WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

Niger launches malaria vaccine campaign in Gaya, aiming to reduce child mortality; RTS,S by GSK added to routine vaccination calendar. Expected to be 75% effective against severe malaria, with 5 million cases and over 5,000 deaths annually in Niger. Complemented by free mosquito nets and preventive medication.

DRC, facing a severe mpox outbreak, received 99,100 vaccine doses from the EU, aiming for nearly 200,000 total. Over 19,000 cases and 650 deaths highlight the urgency. Vaccine logistics are challenging due to DRC's size and infrastructure. The WHO declared mpox an international emergency, prompting global health organizations to contribute. The EMA approved Bavarian Nordic's mpox vaccine for adolescents, emphasizing vulnerable populations. Comprehensive public health measures, including education and community engagement, are crucial alongside vaccination efforts.

Adult IDH-wildtype glioblastoma patients provided informed consent for study, with prospective cohort (n=44) and retrospective cohort (n=18) analyzed. Tissue processing included dissociation, cell culture, and drug screening via PCY method. Key steps involved cell seeding, drug testing, immunocytochemistry, confocal microscopy, and PCY score calculation. Genetic alterations were determined via targeted next-generation sequencing, and scRNA-seq was used for single-cell transcriptome analysis. Additional techniques included siRNA knockdown, DRUG-seq, calcium assays, electrophysiology, and in vivo drug testing in mice.

FDA approves AstraZeneca's FluMist nasal spray flu vaccine for self-administration, available online next fall. The needle-free spray, approved for ages 2-49, aims to increase seasonal flu vaccination rates.

EMA approves Bavarian Nordic's mpox vaccine for adolescents aged 12-17 in Europe, based on NIH-sponsored trial data showing non-inferior immune responses and similar safety profile. Bavarian Nordic plans to expand approval to other high-risk countries, including Africa, where mpox has caused over 25,000 cases and 720 deaths.

Strategies for improving Ebola virus disease post-exposure prophylaxis, origin of SARS-CoV-2 linked to Wuhan market, 'scoop and run' best for nerve agent mass casualty events, T cell memory from seasonal flu may offer pre-existing immunity to H5N1.

The Committee for Human Medicinal Products (CHMP) elected Bruno Sepodes as its new chair, effective 21 September. CHMP recommended marketing authorisations for eight new medicines, including Elahere, Hetronifly, Hympavzi, Penbraya, Theralugand, Afqlir, Opuviz, and Pomalidomide Teva. It also recommended extending indications for 12 existing medicines and confirmed the refusal of Syfovre's marketing authorisation. Applications for Durysta, Tecentriq, and Sialanar were withdrawn. CHMP updated Spikevax and Comirnaty vaccines to target new COVID-19 variants.

The EU approves Bavarian Nordic's mpox vaccine for adolescents aged 12-17, based on clinical study data showing comparable immune responses and safety profiles to adults. This follows the approval of Mvabea® for younger populations in 2020. The vaccine, effective against mpox, aims to improve access for vulnerable populations, particularly in Africa, where the outbreak is severe.

Pearsanta, a subsidiary of Aditxt, partners with Evofem Biosciences to develop a blood-based diagnostic test for endometriosis, leveraging a novel mitochondrial DNA biomarker. The test aims to become the first validated and commercialized blood-based test for endometriosis, with a planned U.S. launch in mid-2025.