Category: 3. Business

The Gates Foundation announced plans this week to spend $2.5 billion by 2030 on women’s health research, according to an August 4 Reuters article. Focus areas will include obstetric care and maternal immunization, maternal health and nutrition, gynecological and menstrual health, contraceptive innovation, and sexually transmitted infection.

Anita Zaidi, president of the foundation’s Gender Equality Division—who earned an SM degree from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in 1999—said in the article that more data on key issues was needed to move the field of women’s health forward.  

“If you look at the literature, there may be only 10 women who’ve been studied, ever,” she said. “We don’t even have the answers to basic questions.” She said that $2.5 billion was a “drop in the bucket” compared with what was needed and called on other funders to contribute to this important research.

Zaidi received the School’s Alumni Award of Merit in 2023 and was also named one of the School’s Public Health Champions for her work addressing gender inequality and improving economic opportunities and health for all.

Read the Reuters article: Gates Foundation commits $2.5 billion to ‘ignored’ women’s health

---

Last Updated

ASCO has published updated recommendations in version 2025.1 of their living guidelines for systemic therapy, outlining evidence-based treatment strategies for patients with stage IV non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with or without a driver alteration.^1,2

Updates for Stage IV NSCLC With Driver Alterations: Osimertinib-Based Combinations and Zenocutuzumab

For patients with EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R substitutions, osimertinib (Tagrisso) may be considered for use in combination with platinum doublet chemotherapy, and amivantamab-vmjw (Rybrevant) may be combined with lazertinib (Lacluze) as first-line treatment options.¹

The recommendation is informed in part by data from the phase 2 RAMOSE trial (NCT03909334), a randomized, open-label study evaluating osimertinib with or without the VEGF inhibitor ramucirumab (Cyramza) in TKI-naive patients with EGFR-mutated metastatic NSCLC. At a median follow-up of 16.6 months, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 24.8 months with the combination vs 15.6 months with the monotherapy (HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.32-0.93; P = .023). A PFS benefit was observed across EGFR mutation subtypes and central nervous system metastasis status.

One- and two-year PFS rates favored the combination (76.7% vs 61.9% and 51% vs 30%, respectively). The overall response rate (ORR) was 76.3% vs 80.4% and the disease control rates were 96.8% and 95.7%, respectively. Grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse effects (AEs) were more frequent with the addition of ramucirumab (53% vs 41%), most commonly hypertension, proteinuria, and epistaxis.

Due to limitations of the RAMOSE trial, including its single-country enrollment and lack of blinded independent central review, and an imbalance in reduced clinic visits for patients in the monotherapy arm, no formal changes were made to the recommendation. The authors noted that pending results from the phase 3 ECOG-ACRIN EA5182 trial (NCT04181060) evaluating osimertinib plus bevacizumab (Avastin) could provide further insight into the benefit of VEGF inhibition in this population.

For patients with NSCLC harboring a NRG1 fusion–positive solid tumor, updated guidelines also support the use of zenocutuzumab-zbco (Bizengri), a HER2/HER3-targeted bispecific antibody. This guidance is based on evidence derived from the phase 2 eNRGy trial (NCT02912949).

In the response-evaluable population (n = 158), zenocutuzumab monotherapy achieved an ORR of 30% (95% CI, 23%-37%) and a median duration of response (DOR) of 11.1 months (95% CI, 7.4-12.9). Median PFS was 6.8 months (95% CI, 5.5-9.1). Among 93 patients with NSCLC, the ORR was 29% (95% CI, 20%-39%), and the median DOR reached 12.7 months (95% CI, 1.8-29.5). Of 204 patients evaluated for safety, grade 3 or higher treatment-emergent AEs (TEAEs) occurred in 35%, with anemia (5%) and elevated liver enzymes (3%) being the most common.

Despite the rarity of NRG1 fusions, retrospective evidence has shown limited efficacy with standard chemoimmunotherapy in this population. Therefore, zenocutuzumab has emerged as a preferred second-line option despite the single-arm design of the eNRGy study.

