Latest news with #Bogotá
Medscape
2 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Role of GLP-1 Drugs in Psoriasis and PsA Is Debated
BOGOTÁ, Colombia — Most dermatologists and rheumatologists agree that GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), such as liraglutide, semaglutide, and tirzepatide, powerful antidiabetes and weight-loss drugs, have the potential to help some patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Besides mitigating obesity, an established risk factor for psoriasis and PsA, GLP-1 drugs have shown promise in improving psoriasis symptoms and are associated with a lower risk for cardiovascular events, for which people with psoriasis and PsA are at increased risk. Some researchers predict that the drugs will prove to have immunomodulatory effects and become an important addition to current treatments for psoriasis and PsA, even in patients without obesity or diabetes. At the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) 2025 Annual Meeting and Trainee Symposium, investigators with the GRAPPA dove into hours' worth of discussions and debates about a class of drugs whose emergence Artie Kavanaugh, MD, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Diego, described as a possible 'watershed moment' for the field, akin to the advent of biologic therapies in the 1990s. But with evidence still sparse in patients with psoriatic disease and ancillary concerns about access, cost, patient selection, and physician confidence in prescribing, there was little agreement as to how, whether, or when these drugs should be integrated into clinical practice. A GLP-1 Pioneer Endocrinologist Daniel J. Drucker, MD, professor in the Department of Medicine's Division of Endocrinology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, who discovered some key biological actions of the hormone GLP-1 in the 1980s and '90s, kicked off the conference with a video presentation affirming GLP-1 RAs potential as immunoregulatory agents with anti-inflammatory activity beyond their well-documented effects on body weight. In a 2023 trial of semaglutide in patients with obesity who did not have diabetes, Drucker noted prevention of cardiovascular events and death was seen as independent of weight loss. Similarly, Drucker said, a recent trial in people with metabolic liver disease saw improvements associated with semaglutide that were independent of weight loss. With psoriasis and PsA, randomized controlled trial evidence has yet to support weight-loss independent improvements in symptoms. However, this may soon change: In two separate trials, Eli Lilly is studying a combination of tirzepatide and the interleukin-17A antagonist ixekizumab in patients with overweight or obesity and psoriasis or PsA. The trials will wrap up next summer. Results from trials of GLP-1 inhibitors in nonobese populations, including cohorts of people with Alzheimer's disease, stand to shed further light on their anti-inflammatory effects outside the context of weight loss, Drucker said. 'These medicines are diversifying. We're going to see a wave of new molecules and new indications to treat inflammation,' he predicted, including that of skin, joints, and bone. Still, Drucker cautioned, the drugs 'are not magic bullets, and each condition will need to be assessed on its own.' Real-World Experience From Latin America In a subsequent talk, Enrique Soriano, MD, head of rheumatology at the Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina, presented a real-world perspective from Latin America, where GLP-1 drugs are approved in most countries for diabetes or obesity — but still not easy to access and far from becoming a routine part of any rheumatologist's or dermatologist's daily practice. 'We all know that obesity increases the risk of developing psoriatic arthritis in psoriasis patients,' Soriano said — and that weight loss can decrease that risk. 'We also know that treatment response is lower in PsA patients with obesity,' he said. 'But the question for us is whether this drug [class] can improve symptoms and inflammation in our patients and whether this improvement, if it happens, is related to the weight loss or is an independent effect.' Soriano presented a retrospective review from his institution's service of 6800 patients with psoriasis (mostly mild) and 488 with PsA. In each group, just over 1% of patients were taking a GLP-1 RA for obesity, diabetes, or both. While acknowledging the limitations of his study's retrospective design, Soriano noted that 'there was no report of any improvement or change in the skin involvement, and there was also no record of any change in their joint symptoms after starting these drugs.' Soriano also