Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting tens of millions of people worldwide, and it is the most common cause of dementia. Early-onset AD is typically associated with mutations in the genes APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2, leading to a more aggressive form of the disease with atypical symptoms. In contrast, the newly discovered “Shanghai APP” mutation has been linked to LOAD, which affects a larger population of AD patients. In a study published in Genes & Diseases, researchers from Ruijin Hospital, affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and other three teams detected the Shanghai APP mutation in a Chinese patient who developed memory decline in his mid-70s. Neuroimaging techniques confirmed the presence of widespread amyloid β deposition, a key hallmark of AD. Using molecular dynamics simulation and in vitro experiments, the team found that the E674Q mutation led to increased processing of APP and production of amyloid β, ...
As GSK’s July court date nears for a key Zantac trial in California, the company can wipe its hands of at least one Canadian class action suit. The company said in a Friday statement that it “welcomes the decision” of the British Columbia Supreme Court to dismiss a proposed class action suit on behalf of Canadian Zantac users. A Vancouver man filed the lawsuit in 2020, alleging that his use of the heartburn med from 2018 to 2019 caused him to develop cancer. His complaint named more than a dozen companies as defendants, including Sandoz Canada and GSK. But the court dismissed the case due to “the uncontroverted evidence that neither ranitidine nor NDMA are reliably associated with increased cancer risk,” GSK said in its statement. Zantac is ranitidine’s brand name and much of the Zantac cases revolve around reports of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) contamination in the products. Health Canada started investigating the potential impurity in ...
A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine indicates that artificial intelligence assistant-generated responses to patients’ questions are better than physicians’ responses regarding quality and empathy. Background Due to social restrictions, virtual healthcare systems have significantly increased during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This has led to a 1.6-fold increase in electronic patient messages and a concomitant increase in workload and stress among healthcare professionals. All these factors can collectively give rise to a situation where most patients’ messages will be ignored or answered unsatisfactorily. Current strategies to reduce virtual healthcare burdens include restricting electronic message notifications, billing for responses, or delegating messages to less trained medical staff. However, these strategies limit patients’ access to quality healthcare support. Currently, healthcare systems are considering artificial intelligence (AI) assistants to reduce the workload of healthcare professionals. In the current study, scientists have explored the ability of an AI ...
Anabolic steroids not only can cause serious side effects during use, such as heart failure and depression, but can continue being harmful years after stopping, according to two studies presented at the 25th European Congress of Endocrinology in Istanbul. These studies were carried out by researchers from the Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet who investigated the impact of anabolic steroids in former users. Anabolic steroids—synthetic hormones that mimic the naturally-occurring sex hormone testosterone—are used to increase muscle mass and boost athletic performance. These performance-enhancing drugs have harmful side effects, for instance in men these include breast growth, hair loss, lower testosterone levels, erectile dysfunction, and an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and liver or kidney failure. However, not much is known about the effects years after stopping their use. In one study, the researchers examined 64 healthy men, between the ages of 18 and 50, who did recreational strength training ...
After Astellas’ shot at a speedy FDA approval for its menopause drug was derailed in February, the therapy has finally crossed the FDA finish line. The drug, branded as Veozah, won FDA approval to treat moderate to severe menopause-related vasomotor symptoms. It’s the first nonhormonal neurokinin 3 (NK3) receptor antagonist approved to treat the condition. It’s been a bit of a bumpy road to the green light. After shelling out 13.1 billion Japanese yen ($97 million) to secure a priority review voucher and speed up the regulatory timeline, the FDA extended its review just days before the drug’s prior regulatory decision date. Vasomotor symptoms, or hot flashes and night sweats, are the hallmark of menopause. Some 60% to 80% of women experience the symptoms during or after menopausal transition, Astellas said in its release. The drug’s nonhormonal aspect is key because some people with menopause can’t take hormone therapies, the ...
