Latest news with #McMasterUniversity
Hamilton Spectator
7 hours ago
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
Canadian market to see generic Ozempic and Wegovy come January. What does that mean for Hamilton?
The nearing expiration date for the patent on Ozempic and Wegovy is making way for generic versions of the weight-loss and diabetic drugs to potentially flood the Canadian market. Denmark-based health-care company Novo Nordisk failed to pay a maintenance fee and lost the patent, which expires in January. Already, American telehealth company His and Hers Health said it will offer the generic medication in Canada. And, as of May 31, Health Canada had five applications under review from other companies wanting to sell generic versions of semaglutide drugs like Ozempic, which is used to treat adults with Type 2 diabetes, and Wegovy, which is used to treat obesity. Both health issues are prevalent locally, with a 2024 public health report showing the city's average body mass index was higher than Ontario's average and about 13 per cent of residents 20 and older lived with diabetes in 2020. Deaths due to diabetes were about three times higher for Hamilton residents living in low-income areas. So what does this mean for Hamilton? Dr. Hertzel Gerstein, a diabetes specialist, researcher and McMaster University professor. Dr. Hertzel Gerstein, a diabetes specialist, researcher and McMaster University professor, spoke with The Spectator about what to expect with the introduction of generic semaglutide drugs. Semaglutide is a synthetic injectable drug that mimics the naturally-occurring hormone GLP-1, released when eating. The hormone tells the body when it is full and controls when the stomach is emptied. The drug also tells the pancreas to release insulin, reducing blood sugar levels. Semaglutide leads to an average of five to 10 per cent weight loss over several months. This means someone weighing 200 pounds could lose 10 to 20 pounds. Usual recipients are middle-aged to older people, said Gerstein, but there is no minimum age that can receive a prescription. If Health Canada approves the drug, there should be little to no difference, said Gerstein. 'They need to show that it's the same, at least chemically, and that it is tolerated the same way,' he said. Again, if the drug is the same chemically, Gerstein said side effects should not differ drastically. The Health Canada approval process requires proof the drug is similar to the branded drug, including similar side effects. This includes reduced appetite, feeling full earlier than typical, constipation and nausea. Some have noticed less cravings, such as for pizza, pasta and even alcohol, said Gerstein. It is hard to predict how the generic drugs will impact population health, said Gerstein, but semaglutide is an 'extremely effective and beneficial drug' that has been tested extensively. The tests show the drug helps to control diabetes, reduce weight and lower long-term risks for heart attacks, strokes and other diseases. He expects the generic versions to be no different. The introduction of generic semaglutide would only have a significant impact on health issues in Hamilton if a lot of people started taking the drug as a result. Even with generic drugs available, he said that is not expected. While the new drugs will be cheaper, the provincial government and some private plans do not cover semaglutide used to treat obesity, said Gerstein. The best way to solve local health issues is to address root causes, he said, including city walkability and access to affordable, healthy foods. If both the doctor and patient are being honest, semaglutide should only be prescribed for legitimate medical reasons, said Gerstein. He said that is the only way patients can be reimbursed for their prescription. For people paying out-of-pocket, it is hard to know who is getting the drug and for what, he said. Drugs used to treat obesity, such as Wegovy, are prescribed on a case-by-case basis, which involves evaluating individual patients' lifestyles and health risks, he said. 'You don't treat the disease, you treat the patient,' said Gerstein. The prescribed diabetes drug is covered by the Ontario Drug Benefit Program, said Gerstein, while semaglutide for obesity is not. Costs for semaglutide drugs vary by dose, but can cost up to $500 per month . Prices for generic semaglutide could be 15 to 75 per cent of brand name drugs, said Dominic Tan, the deputy CEO of the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance, which connects federal, provincial and territorial governments to negotiate drug prices and initiatives. The lower cost for consumers is a result of the company not having to pay to research and develop a new drug. Competition between generic drug companies can also drive the price down. Cheyenne Bholla is a reporter at The Hamilton Spectator. cbholla@ Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
7 hours ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Summer hunt for student housing in Hamilton is on as McMaster University reports increase in demand for residence