Updates for Stage IV NSCLC Without Driver Alterations: Nivolumab, Ipilimumab, and Chemotherapy in the First-Line Setting

For patients with good performance status (PS) of 0 or 1, any histology, and any level of PD-L1 expression, nivolumab (Opdivo) can be recommended for use in combination with ipilimumab (Yervoy) plus two cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy.²

This recommendation is based in part on findings from the NIPPON study (JCOG2007), a randomized, open-label phase 3 trial conducted in Japan. Patients with stage III or IV NSCLC and no actionable driver mutations were randomly assigned to receive either platinum-doublet chemotherapy with pembrolizumab (Keytruda; n = 147) or nivolumab plus ipilimumab (n = 148).

At a median follow-up of 15.3 months, median overall survival (OS) was 20.5 months with pembrolizumab vs 23.7 months with nivolumab and ipilimumab (P = .46). The median PFS was 7.4 months vs 6.0 months, respectively, and the ORRs were 65% and 55%, respectively. Grade 3 or higher nonhematologic AEs occurred more frequently in the nivolumab/ipilimumab group (60% vs 41%), and a higher rate of treatment-related deaths was observed (7% vs 2%).

Despite a numerically longer OS with nivolumab/ipilimumab, the difference was not statistically significant, and the regimen was associated with shorter PFS, more toxicity, and lower quality-of-life scores. Subgroup analyses did not identify any population with preferential benefit. As such, the guideline recommends cautious patient selection when considering this regimen in clinical practice.

No Recommendation Changes: Ivonescimab and Second-Line Docetaxel Combinations

The panel reviewed findings from the HARMONi-2 trial (NCT05499390), which compared ivonescimab with pembrolizumab in patients with PD-L1–positive NSCLC without EGFR or ALK alterations. Ivonescimab showed improved median PFS of 11.1 (95% CI, 7.3-not estimable) vs 5.8 months (95% CI, 5.0-8.2) with pembrolizumab (HR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.38-0.69; one-sided P < .0001), but higher rates of grade 3 or higher treatment-related AEs (29% vs 16%). Due to limitations including immature OS data and lack of global enrollment, no guideline change was made, and the agent’s use is not currently recommended.

Similarly, the phase 3 DUBLIN-3 trial (NCT02504489) evaluated docetaxel plus plinabulin vs docetaxel alone in patients previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. The combination modestly improved OS, at 10.5 months (95% CI, 9.34-11.87) vs 9.4 months (95% CI, 8.38-10.68) with docetaxel alone (stratified HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.68-0.99), but with higher rates of serious TEAEs. Given limited prior immunotherapy exposure in the trial and the modest benefit, current second- and later-line recommendations––docetaxel with or without ramucirumab if the patient has already received platinum-based chemotherapy––remain unchanged.

References

1. Reuss JE, Kuruvilla S, Ismaila N, et al. Therapy for Stage IV Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer With Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline, Version 2025.1. J Clin Oncol. Published online July 17, 2025. doi:10.1200/JCO-25-01061
2. ‌Owen DH, Halmos B, Puri S, et al. Therapy for Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Without Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline, Version 2025.1. J Clin Oncol. Published online July 17, 2025. doi:10.1200/JCO-25-01062

If you’ve noticed some new icons and options while doom scrolling on Instagram, you’re not imagining things. The popular social media app owned by Meta rolled out some new updates on Aug. 6, including a location map and the ability to repost public content, the company announced this week.

“People have always come to Instagram to share what they’re up to and where they are,” Meta wrote in a press release. “Now, with reposts, the map, and the ‘Friends’ tab in Reels, it’s easier for you and your friends to stay in touch through the content you’re enjoying on Instagram.”

Here’s a breakdown of the three latest updates, and how users are responding.

🔁 Repost public posts and video reels

Meta announced that Instagram users now have the ability to repost public feed posts and video reels, which is similar to reposting on the social media platform X.

The reposts will show up on friends’ and followers’ feeds, with a credit to the original creator. A separate reposting tab has also been added to IG users’ profiles so that the content can be shared with someone else’s followers.

“This gives creators an opportunity to reach even more people,” Meta said.

