A new study says that older adults who nap too much during the day may have a higher risk of death. This study was presented at SLEEP 2025, a big sleep science event in Seattle, Washington. The research looked at daytime naps, especially longer and irregular naps in the early afternoon, and found these were linked to a higher death risk over 8 years, as per the report by Fox News Digital.
Chenlu Gao, the study’s lead author and a postdoc at Massachusetts General Hospital, said they wanted to understand more than just if people nap — but also how long, when, and how often. The study had 86,565 participants with an average age of 63. All had regular daytime jobs, as per reports.
Naps between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. were most risky
These people wore devices that tracked their movement during sleep. It didn’t check brain activity though. Scientists defined daytime napping as sleep between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Over the next 8 years, 5,189 people (6%) from the study died, as stated in the report by Fox News Digital. People who napped between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. or took longer naps had higher chances of dying during those 8 years. The study also adjusted for other death risk factors like age, weight, smoking, alcohol, and night sleep time. Dr. Chelsie Rohrscheib, a sleep expert from Wesper, New York, who wasn’t part of the study, said naps are okay unless they’re used to make up for bad night sleep, according to the report by Fox News Digital.
Long naps might mean you’re not sleeping well at night
She also said adults need 7 to 9 hours of good sleep at night to stay healthy and avoid diseases like heart problems and diabetes. One issue with the study: it might have confused “quiet rest” with actual sleep, because the tracker only checks movement, not brain activity, as mentioned in the reports.
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Also, defining naps as between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. may have accidentally included some people’s real sleep, not just naps. Too much daytime sleeping could be a sign of other health problems like chronic illness, body inflammation, or issues with the body’s internal clock, as mentioned by Fox News Digital. ALSO READ : Michael Madsen, iconic ‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’ actor, dies at 67
Dr. Rohrscheib said if someone needs a nap every day, they probably have bad night sleep or an underlying health issue. Chenlu Gao said more studies are needed to find out whether naps directly cause health issues, or if they’re just a sign of something else. But Gao also said watching people’s napping patterns could help spot health problems early and let doctors step in faster. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says healthy naps should be under 20 to 30 minutes, and taken early in the afternoon, according to the reports.
Short “power naps” can help you feel more awake and full of energy. But if you nap for more than 30 minutes, you might feel tired or dizzy after waking up.
In short, sleeping too much during the day after age 60 can be risky. The time, length, and how often you nap may show signs about your health, according to Fox News Digital
FAQs
Q1. Is it dangerous for older adults to nap a lot during the day? Yes, a new study says too much daytime napping after age 60 may raise the risk of death.
Q2. How long should a healthy nap be? Experts say naps should be 20–30 minutes and taken early in the afternoon.
Liquid Glass is a huge new change coming to iOS 26. (Apple)
Get ready because Apple iOS 26 (not iOS 19) is headed your way this fall with some cool new features you’ll want to try. What’s most exciting? The fresh home and lock screen redesign we’ve been waiting to see for years. Dubbed Liquid Glass, the new look and feel will extend across all of Apple’s upcoming operating systems. The overhaul was one of several big changes coming to iOS, macOS, iPadOS and the rest of Apple’s software suite, all of which were showcased during the company’s WWDC keynote on June 9.
After overpromising on AI plans last year, Apple kept its iOS roadmap focused more on basic quality of life improvements this year. There are multiple useful additions coming to the Phone and Messages apps on your iPhone, for instance: Apple execs outlined the ability to weed out spam texts or other unknown senders and an option to hold your spot on a phone call when you’ve been waiting for a representative to pick up. Plus, a treasured feature that we took for granted is coming back (hint: it’s in the Photos app).
Siri, meanwhile, is in a holding pattern. Apple has previously specified that its smarter voice assistant — first promised at WWDC 2024 — is delayed until some point “in the coming year,” so you shouldn’t expect any major changes in the current betas. But there are reports that Apple is aiming to give Siri a bigger brain transplant by basing it on third-party artificial intelligence models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude, which could make 2026 a pivotal year.
