Breaking WORLD PHARMA NEWS

An enzyme to disarm tumors

When a tumour develops, it creates a structure around itself called the tumour stroma, within which blood and lymphatic vessels ensure nutritional and respiratory biological exchanges. Lymphangiogenesis, i.e. the development of lymphatic vessels, is generally associated with a poor prognosis, as it favours the spread of metastases to other organs. By studying the cells that make up the wall of lymphatic vessels, a team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has made an unexpected discovery: an enzyme they express appears to play a key role in supporting immune cells, particularly when they are activated by anti-tumour treatments.

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PanK4 identified as a regulator of glucose and lipid metabolism

Physical activity is not only important for fitness, but also for health. This is confirmed by a new study conducted under the direction of Prof. Dr. Maximilian Kleinert at the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke (DIfE). His team discovered that the protein PanK4 plays a crucial role in the energy metabolism of skeletal muscles. It regulates glucose uptake and fatty acid oxidation and is activated by physical exercise. The study suggests that PanK4 could be a promising approach for the treatment of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

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Why antibiotics can fail even against non-resistant bacteria

Antibiotics are indispensable for treating bacterial infections. But why are they sometimes ineffective, even when the bacteria are not resistant? In their latest study published in the journal Nature, researchers from the University of Basel challenge the conventional view that a small subset of particularly resilient bacteria are responsible for the failure of antibiotic therapies.

In certain infectious diseases caused by bacteria, antibiotics are less effective than expected. One example is infections caused by Salmonella bacteria, which can lead to illnesses such as typhoid fever.

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New treatment offers quick cure for common cause of high blood pressure

Doctors at Queen Mary University of London, Barts Health NHS Trust, and University College London have led the development of a simple, minimally invasive Targeted Thermal Therapy (Triple T) that has the potential to transform medical management of a common, but commonly overlooked, cause of high blood pressure.

This breakthrough, published today in The Lancet, could, after further testing, help millions of people worldwide who currently go undiagnosed and untreated.

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Common antibiotic could treat inflammatory bowel disease

An antibiotic used to treat infective diarrhoea could be an effective drug for a type of inflammatory bowel disease, a new study has found.

Results published in the Journal of Crohn's and Colitis revealed that an antibiotic called vancomycin may also be effective in treating people who have a specific type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which develops in the context of an incurable autoimmune liver disease called primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC).

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AI tool helps find life-saving medicine for rare disease

After combing through 4,000 existing medications, an artificial intelligence tool helped uncover one that saved the life of a patient with idiopathic multicentric Castleman's disease (iMCD). This rare disease has an especially poor survival rate and few treatment options. The patient could be the first of many to have their lives saved by an AI prediction system, which could potentially apply to other rare conditions.

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AI accelerates the search for new tuberculosis drug targets

Tuberculosis is a serious global health threat that infected more than 10 million people in 2022. Spread through the air and into the lungs, the pathogen that causes "TB" can lead to chronic cough, chest pains, fatigue, fever and weight loss. While infections are more extensive in other parts of the world, a serious tuberculosis outbreak currently unfolding in Kansas has led to two deaths and has become one of the largest on record in the United States.

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Omega-3s can slow down aging process

Many people would like to delay or even stop the aging process. Previous clinical studies have shown that a reduced calorie intake can slow down the aging process in humans. Taking vitamin D or omega-3 fatty acids has also shown promising results in slowing biological aging in animals. However, it was unclear whether these measures would also work in humans.

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Cardiovascular disease medications underused globally

Secondary prevention medications for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are underused globally and additional strategies to increase their use are needed to improve CVD management and reduce premature mortality rates, according to study published today in JACC, the flagship journal of the American College of Cardiology. The study observed participants with CVD from 17 countries over 12 years and found that medication use remains low with little improvement.

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Gene therapy may be "one shot stop" for rare bone disease

For the last 10 years, the only effective treatment for hypophosphatasia (HPP) has been an enzyme replacement therapy that must be delivered by injection three-to-six times each week.

"It's been a tremendous success and has proven to be a lifesaving treatment," said José Luis Millán, PhD, professor in the Human Genetics Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys.

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