MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL

NeuroKaire secured $10 million to develop a clinical test identifying drug efficacy for depression via a blood draw, offering insights into brain function and personalized antidepressant responses. The funding will scale operations and expand pharmaceutical partnerships.

A study in the BMJ found taxi and ambulance drivers have lower Alzheimer’s mortality rates, possibly due to real-time spatial and navigational processing. Researchers suggest neurological changes in the hippocampus may account for this, though the study is observational and not conclusive.

Towana Looney, 53, is the third person to receive a kidney from a genetically engineered pig, marking a significant step in xenotransplantation. This procedure offers hope to over 103,000 Americans awaiting transplants, amidst a shortage of human donor organs. Looney's successful surgery and recovery highlight the potential of pig organs, despite challenges and previous patient deaths.

Patients and researchers are exploring pig organ transplants as a solution to the human organ shortage. With clinical trials set for 2025, gene-edited pig kidneys and hearts offer hope despite early recipients' short survival. Patients, driven by desperation and the desire for innovation, are eager to participate in these groundbreaking experiments.

NYU Langone Hospital pioneered pig kidney transplants into humans, starting with a brain-dead patient. David Bennett received a pig heart in 2022, dying two months later, possibly due to a porcine virus. Richard Slayman and Lisa Pisano underwent pig kidney transplants, both dying shortly after. Towana Looney, the latest recipient, shows promising recovery.

A study led by Massachusetts General Hospital found that combining anti-CXCR4 and anti-PD1 therapies improves treatment outcomes for hepatocellular carcinoma by increasing dendritic cell activity and immune response. This approach transforms the 'cold' tumor environment into a 'hot' one, enhancing anti-cancer effects compared to anti-PD1 alone.

The Steward Health Care crisis highlights the risks of private equity in healthcare, prioritizing profits over patient care. Private equity's aggressive investment strategies have led to hospital closures, compromised care, and exacerbated health disparities. Experts call for policy reforms to protect patients and ensure healthcare prioritizes public interest over profits.

2024 saw breakthroughs in weight-loss jabs, HIV drugs, cancer vaccines, and dementia drugs, but also setbacks like rising cancer cases and childhood disease outbreaks.

Empagliflozin associated with 22% lower risk of diabetic retinopathy progression in type 2 diabetes patients with early-stage DR, per study in JAMA Ophthalmology.