📍 Instagram map

Instagram users can now share their location with specific friends of their choosing with Instagram Map, located at the top of a user’s direct messaging inbox. The location sharing option is off unless the user opts in, and they can turn it off anytime.

If users want to double-check their Instagram location sharing settings to turn them on or off, here’s what to do:

• Tap the direct message icon in the top right (it may look like a paper airplane or a message bubble with a lightning bolt inside).

• Select “Map” in the notes section at the very top with a globe image.

• Tap the Settings icon in the top right corner, which will prompt a “Turn on Location Services” button.

• Select “Open Settings,” which will redirect to your phone’s settings app.

• Tap “Location” and choose from “Never,” “Ask Next Time or When I Share,” “While Using the App” or “Always.”

If they opt in, Meta outlined the controls users have to customize their experience:

• Users specifically choose who they share their location with: all followers you follow back (friends), close friends, only selected friends or no one.

• They can choose not to share their location within a specific area or with certain people.

• The location is updated when the app is opened or when the user returns to the app if it has been running in the background.

• Parents and guardians have control over their teens’ location-sharing capabilities if they have supervision set up. The parent will get a notification if the teen starts sharing their location.

Any content with a tagged location can show up on the Instagram map, including reels, posts and stories from people that users follow, and it’s available 24 hours after it’s been posted, according to Meta.

“Regardless of whether you choose to share your location, you can use the map to explore location-based content. From checking out stories from friends who’ve gone to a concert or finding a new place to hang out from a local creator’s reel, there’s content to help you and your friends connect with the world around you,” Meta says.

This feature is currently only available in the U.S., but global availability is coming soon.

👫 ‘Friends’ tab in Reels launches globally

Instagram Reels users will also notice a new tab called “Friends,” located right at the top of Reels. Users can see public Reels content that their friends have interacted with. They can also mute activity from specific people they follow or hide their own likes and comments on reels.

The feature started rolling out earlier this year, but it has now launched globally, Meta announced Wednesday.

📣 How users are responding to the features

Instagram users have had some strong reactions to the updates, particularly over the Map feature. People are voicing safety concerns in the comments section under the latest post on the official Instagram account, which is not related to the app’s updates.

“Please get rid of the map feature. It’s such a bad idea, it’s a safety concern,” another user wrote.

“This is the second time you all have added this map feature. Please remove it. Why are you all obsessed with people’s locations?” one user commented while referring to Instagram’s Photo Map feature, which displayed photos on a map based on their geotags, and was discontinued in 2016.

Meanwhile, others called for the removal of the Friends tab under Reels.

“INSTAGRAM PLS GET RID OF THE FRIENDS BIT NEXT TO THE REELS PLSSSS,” another user commented.

Trials of a daily obesity pill have shown it can help patients lose around 12% of their body weight over 72 weeks.

The manufacturer, Eli Lilly, says the drug, which is not yet licensed, could be available next year.

The daily pill, called orforglipron, works by suppressing appetite and making you feel more full.

Preliminary results of a major trial show those on the highest dose lost an average of 12 kilos (nearly two stone) over 16 months but about one in 10 stopped taking the pills due to side effects, including nausea and vomiting.

In addition to weight loss, participants also benefited from reductions in cholesterol, blood fats and blood pressure.

Dr Kenneth Custer of Eli Lilly said the company was planning to submit the drug for licensing before the end of the year and preparing for a “global launch to address this urgent pubic health need”.

So where might this weight loss pill fit in to the blockbuster multi-billion pound market dominated by injectable drugs like Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic?

The pill is much less effective than injectables.

The 12% weight loss achieved by those taking orforglipron compares to 22% weight loss for patients on Mounjaro, given by weekly injection. Both drugs are made by Eli Lilly.

Despite being less effective, there is likely to be a significant market for weight loss pills, as a needle-free means of cutting obesity levels.

Obesity experts hope the oral drug will be far cheaper than current injectables which would make it available to many more patients.

The full results of the trial will be presented next month at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting and published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Rival manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, also has an oral version of its injectable drug Wegovy which it has already submitted for approval in the US.

