Latest news with #drug
The Independent
12 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
‘Game-changing' new Alzheimer's drug could slow progression of disease
An Alzheimer's drug that clears away plaque build-up in the brain could slow progression of the disease and delay the onset of symptoms, early trials have shown. There is currently no cure for the disease, which can severely affect memory and impact people's ability to carry out daily tasks, and the medicines available can only reduce symptoms. But a new drug called Trontinemab is showing promising results, the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Toronto was told. The drug has been tested on a small number of patients, but 49 out of 54 with early-stage Alzheimer's showed signs of improvement within 28 weeks during a trial, according to Roche, the pharmaceutical company behind the drug. Researchers said 91 per cent of the participants showed a reduction in clusters of protein on their brains, known as amyloid plaques – a key marker of Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's is thought to be caused by an abnormal build-up of this protein around brain cells, while another protein called tau forms tangles within brain cells. These can interrupt the chemical messengers responsible for sending signals between brain cells, according to the NHS. The new drug was found to reduce amyloid proteins to a level so low that scan results on patients taking it for seven months were considered to be 'amyloid negative'. It is thought that the clearance of plaques slows down the progression of the disease and delays the onset of symptoms. 'Alzheimer's disease represents one of the greatest challenges in healthcare today, and tackling it requires early detection and effective therapeutics,' Dr Levi Garraway, chief medical officer of Roche, said. He added: 'Trontinemab is designed to target a key driver of Alzheimer's disease biology more effectively in the brain. Combining new treatment avenues with advanced diagnostics may enable earlier and potentially more effective intervention.' Professor Sir John Hardy, the chairman of molecular biology of neurological disease at University College London's Institute of Neurology, who was not involved in the trial, told The Telegraph the drug was a 'massive improvement' and works faster than other Alzheimer's drugs on the market. 'There is no doubt this could be game-changing. We hope that if we can use these drugs to people early, we can halt the progression of disease, even before people have symptoms. Now we need to see the size of the clinical effect,' he said. However, the drug does have some side effects, with five participants of 149 (3 per cent) suffering from lesions or swelling in their brains after taking it. But all the participants recovered, and it was considered to be safer than other Alzheimer's drugs that have resulted in 17 per cent of participants experiencing similar side effects. The final part of the trial, which will test the drug on a large number of patients, is yet to be carried out. But if it is successful, health bodies in the UK will need to decide whether it is cost-effective enough to use on the NHS. An estimated 982,000 people are living with some form of dementia, including Alzheimer's, in the UK, with the disease most common in people over the age of 65. But more than a third of people with the condition do not have a diagnosis. The number of those with the disease is expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040, according to the Alzheimer's Society.
The Sun
14 hours ago
- Health
- The Sun
‘Game-changing' Alzheimer's drug could STOP disease in its tracks – as the ‘most powerful weapon' against condition yet
A NEW "game-changing" drug could stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease, early trials suggest. Scientists say the treatment - called trontinemab - could be the most powerful weapon yet against dementia, as they look into giving the drug to people with no symptoms in the hopes of preventing disease. 1 Phase two trial results for trontinemab were presented at he Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Toronto. Researchers said the drug seemed to clear plaques - the abnormal build-up of proteins around brain cells that cause damage and disrupt function - quicker than other drugs licensed to treat Alzheimer's. Trontinemab cleared out plaques and eliminated visible signs of the the disease within 28 weeks for nine out of 10 patients. Drug-maker Roche is now conducting another trial to see if plaque clearance also improves patients' memory. The 18-month study includes 1,600 people, the Telegraph reported. Separate research will examine whether the drug could be given to people without any signs of dementia, just as statins are used to ward off heart disease. Experts hope the drug could stop patients from developing dementia symptoms at all, if it is given early enough. They described the findings so far as 'very promising', suggesting that the drug was much more powerful than existing ones while leading to fewer side effects - as it was able to clear plaques better within seven months that other drugs can in 18 months. Roche's chief medical officer Levi Garraway said: 'Alzheimer's disease represents one of the greatest challenges in healthcare today and tackling it requires early detection and effective therapeutics. 