conducted a survey of rheumatologists across several countries in Latin America and found that under a third said that they had encountered a patient whom they thought could benefit from the addition of a GLP-1 drug, while fewer than 10% said that they would feel confident prescribing one. More than half said that if they did think a patient could benefit, they would refer that person to a specialist, such as an endocrinologist. Dermatologist Describes Current Data as 'Weak' Anthony Fernandez, MD, PhD, director of medical and inpatient dermatology at the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, praised GLP-1 RAs as 'fascinating medications' with 'a very attractive adverse event profile.' Fernandez cited studies dating back over a decade in which use of these medications has been shown to improve psoriasis. 'And we have some data to suggest that the mechanism…is not entirely related to weight loss. In fact, there's data to support that these medications affect psoriasis-relevant immune pathways. So, in that way, they share similarities with many of the systemic medicines that we already prescribe to treat psoriasis.' Still, Fernandez cautioned, 'The data right now is really weak,' limited to small studies and randomized trials enrolling mostly men. While a few patients in these studies saw dramatic improvements in psoriasis after starting these drugs, 'the reality is that most have, at best, a modest improvement,' he said, 'certainly nowhere near the improvement we are used to seeing' from targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (tsDMARDs) and biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs). Moreover, he said, some patients enrolled in the studies were effectively treatment naive. 'That raises a critical question about whether or not a patient [on ts- or bDMARDs] would actually see any further improvement adding GLP-1 RAs,' he said. Fernandez said he thought that dermatologists can safely prescribe and manage GLP-1 therapies. The bigger question is whether they should. 'My opinion is no,' he concluded. 'There will be rare patients who are obese and or have type 2 diabetes and either fail or have a contraindication to all the great systemic medicines we already have available to us. And in those patients, a trial of a GLP-1 RA would seem to be reasonable. But personally, I think we need much, much better data for recommendations concerning general use by dermatologists.' During a question-and-answer period after Soriano's and Fernandez's presentations, other physicians shared their experiences and practical concerns about insurance approvals, referrals, and whether most dermatologists and rheumatologists were simply too busy to manage all the comorbidities of chronic immune-mediated disease for their patients. Some shared anecdotes about patients whose disease had improved after treatment with GLP-1 RAs, including in the absence of other systemic therapies. Patients Intrigued — but Share Clinician's Caution At the same session, Suzanne Grieb, PhD, a patient research participant (PRP) with GRAPPA and assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore , presented results from a survey of her fellow GRAPPA PRPs about their experiences and interests regarding GLP-1 drugs. None of the 11 respondents reported having been prescribed the medications. 'The majority of us described our psoriatic disease as mostly manageable with our current treatment,' Grieb, who has PsA, told the conference. However, that did not mean they weren't curious about GLP-1s. Grieb's survey revealed that while all participants were aware of the importance of exercise and healthy weight in disease management, many continued to struggle with both. Few reported having spoken with their providers about specific interventions. While three respondents expressed interest in taking GLP-1s, they were uncertain whether they would be able to access them. Patients 'are interested in GLP-1s' impact on our psoriatic disease, but also on other elements of our health, thinking more holistically [about] the benefits that could be achieved through these medications,' Grieb said. But the respondents in her survey also reported concerns about adding medications and 'the potential for having to take this medication for the rest of our lives.' In an interview after her presentation, Grieb elaborated on her personal perspective. 'I don't meet the requirement for obesity,' she said. 'But I'm overweight, and I could probably benefit from a GLP-1. Without clear weight-related indications, it's hard, perhaps to be able to justify prescribing it if it's not going to be available. So it's a hard conversation [for clinicians] to bring up with their patients.'
