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First Ascent Biomedical and Fight Colorectal Cancer Announce Groundbreaking Study to Advance Precision Oncology for Colorectal Cancer Patients

First Ascent Biomedical and Fight Colorectal Cancer Announce Groundbreaking Study to Advance Precision Oncology for Colorectal Cancer Patients

Yahoo06-06-2025
Springfield, Mo., June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Ascent Biomedical (FA), an innovative biotech company specializing in transforming cancer treatment through functional precision medicine, is proud to announce a new collaboration with national nonprofit Fight Colorectal Cancer (Fight CRC) to launch a prospective feasibility study aimed at transforming colorectal cancer treatment. Funded by a $350,000 grant from Fight CRC, and spearheaded by Anjee Davis, chief executive officer, this innovative study will leverage First Ascent's cutting-edge xDRIVE tumor profiling technology to deliver rapid, personalized treatment insights for patients fighting colon cancer in Minnesota.
'Fight CRC is committed to empowering patients through innovation,' said Davis. 'This grant underscores our strategic focus on enhancing care through advanced research, particularly for those with limited treatment options.'
The study, set to begin enrollment in April or May 2025, will focus on 25 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. By integrating functional drug testing, genetic analysis, and artificial intelligence, First Ascent's xDRIVE platform will provide oncologists with detailed tumor profiling data and tailored treatment options, aiming to enhance patient outcomes.
Leading the clinical efforts are Hao Xie, MD, PhD, a gastrointestinal cancer specialist and precision medicine expert, and Dr. Boardman, whose work in cancer genetics and early detection has advanced the field of colorectal cancer care. Noah Berlow, PhD, First Ascent's Chief Technology Officer and the study's principal investigator, brings his expertise in AI-driven cancer research to oversee the project. Together, this team is poised to demonstrate the power of rapid, individualized tumor profiling to better understand each patient's unique cancer.
'This collaboration with Fight Colorectal Cancer is another important step in transforming how we approach cancer treatment,' said Jim Foote, founder and chief executive officer, First Ascent Biomedical. 'We are honored to be part of this effort.'
The study is expected to complete enrollment within nine months and will provide actionable data to oncologists for patients requiring advanced treatment options. Patients interested in participating must be seen in Rochester, MN. Information will soon be available on ClinicalTrials.gov.
CONTACT: Savanna Doud Fight Colorectal Cancer 703.548.1225 savanna@fightcrc.orgSign in to access your portfolio
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Highest number of West Nile cases in a day reported in these California counties
Highest number of West Nile cases in a day reported in these California counties

Yahoo

time5 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Highest number of West Nile cases in a day reported in these California counties

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Sixteen mosquito samples have tested positive in Yolo County. The virus first cropped up in the capital region in June, when mosquitoes collected near Gibson Ranch in Elverta tested positive for it, the Sacramento Bee previously reported. 'Mosquito and West Nile virus season is definitely underway, and it's important for residents to be vigilant in preventing mosquitoes from breeding in their backyards,' District Manager Gary Goodman said in a statement. 'Mosquito control is a collaborative effort, and we encourage everyone to do their part.' Residents had to ramp up mitigation efforts in 2024 after record-breaking storms drenched California in 2023 — and West Nile cases rose 980% in a one-year period, the Sacramento Bee previously reported. Two people died and 54 people contracted the virus in Sacramento County in 2023, the Bee reported. Placer-El Dorado counties Nearby areas are also facing the surge. One week after the virus was confirmed in Sacramento mosquitoes, the Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District confirmed its first positive case from mosquito samples collected from a rural area in the western part of the county, the Sacramento Bee previously reported. Like the first positive sample in Sacramento, the Placer County mosquito sample also came from an agricultural area, one west of the city of Roseville near Phillip Road. 'With the ongoing warm temperatures this season, we anticipate we will see more West Nile virus activity after this initial detection,' District Manager Joel Buettner previously said in a statement. 'We urge residents to take protective measures, including wearing an EPA-registered repellent, to prevent mosquito bites. Our team is actively conducting surveillance and treatments to help reduce the risk of mosquito-borne disease transmission to our community.' The virus has not been detected in El Dorado County this year. In 2023, a bird sample tested positive in early August, then a person contracted it about two weeks later, the Sacramento Bee reported. A person infected with the virus died in November 2023, and the virus killed seven people across the four-county region of Sacramento, El Dorado, Placer and Yolo in 2023 — making it the deadliest year for the disease in the past decade prior, the Bee reported. First human West Nile virus infection confirmed in Northern California How does West Nile virus spread? What are the symptoms? West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne illness that can affect people, horses and birds. Mosquitoes become infected after feeding on birds that carry the virus, then spread it. A vaccine is available for horses, but there's no vaccine — or cure — for people. Human cases are typically mild, but about 1 in 150 can lead to serious illness or death. Most people who are infected don't experience symptoms, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 1 in 5 people infected with West Nile will have symptoms 'like fever, headache, body aches,' including joint pains, as well as nausea and vomiting, or rash days after they're bitten by an infected mosquito, according to the California Department of Health. In severe cases, people might experience encephalitis or meningitis, which can be deadly. One bite is all it takes for the virus to spread, so effective prevention is the best way to protect yourself. How to stay safe Here are ways to stay safe, according to the Placer Mosquito and Vector Control District: Use insect repellent with EPA-registered ingredients like DEET, Picaridin, IR3535 or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus. Cover your skin with long sleeves and pants. Get rid of standing water on your property. Avoid going outdoors at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active. The mosquito and vector control districts have also ramped up surveillance and treatments targeting both larvae and adults, including ground fogging in areas where positive mosquitoes and birds were found, officials said. 'While it has been a relatively mild season for WNV so far, we are in the middle of summer and conditions can change quickly,' Goodman, the Mosquito and Vector Control district manager in Sacramento, said in a statement. 'We expect to see continued activity over the next few weeks. Protecting yourself is key—always apply an effective mosquito repellent when spending time outdoors.' What do you want to know about life in Sacramento? Ask our service journalism team your top-of-mind questions in the module below or email servicejournalists@ Solve the daily Crossword

