Category: 8. Health

ELI-002 2P, a lymph node–targeting amphiphile peptide–based vaccine, improved relapse-free survival (RFS) in patients with KRAS-mutated pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) correlated to a tumor biomarker, according to results from a phase 1 study published in Nature Medicine.¹

At a median follow-up of 19.7 months, the median overall survival (OS) was 28.94 months, and the median radiographic RFS was 16.33 months in patients who received ELI-002 2P after locoregional therapy. Crucially, investigators identified that patients with a T-cell response above a 9.17-fold threshold had significantly superior outcomes to those who did not.

Targeting the KRAS G12D and G12R mutations, ELI-002 2P is designed to deliver peptide antigens and amphiphile-adjuvant CpG-7909 to the lymph nodes to enhance KRAS-specific T-cell activation and amplification. Earlier reporting from the phase 1 AMPLIFY-201 trial (NCT04853017) established the safety and immunogenicity of ELI-002 2P.²

Twenty-five patients at 7 centers in the United States were enrolled to receive ELI-002 2P with fixed doses of the antigen peptides and escalating doses of Amph-CpG-7909, 20 of whom had PDAC and 5 of whom had CRC. Patients had high-risk stage I, II, III, or oligometastatic stage IV PDAC or high-risk stage II, III, or oligometastatic stage IV CRC. All patients had positive minimal residual disease (MRD) or after locoregional therapy. The primary end point was safety and secondary end points included reduction in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and/or serum tumor antigen levels.

Patients received 6 subcutaneous doses of ELI-002 2P over 8 weeks followed by 3 months of observation, then 4 weekly doses of ELI-0002 2P. They were followed for up to 2 years after the first dose of ELI-002 2P.

No dose-limiting toxicities were observed and a recommended phase 2 dose of 10.0 mg of Amph-CpG-7909 was determined. At the initial data cutoff with 8.5 months’ median follow-up, 21 of 25 patients had mutant KRAS (mKRAS)-directed T-cell responses, with CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in 71% and responses to all 7 mKRAS antigens were present in 57%. All patients who received the 2 highest dose levels had T-cell responses.

With longer follow-up, post hoc analyses of immunogenicity and clinical outcomes were reported.¹ In the PDAC cohort, median RFS was 15.31 months, and median OS was 28.94 months, which was consistent with the full cohort that also included the 5 patients with CRC.

Using an exploratory receiver-operating characteristics analysis, investigators identified the 9.17-fold threshold in T-cell activation that separated patients with better or worse outcomes, after previously reporting outcomes based on the median of 12.75-fold change from baseline. With the new analysis, 17 patients (68%) had better outcomes and 8 (32%) did worse. All 8 of the patients with T-cell change below 9.17-fold experienced radiographic progression and 7 had died. However, 11 of the 17 (65%) with greater change in their T cells had no radiographic progression, 5 required no subsequent therapy and 6 received subsequent chemotherapy based on tumor biomarker increase but remained free from disease progression. There were 6 patients in this group who had complete ctDNA clearance.

Investigators calculated an increase in relative risk of radiographic progression or death of 2.96 for the below-threshold group. The median RFS was not reached vs 3.02 months for the above- and below-threshold groups (HR, 0.12; P = .0002). The median OS was not reached in the above-threshold group vs 15.98 months in the below-threshold group (HR, 0.23; P = .0099). The investigators compared these outcomes favorably to the historical progression of patients with MRD-positive PDAC after resection.

The immunogenicity analyses also showed antigen spreading patient-specific neoantigens not included in ELI-002 2P. T-cell response to nonvaccine antigens were expanded from baseline levels in 67% (6 out of 9 patients) of evaluated patients, and 13 of 52 evaluated neoantigens showed increased T-cell responses. Five of 6 patients with antigen-spreading responses were those with responses above the 9.17-fold threshold.

No new safety signals were reported at the time of this analysis; common treatment-related adverse events previously observed included fatigue, malaise, diarrhea, abdominal distention, and abdominal pain.

A 7-peptide formulation, ELI-002 7P, is also under investigation to target a greater number of KRAS mutations. It showed robust responses in the phase 1 AMPLIFY-7P trial (NCT05726864) and a randomized phase 2 trial is underway in the adjuvant setting for PDAC.

