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Alzheimer’s drug development pipeline: Positive results, new insight on biomarkers position 2024 as ‘learning year’

The Alzheimer's disease treatment landscape is experiencing a significant shift, with numerous potential drugs making their way through clinical trials. Biomarkers have also emerged as a key area of focus, providing valuable information on the drug's impact and allowing for more precise guidance in future trials.

SourceUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas·JournalAlzheimer s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions·TypeSystematic review·DateApr 24, 2024

Study suggests racial discrimination during midlife associated with Alzheimer’s disease pathology later in life

A new study found a link between midlife racial discrimination and increased levels of Alzheimer's disease markers, including phosphorylated tau181 and neurofilament light, in older age. Researchers analyzed data from 255 Black Americans over 17 years, revealing that chronic stress from racism contributed to dementia risk.

SourceAtrium Health Wake Forest Baptist·JournalAlzheimer s & Dementia·DateApr 10, 2024

Hope for treating autoimmune diseases

A routine blood test that measures inflammation levels could improve diagnosis and management of debilitating autoimmune diseases. The Systemic Inflammation Index (SII) has shown high accuracy in diagnosing immunological diseases.

SourceFlinders University·JournalClinical and Experimental Medicine·TypeSystematic review·DateApr 2, 2024

NIST researchers use cellphone compass to measure tiny concentrations of compounds important for human health

Researchers at NIST have developed a method using cellphone magnetometers to rapidly and cheaply measure biomedical properties for monitoring or diagnosing diseases, including glucose levels in saliva. The technique has the potential to detect environmental toxins and measure biomarkers such as histamines with high sensitivity.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 1, 2024

Soluble immune checkpoint factors in blood as potential biomarkers of therapeutic efficacy for ICI cancer immunotherapy and assessing t-cell exhaustion

Researchers developed a novel assay to study immune checkpoint molecules in blood plasma, finding elevated concentrations in patients with immune-reactive tumors who were nonresponsive to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade therapy. Soluble factors correlated with exhausted antitumor immunity and predicted therapy efficacy.

SourceKindai University·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateApr 1, 2024

Best way to bust deepfakes? Use AI to find real signs of life, say Klick Labs scientists

Researchers at Klick Labs developed an algorithm to detect deepfakes with 80% accuracy by analyzing speech pause patterns, offering a solution to the growing problem of AI-generated content. The study's findings suggest that vocal biomarkers can distinguish between real and fake voices, providing a novel approach to flagging deepfakes.

SourceKlick Applied Sciences·JournalJMIR Biomedical Engineering·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMar 21, 2024

NTU Singapore scientists invent a coin-sized device to rapidly isolate blood plasma for diagnostics and precision medicine

Researchers at NTU Singapore have created a chip that can directly isolate blood plasma from a tube of blood in just 30 minutes, removing over 99.9% of blood cells and platelets. The device, called ExoArc, enables high-quality plasma for disease screening and research, improving diagnosis accuracy and reducing waiting times.

SourceNanyang Technological University·JournalACS Nano·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMar 21, 2024

Genetic test identifies patients with triple negative breast cancer who are unlikely to respond to immunotherapies

A new genetic test has identified patients with triple negative early-stage breast cancer who are unlikely to respond to immunotherapy drugs. The test, called ImPrintTN, can predict a patient's likelihood of responding to these treatments and help avoid severe side effects.

SourceEuropean Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMar 19, 2024

Water droplet spun by sound screens for colon cancer

Researchers at Duke University have developed a new diagnostic platform that uses sound waves to spin an individual drop of water up to 6,000 revolutions per minute. The technique separates tiny biological particles within samples to enable new diagnostics based on exosomes.

SourceDuke University·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 13, 2024

Blood-based marker developed to identify sleep deprivation

A new biomarker developed by researchers at Monash University and the University of Birmingham can accurately detect when someone has not slept for 24 hours. The test has a 99.2% probability of being correct and could inform future tests to identify sleep-deprived drivers, reducing the risk of accidents and fatalities.