GPT-5's Voice Mode Can Hold a Decent Conversation, but Please Don't Talk to ChatGPT in Public
GPT-5's Voice Mode Can Hold a Decent Conversation, but Please Don't Talk to ChatGPT in Public

CNET

time8 hours ago

  • CNET

GPT-5's Voice Mode Can Hold a Decent Conversation, but Please Don't Talk to ChatGPT in Public

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GPT-5 includes improvements to its advanced voice mode, which is essentially a way for you to literally talk to ChatGPT and have it respond in the voice of your choosing. Free users like me now have access to the advanced version (free users previously only had access to basic voice mode), and paying subscribers will receive higher usage limits. Another new GPT-5 feature allows you to choose what kind of personality you want your AI to mimic, including sassy, nerdy and robotic avatars. To use voice mode, open ChatGPT, tap the audio button next to the prompt window where you would enter an instruction and begin chatting. You can change which voice ChatGPT uses by tapping the settings icon in the upper right hand corner on the mobile app (two bars stacked on top of each other with circles on them). More human AI voices? How my experience went I decided to try to speak to ChatGPT like I would a friend, like a more enthusiastic version of myself. The AI laughed when I started the call with a spirited "Heyyyy girlfriend!" which felt both funny and condescending. ChatGPT's voice flowed very naturally in a familiar cadence, similar to the way I would talk to a particularly friendly customer service agent. That made sense as the chatbot itself told me that the upgraded advanced voice mode helped make it sound more human. The voice I used, ember, would often take pauses for breaths, like a human would during a longer sentence. I thought that was kind of weird, since while ChatGPT was doing its best impression of a human, we both knew it didn't actually need to pause to catch its breath. In my conversation with ChatGPT, it was more empathetic than I expected. It asked me how I was doing, and I said not well and told it about my car accident. In our five-minute chat, it would bookend many of its responses with empathetic statements, like saying it was sorry I was having a bad week and agreeing that dealing with insurance can be a headache. (Has ChatGPT ever had to call an insurance agent or even experienced a headache? I think not). While a sympathetic robot ear might not seem like a big deal, it can be a sign of a bigger problem. Sycophantic AI, the term used to describe when AI is overly affectionate or emotional, can be frustrating for users just looking for information. It can also be dangerous for people who use AI as therapists or mental health counselors, something OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has warned ChatGPT users against. Previous versions of ChatGPT have been pulled and re-released after issues with sycophantic tendencies. I also asked ChatGPT more factual questions, like the average cost of car repair labor in North Carolina and where I could go to get a second repair estimate. It responded more like a friend would than a chatbot, which may not be the most helpful. For example, when I typed the same request into ChatGPT on my laptop, it pulled up a map with the list of stores, along with more information like pricing info and store hours. But when I was chatting with ChatGPT voice mode, it brought up fewer options and described them based on what I assume are the shop's marketing language and customer reviews, using phrases like "They've been around for quite a while" and saying that one shop is "known for quality service". You also don't get any links or sources with voice mode, which I don't love. ChatGPT automatically transcribes voice chats, so you can see the difference in the level of detail given in regular text prompts (left) and voice chats (right). Screenshot by Katelyn Chedraoui/CNET Using ChatGPT voice as a sounding board One of the things voice mode is well-suited for is being a brainstorming partner, a literal wall to bounce ideas off of. I asked it to help me plan a sky-diving-themed birthday party, and it both helped me develop new ideas and refine the ones I already had. I interrupted ChatGPT while it was speaking a couple of times, and it was able to pivot quickly. I also tend to talk quickly, and the chatbot kept up and didn't miss any of my thoughts. I let myself ramble and steer the conversation off track, and ChatGPT didn't blink a virtual eye. Most importantly, when I asked it a question about an earlier topic, it could pick up where we left off. Improvements to ChatGPT's memory are to thank for that important consideration. Now Playing: The Hidden Impact of the AI Data Center Boom 05:13 Should you use ChatGPT voice mode? Overall, I think voice mode is nice as another way to use ChatGPT, but it's only situationally useful. If you need in-depth research and more detailed information, voice mode isn't going to be right for you. But if you just want to talk to someone (rather, something) or work through a problem out loud, voice mode is a nice alternative to having to articulate your thoughts and type them out. I still believe that we haven't normalized talking to AIs in public spaces, especially without headphones. But it can be a useful alternative for people who think better aloud. For more, check out how AI is changing search engines and the best AI image generators.

