NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

SWOG Cancer Research Network developed a risk prediction model identifying high-risk advanced cancer patients for unplanned ER visits and hospital stays. The model, validated using Medicare claims data from six SWOG trials, includes four risk factors: performance status, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and liver disease. Patients with two or more risk factors had over three times the risk of acute care use. The model's validity was confirmed, with high-risk patients having over four times the risk of hospital stays or ER visits compared to low-risk patients.

Cenna Biosciences awarded $2.7M NIH Phase II SBIR grant for early clinical development of Nubytide™, a peptide drug for Alzheimer's disease prevention and treatment. The drug aims to stop the production of toxic Aß species, potentially safer than current monoclonal antibody drugs, with IND filing planned for early 2025.

5 in 6 Americans who tried to quit smoking in 2022 failed, highlighting ineffective treatments and lack of innovation. Despite the addiction killing 480,000 annually, no new class of drugs has been approved in nearly two decades. Drugmakers and the FDA are criticized for lackadaisical approaches and stringent approval standards, focusing more on profitable drugs for rare cancers. Advocates call for a 'Reduce to Quit' approach and more flexible FDA standards to address the public health crisis.

Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists found that 30 days in space weakened human bioengineered heart tissues, leading to reduced beating strength and irregular rhythms compared to Earth-bound samples. The study expands understanding of low gravity's effects on astronaut health and may aid in studying heart muscle aging and therapeutics on Earth.

Zevra Therapeutics secures FDA approval for Miplyffa, the first drug for Niemann-Pick disease type C in the US, to be used with miglustat for neurological symptoms in patients aged two and older.

Senator Bernie Sanders will lead a Senate HELP Committee hearing on Ozempic and Wegovy prices, focusing on price controls despite R&D costs and potential harm to medical innovation. The hearing aims to address the high cost of these diabetes medicines, but critics argue it overlooks the significant R&D investments required and the broader implications for future drug development.

A national clinical trial, funded by the NIH, is testing a synthetic vitamin B1 (benfotiamine) developed by Burke Neurological Institute for treating mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer's disease. The trial, involving 50 sites across the U.S., aims to evaluate benfotiamine's effects on cognitive function and its potential to slow cognitive decline in participants aged 50-89. The study builds on research showing benfotiamine's ability to improve memory and reduce plaques, tangles, inflammation, and oxidative stress in animal models.

A national clinical trial, funded by NIH, tests benfotiamine, a synthetic vitamin B1, for treating mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer's disease. The trial, led by Burke Neurological Institute, UC San Diego, and Columbia University, aims to evaluate benfotiamine's cognitive effects and safety profile. Enrollment targets 406 participants aged 50-89 across 50 U.S. sites.