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Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
Canada is hosting the world's biggest dementia conference for the first time in a decade. What's changed since then?
This week, researchers from around the globe are descending upon downtown Toronto to attend the Alzheimer's Association International Conference, the world's biggest and most influential meeting for dementia research. The gathering is a chance for the international dementia community to discuss the latest research in the field; it's also where significant breakthroughs are often unveiled. At a related event on Saturday, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) – Canada's health research funding agency – announced $44.8-million in new funding for dementia and aging-related research initiatives, including the creation of 16 teams that will study everything from Alzheimer's biomarkers to dementia in Indigenous populations. To set the stage for this year's conference, The Globe and Mail checked in with Jane Rylett, a professor at Western University and scientific director at the CIHR Institute of Aging, which hosted Saturday's event. The last time this global conference was held in Canada was in 2016, nearly a decade ago. How has the dementia research landscape changed since then? This is a really important inflection point. There is a new class of drugs, the antibody therapy, that came into the market within the last three or four years; they probably will be approved in Canada in the coming years. But while there's huge hope around it . . . right now, there's a lot of debate around if they're really beneficial. For certain people, they don't work at all; other people have negative side effects by creating inflammation in the brain. And the benefit-to-risk ratio is not great. So I think at this year's conference, it's going to be really important to hear about new findings with that. Something that's really gained momentum over the last few years is stepping back from the pharmacological approach to treatment and saying, 'What else can we do that will reduce the risk of developing dementia?' Health system urged to brace for major shift in dementia demographics The other thing that's changed is there's always been an 'amyloid hypothesis' of Alzheimer's disease, based on these toxic peptides that get made in the brain and clearly have a role in brain health and development of dementia. But during these nine years, there's been a much greater move towards understanding the role of those and recognizing that while they're still important, they're not the whole story. Now there's more openness to looking at other hypotheses about how brain health can be impacted during the life course and can lead to dementia. How should people feel about this present moment? Thinking back to 2012, the United States' health department set an ambitious goal to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer's disease by 2025. But here we are today and that goal is far from met. When people or groups make those kinds of statements, it doesn't necessarily mesh with the complication of the thing. And then what happens is people see [the missed deadline] and think, well, it didn't happen. That's always the danger of doing something like that. The brain is a complex thing, it really is. The problem with something like Alzheimer's disease is it's so multi-faceted and it's a spectrum. There's so many areas of the brain that are impacted and the clinical presentation can look similar for people but what's happening in their brain, and where the degeneration is initiated, can be quite different. There's no one pill that you're going to have that's going to be able to change the course or alleviate the symptoms. So was it realistic to say in 2012 that this could be cured by 2025? Probably not. But it stimulated a lot of activity. We understand much more about the underlying pathology and the pathogenesis of the disease. And stepping back was an important thing, saying what can we do that is not a pharmaceutical or a pill? What are the life, behavioural and other things that we can do? Canada has a chance to change the Alzheimer's experience - let's not squander it There's been a lot of focus on the funding cuts in the U.S. that are under way right now, including to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). How has that affected things? is it looming over the conference this year? Yes. A number of Canadian researchers also have been funded by NIH, either in their own right or as subcontracts on larger studies within the U.S., and for the most part, that has been ended, which is very problematic. So we have a number of very good Canadian researchers in all fields that have lost substantial funding, and we don't have the resources in Canada to replace that. One of the big question marks is the impact it's going to have on the number of Americans that are going to be able to attend the conference. And I don't know the answer to that yet. Let's talk about Canadian researchers. What role are they playing within the broader effort? Canadian researchers are leaders internationally in these fields of study. There's really significant work being done by Canadians in the biomarkers area, so the diagnostic area. We have a lot of expertise around how to develop and promote new methods for supporting caregivers and persons with dementia. Alzheimer's trial brings at-risk patients hope for the future, but new doubts in the present We've got outstanding Indigenous cognitive health researchers that are developing new culturally safe and appropriate diagnostic and caregiving methods. And we do have some very good work going on around pathogenesis, looking at changes in the brain during aging and how that may lead to loss of cognition. That's important because you really need to understand where those earliest changes come from. Those are the targets where you need to develop drugs and therapies. This interview has been edited and condensed.