MyFitnessPal, the No. 1 global nutrition and fitness tracking app, and Google Health Connect today announced an integration between the two platforms at this year’s Google I/O developer conference. Individuals diagnosed with Type 1 and 2 diabetes who use select continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) tools integrated with Google’s Health Connect can now see their glucose data directly within the MyFitnessPal app. ”Our community will now have the critical capability to understand and visualize how the foods they eat affect their blood glucose levels throughout the day. Prior to this, someone could see spikes in their glucose, but not make the connection to what caused them. Our collaboration with Google builds on our innovation and commitment to bringing the latest technologies to consumers as they navigate their health and wellness journeys, particularly those with diet-related diseases.” Tricia Han, CEO, MyFitnessPal MyFitnessPal Android users with select glucose monitors now ...
Finding, cultivating, and bioengineering organisms that can digest plastic not only aids in the removal of pollution, but is now also big business. Several microorganisms that can do this have already been found, but when their enzymes that make this possible are applied at an industrial scale, they typically only work at temperatures above 30 °C. The heating required means that industrial applications remain costly to date, and aren’t carbon-neutral. But there is a possible solution to this problem: finding specialist cold-adapted microbes whose enzymes work at lower temperatures. Scientists from the Swiss Federal Institute WSL knew where to look for such micro-organisms: at high altitudes in the Alps of their country, or in the polar regions. Their findings are published in Frontiers in Microbiology. “Here we show that novel microbial taxa obtained from the ‘plastisphere’ of alpine and arctic soils were able to break down biodegradable plastics at 15 ...
As Novartis’ Sandoz unit prepares to go it alone, the off-patent medicines specialist is buckling up for the biosimilars long haul. Sandoz on Tuesday struck an accord with Just – Evotec Biologics to develop and manufacture biosimilar candidates over a multiyear stretch. The deal, which includes an “option for expansion,” marks the latest step in Sandoz’s quest to strengthen itself as a standalone company, the generics unit said in a release. The companies did not say how much they are paying for the deal. Last summer, Novartis telegraphed plans to spin off Sandoz. The decision came as part of a wider strategic review at the company that kicked off in October 2021. As of last August, the spinoff was expected to wrap up in the second half of 2023. Under its latest pact, Sandoz will get its hands on Just – Evotec Biologics’ drug substance development platform and manufacturing technology. Sandoz will use that ...
The costs for Roche to decommission and demolish its former API manufacturing plant in County Clare, Ireland, continue to climb, with the bill now reaching 57.3 million euros ($62.7 million) over a three-year period, according to local reports. In documents filed with the Companies Registration Office of Ireland, the Swiss pharma giant said it spent 11.53 million euros ($12.6 million) on winding down the facility in 2022. That’s in addition to the 23.4 million euros ($25.6 million) it shelled out dismantling the facility in the previous two years, The Irish Times reports. Roche also spent 13.18 million euros ($14.4 million) in related environmental costs last year, plus 9.1 million euros in that category through 2020 and 2021, according to the publication. “The company is continuing with its plan to decommission and demolish its assets,” Roche said in the filing, as quoted by The Irish Times. “It has successfully transitioned from a manufacturer ...
Chiesi Global Rare Diseases and Protalix BioTherapeutics have received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for PRX-102 (pegunigalsidase alfa) to treat Fabry disease in adult patients. The latest move follows the receipt of marketing authorisation for PRX-102 from the European Commission (EC) for the same indication. The PEGylated enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), PRX-102 is a recombinant human α‑Galactosidase‑A enzyme expressed in plant-cell culture that is designed for providing a long half-life. The therapy was found to have an initial half-life of 78.9 ± 10.3 hours, in clinical trials. Chiesi Global Rare Diseases head Giacomo Chiesi said: “While much progress has been made in the treatment of Fabry disease, there is still a need for new treatment options. “We established Chiesi Global Rare Diseases to deliver innovative therapies and solutions for people affected by rare diseases. “With the FDA approval of PRX-102, we can now offer people ...
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