Despite traditionally being excluded from systemic therapy trials, patients with moderate psoriasis—defined as having Body Surface Area (BSA) of 3% to 10% or involvement of high-impact areas—are now recognized as eligible under the International Psoriasis Council’s (IPF’s) updated classification.1 A study of real-world data demonstrated that 12 months of risankizumab treatment led to substantial skin clearance and quality of life improvements in this previously underrepresented group.
A new analysis highlights the effectiveness of risankizumab in patients with moderate plaque psoriasis and those newly classified as systemic therapy eligible. | Image credit: fusssergei – stock.adobe.com
This retrospective study is published in Dermatology and Therapy.
“After 12 months of continuous treatment with risankizumab, all patient groups evaluated in this study showed significant improvements in their PASI [Psoriasis Area Severity Index] scores,” wrote the researchers of the study. “The majority achieved NPF [National Psoriasis Foundation] treat-to-target goals and had significant improvement in quality of life, psoriasis symptoms, and reduced work and activity impairment.”
Although psoriasis treatment guidelines have historically focused on patients with BSA involvement greater than 10%, growing evidence highlights that individuals with BSA of 3% or less can experience a disease burden comparable to those with more extensive skin involvement.2 Data from the CorEvitas Psoriasis Registry show that patient-reported outcomes (PROs) related to itch, pain, fatigue, and quality of life significantly overlap across low, medium, and high BSA categories.
This analysis utilized data from the CorEvitas Psoriasis Registry to evaluate real-world outcomes in biologic-naïve adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who initiated risankizumab treatment between April 2019 and August 2023.1 Eligible patients received continuous risankizumab therapy for 12 months and were stratified by baseline BSA: 3% to 10% or greater than 10%.
Within the BSA 3% to 10% subgroup, patients were further assessed for involvement of high-impact areas and prior use of topical therapy, aligning with the IPF criteria for systemic therapy eligibility. Effectiveness outcomes included achievement of Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 90 and 100 and National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) treat-to-target goals. PROs included the proportion achieving a Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score of 0/1, as well as changes in symptom burden and work or activity impairment from baseline.
Among the 272 patients included in the analysis, 123 had baseline BSA between 3% and 10%, of whom 78 had psoriasis in high-impact areas and 105 had a history of topical therapy use, meeting IPC criteria for systemic eligibility. The remaining 149 patients had BSA greater than 10%. In the BSA 3% to 10% group, 77.9% achieved PASI 90 and 67.2% achieved PASI 100 after 12 months of risankizumab treatment. Additionally, 95.3% met the NPF’s acceptable target, and 87.9% reached the optimal target.
PROs were similarly encouraging, with 68.1% achieving a DLQI score of 0/1, indicating minimal impact on quality of life. Statistically significant improvements were also observed in psoriasis symptom burden and reductions in both work and activity impairment (P < .001). Furthermore, comparable clinical and quality of life benefits were seen across all IPC-defined subgroups, supporting the effectiveness of risankizumab in patients beyond traditional systemic therapy thresholds.
However, the researchers noted several limitations. Although safety outcomes were not evaluated, prior clinical trials have demonstrated a favorable long-term safety profile for risankizumab. Ongoing studies (EUPAS3935; NCT04799990) aim to assess the real-world safety of risankizumab more comprehensively. Additionally, the current analysis was limited by the absence of head-to-head comparisons with other biologic or systemic therapies in patients newly classified as systemic-eligible under IPC guidelines. The lack of comparable real-world studies for alternative treatments also limited these findings.
Despite these limitations, the researchers believe the study provides evidence that supports risankizumab in patients eligible for systemic therapy under IPC guidelines.
“Given these outcomes, risankizumab may be considered a primary systemic therapy option for treating patients eligible for systemic therapy,” wrote the researchers.