'Trontinemab is designed to target a key driver of Alzheimer's disease biology more effectively in the brain. "Combining new treatment avenues with advanced diagnostics may enable earlier and potentially more effective intervention. "With plans for phase three trials in both early symptomatic and pre-clinical Alzheimer's disease, we are advancing science with the goal of delaying - and ultimately preventing - progression of this devastating condition.' Prof Sir John Hardy, the chairman of molecular biology of neurological disease at University College London's Institute of Neurology told the Telegraph trontinemab could be 'game-changing'. The scientist, who was the first to identify the role of amyloid plaques in Alzeheimer's, said: 'This is absolutely great news. "It sucks the plaque out of the brain really quickly, much faster than we have seen with lecanemab or donanemab.' Both are Alzheimer's drugs approved for used in the UK, which target amyloid proteins in the brain to slow disease progression. However, neither treatment is offered on the NHS, as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) deemed them too expensive - in large part because patients need frequent scans to monitor for brain swelling and bleeds. Prof Hardy added: 'There is no doubt [trontinemab] could be game-changing. "We hope that if we can use these drugs to people early, we can halt the progression of disease, even before people have symptoms. "Now we need to see the size of the clinical effect. 'These results show it is much faster and safer than previous drugs, which means less monitoring. "That brings down the cost significantly, it means fewer MRI scans, so that would surely mean it would get Nice approval.' Early signs of dementia It's not unusual for your memory to lapse a bit as you get older. But dementia is different from 'just getting old' as it will cause noticeable - rather than gradual - changes to mental abilities and make managing everyday tasks and activities increasingly difficult. The symptoms of dementia may be small to start with, but get worse over time. Below are some examples of possible signs. Memory loss Memory loss is a key sign of dementia. This can include: Forgetting something you were only recently told. You may ask for the same information repeatedly – for example, 'Are the doors locked?' Putting objects in unusual places – for example, putting your house keys in the refrigerator. Being unable to learn new tasks, like how to use a new washing machine. Planning and decision making issues People with dementia can have difficulty with planning and decision making. This can include: Getting very confused when planning or thinking things through. Struggling to stay focused on a single task. Not making informed, careful decisions when dealing with money or looking at risks. Finding it hard to manage regular payments, budgets or monthly bills. Problems with language and understanding In people with dementia, this can manifest as: Having frequent problems finding the right word or regularly referring to objects as 'that thing'. Finding it hard to take part in conversations. Regularly being unable to follow what someone is saying even without distractions. Losing sense of time and place Dementia can cause problems with orientation, including: Losing track of the date, season or the passage of time. Getting lost in a place that is familiar or that should be easy to find your way around – for example, a supermarket. Regularly being unable to follow what someone is saying even without distractions. Problems with vision and perception This can mean having problems making sense of what you see. For example, having difficulty judging distances on stairs, or mistaking reflections or patterns for other objects. Mood and behavioural changes Finally, dementia can also make people act differently or shift their mood. This can mean: Becoming withdrawn and losing interest in work, friends or hobbies. Feeling unusually sad, anxious, frightened or low in confidence. Getting easily upset at home, at work, with friends or in places that usually feel comfortable or familiar. Trials for lecanemab and donanemab showed the drugs helped clear toxic clumps out of the brain and slow nerve damage caused by Alzheimer's by 27 per cent and 35 per cent respectively, over the course of 18 months. But the treatments did present a risk of brain swelling and brain bleeds, meaning patients needed intense monitoring. Trontinemab appears to be safer and cause fewer side effects, with less than five per cent of patients showing abnormal results on their brain scans. All of these cases were quickly resolved, researchers said. The drug - administered by infusion into the bloodstream - also doesn't need to be given a frequently. Upcoming trials will examine the impact of giving the drug to patients once a month for six months, then every three months. Trontinemab has been designed to efficiently bypass the blood-brain barrier, a protective layer of cells that stops harmful substances in the blood stream from attacking the brain and spinal cord. This barrier can make it hard for many drugs to reach the brain. Prof Jonathan Schott, the chief medical officer at Alzheimer's Research UK, told the Telegraph: 'We urgently need a range of treatments for Alzheimer's that are effective and safe for the people affected by this devastating disease. 'Evidence presented at the Alzheimer's Association conference in Toronto on trontinemab is very promising, showing that the drug can effectively and rapidly clear amyloid from the brain, seemingly with very few side effects. 'We now need to see whether these early stage results carry through to later stage clinical trials, which are planned to start later this year, including in the UK. "These trials will show whether the drug is not only safe, but impacts on memory, thinking and quality of life.' He said it was 'exciting' that the drug would now be tested in some people without symptoms under the phase three trials.