“The updated phase 1 AMPLIFY-201 data further demonstrate that the AMP platform has the potential to provide durable benefit to [patients with] PDAC in the adjuvant setting,” said Chris Haqq, MD, PhD, chief medical officer of Elicio Therapeutics, in a press release.³

_References:

_{1. Wainberg ZA, Weekes CD, Furqan M, et al. Lymph node-targeted, mKRAS-specific amphiphile vaccine in pancreatic and colorectal cancer: phase 1 AMPLIFY-201 trial final results. Nat Med. Published 11 August 2025. doi:10.1038/s41591-025-03876-4}

_{2. Pant S, Wainberg ZA, Weekes CD, et al. Lymph-node-targeted, mKRAS-specific amphiphile vaccine in pancreatic and colorectal cancer: the phase 1 AMPLIFY-201 trial. Nat Med. 2024;30(2):531-542. doi:10.1038/s41591-023-02760-3}

_{3. Elicio Therapeutics announces publication of ELI-002 updated AMPLIFY-201 phase 1 follow-up data in nature medicine for minimal residual disease (“MRD”) positive, adjuvant-stage patients. Elicio Therapeutics. News release. August 12, 2025. Accessed August 12, 2025. https://elicio.com/press_releases/elicio-therapeutics-announces-publication-of-eli-002-updated-amplify-201-phase-1-follow-up-data-in-nature-medicine-for-minimal-residual-disease-mrd-positive-adjuvant-stage-patient/}

Despite increasing evidence linking alcohol consumption to cancer, little is known about the biological mechanisms behind the association. A new study, published Aug. 12 in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, suggests that inhibiting a cellular molecule called CREB might thwart pancreatic tumor development in response to alcohol.

Our model serves as an important platform for understanding how chronic inflammation related to alcohol consumption accelerates the development of pancreatic cancer.”

Siddharth Mehra, Ph.D., scientist at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, and first author on the study

Chronic, high alcohol use damages acinar cells in the pancreas, specialized cells that produce digestive enzymes. The damage in turn causes the cells’ enzymes to increase inflammation in the tissue, exacerbating damage to the pancreas.

Over time, precancerous lesions can develop, increasing the risk for full-blown pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest types of tumors. Previous studies have implicated CREB, a DNA-binding protein that regulates gene activity, and associated molecules in helping to mediate this process.

Progression to cancer also generally requires other cellular events, such as a mutation in a pro-cancerous gene called Ras, which commonly occurs in pancreatic tumors.

In the new study, the researchers developed a model that recapitulated alcohol-induced inflammation, the development of pre-cancerous lesions and progression to cancer. The model contained Ras mutations in acinar cells, and it also had an intact CREB gene that could be experimentally knocked out in these cells.

The researchers found that exposure to alcohol and a pro-inflammatory molecule caused the development of symptoms similar to alcohol-induced pancreatitis, an inflammatory condition. Inflammation in turn prompted the development of precancerous lesions and, later, cancer. Consistent with previous studies, CREB was highly activated throughout this transition process.

The researchers next knocked out CREB and found that they could quell the development of precancerous and cancerous lesions, even in the continued presence of alcohol. Knocking out CREB also relieved damage to acinar cells.

The findings hint that inhibitors of CREB might have therapeutic potential in people who have high alcohol use. Such inhibitors could potentially relieve damage to the pancreas and thwart tumor development, said the researchers.

“We found that CREB is not just a mediator of inflammation; it is a molecular orchestrator that permanently converts acinar cells into precancerous cells, which ultimately progress to high-grade neoplasia,” said senior author Nagaraj Nagathihalli, Ph.D., associate professor of surgery and assistant director of the Sylvester Pancreatic Cancer Research Institute at the University of Miami.

Future studies should help provide additional information about how alcohol use promotes pancreatic cancer development.

Questions include whether similar events occur in human cells and tissues and what other molecules and cells play a role in the process. CREB activation may also be involved in other alcohol-linked cancers, speculates Nagathihalli.

He and colleagues are also leveraging the model to investigate the potential of CREB inhibitors, which are under development as potential cancer therapeutics.

“We believe this study lays the groundwork for future translational efforts targeting CREB as a therapeutic vulnerability in inflammation-associated pancreatic cancer,” said study co-author Nipun Merchant, M.D., Sylvester associate director of translational science and chief of surgical oncology.

The U.S. surgeon general recently declared alcohol the third leading preventable cause of cancer.

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In Scientific Reports today, Chilean researchers describe the first-time detection of suspected H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) in penguins and cormorants in Antarctica, which they say could indicate a significant expansion of the virus into the continent that would put susceptible bird species at risk.

