Team Metabolic Health

Key Takeaways

1. Need a COVID test? Starting Sept. 26, U.S. households can again get four of the screens for free from the federal government
2. Over 900 million of the free tests have already been distributed since the pandemic began
3. Getting your COVID vaccine is a smart idea, too: Updated shots are now available

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Key Takeaways

1. Need a COVID test? Starting Sept. 26, U.S. households can again get four of the screens for free from the federal government
2. Over 900 million of the free tests have already been distributed since the pandemic began
3. Getting your COVID vaccine is a smart idea, too: Updated shots are now available

U.S. government is offering another round of free COVID tests.

“U.S. households will be eligible to order 4 free COVID-19 tests at COVIDTests.gov,” according to the Department of Health and Human Services. “The COVID-19 tests will detect current COVID-19 variants and can be used through the end of the year.”

More than 900 million such tests have already been distributed to help folks get tested and treated earlier, and to perhaps keep them from spreading COVID to others.

If you’ve never tested for COVID before, the nasal swab kits are easy to use.

“At-home COVID tests can be taken at home or in other locations and typically provide results within 30 minutes or less,” according to the HHS.  “COVID tests can be administered to both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals.”

Testing may come in handy as gatherings for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas push people into close proximity.

“The best plan going into this winter is for everyone to remain vigilant, to use the tools we have: vaccines, testing, treatment against the illnesses responsible for the majority of fall and winter deaths and hospitalizations,” Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Friday, CNN reported.

And don’t forget vaccines.

The latest, strain-specific formulation of COVID vaccine is now available, in both the RNA form (Moderna and Pfizer) or Novavax’ protein-based alternative.

The mRNA vaccines target the KP.2 ‘FLiRT’ variant, which has been a dominant strain since late spring, while Novavax’ shot targets JN.1, which is still around but perhaps less dominant than in months past.

All vaccines are available at pharmacies nationwide, and it’s fine to get a COVID and flu shot simultaneously, experts say.

Credit: healthday.com

Team Metabolic Health

There’s a specific technique for injecting Wegovy (semaglutide) so that the drug won’t leak out of the injection site. Learn how to inject Wegovy properly and what to do if leakage still occurs.

Wegovy is a prescription medication used to help with weight loss in certain people. The drug comes as a liquid solution in single-dose prefilled pens and is given as an injection under your skin.

How to inject Wegovy

Choosing the right injection site and following the injection instructions exactly can help reduce many instances of leakage.

Where’s the best injection area to prevent leakage?

Several areas of your body are equally effective for Wegovy injections. These include:

your lower stomach (at least 2 inches from your belly button)

• Upper arm
• Front upper thigh

If you have difficulty with Wegovy leaking from an abdominal injection site, you might have more success using your front upper thigh or upper arm. These areas are typically firmer than the stomach, and using them may help avoid leakage. If you do inject into your abdomen, try standing up to tighten the skin there.

Iuliia Burmistrova/Getty Images

Regardless of where you choose to inject Wegovy, be sure to change the exact location each time to avoid injection site reactions. For example, you can switch thighs from one dose to the next or inject into the same thigh a few inches from your last injection site.

Keep in mind that even within the areas approved for injection, there are places you should not inject Wegovy. These include:

• A vein or muscle
• Any area with stretch marks or scars
• Skin that’s bruised or discolored, tender or hard

Talk with your doctor or another healthcare professional before your first Wegovy injection. They can show you the proper technique and help you determine which injection sites are best for you.

What’s the best injection technique to prevent leakage?

To be sure you get the full dose of the drug, it’s important to follow the injection instructions closely.

Detailed instructions are available from several sources:

• Check out the “How to use the Wegovy pen” video on the manufacturer’s website.
• Follow the step-by-step directions outlined in the drug’s prescribing information (beginning on page 38).
• Refer to the instructions for use that come with your Wegovy pen.

In general terms, the Wegovy injection process is as follows:

• Clean your hands and then the injection site with soap and water or rubbing alcohol. Let your skin dry.
• Pull the cap straight off the pen.
• Push the needle cover firmly against your skin, and keep it firmly there the entire time.
• The injection starts when you hear the first click, and the yellow bar in the pen’s window begins to move. If this doesn’t occur, apply more pressure.
• The pen will click a second time. Keep applying pressure, as this sound indicates the injection is still in progress.
• The injection is finished when the yellow bar stops moving.
• Again, the first click means the injection has started. The second click means it’s still in progress. The injection is complete when the yellow bar stops moving (typically 5 to 10 seconds from the initial click).
• Slowly pull the pen away from your skin.
• Press a cotton ball or gauze pad lightly against the spot if there’s any bleeding.

Drug leakage can occur if you don’t press the pen firmly enough against your skin or if you pull the pen away too soon. You may see fluid leaking or squirting from the needle or pooling on your skin.

Note that the needle cover locks as soon as you remove the pen from your skin, so once you’ve stopped an injection, you can’t restart it.

You should immediately discard used pens in a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved sharps disposal container. For more information, check out this FDA pageTrusted Source.

What to do if Wegovy leaks out

If you follow all the appropriate steps and Wegovy is still leaking from the injection site, it may be due to a pen malfunction.

Wegovy has a helpline you can call at 833-4-WEGOVY if you have a pen that’s not working properly.

You can also call the drug manufacturer at 833-934-6891 for assistance with issues such as the following:

• The pen has passed its expiration date.
• The fluid in the pen is not colorless and clear.
• Any part of the pen has been damaged or broken.
• The pen looks like it’s been used.

If you have a Wegovy pen that’s not working correctly, discard of it properly without using it and try a new pen instead.

Credit: healthline.com

Team Metabolic Health

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday it has approved the use of a drug combination along with Sanofi’s (SASY.PA), opens new tab Sarclisa infusion as a treatment for certain types of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients.

Sarclisa has previously been approved for use as a fallback therapy for certain cases of multiple myeloma after standard treatments have failed.

The French drugmaker, a market leader in anti-inflammatory drugs, has underscored its commitment to oncology drug development even after a once-promising breast cancer drug candidate flopped in 2022.

The logo of French drugmaker Sanofi is seen a the Sanofi Genzyme Polyclonals in Lyon, France, September 30, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo

The FDA’s approval allows use of the regimen in patients who are not eligible for autologous stem cell transplant, another treatment option for multiple myeloma.

In a late-stage study, a certain treatment regimen with Sarclisa lowered the risk of disease progression or death by 40% when compared to a treatment course without Sarclisa.

