Skip to content

Gene Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease Associated with GBA Mutations

Capsida Biotherapeutics (“Capsida”) presented new IND-enabling data on its intravenously (IV) delivered gene therapy for Parkinson’s disease associated with GBA mutations (PD-GBA), CAP-003, that demonstrate its substantial therapeutic potential. Capsida’s next-generation therapy, using a proprietary engineered capsid, demonstrates best-in-class potential to effectively and safely treat PD-GBA. CAP-003 achieves unprecedented levels of GCase protein and activity while simultaneously detargeting the liver and dorsal root ganglion (DRGs). These data were presented in a late-breaking poster presentation at the Society for Neuroscience „Neuroscience 2024“ annual meeting being held October 5-9, 2024 in Chicago, IL.

Sudden Cardiac Death in Young People – The Facts

In recent years, there have been increased reports of sudden deaths among young people, leading to the question of whether significantly more young people are unexpectedly dying in 2024. However, a detailed analysis of available data and medical findings shows that there is no evidence of a significant increase in such cases. Sudden cardiac death, defined as unexpected death within a very short period in previously healthy-appearing individuals, is a tragic reality, but it still predominantly affects older people[1]. In young people under 40, an estimated 1,000 to 2,000 cases occur per year in Germany, with some underreporting[3]. These numbers have not changed significantly in recent years. The increased public attention to this issue is more likely attributable to heightened media coverage than to an actual increase in cases. Thomas… 

more »Sudden cardiac death in young people – the facts

Long-term care insurance on the brink?

  • News

Germany is facing a total disaster in terms of long-term care. Now AOK CEO Reimann is speaking out – with a clear message to the federal government. In light of current reports about the dramatically worsening financial situation of the statutory long-term care insurance, the Chairwoman of the Federal Association of AOK (AOK-Bundesverband) Dr. Carola Reimann is calling for swift action from the federal government: “The financial situation of the statutory long-term care insurance is extremely critical. This year, we expect a deficit of 1.6 billion euros, and 4.2 billion euros next year. Although the situation has been escalating for months, the federal government has done nothing and suppressed the problem. We now urgently need a financial reform that ensures the liquidity of the statutory long-term care insurance in the short term and prevents an increase in contribution rates. This primarily includes the still outstanding compensation for pandemic costs amounting to 5.3 billion euros, which the statutory long-term care insurance bore… 

more »Long-term care insurance on the brink?

318,000 people in Schleswig-Holstein suffer from depression

  • News

The numbers are alarming: More and more people in Schleswig-Holstein are suffering from depression. In 2022, a total of 318,000 people aged ten and over received medical treatment for this reason, which corresponds to 11.9 percent of the population in the northernmost federal state. It is concerning that the number of affected individuals has continuously increased over the past five years and has now reached a record high. It is particularly noticeable that there are significant differences between the regions in Schleswig-Holstein. This is according to the new 'AOK Health Atlas Depression' from the Scientific Institute of the AOK (WIdO), which for the first time transparently shows the regional distribution of the disease. “Depression has increased significantly in recent years and poses an enormous challenge to our healthcare system. The illness leads to a severe restriction of the quality of life for those affected and their relatives. The AOK Health Atlas shows significant differences in the frequency of depression between the districts and independent cities in Schleswig-Holstein: while… 

more »318,000 people in Schleswig-Holstein suffer from depression

Deciphering Bacterial Genomes Using Single-Cell Genomics

The human microbiome plays a crucial role in our health, influencing everything from disease development to treatment response. This connection has captured the attention of scientists worldwide, eager to unravel its mysteries. While traditional metagenomics has provided valuable insights, it falls short in elucidating microbial diversity at the strain level and accurately profiling genes involved in antibiotic resistance. These limitations highlight the need for more advanced approaches. To address this challenge, a research team led by Associate Professor Masahito Hosokawa of Waseda University, in collaboration with bitBiome, Inc., has developed a groundbreaking single-cell genome analysis approach. This method, which reads information from individual cells, offers a promising alternative to conventional metagenomics. Published on October 2, 2024, in Microbiome, this study delves into microbial diversity and genetic characteristics using single-cell genome analysis. The researchers…

