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  • Burundi eliminates trachoma and sets example for disease control in Africa

    Burundi eliminates trachoma and sets example for disease control in Africa

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has validated Burundi as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, making it the eighth country in WHO’s African Region to reach this important milestone. Trachoma is also the first neglected tropical disease (NTD) to be eliminated in the country.

    Eliminating a disease like trachoma is a major public health achievement that requires sustained effort and dedication. I congratulate the government and the people of Burundi and commend them for their hard work and commitment. It is great to see Burundi join the growing group of countries that have eliminated at least one NTD”.


    Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General

    Trachoma is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis and spreads through personal contact, contaminated surfaces and by flies that have been in contact with eye or nose discharge. Repeated infections can lead to scarring, in-turning of the eyelids, and ultimately blindness. Globally, the disease remains endemic in many vulnerable communities where access to clean water and sanitation is limited.

    “This validation marks a major milestone in our commitment to health equity”, said Dr Lydwine Baradahana, Minister of Public Health and the Fight Against AIDS, Burundi. “It is a collective victory made possible by nearly 20 years of national mobilization and international solidarity. I thank all the partners, community actors and institutions in Burundi and beyond who made this historic achievement possible”.

    Burundi’s progress

    Before 2007, with no reported cases or epidemiological studies, the extent of trachoma endemicity in Burundi was largely unknown. That year, the country launched an initiative to tackle NTDs, which included integrated mapping of soil-transmitted helminthiases, schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis and trachoma. Following the mapping, the Ministry of Public Health and the Fight Against AIDS conducted further investigations. Baseline surveys carried out in 2009–2010 confirmed that trachoma was endemic in parts of the country. This prompted introduction of interventions based on the WHO-recommended SAFE strategy for 2.5 million people who needed them across 12 health districts.

    Burundi’s trachoma elimination programme was supported technically and financially by CBM Christoffel Blindenmission, the END Fund, Geneva Global and WHO. The International Trachoma Initiative at the Task Force for Global Health donated azithromycin (Zithromax, Pfizer, New York NY, USA). WHO continues to support support the country’s health authorities to monitor communities in which trachoma was previously endemic to ensure there is no resurgence of the disease.

    This achievement reflects the government’s resolve to protect its most vulnerable populations. Under the leadership of the Ministry of Public Health and the Fight Against AIDS, and with the dedication of community health workers, support from key partners, and WHO’s technical guidance, this success was made possible” said Dr Xavier Crespin, WHO Representative in Burundi. “This win inspires us to press forward with the same determination to eliminate all remaining neglected tropical diseases.”

    Disease prevalence

    Trachoma remains a public health problem in 32 countries with an estimated 103 million people living in areas requiring interventions against the disease. Trachoma is found mainly in the poorest and most rural areas of Africa, Central and South America, Asia, the Western Pacific and the Middle East.

    The African Region is disproportionately affected by trachoma with 93 million people living in at-risk areas in April 2024, representing 90% of the global trachoma burden. Significant progress has been made in the fight against trachoma over the past few years and the number of people requiring antibiotic treatment for trachoma in the African Region fell by 96 million from 189 million in 2014 to 93 million as of April 2024, representing a 51% reduction.

    There are currently 20 countries in WHO’s African Region that are known to require intervention for trachoma elimination. These include: Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, South Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The seven countries in the region previously validated by WHO as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem are Benin, Gambia, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania and Togo. A further 4 countries in the WHO African Region (Botswana, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia and Senegal) claim to have achieved the prevalence targets for elimination.

    Global progress

    With today’s announcement, a total of 57 countries have now eliminated at least one NTD. Of these, 24- (including Burundi)-have successfully eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. Other countries that have reached this milestone include Benin, Cambodia, China, Gambia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Ghana, India, Iraq, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Togo, Vanuatu and Viet Nam.