The team conducted a geographic survey of seabirds at 13 breeding sites ranging from the northeastern Antarctic Peninsula to the Ross Sea, including the coasts of the Bellinghausen and Amundsen seas, in December 2023 and January 2024.

Beginning in 2020, clade 2.3.4.4b avian flu rapidly spread across continents, mainly driven by wild bird movements. “In Chile, it was detected for the first time in October 2022,” the investigators wrote. “Given its close proximity to the Antarctic continent and the migratory movements of birds between both regions, transmission is highly likely, causing a significant threat to the Antarctic wildlife.”

No clinical signs of avian flu

Of the 115 birds sampled, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results for 9, including 8 Adelie penguins (12%) at 2 different locations and 1 Atlantic cormorant, were suspected positive for H5 avian flu. Nearly all suspected infections were from Beagle Island, close to the Danger Islands at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Another infected penguin was identified on the West Antarctic Peninsula, south of the Antarctic Circle in Margaret Bay.

This study suggests the possibility of the first cases of HPAIV H5 in the Antarctic continent, potentially adding two new species to the list of infected species.

None of the birds sampled showed clinical signs of influenza infection, and the seven penguins with suspected infection on Beagle Island were still foraging as of March 2024, more than 2 months after testing. 

“This study suggests the possibility of the first cases of HPAIV H5 in the Antarctic continent, potentially adding two new species to the list of infected species,” the study authors wrote. “It also highlights the southernmost suspected cases identified to date of surveillance, and notably, no cases were detected between the Antarctic Peninsula and the Ross Sea.”

A standardized definition of long COVID is necessary to improve diagnostic accuracy, clinical recognition, and research comparability, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open.¹

Long COVID, defined by various major organizations, such as the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), can be characterized by prolonged COVID or respiratory-related symptoms; however, there are numerous discrepancies between existing definitions. These discrepancies pose significant hurdles in recognition by both patients and clinicians, which can result in delayed or unnecessary treatments.¹

In the new study, researchers observed only 5 common symptoms across data from the Innovative Support for Patients With SARS-CoV-2 Infections Registry (INSPIRE; NCT04610515) and 5 comparator studies, which were “more tired than usual,” “pain or tightness in your chest,” “diarrhea [>3 loose or looser than normal stools in 24 hours],” “decreased smell or change in smell,” and “fatigue, tiredness, or exhaustion.”

“We’re not necessarily trying to say that any one definition that we looked at should be used,” lead author Lauren Wisk, PhD, assistant professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research at the University of California, Los Angeles, said in an interview with The American Journal of Managed Care®. “We were comparing across the ones that exist to sort of see how they stack up, and I think, really importantly, what the implications are for our ability to actually capture people who believe that they have long COVID.”

The longitudinal cohort study INSPIRE consisted of 6044 participants; however, only 75% (n= 4575) were included in this study because they completed the 3-month follow-up survey. Of them, 3521 tested positive for COVID-19. Moreover, 3897 participants (85.2%; 2986 [76.6%] COVID-19 positive) completed both a 3-month and a 6-month follow-up survey, and 3235 (83.0%) of those (2478 [76.6%] COVID-19 positive) also completed the final survey. The remainder were categorized as COVID-19 negative, which included patients with similar COVID or respiratory-related symptoms but who had not received a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. Of participants with race/ethnicity data available (n = 4446), 13.8% were Asian, 8.2% were Black, 68.9% were non-Hispanic White, and 9.1% were labeled as multiracial (5.4%) or of other race (including 0.6% who were Native American or Alaskan Native and 0.5% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander).

The analysis included 5 comparator studies that reported on the prevalence of long COVID at 1 to 5 months post infection, which ranged from 2.6% (84 days [Sudre et al]) to 47.4% (3-5 months [Pagen et al]), and at 6 or more months ranged from 10.0% (95% CI, 8.8%-11.0% [Thaweethai et al]) to 61.9% (6-11 months [Pagen et al]).^2-4 When applying the study’s long COVID definition to the INSPIRE cohort, the analysis showed a prevalence of long COVID ranging from 0.84% (95% CI, 29.33%-32.40%) to 42.01% (95% CI, 40.37%-43.66%) among the COVID-19–positive group and from 28.08% (95% CI, 25.41%-30.92%) to 40.32% (95% CI, 37.35%-43.36%) among the COVID-19–negative group. However, despite the overlapping rates in prevalence, scientists observed individuals who were COVID-19 positive showed a greater number of symptoms that aligned with multiple definitions of long COVID when compared with individuals who were COVID-19 negative.

