS.
THE LARGEST CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
IN THE HISTORY OF THE INDIANA
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE IS
NOW UNDERWAY.
THIS WEEK I-U LEADERS BROKE
GROUND ON A $230 MILLION MEDICAL
EDUCATION AND RESEARCH BUILDING.
THE 11-STORY BUILDING, WHICH
WILL TOTAL MORE THAN 325,000
SQUARE FEET IN DOWNTOWN
INDIANAPOLIS.
THIS BUILDING WILL BE A PLACE
WHERE GENERATIONS OF FUTURE
HEALERS WILL BEGIN THEIR JOURNEY
IN MEDICINE. AND IT'S GOING TO
BE A PLACE WHERE RESEARCHERS ARE
GOING TO MAKE INNOVATIONS THAT
ARE GOING TO PREVENT DISEASE,
ELEVATE SUFFERING AND SAVE
LIVES, NOT JUST HERE IN INDIANA,
BUT ACROSS THE NATION AND AROUND
THE WORLD.
THE BUILDING WILL BE THE FIRST
NEW CLASSROOM SPACE IN INDY
SINCE THE 1950S. THE PROJECT
WILL BE CO-LOCATED WITH THE $2.7
BILLION INDIANAPOLIS ACADEMIC
HEALTH CENTER DEVELOPMENT
PLANNED BY
IU HEALTH... WHICH INCLUDES AN
EXPANDED MEDICAL CAMPUS WITH A
NEW HOSPITAL BUILDING.
SOME 200 HOOSIERS WITH
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE OR DEMENTIA
ARE BEFRIENDING VIRTUAL PETS ON
TABLETS AS PART OF AN IU SCHOOL
OF MEDICINE STUDY.
THE ANIMATED CATS AND DOGS WORK
ON TABLETS AND ARE DESIGNED TO
HELP
THE PERSON WITH ALZHEIMER'S
ACCOMPLISH DAILY TASKS.
I HAVE AN IMPORTANT REMINDER.
HAVE YOU DRANK A GLASS OF WATER
WITHIN THE PAST FEW HOURS? YES.
HAVE YOU TAKEN YOUR AFTERNOON
MEDICATIONS TODAY?
A SAN FRANCISCO COMPANY CALLED
CARE COACH CREATED THE
TECHNOLOGY.
HOOSIERS ARE TESTING THE PETS TO
SEE IF BY REDUCING THE SYMPTOMS
OF ALZHEIMER'S, CAREGIVERS HAVE
LESS STRESS, HELPING THE PERSON
WITH ALZHEIMER'S REMAIN AT HOME,
INSTEAD OF MOVING TO AN
INSTITUTION.
I-U PROFESSOR OF AGING RESEARCH
DR. MALAZ BOUSTANI SAYS THE PETS
HAVE SURPRISED EVEN HIM.
I WAS VERY SKEPTIC THAT THIS
ANIMATED CARE COACH DEVELOPED BY
SOME PERSON IN CA WOULD REALLY
DO ANYTHING FOR MY PATIENTS.
SOME OF MY PATIENTS EARLY ON,
THEY COME OVER AND TELL ME ABOUT
BUDDY WAS REALLY GOOD, I'VE BEEN
TALKING WITH HIM, HE'S REALLY
GOOD. OR SHE'S REALLY AWESOME,
JULIA. AND I'M LIKE WHO ARE THEY
TALKING ABOUT?
MY CARE COORDINATOR WHO SUPPORT
ME SAID NO NO DR. BOUSTANI, THIS
IS THE AVATAR, THE DOG OR THE
CAT ENGAGED WITH THEM. THEY'VE
BEEN CALLING THAT AVATAR A NAME,
THEY TALK WITH IT, THAT WAS THE
BIGGEST SURPRISE FOR ME.
BOUSTANI SAYS THE SCALABILITY OF
THE TECHNOLOGY IS KEY: IT'S LOW
COST, DOESN'T REQUIRE A
HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL, AND THE
PATIENT ONLY NEEDS INTERNET
ACCESS.
THIS TABLET IS NOT ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE.
>> YOU DON'T WANT TO OUTSOURCE
THE CARE OF YOUR LOVED ONE.
THERE'S A LIVE HUMAN BEING ON
THE OTHER END OF THE TABLET. IT
CONVERTS THE VOICE TO A DOG OR