    Source:

    The World Health Organization

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  • Kevin Germanier and Vogue100 Hosted a Couture Week Cocktail at the Ritz

    Kevin Germanier and Vogue100 Hosted a Couture Week Cocktail at the Ritz

    Most of the 21 million viewers who watched the Paris Olympics Closing Ceremony likely didn’t recognize the name Kevin Germanier. Yet it was his shimmering creation, The Golden Voyager, that commanded center stage in a hypnotic, emotionally charged performance described by commentators as both apocalyptic and hopeful. Inspired by science fiction fantasies and Augustin Dumont’s Génie de la Liberté atop the July Column, the costume was an alchemical blend of oxidized pearls, found beads, discarded fabric scraps, and reels of VHS tape salvaged from Germanier’s favorite childhood films. The result? A figure of haunting beauty and otherworldly strangeness—a perfect embodiment of the designer’s singular vision.

    Kevin Germanier is, without question, one of the most original and forward-thinking couturiers working today. His commitment to upcycled materials sets him apart in a world often fueled by excess. In 2019, the Swiss-born graduate of Central Saint Martins was shortlisted for the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers—a milestone that marked the beginning of an ongoing relationship with Bernard Arnault’s luxury group. That partnership culminated in the 2024 launch of Prélude, a label devoted entirely to sustainable fashion. Since then, Germanier’s designs have graced the world’s most famous women, including Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, and Beyoncé.

    On Monday evening, just days before his Fall 2025 runway show, Germanier hosted a cocktail reception at the Ritz Paris. Inside the opulent Salon Marie-Louise, mannequins displayed highlights from his previous collections, capturing the brand’s signature shimmer and structural daring. The crowd—an assemblage of philanthropists, creatives, and Vogue100 executives—mingled beneath gilded moldings and crystal chandeliers. Vogue Arabia editor-in-chief Manuel Arnaut paused to admire two looks that had recently been featured in his publication.

    Around the mirrored room, white-gloved waiters floated by with trays of Champagne and miniature croque-monsieurs. The vivid, often outrageous designs—among them a corset fashioned from Perrier bottles and a rainbow-hued cornucopia gown—stood in bold contrast to the room’s rococo elegance. As the late-day sun finally broke through the city’s earlier gloom, it cast a warm golden light over the crowd and clothes alike.

    “For my first haute couture show,” Germanier explained, “I stayed within the realm of what I know best—round beads, bold colors, and upcycled materials. This time, as I close the official haute couture calendar for the second season, I’ve chosen to challenge myself. With Les Joueuses, I step into uncharted territory, experimenting with unexpected patterns, textures, and silhouettes I’ve never explored before. It’s a collection that remains playful at heart, but elevated in ambition and craftsmanship.”

    Yesterday, he made good on that promise. His Fall 2025 couture show unveiled 27 looks—each more dazzling than the last—that transported guests into a kaleidoscopic world both futuristic and sublime.

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  • UN warns of ‘chaotic’ Afghan refugee-return crisis and calls for urgent international action

    UN warns of ‘chaotic’ Afghan refugee-return crisis and calls for urgent international action

    Thousands gather in Srebrenica to mark 30 years since genocide against Bosniak Muslims


    SREBRENICA, Bosnia-Herzegovina: Thousands of people from Bosnia and around the world gathered in Srebrenica to mark the 30th anniversary of a massacre there of more than 8,000 Bosniak Muslim boys and men — an atrocity that has been acknowledged as Europe’s only genocide after the Holocaust.


    Seven newly identified victims of the 1995 massacre, including two 19-year-old men, were laid to rest in a collective funeral at a vast cemetery near Srebrenica Friday, next to more than 6,000 victims already buried there. Such funerals are held annually for the victims who are still being unearthed from dozens of mass graves around the town.


    Relatives of the victims, however, often can bury only partial remains of their loved ones as they are typically found in several different mass graves, sometimes kilometers (miles) apart. Such was the case of Mirzeta Karic, who was waiting to bury her father.


    “Thirty years of search and we are burying a bone,” she said, crying by her father’s coffin which was wrapped in green cloth in accordance with Islamic tradition.


    “I think it would be easier if I could bury all of him. What can I tell you, my father is one of the 50 (killed) from my entire family,” she added.


    July 11, 1995, is the day when the killings started after Bosnian Serb fighters overran the eastern Bosnian enclave in the final months of the interethnic war in the Balkan country.


