Researchers from the universities of Oxford, Nottingham and King’s College London (KCL) have shown that a new heart disease calculator can accurately predict an individual’s ten-year risk of cardiovascular diseases and identify high-risk patients. Published in Nature Medicine, the QR4 tool could save over 2,500 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients a year, promoting earlier recognition of the disease and its associated cardiovascular risk. Currently the leading cause of death globally, CVDs are responsible for an estimated 17.9 million deaths each year, according to the World Health Organization. They are disorders of the heart and blood vessels. Researchers from KCL, along with the QRISK team based at the universities of Oxford and Nottingham, conducted a large-scale epidemiological study involving over 13 million UK citizens, which revealed an increased risk of severe cardiovascular events in female patients with COPD. The team identified seven new unique risk factors common to all genders ...
The CMT Research Foundation (CMTRF) has invested in a study being led by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago to investigate whether a commercially available drug could potentially treat X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT1X). The study will determine whether the drug can improve symptoms in mouse models of CMT1X. Recognised as a rare, peripheral neuropathy disease that is estimated to affect more than 2.6 million people globally, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is a group of inherited conditions that damage the peripheral nerves, which are found outside the main central nervous system. Currently the second most common form of CMT, CMTX1 is caused by mutations in the gene that encodes for the connexin 32 gap junction protein. Associated with inflammation, the condition is said to contribute to the damage of the protective covering of nerve cells, which leads to disease symptoms including muscle weakness, atrophy and numbness. The study, led by ...
Globally, more than one billion people suffer from a high rate of missed disease diagnosis, highlighting the urgent need for more precise and affordable diagnostic tools. Such tools are especially crucial in ecologically sensitive and resource-limited areas, underscoring the importance of developing solutions that can enhance health outcomes sustainably under limited resources. Metabolic diagnosis is a promising approach but currently faces hurdles related to the suitability of biospecimens and the reliability of analytical tools. At Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Shanghai, China), researchers have developed a new diagnostic method that combines dried serum spots (DSS) with nanoparticle-enhanced laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (NPELDI MS). This method enables the rapid and cost-effective diagnosis of various cancers with an accuracy comparable to that of traditional serum tests. Utilizing an eco-friendly and simple protocol, this innovative tool can significantly lower the high percentages of undiagnosed cases in less economically developed regions. For instance, it could ...
Lung cancer is extremely hard to detect early due to the limitations of current screening technologies, which are costly, sometimes inaccurate, and less commonly endorsed by healthcare professionals compared to other screening types. Despite smoking being the primary risk factor, up to 20% of lung cancer cases occur in individuals who have never smoked. The prevailing method for lung cancer screening involves low-dose CT (LDCT) scans. These scans are not only expensive but also prone to generating both false positives and negatives, besides exposing patients to radiation. Consequently, merely about 10% of individuals recommended for screening actually undergo regular scans, a stark contrast to the higher participation rates seen with mammography for breast cancer and colonoscopy for colorectal cancer. As such, lung cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, when treatment options are limited. Researchers are now developing a new blood test aimed at earlier and more accurate detection ...
Day One Biopharmaceuticals drug Ojemda is now FDA-approved for advanced pediatric low-grade glioma, the most common type of brain cancer in children. The regulatory decision for Ojemda covers a broader swath of patients than a drug combination from Novartis approved for treating this childhood cancer. By Frank Vinluan on April 24, 2024 One quirk of the most common type of pediatric brain cancer is that as a child gets older, the tumors eventually stop growing. The reasons for this tumor senescence aren’t fully understood, but pediatric low grade glioma, or pLGG, still wreaks plenty of havoc until then, says Sam Blackman, a pediatric oncologist and the co-founder and head of R&D for Day One Biopharmaceuticals. “Whether it’s the tumor pressing on an optic nerve creating blindness, damage to the hypothalamus or pituitary gland causing profound endocrine disorders, or pressure on motor structures in the brain causing hemiparesis or loss of ...