If you’re a developer, you can check out the iOS 26 beta 2 now; the public beta is coming this month. With each beta, it seems like additional new improvements are popping up, like newly discovered FaceTime feature that’ll freeze your video if it detects nudity. Most newer iPhone models are eligible to download iOS 26 (both the betas and final version). Want to see the full list of new features coming this fall? Read on.
What is iOS 26?
While the current iPhone operating system is iOS 18, Apple is skipping the numbering ahead to iOS 26 later this year. The company has decided to line up its iOS version numbers with a year-based system, similar to car model years. So while iOS and its sibling operating systems will be released in late 2025, they’re all designated “26” to reflect the year ahead. (Meanwhile, iOS 18 is still getting new versions this summer, too.)
It’s official, we’re moving to iOS 26. (Apple)
What is Liquid Glass design?
Let’s be honest. Out of everything announced at WWDC this year, the new Liquid Glass design was the star of the show. The iPhone’s home and lock screens have looked pretty much the same year after year — the last exciting thing (in my opinion) was the option to add your own aesthetic to your home screen by customizing your apps and widgets. So seeing the home and lock screens’ new facelift is refreshing.
So what exactly is Liquid Glass? Apple calls it a “new translucent material” since, well, the apps and widgets are clear. However, the screen can still adapt to dark and light modes, depending on surroundings. You’ll also notice buttons with a new floating design in several apps, like Phone and Maps. They’re designed to be less distracting than the current buttons, but are still easy to see. While the design overhaul has proven to be controversial since its announcement, some — including Engadget’s own Devindra Hardawar — like the new direction, even if it’s somewhat reminiscent of Microsoft’s translucent Windows Vista Aero designs from nearly twenty years ago.
That said, as of the newly released iOS 26 beta 2, Apple has already incorporated some user feedback into the design, dialing back the transparency in at least some places. And while it will continue to evolve, Apple users won’t be able to escape it: Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple’s OSes more cohesive. Here’s a look at how the translucent aesthetic will look with the new macOS Tahoe 26 on your desktop.
What are the new and notable features of iOS 26?
iOS 26 has a laundry list of new features. Among the most worthwhile:
Phone app redesign: You’ll finally be able to scroll through contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that’ll notify you when an agent comes to the phone so you can avoid the elevator music and continue on with other tasks.
Live Translation in Phone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 is bringing the ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Translation will translate your conversation in real time, which results in some stop-and-go interactions in the examples Apple shared during its presentation.
Polls in group chats: Tired of sorting through what seems like hundreds of messages in your group chat? You and your friends will soon be able to create polls in group messages for deciding things like which brunch spot you’re eating at or whose car you’re taking on a road trip.
Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you haven’t received spam texts about unpaid tolls or other citations, you’re lucky. For those of us who have, those annoying messages will soon be filtered away in a separate folder.
Visual Intelligence: Similar to a reverse Google image search, this new feature will allow you to search for anything that’s on your iPhone screen. For instance, if you spot a pair of shoes someone is wearing in an Instagram photo, you can screenshot it and use Visual Intelligence to find those shoes (or similar ones) online.
Photos tabs are back: For anyone who’s still frustrated with the Photos changes made last year, you’ll be happy to know that your tabs are coming back. Library and Collections will have their own separate spaces so you don’t have to scroll to infinity to find what you’re looking for.
FaceTime “Communication Safety” feature: A newer addition to iOS 26 appears to be the FaceTime “Communication Safety” feature that pauses communications if and when nudity is detected. The feature appears to be a child safety feature that uses on-device detection, thus obviating any cloud-based privacy issues.
Apple’s Hold Assist will be nifty for those pesky services that put you on hold for 10 or more minutes. (Apple)
Which iPhones will be able to upgrade to iOS 26?
A few iPhone models that run the current version of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — won’t be compatible with the latest upgrade. But any iPhones released in 2019 or later will be eligible for the iOS 26 update.
Not listed here are the presumed new iPhone 17 models (or maybe iPhone 26?) that are all but certain to be announced and released in September.
