Vertebral compression fractures are one of the more obvious signs of osteoporosis but can be difficult to diagnose, one of several reasons the U.K. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has given the nod to five AI products that can improve rapid detection of these fractures.
At the recent European Respiratory Society meeting, researchers from 35Pharma Inc. presented data on HS-235, an activin receptor inhibitor designed to neutralize activins and growth differentiation factors (GDFs). Disorders such as heart failure (HF) and pulmonary hypertension (PH) are associated with dysregulated activin and GDFs without neutralizing bone morphogenetic proteins such as BMP-9 and BMP-10, which play key roles in lymphatic and vascular homeostasis.
Many patients who survive myocardial infarction go on to experience heart failure. Researchers at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University found that bone morphogenetic protein 1 (BMP1) was upregulated in patients after myocardial infarction, as well as in a mouse model of the same condition.
Novo Nordisk A/S terminated its global licensing deal with Japan’s Heartseed Inc. for its allogeneic induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes.
In heart failure, the heart does not oxygenate body tissues adequately. A standard treatment is SGLT2 inhibitors such as empagliflozin and dapagliflozin, derived from the national product phlorizin. However, long-term use of these inhibitors increases risk of renal damage and euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis.
In a real-world study, Eko Health Inc.’s AI-enabled digital stethoscope dramatically increased detection rates for atrial fibrillation, heart failure and valvular heart disease in primary care settings. Researchers from Imperial College London presented results from the study at the European Society of Cardiology in Madrid.
Edwards Lifesciences Corp. fully acquired Vectorious Medical Technologies Ltd. for $497 million, following a series of investments in the heart failure technology company over the last five years.
Fractalkine, when binding to its receptor CX3CR1, modulates leukocyte adhesion and acts as a chemotactic agent. The expression of cardiac CX3CR1/fractalkine is elevated in patients with heart failure and CX3CR1 antagonists may improve the cardiac function by modulation of this axis.
Ultromics Ltd. raised $55 million in a series C financing round to expand its commercial footprint across the U.S. and invest in the development of new AI modules for earlier, more accurate detection of cardiovascular disease, Ross Upton, CEO and founder of Ultromics told BioWorld.
Heartbeat.bio AG and Biotx.ai GmbH have partnered to identify and validate novel therapeutic targets in heart failure. The collaboration combines Biotx.ai’s causal mapping of the genome for target discovery with Heartbeat.bio’s human-based Cardioid drug discovery platform.
