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  • Kate Middleton latest news today: Princess describes cancer, health journey as a ‘roller coaster’

    Kate Middleton latest news today: Princess describes cancer, health journey as a ‘roller coaster’

    COLCHESTER, England — Princess Kate is sharing new details about her recovery from cancer, describing the experience as a “roller coaster.”

    “You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism, through treatment. Treatment’s done, and it’s like, ‘I can crack on, get back to normal again,’ but actually that phase afterwards is a really difficult time,” Kate said Wednesday during a visit to Colchester Hospital in Colchester, England, according to the Press Association.

    “You’re not able to function normally at home as you were perhaps once used to,” added Kate, who shares three young children with her husband Prince William.

    Kate, 43, announced in January that she is in remission from cancer.

    She first announced her cancer diagnosis publicly in March 2024. Kate has not shared the type of cancer with which she was diagnosed or any details of her treatment beyond sharing that she underwent chemotherapy.

    Kate’s visit to the hospital Wednesday is part of her gradual return to work that began late last year.

    In speaking with cancer patients, Kate reflected on the recovery process, saying it’s not as straightforward as people expect.

    “It’s a roller coaster. It’s not one smooth plain, which you expect it to be, but the reality is it’s not. You go through hard times, and to have a place like this, to have the support network, whether its through creativity and singing or gardening, whatever it might be, is so valuable, and it’s great that this community has it,” she said. “It would be great if lots of communities had this kind of support.”

    While at the hospital, Kate visited the RHS Wellbeing Garden, where she took time to plant some roses.

    In addition to meeting with cancer patients at the hospital, Kate also met with staff and volunteers, to whom she spoke more about the “life-changing” experience of a cancer diagnosis.

    “It’s life-changing for anyone, through first diagnosis or post-treatment and things like that, it is a life-changing experience both for the individual patient but also for the families as well,” she said. “And actually, it sometimes goes unrecognized, you don’t necessarily, particularly when it’s the first time, you don’t appreciate how much impact it is going to have. You have to find your new normal, and that takes time.”

    The video in the player above is from an earlier report.

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  • These 10 States Could See Aurora Borealis Tonight

    These 10 States Could See Aurora Borealis Tonight

    Topline

    The northern lights might make an appearance in 10 states Wednesday night, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which has forecast similar auroral conditions for Thursday.

    Key Facts

    NOAA forecasts a Kp index of four on Wednesday night, meaning there should be an increase in auroral activity that “can be quite pleasing to look at” for people in the right areas with good viewing conditions.

    Much of the northern parts of the Midwest are above the forecasted view line, with chances of seeing the northern lights increasing the further north people are from the line.

    Northern lights viewers who don’t catch the natural phenomenon Wednesday night will have another chance Thursday night, as the Kp index is expected to reach four once again.

    Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you’ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here.

    Where Will The Northern Lights Be Visible?

    States and areas within or north of the viewing line include Alaska, northern Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, northern South Dakota, Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, northern Michigan and northern Maine.

    What’s The Best Way To See The Northern Lights?

    Try and catch a look at the northern lights between the hours of 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., which usually provide the best light conditions for viewing. If possible, try to observe from vantage points and areas with clear skies and little to no light pollution.

    What’s The Best Way To Photograph The Northern Lights?

    Wide-angle lenses, low apertures and tripods for those with traditional cameras. Smartphone users looking to snap photos on their mobile devices should use night mode and not use flash. Tripods can also help smartphones capture photos.

    Key Background

    The northern lights have been particularly active in the last year or so thanks to a solar maximum—a term that describes the peak of the sun’s 11-year cycle characterized by increased solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which contribute to increased auroral activity. Fair to strong northern lights showings will likely continue into next year, according to NASA and NOAA scientists.