The study was conducted in patients who were not eligible for the autologous stem cell transplant, in which a patient’s own healthy blood cells are used to restore bone marrow function.

The drug was given FDA priority review status in May.

Sanofi plans to advance blood cancer drugs known as anti-CD38, which include Sarclisa, despite GenMab (GMAB.CO), opens new tab and Johnson & Johnson’s (JNJ.N), opens new tab strong foothold with Darzalex in the same class.

Sarclisa generated sales of 227 million euros ($253.40 million)in the first half of the year. Analysts expect annual Sarclisa sales of about 800 million-900 million euros by 2030, according to LSEG data.

Credit: Reuters

Team Metabolic Health

From doctors’ offices to family gatherings, larger-bodied people report being bombarded with unsolicited advice about their eating and exercise habits. The underlying message? They “just need to lose weight” to fix almost any health problem.

Society’s focus on weight has shaped how most Australians view health and body weight, often pushing them towards unhealthy thoughts and behaviours in the pursuit of an “ideal” body shape.

However, the way society thinks about obesity and body weight is changing, with science backing the shift.

Policymakers and health researchers are increasingly recognising the harms of stigmatising language and attitudes towards larger-bodied people.

Let’s unpack how the thinking on obesity has shifted over time and what this means for public health and health care in Australia.

From personal responsibility to a complex, chronic disease

Until recent years, managing body weight was predominantly considered a personal responsibility. Obesity was considered a result of a poor diet and a lack of physical activity, underpinned by personal and moral failure.

This narrative was reflected in public health policies that used language such as “war on obesity” and “obesity epidemic”. Such language was shown to reinforce negative stereotypes of larger-bodied people as “lazy” and lacking willpower.

These stereotypes give way to weight stigma and discrimination, which is still prevalent today. Health professionals such as dietitians report that weight stigma (from other people and internally from within themselves) is a prevalent and ongoing challenge they manage in their career.

This narrative of personal responsibility has shifted in recent years to recognise the wider determinants of health. Research has identified a range of psychological, social, biological and systemic factors contributing to increasing rates of obesity, such as socioeconomic status, genetics, medications and environment.

As a result, public health experts consider it no longer appropriate to use language referring to obesity as a problem of “lifestyle”.

Until recently, weight management was seen as a personal responsibility. World Obesity Federation

Professionals across medicine, psychology and dietetics also responded by updating their language standards to person-first language (for example, “person living with obesity”), acknowledging the shift away from framing obesity as a personal failure.

In 2014, the United States American Medical Association classified obesity as a chronic disease, against advice from its Committee on Science and Public Health. The decision sparked widespread discontent and discussion, with claims it causes unnecessary discrimination and pathologises normal changes to human bodies over time.

The debate continues here in Australia, yet no classification has been made.

Weight-centric and weight-inclusive narratives

Recent policy documents in Australia, such as the National Obesity Strategy 2022–2032, acknowledge a broader view of obesity. But policy and practice in Australia remains predominantly weight-centric. They encourage weight loss as a health goal and recommend intentionally avoiding weight gain.

Weight-centric approaches to health have been criticised for lacking long-term evidence (beyond five years) to support their effectiveness and for producing unintended consequences.

Rather than promoting health, weight-centric approaches can cause harm, such as increased weight stigma and weight cycling (repeatedly losing and regaining weight). Both weight stigma and weight cycling have been linked with negative long-term physical and mental health outcomes.

Weight-inclusive approaches to health are gaining popularity as an alternative approach that supports people in eating well and moving regularly, regardless of any desire to lose weight. This approach aims to improve access to health care and has been shown to enhance overall physical and mental health.

Approaches like Health at Every Size and intuitive eating are key examples of promoting health and wellbeing without focusing on weight.

Weight-inclusive approaches have faced criticism, however, with concerns that these approaches lack empirical evidence and may not be appropriate for people who want support for weight management.

Where does this leave us?

While our thinking about obesity continues to change, it is essential to listen to larger-bodied people and ensure their access to health care is equitable, safe and affirming.

Advocates such as Size Inclusive Health Australia recommend efforts to reduce weight stigma and discrimination so that health is inclusive of all body shapes and sizes.

Guidance and recommendations exist for addressing weight stigma and adopting weight-inclusive approaches to health, such as the Size Inclusive Health Promotion Guidelines and the Eating Disorder Safe Principles.

Policy, research and practice should continue to synthesise and understand the evidence surrounding weight-inclusive approaches, in line with the shifting narratives of weight and health. This will support the design, implementation and evaluation for weight-inclusive initiatives in Australia.

Credit: The Conversation

Team Metabolic Health

Sanofi (SASY.PA), opens new tab said on Friday that its multiple sclerosis drug candidate was shown to delay worsening of a progressive form of the disease by 31%, as the French drugmaker eyes a request for approval later this year.

The company said earlier this month in a brief summary that the late-stage trial with the drug candidate tolebrutinib was successful. That mitigated a setback announced at the same time that trials on a more common relapsing form of the disease had failed.

Sanofi is pursuing several opportunities in MS, a debilitating nerve disease, to offset revenue losses after the recent end of MS pill Aubagio’s patent protection, part of a push to become a powerhouse in anti-inflammatory drugs.

CEO Paul Hudson has made progress regaining investor confidence in the pharma pipeline since he unexpectedly abandoned 2025 margin targets last October to boost drug development spending.

The logo of French drugmaker Sanofi is seen a the Sanofi Genzyme Polyclonals in Lyon, France, September 30, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo 

Tolebrutinib, from the $3.7 billion takeover of Principia in 2020, belongs to a class of compounds known as Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors, which has also attracted Novartis (NOVN.S), opens new tab and Roche (ROG.S), opens new tab.

They are designed to selectively block the harmful autoimmune reaction behind MS for a more targeted approach than standard immunosuppressant drugs.

Investors however have been kept on edge over revenue prospects because of a possible link of BTK inhibitors to liver damage and uncertain efficacy.

Sanofi said frequent monitoring during trials had mitigated serious liver problems.

Credit: Reuters

These efforts reflect the project’s ambition to offer a next-generation blockchain solution. However, potential investors should conduct thorough research and consider the inherent risks before making investment decisions. XTRABYTES has marked its presence in the blockchain space through a series of significant developments and initiatives aimed at enhancing its platform and expanding its ecosystem. One of the pivotal moments for XTRABYTES was the development of its platform designed to support decentralized applications (DApps). This move was aimed at providing developers with a versatile environment for creating DApps, potentially increasing the utility and adoption of the XTRABYTES platform.