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Roma''s Marina de Tavira Attached to Star in ‘House Eight,' From Brenda Navarro, High-Flying Mexican Outfit Mandarina Cine (EXCLUSIVE)
Mexico's Marina de Taviria, Oscar-nominated as supporting actress for her performance as the mother in Alfonso Cuarón's 'Roma' is attached to star in Brenda Navarro's 'House Eight' ('Casa 8'), one of the hottest packages at this week's Bogotá Audiovisual Market (BAM). In further casting news, Verónica Bravo, nominated for a 2023 best actress Canacine Prize for 'Sobreviviendo Mis XV,' is also attached to take a key cast role in the series. More from Variety Five Colombian Below-the-Line Talents to Track 'Passenger' Explores the Clash of Morality and Survival in a Bogotá Thriller Uniting Midi, Camarada and Rodando (EXCLUSIVE) Spain and Colombia Unveil Historical Co-Production Treaty Currently in development and reaching out for international production partners, 'House Eight' is set up at high-flying Mexican production outfit Mandarina Cine, this year a global SXSW Audience Award winner for 'Corina,' now nominated for eight Mexican Academy Ariel Awards. Mandarina also produced 'The Devil Smokes (and Saves the Burnt Matches in the Same Box),' the first best film winner at the inaugural Berlinale Perspectives section, reserved for first-time movies. 'The Devil Smokes' was described by Variety as 'a childhood survival story as strange and beguiling as its title. Likewise, 'House Eight' weighs in as one of the most distinctive offerings at BAM. A psychological thriller, with fantasy or even metaphysical elements, it follows a group of terminally ill women who shelter in a clandestine house to die with dignity. They come to be faced by a disturbing reality: The Witch, their spiritual and scientific leader, has developed an experimental method that revives the dead, according to the synopsis. When one of the dead unexpectedly revives, the community fractures, and the Witches assistant becomes their greatest enemy, unleashing an ethical and emotional struggle were accepting death or defying it will change their lives forever. 'Brenda Navarro is an indispensable voice in our literature, creator of heart-rending worlds which are personally and socially touching. I would be delighted to collaborate in this project,' said de Tavira. 'I'm utterly moved by the possibility of being part of a group of women who tell a courageous, risky, painful and honest story, all guided by one of the most exciting young voices in our country's current literature, Brenda Navarro. 'May the story be told!' 'As a narrator, Brenda Navarro has the sensibility and social conscience to allow her to write from pain, not to reproduce but dismantle it. Her arrival on the film and TV scene, with images as potent as her writing, is a natural step. At Mandarina we are honoured and happy to make this journey with her,' said Carlos Hernández Vázquez, co-founder of Mandarina Cine with Gabriel Gavica in 2018. Bravo added that she and Hernández are looking for international alliances to produce 'House Eight,' 'a story about women with a team made up primarily of women in which the main theme is the fear to live when faced by such an unjust world, full of women which are battling to exercise a control over their decisions. 'House Eight' is a horror drama where the desire to die with dignity is punished by eternal life.' 'House Eight' won first prize in the 2024 Episode 0 section at Mexico's Guadalajara Film Festival. Navarro was part of the 'Cometierra' series writers room. 'Empty Houses,' her first novel, was published in 10 languages. The big screen adaptation of 'Ceniza en la boca' is now in post-production, directed by Diego Luna. Co-produced by Mandarina Cine and a first Turkey-Mexico co-production, Seyfettin Tokmak's 'Empire of the Rabbits' scooped best director in Taipei and and screenplay at Tallinn Black Nights Festival. Marina de Tavira is represented by the Talent on the Road agency, Verónica Bravo by Lumina Management. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? Final Emmy Predictions: Talk Series and Scripted Variety - New Blood Looks to Tackle Late Night Staples
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Netflix Reality News: Nick Viall to Host Age-Gap Dating Show, Harry Jowsey Gets His Own ‘Bachelor,' ‘Love Is Blind' Season 9 Release Set and More