News.com.au
20 hours ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Health Check: A ‘manageable headwind' as Trump slugs Europe with 15pc pharma tariff
European drug makers have been spared a threatened 200% US tariff Mach 7's new CEO wants to walk in customers' shoes Highlights from the quarterly reporting fiesta The European drug sector is exhaling a sigh of relief after the Trump administration's decision to include drugs in a sweeping 15% tariff on European goods. The Orange One had threatened drug imposts of up to 200%. In a statement, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed pharma products would be included. The White House Fact Sheet – no, not alternative facts – describes a 15% tariff 'including on autos and auto parts, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors'. The process is subject to a so-called Section 232 investigation, which examines any national security implications. This is due to conclude on August 1. Endpoints News reports that the European Union exported US$212 billion of pharma products in 2024. These drugs include Botox, Keytruda and Ozempic. Ireland accounted for nearly a quarter of these shipments. Analysts at US investment bank TD Cowen dub the 15% tariff a 'manageable headwind'. Makers of branded drugs will fare better than generic providers, because of higher prices. Meanwhile Australian pharma companies are waiting to see how munificent the Prez is – or otherwise. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler notes the US position on drug tariffs has "changed a lot over the last couple of weeks". Our capitulation on US beef imports might help, but who can read the mind of Donald John Trump? Mach 7 says major US job is on track Radiology imager Mach7 Technologies' (ASX:M7T) new CEO Teri Thomas has reassured investors about the progress of a large, delayed contract with the US Veterans Health Administration. The job is to support the sprawling organisation's National Teleradiology Program. Mach 7 is part of a five-member consortium, providing its picture archiving and communications systems. Announcing the contract in July 2023, the company said the phase one rollout potentially was worth $11.7 million over three years, This rises to $47.9 million for the second five-year phase. The system was meant to have cranked up by December last year and Thomas hopes this will happen later this year. 'It's progressing,' Thomas says. 'It's big, it's complicated and we are one of a number of vendors who need to come together for this solution to go live.' Quarterly progress Meanwhile, Mach 7 has chalked up its third successive quarter of positive cash flow, achieving $600,000 for the period and $700,000 for the year. The US-focused Mach 7 reported June quarter receipts of $8.4 million, 20% lower owing to 'timing differences' (March quarter receipts were 28% higher). As of June 30, contracted annual recurring revenue stood at $30.2 million, up 1.6% with 'growth from expansions and renewals offset by customer attrition'. Mach 7 has $23.1 million cash and no debt. Unusually for a biotech, Mach 7 has been undertaking a share buyback, having acquired $2.2 million of its own shares in the June half. This reflects management's belief that that Mach 7's modest $100 million market cap undervalues the company. Mach 7 shares have lost one-third of their value over the last year, including 8% this morning. In her maiden investor outing, Thomas this morning spoke of 'getting in the mind of customers and chucking on their shoes'. If Thomas the Tank Engine builds a head of steam, things could turn around quickly. Aroa affirms current-year guidance After a barren couple of weeks, we're being deluged with quarterlies – and far too many to scrutinise properly. As with Mach 7, Kiwi wound repair house Aroa Biosurgery (ASX:ARX) reported its third successive quarter of positive cash flow, of NZ$1.7 million. The company also managed receipts of NZ$22.5 million, driven by sales of its Myriad range for large complex wounds. Aroa has guided to revenue of NZ$92-100 million for the year to March 2026, with normalised underlying earnings of NZ$5-8 million. Cancer imaging house Imagion Biosystems (ASX:IBX) says it's on track to file an Investigation New Drug (IND) application with the FDA in the current quarter. If the agency grants the IND, Imagion can kick off a clinical trial of its Magsense tech, for breast imaging. Magsense will be the first imaging tech to use targeted magnetic nanoparticles to tag and detect cancers. Imagion had June quarter cash outflows of $818,000, taking cash on hand to $883,000. The company expects outflows to reduce in the current quarter, as it reduces corporate costs. Clever Culture Systems (ASX:CC5) chief Brent Barnes says 2024-25 has been