UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

The FDA proposes to remove oral phenylephrine from cough and cold medicines due to its ineffectiveness as a nasal decongestant, following advisory committee votes against its continued use. The public can comment until May 7, 2024, after which drugmakers may need to reformulate or remove products containing the ingredient.

SpaceX's 31st CRS mission for NASA will launch to the ISS on Nov 4, carrying over 24 ISS National Lab-sponsored payloads aiming to advance human health, space debris removal, and biomanufacturing in low Earth orbit.

Agricultural science integrates technology, biotechnology, and sustainability to address global challenges like food security and climate change. Top universities for agricultural science include UC Davis, Cornell, Texas A&M, Wageningen, Florida, Purdue, and Guelph, offering diverse programs, research opportunities, and industry connections. Aspiring students should consider faculty expertise, hands-on learning, and career support when choosing a university.

A black cat named Pepper discovered the first U.S. case of a mutated jeilongvirus, a paramyxovirus that can infect multiple species, including humans, potentially leading to an epidemic. The virus, found in a dead mouse, was identified by microbiologist John Lednicky and is now known as Gainesville rodent jeilong virus 1. While no need for panic exists due to limited human contact with main hosts, further studies are needed to assess its impact on humans and pets.

At the STRIPE Annual Meeting & Consensus Workshop, ASP announced the inaugural STRIPE Double Helix Awards, recognizing excellence in pharmacogenomics through collaboration and outstanding achievement. Recipients include Kristine Ashcraft, Cynthia Bens, Burns C. Blaxall, Philip Empey, Jose Estabil, Bernard Esquivel, Christine Formea, Blaine Groat, Daniel Hertz, Carrie Hoefer, Geoff Hollett, J. Shawn Jones, Raymond Lorenz, Ryan Nelson, Micheal Pacanowski, Jai N. Patel, Victoria Pratt, Bronwyn Ramey, Sharmeen Roy, Robert Schuck, April Schultz, Jeffrey A. Shaman, Sharon Shriver, Patrick Silva, D. Max Smith, Annette Taylor, Wrenda Teeple, McKenna Tennant, Kelly E. Caudle, Emily Cicali, Andrea Gaedigk, Houda Houchad, Pamala Jacobson, Teri E. Klein, Akinyemi Oni-Orisan, Natasha Petry, Bani Tamraz, Kristin Wiisanen, and Michelle Whirl-Carrillo. Organizations honored include the Golden Helix Foundation, Department of Veteran Affairs - National Pharmacogenomics Program, and Advocates for Universal DPD/DPYD Testing.

Expanding access to GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound could prevent over 42,000 U.S. deaths annually, per a Yale study. These drugs, currently costly and limited in coverage, could notably reduce mortality from obesity-related conditions if more widely accessible.

A study by Yale and U.F. researchers estimates expanding access to effective weight-loss drugs could prevent over 40,000 U.S. deaths annually, highlighting the need to address barriers like high costs and insurance restrictions.

Tolerance Bio, a biopharmaceutical company focused on thymus function manipulation, closed a $17.2 million seed financing round. The company aims to develop iPSC-based cell therapies and pharmacological treatments for immune-mediated diseases, including cancer and autoimmunity. The technologies were developed by a team with extensive experience in biopharma, including former executives from Provention Bio and Celimmune.

UC San Diego study finds men and women use different biological systems to relieve chronic lower back pain; men rely on endogenous opioids, while women use non-opioid pathways. This suggests a need for sex-specific pain therapies to improve outcomes and reduce opioid misuse.