    Further Reading

    Northern Lights Displays Hit A 500-Year Peak In 2024—Here’s Where You Could Catch Aurora Borealis In 2025 (Forbes)

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  • Supreme Court to Consider Closing a Back Door to Fund Litigation Claims Under the Investment Company Act | Insights

    Supreme Court to Consider Closing a Back Door to Fund Litigation Claims Under the Investment Company Act | Insights

    On June 30, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case that will determine whether Section 47(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (ICA) creates a private right of action for shareholders of registered investment companies to bring lawsuits for alleged violations of the statute. The Second Circuit Court of Appeals has recognized such a right of action since 2019, opening a back door to litigation claims by private plaintiffs for alleged ICA violations, despite Congress having granted the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sole regulatory authority to enforce the ICA. Other circuit courts of appeal have rejected a Section 47(b) private right of action. This week, the Supreme Court granted certiorari in FS Credit Opportunities Corp. v. Saba Capital Master Fund, Ltd. to resolve the circuit split. The outcome of the appeal, to be heard in the Court’s October 2025 term, will have broad implications for registered funds governed by the ICA (including mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and closed-end funds), as the litigation door opened by the Second Circuit risks upending the long-established regulatory structure that is the fund industry’s bedrock.

    In the ICA, Congress granted fund shareholders a single express private right of action to bring lawsuits – namely, a claim for allegedly excessive advisory fees under Section 36(b), which was added to the statute by amendment in 1970. Applying key Supreme Court precedent from 2000, lower courts have uniformly declined to read into the statutory language implied private rights of action to enforce other ICA provisions. The sole outlier was the Second Circuit’s 2019 decision in Oxford University Bank v. Lansuppe Feeder, LLC, recognizing an implied private right of action under Section 47(b). This provision states that a contract “whose performance involves … a violation of” the ICA cannot be enforced by any party to the contract. The Second Circuit panel concluded in Oxford University Bank that this language implied Congress’ intent to provide a private right of action to sue for “rescission” of a contract involving an alleged violation of another provision of the ICA.

    Since Oxford University Bank, so-called “activist” investors like hedge fund manager Saba Capital have repeatedly seized upon Section 47(b) as an entry point to challenge closed-end fund by-laws as violating other provisions of the ICA regarding fund capital structure and board elections. These litigations have been in support of Saba’s closed-end fund “arbitrage strategy” seeking to dismantle such funds to obtain short-term profits at the expense of other shareholders. Tellingly, the SEC has not taken any enforcement action to challenge the bylaws in question as violating the ICA.

    But the back door threat posed by a Section 47(b) private right of action extends well beyond the closed-end fund “activist” strategy, as explained in an amicus brief submitted to the Supreme Court by the Investment Company Institute (ICI) and the Asset Management Group of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA AMG) in support of Supreme Court review. Because fund management and operations are nearly always fully externalized, virtually every task involved in managing a fund and distributing its shares is undertaken by the fund’s investment adviser or other service providers pursuant to a written agreement with the fund in exchange for a fee. If fund shareholders can assert litigation claims for “rescission” of such service agreements based on alleged violations of other ICA provisions in the “performance” of the contracts (regardless of whether the SEC believes the ICA was violated), the potential litigation theories contrived by the private plaintiffs’ bar are almost limitless in scope.

    The consequences of a potential flood of litigation claims by the plaintiffs’ bar via Section 47(b) go beyond wasteful litigation expense. The registered fund industry relies heavily on the stable regulatory framework established through the SEC’s decades of rulemaking, exemptive orders, no-action letters and other guidance. Private litigation claims, in which courts would not necessarily be bound by the SEC’s interpretation of the statute, could risk contradictory interpretation and significant regulatory uncertainty, dampening industry innovations and ultimately harming shareholders. The Supreme Court’s decision in FS Credit Opportunities Corp. could have a significant impact on all facets of the registered fund industry and bears close attention.

    Ropes & Gray litigators represented ICI and SIFMA AMG in connection with their amicus brief to the Supreme Court.

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  • GLP-1s a good start to treat obesity, but patients need nutritional counseling and more, experts say

    GLP-1s a good start to treat obesity, but patients need nutritional counseling and more, experts say

    Patients hoping to treat weight-related medical conditions need more than just antiobesity medications that are effective, but that also pose challenges for successful use.

    That means food counseling should be part of a comprehensive treatment plan for obesity, according to experts who summarized the state of the research on the issue.

