Trade gap swells by $3.5b in four months as exports decline for third consecutive month
Pakistan’s trade deficit. PHOTO: FILE
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Survival patterns differ across types of early-onset dementia
The survival rates of people with early onset dementia-diagnosed before the age of 65-vary considerably by clinical type, but sex, age, family history and co-existing conditions aren’t specific risk factors, finds research published…
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Britain sliding ‘into economic crisis’ over £85bn sickness bill
Emer MoreauBusiness reporter
Getty ImagesThe report said that a 22-year-old who falls out of work for health reasons could lose out on £1m over the course of their lifetime. The number of sick and disabled people out of work is putting the UK is at risk of an “economic inactivity crisis” that threatens the country’s prosperity, according to a new report.
There were 800,000 more people out of work now than in 2019 due to health conditions, costing employers £85bn a year, according to the review by former John Lewis boss Sir Charlie Mayfield.
The problem could worsen without intervention, but Sir Charlie, who will lead a taskforce aimed at helping people return to work, said this was “not inevitable”.
The move has been broadly welcomed, but some business groups said Labour’s Employment Rights Bill included some disincentives to hiring people with existing illnesses.
One in five working age people were out of work, and not seeking work, according to the report, which was commissioned by the Department for Work and Pensions by produced independently.
Without intervention, another 600,000 people could leave work due to health reasons by the end of the decade.
Sir Charlie said sickness cost employers £85bn a year through issues including lost productivity and sick pay, but it also cost the broader economy.
“For employers, sickness and staff turnover bring disruption, cost and lost experience,” he said. “For the country, it means weaker growth, higher welfare spending and greater pressure on the NHS”.
Speaking to the BBC, he said that “on the whole, work and health are mutually reinforcing”.
“So keeping people in work, keeping them active, actually helps them to stay healthier.”
The state spends £212bn per year on illness-related inactivity, or nearly 70% of income tax, through lost output, increased welfare payments and additional burdens on the NHS.
People could be encouraged to stay in work if health is viewed as “a shared responsibility between employers, employees and health services”, he said.
‘I want to find a job’
Loz Sandom has mental and physical health conditions which has made it difficult to find a job, and the last time they worked was a year ago.
“I am willing to do the work, and I want to. I want to find a job,” said the 28-year-old, who has a degree in illustration and has previously worked as a digital marketing executive.
They said that part of the challenge was employers did not realised they had “a duty to provide reasonable adjustments.”
“It’s such a shame because they’re missing out on so many fantastic disabled people that can do fabulous jobs.
“And I’m not blaming employers entirely. They need support as well,” Loz added. “There are things that can be put in place to help employers, help save people.”
Responding to the report, the government announced a major partnership with over 60 companies, many of them large employers, to “tackle the rising tide of ill-health that is pushing people out of work”.
The companies include Tesco, Google UK, Nando’s and John Lewis.
Over the next three years, they will “develop and refine workplace health approaches” which aim to “reduce sickness absence, improve return-to-work rates, and increase disability employment rate”.
The government is aiming to develop these changes into a voluntary certified standard by 2029.
Speaking to the BBC, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said the report was a “win-win for employees and employers because its’ aimed at keeping people with sickness issues or developing disability issues in work”.
“That’s in the interests of employers because these are good experienced staff and it’s in the interests of employees too because most people want to stay in work if they possibly can.”
The Resolution Foundation think tank’s chief executive Ruth Curtice said: “The review has accurately identified a culture of fear, a dearth of support and structural barriers to work as key challenges to overcome in turning the tide for Britain’s economic inactivity problem – which is currently trending in the wrong direction.”
The CIPD, which represents HR professionals, welcomed the government’s vision for a preventative approach to illness in the workplace.
But its chief executive Peter Cheese said: “The report’s success will depend on the extent to which these recommendations are understood by business in driving positive outcomes and backed by policy makers at a national and regional level.”
The report comes as the government tries to move ahead with its Employment Rights Bill – which some businesses say will stifle growth.
The proposed new law includes a right to guaranteed hours and cracks down on zero-hour contracts without the offer of work.
As well as that bill, Chancellor Rachel Reeves is aiming to guarantee paid work to young people who have been out of a job for 18 months.
Those who do not to take up the offer could face being stripped of their benefits.
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Iranians commemorate anniversary of 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover at time of tensions
TEHRAN, Iran — Iranians on Tuesday celebrated the anniversary of the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran — the first such commemoration since the U.S. bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities during a 12-day war with Israel in June.
On Nov….
