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With Valley fever cases on the rise, we look at the latest news on vaccines for pets and people. Plus, exclusive interviews with the winners of the Start-Up Stadium at the 2024 BIO International Convention and more news you need to know as Congress returns from recess. (756 words, 3 minutes, 46 seconds) |
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What to know about Valley fever vaccine development |
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As California sees high numbers of Valley fever cases, the biotech company making a vaccine for dogs is researching whether it could protect people, too.
What is Valley fever? A lung infection caused by the Coccidioides fungus, found in the soil in arid climates in the U.S., Mexico, and Central and South America. It can cause pneumonia-like symptoms, and severe cases can turn deadly.
What’s happening: Valley fever’s range is spreading and it’s becoming more common due to climate change, a new study confirms. U.S. cases increased nearly 10-fold, from 2,271 in 1998 to 20,202 in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Valley fever is hard on dogs. Being lower to the ground and sniffing makes dogs more susceptible, and the disease can be more severe and more often fatal for them, as an episode of the I am BIO Podcast explained.
What biotech’s doing: BIO member Anivive Lifesciences has a Valley fever dog vaccine awaiting U.S. Department of Agriculture approval, says the Arizona Bioindustry Association (AZBIO). This is the first antifungal vaccine for any species, and Anivive is working to adapt it for humans. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is giving Anivive up to $33 million to help bring a human vaccine to clinical trial. Read more at Bio.News. |
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Start-Up Stadium 2024 recognizes innovative approaches to neurological treatments |
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Nanoparticles that facilitate neurological drug delivery and innovation that energizes nerve cells are two innovations spotlighted at the 2024 Start-Up Stadium. Start-Up Stadium provides start-ups with the opportunity to engage potential investors and partners. During BIO 2024, 47 select finalists from 13 countries shared a quick pitch showcasing new technologies and therapeutic solutions to a panel of investor judges, followed by live feedback. The 2024 winners: SiNON Nano Sciences won the Seed-Stage prize, and Neuroene Therapeutics won the Emerging Company prize. SiNON targets neurological diseases by developing drugs that can cross the blood-brain barrier, which poses a challenge for drug delivery because it protects the brain by allowing only 2% of molecules to pass through. “We developed a carbon-based solution,”SiNON CEO Afreen Allam tells Bio.News, “because it’s a fundamental building block of life and is naturally present in our bodies, making it a safe compound” that can carry treatments across the blood-brain barrier. |
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Neuroene helps neurons by boosting cell health. “Mitochondria are the energy powerhouse of the cell, and the neurons [nerve cells] in particular need a lot of energy for their function. So, mitochondrial dysfunction is a huge problem in neurological diseases,” explains Neuroene CEO Sherine Chan. “Our unique, patented compounds protect mitochondrial health,” Chan tells Bio.News. The company is developing an epilepsy drug, which has FDA Orphan Drug designation, and a Parkinson’s drug. |
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What Else to Know This Week |
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The first non-farm worker in the U.S. contracted avian flu. The person, who had underlying medical conditions, recovered, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Friday. "Based on available data, CDC's current assessment is that the risk to the general public from H5N1 remains low," the CDC said. "Circumstances may change quickly as more information is learned. The results of this investigation will be particularly important in light of the current lack of an obvious animal exposure." Testing is underway for a vaccine to protect cows and prevent mutations that could allow human-to-human spread, Bio.News has reported.
Pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. have risen 140%—and cardiovascular disease is the leading cause, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). Merck for Mothers is Merck's $650 million global maternal health initiative to raise awareness of urgent maternal warning signs during and after pregnancy. Read our interview with Jacquelyn Caglia, Director of Merck for Mothers.
How do we turn early-stage science into products that save millions of lives? The Bayh-Dole Coalition recognizes five innovators who have done just that with help from the Bayh-Dole Act. The innovations highlighted include a cow vaccine that also stops mutations from hurting humans, an intelligent membrane to filter drug impurities, ultraviolet water purification, and electronic glasses that help the legally blind see. The challenge: "Unfortunately, there are those in Washington who would disrupt this well-oiled machine, jeopardizing future groundbreaking discoveries like these made possible by this law," said Brian O'Shaughnessy, board chair of the Bayh-Dole Coalition. |
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Beltway Report: What's Ahead in Washington
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President Biden will give remarks celebrating the Americans with Disabilities Act and marking Disability Pride Month today, but the big presidential event this week is tomorrow’s debate.
Congress returns to Capitol Hill this week, with a series of House votes planned on China related measures for what’s being called “China Week.” The BIOSECURE Act may be one of the bills coming up. |
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