Fans of Netflix's unscripted franchises have a lot to look forward to. The streamer announced a set of new series starring big names in the unscripted world on Thursday addition to giving updates about its existing series. Among the new series is 'Age of Attraction,' which will follow a group of singles ages 22 to 59 as they date each other. Hosted by 44-year-old 'Bachelor' alum Nick Viall and his wife, 25-yeare-old Natalie Joy,' the series aims to 'see if age is just a number. Or will the years come between them?' More from Variety Netflix, Caracol Series 'Eva Lasting' Season 3 Taps Bogotá's Iconic Spots as Colombia Ramps Up Global Shoots 'Assassin's Creed' Live-Action Series Ordered at Netflix 'Ballad of a Small Player' First Look: Colin Farrell Teams Up With 'Conclave' Director for Gambler Thriller, Netflix Sets October Release Dates Harry Jowsey, who previously appeared in Netflix's 'Too Hot to Handle' and 'Perfect Match,' is looking for a wife via 'Let's Marry Harry.' Over the course of the series, his friends will help him narrow down a large pool of potential matches in hopes of finding someone to marry. Among those friends will be 'Call Her Daddy' host Alex Cooper, who produces his podcast 'Boyfriend Material.' An open casting call for 'Let's Marry Harry' is underway. In December, Netflix will unveil 'Simon Cowell: The Next Act. Cowell, who famously orchestrated One Direction and launched other boy bands' careers, will work to put together a new boy band sensation in the docuseries, which will follow him from casting calls to the group's debut single release. More to come… Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? Final Emmy Predictions: Talk Series and Scripted Variety - New Blood Looks to Tackle Late Night Staples
Daily Mail
15-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Parents speak from beyond the grave after they died alongside child in paradise beach resort
A grieving daughter has revealed details of her last conversations with her mother, who was found dead inside a Colombia resort hotel room with her youngest sibling and her stepfather. The body of Maryeli Canro's mother, Viviana Canro, was found on the floor by her grandfather, Orlando Canro, while her four-year-old brother, Kevin Martínez, and his father, Tito Martínez, were discovered on the bed of room 404 at the Toné Blue Hotel in San Andrés last Friday. Maryeli, 25, told Noticias Caracol that she remained behind in Bogotá to look after her mother's hair salon while she enjoyed the trip to celebrate Father's Day and her grandmother's birthday. Maryeli, the oldest of Viviana's three children, recalled placing a video call via WhatsApp around 8:30 pm last Thursday. 'The three of them snuggled up in bed. Ready to rest,' Maryeli recalled. '[They were] calm and happy in their room. They were all happy.' However, Maryeli had to end the call because she had to tend to a customer and thought about calling them again at around 10:30pm. 'I checked my mom's last connection [on WhatsApp] and it was at 8:30,' she remembered. 'And I said, 'No, it's already very late. They must be resting because they're going to get up early tomorrow.' Maryeli confirmed the family, including her grandparents, checked in at the Toné Blue Hotel last Wednesday and not the Portobelo Hotel, where it was initially reported that her loved were spending their vacation. Viviana, Maryeli explained, was extremely upset over what she said were the hotel room's rotting conditions. 'We arrived at the Toné (hotel). We just arrived, yes. That hotel is really, really moisty. But you could see how moist it is, it smells really, really bad,' Viviana said in an WhatsApp audio message that Maryeli shared with Noticias Caracol. Viviana complained that the room did not have any 'toilet paper' available and regretted she had booked her parents room in the same property. 'They don't have bathrooms; they don't have towels. Oh, no, I felt sorry for them. I felt bad for my parents. No, I don't know what to do,' she said. In another audio message, Viviana told Maryeli that she had asked a female staff member about being moved into a different room. 'Yes, I said to the girl, "Can you change the room?" But then she answered me all rudely, "But not today, maybe tomorrow,"' Viviana said. 'Everything has changed so much, the rooms are dirty, they don't clean them,' the late mother wrote in a message that her daughter shared with Noticias Caracol. 'It's ugly, it smells bad.' Orlando told the outlet that he too complained about his room's condition to his daughter. 'I went down to tell her: ''My love, that room is horrible. It's so filthy, dirty, no towels, no toilet paper, nothing,"' he said. He recalled Viviana telling him, ''Oh, Daddy, I didn't like this hotel. That room smells awful.'' 'I don't know, it had a kind of weird smell, like mold,' Orlando said. 'We let it go unnoticed, and look at the consequences.' Maryeli revealed that her little brother Kevin was already feeling ill prior to arriving at the hotel from the airport and that he was still vomiting the following day. Initial reports from the medical examiner's office found that all three victims died from poisoning. Orlando visited the medical examiner's office and said he was informed that Kevin had 'nothing unusual in his stomach, that it was clean … and that his liver was clean.' He is still awaiting for results from an autopsy for his daughter and son-in-law. San Andrés Police Department colonel James Totena told Blue Radio that foul play had been ruled out and that they are waiting for the results of the autopsies. 'The poisoning could be airborne or ingested,' Totena said. 'Since there are no signs of violence, this is the most reasonable hypothesis for now, but the exact cause will be determined by the Medical Examiner.'