The analysis showed that the multiple long COVID definitions tended to identify fewer true long COVID cases (indicating lower sensitivity) but were effective at correctly classifying individuals without long COVID (indicating higher specificity). The study authors concluded that a key identifying factor of long COVID when compared with other post-illness symptoms was the overall symptom count, with long COVID presenting with more symptoms.

Although NASEM did release a long COVID definition, researchers note that it should still be incentivized for federal government clinicians to adopt this definition to help keep diagnoses, documentation, and treatments consistent. However, NASEM includes people who are COVID-19 negative and/or have other post-illness symptoms to identify with long COVID, despite not having it. Wisk attributes this inclusion to expanding access for populations who may not be able to get a COVID-19 test or a provider to administer the test.

“I imagine that was a very intentional decision that they made to try to address some of these access issues… And so, trying to sort of create a little bit more equilibrium around then, who could get access to a long COVID diagnosis,” Wisk said. “But again, there are trade-offs there, and one of them is that we’re potentially going to be misdiagnosing people as having long COVID when they potentially have some other condition, including persistent symptoms from another respiratory illness.”

References

1. Wisk LE, L’Hommedieu M, Roldan KD, et al.Variability in long COVID definitions and validation of published prevalence rates. JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8(8):e2526506. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.26506

2. Sudre CH, Murray B, Varsavsky T, et al. Attributes and predictors of long COVID. Nat Med. 2021;27(4):626-631. doi:10.1038/s41591-021-01292-y

3. Pagen DME, van Bilsen CJA, Brinkhues S, et al. Prevalence of long-term symptoms varies when using different post-COVID-19 definitions in positively and negatively tested adults: the PRIME post-COVID study. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2023;10(10):ofad471. doi:10.1093/ofid/ofad471

4. Thaweethai T, Jolley SE, Karlson EW, et al. RECOVER Consortium. Development of a definition of postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection. JAMA. 2023;329(22):1934-1946. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.8823

The UK has just introduced the world’s first national programme offering a vaccine to help protect against gonorrhoea. This coincides with increasing rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including antibiotic-resistant strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, particularly among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.

The vaccine being offered was not originally designed for gonorrhoea. It is the meningococcal B (MenB) vaccine, developed to protect against Neisseria meningitidis – the bacteria which cause meningitis.

These two bacteria are closely related and share several similar surface proteins. As a result, the immune response generated by the MenB vaccine also offers provides partial protection against gonorrhoea.

While the vaccine is not 100% effective, studies suggest it can reduce the risk of infection by a third. Given the emergence of antibiotic-resistant “super gonorrhoea” this is a valuable addition to our sexual health toolkit.

Condoms are the mainstay of STI prevention, and have been for decades. They are inexpensive, easy to use and remain the only single method that protects against both HIV and most other STIs.

Despite their effectiveness, many people do not use condoms every time they have sex. Some find they reduce sensation or pleasure; others see condomless sex as a sign of trust in a relationship. Condoms might not be on hand when sex is spontaneous, while alcohol and drug use may lower inhibitions and increase impulsivity.

Since the introduction of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) attitudes have also shifted. Some people now perceive other STIs as inconvenient but easily treated, particularly younger generations whose school-based sex education may have focused more on pregnancy prevention than on STI transmission.

But “condomless sex” need not mean “entirely unprotected” sex. In addition to condoms, biomedical advances are giving us more ways to prevent infection – many of which rely on acting before particular bacteria or viruses take hold. In public health, two of the most effective examples of this are vaccination and prophylaxis (treatment given or action taken to prevent disease).

Vaccination

Vaccines work by training the immune system to recognise and fight specific infections. They do this by introducing harmless fragments of a virus or bacterium, which prompt the body to produce antibodies and memory cells. If the body later encounters the real pathogen, the immune system can react rapidly and in a much more targeted way, preventing illness entirely or at least reducing its severity.

Vaccination already plays an important role in sexual health. Alongside the newly introduced gonorrhoea vaccine, the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine protects against genital warts and reduces the risk of several cancers, including cervical and anal cancer. Hepatitis A and B vaccines defend against viruses that can cause serious, and sometimes life-threatening, liver disease. The mpox vaccine is also available for people considered at higher risk.

These vaccines represent a useful preventative tool in the modern sexual health toolkit – complementing condoms, antiviral prophylaxis and other preventive strategies to give people another layer of protection.