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Swapping meat for plant-based options cuts fat but lowers protein, study finds
Swapping meat for plant-based or mycoprotein products reduces saturated fat and increases fiber, but these modest changes may not significantly improve cholesterol levels and could lead to a reduction in protein intake among key age…
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Soil ‘memory’ can help plants respond to drought
New research has found that microbial communities in soil have the capacity to remember and adapt to past environmental events, helping plants to withstand drought…
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Ascletis Presents Full Analysis of Phase Ib Study of ASC30 Oral Tablet, Phase Ib Study of ASC30 Injection, and Preclinical Study of Combination of ASC31 and ASC47 at ObesityWeek® 2025 USA – English APAC – Traditional Chinese APAC – English
-Positive data from Phase Ib study of ASC30 oral tablet demonstrated up to 6.5% placebo-adjusted mean body weight reduction; safe and well tolerated with only mild-to-moderate gastrointestinal (GI) adverse events (AEs) across all multiple ascending dose (MAD) cohorts.
-Phase Ib study data of ASC30 subcutaneous (SQ) injection showed that observed half-life reached 46 days for the treatment formulation (Injection A) and 75 days for the maintenance formulation (Injection B).
-Combination of ASC47 and ASC31, a novel peptide agonist targeting both GLP-1R and GIPR, significantly outperformed both tirzepatide and ASC31 monotherapy in promoting weight loss, body fat loss, and muscle preservation in diet-induced obesity (DIO) mouse studies.
-Presentations further highlight the promising efficacy and safety profiles of Ascletis’ diverse obesity pipeline and validate its proprietary Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Structure-Based Drug Discovery (AISBDD) and Ultra-Long-Acting Platform (ULAP) technologies.
HONG KONG, Nov. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Ascletis Pharma Inc. (HKEX: 1672, “Ascletis”) announces multiple poster presentations of the full analysis of the Phase Ib study of ASC30 once-daily oral tablet, Phase Ib study of ASC30 once-monthly injection, and preclinical study of the combination of ASC31 and ASC47 at ObesityWeek® 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Abstract Title: A full analysis of 28-Day MAD Study of Oral GLP-1R Biased Small Molecule Agonist ASC30 for obesity
Results:
Efficacy: Body weight changes from baseline were 6.3% reduction (multiple ascending dose (MAD) 2, n=8, 40 mg), 4.3% reduction (MAD 1, n=7, 20 mg), and 0.2% increase (placebo, n=6). No plateau was observed at Day 29. Body weight change from baseline was 4.8% reduction for MAD 3 (n=7, 60 mg), with the maximum body weight change being 9.3% reduction in this cohort. Excluding two outliers, the mean body weight change from baseline was 5.9% reduction for MAD 3.
GI Tolerability: In the MAD study, MAD 1 (20 mg cohort) showed no vomiting, while MAD 2 (40 mg cohort) had events. Titrating from 2 mg to 5 mg did not cause vomiting in MAD 1, but titrating from 2 mg to 10 mg did result in vomiting in MAD 2. Compared with MAD 2, MAD 3 showed no increasing trend in severity or incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) adverse events (AEs), despite two discontinuations due to principal investigator’s decisions, and one discontinuation due to subject withdrawal.
Safety: No serious adverse events (SAEs) or Grade ≥ 3 AEs, including GI events, were observed. Labs, vitals, ECGs (QTc), and physical exams were normal. No hepatic safety signals were detected across all MAD cohorts.
Conclusion: ASC30 once-daily oral tablet demonstrated up to 6.5% placebo-adjusted mean body weight reduction from baseline after 28-day treatment. The highest dose level (MAD 3, 60 mg) exhibited up to 9.3% body weight reduction, showed no increasing trend in severity or incidence in GI AEs. ASC30 was safe and well tolerated with only mild-to-moderate GI AEs across all MAD cohorts. The safety profile of ASC30 tablets was consistent with or better than that of the GLP-1R agonist class.
Abstract Title: ASC30, a Once-Monthly SQ Injected Small Molecule GLP-1RA in Participants with Obesity: A Ph Ib Study
Results: The observed half-life (time for ASC30 concentrations to reduce to fifty percent (50%) of ASC30’s Cmax) reached 46 days and 75 days, for ASC30 subcutaneous (SQ) treatment formulation (Injection A) and ASC30 SQ maintenance formulation (Injection B), respectively. Cmax-to-Cday29 ratio of 1.5:1, supports ASC30 SQ treatment formulation monthly dosing, while Cmax-to-Cday85 ratio of 2.5:1, supports ASC30 SQ maintenance formulation quarterly dosing.
No SAEs or Grade ≥ 3 AEs were observed. GI-related AEs were mild to moderate. Labs, vitals, ECGs (QTc), and physical exams were normal. No hepatic safety signals were detected across all cohorts.
Conclusion: ASC30 ultra-long-acting, slow-release SQ depot formulations demonstrated 46-day observed half-life (treatment formulation) and 75-day observed half-life (maintenance formulation), supporting both once-monthly treatment and once-quarterly maintenance therapies.