References
1. Strober B, Patel M, Kaldas MI, et al. Real-world skin clearance and quality of life with risankizumab in patients with psoriasis with moderate skin involvement and those eligible for systemic therapy per International Psoriasis Council classification. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). Published online July 2, 2025. doi:10.1007/s13555-025-01474-3
2. Steinzor P. Low BSA in psoriasis may still mean high disease burden. AJMC®. June 12, 2025. Accessed July 2, 2025. https://www.ajmc.com/view/low-bsa-in-psoriasis-may-still-mean-high-disease-burden
Apple announces chief operating officer transition
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced Jeff Williams will transition his role as chief operating officer later this month to Sabih Khan, Apple’s senior vice president of Operations, as part of a long-planned succession. Williams will continue reporting to Apple CEO Tim Cook and overseeing Apple’s world-class design team and Apple Watch alongside the company’s Health initiatives. Apple’s design team will then transition to reporting directly to Cook after Williams retires late in the year.
“Jeff and I have worked alongside each other for as long as I can remember, and Apple wouldn’t be what it is without him. He’s helped to create one of the most respected global supply chains in the world; launched Apple Watch and overseen its development; architected Apple’s health strategy; and led our world-class team of designers with great wisdom, heart, and dedication,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “I am and will always be beyond grateful for his numerous contributions to Apple over the years and his loyal friendship. Jeff’s true legacy can be seen in the amazing team he’s created and, while he’ll be greatly missed, he leaves the work of the future in incredible hands.”
“Sabih is a brilliant strategist who has been one of the central architects of Apple’s supply chain,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “While overseeing Apple’s supply chain, he has helped pioneer new technologies in advanced manufacturing, overseen the expansion of Apple’s manufacturing footprint in the United States, and helped ensure that Apple can be nimble in response to global challenges. He has advanced our ambitious efforts in environmental sustainability, helping reduce Apple’s carbon footprint by more than 60 percent. Above all, Sabih leads with his heart and his values, and I know he will make an exceptional chief operating officer.”
Khan has been at Apple for 30 years and joined the executive team as senior vice president of Operations in 2019. He has been in charge of Apple’s global supply chain for the past six years, ensuring product quality and overseeing planning, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, and product fulfillment functions, as well as Apple’s supplier responsibility programs that protect and educate workers at production facilities around the world. The team also supports Apple’s environmental initiatives by partnering with suppliers to propel green manufacturing, helping conserve resources and protect the planet.
During his career with Apple, Williams built out a supply chain that has supported Apple’s growth and customers around the world with expansion, including the United States, China, India, Japan, and across Southeast Asia. He led Apple’s supplier responsibility efforts which has helped raise the bar for workers around the world, offering critical training and important education programs. Williams played a key role in the introduction of iPod and iPhone programs. He led the effort on Apple Watch over a decade ago and architected the company’s health strategy, helping customers live healthier lives, learn more about their health, and receive lifesaving care. For the past several years, Williams has also overseen Apple’s industry-leading design team.
“I have a deep love for Apple. Working with all of the amazing people at this company has been a privilege of a lifetime, and I can’t thank Tim enough for the opportunity, his inspirational leadership, and our friendship over the years,” said Williams. “June marked my 27th anniversary with Apple, and my 40th in the industry. Beginning next year, I plan to spend more time with friends and family, including five grandchildren and counting. I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with Sabih for 27 years and I think he’s the most talented operations executive on the planet. I have tremendous confidence in Apple’s future under his leadership in this role.”
Before joining Apple’s procurement group in 1995, Khan worked as an applications development engineer and key account technical leader at GE Plastics. He earned bachelor’s degrees in economics and mechanical engineering from Tufts University and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
About Apple
Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.
LEXINGTON, Ky., July 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Ramaco Resources, Inc. (NASDAQ: METC, METCB) (“Ramaco” or the “Company”) announces that on July 9 it will receive the Preliminary Economic Assessment (the “PEA”) of Ramaco’s Brook Mine from the Fluor Corporation. The PEA will be presented to the Ramaco Board of Directors (the “Board”) at its Board meeting tomorrow. Following Fluor’s presentation to the Board and the Board’s opportunity to review, Ramaco expects to release a summary of the updated information to its website this week.
About Ramaco Resources, Inc.