    After taking control of the town that was a protected UN safe zone during the war, Bosnian Serb fighters separated Bosniak Muslim men and boys from their families and brutally executed them in just several days. The bodies were then dumped in mass graves around Srebrenica which they later dug up with bulldozers, scattering the remains among other burial sites to hide the evidence of their war crimes.


    The UN General Assembly last year adopted a resolution to commemorate the Srebrenica genocide on the July 11 anniversary.


    Scores of international officials and dignitaries attended the commemoration ceremonies and the funeral. Among them were European Council President Antonio Costa and Britain’s Duchess of Edinburgh, Sophie, who said that “our duty must be to remember all those lost so tragically and to never let these things happen again.”


    Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said he felt “humbled” because UN troops from the Netherlands were based in Srebrenica when Bosnian Serbs stormed the town.


    “I see to what extent commemorating Srebrenica genocide is important,” he said.


    In an emotional speech, Munira Subasic, who heads the Mothers of Srebrenica association, urged Europe and the world to “help us fight against hatred, against injustice and against killings.”


    Subasic, who lost her husband and youngest son in Srebrenica along with more than 20 relatives, told Europe to “wake up.”


    “As I stand here many mothers in Ukraine and Palestine are going through what we went through in 1995,” Subasic said, referring to ongoing conflicts. “It’s the 21st century but instead of justice, fascism has woken up.”


    On the eve of the anniversary, an exhibition was inaugurated displaying personal items belonging to the victims that were found in the mass graves over the years.


    The conflict in Bosnia erupted in 1992, when Bosnian Serbs took up arms in a rebellion against the country’s independence from the former Yugoslavia and with an aim to create their own state and eventually unite with neighboring Serbia. More than 100,000 people were killed and millions displaced before a US-brokered peace agreement was reached in 1995.


    Bosnia remains ethnically split while both Bosnian Serbs and neighboring Serbia refuse to acknowledge that the massacre in Srebrenica was a genocide despite rulings by two UN courts. Bosnian Serb political and military leaders Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, along with many others, were convicted and sentenced for genocide.


    Serbia’s populist President Aleksandar Vucic expressed condolences on X while calling the Srebrenica massacre a “terrible crime.”


    “There is no room in Europe — or anywhere else — for genocide denial, revisionism, or the glorification of those responsible,” European Council President Costa said in his speech. “Denying such horrors only poisons our future.”

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  • Sarah Catherine Hook Celebrated Summer—Hamptons Style—With Saks

    Sarah Catherine Hook Celebrated Summer—Hamptons Style—With Saks

    Sarah Catherine HookZach Hilty/BFA.com

    Sarah Catherine Hook knows a cinematic setting when she sees one. After all, the actress spent months filming The White Lotus season three in breathtaking Thailand. But closer to home, the Hamptons has cast its own spell.

    “It’s my first time here, and it’s actually exceeded my expectations,” the Alabama native beamed. “I wasn’t sure what to expect—my only reference was that iconic Girls episode. That’s just been playing on repeat in my head—it really is one of the greatest episodes in TV history.” Dressed in a buttermilk-hued embroidered linen dress by Zimmermann and Jimmy Choo heels from Saks, she embodied summer elegance.

    Hook was in town to join Saks Fifth Avenue for its annual summer sojourn—an alfresco affair that brings together designers, editors, content creators, and tastemakers for a quintessential East End experience. While many in attendance were longtime Hamptonites, the evening’s venue—the under-the-radar Watermill Center—was a delightful discovery for most. “I feel like I’m in Scandinavia. It’s almost eerily perfect,” Hook mused.

    A summer of discovery suits Hook, who recently turned 30. Alongside that milestone comes a rising international profile thanks to The White Lotus. “It’s felt like a new beginning,” she shared. “I’m excited to lean into my womanhood more. I’ve always been seen as a bit of a girly girl, but I’m moving toward the next version of myself. Professionally, it feels like everything has led to this moment, and I’m in a privileged position to be a little pickier now. I’m so grateful.” (Her next act? The big-screen adaptation of People We Meet on Vacation, hitting theaters in January.)

