University of Oxford

OpenSAFELY, developed at Oxford's Bennett Institute, ensures patient data privacy while enabling research using 58 million GP records. The platform, crucial in Covid-19 research, operates via code instructions, enhancing transparency and accountability. It has supported 171 projects and 86 academic papers, with plans to expand beyond Covid-19 data.

Wave Life Sciences announced positive interim data from the FORWARD-53 trial evaluating WVE-N531 in boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) amenable to exon 53 skipping, showing mean muscle content-adjusted dystrophin expression of 9.0% and unadjusted dystrophin of 5.5%, with improvements in muscle health biomarkers. WVE-N531 was safe and well-tolerated, with skeletal muscle concentrations of ~41,000 ng/g and a 61-day tissue half-life. The company expects feedback on a pathway to accelerated approval and complete 48-week data in Q1 2025.

Antidepressants like escitalopram may boost cognitive function via the 5HT4 receptor, improving memory and thinking skills.

Antidepressant escitalopram (Lexapro) may improve memory and cognitive function by affecting the 5HT4 receptor, according to a study published in Biological Psychiatry. Researchers found that patients' cognitive test performance improved, particularly in word recall, linked to higher 5HT4 receptor activity. The study suggests targeting this receptor could treat cognitive issues independently of depression symptoms.

The TRIPOD+AI update provides harmonised guidance for reporting prediction model studies, superseding TRIPOD 2015, to accommodate AI and machine learning methods. The new 27-item checklist aims for complete, accurate, and transparent reporting, facilitating study appraisal and model implementation.

Oxford Drug Design's AI platform, SynthAI, validated in vivo with a 28-day mouse trial showing efficacy and dose response against MCF7 breast cancer cells. The platform's precision aims to deliver more efficacious and safer cancer treatments, accelerating development and reducing costs. The company plans to advance these treatments into clinical trials.

Triptans like eletriptan, rizatriptan, sumatriptan, and zolmitriptan were more effective at relieving acute migraine pain than newer, costlier drugs, according to a network meta-analysis of nearly 90,000 patients. The analysis evaluated 137 trials and found these triptans superior in efficacy outcomes, suggesting a need to revise existing guidelines.

A study by the University of Oxford found triptans, particularly eletriptan, rizatriptan, sumatriptan, and zolmitriptan, to be the most effective for acute migraine relief, with efficacy comparable to paracetamol. Triptans, underused and effective, should be considered a preferred treatment, according to lead author Andrea Cipriani.

The EASi-KIDNEY trial will assess if vicadrostat (BI 690517) improves CKD outcomes when combined with existing treatments. Running in 15-20 countries with 11,000 participants, it aims to determine if vicadrostat and empagliflozin reduce kidney disease progression, heart failure hospitalization, or cardiovascular death compared to empagliflozin alone. The trial uses Protas's Cantata platform for management and expects results by 2028/2029.

Euan Ashley, MB ChB, DPhil, a cardiovascular and genetics research specialist, has been named chair of the Department of Medicine at Stanford, effective Sept. 18. Ashley founded the Stanford Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease and leads the Ashley Lab, focusing on precision medicine, digital health, and AI. He has over 350 peer-reviewed publications and received the Guggenheim Fellowship in 2023. Ashley aims to connect precision diagnostics with therapeutics in his new role.