How thyroid drugs became a MAHA flashpoint
How thyroid drugs became a MAHA flashpoint

Politico

timea day ago

  • Politico

How thyroid drugs became a MAHA flashpoint

Driving the Day THYROID DRUG PUSHBACK — A recent FDA letter to makers and distributors of a decades-old thyroid medication has stoked outrage among a subset of pharmacists and wellness influencers linked to the Make America Healthy Again movement led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The products in question are known as desiccated thyroid extracts, which are 'the dried, ground-up thyroid glands of pigs,' according to Tenille Davis, the Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding's chief advocacy officer. The animal-derived drugs, which predate the FDA as an institution, are among the treatment options for people with an underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism, though the agency says most patients take FDA-approved synthetic hormone replacements. But last week, the FDA informed firms that market animal-derived versions that it would take action if they continued to sell them. The agency said it received more than 500 adverse event reports from the products between 1968 and February 2025 — with a substantial increase seen between 2019 and 2020. 'FDA is committed to pursuing the first-ever approval of desiccated thyroid extract, pending results of the ongoing clinical trials. In the mean time, we will ensure access for all Americans,' FDA Commissioner Marty Makary posted on social media platform X on Thursday. The agency said it would give 'adequate time' for providers to transition patients to FDA-approved options, noting it expects them to need about 12 months. The uproar: Some wellness influencers with ties to Kennedy panned the FDA's move on social media and urged their followers to sign online petitions urging the agency to back down. Brigham Buhler, who owns the compounding pharmacy ReviveRX and is aligned with many of Kennedy's policy priorities, suggested the agency's position favors AbbVie, which makes synthetic thyroid medicines and has another candidate in clinical trials. 'Is this an example of fda working for Pharma again to create another monopoly over a drug that has been used for 100 plus years so that they can raise the prices like Pharma bro Martin [Shkreli] again?' he said in a text message. AbbVie said it would work with the agency to ensure access is not interrupted. The FDA did not respond to an interview request. 'With our ongoing clinical trials, we remain committed to these patients and their providers,' AbbVie posted Thursday on X. Why it matters: The drugs are used to prevent side effects of hypothyroidism, such as fatigue and weight gain. A doctor must closely monitor dosing because the margin between a low dose that might not be effective and a high dose that could cause side effects is small. Davis said some patients don't respond well to the synthetic drugs. While their blood panels might suggest the medication works, she said, patients continue to 'feel really crappy' until they switch to the animal-derived versions. Those people might be in the minority, Davis said, but they're still a sizeable population given the number of Americans with hypothyroidism. 'It's happened enough times where these patients aren't crazy,' she said. IT'S FRIDAY. WELCOME BACK TO PRESCRIPTION PULSE. The FDA cautioned against sunscreens that come in mousse form this week, saying they might not be effective. Send tips to David Lim (dlim@ @davidalim or davidalim.49 on Signal) and Lauren Gardner (lgardner@ @Gardner_LM or gardnerlm.01 on Signal). AROUND THE AGENCIES VAX SAFETY GROUP IS BACK — HHS said Thursday it's bringing back a 1990s-era task force on safer childhood vaccines, fulfilling a demand made by the secretary's old colleagues at an anti-vaccine group, Lauren reports. The department is reinstating the group, which was created by the 1986 law establishing a compensation program for vaccine-injured people, 'to improve the safety, quality, and oversight of vaccines administered to American children,' HHS said in a statement. NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya will lead the effort, with leaders from the FDA and the CDC participating. An HHS spokesperson didn't specify who else from the agencies would sit on the panel. