Altimmune's weight-loss drug meets main goal in fatty liver disease trial
The drug, pemvidutide, showed a subsiding of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), without a worsening of liver scarring in up to 59.1% of participants in the 212-patient trial.
A weight loss of up to 6.2% was also seen in the trial.
Despite the positive results, shares were down 56% premarket.
Pemvidutide is being studied separately as an obesity treatment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
14 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
I know I did the wrong thing by going through my daughter's bag... but I'm so shaken by what I found. Should I confront her? Tread carefully says CAROLINE WEST-MEADS... here's why
Q Recently I went through my 17-year-old daughter's bag – I am really not proud of this, but I was worried because she had been withdrawn and not quite herself – and was horrified to discover a packet for the morning-after pill. After the initial shock, I am now torn. While I'm glad she has behaved responsibly, albeit after the event, I'm heartbroken that she didn't feel she could talk to me. We've always been close, or so I thought. It has made me question what else she might be keeping from me.
Daily Mail
43 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Spending time outside can slash anxiety if you live in the right place
Scientists have pinpointed the exact amount of time someone needs to spend outdoors to slash the risk of depression. Experts found that spending just 15 minutes a day in nature was linked to better mental health, reducing levels of anxiety, depression and fatigue in research that examined nearly 450 separate studies. However, intriguingly, the much-touted goal of exercising outdoors might be redundant, at least when it comes to boosting mental health, according to the analysis. For the review headed by experts at Stanford University found that simply relaxing outside for 15 minutes was more effective in boosting mood than active time in nature. Lead author Professor Yingjie Li said: 'Our findings confirm that even brief nature exposure yields substantial mental health benefits, supporting evidence that momentary interactions can reduce anxiety, improve mood and boost cognitive function.' The researchers found that being outside for over 45 minutes a day provided even greater reductions in stress and boosts in vitality. Scientific studies have long found spending time in the countryside has a positive impact on a broad range of mental health conditions and some studies even claim it can boost heart health. But, in the first study of its kind to distinguish the effect of different types of nature, the researchers suggested that even small city parks and forests could significantly reduce depression and anxiety. They found that young adults experienced even greater benefits than the general population—which they highlighted as an important finding given that most mental health disorders develop before the age of 25. Latest figures show that the number of people seeking help for mental illness has surged by two fifths since before the pandemic, reaching almost 4 million. Experts estimate that at least one in six adults will experience depression at some point in their lifetime. Whilst symptoms can vary widely, according to the NHS continuous low mood, low self-esteem and no longer getting enjoyment out of life could all be signs of depression. Some sufferers may also experience debilitating anxiety and [taking one's life] ideations. Physical symptoms include changes in appetite, constipation, lack of energy, low [sexual intercourse] drive and disturbed sleep. Meanwhile, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show almost a quarter of children in England now have a probable mental disorder. According to the current study, the number of people living in cities is expected to rise to 70 per cent by 2050, making mental health a global concern as researchers urge policy makers to implement more green spaces going forward. The researchers concluded that even creating smaller 'pocket parks' and planting more trees along street could be a good starting point in battling the ongoing mental health crisis. They said: ' Our findings show that integrating brief nature exposure into daily routines can be an effective intervention.' Officials believe that the rise in anxiety and depression could be being driven by a greater awareness of mental health problems as well as the cost of living crisis which sees many youngsters struggling to get jobs. The number of 18 to 24-year-olds who are 'economically inactive' due to health issues has more than doubled in the past decade.
