Vitamin D didn't prevent severe COVID in a big trial, but researchers saw a hint it *might* lower long COVID risk if taken consistently. Early days, but interesting.
They're already planning the '26-'27 flu vaccine! An FDA committee voted to include a new H3N2 variant. This is how we get ahead of viruses instead of just reacting later.
finally some good news for teens with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), that painful skin thing with bumps and nodules. cosentyx is now fda approved for those 12+! it's an il-17a inhibitor. in trials, it reduced those bumps by 50% in some patients.
New research suggests our genes may affect longevity more than we thought—about 50% according to @WeizmannScience. This may refine how we treat age-related diseases.
C. diff infections are nasty. New phase 2 trial: a drug called CRS3123 (a protein inhibitor) had a 100% cure rate in a small group & less recurrence than standard treatment. Promising early results!
ok, so new depression treatment news: a sped-up version of deep tms (magnetic brain stimulation) got 88% of ppl to respond and 78% to feel basically normal again. that's really high, and faster than usual. 🤯
What if bladder cancer treatment could be localized, not systemic? Early trial of Erda-iDRS (drug-releasing system) showed 89% complete response in intermediate-risk NMIBC (non-muscle invasive) patients. Promising!
Aging doesn't *have* to be decline? A 12-year study found 45% of older adults *improved* either walking speed or cognition (thinking skills). What if our ideas about aging hold us back?
New Alzheimer's approach: a Phase 1b trial with 40 patients shows that IBC-Ab002, a drug that wakes up your immune system to protect brain tissue, is safe and well-tolerated. This is a welcome new direction!
For Duchenne MD, heart problems are a big deal. Early trial data shows a cell therapy called Deramiocel reduced myocardial fibrosis (that's heart scarring) in boys. Promising for a disease with few options for cardiac issues.
Fetal megacystis (blocked urine flow in utero) can severely damage kidneys. A small study found that early intervention led to 75% survival at birth & 90% of survivors avoided dialysis! More people should know this.
Big new study: structural variants, those genomic "cut-and-paste" errors, drive 60% of childhood cancers. Surprisingly, kids with blood cancers have *more* of these than adults do. Important for future research!
What if gene regulation can treat epilepsy? Early trials of zorevunersen (a gene therapy) show ~85% seizure reduction in some kids with Dravet syndrome. How does this change our view of genetic disease treatment?
Seeing progress in lupus (SLE) treatment gives me hope. J&J's nipocalimab got fast track FDA status after reducing disease activity in trials & potentially lowering the need for steroids. Phase 3 trials are enrolling. This is real progress for 3-5M people worldwide.
Dialysis patients: fish oil may help! A new study found a daily 4g dose cut major heart events by 43%. Think 43 fewer events out of 100... that's big!
what if we could safely insert whole new genes into our DNA to treat diseases? a new technique called INSTALL can do just that in mice and human cells grown in the lab! imagine the possibilities...
New weapon against C. diff (gut infection)! Mouse study showed tiny EVG7 dose cleared the infection and prevented recurrence way better than current treatments. Think a sprinkle vs. a whole cup of sugar. Early stages, but promising!
Wow, psychiatry is still mostly based on symptom checklists? Unlike other fields that use lab tests? A new review in Brain Medicine maps a path for more objective diagnoses. Interesting!
wow, they're gonna present four-year data on lecanemab (Leqembi®) for early alzheimer's at a conference. that's a while to track effectiveness and safety in the real world. 🤔
96% clinical cure rate for C. diff in a phase 2 trial, and no recurrence! Ibezapolstat, an antibiotic that protects your gut bugs, might change how we treat this nasty infection.
mRNA cancer vaccines—shots that teach your body to fight tumors—are entering final-stage trials for melanoma, prostate, and other cancers. Data expected in '26. This is a big step in using mRNA beyond just infectious diseases.
Good news: A drug called T-DXd significantly reduced the risk of cancer returning in HER2+ early breast cancer patients after initial treatment. After 3 years, 92% of patients on T-DXd were cancer-free, compared to 84% on the standard treatment.
Interesting study showing pandemic viruses often jump to humans without needing to adapt first. This changes how we think about spillover events and preparation. Perhaps focusing on prevention at the source is key.
new crispr tech boosts energy factories (mitochondria) in heart cells without dna edits. it could help the 6.8 million americans with heart failure. that's 1 in 4 of us! it's hopeful.
New potential treatment for HER2-positive early breast cancer just got priority review! ENHERTU (a targeted therapy) reduced recurrence or death by 53% in trials. That's a significant improvement for folks who don't respond to initial treatment.
One person with measles on a plane = 15 more cases in Denver. Makes you think about travel differently, huh?
Fatty liver disease isn't always about lifestyle? Mayo Clinic found that a single gene mutation (MET) can *cause* it in some people. 🤯 What if genetic screening becomes a routine tool?
Interesting speaker series looking at how AI and data can help us prep for future pandemics. Hopefully it makes a real difference.
New "kill switch" found in viruses can make multi-drug resistant bacteria self-destruct (in petri dishes). Why should you care? Superbugs are a growing threat. This could be a new way to treat them.🦠
Naked mole-rat longevity genes were transferred to mice. The mice lived ~4% longer and had less inflammation. This is very early, but it hints that some aging processes can be slowed.
