WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

Antibiotics revolutionized healthcare, treating bacterial infections and saving lives. However, antibiotic resistance due to overuse and misuse poses a global threat. Antibiotics are also widely used in livestock farming, contributing to resistance. Solutions include careful antibiotic use, new drug development, and improved diagnostics.

The REMED trial was a multicenter, randomized, open-label study in Czech Republic evaluating dexamethasone in COVID-19 ARDS patients. It included 222 patients, randomized 1:1 to receive high-dose (20 mg/day for 5 days, then 10 mg/day for 5 days) or standard-dose (6 mg/day for 10 days) dexamethasone. Primary outcome was ventilator-free days at day 28. Recruitment ended early due to futility, with 69.6% power to detect a 3 VFD difference.

The RH5.1/Matrix-M malaria vaccine, tested in a phase 2b trial on 361 children, shows safety, effectiveness, and high immunogenicity, potentially becoming the first blood-stage vaccine, complementing existing pre-erythrocytic vaccines.

Dextromethorphan, an FDA-approved drug commonly used in cough medicine, shows potential in treating lung fibrosis by impeding collagen that forms scars. A study published in Science Translational Medicine by EMBL Heidelberg scientists revealed its efficacy in reducing lung fibrosis in mouse models and human lung tissue. The research aims to identify the drug's targets in cells to develop improved variants.

Studies highlight prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative infections, particularly Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and discuss treatment strategies, including ceftolozane-tazobactam and polymyxin-based regimens, with focus on outcomes and resistance trends.

The FDA granted fast track designation to LimmaTech's LBT-SA7 vaccine candidate, designed to prevent skin and soft tissue infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus. The vaccine aims to neutralize toxins from the bacteria, addressing rising antibiotic resistance. A phase 1 clinical trial will assess its safety and immunogenicity, with results expected in 2025.

RH5.1/Matrix-M, a blood-stage malaria vaccine, shows promising results in Phase IIb trial, potentially becoming the first of its kind. It complements pre-erythrocytic vaccines, offering a second line of defence against malaria, with 55% efficacy against clinical malaria and 80% in reducing high parasite levels. The vaccine targets the blood stage, occurring after liver infection, and could significantly aid global malaria prevention efforts.

Researchers from Leiden University Medical Center and Radboud University engineered mosquitoes to deliver vaccines, potentially enhancing immunity against malaria. The vaccine uses a weakened Plasmodium falciparum parasite, which does not cause disease symptoms. Trials showed 13% and 89% immunity in GA1 and GA2 groups, respectively. Further research is needed for larger-scale testing and protection against different malaria strains.

Novo Holdings completes $16.5B Catalent Pharma Solutions buyout. Merck pays $112M upfront for obesity pill. Ottimo Pharma raises $140M for cancer therapy. Novo Nordisk invests $1.2B in Denmark factory. Angitia Biopharmaceuticals raises $120M for musculoskeletal candidates. Novartis closes MorphoSys sites, laying off 330. SiteOne Therapeutics secures $100M for non-opioid pain drugs. Novo Nordisk's obesity drug underperforms. Bristol Myers Squibb invests $100M in BioArctic's Alzheimer antibodies. Sudan's healthcare collapses. Tonix Pharmaceuticals files NDA for fibromyalgia drug. Neurocrine Biosciences wins FDA approval for Crenessity. Edgewise Therapeutics discusses accelerated approval for Becker muscular dystrophy. FDA places partial hold on PepGen's Duchenne therapy. Checkpoint Therapeutics' immunotherapy approved. WHO opens Academy in Lyon. GSK's Jemperli earns FDA Breakthrough status. Sanofi's duvakitug shows remission in ulcerative colitis. Sandoz agrees to $275M settlement over drug pricing. Pfizer projects 2025 earnings. Mesoblast's Ryoncil approved as 1st MSC therapy for graft-vs-host disease.