R&D

New drugs could also be deployed against lung and pancreatic cancers

A new anti-cancer drug may be effective against a wider range of cancers than previously thought. Using a mouse model and samples taken from cancer patients, a team from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has shown that a new class of drugs known as SHP2 inhibitors is also effective against aggressive, hard-to-treat tumors such as lung and pancreatic cancers. Clinical trials currently underway had previously excluded patients with these cancers.

Antidepressant use may contribute to long-term population weight gain

Researchers at King's College London have found that patients prescribed any of the 12 most commonly used antidepressants were 21% more likely to experience an episode of gain weight than those not taking the drugs, (after adjusting for other factors which might affect this result). The full research is published in the BMJ.

Innovative Medicines Initiative launches 100th project

The Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) has launched its 100th project in the form of Hypo-RESOLVE, a 4 year, EUR 26.8 million project on diabetes. The milestone comes as IMI celebrates its 10th anniversary with a series of events and activities. The IMI project portfolio is diverse; many projects, like Hypo-RESOLVE, focus on specific health issues such as diabetes, neurological conditions (including dementia, depression, and pain), cancer, auto-immune diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis), and infectious diseases (including antimicrobial resistance and Ebola).

Stroke prevention drug combo shows promise

If you've had a minor stroke or a transient ischemic stroke (TIA), taking the clot-preventing drug clopidogrel along with aspirin may lower your risk of having a major stroke within the next 90 days, according to new research published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Research suggests a 15-minute 'daily mile' could enhance health of the world's children

Policymakers should consider introducing The Daily Mile to improve the health and fitness of schoolchildren around the world, according to new research led by the Universities of Stirling and Edinburgh. The first study of the popular Daily Mile initiative - which involves children taking a 15-minute break from class to do physical activity - has confirmed it improves fitness, body composition and activity levels in participants.

Not enough women included in some heart disease clinical trials

Women are underrepresented in clinical trials for heart failure, coronary artery disease and acute coronary syndrome but proportionately or overrepresented in trials for hypertension, atrial fibrillation and pulmonary arterial hypertension, when compared to incidence or prevalence of women within each disease population, according to a study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Artificial leaf as mini-factory for medicine

Using sunlight for sustainable and cheap production of, for example, medicines. The 'mini-factory' in the form of a leaf that chemical engineers from Eindhoven University of Technology presented in 2016 showed that it is possible. Now the researchers have come with an improved version: their 'mini-factory' is now able to keep production at the same level, irrespective of the variation in sunlight due to cloudiness or time of the day.

Research & Development

New drugs could also be deployed against lung and pancreatic cancers

Antidepressant use may contribute to long-term population weight gain

Innovative Medicines Initiative launches 100th project

Stroke prevention drug combo shows promise

Research suggests a 15-minute 'daily mile' could enhance health of the world's children

Not enough women included in some heart disease clinical trials

Artificial leaf as mini-factory for medicine

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