When will the iOS 26 beta be available?
The iOS 26 public beta will become available this month (July) via the Apple Beta Software Program. If you’re not already a member, you’ll need to sign up to try out all the latest features. Just visit beta.apple.com and sign up with your phone number or email address. It’s free.
Once you’re in and the beta is available, you can install it by going to Settings > General > Software Update and selecting iOS 26 public beta.
A word of caution: Don’t sign up with your main iPhone unless you’re OK with any risks that occur with using an OS that isn’t finalized.
When will the final version of iOS 26 be released?
iOS 26 will be released to the public this fall. It usually comes in September, within a week of the Apple iPhone event. Last year, it rolled out to iPhone users on September 16 — exactly one week after the iPhone 16 lineup was announced.
If you’re more interested in the Apple Intelligence features coming, here’s everything Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and more during WWDC. Also, check out how iOS 26 screenshots could be an intriguing preview of Apple’s delayed Siri rework.
Update, July 3: Noted new FaceTime feature found in the developer beta.
Update, June 30: Noted ongoing iOS 18 releases, and reports that Apple is considering additional external LLMs for Siri.
Update, June 25: Noted changes added in iOS 26 beta 2.
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ISLAMABAD, Jul 03 (APP): Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC), Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, has reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening Pakistan’s higher education sector under Vision 2047, with a strong focus on accessibility, technology integration, and institutional development.
Speaking to the media, Dr. Ahmed stated that the government aims to ensure modern educational facilities for 1.5 million youth. Under the P-10 project, the top ten universities in the country will be selected for targeted quality enhancement. In the first phase, 100 smart classrooms have already been established, while 200 more are under construction.
Highlighting the significant progress since the formation of HEC in 2001, he noted that the number of universities has grown from 59 to 370 (both public and private), and the student population has increased from under 3.5 million to over 8.5 million. Yet, he stressed that this number is still insufficient given Pakistan’s growing youth population. “Our target is to expand access and capacity further, especially in underserved regions,” he said.
One of the most remarkable statistics he shared was that approximately 48% of university students in Pakistan are female, a figure he called “a surprise to the world” and a testament to the country’s evolving education landscape.
Dr. Ahmed emphasized the importance of technology in education. Under the High-Performance Computing (HPC) initiative and cloud computing, students can now attend classes remotely, and teachers can deliver lectures from home a shift that ensures academic continuity during emergencies. He added that the reliance on expensive computing infrastructure is being reduced, making education more accessible.
Despite the progress, challenges remain. Only 28% of university faculty hold PhDs, up from a previous 24%, and efforts are underway to increase this ratio. Over 6,000 students have been sent abroad on scholarships, reflecting the country’s focus on building a skilled academic workforce.
He also acknowledged resistance from some Vice Chancellors regarding the implementation of the Higher Education Data Repository (HEDR), a system meant to improve digital governance in higher education.
The Chairman stressed that academic-industry linkages are being promoted, with two universities recently recognized internationally for producing globally competitive graduates. Meanwhile, the $400 million World Bank-funded Higher Education Development Project (HEDP) is supporting faculty development, research, innovation, infrastructure upgrades, and strengthening the National Academy of Higher Education (NAHE).
Dr. Ahmed concluded by stating that the HEC is not only enhancing higher education in urban centers but is also extending resources to backward regions to ensure equal opportunities for all. He emphasized that instead of merely increasing the number of institutions, the focus will remain on improving the quality and governance of existing universities.
Recording star Connie Francis says she is on the mend after a recent trip to the hospital to address some “extreme pain.”
The “Stupid Cupid” and “Lipstick on Your Collar” singer, who rose to fame in the late 1950s and early ‘60s, informed fans on Facebook that she is receiving care after undergoing tests and exams. “Thank you all for your kind thoughts, words and prayers,” she wrote Wednesday.