a 'turning point for the company, resulting in a major milestone towards becoming a sustainable operating business'. The company now has signed up five big pharma companies for its automated agar plate system APAS Independence. These are for environmental monitoring of sterile drug making facilities. The company cites a 'sales opportunity' of $40 million, based on existing customers purchasing 60 to 80 units. Clever Culture recorded receipts of $880,000 and net operating cash outflows of $248,000. Full year flows were positive to the tune of $1.16 million. Prescient wants some more On the fundraising front, cancer drug developer Prescient Therapeutics (ASX:PTX) has raised $6.8 million in a share purchase plan (SPP) and will now carry out a follow-on placement. Usually, companies do the placement before the SPP, but there are no hard and fast rules. The shares are on trading hold pending the unquantified placement, which will be done at 4 cents per share (an 11% discount). Prescient's mercifully slimmed-down program focuses on PTX-100, which is in phase II development. The world's only GGT-1 inhibitor in clinical development, PTX-100 has looked promising in early programs for blood and solid cancers. Yesterday, PainChek (ASX:PCK) said it had raised $7.5 million in a placement, partly to support a US rollout into the $580 million US nursing market. The company expects FDA clearance of its digital pain measurement app by early October. New and existing institutional, high net worth and sophisticated investors supported the raising. The company said net contracted licences increased to 110,000. Contracted annual recurring revenue came in at $5.4 million (up 10%). The placement funds also will support the company's rollout of an infant app locally. FDA U-turns on key drug decision In more news from our buzzing Washington desk, the FDA has allowed Sarepta Therapeutics to resume selling its Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy to non-wheelchair bound patients. In response, shares in the Nasdaq-listed Sarepta bounded almost 50% overnight. The agency decided the death of a Brazilian boy was unrelated to the drug, Elevidys. But two older patients died earlier. Sarepta still can't supply the drug to non-ambulatory patients. Despite the share bounce, Sarepta shares still have lost 90% of their value over the last year.
CBC
2 days ago
- Health
- CBC
Drug overdoses are declining in Ottawa, and no one really knows why
Social Sharing Ottawa's seeing a downward trend in both suspected fatal drug overdoses and related hospital visits since they peaked in 2023 — but the reason is unclear. "2023 saw the highest recorded number of confirmed opioid toxicity deaths in Ottawa (207), with a nearly three-fold increase from 2019 (65)," Ottawa Public Health (OPH) told CBC. The situation appears to be improving, however: Suspected fatal overdoses from all drugs this May were down 57 per cent compared to May 2024, and down 36 per cent in June. Opioid overdose-related visits to the ER also dropped significantly, down 75 per cent in April and May compared to the same months last year. Overdose-related calls to police and paramedics dropped 49 per cent and 32 per cent respectively, compared to the same period last year. April 2025 saw the fewest opioid-related ER visits for any April this decade, and the fewest suspected drug overdose deaths since April 2022. "We did see a very similar drop in the number of overdose interventions that we're doing, and Ottawa has seen a similar drop in the number of overdose deaths," confirmed Rob Boyd, chief executive officer of Ottawa Inner City Health (OICH). He said the downward trend is being seen across North America, in cities with and without supervised consumption sites. While the reason for this decline remains unclear, front-line agencies in Ottawa say they haven't noticed a similar drop in drug use. Boyd said that would suggest the drugs themselves are becoming less toxic. Illegal street drugs are often cut with substances such as xylazine and benzodiazepine, which have been linked to overdoses. It's possible the drugs in circulation now contain less of these "extra" ingredients. But because street drugs are illegal and unregulated, their content is extremely difficult to monitor. Drug testing machines In an effort to find out more about what they contain, OICH and scientists from the University of Ottawa have teamed up to test samples of street drugs under an exemption from Health Canada. At a supervised consumption site in downtown Ottawa, OICH team lead Andrew Campagna has been using a drug testing machine called SCATR. It analyzes the samples in under 15 minutes, allowing clients to get "a quick analysis of what's in their drugs in real time," Campagna said. The substances