IO Biotech's cancer vaccine shows improvement in late-stage study goal
It was testing the vaccine in 407 patients with advanced skin cancer.
The company said it plans to meet with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration this fall to discuss the data and next steps for a potential regulatory submission.
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Daily Mail
27 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
FDA lifts pause on vaccine against chikungunya virus spreading from China
The FDA has lifted a pause on the administration of a vaccine for the chikungunya virus, a mosquito-borne illness currently spreading from China . The Ixchiq single-dose vaccine was approved for adults 18 and up at risk of exposure to the virus in 2023, when the CDC had recorded 152 travel-associated cases of the virus, the highest rate in four years. But administrations of the shot to adults aged 60 and older were paused in May of this year, triggered by reports of 17 serious side effects following vaccination, including two deaths. Most of the reported issues were neurological or cardiac, and all involved people over 60. Six cases were reported in the US , with the remaining cases among the tens of thousands of people vaccinated worldwide. However, on August 7, the FDA greenlit the vaccine again for adults 60 and up. While the agency did not say whether the lifted pause is related to an uptick in infections, the chikungunya virus is spreading globally. Cases are currently rising in China, with more than 10,000 recorded, and the virus is spreading to nearby countries, as well as Europe. As of August 5, the CDC reports 46 cases of chikungunya virus in the US this year, all contracted by travelers returning from high-risk areas. No deaths have been reported. The CDC recommends Americans traveling to high-risk chikungunya countries receive one of the two FDA-approved vaccines. However, the FDA changed its guidelines from recommending the shot to travelers and scientists at 'increased risk' to those at 'high risk.' An FDA spokesperson told 'FDA has completed an updated benefit-risk assessment of Ixchiq, including for use in individuals 18 years of age and older. 'Based on the available data and its benefit-risk assessment, FDA has removed the recommended pause in the use of Ixchiq in individuals 60 years of age and older.' While there's no specific number for how many Americans have been vaccinated for chikungunya, it's known that around 43,000 people have received the vaccine globally. The reported adverse reactions to the Ixchiq vaccine included severe headaches, dizziness, intense nerve pain, trouble with balance, fainting, extreme muscle aches, and severe joint and back pain. The virus, meanwhile, causes flu-like symptoms within three to seven days of being bitten by a mosquito. A high fever is typical, as is joint pain in the hands, wrists, ankles and knees. It also causes muscle pain, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, swollen joints and swollen lymph nodes. Joint damage can be severe and long-lasting, potentially for years. Deaths are rare, but certain groups can experience life-threatening illness. Newborns, the elderly, and people with chronic health conditions, including obesity and diabetes, are more susceptible to seizures and brain swelling, heart problems, and kidney or liver damage. While the vaccine's labeling has been changed to stipulate that only people at high risk of exposure should get the shot, limitations of use have been added. The labeling now says: 'Vaccination with Ixchiq is not advisable for most US travelers. For most US travelers, the risk of exposure to CHIKV is low. 'The decision to administer Ixchiq should take into consideration an individual's risk of severe or chronic disease outcomes if infected with CHIKV and risks of serious, severe, or prolonged chikungunya-like illness caused by vaccination with Ixchiq.' The European vaccine company Valneva developed Ixchiq, the first-ever vaccine to prevent the chikungunya virus, in 2023. But the shot has been plagued by reports of more than a dozen serious adverse events, including two deaths, in adults 62 to 89. The European Medicines Agency suspended its use in May and the FDA soon followed. A second chikungunya vaccine, Vimkunya, was approved by the FDA in February 2025. The Ixchiq vaccine contains a weakened form of the virus, which may cause symptoms of chikungunya. Federal officials said some of the severe adverse events reported are similar to severe complications from the disease. According to Valneva, the FDA has received its petition to expand its availability to teenagers. Chikungunya spreads through bites from the Aedes mosquito species, typically in countries where the virus is common, primarily those in Africa and Asia. Twelve Americans were infected within US borders in 2014, while one infection was acquired in 2015. Since then, all US infections have been contracted abroad. There have been about 220,000 Chikungunya virus cases and 80 related deaths in 14 countries since the beginning of 2025, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control. While it remains unclear in which countries American patients contracted the virus, the federal government has issued an elevated risk of exposure notice for Brazil, China Colombia, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines and Thailand.