To get her apartment a 12-minute walk from McMaster University, Roxxannia Wang scrolled constantly through Facebook posts, hoping to spot a suitable listing. If you're lucky, you'll be one of the first to message the landlord and set up a viewing, the incoming engineering physics graduate student said. But 'your heart falls' when there are already dozens of comments from interested students, Sophie Bierer, who is in the same program, added. With less than two months before the start of fall semester, some are still looking for housing in a market students say remains competitive. The west Hamilton university said it received more applications for residence this year than last, 'reflecting strong demand from incoming students,' especially domestic applicants. McMaster's 13 on-campus residences, which have nearly 4,000 beds, are full, and wait-lists are 'fluid and subject to change,' spokesperson Wade Hemsworth said in an email. McMaster University is reporting a slight increase in demand for residence in 2025-26. He declined to share the number of applicants and wait-listed students. 'We've begun notifying students farther down the list that space will not be available so they have time to explore other housing options,' Hemsworth said in an email. One Reddit user said in late June they were 744th on the wait list for McMaster residence, and wondered whether they had a chance of getting a bed or should start looking for off-campus housing. Several others had similar concerns, sharing they were concerned about securing housing before September. Nearly 26 per cent more undergraduates accepted an offer to McMaster in 2025 than in 2017, according to data from the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC). 'McMaster's rapid growth, while positive for the McMaster community, has contributed to a housing crunch,' McMaster Students Union (MSU) president Piper Plavins said in an email. Meanwhile, the average monthly rent for a room in student housing was $800, up from $450 in 2021 and 2016, according to a 2025 MSU student survey. The MSU's education department has advocated for the city to encourage affordable, multi-unit developments near campus and public-transit routes, she said. The construction of Lincoln Alexander Hall on Main Street West, which will add 1,366 beds and allow the university to accommodate all first-year students, 'is on track and going well,' Hemsworth said. The building is set to open in fall 2026. The McMaster University residence at 10 Bay St. S. First-year students who didn't get an on-campus bed were offered accommodation at 10 Bay St. S. as an alternative, Hemsworth said. The new off-campus building was plagued by construction issues when it first opened in 2023. 'We are currently on track to be fully occupied in September as interest in 10 Bay continues to grow,' Hemsworth said. He declined to share the building's occupancy rate for 2024-25, but said it has 'fluctuated' throughout the year. The university has struggled to fill the downtown residence, where rates start at around $1,400 a month. It was expected to be about 40 per cent full last September. McMaster also offers support for students seeking off-campus housing, including a roommate matching tool. Mohawk College, meanwhile, says demand for residence has declined since last year. The Mountain institution said it received 503 applications for residence as of July 3, down from 604 the previous year, spokesperson Trish Loomis said in an email. She added it is expected the lone on-campus residence building will be full by the start of the academic year. The college attributes decreased demand for housing to declining international student enrolment, Loomis said. Domestic enrolments, meanwhile, have 'remained steady,' she said. The college is also closing its second residence building, downtown's Linden Hall, after about a year due to low occupancy. Linden Hall, a Mohawk College student residence on Catharine Street South, closed to students in April amid a sharp decline in international enrollment. A July 8 Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) report suggests the international student intake cap has taken some pressure off the housing market in Ontario, which has seen a decline in work and study permits. Rents in west Hamilton and on the Mountain, where Hamilton's two largest post-secondary institutions are located, dropped slightly in October 2024 compared with the previous year, according to a late 2024 CMHC report . Bierer remembers lining up to view apartments as a second-year undergraduate student in 2020, only to find out leases had been signed before getting inside. Since then, the 24-year-old has mainly found housing through friends and word of mouth. Bierer and Wang say many students sign leases as early as November for the following school year. The graduate students say competition remains stiff in the annual race to secure affordable housing, especially for early-career students who don't have experience and connections. 'The demand has always been high … but the prices have gone way up,' Bierer said. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
CBC
4 days ago
- Automotive
- CBC
The U.S. has a new incentive for the purchase of U.S.-assembled vehicles; should Canadians be concerned?
