💉 The kids aren't all right; The kids will probably never be all right; Hey look, a map of the body
#544 | Brazil wants to end world hunger; Plastic... it's all up inside us; AI comes for weather forecasting
Hello, and welcome back to The Kable for your favourite weekly round-up of all things life sciences.
First up, some news on the mpox front. The WHO has listed one more vaccine - this one by Japan's KM Biologics - for emergency use. Nigeria finally began a long-awaited vaccination campaign. A newly-published study says the new mpox clade - Clade 1a - has evolved to jump from humans to humans. That, and the fact that the US has reported its first case of this new clade, might just be what causes wider consternation in the Western world and a return to their vaccine-hoarding ways.
Coming to the other ongoing yet undeclared epidemic, the US has confirmed an outbreak of bird flu in a domestic flock - of birds - in Hawaii. The US also reported the first human case of bird flu in Oregon and the first case of bird flu in a child anywhere in the country from California. The child infected with bird flu had reportedly no contact with wild animals or other symptomatic humans. The US has now reported 54 total cases of humans with bird flu, 53 of which have come in the past couple of months. Meanwhile, tests on the teenager infected with bird flu in Canada - who is still in critical condition - reveal that the variant of bird flu they're infected with is showing signs of adaptation to humans. Good times, they never stop.
Speaking of never stopping, the week began with two Indian drugmakers recalling products in the US over manufacturing issues. It ended with another Indian drugmaker facing flak from the US FDA over signification violations.
And finally, hypochondria. No, not just an imaginary condition. New research says it is a real illness, comparable to depression, and highlighted two types: illness anxiety disorder and somatic symptom disorder. And a third, more modern type: cyberchondria, in which people surf the web researching medical conditions they believe they might be suffering from. The mortality stats for hypochondria sufferers make for distressing reading, too.
Stories Of The Week
Big bucks for weather forecasting. A global initiative called AIM for Scale, launched by the Gates Foundation and the UAE at COP28 last year, has announced its first major investment of $1 billion to help farmers adapt to climate change by providing better weather forecasting. This investment package, introduced at COP29 in Azerbaijan, aims to use AI technology for more accurate and cost-effective predictions, crucial for farmers facing unpredictable weather. The funding comes from partners like the World Bank, USAID, ADB, and IDB, with contributions supporting improved weather services across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, including grants for farmer training, infrastructure, and AI-driven forecasting projects.
(WMO)
Looking forward to good days. The UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children 2024 report highlights the severe challenges faced by children globally due to climate and environmental hazards, with nearly a billion kids in high-risk countries. It details how climate change, pollution, and extreme weather uniquely affect children’s health, increasing risks like respiratory issues, waterborne diseases, food insecurity, and emotional trauma. The report warns that by 2050, many more children will face extreme climate hazards and notes the rise in school closures, displacement, and socio-economic inequalities caused by environmental threats. Ironically, the hopeful notes in the report come from advances in technology like AI, which the report believes could significantly improve children’s futures.
(UNICEF)
Not a good week to be a kid. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), about 182 million children aged three to four years lack access to adequate nurturing care, risking their healthy development, according to a new study in The Lancet. Environmental factors like air pollution, climate change, and chemical exposure also negatively impact child development. The study emphasizes the importance of nurturing care during the "next 1,000 days" (ages two to five) but notes that few children in these countries attend early childhood care and education (ECCE) programmes. Despite clear evidence of ECCE benefits and economic gains, there is little policy focus worldwide on addressing climate impacts on child development or integrating ECCE into climate action plans.
(The Lancet)
Not walking the talk. A recent report from the Access to Medicine Index reveals that major pharmaceutical companies have made minimal progress in expanding access to essential medicines since the Covid pandemic. Despite some efforts by companies like Pfizer, Novo Nordisk, and Bristol Myers Squibb, the availability of life-saving drugs remains limited in many LMICs, with many initiatives reaching fewer than a quarter of their target nations. The lack of clinical trials in low-income regions further limits access, as most drugmakers only seek approvals where trials occur. Local manufacturing efforts are also falling short, with technology transfers primarily benefiting a few upper-middle-income countries, leaving much of sub-Saharan Africa dependent on imports. Voluntary licensing agreements have slowed, and new access models show mixed results.