Medical News Today
an hour ago
- Medical News Today
How to talk to your doctor about disability
People with disabilities can face barriers that affect their standard of healthcare. Improving the healthcare experience for those with disabilities can help remove these people with disabilities, equal access to care may mean improving accessibility, providing accommodations, or stopping on to learn more about what improving these experiences in medical appointments looks like, why it is necessary, and for those with disabilitiesIn the United States, over 61 million people have disabilities, which is equivalent to around 1 in 4 people. However, despite improvements over the years, it can still be difficult for people with disabilities to find high quality is proven in research involving both health professionals and patients. For example, a 2025 study found that people with disabilities reported worse satisfaction with healthcare services than those without disabilities. Overall, the data suggested that doctors:spent inadequate time with themlistened less carefully to themexplained things less clearlytreated them less respectfullyMeanwhile, a 2022 survey found that only 40.7% of doctors felt very confident they could provide care of equal quality to those with impairments, and only 56.5% strongly agreed that they welcomed disabled people to their the same survey, 18.1% strongly agreed that the healthcare system frequently treats people with disabilities in medical appointmentsDepending on the individual, a person with disabilities may experience barriers to healthcare such as:Physical inaccessibilityHealthcare facilities can be physically difficult to get to or move around. They may have:a lack of nearby public transportinsufficient disabled parking spots near the entrancesteep steps or curbsno ramps for wheelchairsnarrow doors and entrywaysnarrow or cluttered corridorsa lack of restrooms that can accommodate wheelchairs or other mobility aidsThere can also be physical accessibility issues inside the doctor's office or when getting medical tests and procedures. For example, they may have:non-adjustable examination tablesequipment that requires a person to stand, such as mammography machinesno scales or other equipment for people using wheelchairsrooms that are too small for people to maneuver aroundCommunication barriersFor some, a key barrier in medical appointments is communication. Those who are Deaf, autistic, have learning disabilities, or have other conditions may need extra help communicating, understanding, or remembering health can be harder if:health professionals do not look directly at the patient when talkingthe facility has no sign language interpreterthe consultation room is noisy or hecticwritten information is small and difficult to readpeople talk in long sentences or use very technical languageCommunication barriers can have various negative effects, ranging from stress and anxiety to mistakes or difficulty getting medical barriersAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), disabled adults are much more likely to experience unemployment and have a lower income than those without they may also need more healthcare services, particularly if they have chronic conditions or use medications. This combination of factors can make healthcare more expensive and, in some cases, unaffordable. Attitudinal barriersAbleism refers to discrimination or prejudice based on disability. It is rooted in harmful beliefs about disabled people, such as that they are:unhealthylazyincompetentless valuablechildlikeinnocentunintelligentdeceptive, potentially lying about their impairment to claim special treatmentThere are many ways these attitudes can manifest in healthcare. A person with ableist beliefs may:patronize or talk down to disabled peopleonly address their companion or caregivernot listen to or believe themnot give them valuable health information, such as sex educationtreat them with less friendliness or respect than other patientsexpress sadness or pity towards disabled people, regardless of their own feelings or situationtouch or move them without their consentInstitutional and systemic barriersThese barriers can include laws, policies, and systems that affect disabled people, or a lack of awareness about disability example, a healthcare facility may:deny disabled people access to services, programs, or benefits they are eligible forhave policies that disproportionately affect disabled people, such as limits on disabled parking or short appointment timesnot understand disability accommodations or refuse to make themImproving the healthcare experience for those with disabilitiesBecause of the barriers in healthcare, people with disabilities may experience avoidable health these disparities are preventable. Healthcare professionals and organizations can improve health accessibility for disabled people by implementing:Universal designUniversal design is an approach to designing streets, buildings, and equipment that allows as many people as possible to use them, no matter their age, height, or design does not just benefit those with disabilities, but a wide array of people, from adults pushing baby strollers to children and people recovering from examples of universal design include:doors that open automaticallyergonomic handles that allow people to grip them easilysloped curbs and ramps that allow wheelchair accesscounters with varying heightsreadable signs that include pictures or symbols, so anyone can understand themRight to accessibilityThe Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires all medical facilities, new or old, to meet certain accessibility can find these guidelines at or use the ADA Checklist for Existing Facilities to survey the accessibility of medical accommodationsPeople with disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodations in the United States.'Reasonable accommodations' are changes people can make to increase accessibility without causing 'undue hardship', such as significant difficulty or expense. In healthcare, this could involve:using their preferred contact method, such as via email, voicemail, or a caregiverproviding sign language interpretersproviding medical information in braille, large print, or audio formatseeing them more quickly if they have medical anxiety or phobiasoffering pain relief, distraction, or other forms of comfortoffering longer or more flexible appointmentsoffering home visitshaving quiet or private areascatering to people with service animalsSome patients may be unaware of the accommodations available to them or feel embarrassed to ask for staff can help with this by normalizing accommodations, making the various options more visible in common areas, and routinely offering them to and trainingAlthough disabled people comprise the largest minority group in the world, research from 2022 mentions numerous studies showing that there is a lack of teaching about disability in medical courses. Education and training can help to dispel myths about disability and give people guidance on how best to interact with disabled people. This may involve:learning about the different types of disability and how they affect peoplelearning about ableism and how this harms peoplereceiving training on the language and practices to use or avoidRights, support, and advocacyIf a person with a disability believes they have received unfair treatment, they can take several it is important that they know their legal rights. summarizes the various legislation that can apply to people with disabilities, and has dedicated information on a range of topics, such as:effective communicationhealthcare for people with mobility disabilitiesservice animalsThis knowledge may help people advocate for themselves by asking for reasonable accommodations or changes in treatment. People who have difficulty advocating for themselves may benefit from working with someone who can advocate for them. Organizations such as the National Association of Healthcare Advocacy can connect people with professional health a health facility or employee may have broken the law, keep any written evidence. People may wish to speak with a disability rights lawyer or apply for legal those with disabilities receive equal healthcare involves making sure they have the same access to quality medical treatment as people with disabilities are from various backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, this means catering to different needs via accessible design, providing accommodations, and training staff to be their legal rights, using local support services, or having a health advocate can help people navigate the healthcare system.
