A gene therapy based on an enhanced lipid nanoparticle (LNP) loaded with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA could be developed for the treatment of preeclampsia, according to a study in mice in which it alleviated maternal hypertension until the end of gestation and improved fetal health. Preeclampsia is a disease that affects 3% to 5% of pregnant women, who suffer from hypertension and proteinuria, elevated levels of protein in the urine, during pregnancy.

Nua Surgical Ltd. secured €6.5 million ($6.9 million) in series A financing to support regulatory clearance in the U.S. and early commercialization of its Stericision C-section retractor. The device is a self-retaining surgical retractor designed to improve outcomes for mothers undergoing a caesarean section.

In breast cancer, neoadjuvant chemotherapy reduces the tumor before surgery. However, the response to this treatment does not depend solely on the subtype of malignancies. Other factors could play a key role in its effectiveness, as shown in a study that described how the estrous cycle phases contribute to this variation.