Sure, the definition tends to change a bit with time, but the general idea remains the same – say, if you were to buy XTRABYTES on KuCoin or any other exchange, you would actually be buying. Of the surveyed crypto holders store their cryptocurrency in hardware wallets. No matter if you choose to purchase XTRABYTES (XBY) or any other cryptocurrency, the good news about hardware wallets is that you can securely store multiple cryptos at once. It’s only logical, since cryptocurrencies are completely digital, it does not take up any space in your offline wallet.

The biggest pros of paying with crypto are simplicity of the transactions & high levels of anonymity. One of the reasons why hardware wallets are popular among crypto enthusiasts is the Pin encryption, meaning that only you know your private keys. If there are multiple forced attempts to enter the Pin code incorrectly, usually the hardware wallet self-destructs. By doing so, all the private & public keys on your device are erased to protect your funds.

Hardware Wallets – The Safest Place to Keep Your XTRABYTES?

Go to the checkout & fill in your billing details – make sure it’s done correctly. A tip to keep in mind on how to buy XTRABYTES – always double-check your info. The quantity of all coins/tokens that have ever been issued (even if the coins are locked), minus all coins/tokens that have been removed from circulation (burned). PXBT Trading Ltd, is a licensed Securities Dealer in Seychelles under License No. SD162, having its registered office address at IMAD Complex, Office 3, Ile Du Port, Seychelles.

Analyzing monthly performance data, can help to identify patterns, market cycles, and potential opportunities for buying or selling an asset. It is important to note, however, that past performance does not guarantee future results and that cryptocurrency prices are notoriously volatile, making accurate predictions difficult. As of Dec 31, XTRABYTES has a market capitalization of $597.7 Thousand and is ranked #1619 among all cryptocurrencies. This calculation is based on the circulating supply of XTRABYTES However, if we take into account the total supply of XTRABYTES, the market capitalization would be $903.5 Thousand. Complete cryptocurrency market coverage with live coin prices, charts and crypto market cap featuring coins on 926 exchanges. Altcoins are the various different cryptocurrencies that you will find on the cryptocurrency market (except for Bitcoin).

XTRABYTES price prediction

1. Organic Traffic – is a metric of how many monthly users visit the project’s website via search engines.
2. Showing market cap and how it’s compared to different cryptocurrencies.
3. Many people who choose to buy XBY with credit card instantly are going to keep the altcoin in their usually-hardware wallet.
4. If you are new to crypto, use the Crypto.com University and our Help Center to learn how to start buying Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies.
5. The Bulgarian National Bank is responsible for the issuance and regulation of the nation’s currency, as well as overseeing monetary policy and maintaining financial stability in Bulgaria.
6. Trading and investing in digital assets is highly speculative and comes with many risks.

XTRABYTES presents itself as a blockchain platform designed to address some of the centralization and efficiency issues inherent in traditional blockchain systems. At its core, the platform is built to support decentralized applications (DApps) that can be developed in any programming language, offering a level of flexibility not commonly found in the blockchain space. This approach aims to broaden the appeal and accessibility of blockchain technology to developers from various backgrounds, potentially accelerating innovation and adoption. The highest price ever recorded for XBY was $0.7403, which we consider to be a key level for the price of XTRABYTES to potentially return to in the next bull run. As XBY is a low trade volume cryptocurrency, its price can experience higher volatility compared to more highly liquid coins.

The Bulgarian Lev is the sole legal tender in Bulgaria, and it is used for all transactions within the country. If you want to buy XTRABYTES, one of the best ways to do so is with fiat money, meaning with a credit or debit card. When you buy cryptocurrency with fiat money, the process is going to be much faster and – more importantly – simpler than doing so with another cryptocurrency. You don’t need to already own crypto, the buying process is very easy, it usually requires minimal KYC verification. By buying your XTRABYTES with a credit card, you will receive instant confirmation & lightning fast payouts.

Let’s look at what our experts and market analysts discuss regarding future XTRABYTES price prediction. XtraBYtes is a blockchain platform that uses PoSign to increase security, scalability and decentralization, enabling the creation of decentralized applications. Showing market cap and how it’s compared to different cryptocurrencies. X2,x10, etc. means if the price of XTRABYTES (XBY) will multiply by x2,x10, etc how much market cap it will have, and how it will compare then to the same coins. Trading and investing in digital assets is highly speculative and comes with many risks.

USDT-M futures

1. Monthly performance data shows the change in price of a cryptocurrency month over month.
2. 73% of millionaires have already invested in cryptocurrencies or will invest in them before the year 2026, and XBY may be among them.
3. By addressing these challenges, XTRABYTES aims to offer a more secure, efficient, and truly decentralized blockchain ecosystem.
4. The current price of the XTRABYTES(XBY) is $0.22, with a current market cap $93,433,135.91.
5. These are the project’s quantitative metrics of its Organizational GitHub Public account that can be used to trace regular or artificial development activity & growth within the project.

Many people who buy XTRABYTES actually do so in order to store the altcoin in their wallet for a very long period of time, hoping that the XTRABYTES price increases exponentially with xby coin chart. time. More and more reliable sources come out and state that, if you buy XBY or any other altcoin as an investment, it’s as legitimate as if you were to invest in traditional assets. Would you like to know how many cryptocurrencies 1 XBY is equivalent to other cryptocurrencies or vice versa? With Digitalcoinprice’s Cryptocurrency Converter Calculator, you can easily convert cryptocurrency pairs.

Firstly, select the cryptocurrency you want to purchase (since you’re searching for how to buy XTRABYTES, select XBY). Lastly, specify the amount of crypto you want to buy and fill in your XTRABYTES wallet address. The current price of the XTRABYTES(XBY) is $0.22, with a current market cap $93,433,135.91. Compared to other crypto coins which started the same year as XTRABYTES it has below-average trading volume, average volume for the other 439 coins started in 2017 is $8M while XBY has $123. According to an in-depth review process and testing, Ledger and Trezor are one of the safest and most popular hardware wallet options for keeping XTRABYTES. For exclusive discounts and promotions on best crypto wallets, visit Crypto Deal Directory.

Organic Traffic – is a metric of how many monthly users visit the project’s website via search engines. All these metrics are used for determining active or passive projects despite the artificial hype. These are the project’s quantitative metrics of its official Telegram account that can be used to trace regular or artificial Social activity & growth within the project. These are the project’s quantitative metrics of its official Reddit account that can be used to trace regular or artificial Social activity & growth within the project. These are the project’s quantitative metrics of its official X account that can be used to trace regular or artificial Social activity & growth within the project.

