Don Tracy, Associate Editor The collaboration with OpenAI is part of Lilly’s strategy to combat drug-resistant pathogens through its Social Impact Venture Capital Portfolio. Eli Lilly and Company and OpenAI have agreed to terms on a deal to leverage generative artificial intelligence (AI) for discovering new antimicrobials to combat drug-resistant bacteria. According to Lilly, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant risk throughout the world, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Additionally, the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in humans, animals, and plants are the primary influences for developing drug-resistant pathogens, amplifying AMR in the process.1 “Our collaboration with OpenAI represents a groundbreaking step forward in the fight against the growing but overlooked threat of antimicrobial resistance,” said Diogo Rau, EVP, chief information and digital officer, Lilly, in a press release. “Generative AI opens a new opportunity to accelerate the discovery of novel antimicrobials and the development of custom, purpose-built technologies ...
Don Tracy, Associate Editor As a part of National HIV Testing Day, the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention encourages testing as a part of taking charge of individual health and wellness. Today is National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) and as part of this year’s theme, “Level up your self-love: check your status,” individuals across the United States are being encouraged to get tested to show value, respect, and compassion for each other by taking charge of our health and wellness, according to the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention (CDC). “HIV testing is an essential entry point for services such as PrEP for those without HIV, and HIV treatment for those who have HIV,” reports the CDC. “Testing programs have been critical contributors to the 12% decrease in estimated HIV infections from 2018 to 2022, and a major factor contributing to ongoing disparities in HIV is a lack of ...
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Verona Pharma’s Ohtuvayre (ensifentrine) as a maintenance treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adult patients. Ohtuvayre is an inhaled dual inhibitor of phosphodiesterase 3 and phosphodiesterase 4 enzymes and has bronchodilator and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory effects. Verona plans to launch the therapy in Q3 this year. “With substantial funding of up to $650m secured, Verona Pharma is well-positioned to distribute Ohtuvayre in the US, ensuring its availability even beyond 2026,” said Asiyah Nawab, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData. The Ohtuvayre approval was based on the positive results from Phase III ENHANCE-1 and ENHANCE-2 trials (NCT04535986 and NCT04542057). The data from the pooled analysis of the studies showed significant improvements in the symptoms of COPD exacerbations, including dyspnea, breathlessness, cough, sputum, and chest symptoms, in patients with moderate to severe COPD. Ohtuvayre is expected to generate global sales of $1.1bn by 2029, ...
Recently, eClinical Medicine, a sub-journal of The Lancet, published the results of a phase 1b/2 study of recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody MIL62 injection in combination with lenalidomide for the treatment of relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma and marginal zone lymphoma, led by Prof. Yuankai Shi of Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. The study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of MIL62 in combination with lenalidomide in the treatment of relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma and marginal zone lymphoma. Follicular lymphoma (FL) and marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) are common pathological subtypes of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) and are inert lymphomas. In China, FL accounts for about 8% of B-cell NHL, while MZL accounts for about 12%. Early progression in patients with inert lymphoma is directly related to poor prognosis, with approximately 20% of patients experiencing disease recurrence or progression within 24 months of diagnosis (POD24). These patients typically have a poor prognosis, ...
Researchers from the University of Bristol have revealed a new disease-driving mechanism that could help treat the development of atherosclerosis. The new therapeutic, IMSET, is being developed by researchers at the Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences (THS) and is being supported by funding through beLAB1407, one of Evotec’s global portfolio of BRIDGE partnerships. Affecting 42% of adults without heart disease, atherosclerosis is characterised by the build up of atherosclerotic plaques (fatty deposits) in the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks, strokes and peripheral arterial disease. When investigating how immune cells in the blood contribute to the creation of atherosclerotic plaques within the arteries, researchers found that these cells could exist in different forms, with particular types driving the development of the plaques. The discovery allowed researchers to identify a certain genetic target, known as IMSET, “which is a central regulator of their behaviour… [which] will allow us to ...