The Guardian
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
UN's Albanese hails 30-nation meeting aimed at ending Israeli occupation of Palestine
The UN rapporteur hit with sanctions by the US last week has vowed not to be silenced as she hailed a 30-nation conference aimed at ending Israel's occupation of Palestine as 'the most significant political development in the past 20 months'. Francesca Albanese will say the two-day gathering in Bogotá, Colombia, starting on Tuesday and including China, Spain and Qatar, comes at 'an existential hour' for Israel and the Palestinian people. The aim of the conference is to set out steps the participating countries can take to implement a UN general assembly motion mandating member states to take measures in support of Israel ending its unlawful occupation of Palestine. The motion set a deadline of September 2025 to implement a July 2024 international court of justice advisory opinion that Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories was unlawful. The ICJ said in its advisory opinion that 'Israel's security concerns do not override the principle of the prohibition of the acquisition of territory by force' and called on it to end its occupation 'as rapidly as possible'. It said UN member states had an obligation 'not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel's illegal presence in the occupied Palestinian territory'. The UK has yet to say what steps if any it is required to take in response to the ICJ opinion. The Colombian president and conference host, Gustavo Petro, says the meeting will show that the world is finally moving from condemnation of Israel's military action to collective action to bring it to a halt. The aim is to agree a detailed plan of political, economic and legal actions, but there are range of views over how far states can go politically or legally to isolate Israel, a country that feels secure so long as it maintains US support. The Hague Group was initially brought together by South Africa and Colombia, but since then support has grown and it now includes Algeria, Brazil, Spain, Indonesia and Qatar. Albanese, the UN special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, is determined to show that the US state department sanctions will not cow her. 'For too long, international law has been treated as optional – applied selectively to those perceived as weak, ignored by those acting as the powerful. This double standard has eroded the very foundations of the legal order. That era must end,' she will say in Bogotá. 'The world will remember what we, states and individuals, did in this moment – whether we recoiled in fear or rose in defence of human dignity. Here in Bogotá, a growing number of states have the opportunity to break the silence and revert to a path of legality by finally saying: enough. Enough impunity. Enough empty rhetoric. Enough exceptionalism. Enough complicity. The time has come to act in pursuit of justice and peace – grounded in rights and freedoms for all, and not mere privileges for some, at the expense of the annihilation of others.' Albanese will say that the UN charter and universal human rights instruments must remain everyone's compass. 'I trust that more states will align their policies with these fundamental principles as we move forward in this existential hour – for both the Palestinian and the Israeli people, and the integrity of the international legal order itself,' she will say. The sanctions on Albanese were imposed by the US state department for what it called her 'shameful promotion' of action by the international criminal court against the US and Israel. Albanese will directly address the sanctions in Bogotá. 'These attacks shall not be seen as against me personally. They are a warning to everyone who dares defend international justice and freedom. But we cannot afford to be silenced – and I know I am not alone,' she will say. 'This is not about me or any other single individuals but about justice for the Palestinian people at the most critical juncture in their history.' In an article for the Guardian published last week, Petro framed the stakes of the conference. 'We can either stand firm in defence of the legal principles that seek to prevent war and conflict, or watch helplessly as the international system collapses under the weight of unchecked power politics,' he wrote. A Hague Group conference in January attended by only nine nations committed to implementing the provisional measures of the international court of justice, issued on 26 January, 28 March and 24 May 2024. In practice this meant measures such arms embargos against Israel by preventing the docking of vessels at any port, if applicable, within their territorial jurisdiction. Varsha Gandikota-Nellutla, the executive secretary of the Hague Group, said: 'We meet in Bogotá with a twin imperative: to end Israel's impunity and sever the cords of complicity. The international court of justice has already made its rulings, deeming Israel's continued presence in the Palestinian territories as unlawful. There is no absence of legal clarity. 'States will now deliberate how to enforce their obligations – from ceasing arms exports and preventing harbour for vessels carrying military equipment to ensuring justice for all victims.'