This comprehensive approach to stock management empowers hospital pharmacies to streamline their processes and supply optimum affected person care. A barcode is placed when medicines are delivered to pharmacies and retail institutions. A pharma inventory management software program allows automatic drugs labeling and shows Which Sdlc Methodology Is True For You medication expiration dates. A pharmacist can use a file to document each drugs they store in an individual register.

Why Is Stock Management Essential In Pharmacies?

The world pharmacy inventory management software options and cupboards market measurement was valued at USD 6.10 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of seven.9% from 2024 to 2030. The market development could be credited to the elevated adoption of automation options including dispensing cupboards with barcode and RFID technology. As the healthcare sector expands quickly, it faces an alarming rise in the quantity of prescriptions. Healthcare suppliers have more and more sought automated pharmacy inventory administration methods to scale back medicine errors.

Begin Your Journey Toward True Dscsa Compliance

We’ll explore the obtainable expertise stack potentialities beneath, however the two most important considerations when deciding on a technology are its scalability and growth prices. A distinctive Pharmacy inventory software program developed by our expert team to deal with the operation of pharmacy operation management, gross sales information, patient records and independent stores. Our software program generates common and on-demand stories, illustrating pharmacy KPIs with crisp graphics and enabling comprehensive business analysis with “what-if” measurement tools. We develop compounding administration platforms with Material Requirements Planning (MRP) modules for the optimized production of medication for specialty pharmacies. Pharmacy stock administration software program is vital for any modern-day pharmacy intending not just to remain competitive but to thrive in an ever-evolving business panorama.

• Systems like ScriptAbility plug in to PMSs and create accessible labels with massive print, Braille, Controlled Substance Safety and Dual Language labels.
• In this weblog, you will read the options to incorporate into the system and the method to manage pharmacy stock software.
• PioneerRx is a pharmacy administration software program famend for its complete suite of tools tailor-made to unbiased pharmacies.
• We implement cloud-based and on-premise pharmacy administration methods, guaranteeing their interoperability, scalability, and security.

Global Pharmacy Stock Management Software Program Options And Cabinets Market Report Segmentation

Act now to enable your pharmacy to succeed in its most potential by collaborating with CMARIX. Get in touch with us proper now to see how our experience and tailored technique might help your organization succeed. We build e-Prescribing systems that accelerate the filling, renewal, modification, and cancelation of medical scripts, in addition to the procurement of prior authorization. Read about Itransition’s 10+ years lengthy cooperation with a US-based multinational to create their flagship pharmaceutical information analytics merchandise. We always implement software with the most user-friendly UX/UI and supply sufficient consumer training to the pharmacy personnel in order to make their person expertise flawless.

The long-term care (LTC) phase is predicted to develop substantially during the forecast period. The growing geriatric population has increased the demand for specialized treatment administration, including LTC pharmacies. These pharmacies handle various drugs, including persistent disease remedies, ache administration, and palliative care.

A system with superior options like robotic integration, AI-powered forecasting, or patient-centric companies will value greater than a basic system with important capabilities like stock monitoring and order administration. With Datarithm®, the advantages you will see from our inventory administration solution will pay for themselves in less than three months. Serving USA, Canada, and Puerto Rico, Datarithm® software program serves impartial pharmacies together with single and multi-store operations in addition to regional chains, hospital outpatient pharmacies, and long-term care providers. So, regardless of the nature of measurement of your organization, Datarithm® will deliver our core benefits through our pharmacy inventory system and RX software program. We develop Point of Sale (POS) platforms with digital signature capture capabilities, inventory management APIs, and entry to Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings/Reimbursement Account (HSA/HRA) networks. We integrate POS software with Customer Relationship Management (CRM), EHR/EMR, and external Practice Management System (PMS) modules for coordinating prescription histories inside your retail pharmacy.

Best of all, Datarithm® is cost-effective, So, take control of your pharmacy inventory as a substitute of letting it control you. Chetu’s pharmacy management expert builders design software that meet regulatory requirements set by the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP), United States Pharmacopeia (USP), the united states We develop accounts receivable platforms for managing insurer reimbursements, automating invoices, and processing payments.

Many providers provide training and assist that can assist you and your staff adapt to the new system. Over time, you may doubtless discover that the software program saves you time and reduces errors in comparison with handbook monitoring. Rx30 is a pharmacy administration software program that caters to a various client base, including unbiased pharmacies and pharmacy chains. Rx30 focuses on enhancing efficiency, enhancing patient care, and guaranteeing compliance with industry rules. Here, you specify the core functionalities of your pharmacy software, corresponding to prescription administration, inventory control, billing, affected person information, reporting, and integration needs with other healthcare systems.

This creates a place focused on top-notch pharmaceutical care and sensible resource use. Discover the highest finance app improvement companies recognized for creating secure and innovative financial solutions. Explore our listing to search out one of the best developers to convey your finance app thought to life. Online pharmacies dispensing managed substances must register with the DEA and comply with the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). For apps and software that sells drugs on-line, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is another essential regulation.

A pharmacy database management system is certainly one of its subdivisions, essential for keeping all medicine data in order, including names, licensing info, unique barcodes, registration, and expiration dates. PMS encompasses options to optimize medication ordering, deal with documentation, process payments, and streamline interactions between pharmacies, warehouses, sufferers or prospects, and healthcare institutions. Supply-side processes are additionally streamlined via extra efficient buying and cost mechanisms. Thus, permitting the pharmacy to maintain up with growing demand while sustaining sturdy business relationships.Ultimately, stock techniques guarantee a wholesome business so pharmacies can focus on maintaining their customers happy.

They dispense all kinds of medicines with important expiration dates and storage requirements, which must be managed efficiently. Inventory administration additionally helps cut back waste by making certain drugs are used before expiration and optimizing stock ranges to reduce prices. Additionally, pharmacy inventory administration software can be linked up with buyer relationship management (CRM) instruments.

Depending on the complexity of your PMS, your group requires information of virtual machines, managed databases, serverless computing, and international content material supply networks (CDNs). The price to hire builders from Western Europe and North America would price you greater than hiring developers from an EHR software growth firm. Although custom creation is normally more expensive, it provides total control and suppleness. For easy PIMS necessities, pre-built templates is often a cost-effective resolution, though their diploma of customization could additionally be limited. This is where you outline the efficiency, platform support, regulatory compliance, and different standards for your system that characterize its infrastructure.

