Scientists have demonstrated a potential one-time gene therapy that could permanently lower LDL cholesterol, offering a revolutionary approach to heart disease prevention. The treatment targets the PCSK9 gene, showing long-lasting effects in animal studies and raising hope for a single-dose solution to reduce cardiovascular risk.
Eric Topol highlights remarkable progress in cancer immunotherapy, noting that vaccines are now achieving cures or remissions in some of the most refractory cancers, including pancreatic, melanoma, glioblastoma, renal, and triple-negative breast cancer.
Colorectal cancer rates are increasing among younger adults, but the article urges caution in interpreting the trend, noting that absolute risk remains low and that the rise is partly due to improved detection and screening practices.
A new episode of Hard Drugs features Katharine Collins, who co-invented the R21 malaria vaccine during her PhD at Oxford's Jenner Institute. By modifying the expired patent of the first malaria vaccine (RTS,S), she created a cheaper, more scalable vaccine with a higher proportion of malaria antigen, making it more accessible for children worldwide.