Ramaco Resources, Inc. is an operator and developer of high-quality, low-cost metallurgical coal in southern West Virginia, and southwestern Virginia and a developing producer of coal, rare earth and critical minerals in Wyoming. Its executive offices are in Lexington, Kentucky, with operational offices in Charleston, West Virginia and Sheridan, Wyoming. The Company currently has four active metallurgical coal mining complexes in Central Appalachia and one coal mine and rare earth development near Sheridan, Wyoming in the initial stages of production. In 2023, the Company announced that a major deposit of primary magnetic rare earths and critical minerals was discovered at its mine near Sheridan, Wyoming. Contiguous to the Wyoming mine, the Company operates a carbon research and pilot facility related to the production of advanced carbon products and materials from coal. In connection with these activities, it holds a body of roughly 76 intellectual property patents, pending applications, exclusive licensing agreements and various trademarks. News and additional information about Ramaco Resources, including filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, are available at https://www.ramacoresources.com. For more information, contact investor relations at (859) 244-7455.
Point of Contact: INVESTOR RELATIONS: [email protected] or 859-244-7455
A federal rule designed to make canceling subscriptions as easy as signing up for them has been struck down by a US federal appeals court just days before it was scheduled to take effect.
The US court of appeals for the eighth circuit vacated the Federal Trade Commission’s “click-to-cancel” rule, which would have required companies to allow consumers to cancel subscriptions using the same method they used to sign up, after finding that the commission behind it failed to follow required procedures under the FTC Act during the rule-making process.
“While we certainly do not endorse the use of unfair and deceptive practices in negative option marketing, the procedural deficiencies of the Commission’s rulemaking process are fatal here,” the court wrote, adding that “vacatur of the entire Rule is appropriate in this case because of the prejudice suffered by Petitioners as a result of the Commission’s procedural error”.
The vacated rule meant to go into effect on 14 July would have covered all forms of negative option marketing – programs that allow sellers to interpret customer inaction as acceptance of subscriptions, often leading to unintended charges. The FTC’s original 1973 rule only covered limited forms of these practices.
It would have also stopped businesses from forcing customers through lengthy chat sessions with agents or creating other barriers to cancellation.
The decision represents a major victory for businesses that challenged the FTC’s authority to modernize consumer protections without following what they argued were mandatory procedural requirements.
Meanwhile, Letitia James had been encouraging consumers to prepare for the rule’s implementation, writing in a Tuesday press release that “New Yorkers should never have to jump through hoops just to cancel an unwanted subscription”. The New York attorney general did not respond to a request for comment.
The commission has faced mounting complaints about subscription practices, receiving nearly 70 consumer complaints per day in 2024, up from 42 daily complaints in 2021. The rule applies to almost all negative option programs across any media platform.
The FTC’s enforcement efforts had yielded results in New York, where James says she’s secured $600,000 in penalties from Equinox for making cancellations difficult and won a lawsuit against SiriusXM for trapping customers in unwanted subscriptions.
The decision may now force the FTC to restart its rule-making process and could influence how the agency approaches future consumer protection regulations.
Microsoft recently shut down its operations in Pakistan after 25 years. The news of Microsoft closing down its operations in Pakistan was first revealed in a LinkedIn post by Jawwad Rehman, the founding head of Microsoft Pakistan. However, the move is said to be in the offing for sometime as only a liaison office with around five employees remained in Pakistan. Microsoft has now confirmed the complete closure of the company’s operations in the country. The Redmond-based company told TechCrunch that it is changing its operational model in Pakistan. The report further added that Microsoft did not have any engineering resources in Pakistan. This is unlike Microsoft’s operations in India and other growing markets.The closure comes amid broader company restructuring of Microsoft’s operations globally.