(Access to Medicine Foundation)
Breakthroughs
No mo cholesterol. Eli Lilly's experimental oral drug, Muvalaplin, showed promising results in reducing levels of lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), an inherited risk factor for heart disease, in a mid-stage trial presented at the American Heart Association meeting. The highest dose of Muvalaplin reduced Lp(a) by nearly 86% using a new test, and by 70% with a traditional blood test. Muvalaplin stands out as the only oral treatment among several injectables being tested for high Lp(a), which currently has no approved treatments. The drug demonstrated similar safety to the placebo, and Lilly plans to discuss the next steps with regulators.
(Lilly)
Malaria begone. Even with new vaccines, malaria continues to be a significant health crisis, causing about 600,000 deaths annually, primarily affecting young children in sub-Saharan Africa. But that could soon change. Researchers have identified two broadly reactive human monoclonal antibodies (C7 and C74) that target the proteins responsible for severe malaria. These antibodies were found to prevent parasite-infected red blood cells from sticking to blood vessels in laboratory tests, which is crucial as such blockages can lead to severe complications like cerebral malaria. Using organ-on-a-chip technology, the team recreated human blood vessels to successfully demonstrate that these antibodies can inhibit the accumulation of infected cells, offering hope for new vaccines or treatments against severe malaria. The findings indicate that individuals frequently exposed to malaria may develop broadly effective antibodies, potentially paving the way for innovative interventions.
(Nature)
A map of the world. The Human Cell Atlas project, an ambitious effort to map all 37 trillion cells in the human body, is revolutionizing our understanding of biology by revealing thousands of cell types, far more than the previously estimated 200. This "human cartography" is akin to moving from the crude maps of the 15th century to modern, high-resolution Google Maps, offering deep insights into the complexities of our body. So far, researchers have analyzed over 100 million cells, uncovering detailed insights such as the early formation of the skeleton, a deeper understanding of immune system development, and new disease-relevant cell types, like gut metaplastic cells linked to inflammatory bowel diseases. This colossal collaborative effort, involving over 3,600 scientists from 100 countries, has already produced numerous breakthroughs, and, when completed, promises to transform disease diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment, much like the Human Genome Project did for genetics.
(Nature)
Bottom line
A plan to end hunger. At the G20 summit in Brazil, not much was set in stone. However, they did come up with a roadmap for ending world hunger. How? With the launch of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. The initiative aims at connecting countries with the necessary policies, partnerships, and resources to eradicate hunger. Already supported by 82 countries, numerous international organizations, and unions, the alliance's goal is to facilitate practical solutions like cash transfers, school meal programs, and support for small-scale farmers. With commitments from major players such as the World Bank and the Gates Foundation, the alliance is striving to match urgent needs with the resources required, with Brazil pledging financial support until 2030. The hope is that this collective effort can lead to meaningful progress in the fight against global hunger.
(G20)
Long reads
Belief before balm. The week-long series on women's health that BioWorld was writing? One of the articles in there is about strategies for diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis. Excellent read.
(BioWorld)
Hot? What is hot even? The dream of keeping global warming below 1.5°C is slipping into the past, with 2024 likely to cross this symbolic threshold for the first time. And yes, the impact will most certainly trigger a cascade effect of ills and ailments that cannot be tamed.
(The Guardian)
An eye on the future. The WHO's much-touted mRNA Vaccine Program hasn't really delivered much yet. Health Policy Watch takes a look at the hub in South Africa and what the future for it looks like.
(Health Policy Watch)
Becoming cyborgs, but plasticated. Oh, so there is plastic in our waters? No more than the obscene amounts of plastic that we're now carrying around in our bodies. And yet, plastic producers want to keep on producing.
(Mongabay)
Oh, and Gopal Nair doesn't want you to see this.