Social Sharing New tax incentives that encourage Americans to buy American-assembled automobiles would probably be a significant cause for concern any other year and should probably be a cause for concern now, according to one expert. "But the reality is there are other, bigger, more problematic fish to fry than that right now," Greg Mordue said. The professor in the faculty of engineering at McMaster University said the federal tax deduction for interest paid on some vehicle loans is "probably not the most devastating thing that has happened to the Canadian automotive industry." But "that's all relative in the context of 2025," Mordue said. He called the initiative "one more thing." The new incentive was contained in U.S. President Donald Trump's so-called "big beautiful bill," which became law on July 4. It allows some taxpayers to deduct up to $10,000 US of interest payments annually on loans for new American-made light-duty vehicles from 2025 through 2028. Tax incentive follows tariffs targetting Canadian auto sector It only applies to vehicles purchased for personal use, not fleet vehicles or commercial vehicles, and the deduction phases out for individuals with incomes between $100,000 and $150,000 or joint taxpayers with incomes between $200,000 and $250,000. Its introduction follows Trump's decision to levy 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian-assembled automobiles and auto parts that are not compliant with the Canada U.S. Mexico free trade agreement (CUSMA). Industry executives have lobbied against the tariffs arguing they will drive up vehicle prices for consumers. But, Trump pledged while campaigning last year to make interest on car loans tax-deductible, saying it would make car ownership more affordable and "stimulate massive domestic auto production." At a 9.3 per cent interest rate, an average new vehicle buyer could save about $2,200 on taxes over four years, according to Jonathan Smoke, chief economist at Cox Automotive. Asked about the impact of the provision, Mordue said, "it has an effect around the margins … and all I can say is it's not positive, but frankly, there's a lot more devastating things happening to the Canadian automotive industry right now than that aspect." U.S. automobile dealers sold 15.9 million new light vehicles last year, a little over half of which were assembled in the U.S, according to Cox Automotive. It says around 60 per cent of retail sales are financed with loans. An estimated 3.5 million new vehicle loans could be eligible for the tax break this year, if purchasing patterns stay the same, Smoke said. The tax break applies to vehicles assembled in the U.S., no matter where the company making them is headquartered. Different levels of U.S. assembly All Tesla vehicles sold in the U.S. are assembled in the U.S. So are all Acura brands, the luxury model of Japanese automaker Honda. Last year, 78 per cent of Ford vehicles sold in the U.S. were assembled in the country, according to Cox Automotive. General Motors assembles all of its Cadillacs in the U.S. But just 44 per cent of its Chevrolets sold last year were assembled in the U.S., and just 14 per cent of Buicks, according to Cox Automotive. That's a lower U.S-assembled rate than Honda (60 per cent), Toyota (52 per cent) and Nissan (48 per cent), which all are headquartered in Japan. The jury is out on whether the tax break will boost vehicle sales in the U.S. At Bowen Scarff Ford in Kent, Wash., customers started asking about the auto loan tax deduction before Congress had even taken a final vote on the tax-cut bill, said general manager Paul Ray. "I think it's going to help incentivize vehicle purchases through this year," Ray said. Celia Winslow, president and CEO of the American Financial Services Association, concurred. "For some people deciding — 'Should I buy it; should I not?' — this could be something that tips the scale," she said. Others remain sceptical. According to Smoke's math, the average annual tax savings is smaller than a single month's loan payment for a new vehicle. "I don't think it moves the needle on somebody on the fence of buying a new vehicle or not," Smoke said "But I think it could influence their decision to finance that vehicle instead of paying cash or instead of leasing a vehicle."
