US Approves GSK's Lung Disease Drug, Fueling Rivalry With Sanofi
GSK Plc won US approval for its drug to treat a deadly lung disease, ramping up competition with rival Sanofi.
The Food and Drug Administration approved Nucala as an add-on treatment for some patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a leading cause of death globally. Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. were first to market with Dupixent after more than a decade with no fresh treatment for COPD, a life-threatening inflammatory respiratory disease that causes obstructed airflow.
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Gizmodo
21 minutes ago
- Gizmodo
Smoking Weed and Eating Edibles Share This Surprising Health Risk
A new study has found a startling link between chronic cannabis use and increased risk of cardiovascular disease—regardless of whether you smoke it or consume edibles. The finding challenges commonly held beliefs about the health impacts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which many see as a relatively harmless drug—especially when ingested. The study, published Wednesday, May 28 in the journal JAMA Cardiology, found that THC smokers suffer from significantly worse artery function than non-users. They observed the same effect in edible consumers, though their arteries were not as severely affected. In either case, vascular function was reduced by roughly half compared to those who do not use cannabis, according to a statement from the University of California, San Francisco. 'Scientifically, this THC result is really interesting but boy does it screw up the public health messaging,'' co-author Matt Springer, a cardiovascular researcher at UCSF, reportedly said to lead author and UCSF physician-scientist Leila Mohammadi when he saw the data. These results add to a growing body of evidence that suggests long-term weed use can lead to cardiovascular damage and life-threatening events such as heart attacks and strokes, though experts still lack consensus on its precise impacts. A 2024 study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that people who consume cannabis daily had a 25% increased risk of heart attack and a 42% increased risk of stroke compared to non-users. For this new study, researchers investigated how cannabis impacts vascular function. To isolate the effects of chronic cannabis use, they recruited 55 otherwise healthy adults aged 18 to 50 who did not use any form of nicotine and were not frequently exposed to secondhand smoke. These participants were sorted into three groups: marijuana smokers, edible users, and non-users. Those in the two cannabis user groups reported taking the drug at least three times per week, either exclusively through smoking or edibles. To assess the participants' vascular function, the researchers measured dilation of the brachial artery—located in the upper arm—to determine whether it could properly expand in response to increased blood flow. To that end, they used an inflatable forearm cuff to briefly block blood flow to the artery, then used ultrasound to measure its diameter before and after inflating the cuff. Matt Springer, a cardiovascular researcher at UCSF whose lab led the study, told Live Science that his test offers a 'window into the future.' When blood vessels cannot fully dilate, he said, the risk of heart attack and other poor cardiovascular outcomes increases. Participants who did not consume cannabis showed an average vessel dilation—represented as the percent change from the baseline measurement of artery diameter—of 10.4%. This value was significantly reduced among weed smokers and edible users, who showed an average vessel dilation of 6.0% and 4.6%, respectively. For reference, average values for brachial artery dilation in healthy individuals typically range from 8.0% to 15%. In a previous study, Springer's lab found similarly reduced levels of vessel dilation among e-cigarette and cigarette smokers. To better understand how THC causes this change, the researchers ran lab tests to determine how endothelial cells—which form the linings of blood vessels and release nitric oxide to trigger dilation—responded to the participants' blood samples. These tests revealed that the blood of chronic cannabis smokers inhibited nitric oxide production in the cells, which may explain why these participants showed reduced vessel dilation. This effect was not observed in edible consumers, however, suggesting that ingestible THC may impact arterial function via an entirely separate mechanism. Figuring out what that mechanism may be will require further research. What's more, subsequent studies will need to reproduce these findings in a larger population to validate the results. Within the last several years, cannabis use among U.S. adults has reached new heights, according to the NIH's National Institute on Drug Abuse. As such, investigating the health effects of THC is more important than ever before—especially as mounting evidence challenges perceptions of weed as a harmless high.
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
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DIA to Celebrate 9 Life Sciences Leaders at DIA 2025 Global Annual Meeting in Washington
EMA's Emer Cooke, former FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf to be recognized among new Fellows of DIA and annual Global Inspire Award winners, with special keynote from global health leader Dr. Larry Brilliant and live performance from Grammy-nominated artist Aloe Blacc WASHINGTON, June 04, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DIA, a global non-profit organization of life sciences professionals, will induct four Fellows of DIA and recognize six recipients of Global Inspire Awards and America's Inspire Awards on June 15 as part of the DIA 2025 Global Annual Meeting — including Emer Cooke, Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), who is receiving both honors. Fellows of DIA are long-serving members recognized for their sustained dedication to advancing healthcare. The Global Inspire Awards recognize honorees who have made outstanding improvements to global health while adhering to DIA's mission. "These distinguished individuals have made enduring contributions to the life sciences reflecting DIA's values and purpose," said Marwan Fathallah, DIA's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Their work in regulatory science, research, and global collaboration exemplifies the spirit of innovation that drives our mission forward." Cooke has been the EMA's Executive Director and the Chair of the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities (ICMRA) since November 2020. She has more than 30 years of experience in international regulatory affairs, including four years as the director responsible for medical product-related regulatory activities at the World Health Organization (WHO). Dr. Robert M. Califf, who served as the Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from February 2016 to January 2017 and February 2022 to January 2025, is also being recognized as a Fellow of DIA. A