nChroma Bio Raises $75M to Advance Epigenetic Editing for Hepatitis B and D Cure
nChroma Bio is a biotechnology company focused on developing safe, precise in vivo genetic therapies Image credits: nChromaBio nChroma Bio was established following the merger of Chroma Medicine and Nvelop Therapeutics, combining expertise in epigenetic editing and non-viral, in vivo delivery systems. The new company announced the closing of an oversubscribed $75 million financing round, […]
From Yemen to Mayotte, the spread of a highly drug-resistant cholera strain
Scientists from the National Reference Center for Vibrios and Cholera at the Institut Pasteur, in collaboration with the Centre hospitalier de Mayotte, have revealed the spread of a highly drug-resistant cholera strain. The study was published on December 12, 2024 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Cholera is an infectious diarrheal disease caused by […]
Optimal Timing Determined for COVID-19 Vaccination Booster
An annual COVID-19 vaccination booster that precedes the highest anticipated prevalence in a region but is postponed in the event of a breakthrough infection was calculated to provide a 3-4-fold increase in protection from infection over less tailored seasonal recommendations, in a multi-country analysis incorporating longitudinal antibody and reinfection probabilities with regional projections of COVID-19 […]
Analysis reveals an additional mechanism behind statin therapy’s heart-related benefits in people with HIV
Investigators who previously found that a daily statin pill helps prevent heart attacks and strokes in people with HIV have now discovered a potential mechanism that may help to stabilize plaques and prevent their rupture in blood vessels. The research led by a team from Mass General Brigham is published in JAMA Cardiology. “Individuals with […]
A new class of antivirals could help prevent future pandemics
The arrival of Paxlovid in December 2021 marked another turning point in the COVID-19 pandemic — an effective antiviral that has since successfully treated millions. But like many antivirals before it, scientists know that at some point, Paxlovid is likely to lose some efficacy due to drug resistance. Researchers working to stay ahead of such […]
Updated Hep B vaccine more effective for people with HIV
A newer vaccine against hepatitis B virus was clearly superior to an older vaccine type in inducing a protective antibody response among people living with HIV who didn’t respond to prior vaccination, according to the results of an international study led by a Weill Cornell Medicine investigator. The study, reported Dec. 1 in JAMA, showed […]
Rotavirus vaccine is safe for use in NICU babies, study suggests
Researchers from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) found that transmission of rotavirus vaccine strains in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is rare and without clinical consequences, strongly suggesting that giving the rotavirus vaccine to eligible infants during their hospitalization provides immune benefits that outweigh any risks. The findings, published today in the journal Pediatrics, […]
CAST mouse model: A crucial tool for future COVID-19 outbreaks
Researchers at The Jackson Laboratory and Trudeau Institute have identified the first mouse strain that is susceptible to severe COVID-19 without the need for genetic modification. This development, reported in Scientific Reports, marks a pivotal step forward in infectious disease research, providing an essential tool to develop vaccines and therapeutics for future coronavirus variants and […]
Single mutation in H5N1 influenza surface protein could enable easier human infection
A single modification in the protein found on the surface of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 influenza virus currently circulating in U.S. dairy cows could allow for easier transmission among humans, according to new research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and published today in the journal Science. The study results […]
Cleaning surfaces every two hours cuts norovirus infections by 83 percent in airports, study finds
At airports, frequently disinfecting surfaces, mask-wearing and antimicrobial surface coatings can all help prevent the spread of norovirus, according to a new study by Nan Zhang of the Beijing University of Technology in Beijing and colleagues, published December 5, 2024 in the open-access journal PLOS Computational Biology. Norovirus is a highly contagious gastrointestinal virus that […]
