Chinese scientists at Shenzhen University have developed an AI model using clinical trial data to predict depression risks up to four years in advance, potentially aiding public health efforts.
Joshua Pederson, father of a 12-year-old cancer survivor, condemns prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket for allowing bets on clinical trial outcomes, arguing it creates unethical incentives and distances bettors from the human cost.
A father shares his emotional turmoil as his 12-year-old son undergoes a clinical trial for recurring cancer, just as prediction market Kalshi moves to allow financial bets on FDA decisions and clinical trial results.
Kalshi is expanding its prediction markets to include wagers on drug trial results, aiming to increase transparency in drug development. This pilot program, in partnership with AppliedXL, faces criticism regarding market manipulation and insider trading. Kalshi also paused plans for flight cancellation bets after FlightAware disavowed data use.
Engineers and surgeons at UC San Diego have demonstrated that teleoperated humanoid robots can perform live minimally invasive surgery. In preclinical trials, humanoid robots successfully completed gallbladder removal operations on non-primate mammals, marking a significant step towards integrating these robots into future operating rooms.
Over 50 days into the Ebola outbreak in DRC and Uganda, clinical trials are underway for new treatments against the rarer Bundibugyo virus. Two drugs, remdesivir and MBP-134, are being tested for treatment, while obeldesivir is being studied for post-exposure prevention. The trials face challenges including ongoing conflict and community mistrust.
Frontline workers in Congo's escalating Ebola outbreak threaten to strike Monday over unpaid benefits and poor working conditions. The outbreak has surpassed 500 deaths and 1,561 cases, spreading across three eastern provinces. The strike could disrupt clinical trials and containment efforts.
The BrioVAD, a compact, magnetically levitated heart pump from China, is being tested in a US clinical trial for advanced heart failure patients. It's the first active implantable medical device from China to gain FDA approval for US trials, aiming to prove its safety and efficacy against the current market leader, HeartMate 3.
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.
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.
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.
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%.