    On Thursday evening, Saks president and chief commercial officer Emily Essner hosted the event in the museum’s sculpture-dotted gardens, wearing a painterly Dries Van Noten gown. “I feel so inspired by the creativity,” she said, noting that art was woven into every detail of the night.

    Dinner under the stars came courtesy of chef Flynn McGarry, who crafted an interactive culinary experience inspired by the Upside Down Zebra exhibition currently on view. Think: minimalist, surrealist, and abstract expressionist influences brought to the plate, with dishes like Montauk lobster and coconut cake arriving alongside powders, pipettes, and paintbrushes. “You’re the artist, this is your canvas,” guests were told.

    Fashion’s own school of fish also made a splash: Essner compared notes on her googly-eyed Loewe x Paula’s Ibiza raffia pouch with Serena Goh’s gilded tin bag from emerging label Vin, while editor Vienna Vernose donned a sardine-print silk set by Alemais.

    To close out the evening, guests had a choice: a nostalgic marshmallow-roasting moment at Saks’s beloved s’mores station nestled in the woods—or a more subversive alternative: silver trays of cigarettes offered beside the fire pit.

    Sleepaway camp, but make it fashion.

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  • New iPhone 17 Color Lineup Potentially Revealed in Leak

    New iPhone 17 Color Lineup Potentially Revealed in Leak

    A partial list of potential colors for Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 lineup is making the rounds. Fueled by the purported leak of two images showing camera covers from a user named yeux1122, Apple rumor sites have deduced that five colors for a base-model iPhone 17 and four colors for what’s been referred to as a slimmer iPhone 17 Air have been revealed.

    So far, there’s no similar leak for what colors a new iPhone 17 Pro or Pro Max would be available in, but there’s speculation that we could see a sky blue model.

    We have to recommend you treat this rumor with a degree of skepticism. It hasn’t come from a reliable source — although it’s fun to see what Apple could potentially have in the pipeline for its annual September iPhone event, which is likely only a couple of months away now.

    A representative for Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    “In recent years, Apple has had two strategies when it comes to colors for the iPhone,” says CNET managing editor and veteran iPhone reviewer Patrick Holland. 

    “For Pro models, the company has leaned hard into titanium matte finishes on the back glass that match the titanium chassis. I find the Pro model finishes rather dull. But for baseline iPhone models, Apple went the way of Lucky Charms cereal and embraced bold vibrant colors.”

    What iPhone 17 colors should we expect?

    According to the leaked images, the base iPhone 17 could be available in these colors:

    • Black
    • Blue
    • Silver
    • Purple
    • Green

    The iPhone 17 Air could be out in these colors:

    • Black
    • Light blue
    • Light gold
    • Silver

    “It’s exciting to see that the rumored iPhone 17 Air line could get something between the colors on the baseline iPhone and the metal-like finishes that Pro models have,” says Holland on the rumors. “I’m here for the colorful phones, not dull versions of metallic colors.”

    He adds that whatever colors Apple ends up choosing are likely to set the trend for other phone makers. “When Apple introduced the titanium finishes on Pro models, other companies like Samsung followed suit with metallic finishes on the Galaxy Ultra phones,” he says.

    Other rumors around the new iPhone 17 devices, due out in the fall, involve improved battery charging, a faster Wi-Fi modem, video and photo improvements and some major physical design changes. 


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  • Love ‘Brick’ on Netflix? Here’s how to find global thrillers like it – San Francisco Chronicle

    1. Love ‘Brick’ on Netflix? Here’s how to find global thrillers like it  San Francisco Chronicle
    2. Netflix’s new psychological thriller movie is a twisted puzzle box with a mostly satisfying solution  Tom’s Guide
    3. ‘Brick’ Review: No Way Out?  The New York Times
    4. ‘Brick’s twisty ending, explained  Mashable
    5. Brick OTT release date: When and where to watch new twisted sci-fi thriller  Hindustan Times

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  • Check Point Software Technologies Named a Leader in Zero Trust Platforms, Q3 2025 Evaluation

    Check Point Software Technologies Named a Leader in Zero Trust Platforms, Q3 2025 Evaluation

    Check Point® Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP), a pioneer and global leader of cyber security solutions, today announced it has been recognized as a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Zero Trust Platforms, Q3 2025. The independent analyst report evaluated the 10 most significant Zero Trust platform providers and cited Check Point for delivering a unified, prevention-first security platform that covers network, cloud, and endpoint controls across hybrid environments.