identified are crossed-referenced with a drug database, but anything outside that list is labelled as unknown. Campagna said testing often reveals the presence of fentanyl, sometimes unbeknownst to the user. "Where you get a lot of really crap overdoses is the crack smoker, the cocaine user, the crystal meth user where fentanyl was cut into their substance," he said. OICH also sends drug samples to a lab at the University of Ottawa for further testing using a technique called gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS). GCMS can isolate and identify substances not limited to SCATR's database, according to Cory Harris, an associate professor who researches ethnobotany, chemistry and bioactivity at the university. Harris said his team only started tracking samples recently and hasn't had time to chart major trends, but he confirmed the most common drugs detected are fentanyl and cocaine, often mixed with benzodiazepines, ketamine or xylazine — a potentially lethal combination. "Taking them at the same time would be shutting down your central nervous system," he said. 'It could always get worse' Despite the positive indications, those on the front line of Ottawa's drug crisis aren't celebrating yet. "I would compare it to a tsunami, when you suddenly see the tides pulling back," Boyd said of the apparent reduction in drug toxicity. "When those waters come back in, they come back and move with greater force afterwards," he said. "I don't think we should be letting up our guard whatsoever." Boyd said staff interventions at OICH have doubled recently, but that was after the closure of two supervised consumption sites in the city. There's another fear: People who are growing used to a less toxic drug supply will have a lower tolerance if and when toxicity levels rise again. "We really are at the mercy of uncontrolled markets," Boyd said. "It could always get worse — that's the one thing we've learned over the years, particularly with the toxic drug crisis."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Eli Lilly (LLY) Gains CHMP Approval for Donanemab in Alzheimer's Treatment
Eli Lilly recently received a positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) for its Alzheimer's drug donanemab, underscoring the company's advancements in a crucial therapeutic area. During the same period, LLY registered a 5% share price increase, notably outpacing the broader market's 1% rise over the past week. This uptrend in LLY's stock could be attributed to investors' optimism about donanemab's potential impact. Additionally, the company's collaboration with Gate Bioscience to develop novel therapies further strengthens its innovative capabilities, adding weight to its share price momentum amid broader market gains. We've spotted 2 risks for Eli Lilly you should be aware of, and 1 of them doesn't sit too well with us. Find companies with promising cash flow potential yet trading below their fair value. The recent positive opinion from the CHMP about Eli Lilly's Alzheimer's drug, donanemab, could significantly enhance the company's revenue and earnings forecasts. This development positions the company well for future growth, adding credibility to its strategic focus on expanding into high-demand therapeutic areas like oncology and immunology. Coupled with its collaboration with Gate Bioscience, these advances may provide substantial long-term benefits to the company's bottom line. Over the past five years, Eli Lilly's total return, which includes both share price growth and dividends, was a very large 473.44%. This long-term growth far outpaces the recent 1% rise in the broader market over the past year, bolstering investor confidence in the company's strategic trajectory and robust pipeline. In comparison to the US Pharmaceuticals industry, which saw a decline of 5.9% over the past year, Eli Lilly's sharp uptick in share price highlights its strong performance relative to industry peers. The company's earnings growth was a robust 80.9% over the past year, indicative of its potent execution in a challenging market. The current share price of US$812.69, when set against the analyst consensus price target of US$952.27, suggests there is room for potential growth. However, it also indicates investor caution, likely weighed down by concerns over competitive pressure and pricing dynamics. Investors might find reassurance in the company's ongoing manufacturing and R&D investments, which aim to mitigate risks and sustain growth in the coming years. Understand Eli Lilly's track record by examining our performance history report. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include LLY. This article was originally published by Simply Wall St. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@
