Oncores Medical Pty Ltd. reported positive data from its first in-cavity trial of its quantitative micro-elastography (QME) imaging system, a hand-held imaging tool that helps surgeons differentiate between cancerous and healthy breast tissue at the point of surgery.

Researchers in China have discovered a new therapeutic target, and identified a rapid-acting lead compound that may overcome the drawbacks of current antidepressants. The research team, based at Nanjing Medical University’s School of Pharmacy, designed a fast-acting antidepressant that works by disrupting the interaction between the serotonin transporter (SERT) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the dorsal raphe nucleus. The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) of the midbrain influences a number of central nervous system processes, and the main transmitter of the DRN is serotonin, the primary target for most antidepressants. Neurons communicate with each other by releasing a series of neurotransmitters into the synaptic space, and these transmitted electrical signals ultimately determine feelings, thoughts and actions, explained co-lead study author Qi-Gang Zhou. The study was published in Science on Oct. 28, 2022.

Shanghai’s State Medical Products Administration announced that GSK plc has been banned from participating in volume-based procurement tenders until April 29, 2024, after failing a good manufacturing practices (GMP) inspection at a contract manufacturing plant in Poland that makes products for China.

The potential for psychedelics to deliver long-lasting benefits for people with anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and addiction is being put to the test in Australia, where new research and discovery centers are adding to a global enterprise of nearly 100 clinical trials underway in the space.