    Check Point received the highest possible scores (5 out of 5) in four critical criteria within the current offering category: centralized management and usability, least-privileged-access enforcement, segmentation and control, and deployment. The company also received 5/5 scores in the roadmap and supporting services and offerings criteria within the strategy category, which Check Point believes reinforces its strong vision and customer-centric approach.

    “This recognition by Forrester affirms, for us, Check Point’s leadership in delivering consistent Zero Trust security that is comprehensive, intuitive, and built for the AI-driven, hyperconnected world,” said Nataly Kremer, Chief Product Officer at Check Point Software. “Our AI-powered Infinity Platform is purpose-built to help organizations secure users, assets, and data — wherever they reside — through centralized management, intelligent policy enforcement, and flexible deployment across cloud, on-prem, and hybrid environments.”

    Check Point’s highlights from the report include:

    • Centralized Management
    • Least-Privileged Access Enforcement
    • Segmentation and control
    • Deployment
    • Roadmap
    • Supporting services and offerings

    Forrester also noted that organizations looking for a centralized, easy-to-manage, and holistic network security platform for local networks should include Check Point on their shortlist.

    For Check Point, this position as a leader reinforces the company’s commitment to a prevention-first strategy, helping enterprises proactively secure their infrastructure against modern threats while accelerating their Zero Trust adoption.Learn more on our blog and access a complimentary copy of The Forrester Wave™: Zero Trust Platforms, Q3 2025 here.

    Forrester does not endorse any company, product, brand, or service included in its research publications and does not advise any person to select the products or services of any company or brand based on the ratings included in such publications. Information is based on the best available resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. For more information, read about Forrester’s objectivity here.

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  • Stellan Skarsgård on Ingmar Bergman: ‘The only person I know who cried when Hitler died’ | Stellan Skarsgård

    Stellan Skarsgård on Ingmar Bergman: ‘The only person I know who cried when Hitler died’ | Stellan Skarsgård

    Stellan Skarsgård has weighed in on famed director Ingmar Bergman’s Nazi sympathies as a young adult.

    The actor was speaking at the Karlovy Vary film festival in the Czech Republic, where he was promoting Joachim Trier’s film Sentimental Value, inspired by the late Swedish director. Skarsgård expressed his personal dislike of Bergman, with whom he worked on a 1986 stage production of August Strindberg’s A Dream Play.

    “Bergman was manipulative,” said the 74-year-old Swedish actor, as first reported by Variety. “He was a Nazi during the war and the only person I know who cried when Hitler died. We kept excusing him, but I have a feeling he had a very weird outlook on other people. [He thought] some people were not worthy. You felt it, when he was manipulating others. He wasn’t nice.”

    Bergman, who died in 2007 at the age of 89, spoke openly of his past sympathies for nazism while growing up in a rightwing Swedish family.

    In 1999, the director explained to Maria-Pia Boëthius, author of a book questioning Sweden’s neutrality during the second world war, his positive feelings for Hitler after attending a Nazi rally during an exchange trip to Germany in 1934, at the age of 16. “Hitler was unbelievably charismatic. He electrified the crowd,” he said.

    He added that his family put a photo of the fascist dictator next to his bed after, because “the nazism I had seen seemed fun and youthful.” The book also details how Bergman’s brother and friends vandalized the house of a Jewish neighbor with swastikas – and that he was “too cowardly” to raise objections to the attack.

    The director also acknowledged his past Nazi sympathies in his 1987 memoir The Magic Lantern: “For many years, I was on Hitler’s side, delighted by his success and saddened by his defeats.” He told Boëthius that he maintained support for the Nazis until the end of the war, when the exposure of Nazi atrocities in the Holocaust changed his views. “When the doors to the concentration camps were thrown open,” he said, “I was suddenly ripped of my innocence.” Bergman went on to explore anguish over the horrors of war in such films as Winter Light, The Silence and Shame.