Earlier Wednesday, the 87-year-old “Pretty Little Baby” singer wrote on Facebook that she went to the hospital to learn more about the cause of her pain, which she said prompted her to call off an upcoming Fourth of July performance, her latest cancellation in recent weeks. Francis’ posts this week did not disclose much information about her condition, but a previous Facebook update provided some insight.
A week prior to her hospitalization, Francis announced on Facebook that she had been dealing with “pelvic pain on the right side” and underwent tests to determine “that this is due to a fracture.”
“It looks like I may have to rely on my wheelchair a little longer than anticipated,” she wrote, adding that she had to pull out of a then-upcoming performance.
Francis gave followers more information about her health in March, telling them in another Facebook post that she uses a wheelchair to avoid putting “undue pressure on a troublesome painful hip” and that she was awaiting stem cell therapy at the time.
Francis has spoken openly about her personal afflictions over the course of her career. She told the Village Voice in 2011 that she had been committed to several mental institutions in the ‘80s. She said she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after she was misdiagnosed with other mental health conditions, including bipolar disorder, ADD and ADHD.
The singer, also known for “Where the Boys Are” and “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool,” recently had her music go viral on TikTok as users use her “Pretty Little Baby” for videos.
“I’m still astounded by the popularity of ‘Pretty Little Baby,’” she said last week, thanking the A-listers who have used her hit in their social media videos.
A new study sheds light on why many patients with advanced skin cancer fail to benefit from immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies and suggests a potential fix using a drug already approved for blood cancers.
Published in Nature Immunology, the research identifies a biological mechanism that helps explain resistance to ICB drugs such as anti-PD-1 antibodies, a mainstay in treating melanoma and other solid tumors. Although these therapies can produce durable responses, more than 60% of patients see no benefit, while experiencing high toxicity side effects and the financial cost without any improvement.
Scientists at Newcastle University in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, found that resistance may stem from the unintended effects of ICB therapy on a type of immune cell called regulatory T cells, or Tregs. These cells normally help keep immune responses in check. But when PD-1 is blocked on Tregs, it causes them to become more suppressive, allowing tumors to continue growing despite treatment.
To study this, the researchers engineered a mouse model where PD-1 was removed only from Treg cells. In these animals, tumor growth accelerated. A deeper look revealed that this PD-1 disruption drove up levels of CD30, a surface protein associated with immune suppression. When researchers blocked CD30 in addition to PD-1, the tumors became more vulnerable to immune attack.
That finding points to a possible treatment strategy: combining PD-1 inhibitors with CD30-targeting drugs. One such drug, Adcetris (brentuximab vedotin), is already approved for lymphoma and could be repurposed. In support of that idea, an ongoing Phase II trial is testing this combination in patients with metastatic melanoma who didn’t respond to standard checkpoint inhibitors. Preliminary data show a median survival of 24%.
“By simply adding anti-CD30 for these patients, we can improve their response to cancer and avoid costly delays,” said Shoba Amarnath, Ph.D., reader in immune regulation at Newcastle University, who led the research, in a news release. “Although our work was limited to skin cancer, we believe this new combination treatment will also benefit patients with lung, bowel, pancreatic and other solid cancers who are currently not responding to treatment with ICB monotherapy.”
Checkpoint inhibitors have transformed care for patients with advanced skin cancer. A study published last year by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute found that about half of patients with metastatic melanoma who received a combination of immunotherapies were alive and cancer-free 10 years after treatment—compared to a median survival of just six and a half months before these drugs were available.
The Newcastle study also adds to the understanding of how Tregs behave in the tumor microenvironment. The research team found that Tregs in ICB-treated tumors begin to resemble stem cells and cluster near tumor cells, forming immunosuppressive hubs that protect the cancer from immune attack. This behavior may help explain why simply boosting T cell activity with checkpoint inhibitors doesn’t work for many patients.
The researchers also wrote that CD30 levels rose in human Tregs after exposure to PD-1 blockade, but not in untreated tumor environments. This suggests that CD30 activation is potentially a side effect of the therapy itself, one that could be anticipated and countered with combination treatment.
