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Novartis MS pill beats older drug in trials, boosts pipeline hopes
LONDON: Swiss drugmaker Novartis said on Tuesday its oral drug remibrutinib outperformed an older treatment in reducing relapses in patients with a form of multiple sclerosis, boosting hopes the medicine could become a blockbuster product. The trial results mark the first success from three closely
Novartis pauses autoimmune cell therapy studies after deaths
Novartis paused eight clinical trials of an experimental therapy targeting autoimmune and neurological disorders in late August, after three patients died, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. The Swiss pharmaceutical company temporarily halted the studies after learning of three fatal ca
Herpes virus suspected in mass deaths of sardines off South Africa
JOHANNESBURG: Scientists in South Africa are investigating why masses of sardines have washed up dead or dying along parts of the country's west and south coast - and if a herpes virus detected in the fish is responsible. The mass mortality of sardines this month has so far stumped the country's De
NYU Abu Dhabi researchers develop 3D-printed gastric stent technology
ABU DHABI: Researchers at New York University Abu Dhabi have developed a new biodegradable, 3D-printed gastric stent. Named BRIDGE (Biodegradable aRchitected Internal DrainaGE), the device could improve treatment for gastric leaks, a serious complication that can occur following weight-loss surgery
Autism in girls often diagnosed later than boys, Dubai Autism Center warns
Dubai: Differences between males and females in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) extend beyond prevalence rates and include how symptoms appear, are observed and interpreted, often resulting in delayed diagnosis among girls compared with boys, according to the Dubai Autism Center. The centre said low
Congo to receive 70,000 Ebola vaccine doses as authorities battle fast-spreading outbreak
Bunia, Congo: Congo is set to receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine, a move health authorities hope will strengthen efforts to contain what officials have described as the fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak on record. The World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners announced on Thursd
Moderna shares soar after cancer vaccine cuts melanoma recurrence
Chicago: Moderna's personalised mRNA cancer vaccine, developed with Merck, reduced the risk of melanoma recurrence and cancer spread in a late-stage clinical trial when used alongside Merck's blockbuster immunotherapy Keytruda. Interim results from the ongoing Phase III study showed that the treatm
Platelets can be chilled and stored for weeks, not days, study shows
Researchers who tested the use of refrigerated platelets say their results could more than triple the supply available to help save bleeding patients. Platelets are a blood component that’s crucial for clotting and stemming blood loss. Donated platelets are conventionally stored at room temperature
Novo study to find lowest effective dose for weight loss pill Wegovy
LONDON: Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk is testing lower doses of its Wegovy pill in a new late-stage study to find the lowest dose that still helps patients lose weight, according to a U.S. government database of clinical trials. Novo is under pressure after losing ground to U.S. rival Eli Lilly in
Amylyx drug cuts low blood sugar episodes in bariatric surgery patients in key trial
Amylyx Pharmaceuticals' experimental drug met its main goal in a late-stage trial for post-bariatric hypoglycemia, a condition marked by dangerously low blood sugar levels following weight-loss surgery, sending its shares up over 30% in premarket trading on Tuesday. In the 78-patient trial, the on
UAE becomes first country to approve RINVOQ as oral treatment for vitiligo
Dubai: The Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE) has approved a new indication for RINVOQ (upadacitinib) to treat non-segmental vitiligo in adults and adolescents aged 12 years and older whose condition requires systemic therapy. The approval makes RINVOQ the first licensed oral treatment for this grou
Existing blood pressure drug shows promise in slowing rare childhood brain disease, study finds
The Hague: An existing blood pressure medication may help slow the progression of a rare and often fatal childhood brain disorder, according to a study led by researchers at Amsterdam University Medical Centers (Amsterdam UMC) in the Netherlands. The findings, published in the latest issue of The L