nationally recognized expert in cardiovascular medicine and health outcomes research, he has led many landmark clinical trials and is one of the most frequently cited authors in biomedical science. Dr. Califf became a Member of the National Academy of Medicine in 2016. Dr. Michael Rosenblatt and Dr. Hironobu Saito are also being named Fellows of DIA. Rosenblatt, a Senior Partner at Flagship Pioneering and the Immediate Past Chair of DIA's Board of Directors, has advanced biopharmaceutical research and development throughout his career. He was previously Merck's Chief Medical Officer and the Dean of the Tufts University School of Medicine. Saito, a Specially Appointed Professor at Tottori University's Chromosome Engineering Research Center, spent 35 years in drug development at Daiichi Sankyo and has contributed to DIA Japan for more than two decades. In addition to Cooke, who will be presented with the Global Award for Outstanding Contribution to Health, six members of the health and life sciences community will receive Global Inspire Awards: — Kazumichi Kobayashi, Executive Deputy President at Otsuka Medical Device, will be honored with the Global Connector Award for advancing DIA's mission and promoting global collaborations. Kobayashi, who has served in various senior positions in research and development at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., previously led DIA Japan and chaired the DIA Advisory Council of Japan. — Cary Smithson will receive the Community Engagement Award as a DIA Community Chair who consistently drives engagement while advancing knowledge and thought leadership. Smithson, a Managing Partner at LeapAhead Solutions, leads DIA's Regulatory Affairs Community and Regulatory Information Management (RIM) Intelligent Automation Team, and co-leads its RIM Working Group. —Jennifer B. Christian will be named the Author of the Year, an award given to individuals whose article made the greatest impact on readership based on the number of downloads reported by Therapeutic Innovation & Regulatory Science (TIRS) in the preceding issue year. Her article, co-authored with Mehmet Burcu, Cyntia B. Manzano-Salgado, Anne M. Butler, "A Framework for Extension Studies Using Real-World Data to Examine Long-Term Safety and Effectiveness," was downloaded more than 12,400 times. Global Inspire Award recipients, except for the Author of the Year, must be nominated by two active DIA members to be considered candidates. They undergo a thorough review process before a committee of Fellows of DIA selects the winners. DIA will also recognize the regional Inspire Awards winners from the Americas: — David Fryrear, Chief Quality Officer at Astellas Pharma, will receive the Excellence in Service Award as a DIA volunteer who has significantly contributed to the advancement of the organization's mission. He previously held senior roles at AbbVie and Eli Lilly and Company and spent much of his career developing and improving quality systems. — Elma Abdulbaki, a PharmD student at the University of Illinois at Chicago and President of the DIA National Student Board, will be honored with the Leader of Tomorrow Award for her outstanding contributions as a young professional in the healthcare field. In addition to these awards and recognitions, there will be a performance by Grammy-nominated artist and songwriter Aloe Blacc. Renowned physician, epidemiologist, and global health leader Dr. Larry Brilliant will keynote at the event. Tickets for the awards ceremony are available to the public for the first time and can be purchased by clicking here. These honors will be presented in conjunction with the DIA 2025 Global Annual Meeting, the world's preeminent multidisciplinary life sciences forum held June 15-19 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington. Click here to register or view the DIA 2025 event program. Media members may request credentials by emailing diaglobal@ About DIADIA is a leading global non-profit life science membership association that drives collaboration in drug, device, and diagnostics development in pursuit of a healthier world. Founded in 1964 with headquarters in Washington, D.C., and offices in Europe and Asia, DIA provides unparalleled networking opportunities, educational resources, scientific research publications, and professional development programs to members in more than 80 countries. Learn more at and connect with DIA on LinkedIn, Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram. View source version on Contacts Media Katie KennedyGregory FCAdiaglobal@ 610-731-1045 Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
CBS News
29 minutes ago
- CBS News
From tornadoes to temperature swings, here's why spring 2025 was so turbulent
June 1 marks the beginning of a new season of weather record keeping, so that means it's time to take a look back at the previous season for Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania. Overall, the best way to describe spring this year would be turbulent. There were large swings in temperatures, which is expected, and bouts of severe weather. Spring 2025 wasn't as warm as last year March was well above normal by 7.7 degrees and the 12th warmest on record. April was 3 degrees above normal and May averaged out close to normal for the mean temperature. May was on track to be above average, but a stretch of unseasonably cool conditions in the last 10 to 12 days pulled the average temperature closer to average. We have been so used to long stretches of well-above-normal temperatures for so long that when "normal" temperatures do occur, they seem abnormal. Spring 2024 was the warmest ever recorded, while spring 2025 ended as the eighth warmest on record. (Photo: KDKA Weather Center) Severe weather hit hard This spring was considerably drier than last spring, which was the second wettest ever recorded with 16.79 inches of precipitation. April and May averaged out near to slightly above average for precipitation, but March was actually drier than normal. May ended cloudier than normal, with only two days of mostly clear skies when we typically average around five. Another large weather impact and factor for this spring was the active and early start to our severe weather season. On March 16, the first event of the season occurred as a line of severe storms rolled through western Pennsylvania and produced five weak tornadoes in Westmoreland, Indiana and Fayette counties. (Photo: KDKA Weather Center) In addition to the tornadoes, there were also swaths of wind damage. Late April featured a powerful complex of storms that almost verified as a derecho, except the swath of 75 mph wind gusts was not long enough. Despite that, three people died, hundreds of thousands were without power in the Pittsburgh metro and western Pennsylvania and numerous trees were down, along with minor structural damage. (Photo: KDKA Weather Center) So far for the year, the National Weather Service Pittsburgh county warning area is up to 10 tornadoes. While we typically average around six per year, this number is likely to increase if trends continue.