A study conducted by Oxford Population Health has demonstrated that a cholesterol-lowering drug could help reduce the risk of eye disease in people living with diabetes. The Lowering Events in Non-proliferative retinopathy in Scotland (LENS) trial has been investigating the effect of fenofibrate on retinopathy in patients living with diabetes and early retinopathy. Estimated to affect around 415 million people worldwide, diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease that is characterised by elevated levels of blood glucose, which can lead to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves. Globally, the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy among diabetic patients is estimated to be 27%. As part of the national routine diabetic eye screening programme, the LENS trial compared the effects of fenofibrate with a placebo in 1,151 adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes in Scotland who had early-to-moderate diabetic retinopathy. Sold under several brand names, including Tricor ...
Blood in the urine, known as hematuria, is often one of the earliest signs of bladder cancer. Although cystoscopy is recommended for patients presenting with both microscopic and gross hematuria, the detection rate for bladder cancer in these patients varies widely from 2% to 20%, leading to many unnecessary procedures. Additionally, due to the invasive nature of cystoscopy and low patient compliance, many cases of hematuria, especially microhematuria, are not promptly examined, missing early detection opportunities. This often results in diagnoses at more advanced stages, increasing both physical and economic burdens. To address these challenges, researchers have developed a simplified DNA-based urine test to enhance the early detection accuracy of bladder cancer in patients with hematuria and reduce reliance on more invasive cystoscopies. The potential of aberrant DNA methylation as a diagnostic biomarker for various cancers, including bladder cancer, has been recognized for some time. Researchers from Genomictree, Inc. (Daejeon, ...
Pathologists are tasked with examining body fluids or tissues to diagnose diseases, a process that involves distinguishing rare disease-indicating cells from thousands of normal cells under a microscope. This skill requires extensive training. Artificial intelligence (AI) can assist by learning to differentiate between healthy and diseased cells from digital pathology images. However, traditional AI tools, once trained, lack flexibility. They are designed for specific tasks, such as identifying cancer cells in one organ but not another, and might not align perfectly with a pathologist’s specific needs in different scenarios. Now, a collaborative team of computer scientists and physicians has developed a new AI tool that not only identifies diseased cells but also adapts to a pathologist’s requirements. Developed at Stanford Medicine (Stanford, CA, USA), the tool, named nuclei.io, functions like a human assistant that evolves with feedback. Starting with the basic function of recognizing different cell types by their nuclei, ...
Don Tracy, Associate Editor Results from three randomized clinical trials show safety and efficacy of a brexpiprazole-sertraline combination in adult patients with post-traumatic stress disorder. The FDA has accepted Otsuka and Lunbdeck’s supplemental New Drug Application for brexpiprazole in combination with sertraline for the treatment of adults with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The sNDA is supported by data from three randomized clinical trials that evaluated the safety and efficacy of the brexpiprazole-sertraline combination in adult patients with PTSD.1 “[PTSD] is one of the most common mental health disorders in the United States. Approximately 13 million adults in the US have PTSD during a given year, and between seven to eight out of every 100 will experience PTSD at some point in their lives,” said John Kraus, MD, PhD, EVP, chief medical officer, Otsuka, in a press release. “This is a significant development, and we look forward to continuing our efforts ...
The Phase 3 results for ocedurenone come less than nine months after Novo Nordisk acquired the drug from KBP Biosciences. Novo Nordisk has stopped the clinical trial in uncontrolled hypertension and chronic kidney disease, but is evaluating potential applications of the small molecule in other indications. By Frank VinluanA Novo Nordisk drug for hypertension and chronic kidney disease has failed a pivotal study, a setback to the Danish pharmaceutical giant’s effort to bring patients a new therapy with potential safety and efficacy advantages over currently approved medications in the drug class, including a product marketed by Bayer. Novo Nordisk did not release specific details about the Phase 3 results for the drug, ocedurenone. The company said Wednesday that an independent data monitoring committee recommended stopping the trial after a prespecified interim analysis. Ocedurenone is a small molecule designed to block the mineralocorticoid receptor. When overactivated, this receptor can contribute to ...
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