Don Tracy, Associate Editor Company aims to provide affordable emergency treatment from overdoses of heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioids. Amneal Pharmaceuticals announced that the FDA has approved its OTC Naloxone Hydrochloride (HCI) nasal spray for use in counteracting opioid overdoses. As a generic of Narcan, this nasal spray has also been shown to neutralize overdoses caused by heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioids. With Naxolone officially available, the company stated that this action provides another affordable option to prevent overdoses, which causes more death in people under the age of 50 years than any other cause.1 “With today’s launch, Amneal is proud to help address this public health emergency by providing naloxone nasal spray at an affordable price and without a prescription. Our business is deeply rooted in a commitment to helping others. By enhancing access to naloxone nasal spray, we hope to get this affordable emergency treatment into the hands ...
Tonghua Dongbao Pharmaceutical Co. (hereinafter referred to as the “Company”, “Tonghua Dongbao”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tonghua Dongbao Zixing (Hangzhou) Biomedicine Co., Ltd. has recently obtained the clinical trial approval for THDBH120 for weight loss indication from the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of the State Drug Administration. THDBH120 for injection for the indication of weight loss drug clinical trial approval notice. The approval of the clinical application for THDBH120 for weight loss indication for injection signifies that the company’s GLP-1 pipeline in the field of overweight and obesity treatment has also stepped into the phase of clinical trials, which is of milestone significance. In the future, the Company will accelerate the research and development progress of THDBH120 for injection in diabetes indication and weight loss indication, and further explore and tap the potential of other indications to maximize the value of the product. THDBH120 for injection has a huge ...
The Swiss biotech ecosystem suffers from a “weak public market”, said Francesco de Rubertis, a cofounder at Medicxi Ventures. Despite this, De Rubertis and other experts at the recently concluded Swiss Biotech Day conference, anticipated an improvement in the investment market in the months to come. The conference, held in Basel 22–23 April, gathered experts from around the world to discuss trends in the pharmaceutical sector. At the “Decoding Swiss Biotech – the Investors perspective” session, panellists highlighted changes in the investment market and shared predictions for 2024 and onwards. Nicholas Riddle, the managing director of healthcare investment banking at JP Morgan, forecasts an uptick in the number of pharmaceutical initial public offerings in Europe this year. Riddle added, “It has been a pretty terrible time for private companies in the last several years. However, we are starting to see a bit more engagement from both European funds, who have ...
High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma is the most lethal type of ovarian cancer, and it poses significant detection challenges. Typically, patients initially respond to surgery and chemotherapy, but the cancer often returns. Now, researchers have used spatial analysis of tissue samples to uncover patterns that could indicate whether patients with this form of ovarian cancer are likely to experience early recurrence following treatment, potentially guiding future therapeutic strategies. Researchers at Cedars-Sinai (Los Angeles, CA, USA) conducted spatial protein analyses on ovarian cancer tissue samples to identify patterns correlated with early cancer relapse soon after treatment. The study involved 42 patients and examined both primary and recurrent tumors using imaging mass cytometry, which allows for the detailed spatial examination of protein presence within tissues. Their key findings highlighted the role of plasma cells in the tumor’s immune response. The study found that the location of plasma cells and their relationship with nearby ...
Autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) are thought to occur partly due to unusual immune responses to common infections. Early MS symptoms, including dizziness, spasms, and fatigue, often resemble other conditions, complicating diagnosis, which heavily relies on detailed brain MRI evaluations. MS can severely impair motor control, but advancements in treatment can slow down its progression and help maintain functions such as walking. Notably, around 10% of MS patients begin producing a distinctive set of antibodies against their own proteins years before symptoms appear. These autoantibodies have been found to bind to both human cells and common pathogens, possibly explaining why immune attacks on the brain and spinal cord occur in MS. Now, researchers have identified a unique autoantibody signature in about 10% of MS patients that appears years before the onset of clinical symptoms, raising hopes for early detection via a simple blood test and earlier treatment initiation. ...
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