Prophylaxis

In sexual health, one of the clearest examples of prevention in action is HIV prophylaxis. Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) involves taking antiviral medication so that, if exposure to the HIV virus occurs, it cannot establish an infection. Some people take PrEP daily, while others use an “on demand” regimen around the time they have sex. Under the guidance of a sexual health professional, PrEP is a safe and highly effective option for preventing HIV infection.

Post-Exposure Porphylaxis (PEP) works in a similar way but is taken after a possible exposure. It’s an emergency option: a month-long course of antiviral medication that should be started as soon as possible (and no later than 72 hours after sex) to be effective.

Researchers are now exploring similar approaches for bacterial STIs. One promising example is DoxyPEP, where a single dose of the antibiotic doxycycline is taken after condomless sex. Early evidence shows it can significantly reduce the risk of syphilis and chlamydia, and to a lesser extent, gonorrhoea.

Why condoms still matter

These biomedical tools are changing the sexual health landscape. While there is no substitute for the comprehensive protection that condoms offer, more options mean greater control.

As threats continue to evolve, so too must our strategies to address them. The introduction of the gonorrhoea vaccination programme – the first of its kind – is a powerful example of innovation in practice. It demonstrates how progress can be achieved not only through new discoveries, but in finding new uses for existing tools.

Artificial intelligence programs can help doctors and nurses predict hours earlier which ER patients will likely require hospital admission, a new study says.

An AI program trained on nearly 2 million patient visits became slightly more accurate than ER nurses in predicting which patients would need to be admitted, according to findings published Aug. 11 in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Digital Health.

If this approach proves successful, it could help reduce overcrowding in hospital emergency departments, researchers say.

“Emergency department overcrowding and boarding have become a national crisis, affecting everything from patient outcomes to financial performance,” said lead researcher Jonathan Nover, vice president of nursing and emergency services at Mount Sinai Health System in New York City.

“Industries like airlines and hotels use bookings to forecast demand and plan. In the ED, we don’t have reservations,” he continued in a news release. “Could you imagine airlines and hotels without reservations, solely forecasting and planning from historical trends? Welcome to health care.”

Up to 35% of ER patients who require admission wind up spending four or more hours biding their time in spare rooms or busy hallways awaiting a bed, a practice known as “boarding,” according to a recent study in the journal Health Affairs.

Worse, nearly 5% of patients wait a full day for a bed during the busy winter months, the earlier study found.

“Our goal was to see if AI combined with input from our nurses could help hasten admission planning, a reservation of sorts,” Nover said. “We developed a tool to forecast admissions needs before an order is placed, offering insights that could fundamentally improve how hospitals manage patient flow, leading to better outcomes.”

For the project, researchers trained the AI on more than 1.8 million ER visits that had occurred between 2019 and 2023.

“By training the algorithm on more than a million patient visits, we aimed to capture meaningful patterns that could help anticipate admissions earlier than traditional methods,” co-senior researcher Dr. Eyal Klang, chief of generative AI at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, said in a news release.

The team then put the AI up against a cadre of more than 500 ER nurses in evaluating nearly 47,000 patient visits that occurred in September and October 2024 at six emergency departments in the Mount Sinai Health System.

The nurses were asked to judge whether a patient would need hospital admission, after performing a quick triage. Researchers also fed the triage results to the AI, to see what it would predict.

The nurses proved about 81% accurate in predicting which patients would need hospital admission, compared to 85% accuracy from the AI.

“We were encouraged to see that AI could stand on its own in making complex predictions,” co-senior researcher Robert Freeman, chief digital transformation officer at Mount Sinai Health System, said in a news release. “But just as important, this study highlights the vital role of our nurses — more than 500 participated directly — demonstrating how human expertise and machine learning can work hand in hand to reimagine care delivery.”

Researchers next plan to implement their AI into real-time workflows and monitor how the program affects boarding times and patient flow through the ER.

“This tool isn’t about replacing clinicians; it’s about supporting them. By predicting admissions earlier, we can give care teams the time they need to plan, coordinate, and ultimately provide better, more compassionate care,” Freeman said. “It’s inspiring to see AI emerge not as a futuristic idea, but as a practical, real-world solution shaped by the people delivering care every day.”

More information

The American College of Emergency Physicians has more on ER boarding and crowding.

Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

New research is shedding light on increases in the global burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD). From 1990 to 2021, while the overall CKD burden increased slowly, CKD-related deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and corresponding age-standardized rate (ASR)s attributable to high BMI exhibited a more pronounced and sustained growth.¹

In addition to this historical upward trend, study findings project further increases in the burden of CKD attributable to high BMI by 2050, underscoring the need for comprehensive strategies for the prevention, assessment, and management of CKD to effectively mitigate this growing burden.¹

According to the American Kidney Fund (AKF), an estimated 35.5 million people in the US have kidney disease, which is the fastest-growing noncommunicable disease in the country. The AKF recommends maintaining a healthy weight, following a kidney-friendly food and fluid plan, getting tested for kidney disease, and being physically active for preventing kidney disease.²

“Epidemiologically, quantifying the disease burden associated with modifiable risk factors such as obesity is essential for understanding its relationship with CKD,” Weihong Zhao, of the division of nephrology at Jiangsu Province Hospital and Nanjing Medical University First Affiliated Hospital in China, and colleagues wrote.¹ “However, CKD burden attributable to obesity, especially in epidemiological patterns and dynamic changes, remains unclear.”

To address this gap in research, investigators extracted annual data from 1990 to 2021 from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2021 on CKD deaths, DALYs, age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR), and age-standardized DALYs rate (ASDR) attributable to high BMI, stratified by sex and age, for 204 countries and territories. In addition to the estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) from 1990 to 2021, investigators calculated projected attributable CKD burden through 2050.¹

Investigators defined CKD as renal dysfunction based on glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and proteinuria criteria in the GBD 2021 Study, including an estimated GFR < 60 mL/min/1.73m2, calculated using serum creatinine, and/or an albumin-to-creatinine ratio > 30 mg/g. High BMI was defined as a BMI ≥25 kg/m2.¹

The global number of CKD-related deaths was 1,527,639 (95% UI, 1,389,377-1,638,914) in 2021, with corresponding DALYs reaching 44,453,684 (95% UI, 40,840,762-48,508,462). The ASMR and ASDR were 18.50 (95% UI, 16.72-19.85) and 529.62 (95% UI, 486.25-577.42) per 100,000 population, respectively.¹

Globally, investigators noted high BMI was responsible an estimated 418,402 (95% UI, 224,309-621,353) CKD deaths, accounting for 27.4% of CKD-related deaths, with an ASMR of 5.06 (95% UI, 2.70-7.51). Corresponding DALYs were 10,422,561 (95% UI, 5,658,159-15,387,254), representing 23.4% of CKD-related DALYs, and the ASDR was 123.86 (95% UI, 67.23-182.96).¹

Further analysis revealed global CKD burden attributable to high BMI showed a sustained upward trend over the study period. Compared to 1990, deaths and DALYs cases increased approximately 3.5-fold and 2.9-fold in 2021, respectively. EAPC for ASMR was 2.25 (95% CI, 2.13-2.36), and EAPC for ASDR was 1.98 (95% CI, 1.89-2.07), indicating a faster growth rate compared to the overall CKD burden. Of note, trends were similar across the sexes, with slightly greater EAPCs for males.¹

Projections indicated that from 2022 to 2050, the number of deaths and DALYs, along with their ASRs, will continue to increase. Although ASRs for males and females were expected to remain comparable, females will account for more cases.¹

Further decomposition analysis assessed the relative contributions of aging, population growth, and epidemiological changes to the rising disease burden from 1990 to 2021, with results revealing that all 3 factors contributed to the increasing burden. Of note, aging played a prominent role in the middle, high-middle, and high SDI regions.¹

“Our findings provide valuable insights for policymakers in formulating evidence-based strategies to address this pressing public health challenge,” investigators concluded.¹

References

1. Ma Y, Chen S, Shen Y, et al. Independent and joint impacts of high body mass index and aging on global burden of chronic kidney disease: insights from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. Front. Nutr. doi:10.3389/fnut.2025.1582534

2. American Kidney Fund. Quick kidney disease facts and stats. February 11, 2025. Accessed August 12, 2025. https://www.kidneyfund.org/all-about-kidneys/quick-kidney-disease-facts-and-stats

Africa’s population over the age of 60 will triple by 2050, bringing “a sharp rise in neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s, with profound health and economic costs”, according to a paper published in Nature last week.

The paper highlights a five-year strategy, headed by a pan-African task force, to address this demographic shift on the continent, focusing on “early detection, timely care, data-driven systems, and equitable innovation”.

