MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL

NeuroSense Therapeutics announced the acceptance of two abstracts on PrimeC, its ALS treatment candidate, to be presented at the 2024 NEALS Consortium Meeting. The abstracts will present Phase 2b PARADIGM study data, showing PrimeC reduced ALS progression by 36% and improved survival rates by 43% compared to placebo.

Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovering microRNA, which regulate gene function and could lead to new cancer treatments. Their work revealed a new dimension of gene regulation essential for complex life forms.

Novel anti-estrogen therapies, including PI3K pathway inhibitors like inavolisib, show promise in treating ER-positive advanced breast cancer, particularly in patients with PIK3CA mutations. These therapies, often used in combination with existing treatments like palbociclib and fulvestrant, aim to improve progression-free survival and overall outcomes. Personalized treatment strategies are evolving, focusing on identifying specific patient subgroups that may benefit most from these novel agents.

Massachusetts voters will decide in November on legalizing psychedelics, including psilocybin, for mental health treatment. A yes vote would create a regulatory framework with licensed facilitators, but also allow personal growth in a secure space. Oregon and Colorado have similar but distinct legalizations, with Oregon's being more restrictive. The FDA has designated psilocybin a breakthrough therapy, though the American Psychiatric Association remains cautious.

Cytisine, a plant-based smoking cessation treatment effective and with fewer side effects than nicotine patches and gum, awaits FDA approval in the U.S. after more safety data was requested. Approved in Canada and the UK, it could help over 70,000 Americans quit smoking annually. Clinical trials by Achieve Life Sciences show positive outcomes, but FDA delays push back potential approval.

Joan, diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer's, uses a 40-hertz sound-and-light therapy to combat dementia, showing stable brain volume and halted cognitive decline. Developed by MIT researchers, the therapy aims to synchronize gamma waves in the brain, with promising results in clinical trials. Despite some skepticism and replication challenges, the treatment shows potential without serious side effects, though caution is advised due to unregulated market products.

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus receives $7 million federal award to establish a Biostatistics Research Center (BRC) focused on understanding the roots of Type 2 diabetes. The BRC, led by four researchers, will support a consortium of four study sites and aims to subtype diabetes based on patient characteristics, incorporating social factors and exploring new biomarkers for better prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

Proton beam therapy and IMRT yield similar tumor control and quality of life outcomes in low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer patients, according to the PARTIQoL trial presented at ASTRO Annual Meeting.

A study by NIH's RECOVER Initiative and NYU Langone Health found no reliable biomarkers in routine clinical lab tests for diagnosing long COVID, highlighting the need for further research beyond standard methods.

Proton beam therapy (PBT) and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) showed no significant differences in patient-reported function outcomes and progression-free survival (PFS) for localized prostate cancer, according to the PARTIQoL trial presented at ASTRO 2024. Both methods achieved excellent quality of life and effective tumor control, with no measurable differences in efficacy outcomes.