The Sun
30 minutes ago
- The Sun
I feared sharp chest pains at 25 were a heart attack – it was ‘popcorn lung' after vaping left ‘OIL filling my organs'
HAVING switched from smoking to vaping two years ago, Cloey Eyes thought she was avoiding the smell of smoke she hated so much, as well as opting for a healthier alternative. But when she woke up with sharp chest pains one morning and feared the worst - that she was having a heart attack and was going to die - she claims doctors discovered a sinister side effect of using e-cigarettes. 5 5 Cloey made the switch to vaping in August 2023 after smoking cigarettes for three years, mainly over her dislike of the smell. But when the mum-of-five woke up with "sharp" pains in her chest on July 12 this year, she called an ambulance as she feared she was having a heart attack. The 25-year-old was rushed to hospital in Ocala, Florida, where she was hooked up to oxygen and a heart monitor. But after undergoing tests, she was told she had "popcorn lung"-type injuries and claims doctors discovered an oily substance had been found building up in her lungs. Vaping has been known to lead to lipoid pneumonia, in which oily substances inhaled during vaping lead to a build-up in the lungs, causing inflammation and damage. The stay-at-home mum is now raising awareness about her vaping experience and is urging others to stop smoking them before it's too late. Cloey says: "I woke up at 2:30am in the morning and my chest felt like it was having a heart attack. "I had really bad pains in my chest and had to lean over. I couldn't catch my breath, and I had to hit myself in the chest multiple times to be able to catch my breath. "I was terrified at the pain, and I felt like I was going to die as I was scared I was going to not be able to breathe at all. "It was a sharp pain in my chest, but it also was a suffocating feeling. Teen told he was coughing up 'pints' of blood due to a stomach ulcer caused by kebabs - 'excessive vaping' was to blame "The ambulance came and got me, and I was taken to hospital, and they said my left lung had an oil pocket in it. "Around both my lungs was oil. It was scary to hear this. It's the oil from the vape, and this is thickening up as you hit it [the vape] and attaching itself to your lungs. "I technically at that point had popcorn lung. That's what they call it here." 'Non-stop' vaping Cloey said she would go through one 5000-puff disposable vape every two weeks and would use it "non-stop" due to the convenience. After staying overnight in hospital, she was discharged and prescribed antibiotics, an inhaler and cough suppressant medication. Cloey claims it will take a year for her lungs to heal completely and is now raising awareness to others about the dangers of vaping. As a person I would tell people to put the vape down, especially if you're a parent. You don't think it's going to happen to you. I didn't think it would Cloey Eyes She said: "I would smoke the vape every day non-stop. I used the vape more than when I smoked, as it was handy and right there. "I would never pick up a vape again, especially because I'm a mum. I went cold turkey and quit vaping. "I'm not struggling with it at all, as what happened to me scared me, and I don't want to do it anymore. "I feel 10 times better now as I have stopped completely. My lungs feel better, and I don't feel out of breath all the time. "As a person, I would tell people to put the vape down, especially if you're a parent. You don't think it's going to happen to you. I didn't think it would. "Even if you don't go through the pain, the amount of chemicals going through your lungs is probably knocking about 10 years off your life. "I turned 25 last Saturday and to think I could have lost my life from vaping is just not worth it." 5 5 What is 'popcorn lung'? Popcorn lung, also known as bronchiolitis obliterans, is a rare and severe lung disease caused by a build-up of scar tissue in the lungs, which then blocks the flow of air. The condition is caused by inhaling certain chemicals, like diacetyl - an organic compound which occurs naturally in alcoholic beverages and some cheeses and is added as a flavouring to some foods to impart its buttery flavour. Around the year 2000, a group of popcorn factory workers in the USA developed the condition, which led to the name 'popcorn lung'. Diacetyl was used as a flavouring in the popcorn, which meant workers were breathing in the chemical. Other common causes of bronchiolitis obliterans include infections, such as RSV and the flu, breathing in toxic chemicals like sulfur mustard gas, and autoimmune conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis. Popcorn lung and vaping There haven't been any confirmed cases of popcorn lung linked to vaping. But people have connected the two because some of the liquids in e-cigarettes used to contain diacetyl. In the UK, diacetyl was banned in e-cigarettes and e-liquids under the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) in 2016. Another condition that's been linked to vaping and oil build-up in the lungs is lipoid pneumonia. As vaping involves