What Microsoft said on closing operations in Pakistan
“Our customer agreements and service will not be affected by this change,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in an emailed statement. It added that the company will now serve its customers through resellers and “other closely located Microsoft offices.” the spokesperson added, “We follow this model successfully in a number of other countries around the world. Our customers remain our top priority and can expect the same high level of service going forward.” The decision will reportedly impact the five Microsoft employees in Pakistan. These employees reportedly sold Azure and Office products in the country
What Microsoft Pakistan country head said on the exit
In a post titled ‘End of an Era… Microsoft Pakistan’, the company’s first-ever country head in Pakistan Rehman wrote, “Today, I learned that Microsoft is officially closing its operations in Pakistan. The last few remaining employees were formally informed and just like that, an era ends… Exactly 25 years ago, in June 2000, I had the honor of launching and leading Microsoft Pakistan.” He added, “Today’s news forces reflection. This is more than a corporate exit. It’s a sobering signal of the environment our country has created.. one where even global giants like Microsoft find it unsustainable to stay. It also reflects on what was done (or not done) with the strong foundation we left behind by the subsequent team and regional management of Microsoft.” He further said that it is time for Pakistan to reflect on what has changed. “We must ask: What changed? What was lost? What happened to the values, leadership, and vision that once made it all possible?” he wrote. “Allah grants honor and opportunity to whom He wills.. and takes it away from those who lose sight of it. But if your work leaves behind impact, integrity & inspiration.. then know that Allah’s favor was with you,” the post added.
Pret a Manger prompted social media outrage two years ago with its £7.15 “posh” cheese and pickle baguette, so it may be bracing itself for a possible backlash after launching a new “premium” lunchtime salad that costs “from £12.95”.
The sandwich chain told the Guardian that in response to “a shift in what customers want from lunch”, it was launching four new “supersized” salad offerings. Three cost more than the purported psychological £10 “maximum price” that many are willing to pay for a takeaway lunch.
With growing numbers of employers increasing their office attendance requirements, the “grab and go” lunch market is bigger business than it has been in recent years.
Pret’s new Super Plates salad range will be available at more than 250 shops nationwide from Wednesday, and the priciest of the four is the “miso salmon” version, which includes roasted salmon, avocado, black rice and quinoa, broccoli and edamame soya beans. This will cost “from £12.95”, which presumably reflects the fact that those eating in rather than taking away typically pay more because of VAT, but may also be linked to the differing prices across its outlets.
The starting prices for the other three salads, centred on chipotle chicken, butternut squash and shawarma chicken, are £9.95 or £10.95.
It is understood Pret’s most expensive takeaway salad until now was a salmon and mango one that can be picked up in at least some central London outlets for £7.95.
Weighing in at about 450 grams-plus, Pret said the new items were almost 60% larger on average than its existing salad range and “will meet the growing demand we are seeing for more substantial, protein-rich salads”.
Pret a Manger’s Super Plates salad range. Photograph: Jamie Orlando Smith/Pret a Manger
A spokesperson for Pret said the use of more premium ingredients “reflects the growing trend of workers ‘treating’ themselves to a more filling lunch the days they are in the office”.
Ingredients used include “hand-massaged kale”. Asked what that meant, the chain said: “Our kale comes destemmed and sliced and is lovingly hand-massaged by our teams in our iconic French dressing for 45 seconds in our shop kitchens. This helps to soften the kale and keeps the minerals and nutrients in.”
After years of cost of living pressures that millions are still facing and that have resulted in retailers battling to win over price-conscious shoppers, it may seem counterintuitive for a major chain to focus on a range where the prices are several pounds above what people typically pay. However, Pret is continuing a trend begun by the supermarkets, which have increasingly been launching pricier “premium” lunchtime meal deals that sit alongside their standard offerings. Pay a bit more and you can now grab a poké pot, a pack of baos or a Mexican burrito bowl instead of a prawn mayo sandwich or pasta salad.
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Some of this may be because of hybrid working, with many workers seemingly happy to spend more on an office-day lunch because they are “saving” money on the days when they are at home and can have something out of the fridge.
The retail industry publication The Grocer has talked of “an increasing willingness to spend among hybrid workers”, while the high street sushi chain Itsu has previously highlighted how those splitting their time between the office and home “are willing to spend more on lunchtime food-to-go occasions”.
The enthusiasm among some workers for more premium offerings may also be a response to concern about ultra-processed foods.