    A group of 18 researchers came together to publish “Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: a joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society.” It came out this month in the organizations’ respective journals.

    The 24-page guide acknowledges that for some patients, the new glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist drugs (GLP-1s) amount to weight loss via injection. But treatment success depends on a patient-centered approach involving more than a prescription.

    Patients need counseling — and then must integrate into their lives — elements ranging from management of gastrointestinal side effects, to prevention of nutrient deficiencies, to preservation of muscle and bone mass.

    “Despite the efficacy and growing utilization of these medications, real-world challenges are increasingly evident,” the paper said.

    “All these challenges may be partially mitigated by an evidence-based, structured lifestyle program, particularly around food, when prescribing GLP-1s for obesity,” the advisory said. “However, practical guidance for clinicians to implement such an approach is limited.”

    Medical effects

    Studies have produced results showing GLP-1s have helped patients reduce their weight. But real-world efficacy generally has been lower, and weight regain is common when patients discontinue use of the medications, the advisory said. Research also has demonstrated clinical benefits for conditions ranging from heart failure to sleep apnea to chronic kidney disease to substance use disorders.

    Gastrointestinal irritation is common, but not likely to lead to discontinuation. With a loss of appetite and lower energy intake, patients may develop vitamin and mineral deficiencies and symptoms such as fatigue, hair loss, skin flakiness, muscle weakness, poor wound healing and bruising, the advisory said. Muscle mass and bone density also may decrease.

    Financial effects

    Adherence to the drugs is relatively low for reasons that are unclear, although cost may be a factor. Based on current list prices, the drugs may cost up to $16,000 a year. Prices are lower with manufacturers’ rebates, dropping to $7,000 to $8,000 annually, and lower still with compounded versions, that still cost up to $3,000 a year.

    While patients may experience improved quality of life, the GLP-1s have not provided a long-term financial return for health care overall. Several studies “have found that GLP-1 treatment costs exceed health care savings,” and one found patients using GLP-1 drugs had significantly higher health care costs than patients with obesity, but not using the drugs.

    “Considering cost-effectiveness, i.e., health gained per dollar spent, most studies find that GLP-1s, even at currently discounted prices, do not meet accepted thresholds for cost-effective therapy,” the study said.

    All those factors indicate something more is needed.

    “These high costs, lower adherence in practice, and frequent weight regain after discontinuation, each highlight the importance of complementary nutritional and lifestyle counseling to help maximize overall efficacy and cost-effectiveness,” the advisory said.

    Barriers to care

    The researchers cited a number of difficulties in current practice:

    • Visits with primary care physicians and non-obesity medicine specialists are usually short and centered on acute illness or needs, screening discussions, and medication management.
    • Access is limited to lifestyle medicine approaches for obesity and its comorbidities. “For example, the Diabetes Prevention Program is known to reduce the risk of progression to diabetes and is covered by major payers, but has not been meaningfully scaled due to regulatory and implementation barriers,” the advisory said.
    • There is no American Medical Association approval of category I Current Procedural Terminology codes for health coaching, so that remains a barrier to reimbursement.
    • Private and public payer coverage for medical nutrition therapy for obesity remains limited, preventing broad utilization in practice.

    “These pressures, alongside a frequent lack of practitioner education about integrating lifestyle management in medicine, have created a dearth of implemented behavioral and lifestyle counseling, accessible and effective referral programs, and integration into existing care delivery systems,” the authors said.

    Getting started

    The researchers suggested using a 5As Framework — assess, advise, agree, assist, and arrange — to guide physician-patient interaction toward a successful long-term plan. There also will be at least eight elements or nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity.

    • Initiation of GLP-1 therapy with a patient-centered approach.
    • Completion of baseline nutritional assessment and screening.
    • Management of gastrointestinal side effects.
    • Navigation of dietary preferences and intake.
    • Prevention and mitigation of nutrient deficiencies.
    • Preservation of muscle and bone mass.
    • Maximization of weight reduction efficacy.
    • Promotion of other supportive lifestyle measures.