“We are very excited to find all these new aspects in ICB resistance biology,” Amarnath said. “We believe targeting immune molecules and tumor growth proteins will significantly enhance the efficacy of ICB in solid cancers.”
Check out the all-new digital race programme for the Formula 1 Qatar Airways British Grand Prix 2025, with everything you need to know about the GP weekend, whether you are attending in person or tuning in from afar.
Discover the big talking points in the paddock, the vital stats for the Silverstone circuit, what’s going on in the F1 Fanzone, plus what to eat, see and do when visiting this amazing region.
Plus the lowdown on all 20 drivers and their teams, and in-depth features – including a behind the scenes look at F1’s Downing Street reception and 10 fascinating facts about the very first Formula 1 World Championship race – held at Silverstone in back in 1950.
View now at https://raceprogramme.formula1.com/2025/great-britain/
Researchers at the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) have created a new nanomaterial that can simultaneously detect and treat cancer using multiple approaches. In laboratory tests with mice, the gold-iron particles enabled real-time tumor imaging while delivering targeted treatment through heat, chemical reactions and immune system activation. Published in the Chemical Engineering Journal, the study indicates these multifunctional particles have the potential to locate tumors, treat them at the optimal moment and help trigger immune responses against cancer cells.
The core of the KRISS research lies in the nanodisk’s gold-iron-gold sandwich structure, where each layer serves a distinct purpose. The outer gold layers enable heat-based cancer cell destruction when activated by laser light. Meanwhile, the iron core provides magnetic guidance and triggers chemical reactions that damage tumor cells through oxidation and ferroptosis. This structural design allows the particles to deliver three complementary therapies simultaneously. The combination promises to offer a significant advance over current nanomaterials that typically offer a single treatment modality.
“Unlike conventional nanomaterials, which are composed of a single element and perform only one function, the material developed in this study utilizes the combined properties of gold and iron to perform multiple functions,” said Dr. Lee Eun Sook, in a press release.
Photo-acoustic imaging in the mouse study demonstrated that “PA imaging using AuFeAuNDs as a robust contrast agent offers precise localization of tumor tissue and guidance for PTT.” The researchers noted in the paper that “the magnetic-targeted AuFeAuNDs not only eliminate tumor cells but also initiate ICD by releasing DAMPs in tumor-bearing mice, leading to the augmentation of cytotoxic T cells.”
In turn, this imaging capability promises to enable clinicians to monitor nanoparticle accumulation in real-time and determine optimal treatment timing, assuming the research proceeds to human trials. The study showed that the particles triggered “immunogenic cell death (ICD) by releasing damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), thus stimulating an anti-tumor immune response.”
The KRISS breakthrough builds on extensive global research into multifunctional cancer nanoparticles. Georgia Tech and Emory researchers recently developed Janus cellular backpacks that insert into cell membranes while carrying therapeutic payloads. Other teams have explored gold-copper sulfide hybrids that combine NIR-II imaging with chemical therapy, while multiple groups are investigating metal-organic framework platforms for combined heat and chemical treatments. Despite these varied strategies, most rely on core-shell or surface-modified designs rather than the precise trilayer architecture achieved by KRISS through nanoimprint lithography. The KRISS approach may thus offer an advantage when it comes to stability and controlled therapeutic delivery.
July 2025 offers a fine chance to check Mercury off of your skywatcher’s life list.
For folks in the United States, July evenings mean 4th of July fireworks. While you’re waiting for the show, be sure to watch for the most elusive of the planets as twilight falls, as Mercury shines at its very best for 2025.
Mercury in July
If you’ve never seen the innermost world before, now is a good time to try. This is because Mercury reaches greatest elongation, or its greatest point from the Sun as seen from our Earthly vantage point later this week.
Orbiting the Sun once every 88 days, Mercury reaches this point six times a year, alternating from east to west, flipping from the dusk into the dawn sky.
Related: It’s Official: NASA Confirms New Interstellar Object Is Zooming Through Solar System
Not only is Mercury bashful, but not all elongations are created equal. These can vary by the time of the year and the season, which varies the angle of the ecliptic plane versus the horizon.
