Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
New ALS Drug Targets Cell Mutation, May Slow Progression: Study
ABC News: New Drug May Slow Progression Of ALS In Small Group Of Patients: Study
A new drug may slow progression of -- and even reverse -- symptoms of a rare form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, a new study published Monday finds. The drug, tofersen, targets a very specific mutation -- SOD1 -- which applies to only 2% of the ALS population. Among this group, the drug has the potential to slow muscle degeneration by targeting SOD1 mRNA, genetic material that tells the body how to make proteins, and reduces the proteins being made. (Kekatos and Neporent, 12/22)
MedPage Today: Once-Weekly Oral Combo For HIV Maintains High Rates Of Virologic Suppression
A once-weekly oral combination of islatravir plus lenacapavir (Sunlenca) for HIV maintained similarly high rates of virologic suppression compared with standard daily oral treatment in an open-label phase II trial. (Rudd, 12/22)
CIDRAP: Early Trial Of Nipah Virus Vaccine Shows Promise
A phase 1 randomized clinical trial of a novel Nipah virus vaccine is leading to hope that there could soon be a way to prevent infection. The study found that the shots were safe and generated an immune response, according to a study published Dec. 13 in The Lancet. (Szabo, 12/22)
MedPage Today: Study: Keep Hydroxychloroquine Doses High In Lupus
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) doses of at least 400 mg/day provided better symptom relief for Taiwanese people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) compared with lower doses, with the added benefit of less risk for cardiovascular problems, researchers said. (Gever, 12/22)
The Wall Street Journal: Your Brain Ages In Five Distinct Stages, New Research Shows
The brain goes through five distinct stages between birth and death, a new study shows. Scientists identified the average ages—9, 32, 66 and 83—when the pattern of connections inside our brains shift. The brain’s adolescence phase, they discovered, lasts until age 32, and then it enters a period of stability until early aging begins at 66. (Woodward, 12/23)