It helps with inventory administration and improves workflows, making every day tasks simpler and keeping patients protected. The act is critical for healthcare software that offers with ePHI or involves sharing digital health info, by which pharmacy administration software is the case. It’s optional, nonetheless, for life-style apps or other healthcare software that doesn’t involve a high degree of personal knowledge sharing. Customer relationship management methods are the guts of every healthcare software.

Team Metabolic Health

NanoVation will receive research funding and is eligible to receive up to approximately US$600 million in up-front cash and potential milestone payments, as well as tiered royalties on future product sales as part of a multi-year deal

Partnership focuses on enabling nucleic acid delivery to cells outside of the liver

NanoVation Therapeutics, a platform company developing innovative technologies to overcome the barriers of nucleic acid delivery, today announced a multi-year partnership with Novo Nordisk to advance the development of novel genetic medicines targeting cardiometabolic and rare diseases. The partnership combines NanoVation Therapeutics’ proprietary long-circulating lipid nanoparticle (lcLNP™) technology for RNA delivery to cells outside of the liver with Novo Nordisk’s expertise in cardiometabolic and rare disease R&D and clinical translation.

“We founded NanoVation to enable partners to overcome the challenges of conventional nucleic acid delivery systems”

Under the terms of the agreement, Novo Nordisk and NanoVation will collaborate on two lead programs to develop base-editing therapies for certain rare genetic diseases, and up to five additional future targets for cardiometabolic and rare diseases. Novo Nordisk will receive a defined exclusive, worldwide license to use NanoVation’s LNP technology for the two lead programs. NanoVation will receive research funding and is eligible to receive up to approximately US$600 million in up-front cash and potential milestone payments, as well as tiered royalties on future product sales as part of the multi-year deal.

“We founded NanoVation to enable partners to overcome the challenges of conventional nucleic acid delivery systems,” said Dominik Witzigmann, PhD, co-founder and CEO of NanoVation Therapeutics. “This agreement with Novo Nordisk and ongoing work with companies in the cell and gene therapy space is validation of the potential of our LNP technologies to enable the next generation of life-changing genetic medicines. We are very excited to collaborate with the team at Novo Nordisk.”

“Every genetic drug has a cargo and delivery component, which require dedicated innovation on both,” said Karina Thorn, PhD, Corporate Vice President, Head of Research, Global Nucleic Acid Therapies at Novo Nordisk. “We look forward to partnering with NanoVation, as the company’s differentiated delivery platform could help Novo Nordisk to advance genetic medicine candidates with curative potential.”

NanoVation was co-founded by Pieter Cullis, PhD, current Board Chair, who is widely regarded as the founding father of LNP technology. “Genetic medicine is at a pivotal moment and this partnership marks a major milestone for NanoVation as an innovator in nucleic acid delivery,” said Cullis. “By combining NanoVation’s expertise in extrahepatic delivery with Novo Nordisk’s expertise in cardiometabolic and rare diseases we have the potential to create truly transformative therapies.”

NanoVation has an extensive and continuously growing library of novel lipids and LNP compositions. The company works in partnership with industry leaders from concept to lead development to create fit-for-purpose solutions for nucleic acid delivery. NanoVation’s lcLNP technology has demonstrated the ability to deliver nucleic acids to various cell types beyond the liver in preclinical studies, with improved potency, safety and stability compared to conventional systems. The company’s toolbox provides a “one-stop-shop” IP portfolio for LNP-based genetic medicine development, offering comprehensive solutions spanning novel lipid design, RNA modification and LNP formulation.

Credit: Businesswire

Team Metabolic Health

New study reveals semaglutide outperforms liraglutide in weight loss for obesity, highlighting key factors that contribute to significant weight reduction in patients.

A recent JAMA Network Open study compares the weight loss efficacy of injectable liraglutide and semaglutide, in addition to identifying the factors associated with a weight reduction of 10% or more after one year of treatment.

Treating obesity

Obesity leads to or worsens the risk of various health disorders, some of which include cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes (T2D), osteoarthritis, and obstructive sleep apnea. Over the past two decades, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) for treating obesity, of which include liraglutide and semaglutide.

In randomized clinical trials, liraglutide and semaglutide have led to significant weight reductions. However, outside of clinical trials, weight loss data with liraglutide or semaglutide has been limited to a short follow-up period of six months.

Study: One-Year Weight Reduction With Semaglutide or Liraglutide in Clinical Practice. Image Credit: Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock.com

About the study

In the present study, weight outcomes among obese patients who received injectable forms of semaglutide or liraglutide at one year were assessed between January 1, 2015, and July 28, 2023. Outcomes were compared by GLP-1 RA agent, dosage, indication, and persistent coverage with the medication.

The main exposure variable was injectable forms of liraglutide or semaglutide approved for T2D or obesity. Comparatively, main outcome measures were categorical weight reduction of 10% or greater and percentage weight change at one year.

Adult patients with a body mass index (BMI) of at least 30 kg/m2 who completed a follow-up weight measurement at least 12 months after treatment initiation were included in the study. Patients prescribed these medications between January 1 and June 30, 2015, were excluded. Furthermore, patients with cancer diagnoses, were pregnant, and those who recently underwent bariatric surgery were excluded.

Study findings

A total of 1,718 and 1,671 patients filled an initial prescription for injectable semaglutide and liraglutide, respectively. The median BMI was 38.5 kg/m2 and the average age of the study participants was 50 years.

Approximately 55% of patients were female and about 82% reported T2D as a treatment indication. Moreover, 20.3% of the study participants were Black, 7% were Hispanic, 68.5% were White, and 3.4% belonged to other races or ethnicities. Most patients were privately insured and about 28% lived in the most disadvantaged area by quartile of the area deprivation index (ADI).

At one-year, the average weight change was -3.7% in the study cohort. The average changes with semaglutide and liraglutide were -5.1% and -2.2%, respectively.

In patients receiving T2D medication, the mean change was -3.2% as compared to -5.9% of those who were being treated for obesity. Among patients with fewer than 90 medication coverage days, between 90 to 275 medication coverage days, and coverage at one year, weight changes were -1.8%, -2.8%, and -5.5%, respectively. Patients prescribed high doses exhibited an average weight change of -6.6% as compared to -3.5% for those on a low-maintenance dose.

The reduction in body weight was -12.9% for semaglutide for obesity patients with persistent coverage with their medication at one year. For the same coverage, the reduction in body weight was -5.9% with semaglutide for T2D, -3.1% with liraglutide for T2D, and -5.6% with liraglutide for obesity.

About 37% of individuals prescribed semaglutide for obesity achieved 10% or more body weight reduction as compared to 16.6% of those prescribed semaglutide for T2D, 14.5% of those prescribed liraglutide for obesity, and 9.3% of those receiving liraglutide for T2D.