Also, the distance Mercury sits from the Sun varies across its elongated, elliptical orbit. In July, Mercury reaches greatest elongation just 10 days prior to aphelion (its farthest point from the Sun) on July 14th.
Look low to the west for +0.5 magnitude Mercury, about 10 degrees above the horizon 30 minutes after sunset. Fainter +1.5 magnitude Mars is the only other planet on the July dusk scene, now receding from view.
Looking west at dusk on July 4th. (Stellarium)
As a teaser, Mercury passes near the open cluster Messier 44 (the Beehive) on the evening of July 2nd.
Then on Friday, Mercury is at its best dusk apparition for July on the 4th, at 26 degrees east of the Sun.
This is one of three dusk elongations of Mercury for 2025.
Mercury versus the Beehive cluster on the evening of July 2nd. (Stellarium)
And yes, Mercury is in retrograde starting on July 17th, though you won’t be able to attribute Earthly woes to this apparent motion across the sky (sorry astrologers), you can watch as the planet enters SOHO’s LASCO C3 imager on July 27th.
Mercury then reaches inferior conjunction passing between the Earth and the Sun on the final day of the month, July 31st, and then heads into the dusk sky.
Unfortunately, there’s no transit this time around… we’ll have to wait until November 13th, 2032 to see the black dot of Mercury once more cross the Sun.
Mercury, Mars and the Moon do, however all meet up in the dusk sky for a fine triple conjunction on October 23rd.
July also sees the International Space Station enter a span of full illumination starting on July 6th, which runs out until July 11th. Can you nab Mercury along with the local fireworks show? How about Mercury, Fireworks and the ISS?
Probably the very best event we have in July is the occultation of the Pleiades (Messier 45) by the waning crescent Moon for North America on July 20th.
Top astronomy events for July 2025. (Dave Dickinson/@AstroDave).
Don’t expect to see much from Mercury at the eyepiece. The planet will present an 8″, half-phase disk at greatest elongation, which you can follow as it thins to a crescent and gets larger through July.
That’s just about all anyone had seen of Mercury throughout the telescopic era, until NASA’s Mariner 10 and later MESSENGER gave us closeup views of the enigmatic world.
Up close, Mercury looks like our Moon, sans the flat maria plains. The joint JAXA/ESA BepiColombo mission is poised to continue exploration of Mercury, when it enters orbit around the planet late next year.
Did you know: Mercury even exhibits a comet-like sodium ion tail, as its tenuous exosphere is blown back by the intense solar wind? This finding of the modern space era has actually been captured by dedicated amateur astronomers.
The elusive sodium tail of Mercury. (Hisayoshi Kato)
Don’t forget to check out Mercury this coming weekend, as it leads the planetary show in the July dusk sky.
This article was originally published by Universe Today. Read the original article.
Before Q2, HCPLive spoke with Steve Levine, MD, from Compass Pathways, for a Q1 recap and a look ahead at what was to come in psychiatry. Now that the quarter has wrapped, we’re revisiting those expectations.
Back in April, Levine highlighted 2 key studies to watch: Compass Pathways’ topline results for COMP360 psilocybin and Beckley Psychtech’s intranasal 5-MeO-DMT (BPL-003), both for TRD. Compass delivered on June 23, publishing phase 3 data from COMP005. A single 25 mg dose of COMP360 led to a significant reduction in depression severity at 6 weeks.
Beckley followed with their phase 2b data on July 1. BPL-003 met its primary and secondary endpoints, showing rapid, robust antidepressant effects after a single dose.1 Patients on 8 mg and 12 mg had meaningful symptom reduction by week 8, and most were ready for discharge within 90 minutes, fitting well within the 2-hour in-clinic model.
Along with the promising COMP360 data, this recap spotlights the unsuccessful phase 3 ARISE trial for xanomeline-trospium (Cobenfy) as an adjunctive schizophrenia treatment, an interview with John Kane, MD, on promising LB-102 data, and new podcast episodes of Medical Ethics Unpacked and the Gus Alva Perspective.