    This is not the first time Skarsgård has criticized Bergman openly – in a 2012 interview with the Guardian’s Xan Brooks, Skarsgård said of Bergman: “I didn’t want him near my life.”

    “My complicated relationship with Bergman has to do with him not being a very nice guy,” he said at Karlovy Vary. “He was a nice director, but you can still denounce a person as an asshole. Caravaggio was probably an asshole as well, but he did great paintings.”

    Sentimental Value, which premiered to rave reviews at May’s Cannes film festival, is tipped for awards success later this year.

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  • Spotlight on Schizophrenia Data: Insights From Recent Conferences

    Spotlight on Schizophrenia Data: Insights From Recent Conferences

    Check out new data on the schizophrenia treatment pipeline from recent spring conferences—the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology (ASCP) Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona, and the American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, California. Complete coverage of this year’s meeting as well as previous meetings can be found at PsychiatricTimes.com.

    NBI-1117568: Positive Phase 2 Results From the 2025 ASCP Annual Meeting

    Leah Kuntz

    Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc, shared data from a phase 2 study of NBI-1117568 in adults with schizophrenia, which showed a significant improvement in symptoms and overall severity and highlighted new data on the safety and tolerability of the treatment. NBI-1117568 is the first and only investigational oral muscarinic M4 selective orthosteric agonist in clinical development as a potential treatment for schizophrenia.1

    “Traditional treatment approaches for schizophrenia can lead to significant short- and long-term challenges and often result in discontinuation of therapy. Given these challenges, there is a continued need for new, effective, and tolerable treatment options,” said Eiry W. Roberts, MD, chief medical officer at Neurocrine Biosciences.1 “This compound is promising, as it is a direct and selective muscarinic M4 receptor agonist, which is believed to be a key regulator of neurotransmitters impacted by schizophrenia, and we look forward to advancing its development in the phase 3 registrational program.”

    In a 6-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-finding study, 210 adults aged 18 to 55 years with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia who experienced an acute exacerbation or relapse of symptoms were randomly assigned 2:1 to either NBI-1117568 (20 mg, 40 mg, or 60 mg once daily or 30 mg twice daily) or placebo. Other antipsychotics were not allowed during the study. Participants were then seen at a 2-week safety follow-up. The primary end point was the change in total Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) score from baseline to week 6. The study showed statistically significant improvements in the PANSS total score with 20 mg of NBI-1117568 once daily by week 3 and at all subsequent visits through week 6. A statistically significant improvement was also observed by week 2 in the Clinical Global Impressions–Severity (CGI-S) scale, with continued improvement seen at all following visits through week 6. For all other doses (40 mg and 60 mg once daily, 30 mg twice daily), mean decreases from baseline at week 6 in the PANSS total and CGI-S scale scores were greater with NBI-1117568 than with placebo but not statistically significant.2

    NBI-1117568 was generally safe and well tolerated at all doses. Treatment discontinuation rates due to adverse events were similar between NBI-1117568 and placebo. Adverse events with the highest incidence for NBI-1117568 compared with placebo were somnolence (10.7% vs 2.9%, respectively) and dizziness (9.3% vs 1.4%). Increases in heart rate were transient, attenuated over the course of treatment, and not clinically meaningful. No weight gain was associated with the NBI-1117568 treatment groups relative to placebo.1

    References

    1. Neurocrine Biosciences presents new positive data from phase 2 study of NBI-1117568 in adults with schizophrenia at American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology 2025. News release. Neurocrine Biosciences Inc. May 28, 2025. Accessed May 29, 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/neurocrine-biosciences-presents-new-positive-data-from-phase-2-study-of-nbi-1117568-in-adults-with-schizophrenia-at-american-society-of-clinical-psychopharmacology-2025-302467554.html

    2. Kuntz L. New positive results for NBI-1117568 in adults with schizophrenia. Psychiatric Times. August 28, 2024. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/new-positive-results-for-nbi-1117568-in-adults-with-schizophrenia

    New Data on CPL’36 for the Treatment of Acute Schizophrenia Exacerbation

    Heidi Anne Duerr, MPH

    Investigators presented data from a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group phase 2 study on CPL500036 (CPL’36), a phosphodiesterase 10A inhibitor intended to treat acute schizophrenia exacerbation.1,2 The dose-ranging study was designed to investigate the efficacy, safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics across 2 doses of CPL’36. The investigators defined the primary end point as a change from baseline in the PANSS positive subscale at day 28. They also looked at the change from baseline in the PANSS total and negative subscale scores and change from baseline in the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia score at weeks 2 and 4.

