Developing the first drug for a deadly bone disease

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved palovarotene (Sohonos) as the first treatment for fibrodysplasia ossifcans progressiva (FOP), a severely disabling condition that causes abnormal bone formation in place of soft and connective tissues. The approval was based on research conducted through a multicenter clinical trial, including patients being treated with the drug at UC San Francisco’s Metabolic Bone Clinic.

Time to change graft fight strategies  

By MILLENNIUM REPORTER

SOUTHERN Africa Network against Corruption executive director Gregory Chifire says the fight against money laundering corruption and other illicit financial activities should continuously align itself to modern trends. 

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Study indicates possible link between chronic stress and Alzheimer’s disease

Researchers from Karolinska Institutet have published a study in Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy that addresses possible associations between chronic stress, mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. The study shows how people aged between 18 and 65 with a previous diagnosis of chronic stress and depression were more likely than other people to be diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease.

Progress in the fight against resistance in metastatic breast cancer

A team of researchers at the Medical University of Vienna has discovered that dormant tumor cells surviving chemotherapy can be targeted through the inhibition of a specific protein called P-glycoprotein (P-gp). This discovery opens up new possibilities for delaying relapse and is particularly relevant for aggressive triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), for which there are currently few effective treatments.

Study shows how ‘superbacteria’ were prevented from spreading in a large tertiary hospital

Rapid identification of patients contaminated by “superbacteria” known as “carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae” (CRE), with early isolation of these patients, reduces transmission in hospital emergency departments. However, keeping them in the emergency room (ER) for more than two days undermines containment because it increases the risk of infection via colonization.

MDMA increases feelings of connection during conversation, showing promise for therapy

MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, is a recreational psychedelic drug often used at parties and dance clubs because it creates feelings of closeness and social connection with others. Because of this “empathogenic” effect, researchers are also interested in its potential use as a complement to traditional talk therapy. In fact, two recent successful clinical trials support the use of MDMA-assisted therapy as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Liquid biopsy may help identify which patients with non-small cell lung cancer will benefit most from radiation

A novel liquid biopsy test may help determine which patients with non-small cell lung cancer that has spread beyond the lungs are most likely to benefit from targeted, high-dose radiation, rather than drug-based therapy, a new study suggests. Findings were presented at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting and published in npj Precision Oncology.