    Under “arrange,” the experts noted physicians likely won’t go it alone with patients. Registered dietitian nutritionists, behavioral therapists, social workers and case managers all may be part of a team.

    Along with medications, food counseling and a new menu, the authors emphasized the need for patients to take up resistance training and other physical activities. Good sleep, stress management and substance use cessation all will be part of the treatment plan.

    More research is needed

    The GLP-1 drugs still prompt questions and need more research. The researchers note physicians, other clinicians and patients refer to GLP-1s, but there is no widely accepted terminology to describe the medications. There also is room for research on measuring obesity and adopting definitions and treatments for clinical and preclinical obesity.

    “In conclusion, although GLP-1s alone can produce significant weight reduction and related health benefits, several challenges limit its long-term success for individuals and populations,” the advisory said.

    “Careful attention to evidence-based nutritional and behavior modification can help mitigate the adverse effects of these challenges,” the authors said. “Thus, all clinicians prescribing GLP-1s for obesity management should establish a thoughtful plan of care that includes thorough nutritional and lifestyle counseling before, during, and after the weight reduction period.”

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  • Study links particulate air pollution to increased mutations in lung cancers among nonsmokers-Xinhua

    LOS ANGELES, July 2 (Xinhua) — Exposure to fine particulate air pollution is strongly associated with increased genetic mutations in lung cancer tumors among individuals who have never smoked, a new study led by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found.

    The study, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, represents the largest whole-genome analysis to date of lung cancer in nonsmokers, offering new insights into how environmental pollutants may drive cancer in the absence of tobacco use.

    Researchers from NIH’s National Cancer Institute and the University of California San Diego examined lung tumors from 871 nonsmoking patients across 28 regions worldwide as part of the Sherlock-Lung study.

    They found that air pollution exposure — particularly from traffic and industrial sources — was linked to cancer-driving mutations, including alterations in the TP53 gene and other mutational signatures typically associated with tobacco-related cancers.

    The study also revealed that air pollution was related to shorter telomeres, which are sections of DNA found at the end of chromosomes. Shorter telomeres are associated with aging and reduced cellular replication capacity, potentially accelerating cancer progression.

    Understanding how air pollution contributes to the mutational landscape of lung tumors helps explain the cancer risk for nonsmokers and highlights the urgent need for stronger environmental protections, the study suggested.

    Lung cancer in nonsmokers accounts for up to 25 percent of all lung cancer cases globally, according to the study. ■

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  • How Nintendo locked down the Switch 2’s USB-C port and broke third-party docking

    How Nintendo locked down the Switch 2’s USB-C port and broke third-party docking

    There’s always a reason why universal USB-C ports don’t “just work” like you’d expect. In the early days, it was incompetence or naiveté. Later, manufacturers often cheaped out. But in the case of Nintendo’s Switch 2, it appears to be intentional.

    With the Nintendo Switch 2, it should be easy to plug your new, more expensive console into video glasses or TVs when you’re traveling away from home. USB-C makes it so. But Nintendo has intentionally broken the Switch 2’s compatibility with those devices, using a new encryption scheme and some form of dedicated encryption chip, two accessory manufacturers tell The Verge.

    I haven’t yet found proof of that encryption chip myself — but when I analyzed the USB-C PD traffic with a Power-Z tester, I could clearly see the new Nintendo Switch not behaving like a good USB citizen should.

    A third-party Switch dock, plugged into a USB-C PD tester, about to be plugged into the Switch 2. Please forgive the terrible photo.
    Photo: Sean Hollister / The Verge

    If you’ve been wondering why there are basically no portable Switch 2 docks on the market, this is the reason. Even Jsaux, the company that built its reputation by beating the Steam Deck dock to market, tells us it’s paused its plans to build a Switch 2 dock because of Nintendo’s actions. It’s not simply because the Switch 2 now requires more voltage, as was previously reported; it’s that Nintendo has made things even more difficult this generation.

    That “U” in USB isn’t always “universal,” but this is generally true: if you plug any USB-C to HDMI adapter, dock, or hub into a USB-C laptop, tablet or handheld that supports USB-C video output, you can expect to see your screen automatically appear on your TV.