Some three-quarters of people living with Alzheimer’s globally are undiagnosed, denying them access to appropriate treatment and care. 

Given widespread systemic weaknesses in the health systems of several African countries, this may well be the fate of many of the estimated 226 million Africans over 60 projected to be living on the continent by 2050 (up from 69 million in 2017). 

Currently, only 12 African countries submit data to the Global Dementia Observatory.

Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt already have some of the highest dementia-related disease burdens in the world, and by 2050, 14 million Africans are expected to develop Alzheimer’s and related disorders. 

Health system transformation

The “6×5” plan developed by the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative (DAC) aims to assist African countries to address this growing problem using low-cost innovations.

It comprises six interventions over the next five years: strengthening advocacy and health literacy; positioning brain health as a socioeconomic driver; breaking down silos of people and data; repurposing local resources; investing in artificial intelligence and digital health, and boosting research funding. 

Advocacy and health literacy

“In many African cultural settings, dementia is often linked to madness, witchcraft and demonic possession, or it is dismissed as a natural part of ageing,” the report notes.

To address this stigmatising approach, it proposes health literacy campaigns aimed at establishing dementia as “a biological issue that requires immediate attention”. 

Brain health as a socio-economic driver

“Positioning brain health as a cornerstone of Africa’s societal well-being, economic growth and sustainable development is imperative,” according to the plan.

It calls for health policy makers to recognise brain health as a critical economic priority, and address individual and societal determinants of brain health across people’s entire lifespans.

This would start with the first 1,000 days of life, a critical phase for brain development, and include childhood education to build cognitive skills and lifelong learning opportunities.

It would also encompass women’s health initiatives to address gender disparities, initiatives to promote emotional resilience, and healthy ageing strategies that incorporate physical activity, nutrition and social engagement.

“The continent has a deeply rooted heritage of social connectedness, collective identity and intergenerational support – factors shown to promote cognitive well-being and mitigate cognitive decline,” the report notes.

Repurposing local resources

“The continent needs a comprehensive Pan-African Resource Repurposing Strategy for Brain Health – one that identifies underutilised resources and fosters sustainable, affordable and locally driven solutions,” the report notes.

Expertise in managing infectious diseases such as HIV can be harnessed to help with the early detection of dementia, for example.

Community health workers can be trained to identify early signs of the disease, primary healthcare facilities can serve as hubs for cognitive screening, education and management, and dementia care can be included in non-communicable disease (NCD) services.

Breaking down silos

“A well-integrated research and data ecosystem is essential for identifying high-risk populations and implementing targeted dementia prevention and early intervention strategies,” the report notes.

However, Africa’s research and information systems are fragmented, with “weak data-sharing platforms, limited connectivity between research hubs, and a lack of standardised mechanisms for harmonisation and reporting”. 

It proposes establishing “a Pan-African network of research centres” to drive a harmonised, transdisciplinary approach to data generation and utilisation. 

It also advocates for “strengthening cross-sector collaboration through partnerships between health systems, governments, researchers and nongovernmental organisations” and global partnerships.

Tech-enabled systems

“Digital health solutions offer accessible, scalable and cost-effective alternatives to traditional healthcare approaches,” and Africa’s mobile technology “revolution” means it is well placed to adopt these, the report notes.

New digital biomarkers enable early and accurate detection, monitoring and treatment of brain disorders – including data from speech patterns and typing.

This “allows for passive and remote monitoring of cognitive changes”, which facilitates the use of AI.

Digital technologies can also play a critical role in “identifying and mitigating modifiable risk factors associated with cognitive decline”, including “sleep patterns, physical activity, social engagement and mental health indicators (such as depression)”.

But AI-driven solutions are often developed on and for high-income populations, which means Africa needs “a pan-African strategy for AI and machine learning solutions in brain health”.

Strengthening research funding

“To attract investment from both public and private sectors, brain health leaders must present a compelling economic and social case,” the report notes. 

It proposes that brain health is integrated into existing healthcare priorities such as maternal and child health, NCDs and social determinants of health. 

Way forward

As Africa transitions to a society with smaller families, there is the prospect of greater economic wealth as the working-age population becomes proportionally larger than the non-working-age population – and this offers a chance to implement measures to prepare for an older population, the paper argues.

To effectively implement the priority areas outlined in the 6 × 5 Plan, DAC launched a pan-African task force on brain health in March 2025. 

The task force’s organising committee, which provides strategic oversight, is composed of DAC, the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Economic Forum (WEF), the World Bank, Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) and the African Union. 

