💉 J&J makes a buy; GSK takes the fight to AMR; AbbVie bets billions on psychiatric disorders
#517 | The world is getting ridiculously hot; France gets some much-needed investment; A dengue vaccine gets prequalified
Hello, and welcome back to The Kable for another riveting recap of the week that was.
As last week, we begin with reporting on progress made in the new pandemic pact. And the report is that progress hasn't been made but members will try for consensus for the next two weeks too. Meanwhile, a revised draft of the treaty is now in the public domain (thank you, Health Policy Watch) and the prognosis is hopeful and dismal at the same time.
In Nigeria, a mystery disease outbreak in Zamfara continues to spread and mystify, having claimed 13 lives among over 500 cases so far.
In Saudi Arabia, there were three reported cases of MERS-CoV last month, reportedly all linked to exposure at a healthcare facility in Riyadh.
In Abu Dhabi, the Department of Health had a busy week of it. First, in setting up a regional vaccine distribution hub in partnership with GSK. And then, in partnering with the Harvard Medical School to "advance clinical and translational research in genomics and AI."
If you too believe manufacturing drugs in Africa will be the cure for the inequities in medicine access faced by the continent, then you may want to consider attending this event hosted by the Medicines Patent Pool on May 29th. Hosted on the sidelines of the 77th World Health Assembly, this online event - Accelerating Vaccine and Therapeutic Production for Health Security in Africa - well, the name says it all. Register here.
Speaking of medical and healthcare inequities, we are happy to report that at least one chronically underfunded and underinvested country saw a lot of investment announcements made this week. Sanofi, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, GSK, Novartis are among the names that have collectively pledged billions of € in shoring up health sovereignty in this country. Which is this chronically underfunded country receiving this windfall, you ask? France.
Talking of pledges, bird flu "may pose no danger to humans" but health agencies in the US are putting in millions of dollars in tracking and containing it. Elsewhere in the US, a study with its heart in the right place concluded that bird flu cannot survive in a fully cooked burger.
And if the mention of bird flu wasn't enough of a dampener, in Taiwan, an outbreak of Newcastle disease has seen over 50,000 birds being killed. While in Scotland, cows are catching mad cow disease.
India's spice mixes look like they will be this year's answer to last year's cough syrups. Recent news says one of the Indian spice makers under the radar has seen several rejections from the US already. And the UK is making inspection of Indian spices more rigorous. Nepal, meanwhile, has banned both under-fire spice makers - Everest and MDH.
AstraZeneca might have withdrawn its Covid vaccine but it is still very much in the Covid game. The company recently reported Phase 3 results from its Covid antibody trial and the drug seems to be effective.
And finally, the first human patient to receive a transplanted pig kidney has died. No news on the donor pig.
Stories Of The Week
Make in Africa. The continent is increasingly recognising the importance of developing local solutions to address its health needs. Historically reliant on imported medicines and vaccines, Africa is now focusing on strengthening its capacity to produce medical supplies. Gavi has a note on how this future could become actuality. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) aims to boost intra-African trade, reduce tariffs, and support local manufacturing while initiatives like the African Medicines Agency and the African Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation are set to enhance regional production and innovation. All crucial steps on the path to reducing dependency on imports and building a resilient healthcare system capable of meeting Africa's needs.
(Gavi)
Dengue begone! In what is easily the best news of this week, Takeda's dengue vaccine, Qdenga, has received prequalification from the WHO, making it eligible for procurement by international agencies like UNICEF and Gavi. This approval means that children aged 6 to 16 in high-risk areas can now receive the two-dose vaccine, which is administered three months apart. With dengue cases hitting a record high last year and on course for a new record this year and the WHO predicting further increases due to climate change and urbanisation, this prequalification couldn't have come a day too soon.