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
As Canada's thickest glaciers melt, Yukon First Nations wonder what will happen if they disappear
Ron Chambers understands the power of the St. Elias glaciers, because he's experienced it first-hand. He felt it when he camped next to Logan glacier during one of his trips into the vast St. Elias mountain range that extends from the southwestern coast of Alaska inland to the border of Kluane National Park in the Yukon. "We heard huge booming sounds travelling down through the glacier. We also heard sounds like motors, we thought airplanes were coming and nothing showed up. And it was the sounds that the glacier was making." Chambers is a Champagne and Aishihik First Nations citizen and served as the park warden for Kluane National Park for 22 years. He was also the first Yukoner and First Nations man to summit Mount Logan, Canada's highest peak, deep in the St. Elias range in 1975. Now, he says he wants to raise awareness about what's happening to the glaciers that lie just beyond his home. "Even looking out my window in Haines Junction there's a small glacier on the mountains just in front of me — and some of those are disappearing pretty directly," he said. For generations, glaciers in the St. Elias mountain range have shaped the lives of the First Nations people that lived next to them, but human activity is also changing the glaciers. Today, those glaciers are melting at rapid rates due to climate change and local First Nations have been left wondering what their future could look like if the glaciers disappear. For two weeks this July, researchers stayed at the Kluane Lake Research Station on the outskirts of Kluane National Park to study how the glaciers are changing as they melt. Luke Copland, a professor at the University of Ottawa, has been studying these glaciers for almost 20 years. He says he's watched some of them get smaller and smaller each year. "The big ones will be around for a long time — many, many centuries into the future. But these really small ones, those ones are melting away really quickly," Copland said. "And you project that another century there won't be any [glaciers] left of that kind of size." Climate change affecting glacier movement The St. Elias mountain range is home to the largest non-polar icefields in the world. Those icefields are made up of multiple glaciers, which wind through the mountain range like arteries, supplying water to rivers and lakes. The glaciers are dynamic, they can surge forward and retreat, altering the landscape as they move and creating a lasting impact on local ecosystems and communities. Copland wants to understand how glacier motion is being affected by climate change, because that could have an impact on nearby communities in the short term. Glaciers could advance or retreat more rapidly, or more slowly, as they continue to melt, he says. Local communities are already seeing the effects of rapid climate-induced melting. In 2016, warm weather caused the Kaskawulsh glacier to melt even more quickly, creating a gorge. The gorge diverted the water away from the Ä'äy Chù, or Slims River, which feeds Kluane Lake. Since then, water levels in the lake have dropped by a metre. Alyce Johnson, a Kluane First Nation elder and teacher, says she's worried about how chum salmon in Kluane Lake are being affected by lower water levels. "Chum come from the ocean and they come all the way here to the end of this lake. That's where they spawn," she said. "And so with the decrease of water flowing through, that impacts the fish." Glaciers intertwined with Yukon First Nations culture Johnson says her people's stories "live in the glacial system." "The glacial system is a resource. It's a body of water, of frozen lands that are still there that were used as transportation routes," she said. "In our oral histories, our grandmothers talk about going to potlatches or going to a funeral … they would come across the glaciers." Johnson wonders what will happen if in another century some of the glaciers her ancestors once travelled across no longer exist. "How does that impact the language? How does it impact our culture?" she said. "It's going to change, you know, because we rely on that water, we rely on having that relationship to the land." John Fingland, a Champagne and Aishihik First Nations citizen and historian says his nation also has stories and lessons related to the glaciers. This summer, he's been sharing those stories with youth in his community. Despite his understanding of glaciers' importance to Champagne and Aishihik First Nations culture, Fingland says he's not afraid of what could happen if the glaciers disappear. "When you study history, you realize that everything is change…. Our culture is adaptation to change," Fingland said. "When you stand on the glacier that's right beside Mount Logan, you're more than 1,000 meters above the bottom of the valley. And so I'm like, this won't happen in my lifetime, but at some point, if that all melts out, there's a whole other world." Local melting has global ramifications Local communities may be most directly affected by melting glaciers in the St. Elias mountain range, but as these massive icefields melt, researchers say the impacts could be felt around the world. "Globally, about one quarter of all melt coming from glaciers and ice caps – so this excludes ice sheets – is coming from the mountains in this area," said Copland. For Copland and other researchers, a priority now is to take long-term measurements and document what's happening locally, and then apply that to understanding the bigger picture. "The message is that the glaciers are important to everything, locally and globally," Copland said. For Johnson, Chambers and Fingland, it's also about telling others why the glaciers matter. "It's important for glaciologists to come in, understand the stories, understand the landscape, and build that relationship with the Southern Tutchone people and those of us that reside here," Johnson said.