ASC30 SQ formulations were well tolerated, with only mild-to-moderate treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), comparable or superior to those observed with GLP-1R agonists. Developed with Ascletis’ Ultra-Long-Acting Platform (ULAP) technology, ASC30 treatment and maintenance formulations represent a potential breakthrough in chronic weight management by improving treatment convenience, adherence, and quality of life.
Abstract Title: GLP-1R/GIPR Peptide Agonist ASC31 + ASC47 Shows 119.6% More Weight Loss than Tirzepatide in DIO Mice
Results: The combination of ASC47 plus ASC31 resulted in a 44.8% reduction in weight compared to a 19.1% reduction for ASC31 monotherapy. This was a 134% greater reduction than ASC31 alone. The combination of ASC47 plus tirzepatide resulted in a 38.1% reduction in weight compared to a 20.4% reduction for tirzepatide alone. This was an 87% greater reduction in weight compared to tirzepatide alone. The mean greater reduction in weight of ASC31 in combination with ASC47 compared to ASC31 alone (134%) is statistically significantly higher than that of tirzepatide plus ASC47 compared to tirzepatide alone (87%).
Conclusion: The combination of ASC47 and ASC31 significantly outperformed both tirzepatide and ASC31 monotherapy in promoting weight loss, body fat loss, and muscle preservation. The combination of ASC47 with either ASC31 or tirzepatide restored the body composition of obese mice to the level of healthy non-obese mice. ASC31 is a dual GLP-1R and GIPR peptide agonist. ASC47 is a small molecule thyroid hormone receptor beta (THRβ)-selective agonist and was designed with unique and differentiated properties to enable targeted delivery to adipose tissue.
Detailed data presented at ObesityWeek® 2025 can be found at Ascletis’ website (link).
“These presentations highlight the exciting efficacy and safety profiles of our diverse obesity pipeline of both small molecules and peptides and validate our proprietary AISBDD and ULAP technologies,” said Jinzi Jason Wu, Ph.D., Founder, Chairman and CEO of Ascletis. “As we advance clinical development of ASC30, ASC31, and ASC47, we remain focused on close discussion with strategic partners to ensure that Ascletis is best positioned to address the needs of patients with obesity globally.”
About ASC30
ASC30 is an investigational GLP-1R biased small molecule agonist and has unique and differentiated properties that enable the same small molecule for both oral tablet and subcutaneous injection administrations. ASC30 is a new chemical entity (NCE), with U.S. and global compound patent protection until 2044 without patent extensions.
About ASC31
ASC31 is an in-house discovered and developed novel peptide agonist targeting both GLP-1R and GIPR, which demonstrated a favorable pharmacokinetic profile in non-human primates as well as promising in vitro activities and in vivo efficacy in the diet-induced obese (DIO) mice. ASC31 is part of Ascletis’ discovery efforts to apply its Ultra-Long-Acting Platform (ULAP) to in-house discovered novel subcutaneously (SQ) injectable peptides and oral peptides.
About ASC47
ASC47 is an adipose-targeted, once-monthly SQ injected THRβ-selective small molecule agonist, discovered and developed in-house at Ascletis. ASC47 possesses unique and differentiated properties to enable adipose targeting, resulting in dose-dependent high drug concentrations in the adipose tissue.
About Ascletis Pharma Inc.
Ascletis Pharma Inc. is a fully integrated biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of potential best-in-class and first-in-class therapeutics to treat metabolic diseases. Utilizing its proprietary Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Structure-Based Drug Discovery (AISBDD) and Ultra-Long-Acting Platform (ULAP) technologies, Ascletis has developed multiple drug candidates in-house, including its lead program, ASC30, a small molecule GLP-1R agonist designed to be administered once daily orally and once monthly to once quarterly subcutaneously as a treatment therapy and a maintenance therapy for chronic weight management. Ascletis is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (1672.HK). For more information, please visit www.ascletis.com.
Contact：
Peter Vozzo
ICR Healthcare
443-231-0505 (U.S.)
[email protected]Ascletis Pharma Inc. PR and IR teams
+86-181-0650-9129 (China)
[email protected]
[email protected]SOURCE Ascletis Pharma Inc.
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Badlands’ Eyes $60 Million Global Box Office Opening
At a time when the fall box office has hit the skids, Hollywood turns its weary eyes to a fanged, fleshy-headed alien to hopefully bail it out as 20th Century Studios’ Predator: Badlands is eyeing, on the low end, a $60 million global box…
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Apple’s Live Translation on AirPods will finally reach the EU soon
When it announced the AirPods Pro 3 back in September, Apple also introduced Live Translation for them as well as the AirPods 4 with ANC and AirPods Pro 2. The feature works when the AirPods in question are paired with an Apple…
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Live Updates: Magic-Hawks and Thunder-Clippers
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder face the LA Clippers in the second half of our ‘NBA Coast 2 Coast’ doubleheader on NBC and Peacock.
Enjoy the best of Tuesday’s six-game slate with the NBA.com live blog, featuring all of the…
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