Fat cells from patients who had lost weight after bariatric surgery, as well as from animals who had gained and then lost weight, were transcriptionally distinct from cells that had not experienced such weight changes at the organism level. In the animal studies, those transcriptional changes were due to epigenetic changes. The findings, which were published online in Nature on Nov. 18, 2024, are a possible molecular-level explanation for the short-term nature of most weight loss.

Apollo Therapeutics Group Ltd. and Sunshine Lake Pharma Co. Ltd. inked a potential $938 million licensing deal for APL-18881 (HEC-88473), Sunshine’s dual fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21)/glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist currently in a phase II study for type 2 diabetes.

Astrazeneca plc has selected a candidate to progress under its type 1 diabetes regulatory T cell (Treg) therapy program with Quell Therapeutics Ltd. The company has exercised its exclusive option to license the therapy for further development and commercialization, resulting in a milestone payment to Quell of $10 million.

While women make up half the world’s population and own two out of every five businesses, there are substantial knowledge gaps about conditions affecting their health – mostly due to decades of research excluding women from clinical trials and investment decisions.

While women make up half the world’s population and own two out of every five businesses, there are substantial knowledge gaps about conditions affecting their health – mostly due to decades of research excluding women from clinical trials and investment decisions.

PTC Therapeutics Inc.’s accelerated go-ahead from the U.S. FDA for Kebilidi (eladocagene exuparvovec-tneq), a recombinant adeno-associated virus serotype 2-based gene therapy to treat aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency, came with a priority review voucher (PRV) that the company intends to monetize.

It’s difficult to fathom that the health of half the world’s population is underserved. But it’s a hard truth. There are many conditions that disproportionately impact women. Other conditions and diseases affect women in different ways than men. Decades of research excluding women from clinical trials and investment decisions in male-dominated board rooms have ignored these facts. Though an increasing number of women are now managing investments and driving the research, it’s all still woefully behind. In BioWorld’s new report, Healing the health divide, we’ve highlighted the disparities.