In trials, patients on the highest dose of the Novo Nordisk daily pill lost around 15% of their bodyweight after 64 weeks.

United States President Donald Trump has fired off a social media message calling on the head of the US technology firm Intel to resign from his post as chief executive officer.

Trump’s decision to denounce Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan on Thursday morning sent the company’s stocks tumbling, amid the uncertainty about the future of its leadership.

“The CEO of INTEL is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately,” Trump wrote. “There is no other solution to this problem. Thank you for your attention to this problem!”

Trump’s post appeared to be a response to reports that Tan has invested nearly $200m in Chinese technology manufacturing and chip firms, including some with links to the country’s military.

But the president’s social media message also raises concerns about his apparent willingness to get involved in the affairs of private companies, even calling for dramatic changes in leadership and direction.

Scrutiny on Tan’s ties to China

Tan, a longtime technology investor, is relatively new to his post. He was appointed as Intel’s CEO on March 12, and he also serves on the company’s board of directors.

Previously, Tan served in leadership positions at the software company Cadence Design Systems, and he was a founding partner for the venture capital firm Walden Catalyst Ventures.

His personal investments — and the investments of the venture funds he manages — caught the public’s attention shortly after his appointment at Intel, though.

In April, the news agency Reuters reported that, between March 2012 and December 2024, Tan invested in Chinese firms that create technology for the People’s Liberation Army, China’s armed forces.

For some US politicians, that raised a conflict of interest.

On Wednesday, for instance, Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas posted a letter on social media written to the chairman of Intel’s board of directors, Frank Yeary.

In it, he demanded more information about Tan’s hiring and his investments in China.

Cotton pointed out that, on July 28, Cadence Design Systems agreed to plead guilty to federal charges concerning the sale of technology and intellectual property to China’s National University of Defense Technology.

That plea deal resulted in criminal and civil penalties of more than $140m.

“I write to express concern about the security and integrity of Intel’s operations and its potential impact on US national security,” Cotton wrote in his letter to Yeary.

“Mr Tan reportedly controls dozens of Chinese companies and has a stake in hundreds of Chinese advanced-manufacturing and chip firms. At least eight of these companies reportedly have ties to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.”

In an accompanying message to his social media followers, Cotton added that Intel “owes Congress an explanation”. Intel and Tan have yet to respond to the concerns.

Trump pushes ‘America First’ plan

For years, the US and China have been locked in tense competition for economic and political dominance, and the US has repeatedly accused China of attempting to poach American innovation and spy on its technology firms.

China, meanwhile, has denied such allegations, describing them as part of a US smear campaign.

Founded in 1968, Intel has long been a flagship US technology firm, known for producing computer parts like microprocessors. But in recent decades, the company has struggled to keep pace with its competitors, particularly as artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed Silicon Valley, Intel’s longtime home.

Trump, however, has sought to bolster domestic manufacturing with his “America First” economic agenda, which leverages tariffs to discourage the import of products from abroad.

On Tuesday, the Republican leader even said he planned to impose 100-percent tariffs on foreign chips and semiconductors sold in the US.

But Trump has faced criticism for testing the boundaries of his executive power — and, in some cases, seeking to impose his will on the running of private companies.

Since taking office for a second term, for instance, Trump has withheld federal funds from private universities in order to extract guarantees that those institutions would eliminate their diversity initiatives and implement disciplinary reforms, among other demands.

In an interview with Reuters, analysts appeared split over whether Trump was overplaying his hand.

“Many investors likely believe that President Trump has his hand in too many cookie jars, it’s just another signal that he’s very serious about trying to bring business back to the US,” said David Wagner, the head of equity and a portfolio manager at Aptus Capital Advisors, which has invested in Intel.

Meanwhile, Phil Blancato, the CEO of Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management, told Reuters that Trump ousting Tan could have a chilling effect on US business.

“It would be setting a very unfortunate precedent,” Blancato said. “You don’t want American presidents dictating who runs companies, but certainly his opinion has merit and weight.”

It is unclear how Trump’s pressure campaign against Tan may affect Intel’s future.

Last year, Intel received $8bn in subsidies under the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, to build further chip manufacturing plants in the US.