DAC leads the secretariat, which coordinates operational support and communication. Six thematic chairs – covering research, nonprofit, industry, policy, economics and systems thinking – shape strategy and liaise with working group leads. 

Six working groups, led by operational leads from the five geopolitical zones, focus on executing the priorities of the 6 × 5 plan, ensuring regionally relevant and inclusive solutions across Africa.

“Unlike research efforts that focus on therapeutic interventions, DAC’s model emphasises health system transformation, from earlier detection and evidence-based care pathways to strengthening workforce training and improving global data sharing,” according to a media release from the Geneva-based collaboration.

Image Credits: Kizito Makoye Shigela/HPW, UCLA .

UC Davis Health researchers have discovered that a natural molecule made by gut bacteria can reverse liver damage and repair the gut lining after aflatoxin exposure. The treatment may offer a new, non-toxic way to prevent and treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a growing health problem affecting more than 1 in 4 adults in the U.S.

The study revealed that 10-hydroxy-cis-12-octadecenoic acid (10-HSA), a compound produced by Lactobacillus bacteria, successfully restored gut-liver health in mice exposed to aflatoxin. Aflatoxin is a toxic substance made by mold commonly found in peanuts, corn and other crops. It is known to cause liver injury.

This is the first time a single microbial molecule has been shown to repair both the liver and gut together.”

Satya Dandekar, lead author

Dandekar is a distinguished professor and the chair of the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at UC Davis Health.

The paper was published today in mBio.

Gut-liver axis: A new treatment target

The gut and the liver are intricately linked. They communicate through bile acids, immunity responses and lipid metabolism – a relationship known as the gut-liver axis. When one organ is damaged, the other suffers too. In diseases like NAFLD (now also called MASLD), this connection becomes a key therapeutic target.

“NAFLD prevalence is on the rise in the United States. It has increased globally over 50% in the last 30 years. Chronic liver diseases like NAFLD disrupt lipid metabolism and generate high levels of inflammation, also impacting the gut health. It limits the gut digestive functions and breaks down the epithelial barrier,” Dandekar said.

Despite the crucial role the gut-liver axis plays in maintaining homeostasis, treatments that target both the liver and the gut remain under investigated.

Dandekar’s team used a mouse model mimicking NAFLD. Exposing mice to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a toxic compound made by Aspergillus fungi, triggered liver injury, inflammation and damage to the gut lining.

But when these mice were treated with 10-HSA, the researchers saw a dramatic reversal of the liver and gut damage:

• Gut epithelial barrier was restored.
• Key bile acid metabolites like cholesterol and deoxycholate returned to healthy levels.
• Energy metabolism and detoxification functions in the liver improved.
• Gut immune responses normalized.

Microbial weaponry

“We think of these microbial products like precision weapons,” Dandekar said. “They are released by bacteria at the site of inflammation and act exactly where they’re needed to help repair and heal tissue.”

Chronic liver diseases like NAFLD and cirrhosis are driven in part by the suppression of PPARα signaling. 10-HSA activates PPARα, a protein that regulates lipid metabolism. By activating PPARα, the molecule repaired liver tissue and supported gut health – all without the side effects of synthetic drugs.

“What makes this molecule special is that it is produced naturally in the gut and has no cytotoxic effects,” said co-author Abhaya Dandekar, a professor of plant sciences at UC Davis. “It works only when the body and the microbiome are in sync.”

A preventive tool for aflatoxin exposure

Aflatoxin exposure affects many people, especially in developing countries. In agricultural areas with poor food safety, this exposure is a serious public health concern. This study lays the foundation for developing a simple, safe supplement that could be life changing.

“It would truly be a unique and exciting opportunity if we can provide a microbially-derived supplement that can alleviate or prevent the detrimental impact on human health,” said Dylan Kramer, the first author of the study and a graduate student in Dandekar’s lab.

According to the authors, microbiologists have traditionally focused on short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced by the gut microbiome. This study shifted the focus to other metabolites.

“While SCFAs are very important, our study serves as one of the first to broaden the focus to larger, more complex metabolites produced in direct response to pro-inflammatory conditions in the gut,” Kramer said.

What is next?

The study highlighted the powerful role of the microbiome in healing and prevention – and how tapping into this natural pharmacy could transform medicine. With strong preclinical evidence and no toxicity concerns, the researchers are preparing for human clinical trials, especially in people with fatty liver disease or metabolic issues.