Biotech
A pig kidney transplant kept a man off dialysis for nine months, the longest reported dialysis-free survival after the procedure in a living human. The genetically modified organ functioned for 271 days before the patient moved to short-term dialysis and later received a human donor kidney. The case also marked the first transition from a [...]
Revier Therapeutics has officially launched after closing a €6m seed round to support development of its preclinical cardiometabolic pipeline. The Heidelberg-based biotech is developing disease-modifying therapies for cardiometabolic diseases, initially focusing on heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Revier is developing small-molecule treatments that selectively target class IIa histone [...]
A shingles vaccine was linked to lower risks of heart attack, heart failure and stroke in older adults, a US study of 70,000 people suggests. People who received Shingrix had a 12 per cent lower risk of a cardiovascular event during the first three and a half years after vaccination. By the end of the [...]
A personalised melanoma vaccine has extended cancer-free time in high-risk patients when combined with Keytruda, according to interim trial results. The phase three trial involved more than 1,000 patients with high-risk stage two, three or four melanoma who had undergone surgery. Early results indicate that combining the vaccine with Keytruda significantly increased the time patients [...]
The MHRA has clarified the UK licensing pathway for microbiome medicines, explaining how developers can pursue licensing under existing rules. Microbiome-based medicines work by modulating, restoring or replacing the human microbiome. The MHRA said the products fall within the existing UK medicines framework under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012. Depending on their [...]
A hydrogel 'invisibility cloak' could protect transplanted diabetes cells from immune attack and reduce the need for immunosuppressive drugs. The experimental coating was tested on insulin-producing cells transplanted into diabetic mice, restoring healthy blood sugar within a week in treated animals. Researchers said the approach could eventually make cell therapies less reliant on drugs that [...]
A new malaria compound could simplify prevention and treatment by allowing patients to receive therapy in a single dose, early trial results suggest. The compound, called cabamiquine, was tested alongside the existing antimalarial drug pyronaridine in adults and teenagers. Researchers said the combination was effective and had a favourable safety profile, supporting further testing in [...]
Six Australian startups in biomedical and health tech will share A$13.5m to advance technologies spanning AI, cancer and cardiovascular care. The companies are developing products for inflammatory disease, oncology, cardiovascular disease, neurological disorders and AI-enabled digital health. Three of the startups, Aleris Therapeutics, Frontier Inflammasome Therapeutics and Luma Bio, will each receive A$2.5m. [...]
UK scientists will grow miniature organs from NHS patient cells to improve medicine testing and reduce the number of animals used in drug development. The lab-grown tissues will be used to study how diseases differ between patients, helping researchers identify which treatments may work best according to the underlying cause of their condition. The work [...]
The UK has become the first country in Europe to approve the GLP-1 tablet orforglipron for weight management and type 2 diabetes. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) authorised orforglipron, marketed as Foundayo, on 10 August 2026. Alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, the medicine is authorised for weight loss and [...]
