Urgent Action Required: Avian Influenza Crisis, as Per InnovationRx
Weekly healthcare news update from InnovationRx:
Subscribe here to get the latest updates in your inbox.
For the first time in the United States, a severe case of avian flu has been reported in a patient. A man in Louisiana is currently hospitalized with the disease, which he contracted from sick and dead birds from a flock he kept on his property. The virus is similar to those found infecting poultry in the U.S. and a severe case in another person in British Columbia a few weeks ago. This variety has differences from the strain currently circulating among dairy cattle.
California has declared a state of emergency over the spread of H5N1, which has been found in over 640 dairies in the state. Governor Newsom said, "This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this outbreak."
On a positive note, there have been no documented cases of avian flu spreading from person to person. The federal government has stockpiled doses of H5N1 vaccines, and Moderna has entered into a contract with HHS for the development of a bird flu vaccine, which is currently in clinical trials.
This will be the last edition of InnovationRx for 2024, and they will return on January 8 with a new co-author and a new format. Happy holidays!
The First Baby Born Using This Next Generation IVF Startup's Product
Many founders compare their companies to their "babies," but for Dina Radenkovic, that took on a whole new meaning on December 7 when the first baby conceived using her company's in-vitro fertilization product, Fertilo, was born in Peru.
Since 1978, millions of babies have been born using in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Last year in the United States, over 2% of all births utilized the procedure. It works, but it's also lengthy, costly, and unpleasant. Successful egg extractions only work on the first cycle about half of the time for patients under 35 years old (with success rates decreasing to less than 10% for those over 40), which means many patients have to undergo multiple physically demanding and expensive attempts to complete a successful egg retrieval.
These challenges inspired Radenkovic to co-found Gameto with Martin Varsavsky in 2021. Both had backgrounds in fertility health. Radenkovic, a physician, had worked in clinical and research roles at places like the National Health Services’ Barts Health and St Thomas'. Varsavsky was a multi-time founder, including of Prelude Fertility, North America’s largest chain of fertility clinics.
Read the whole story here.
Pipeline & Deal Updates
Biotech startup Holoclara, which is developing treatments for diseases derived from worm secretions, announced that it will enter phase 1 clinical trials with its first drug, a potential treatment for the inflammatory disorder eosinophilic esophagitis.
AI drug development company Verge Genomics announced it plans to bring a new obesity management pill into clinical trials later this year. The drug is aimed at helping patients who have lost weight with GLP-1s keep the excess weight off.
BioAge Labs has entered into a research partnership with Novartis with the goal of discovering potential targets for age-related diseases. Novartis will pay BioAge Labs $20 million upfront, and the deal calls for up to $530 million in potential milestone payments plus tiered royalties.
The FDA has approved remestemcel-L-rknd, marketed by Mesoblast as Ryoncil, for the treatment of pediatric patients with graft-versus-host disease who aren't responding to steroids.
SiteOne Therapeutics has raised a $100 million series C led by Novo Holdings. The company is developing non-opioid painkillers.
The FDA has approved cosibelimab-ipdl, marketed by Checkpoint Therapeutics as Unloxcyt, for aggressive skin cancers that can't be treated with radiation or surgery.
Precision Neuroscience, which is developing an AI-powered brain implant that enables patients with paralysis to operate smartphones, computers, and other devices, has raised a $102 million series C funding round.
The Third-Ever Pig Kidney Transplant Is A Success
An Alabama woman is in "extraordinary" health after becoming the third living person to receive a pig kidney transplant, according to NYU Langone Health, which announced the procedure on Tuesday. Doctors say the procedure could aid thousands of people waiting for organ donors. The patient was discharged 11 days after the transplant and is now evaluated daily at the hospital. So far her renal levels—a measurement of kidney function—appear to be "absolutely normal."
The genetically modified kidney, designed to enhance its compatibility with the human body and minimize the risk of rejection, was supplied by Revivicor, a subsidiary of United Therapeutics based in Virginia. It's one of only two companies to provide pig kidneys for human transplant operations, with the other being eGenesis, situated in Boston.
Other Healthcare Headlines
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is contemplating the prohibition of the artificial dye Red No. 3, which has been associated with thyroid cancer in animals and behavioral problems in children.
Luigi Mangione, the prime suspect in the lethal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has been charged with first-degree murder and second-degree murder as a form of terrorism.
Cases of dengue virus infections have soared considerably during the past two years, but healthcare professionals are worried about the restricted choices available to treat patients.
Proposed legislation in Congress to oversee pharmacy benefit managers could possibly be beneficial for pharmacies owned by Walgreens, Walmart, Rite Aid, and countless independent drugstores.
Elsewhere on Our Site
What We're Reading Elsewhere
Petition against polio vaccine could foreshadow more challenges (Axios)
Is Marty Makary a truth-teller or a reflexive contrarian? Determining who would run the FDA (Stat)
Study promoting unproven COVID treatment is withdrawn following a four-year ordeal (Nature)
- Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Neuralink, has expressed interest in developing vaccines, mentioning that his company could potentially contribute to the creation of a bird flu vaccine.
- In response to the avian flu outbreak, Donald Trump's administration has stockpiled doses of H5N1 vaccines, which could be used if the virus begins spreading from person to person.
- Luigi Mangione, the prime suspect in the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is reportedly facing charges for first-degree murder and second-degree murder as a form of terrorism.
- During the 2024 holidays, there have been no documented cases of avian flu spreading from person to person in the United States or elsewhere, which is a positive development for healthcare.
- In the midst of the H5N1 outbreak, healthcare providers are worried about the limited treatment options available for patients infected with dengue virus, another infectious disease.