SourceUniversity of Birmingham·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 9, 2024

Earliest-yet Alzheimer’s biomarker found in mouse model could point to new targets

Researchers at the University of Illinois have identified a neural-specific protein, PSD-95, as an early biomarker for Alzheimer's disease. The study found that inhibiting PSD-95 slowed seizure activity in mice with amyloid-beta pathology, suggesting potential therapeutic targets for early-stage Alzheimer's.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalEMBO Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 6, 2024

Amyloid blood levels associated with brain changes in Alzheimer's study

A study published by the University of Florida suggests a connection between elevated amyloid blood levels and subtle brain microstructural changes in individuals without dementia. Researchers used diffusion MRI to detect free-water in the brain, revealing associations with structural abnormalities even when PET scans were negative.

SourceUniversity of Florida·JournalAlzheimer s & Dementia·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 6, 2024

Study identifies blood biomarkers to predict risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Researchers identified six blood biomarkers associated with increased cardiovascular risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. These biomarkers improved the ability to predict arterial inflammation, an indicator of cardiovascular risk, compared to standard clinical indices.

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalJournal of the American Heart Association·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateFeb 28, 2024

Promising pathways to simplified Alzheimer's diagnosis unveiled in groundbreaking study

A groundbreaking study has unveiled promising pathways to simplified Alzheimer's diagnosis using blood tests, demonstrating strong correlations with brain amyloid plaques across diverse populations. The Bio-Hermes study shows that blood tests can be used to identify persons with amyloid plaques in the brain, regardless of symptoms or r...

SourceGlobal Alzheimer's Platform Foundation·JournalAlzheimer s & Dementia·DateFeb 28, 2024

Blood test could determine diabetes risks

A new study from Edith Cowan University found that a blood test using joint cumulative high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and monocyte to high-density lipoprotein ratio can predict type 2 diabetes risk more effectively. Females were most at risk with significant interaction between MHR and CRP observed.

SourceEdith Cowan University·JournalJournal of Translational Medicine·TypeSystematic review·DateFeb 21, 2024

Detecting breast cancer through a spit test

A new hand-held device screens for breast cancer biomarkers from a tiny spit sample, offering quick and efficient results. The portable tool distinguishes between healthy tissue, early cancer, and advanced cancer in a small group of women.

SourceUniversity of Florida·JournalJournal of Vacuum Science & Technology B Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures Processing Measurement and Phenomena·DateFeb 16, 2024

Chronic fatigue syndrome: number of patients is expected to double due to long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine identifies potential biomarkers for ME/CFS diagnosis and treatment. Researchers found that patients can be divided into subgroups based on immune system function, revealing differences in intestinal barrier function and immune competence.

SourceMedical University of Vienna·JournalJournal of Clinical Medicine·DateFeb 15, 2024

Chinese Medical Journal Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine study reports a novel prognostic biomarker for lung cancer

Researchers identify a promising prognostic biomarker for lung cancer using circulating tumor DNA-based minimal residual disease detection. The study found that this method can effectively guide treatment decisions and predict recurrence risk, potentially modifying the lung cancer treatment paradigm.

SourceCactus Communications·JournalChinese Medical Journal - Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine·TypeLiterature review·DateFeb 14, 2024

Would you prefer a mammogram, MRI, or saliva on a test strip?

Researchers have developed a hand-held biosensor that can detect breast cancer biomarkers from saliva with high accuracy and efficiency. The device is portable, reusable, and cost-effective, making it an excellent choice for communities or hospitals without access to advanced technologies like MRI.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalJournal of Vacuum Science & Technology B Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures Processing Measurement and Phenomena·DateFeb 13, 2024

Advancing precision diagnostics at the patient point-of-care

A new nanocomposite porous antifouling coating has been developed, enabling higher numbers of biomarker-detecting probes and up to 17-fold higher sensitivities than previous best-in-class sensors. This breakthrough broadens the diagnostic horizon for multiplexed electrochemical sensors across multiple diseases.

SourceWyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 8, 2024

Ketamine’s promise for severe depression grows, but major questions remain

New findings from a study on ketamine's efficacy in treating severe depression reveal that 52% of participants achieved remission after just three infusions. The study also found that half of those who had thought often of suicide before receiving ketamine experienced a dramatic drop in suicidal impulses.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalJournal of Affective Disorders·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 8, 2024