Among patients receiving persistent medication at one year, 61% of patients prescribed semaglutide for obesity achieved at least 10% weight reduction as compared to 23.1% among those prescribed semaglutide for T2D, 28.6% liraglutide for obesity, and 12.3% liraglutide for T2D groups.

Achieving 10% or greater weight reduction at one year was associated with several factors such as semaglutide or liraglutide, obesity as a treatment indication as compared to T2D, female sex, persistent coverage for one year, and high or low dosage of medication.

The likelihood of achieving 10% or more weight loss at one year was 2% higher for every unit increase in baseline BMI. When medication switchers were excluded, the multivariable model results remained robust.

Conclusions

Weight reduction one year after treatment initiation was associated with the medication’s active agent, patient sex, dosage, medication coverage, and treatment indication. Importantly, additional research is needed to better understand the reasons for discontinuing treatment and interventions to enhance long-term persistent coverage.

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Team Metabolic Health

Key Takeaways

• U.S. obesity rates keep rising, with 1 in every 5 people in every state reported to be obese in 2023
• In 23 states, 35% or more of the population is now obese
• Tackling unhealthy weight gain as early as childhood may be key to turning these numbers around

Pix Credit: Adobe Stock

Statistics from 2023 on U.S. obesity rates bring no good news: In every state in the nation, 1 in every 5 people is now obese, the new tally shows.

In 2013, not one state had an adult obesity rate topping 35%, but 10 years later 23 states had achieved that dubious distinction, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Obesity is defined by the CDC as a BMI of 30 or higher. A person measuring 5 feet 11 inches and weighing 215 pounds has a BMI of 30; so does a person measuring 5 feet 6 inches with a weight of 186 pounds.

Millions more Americans struggling with their weight is really bad news, the CDC said in a statement.

“Obesity is a disease that can cause many health conditions such as asthma, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, some cancers and severe outcomes from respiratory illnesses,” the agency said. “In addition, the stigma and bias about a person’s weight can cause social and mental health consequences, such as anxiety and poor body image.”

Those 23 states where obesity has now affected at least 35% of the populace include: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Race seemed to matter: In 38 states, 35% or more of Black adult residents struggled with obesity. That was true for Hispanic adults in 34 states, American Indians/Alaska Natives in 30 states and whites in 16 states.

Only Asian Americans did not have an obesity prevalence at or above 35% in any state, the new report found.

Overall, the new statistics “highlight the need for obesity prevention and treatment options, which start with building healthier communities where people of all ages have safe places for physical activity, and where health care and healthy food options are accessible and affordable for all,” said Dr. Karen Hacker. She directs the CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

Turning the 2023 numbers around will mean starting where weight gain often begins — in childhood.

“Obesity prevention at young ages is critical, because we know that children with obesity often become adults with obesity,” Hacker said in the CDC statement.

Shaming folks for their weight is definitely not the right approach, and it’s not even valid, according to Dr. Ruth Petersen, director of CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity.

“Obesity is a complex disease,” she explained. “There’s a common misconception that obesity is a result of lack of willpower and individual failings to eat well and exercise.”

However, “many factors contribute to obesity like genes, certain medications, poor sleep, gut microbiome, stress, access to affordable food, safe places to be active and access to health care,” Petersen said. “Understanding these factors helps us identify potential prevention and treatment strategies.”

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Team Metabolic Health

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Zevra Therapeutics’ drug for a rare and fatal genetic disorder, making it the first treatment to get a nod for the condition, the health regulator said on Friday.

The company has been trying for years to bring the drug to market after the FDA previously declined to approve it and extended a review of the treatment.

The oral drug, branded as Miplyffa, has now been approved for the treatment of Neimann-Pick disease type C – a rare genetic condition that affects the nervous system and other organs.

On average, people affected by this disease only live for about 13 years.

“The first-ever approval of a safe and effective drug option for NPC will undoubtedly support the essential medical needs of those suffering,” said Janet Maynard, a director at the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

Miplyffa, in combination with miglustat, which is branded as Zavesca, has been cleared to treat neurological symptoms associated with NPC in adults and children 2 years of age and older.

The drug is expected to be available in the U.S. in eight to 12 weeks, Zevra said.

The company did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on pricing.

H.C. Wainwright analyst Oren Livnat expects the average net price of the drug to between $500,000 and $600,000 per year.

Livnat estimates peak sales of about $250 million in the U.S.

Miplyffa comes with a warning for hypersensitivity reactions including hives and angioedema, a condition that causes swelling under the skin.

Zevra gained access to the drug through its acquisition of Orphazyme, the original developer, in 2022.

Shares of the company rose more than 5% to $8.43 in afternoon trading.

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Team Metabolic Health

Trachomatous trichiasis, a potentially blinding condition where inward-turned eyelashes scratch the front of the eye, can successfully be treated by either of the two most common types of eyelid surgery, according to findings from a large comparison trial. In light of previous, smaller studies, which suggested that one of the commonly used surgery types had poorer outcomes, this study provides reassurance that either technique can treat the condition.

The study, “The impact of modified incision height and surgical procedure on trichiasis surgery outcomes: Results of the Maximizing Trichiasis Surgery Success (MTSS) Randomized Trial,” is published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

On a normal eyelid (left), eyelashes are turned outward away from the cornea. Eyelids affected by trichiasis (center) have eyelashes touching the eye. Surgery for eyelids affected by trichiasis (right), rotates the eyelash away from the cornea, returning them to their normal anatomic position. Surgical incisions were placed at either 3mm or 5mm away from the eyelid margin. Credit: National Eye Institute

“Some studies have reported post-operative trichiasis rates of 30% or higher for patients with trachomatous trichiasis following surgery, and repeat surgeries are more difficult,” said Emily Gower, Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“This trial sought to determine if we could decrease the risk of post-operative trichiasis by modifying the surgical procedure. We found that existing approaches result in better outcomes.”

Trachomatous trichiasis affects approximately 1.7 million people worldwide, mostly in poor and rural areas of Africa. The condition arises after repeated or chronic eye infections with the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis, which is spread by person-to-person contact.

Trachoma is very common in hot, dry areas of the world, and repeat infections can eventually lead to scarring and malformation of the eyelid. This malformation causes the edge of the eyelid to draw inward, so that eyelashes scratch the eye. If left untreated, trichiasis can result in corneal clouding, and eventually blindness.