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has long questioned the safety of the modern childhood vaccination schedule, suggesting the number of shots young kids receive may contribute to myriad chronic conditions, including autism. Dozens of scientific studies have found no link between vaccines and autism. Background: The Task Force on Safer Childhood Vaccines' earlier iteration disbanded in 1998 after issuing recommendations for ways the government could support the development of safer vaccines, improve adverse event surveillance and educate the public about their benefits and risks. But the law that established the task force also directed HHS to report to Congress every two years about actions it had taken to promote safer products — a paperwork burden that the Kennedy-founded group Children's Health Defense says was never met. HHS's announcement came the day before the federal government is due to respond to CHD's May lawsuit regarding Kennedy's failure to reestablish the task force. In a deadline extension request filed last month and approved, Justice Department lawyers indicated the parties could reach a settlement. 'It took nearly 30 years for HHS to do this, but at last, we have an HHS secretary who is following the law on this vital issue,' CHD President and CEO Mary Holland said in a statement. What's next: The task force is supposed to collaborate with the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines, a lesser-known federal advisory committee in the vaccine space, in developing its recommendations. The secretary can appoint up to nine ACCV voting members, evenly split among health professionals, attorneys and the general public — at least two of whom have children who were injured by a vaccine. Of the current roster, no member's term ends before July 2026, and it's unclear whether Kennedy might try to shake it up before then as he did with the CDC's independent vaccine panel. Drug Pricing LILLY'S MFN PLAY? Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly said Thursday it would raise prices on its drugs in European markets as a way to lower costs for American consumers — an apparent response to President Donald Trump's most-favored-nation pressure campaign, Lauren writes. The statement came two weeks after Trump sent letters to the leaders of major drug manufacturers — and posted them on social media — demanding they embrace most-favored-nation pricing that ties U.S. prices to lower figures paid in other wealthy nations or face unknown consequences. 'Lilly supports the administration's goal of keeping the United States the world's leading destination for biopharmaceutical research and manufacturing, and the objective of more fairly sharing the costs of breakthrough medical research across developed countries,' the company said in a statement. When asked to elaborate on how the drugmaker will achieve that goal — and which drugs may be implicated — a company spokesperson referred to the online statement. Eye on the FDA GOLD STANDARD SCIENCE? The FDA quietly posted a new staff manual laying out the 'core tenets of gold standard science' online this week, following up on an executive order from President Donald Trump in May. 'In conducting our mission to protect and promote public health, FDA must generate and evaluate science in a manner that ensures FDA will make sound, objective decisions,' the staff manual states. 'Preserving and promoting GSS is essential to ensuring that FDA's mission succeeds and our regulatory decisions advance public health.' The document says the FDA will focus on reproducibility and replicable science, transparency in its research process, communication of errors and uncertainty and encouragement of collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches in science. It also says the FDA will embrace 'a culture of constructive skepticism in science through policies and programs that emphasize critical evaluation, transparency and objectivity,' values science that includes testable hypotheses with 'explicitly defined measurable criteria for falsification,' and recognizes the value of studies that have negative results. Document Drawer FDA Commissioner Marty Makary met with Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) on July 30 to discuss abortion pill mifepristone, according to newly posted public calendar disclosures. He also held an introductory meeting with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) on July 31. The FDA will hold a public meeting on Sept. 19 to discuss how to advance the development of interchangeable biosimilar products. The Health Resources and Services Administration is asking for feedback on its recommendation to add Duchenne muscular dystrophy and metachromatic leukodystrophy to the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel — a step that would require most insurers to cover the screenings without cost-sharing. WHAT WE'RE READING Costco will not dispense abortion pill mifepristone at its pharmacies, Bloomberg's Jeff Green and Jessica Nix report. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday directing HHS to stock drug ingredients to help bolster domestic supply, Lauren reports.

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