(WHO)
Say buh-bye to gramma. By 2050, nearly a quarter of the world's older adults could be facing dangerously high temperatures, a stark increase from today's 14%. A recent study projects that an additional 246 million people aged 69 and older will experience extreme heat, exceeding 37.5°C. This threat is particularly severe in Africa and Asia, where many older adults reside. And climate change is still intensifying which means it’s way past critical to prepare by bolstering healthcare, creating public cooling centers, and enhancing urban green spaces.Â
(Nature Communications)
Can't spell AMR without Big Pharma. A little over a week ago, the UK government had announced a new initiative to combat AMR, an expansion of its existing work in the space. Now, GSK has signed on as the first founding partner of the new Fleming Initiative with £45 million in funding for the programme. The Big Pharma's contribution will go towards approved projects that use new technology to interpret and use scientific data, discover novel treatments and interventions, study how drug-resistant infections are transmitted and can be prevented, and find ways to improve detection and tracking of infections.Â
(UK Gov, GSK)
Breakthroughs
Plant power. Researchers have discovered that an experimental treatment made from a plant virus can effectively protect against a wide range of metastatic cancers in mice. This treatment uses nanoparticles derived from the cowpea mosaic virus, which typically infects black-eyed pea plants. The study showed that these nanoparticles significantly improved survival rates and reduced tumour growth in various cancer models, including colon, ovarian, melanoma, and breast cancer. Remarkably, the treatment was also effective when administered after surgical removal of tumours, preventing the regrowth of cancer. The next steps include safety studies and potential clinical trials to further explore this promising approach.
(Advanced Science)
Dairy power. Imagine a gel made from milk proteins and gold nanoparticles that could be the ultimate hangover cure by preventing it altogether. Early tests in mice show promise, reducing blood alcohol levels by 40% in just 30 minutes. The gel works by shifting alcohol breakdown from the liver to the digestive tract, avoiding the harmful byproduct acetaldehyde, which causes hangover symptoms. Instead, alcohol is converted into less-toxic acetic acid. The gel also appears to protect organs, as mice given the gel with alcohol had better liver fat metabolism and less weight loss. While still in early stages, this gel could help people enjoy alcohol without the dreaded next-day effects. Abstinence is still best though.
(Nature Nanotechnology)
Corporate
Big bucks, big deals. Amid yet another busy week of wheeling and dealing in the world of Big Pharma, J&J acquired biotech startup Proteologix for $850 million in cash, gaining a portfolio of bispecific antibodies for immune diseases. Japan's Takeda is also betting on immunotherapy, with an option on an Alzheimer’s disease immunotherapy from AC Immune. The deal comes with an upfront payment of $100 million and up to $2.1 billion in milestone payments. And AbbVie has inked a new deal with Gilgamesh Pharmaceuticals to develop next-gen therapies for psychiatric disorders. Gilgamesh will get $65 million upfront and could make up to $1.95 billion in milestones and royalties.
(JnJ, Takeda, AbbVie)
Bottom line
Heat? You ain't seen nothing yet. April's scorching temperatures across Asia were a harsh reminder that climate change isn't just knocking—it's kicking down the door. Record highs left billions sweltering, schools closed, and crops fried, with many falling ill or worse. The culprit? Our relentless burning of oil, gas, and coal. Without these emissions, a 15-day heatwave would have been nearly impossible, even with El Niño's help. From India hitting a blistering 46°C to Tel Aviv's sweltering 40.7°C, the heat was off the charts. Governments need to step up with serious heat action plans, because Mother Nature, fueled by climate change, isn't cooling off anytime soon.
(World Weather Attribution)
How about some bheja fry? What? You thought climate change is just melting our glaciers. Think again, it's frying our brains too! Rising temperatures and humidity can worsen conditions like stroke, migraines, epilepsy, and even Alzheimer's. Climate change is giving us such extreme heatwaves that our brains just can't handle them.
(The Conversation)
Long reads
Antibiotics? We don't need no stinking antibiotics. Imagine a world where a simple scratch could be a death sentence—that's the nightmare scenario we're facing with antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In 2019 alone, AMR was behind nearly 5 million premature deaths, topping even HIV/AIDS and malaria, and that number could double by 2050. The pipeline for new drugs is practically a desert, making us dread a return to pre-antibiotic days where routine infections become deadly again. The solution? The WEF has some thoughts.
(WEF)
A for Animals, A for AMR. You think AMR in humans is bad? AMR in animals is no laughing matter either. A new report from WOAH shows that global antimicrobial use in animals is on the rise, after several consecutive years of significant decrease. Read the report.
(WOAH)
Bye-bye greens, bye-bye shadiness. A new study published in Nature Sustainability mapped a half billion individual farmland trees in India and tracked their fate over a decade. Read the studyto know what happened to those trees. Hint: not a magic act.
(Nature Sustainability)
Oh, and Gopal Nair doesn't want you to see this.