The most common and effective treatment for trichiasis is surgery to correct the in-turning of the eyelid, which typically is performed in one of two different ways. A few smaller studies indicated that one of the surgery methods, posterior lamellar tarsal rotation (PLTR), might be more effective, so some programs in Africa began retraining surgeons to perform that method.

Additionally, previous analysis of eyelids treated with the other surgery, bilamellar tarsal rotation (BLTR), suggested that placing the surgical incision slightly further from the edge of the eyelid (5 millimeters above the lid margin instead of 3mm) might lead to fewer recurrences, but this change had not previously been tested.

The current study directly compared these three surgery approaches and evaluated the risk of post-operative trichiasis.

The study, which took place in southern Ethiopia, enrolled 4,914 patients with trichiasis in one or both eyes (6,940 eligible eyes). The participants were randomized to receive BLTR at 3mm incision height, BLTR at 5mm incision height, or PLTR. Researchers rechecked the patients for post-operative trichiasis at six weeks and again at 12–18 months. On average, approximately 17% of eyelids had post-operative trichiasis.

There was no difference in risk of post-operative trichiasis between the two methods with a 3mm incision height, while those who received the 5mm incision height BLTR were significantly more likely to have post-operative trichiasis. The results indicate that the current standard surgeries—either method at 3mm—are better options for trichiasis treatment than the 5mm method.

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Team Metabolic Health

Researchers found that people with diabetes and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease taking glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) like Ozempic had a slightly lower risk of developing liver complications.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), impacts over 100 million people in the United States. The condition occurs when excess fat builds up in the liver, leading to liver inflammation.

People at higher risk for MASLD include those with obesity, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, and other conditions associated with metabolic syndrome.

Image by Alones via Shutterstock

Moreover, about 25% of people with MASLD develop liver damage, known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Of those, 11% experience liver cirrhosis or liver failure. Each year in the U.S., around 26,000 deaths are attributed to cirrhosis. That’s why preventing the progression from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease to cirrhosis is critical.

Since there are no specific medications to treat MASLD, healthcare providers typically recommend diet and lifestyle changes to prevent further liver damage. In some cases, MASLD can be reversed if caught in the early stages.

Recently, researchers discovered that a trendy class of diabetes/weight loss medications called glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), such as Ozempic and Wegovy, may be effective at lowering the risk of cirrhosis in people with MASLD.

The findings show that GLP-1s may be a new prevention strategy for cirrhosis that could help reduce mortality risks from this challenging condition.

Liver benefits from taking GLP-1s versus other diabetes drugs

The study, published on September 16 in JAMA Internal Medicine, used data from the National Veterans Health Administration Corporate Data Warehouse and Central Cancer Registry to compare liver outcomes of people with MASLD and type 2 diabetes.

Specifically, they looked at who took GLP-1RAs (exenatide, dulaglutide, liraglutide, or semaglutide) or dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors (DPP-4is), including sitagliptin, saxagliptin, linagliptin, or alogliptin, to see how these medications impacted liver health.

The scientists found that participants without cirrhosis who used GLP-1RAs had a slightly lower risk of developing cirrhosis compared to those using DPP-4is.

Moreover, people in the GLP-1 group had a lower risk of cirrhosis complications, liver cancer, and mortality compared to the DPP-4i group, but the difference in complications was not statistically significant.

In addition, the researchers found no differences in outcomes among participants taking GLP-1s or DPP-4is who already had cirrhosis.

Though the study results require confirmation in clinical trials, the team suggests that since both drugs offered no benefit to people who already had cirrhosis, treating MASLD early with GLP-1s may be critical for preventing this condition.

“While cirrhosis is a clear risk factor for [liver cancer] and reducing cirrhosis by GLP-1 RA use should prevent [liver cancer], an independent confirmation of this relationship requires even larger studies than this one,” the study’s authors wrote. “In the meantime, the presence of MASLD can help with the prioritization of GLP-1 therapy in persons with diabetes.”

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Team Metabolic Health

Study identifies treatable microbiome features in severe asthma, revealing potential for precision antibiotic therapies.

A recent study published in Allergy assesses the airway microbiome and host immune-inflammatory responses to identify treatable aspects of severe asthma.

Asthma and the airway microbiome

Asthma is characterized by reversible airway constriction. In severe asthma, it is important to identify treatable features that distinguish subsets of this condition. For example, in the type-2 high subset, both sputum and blood eosinophils are high, with most patients responding well to corticosteroids and anti-interleukin 5 (IL-5) agents.

Study: Species-level, metagenomic and proteomic analysis of microbe-immune interactions in severe asthma. Image Credit: Olga Rolenko/Shutterstock.com

Conversely, the type-2 low subtype, which affects 30-50% of individuals with severe asthma, is associated with a poor response to approved biologics or systemic corticosteroids. The type-2 low subtype includes both neutrophilic and paucigranulocytic asthma, the latter of which is also referred to as non-neutrophilic or eosinophilic asthma.

The lack of response to treatments in the type-2 low subtype may be due to bacterial infection and/or neutrophilic infiltration of the airways due to immunologic responses. This may also explain the observed efficacy of long-term macrolide antibiotics like azithromycin in this subset of patients.  

Previous studies have identified Hemophilus and Moraxella as the most common microorganisms present in the airway microbiome, particularly the lower airway. Low commensal abundance, neutrophilic inflammation, and adverse outcomes often accompany H. influenzae infection.

About the study

The researchers of the current study were interested in determining whether the dominance of microorganisms in the airway microbiome could function as a treatable trait in severe asthma. They hypothesized that this shift would only be observed the lower airway and, as a result, contribute to treatment-refractory neutrophilic inflammation caused by type-1 cytokine release.

Sputum and nasal lavage samples were obtained from patients with severe asthma from the Oxford and Wessex cohorts. DNA extracted from these samples was examined by long read metagenomic sequencing, following which species-level genetic data was integrated with clinical and airway proteomics parameters.  

Different immune responses

Participants in both cohorts had similar demographic, lung function, and inhaled corticosteroid use data. Oral corticosteroids were more common in the Wessex cohort, as these individuals were recruited before biologics were frequently used.

Neutrophilic asthma was identified in 25.5% of patients with severe asthma, whereas 39% had paucigranulocytic asthma. Current smokers comprised 33% of the study cohort, with less than ten mean pack years smoked.

Only severe asthma patients were included in the Oxford cohort. A high baseline blood eosinophil count was observed in these individuals, with eosinophilic sputum reported in 36.7%.

In both cohorts, disease control was often poor in patients with severe asthma.