Globe and Mail
4 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
Altimmune Gears Up to Report Q2 Earnings: Here's What to Expect
We expect investors to focus on Altimmune 's ALT progress in the studies evaluating its lead pipeline candidate, pemvidutide, when it reports second-quarter 2025 results. Since ALT lacks a marketed drug in its portfolio, we do not expect it to record revenues. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the bottom line is pegged at a loss of 32 cents per share. Let's see how things might have shaped up before the announcement. Factors Likely to Influence ALT's Q2 Results Altimmune's lead pipeline candidate, pemvidutide, a novel, peptide-based GLP-1/glucagon dual receptor agonist, is currently being developed for treating obesity, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), alcohol liver disease (ALD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD). Last month, the company announced top-line data from the phase IIb IMPACT study, which evaluated pemvidutide for treating MASH. The primary endpoints of the study were to achieve MASH resolution without a worsening of fibrosis and to improve fibrosis without a worsening of MASH. In an intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis, at 24 weeks, MASH resolution without fibrosis worsening was achieved by 59.1% and 52.1% of participants receiving pemvidutide 1.2 mg and 1.8 mg, respectively, compared to 19.1% with placebo. Meanwhile, in the ITT analysis, fibrosis improvement without MASH worsening was seen in 31.8% and 34.5% of participants receiving pemvidutide 1.2 mg and 1.8 mg, respectively, versus 25.9% with placebo. However, these differences were not statistically significant. Shares of the company tanked on this news. Participants who received pemvidutide experienced an average weight loss of 5% with the 1.2 mg dose and 6.2% with the 1.8 mg dose, compared to 1% in the placebo group at 24 weeks. Treatment with pemvidutide was generally safe and well-tolerated. Investors will be keen to get more updates on the development path ahead for pemvidutide on the upcoming earnings call. Year to date, shares of Altimmune have plunged 43% against the industry's increase of 7.2%. Altimmune recently initiated two separate phase II studies on pemvidutide for the treatment of AUD and ALD. Further updates on these studies are expected on the upcoming earnings call. Operating expenses are most likely to have declined in the to-be-reported quarter due to the timing of clinical study costs. ALT's Earnings Surprise History Altimmune has a mixed earnings surprise history, beating estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missing the same on the remaining occasion, the average surprise being 9.21%. In the last reported quarter, ALT posted an earnings surprise of 25.71%. Altimmune, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise What Our Model Predicts for ALT Stock Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Altimmune this time. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. That is not the case here, as you will see below. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they're reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. ALT's Earnings ESP: Altimmune has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% as both the Most Accurate Estimate and Zacks Consensus Estimate are pegged at a loss of 32 cents per share. ALT's Zacks Rank: Altimmune has a Zacks Rank #3 at present. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Stocks With the Favorable Combination Here are a few stocks worth considering from the healthcare space, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings this reporting cycle. Akero Therapeutics AKRO has an Earnings ESP of +0.53% and a Zacks Rank #1 at present. AKRO stock has surged 81.5% year to date. Akero beat on earnings in three of the last four quarters and missed in the other one, delivering an average surprise of 48.90%. Exact Sciences EXAS has an Earnings ESP of +475.00% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present. Shares of EXAS have declined 13.5% year to date. EXAS beat on earnings in three of the trailing four quarters and missed in the other one, delivering an average surprise of 48.79%. Exact Sciences is scheduled to report second-quarter results on Aug. 6, after market close. Alkermes ALKS has an Earnings ESP of +4.94% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present. Shares of ALKS have lost 7.8% year to date. ALKS beat on earnings in one of the last four quarters and missed in the other three, delivering an average negative surprise of 8.24%. Alkermes will report second-quarter results on July 29, before market open. #1 Semiconductor Stock to Buy (Not NVDA) The incredible demand for data is fueling the market's next digital gold rush. As data centers continue to be built and constantly upgraded, the companies that provide the hardware for these behemoths will become the NVIDIAs of tomorrow. One under-the-radar chipmaker is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the next growth stage of this market. It specializes in semiconductor products that titans like NVIDIA don't build. It's just beginning to enter the spotlight, which is exactly where you want to be. See This Stock Now for Free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Alkermes plc (ALKS): Free Stock Analysis Report Altimmune, Inc. (ALT): Free Stock Analysis Report Exact Sciences Corporation (EXAS): Free Stock Analysis Report Akero Therapeutics, Inc. (AKRO): Free Stock Analysis Report
