China has approved NEO, the world's first commercial brain-computer chip, for mass production. The coin-sized device, designed for patients with spinal cord injuries and paralysis, uses a less invasive approach than Elon Musk's Neuralink, which is still under US regulatory review.
Serum Institute of India will manufacture clinical trial doses of an experimental Ebola vaccine from Oxford University, backed by up to $8.6 million in funding from CEPI. The vaccine uses the same ChAdOx1 platform as the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, aiming for rapid development and affordable access for affected nations in Africa.
A new treatment called amivantamab, developed by Johnson & Johnson, has shown unprecedented results in patients with head and neck cancer who did not respond to chemotherapy and immunotherapy. In a study involving 102 patients across 11 countries, tumors completely disappeared in 15 patients, and shrank in 43 others.
A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reveals that Africans, despite representing 19% of the global population and being highly exposed to diseases, are largely excluded from clinical trials. Out of over 2,000 publications analyzed between 2019 and 2024, only 3.9% were conducted exclusively in Africa.
Spain boasts around 450 AI startups. Multiverse Computing, a leader, aims for unicorn status with a €500M round. Cala AI, founded by a former Apple exec, focuses on external data for AI. Openchip seeks to lead Europe's microchip industry, and Biorce uses AI to streamline clinical trials.
Cancer immunotherapies, including checkpoint inhibitors and vaccines, work by reactivating or engineering immune cells to attack tumors. Researchers are studying factors influencing patient response and exploring similar approaches for allergies, depression, and autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease.
Alzheimer’s Research UK says patients at risk of being left behind as lack of formal or accurate diagnoses closes door to trialsPeople with Alzheimer’s disease are missing out on experimental treatments because they are not diagnosed early or accurately enough to be enrolled in clinical trials, a UK charity has said.Trials of Alzheimer’s drugs reached a record high this year, according to data published on Tuesday, but Alzheimer’s Research UK said too few UK patients were taking part because their diagnoses were delayed or were not specific enough. Continue reading...
Researchers at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) say they have developed a world-first nasal spray that delivers neurotherapeutic powder directly to the brain as first aid for ischemic stroke patients, with clinical trials expected by 2030. The treatment is intended for initial use by paramedics, before being rolled out to high-risk groups in care facilities and eventually the general public through pharmacies. It was developed by the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine at HKU and the university’s...
South Korea approved 53 clinical trials in Q1 2026, with only 19% led by Korean developers while over 80% were overseas-led. Phase 3 trials accounted for 53%, and antibody-based drugs represented over 80% of approvals. Oncology trials dominated at 49% of total.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Saturday aimed at accelerating psychedelics research, directing agencies to expand clinical trials and Right to Try access for psilocybin, MDMA and ibogaine. The order leaves drug scheduling unchanged and comes amid stalled cannabis rescheduling efforts, raising questions about whether psychedelics will face similar federal delays. Psychedelic stocks rallied significantly following the announcement, with AtaiBeckley jumping roughly 25%.