Individuals with bronchiectasis face an increased risk of exacerbation and mortality following recovery from COVID-19, particularly after severe cases, according to a study published in ERJ Open Research.1
Past research determined that COVID-19 may trigger exacerbations in this population, even after recovery.2 However, these studies were limited by small sample sizes, a focus on mild to moderate cases, and a lack of data on long-term mortality.1 As a result, the impact of COVID-19 severity on severe exacerbation and mortality risk in patients with bronchiectasis remained unclear.
Patients with bronchiectasis face heightened risks of severe exacerbation and mortality after COVID-19 recovery, especially following severe cases. | Image Credit: Production Perig – stock.adobe.com
To address these gaps, the researchers evaluated long-term risks of exacerbation and mortality among patients with bronchiectasis following recovery from both severe and nonsevere COVID-19 cases. They used data from the Republic of Korea’s National Health Insurance Service, a mandatory universal health care provider covering about 97% of the population.3Eligible individuals were diagnosed with bronchiectasis between January 1, 2015, and October 7, 2020.1
The study’s primary outcomes were the long-term risk of severe bronchiectasis exacerbation and all-cause mortality. To evaluate exacerbation risk, patients were followed until the first occurrence of severe exacerbation, death, or December 31, 2021, whichever came first. For the mortality analysis, follow-up continued until death or September 30, 2022.
Among 48,342 eligible individuals with bronchiectasis, 2711 had recovered from COVID-19. After 1:1 propensity score matching, a COVID-19 cohort (n = 2711) and a matched cohort (n = 2711) were included in the final analysis.
The COVID-19 cohort was further stratified by disease severity: 536 had severe COVID-19, and 2175 had nonsevere COVID-19. Patients in the severe COVID-19 cohort were more likely to be older (median age, 73 vs 67; standardized mean difference [SMD], 0.39) and male (52.4% vs 40.0%; SMD, 0.17) than those in the nonsevere COVID-19 cohort.
Over a median follow-up of 70 days (IQR, 31-216), including a median 14-day COVID-19 recovery period, the incidence of severe bronchiectasis exacerbation was 305.6 per 10,000 person-years in the matched cohort and 402.2 per 10,000 person-years in the COVID-19 cohort. Stratified by COVID-19 severity, the incidence was 273.3 per 10,000 person-years in the non-severe cohort and 855.9 per 10,000 person-years in the severe cohort.
As a result, the severe COVID-19 cohort had a significantly higher risk of severe exacerbation compared with the matched cohort (adjusted HR [aHR], 2.38; 95% CI, 1.25-4.51). However, this increased risk was not observed in the nonsevere cohort.
Similarly, during a median follow-up of 71 days (IQR, 32-129), including the 14-day recovery period, the all-cause mortality rate was 221.2 per 10,000 person-years in the matched cohort and 342.9 per 10,000 person-years in the COVID-19 cohort (P = .001). The researchers highlighted that the COVID-19 cohort exhibited a significantly higher mortality risk than the matched cohort (aHR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.06-2.01).
When broken down by COVID-19 severity, the mortality rate was 149.6 per 10,000 person-years in the non-severe cohort and 1132.1 per 10,000 person-years in the severe COVID-19 cohort (P < .001). Therefore, the severe COVID-19 cohort had a significantly higher mortality risk than the matched cohort (aHR, 2.99; 95% CI, 2.08-4.28). In contrast, the nonsevere cohort did not demonstrate a significantly higher mortality risk.
Lastly, the researchers acknowledged the limitations of their study, including the potential lack of generalizability due to its single-country setting. Still, they expressed confidence in the findings and their clinical implications.
“Our findings suggest that guidelines should emphasize vigilant monitoring…and include specific recommendations for managing COVID-19 in individuals with bronchiectasis,” the authors wrote. “Early and appropriate management may help prevent severe exacerbations. Furthermore, interventions such as pulmonary rehabilitation should be explored to prevent subsequent exacerbations.”