Differing microbial profile in severe asthma

In the Wessex cohort, the sputum microbiome was similar between healthy individuals and those with mild asthma. However, among 81 patients with severe asthma, over 23% of the microbiomes exhibited dominance of one respiratory pathogen during clinical stability.

H. influenzae, M. catarrhalis , S. pneumoniae, and P. aeruginosa were the dominant species in ten, four, four, and one sample, respectively. Single-pathogen dominance by H. influenzae, M. catarrhalis, S. pneumoniae, and T. whipplei is associated with neutrophilic asthma, along with Firmicutes depletion, a known marker for poor outcomes.

Eosinophilic asthma patients were more likely to exhibit higher M. catarrhalis, S. intermedius and V. parvula abundance with lower abundance of H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae. Paucigranulocytic asthma was associated with lower abundances of M. catarrhalis, H. influenzae, and T. whipplei.

Neutrophilic asthma was associated with higher levels of type 1 cytokines and proteases. H. influenzae dominance predicted higher eosinophil cationic protein, elastase, and IL-10 levels, thus suggesting disruption of normal immunologic response, pathogen persistence, and airway remodeling.

Rothia mucilaginosa is a facultative anerobe that can thrive at lower oxygen levels in mucus-plugged airways. Increased abundance of this microorganism was observed in microbiomes without single-pathogen dominance.

Rothia mucilaginosa abundance was also associated with IL-6 levels and inversely correlated with fibroblast growth factor (FGF) levels. FGFs drive airway remodeling through smooth muscle and vascular hyperplasia, which is reduced by antibiotic treatment.

Using Bayesian analysis, H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis were independently but strongly associated with type-1 airway inflammation.

Not ‘one airway, one disease’

The upper airway microbiome and cytokine profile differed significantly from that of the lower airway.

Assuming that nasal lavage and sputum samples represent these two locations, respectively, the upper airway is enriched for S. epidermidis and S. aureus, whereas the lower airway is enriched for Firmicutes, mostly Streptococcus species. Nasal lavage specimens exhibited higher abundance of D. pigrum, M. catarrhalis and E. coli as compared to H. influenzae and H. parainfluenzae.

Azithromycin is effective for the treatment of both neutrophilic and non-neutrophilic phenotypes of severe asthma, which may be attributed to the dominance of H. influenzae, M. catarrhalis, and S. pneumoniae. However, targeted therapy after confirming this trait is important considering widespread resistance to this antibiotic.

Conclusions

The current study is the first to examine airway microbiome profiles at the species level in a large sample of individuals with severe asthma. Single-pathogen dominance was observed in 20-30% of these patients, the most common of which was H. influenzae, along with neutrophilic infiltration and type-1 inflammation.

The ‘one airway, one disease’ concept does not apply to the airway microbiome in severe asthma.”

The study findings also demonstrate the feasibility of Nanopore sequencing to identify pathogen dominance in ordinary medical practice. Future applications of this technology could guide the precise antibiotic management of patients with severe asthma and other airway diseases.

Credit: news-medical.net

Team Metabolic Health

Key Points

• Pfizer said its experimental drug for a common, life-threatening condition that causes cancer patients to lose their appetite and weight showed positive results in a midstage trial.
• Patients with the condition, called cancer cachexia, who took Pfizer’s treatment saw improvements in body weight, muscle mass, quality of life and physical function.
• The results could pave the way for the drug, a monoclonal antibody called ponsegromab, to become the first treatment approved specifically for cancer cachexia. 

Kena Betancur | Corbis News | Getty Images

Pfizer’s experimental drug for a common, life-threatening condition that causes cancer patients to lose their appetite and weight showed positive results in a midstage trial, the drugmaker said Saturday. 

Patients with the condition, called cancer cachexia, who took Pfizer’s treatment saw improvements in body weight, muscle mass, quality of life and physical function, according to the drugmaker. The results could pave the way for the drug, a monoclonal antibody called ponsegromab, to become the first treatment approved in the U.S. specifically for cancer cachexia. 

The condition affects about 9 million people worldwide, and 80% of cancer patients suffering from it are expected to die within one year of diagnosis, according to the company.

Patients with cancer cachexia don’t eat enough food to meet their body’s energy needs, causing significant fat and muscle loss and leaving them weak, fatigued and, in some cases, unable to perform daily activities. Cancer cachexia is currently defined as a loss of 5% or more body weight over the past six months in cancer patients, along with symptoms such as fatigue, according to the National Cancer Institute.

The symptoms of the condition can make cancer treatments less effective and contribute to lower survival rates, Pfizer said. 

“We would see ponsegromab fitting into the treatment of cancer patients, really addressing that unmet need in cachexia, and through that, improving their wellness, their ability to care for themselves, and we would also hope their ability to tolerate more treatment,” Charlotte Allerton, Pfizer’s head of discovery and early development, told CNBC in an interview. 

Pfizer has not disclosed the estimated revenue opportunity of the drug, which could potentially be approved for different uses.

The company presented the data Saturday at the European Society for Medical Oncology 2024 Congress, a cancer research conference held in Barcelona, Spain. The results were also published in The New England Journal of Medicine. 

The phase two trial followed 187 people with non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer or colorectal cancer and high levels of a key driver of cachexia called growth differentiation factor 15, or GDF-15. It is a protein that binds to a certain receptor in the brain and has an impact on appetite, according to Allerton. 

After 12 weeks, patients who took the highest dose of ponsegromab — 400 milligrams — saw a 5.6% increase in weight compared with those who received a placebo. Patients who took a 200-milligram or 100-milligram dose of the drug saw a roughly 3.5% and 2% increase in body weight, respectively, compared with the placebo group. 

Allerton said a work group of experts defines a weight gain of greater than 5% as a “clinically meaningful difference in cancer patients with cachexia.” She added that the drug’s effect on other measures of wellness, such as increased appetite and physical activity, is “really what offers us the encouragement.” 

Pfizer said it did not observe any significant side effects with the drug. Treatment-related side effects occurred in 8.9% of people taking a placebo and 7.7% of those who took Pfizer’s treatment, the company said. 

The company said it is discussing late-stage development plans for the drug with regulators, and aims to start studies in 2025 that can be used to file for approval. Pfizer is also studying ponsegromab in a phase two trial in patients with heart failure, who can also suffer from cachexia.

Pfizer’s drug works by reducing the levels of GDF-15. Pfizer believes this can improve appetite and enable patients to maintain and gain weight. 

“For most of us, we have low levels of GDF-15 in our tissues when we’re healthy, but we really do see this up regulation of GDF-15 in more of these chronic conditions, and in this case, cancer,” Allerton said.

Credit: CNBC