    The magic is normally possible because of a simple, standardized set of instructions that any manufacturer can follow to make their docking station or hub “talk” to the computer. In fact, they’re so simple I can mock up a basic version for you right here:

    • Dock: “Hi, I’m a power supply. Here are the five different kinds of power I can give you!”
    • Computer: “I’ll take 15 volts at 3 amps, thanks!”
    • Dock: “Okay, I’m now powering you, you’re no longer powering me, got it?”
    • Computer: “Yep! So what are you, anyhow?”
    • Dock: “I’m a USB-C PD dock with extra modes, wanna know more?”
    • Computer: “Sure.”
    • Dock: “I support DisplayPort-Alt mode if you want to output video.”
    • Computer: “Go for it.”
    • Dock: “Doing it… done!”

    This conversation, using standardized (known as “structured”) messages over the USB-C PD protocol, takes a tiny fraction of a second.

    But as you probably now suspect, the Nintendo Switch 2 doesn’t do it that way. When you plug the Switch 2 into a third-party dock or hub, it may refuse to negotiate power. Other times, it’ll get the power it asks for, but then the conversation will abruptly grind to a halt.

    Because that’s when the Nintendo Switch 2 will start talking in code — proprietary messages only Nintendo can decipher.

    By now, you might be wondering how I can see any of this, coded or not. But all you need is a middleman to sniff the USB-C Power Delivery traffic passing between a dock and Nintendo’s handheld, like the Power-Z KM003C that I bought for this story. I plug one end of it into the Switch 2 (and other computers to compare), another end of it into the Switch 2’s dock (and other docks to compare), connect its third port to my Windows PC with a long cable, then fire up its app to log the passing data.

    How the conversation between the Switch 2 and Switch 2 dock begins.

    How the conversation between the Switch 2 and Switch 2 dock begins.
    Screenshot: Sean Hollister / The Verge

    When I analyze the conversation between the Nintendo Switch 2 and its dock, I can see the two devices begin speaking in Nintendo’s own flavor of “vendor defined” language early in the conversation, before they sign off on any video output. And then, seemingly before the dock confirms that it’s engaged video-out, they send over 30 proprietary “unstructured” messages to one another.

    Other USB-C hubs and docks I’ve tested don’t have that same conversation — with one notable exception.

    As of today, only one single third-party dock claims to be compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2. And you probably won’t be surprised to hear that when I tested the $36 Antank S3 Max (aka SiWiQU TV Dock Station), I found it speaks Nintendo’s coded language.

    Here’s the Antank dock responding to a Nintendo request using Nintendo (0x057E) messaging.

    Here’s the Antank dock responding to a Nintendo request using Nintendo (0x057E) messaging.
    Screenshot: Sean Hollister / The Verge

    It doesn’t transmit every message in the same exact order as Nintendo’s dock, and it supplies a slightly different amount of electricity, but it sent almost exactly the same coded messages and responses to Nintendo’s requests, including a repeating code that I’m particularly curious about: 33 01 07 DA 06 01 6D 68 33 01 07 DA 06 01 6D 68.

    According to Antank, which says it checked with its chip supplier, that hexadecimal string “is indeed the current key being used by Nintendo.” My other sources are less sure.

    But just like with the official Nintendo Switch 2 dock, our TV lights up after the Antank sends those coded messages.

    But that doesn’t mean any company can just copy Nintendo’s commands and expect their dock to keep on working. “We do expect Nintendo may further limit third-party docks and accessories via system updates to maintain device and system security,” Jsaux spokesperson Winnie Chen tells The Verge.

    Antank seems to agree. “Yes — the key should be considered subject to change,” writes an Antank representative who goes by Susie. “However, our product supports firmware updates, and any future changes to the authentication key by Nintendo could theoretically be addressed via software, ensuring continued compatibility.”

    So why is any of this a big deal, particularly when the Switch 2 comes with its own dock right in the box? Well, it’s not just big TV docks. Nintendo has also broken compatibility with portable docks that you can take on vacation or to your hotel room, and with video glasses like the Xreal One, which cost as much as or more than a Switch 2 all by themselves.