References
Kim SH, Kim JS, Kim MJ, et al. Exacerbation and mortality risk in individuals with bronchiectasis post-COVID-19 recovery. ERJ Open Res. 2025;11(3):00866-2024. doi:10.1183/23120541.00866-2024
Kwok WC, Ho JCM, Tam TCC, Ip MSM, Lam DCL. Increased exacerbations of bronchiectasis following recovery from mild COVID-19 in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. Respirology. 2024;29(3):209-216. doi:10.1111/resp.14664
Shin DW, Cho J, Park JH, Cho B. National general health screening program in Korea: history, current status, and future direction: a scoping review. Precis Future Med. 2022;6(1):9-31. doi:10.23838/pfm.2021.00135
Copper entering the US from other countries is set to face a new tax of 50%, President Donald Trump has said.
The decision carries through on tariff threats he made earlier this year, when he ordered an investigation into how imports of the metal were affecting national security.
Similar probes are looming over other sectors, including pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and lumber, as part of a wider tariff plan that Trump claims will protect and boost American industry.
Copper prices in the US jumped after his announcement of the new import tax, which Commerce Department Secretary Howard Lutnick said he expected would come into effect around the end of the month.
Lutnick said he expected Trump to sign documents in the coming days to formalise the decision, which the president revealed in an offhand remark at a televised meeting of his cabinet.
“Today we’re doing copper,” Trump said. “We’re going to make it 50%.”
The US imported about 810,000 metric tons of refined copper last year, about half of what it consumed, according to the US Geological Survey.
Chile was the biggest supplier, followed by Canada.
The metal is seen as a key component in military equipment, as well as electric vehicles and construction.
The 50% rate set for copper matches the US levy on steel and aluminium products, after Trump raised it last month.
Trump’s plans for copper come as the White House is also preparing to start raising tariffs on goods from countries around the world from 1 August.
Trump has already imposed a 10% tariff on most products, but called off his more aggressive plans to allow for trade talks after financial markets recoiled at steeper tariffs and business groups in the US pleaded for reprieve.
Trump sent letters to leaders of 14 countries on Monday, including South Korea and Japan, warning them of plans to institute new levies ranging from 25% to 40%.
Many trading partners are still hoping to strike deals before 1 August.
Trump on Tuesday said talks were going well with the European Union and he was “probably two days off” from sending a letter unveiling a new tariff rate.
In his remarks Trump also said he planned to move forward with tariffs of up to 200% on pharmaceuticals, but said he would give the industry at least a year to adjust.
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is preparing to sell about $1bn of its shares in a deal that would value the rocket and satellite group at $400bn, according to people familiar with the matter.
The sale of employee shares, known as a tender offer, would mark another large jump in SpaceX’s valuation. It was valued at $210bn in the middle of last year, but its valuation soared to $350bn in December when it carried out its most recent tender offer.
The transaction reinforces SpaceX’s position as one of the most valuable private companies in the world. OpenAI was valued at $300bn earlier this year while TikTok parent company ByteDance was valued at more than $400bn in February.
The valuation places SpaceX on par with the top 20 most valuable public companies in the S&P 500, ahead of groups such as Bank of America and Procter & Gamble.
The latest deal, which was sent to investors earlier on Tuesday, would value shares at $212 each. SpaceX has signalled it will purchase some shares as part of the transaction, according to two people close to the matter.
SpaceX purchased $500mn employee shares in December as part of its $1.25bn tender offer. The latest deal was first reported by Bloomberg.
Musk’s companies — which also include Tesla, social media site X and artificial intelligence start-up xAI — benefited from the billionaire entrepreneur’s connections to US President Donald Trump following the election last November.
Musk was one of Trump’s biggest backers, spending more than $250mn on his campaign, but a public spat last month has led to concerns about blowback for some of his businesses.
The transaction suggests investors are looking past the risk of SpaceX losing government contracts, or even facing nationalisation, if Trump chooses to target the company.
SpaceX was founded by Musk in 2002 with about $100mn he made from the sale of PayPal. He has said the company wants to revolutionise space travel by developing reusable rockets and making the human race “multiplanetary” by working on the technologies needed to make life possible on Mars.
SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