New York Times
5 days ago
- Health
- New York Times
How Exercise Fights Anxiety and Depression
When it comes to mental health, most treatments for conditions like depression or anxiety come with caveats. Medications work for some symptoms, but can exacerbate others. Cognitive behavioral therapy is effective for many patients, but not all. But there's one strategy that seems to work for most people and almost all experts endorse, and that's regular exercise. Decades of research have established that exercise has a positive effect on mental health. In studies of patients with mild to moderate depression, for example, a wide range of exercise regimens has been shown to be as effective as medications like SSRIs (though the best results generally involve a combination of the two). Moving regularly can improve sleep and reduce stress. While there's good evidence for the mental health benefits of exercising for about 45 minutes, three to five times per week, even just a few minutes of walking around the block can have positive effects. 'Is this walk going to do anything?' said Jennifer Heisz, an associate professor at McMaster University in Canada and the author of 'Move the Body, Heal the Mind.' 'Yes! The answer is yes. It'll do way more than you think.' Why is exercise good for mental health? It's hard to find a brain process that doesn't improve with regular movement. Exercise boosts blood flow, decreases inflammation and improves brain plasticity. It also triggers the release of many mood-boosting chemicals, including beta-endorphins and cannabinoids (which both play a role in the 'runner's high' feeling), norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Time Business News
5 days ago
- Health
- Time Business News
Peptide Antibiotics Gain Momentum Amid Rising Resistance and R&D Advances
Peptide antibiotics is basically short chains of amino acids make up the family of antimicrobial medicines. They are either naturally occurring or artificially created to combat bacterial infections. Peptide antibiotics are effective because they break down bacterial cell walls or prevent vital bacterial processes, even against strains of bacteria that counter antibiotics. Peptide antibiotics appeal is increased by their capacity to target germs that are resistant to many drugs, as well as by developments in peptide synthesis and drug delivery technology. Other growth factors include increasing pharmaceutical R&D expenditures, growing awareness of hospital-acquired infections, and encouraging government programs for the development of novel antibiotics. Key Growth Drivers and Opportunities Rising Antibiotic Resistance: The increasing antibiotics resistance makes the conventional antibiotics less effective against bacteria that are resistant to multiple drugs leading towards adoption of peptide antibiotics. Novel peptide-based solutions have higher investments from government, healthcare institutions, and pharmaceutical corporations in order to counter the increasing global health danger posed by superbugs and the pressing need for new, effective therapies. With increasing demand for potent antimicrobials, the peptide antibiotics industry is seeing a surge in research, development, and commercialization. Challenges The peptide antibiotics mostly requires complicated and complex synthesis processes that can be expensive, consumes more time and labor-intensive as they need creating accurate sequences of amino acids with certain structures and clear modifications. To improve stability or activity of some procedures, solid-phase peptide synthesis, purification procedures, and chemical alterations are needed with each call for specific tools and knowledge. This intricacy increases production costs and restricts scalability. Innovation and Expansion New peptide antibiotic stops bacteria by binding where no drug has before In March 2025, the lariocidin was discovered which is a lasso peptide making a breakthrough step ahead in antibiotics. Found by McMaster University researchers binds to a bacterial ribosome location which was previously untargeted, preventing protein production and leading to incorrect coding. The antibiotics peptide effectively counters the multi-drug-resistant bacteria in animal models and lab studies, having a minimum toxicity and lower potential for resistance development. New Human-Derived Peptides Show Promise Against Superbugs in June 2025 Breakthrough In June 2025, a novel class of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been identified by Researchers at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona that is embedded within human glycosaminoglycan-binding proteins. In both in vitro experiments and mice sepsis models, HBP-5 showed strong, targeted efficacy against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria with no harm to human cells. The Lariocidin's therapeutic potential in hostile biological conditions is further enhanced by its extraordinary durability against enzymatic degradation due to its unique lasso structure. First Peptide-Based Long-Lasting Frown Line Treatment In September 2022, The U.S. FDA has cleared DAXXIFY (DaxibotulinumtoxinA-lanm) for injection, according to a statement released by Revance Therapeutics. Since DAXXIFY is the first and only peptide-formulated neuromodulator that provides long-lasting cosmetic results, this is a significant milestone. In comparison to current botulinum toxin treatments, the product is intended to lessen the appearance of frown lines and may have a longer duration of action. Innovation in Antibiotics, Expand Markets The key players operating in the peptide antibiotics market include, Merck & Co., Inc., Monarch Pharmachem, AbbVie Inc., VERRA, Melinta Therapeutics LLC, and others. Long-term goals consist of to improve product quality and scalability, peptide antibiotic firms are concentrating on innovation through robust research and development, strategic partnerships, and economical production. About Author: Prophecy is a specialized market research, analytics, marketing and business strategy, and solutions company that offer strategic and tactical support to clients for making well-informed business decisions and to identify and achieve high value opportunities in the target business area. Also, we help our client to address business challenges and provide best possible solutions to overcome them and transform their business. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
