AIM for Climate Summit and Lyme disease news

The AIM for Climate Summit wraps up in Washington, D.C., with calls for investment in the bioeconomy. Plus, we’re watching for ticks—and new Lyme disease treatments and vaccines. (677 words, 3 minutes, 23 seconds)

AIM for Climate Summit highlights climate-smart innovation

Partners strengthened global cooperation to reduce the impact of agriculture on climate, and a new strategy highlights the important role for biotech—read more.

What’s happening: The Agriculture Innovation Mission (AIM) for Climate Summit wraps up in Washington, D.C. today, where global partners are discussing how to increase investment and support for climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovation. (BIO is an AIM for Climate Knowledge Partner.)

The summit lays out three foundations for progress:

1. Investment increased to more than $13 billion, exceeding the challenge set last year at COP27.
2. 21 new Innovation Sprints, using non-government investments to achieve goals in a short time frame, were enacted with $1.8 billion in investment.
3. Partners now total 500+, with new members including Argentina, Fiji, Guatemala, India, Panama, Paraguay, and Sri Lanka.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced two new launches:

• USDA Science and Research Strategy, which guides R&D priorities for the next three years and highlights biotech’s role in reducing waste and emissions.
• USDA International Climate Hub, an online platform to share research on climate and help measure climate-smart conservation practices.

What they’re saying: We need more support for “biotechnology and biomanufacturing capacity in food and agriculture to reach the bold societal goals for advancing the U.S. bioeconomy to support a sustainable circular economy,” says USDA’s Science and Research Strategy. 

Read more on Bio.News—and watch the final day of the summit online here.

More Agriculture & Environment News:

Science: NIH restarts bat virus grant suspended 3 years ago by Trump
“Revised award to EcoHealth Alliance will no longer involve studies of hybrid coronaviruses.”

BIO Press Release: Nominate Biotech Heroes for BIO's Impact Awards
"Nominations are now open for two prestigious awards to honor today’s biotech heroes—innovators who are driving discoveries to strengthen agricultural, environmental and economic resiliency. Collectively known as the Biotechnology Innovation Organization’s Impact Awards, the awards are presented in conjunction with BIO’s Impact Ag & Environment Conference."  

Lyme Disease Awareness Month: Watch for ticks – and new treatments

With the season for outdoor activities arriving, it’s time to be aware of the risk of ticks and the Lyme disease they can carry. Luckily, biotech’s on the case.

Small bug, big problem: Every year, nearly half a million Americans are treated for Lyme disease, the country’s most common vector-borne disease, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It’s caused by the bite of black-legged ticks infected with Lyme disease bacteria.

Symptoms, treatment: Lyme disease can cause fever, headache, fatigue, and a rash. It’s treated with heavy courses of antibiotics, so prevention—avoiding ticks and completely removing them from your body with tweezers—is crucial.

Ties to long COVID: Some patients develop Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS), causing pain, fatigue, or difficulty thinking for up to six months. This syndrome appears related to long COVID, and research into long COVID may help us understand PTLDS.

But new tools could be here soon:

• Pfizer and Valneva are cooperating on a Lyme disease vaccine, with plans to seek Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in the next two years.
• Moderna is developing two vaccine candidates.
• The University of Massachusetts reports promising data from the first human trial of a monoclonal antibody against Lyme disease.

The context: Lyme infections are more common in the northern U.S., but infections are growing in frequency—perhaps due to climate change. 

Learn more: May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month, the start of peak season for Lyme infections (May-August).

More Health News:

STAT News (Opinion): The IRA’s nonsensical distinction between small- and large-molecule drugs
“There is no scientific reason for this distinction, and it will have a real and detrimental impact on drug discovery and patient care. Nine years is not enough time to recoup the deep investments into small molecule R&D before government price controls take effect. As a result, companies will deprioritize small molecule programs, lowering the potential to create drugs using these technologies,” writes Daniel M. Skovronsky, M.D., Ph.D., EVP, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer, and President of Lilly Research Laboratories at Eli Lilly and Co.

President Biden’s Wednesday: Visiting New York State, where he’s expected to deliver a speech calling on Republicans to raise the U.S. debt limit immediately and without conditions. Bloomberg reports that he and Congressional Republicans “made little tangible progress,” but have pledged to continue negotiations.

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: Senate hearings will cover insulin prices and the nomination of Xochitl Torres Small for Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. House hearings cover the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) budget and policies that inhibit innovation and patient access.”