    Participants (N = 189) included patients with acute exacerbation of schizophrenia. Baseline severity as measured by the PANSS was severe and moderate to severe, with a PANSS total score of approximately 106. Patients were randomly assigned at an equal ratio (1:1:1) to either one of the active doses, 20 mg CPL’36 or 40 mg CPL’36, or the placebo. All doses were administered once daily for 28 consecutive days.

    At 4 weeks, investigators found improvement across all the studied PANSS scores. Specifically, patients receiving the 20-mg dose realized a 3.7-unit improvement from baseline (least square [LS] mean difference from placebo, P < .001, Cohen d = 0.73) on the positive PANSS subscale score, and participants receiving the 40-mg dose realized a 6.3-unit reduction (LS mean difference from placebo, P < .001, Cohen d = 1.38). Larger reductions were found on the total PANSS score at week 4 of treatment. Investigators recorded a 9.7-unit reduction from baseline among patients who received the 20-mg dose of CPL’36 compared with placebo (LS mean difference from placebo, P < .001, Cohen d = 0.77). Those who received the 40-mg dose demonstrated a 16.4-unit reduction (LS mean difference from placebo, P < .001, Cohen d = 1.47). The investigators also noted 2.6-unit reductions on the negative PANSS subscale score at week 4 of treatment for the participants who received the 40-mg dose of CPL’36 (LS mean difference from placebo, P < .001, Cohen d = –0.968). Overall, CPL’36 appeared to have a good safety profile.1

    “CPL’36 demonstrated beneficial effects across multiple aspects of schizophrenia pathophysiology,” Jazwiec et al wrote.1 “These encouraging results support the continued development of CPL’36 as a drug candidate for the treatment of psychotic disorders.”

    References

    1. Jazwiec R, Rudzki P, Wieczorek et al. Cpl’36 Pde10a inhibitor is highly effective in the treatment of acute exacerbations from a phase 2 clinical trial. Presented at: American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting; May 17-21, 2025; Los Angeles, CA.

    2. Efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics study of CPL500036 (PDE10A inhibitor) in patients with schizophrenia. ClinicalTrials.gov. Updated July 11, 2024. Accessed May 18, 2025. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05278156

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  • China to take active part in promoting comprehensive strategic partnership with Australia: FM

    KUALA LUMPUR: China is ready to promote the comprehensive strategic partnership with Australia through a more proactive approach, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Friday.

    China is willing to work with Australia to prepare for the next stage of high-level exchanges, maintain the momentum of improvement in bilateral ties and properly manage their differences, Wang said.

    Wang made the remarks during a meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong in the Malaysian capital on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and related meetings.

    Over the past three years, China-Australia relations have stabilized, turned around and achieved positive results, said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

    It proves that as long as the two countries uphold a correct positioning of their partnership, bilateral relations can develop steadily and continue to yield results, Wang said.

    The Chinese foreign minister noted that Australia’s rational and pragmatic policy toward China serves the interests of both countries and aligns with the trend of the times.

    For her part, Wong said that Australia is committed to developing a positive and pragmatic relationship with China.

    Both sides are making every effort to prepare for high-level exchanges and look forward to achieving positive outcomes, she said, adding that dialogue and cooperation between Australia and China in trade, tourism and other fields have continued to make progress, and personnel exchanges have become increasingly active.

    Wong noted that Australia remains firmly committed to the one-China policy and does not support “Taiwan independence.”

    Australia is willing to engage in candid communication and deepen cooperation with China to promote the sustained and positive development of bilateral relations, she said.

    Wong said that Australia supports the central role of ASEAN and is committed to maintaining regional peace and stability.

    The two sides also exchanged views on issues including the South China Sea and the Ukraine crisis.

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