heating e-liquids, which often contain oils, into an aerosol that is then inhaled, these oily substances can deposit in the lungs' air sacs (alveoli), leading to an inflammatory reaction and potentially lipoid pneumonia. Diagnosing vaping-associated lipoid pneumonia can be challenging due to overlapping symptoms with other lung conditions. But signs to look out for include a cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, and fever. IS VAPING HARMFUL? WHILE vaping is generally considered less harmful than smoking cigarettes, it's not completely harmless and its long-term effects are still being studied. Vaping products generally contain fewer toxic chemicals than cigarette smoke, as they don't involve the combustion of tobacco. They may also expose users to fewer cancer-causing substances compared to smoking. But vaping delivers nicotine, which is addictive, and the long-term effects of this on the body are still being researched. And there have been reports of lung irritation and respiratory problems, including lung damage. Cancer Research UK advises: "There is no good evidence that vaping causes cancer. "But e-cigarettes are not risk-free. They can cause side effects such as throat and mouth irritation, headache, cough and feeling sick. These side effects tend to reduce over time with continued use. "We don't know yet what effects they might have in the long term. "E-cigarettes should only be used to help you stop smoking, or to stop you going back to tobacco. "Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is addictive. "If you have never smoked, you shouldn't use e-cigarettes."
BBC News
30 minutes ago
- BBC News
Kate Shemirani arranged alternative cancer care for daughter
A high-profile conspiracy theorist whose daughter died from cancer after refusing chemotherapy organised her care when she left hospital, an inquest has Shemirani, from Uckfield in East Sussex, died aged 23 in July last year, seven months after receiving a cancer diagnosis of non-Hodgkin Monday, the inquest in Maidstone into Paloma's death heard from her mother, Kate Shemirani, a former nurse who was struck off for spreading anti-medicine Covid-19 Shemirani denies influencing her daughter's decision to refuse chemotherapy, saying: "It doesn't matter what my view was, it was what Paloma wanted to do." The inquest was played a voice note from Mrs Shemirani to her daughter's boyfriend, where she told him to "put Paloma in a wheelchair to take her down to the car".The voice note was sent two or three days after Paloma had been diagnosed with cancer at Maidstone Hospital in December Shemirani told him to listen her message "in private and away from Paloma's ears" and that he had to drive Paloma away "very carefully without braking sharply".On Monday, she said she would need the "forensic data" before agreeing the voice note heard by the the court was from her, but added that whoever left the message gave "fantastic advice".She said she had not wanted Paloma to hear because she would have been frightened that she could be injured if her boyfriend drove too fast. When asked about her views on chemotherapy, Mrs Shemirani said: "Why is this about me and my opinions? Is it a witch hunt?"She told the court she had asked for Paloma, a Cambridge graduate, to have all her medical notes and results so she could have all the facts and get a second opinion from doctors they knew in Iran and Shemirani said she did not know if the records were ever sent to another oncologist or haematologist for the second opinion "because they were Paloma's records and she was 22 - an adult".Alison Hewitt, counsel at the inquest, asked Mrs Shemirani: "It is the case, isn't it, that you have expressed publicly views which are contrary to chemotherapy... you consider chemotherapy is a dangerous and toxic process and one that you wouldn't advise someone suffering cancer undergoes?"Mrs Shemirani branded the question "slanderous" and "not true", adding: "In all my public appearances I say people should get all the information and then decide."When pushed on whether she had described chemotherapy as mustard gas, she replied: "This is not relevant. You're making slanderous accusations. People should be able to choose."Mrs Shemirani has said how she had a tumour removed through however, she credits alternative therapies for her recovery and says how she used a programme including juices and coffee enemas to become "cancer-free".The former nurse said she would have supported her daughter "physically and financially" whatever her decision on receiving in the hearing, when describing the months leading up to her daughter's death, Mrs Shemirani said Paloma had chosen treatment which included nutrition, juices and spiritual support, claiming that many of her symptoms had Catherine Wood also heard from intensive care consultant Dr Peter Anderson who saw Paloma at the Royal Sussex County Hospital when paramedics brought her said a scan showed a large mass in her chest and neck which was compressing her airways and affecting major blood could have caused the cardiac arrest, he inquest continues.