more »Decoding Bacterial Genomes Using Single-Cell Genomics

“Sponsorship Effect” Boosts Psychotropic Drugs

As new research shows, psychotropic drugs are about 50 percent more effective in clinical trials funded by the manufacturer than in studies of the same drug sponsored by other groups. Although many studies have found more favorable results for drugs in clinical trials funded by manufacturers, these studies typically compare one set of manufacturer-funded studies to a set of studies funded in other ways, said Tamar Oostrom, an assistant professor of economics at Ohio State University who conducted this new research. This new study is the first to make a direct comparison. “I compared different clinical trials that examined the exact same pairs of drugs for their effectiveness – the only significant difference was who funded the study,” Oostrom said. Oostrom called her discovery the “sponsorship effect.” “There was this dramatic…

more »“Sponsorship Effect” Boosts Psychotropic Drugs

Promising substance for rare cancer out-licensed

  • News

Around 1,200 people in Germany are diagnosed with "gastrointestinal stromal tumor," or GIST, annually – a rare type of cancer in which tumors develop in the walls of the digestive organs and which quickly develops resistance to common precision drugs. Scientists* at TU Dortmund, the West German Tumor Center at University Hospital Essen, and the Dortmund Max Planck Institute for Molecular Physiology have identified a promising active ingredient against GIST, filed a patent for it, and licensed it to a US pharmaceutical company, which now intends to further develop it to market readiness – an important step on the path from basic research to clinical application. The teams led by Prof. Dr. Daniel Rauh from the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at TU Dortmund, Prof. Dr. Sebastian Bauer from the Medical Faculty of the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE), and Dr. Sonja Sievers, head of the Compound Management and Screening Center at the Max Planck Institute (MPI), identified a chemical substance that in...

more »Promising substance against rare cancer licensed out

Experts propose key criteria for classifying prebiotics

Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) was coordinated. The authors describe a clear scientific pathway to demonstrate prebiotic effects and emphasize that prebiotics must meet several essential criteria. Primarily, a prebiotic must be a well-characterized substance that offers a measurable health benefit. Furthermore, it must be selectively utilized by host microorganisms, show measurable effects on the composition or function of the microbiome, have a plausible mechanism linking the microbiome changes to the observed health benefit, and be safe for its intended use. Importantly, at least one study in the target host is required to demonstrate both microbiome modulation and a health benefit simultaneously. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41575-024-00981-6

Switching HPV vaccination to a gender-neutral, one-dose approach

Canadian immunization programs could switch to a gender-neutral, single-dose vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV), potentially eradicating cervical cancer, according to new modeling in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal): https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.240787. "Our findings have important implications for policy in Canada and other high-income countries considering a switch to a single-dose HPV vaccine," writes Dr. Marc Brisson, a full professor at Université Laval in Quebec City and head of the Laboratory for Mathematical Modeling and Health Economics of Infectious Diseases at the CHU de Québec–Université Laval research center. Countries around the world are considering switching from a 2-dose HPV vaccine to a 1-dose vaccine after the World Health Organization's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization made a recommendation in 2022 based on clinical trials. Human papillomaviruses can cause cervical cancer and other diseases. Researchers… 

more »Switching HPV vaccination to a gender-neutral, single-dose approach

Pet Health: Tumor Markers in Dogs

In dogs, there are various tumor markers used in veterinary medicine for cancer diagnosis and monitoring. Here is an overview of some important tumor markers for dogs: Blood-based tumor markers Thymidine Kinase (TK1) TK1 is a cytosolic enzyme that increases in the blood with neoplastic cell proliferation [5]. It is primarily used for the detection of hematopoietic neoplasms such as lymphomas [5]. TK1 activity is significantly elevated in dogs with malignant tumors compared to healthy dogs [3]. C-reactive Protein (CRP) CRP is an acute-phase protein that increases during inflammatory and neoplastic processes [3]. It is often used in combination with TK1 as part of the "TK Cancer Panel" [3]. Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) CEA is an important tumor marker that occurs in high concentrations in cancer [1]. Studies have shown that the CEA receptor is very similar in humans and dogs, which could facilitate the research of new therapeutics for both species [1]. Survivin and Ki-67 These proteins have been identified as potential serum tumor markers in dogs…

more »Pet Health: Tumor Markers in Dogs