FDA Updates
FDA Officially Eliminates Clozapine REMS
On June 13, 2025, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially eliminated the clozapine REMS program to improve access to this effective treatment for schizophrenia. Although monitoring for severe neutropenia remains recommended, prescribers now have sole responsibility for determining clozapine’s use. In response, the Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance and American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists are launching A New Era in Clozapine Management this fall to support safe, stigma-free prescribing.
Compass Pathways announced positive topline results from its pivotal phase 3 COMP005 trial on June 23. A single 25 mg dose of COMP360 led to significant reductions in depression severity at 6 weeks among patients with TRD, meeting the primary endpoint. No major safety concerns were reported. The company plans to share 26-week follow-up data once its companion trial (COMP006) progresses.
Cobenfy Falls Short in Phase 3 ARISE Trial as Adjunctive Schizophrenia Therapy
In the phase 3 ARISE trial, xanomeline and trospium chloride (Cobenfy) did not achieve a statistically significant benefit as an adjunctive schizophrenia treatment. The 6-week study showed only a modest 2-point PANSS score difference versus placebo. However, subgroup analysis suggested Cobenfy may be more effective when paired with non-risperidone antipsychotics. Despite the missed endpoint, the safety profile remained favorable, and further research is encouraged.
Interview With John Kane, MD, on LB-102
LB-102 Significantly Improves Disease Severity in Acute Schizophrenia, with John Kane, MD
LB-102, a novel oral benzamide antipsychotic, demonstrated significant improvement in disease severity in the phase 2 NOVA trial. Doses of 50–100 mg led to meaningful CGI-S score reductions and positive effects on PANSS scores, with minimal weight gain and extrapyramidal symptoms. Lead investigator John Kane, MD, noted its potential to address unmet needs, particularly for negative symptoms and maintenance therapy.
Gus Alva Perspective
Launched May 16, 2025, The Gus Alva Perspective is a clinician-focused podcast hosted by psychiatrist Gus Alva, MD, medical director of ATP Research. With new episodes twice monthly, the show offers expert commentary on treatment advances and exclusive coverage leading up to the Southern California Psychiatry Meeting.
Featured Episodes:
The Gus Alva Perspective: SoCal Psych Preview—Schizophrenia Updates, with Jonathan Meyer, MD
The Gus Alva Perspective: SoCal Psych Preview—Tardive Dyskinesia, with Jonathan Meyer, MD
The Gus Alva Perspective: SoCal Psych Preview—Metabolic Revolution in Mood Disorders, with Roger McIntyre, MD
Medical Ethics Unpacked
Medical Ethics Unpacked: Shifting Vaccine Regulation and Policy, with Jason Schwartz, PhD
Jason Schwartz, PhD, of Yale, joins hosts Dominic Sisti, PhD, and Steve Levine, MD, to discuss the ethics of vaccine regulation. They examine how COVID-19 reshaped vaccine trust, amplified political divisions, and exposed vulnerabilities in public health infrastructure. The conversation addresses tensions between individual rights and collective health, misinformation’s impact, and the controversial replacement of ACIP members by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Medical Ethics Unpacked: Unique Ethical Challenges of Psychedelic Therapies
Amy McGuire, JD, PhD, from Baylor College of Medicine, joins Sisti and Levine to explore the unique ethical issues in psychedelic therapy, particularly informed consent, cultural integration, and altered states of consciousness. The FDA’s recent rejection of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD has heightened debate over how to responsibly introduce these treatments into Western clinical practice.
References
atai Life Sciences and Beckley Psytech Announce Positive Topline Results from the Phase 2b Study of BPL-003 in Patients with Treatment-Resistant Depression. Beckley Psychtech. July 1, 2025. https://www.beckleypsytech.com/posts/atai-life-sciences-and-beckley-psytech-announce-positive-topline-results-from-the-phase-2b-study-of-bpl-003-in-patients-with-treatment-resistant-depression. Accessed July 1, 2025.
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