    And to fix that, you’ll apparently need to buy brand-new hardware, Jsaux, Antank, and Xreal have found. While Xreal originally seemed to suggest it was a temporary problem that just required a “technical adjustment,” Xreal now says the fix will need a new gadget called the Xreal Neo. The good news: Xreal spokesperson Ralph Jodice tells The Verge the new device is already working in the lab and will ship “a little later this year.”

    Another argument I’ve heard on Reddit: why shouldn’t Nintendo have the ability to protect the Switch 2 from fly-by-night docking stations and power supplies that might damage its new handheld and trigger more calls to Nintendo customer support?

    There, I might point out that locking things down isn’t necessarily a fix. When Nintendo released the original Switch in 2017, accessory makers similarly had to figure out how to crack Nintendo’s esoteric docking protocols, and some of them (Nyko) allegedly led to damaged handhelds.

    I expect some eagle-eyed Nintendo fans will also point out that the Switch 2, unlike the original Switch, needs active airflow to run properly: Nintendo’s official Switch 2 dock now has a fan inside, and the console has vents on the bottom that might get blocked by third-party docks. (In fact, the Antank dock already does block those vents!)

    Nintendo official (left) vs. Antank (right), hotspot at top vent

    But before you suggest that the vents and fan are strictly necessary, please know that the cooling fan in the Switch 2 dock doesn’t actually cool the Switch 2, and that Antank’s dock doesn’t seem to make a Switch 2 run hotter than the official dock. I ran Cyberpunk 2077 for an hour straight with each dock, then pulled out a thermal camera, and Antank’s actually seems slightly cooler. Perhaps having more airflow across the screen and back of the console offsets the impact of blocked vents. By that logic, perhaps the console could run even cooler if Nintendo let you use a USB-C to HDMI dongle instead of a dock. If only it weren’t locked down!

    Nintendo official (left) vs. Antank (right), immediately after removing from dock

    Mostly, it’s the principle of the matter. USB-C should just work, here’s a place where it usually does, and yet Nintendo has kept it from doing so.

    Nintendo would not confirm or deny that it’s using encryption and authentication chips to lock down the Switch 2’s video output. It offered no comment for this story.

    • The Switch 2 does not require 20V power; it accepts 15 volts at 2.8 amps, 2.67 amps, and a full 3 amps.
    • However, accessory manufacturers tell me the Switch 2 will reject a dock that doesn’t offer a 20V power mode. I tested with the Antank; video output appeared for a fraction of a second when I supplied 15V power, then disappeared.
    • One anonymous accessory manufacturer says that even if 20V power is available and a dock passes authentication, the Switch 2 will test signal quality and drop to a USB-only mode if quality is low. “If the dock skimps on wiring, uses bargain redrivers, or has poor PCB layout, link training fails.”
    • While the Antank dock works, it’s more difficult to plug and unplug the Switch 2 than with the official dock. My wife is not a fan.
    • If you buy the Antank, you may need a firmware update.
    • Antank confirmed that the SiWiQU dock on Amazon is the same product.
    • Neither Antank nor Xreal would tell The Verge their solutions in detail, citing confidentiality or competitive reasons. Antank would only say that it “selected a fully compatible chip and optimized the firmware to handle Switch 2’s new handshake.” That chip has now been revealed.

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  • Invikafusp Alfa Generates Antitumor Activity in PD-(L)1–Resistant and –Naive, Antigen-Rich GI Tumors

    Invikafusp Alfa Generates Antitumor Activity in PD-(L)1–Resistant and –Naive, Antigen-Rich GI Tumors

    Invikafusp Alfa in GI Tumors | Image Credit:
    © Ashling Wahner & MJH Life Sciences Using AI

    The selective, dual T-cell agonist invikafusp alfa (STAR0602) showcased antitumor activity when given as monotherapy in patients with advanced, antigen-rich gastrointestinal (GI) tumors, including those naive and resistant to anti–PD-(L)1 therapy, with a safety profile consistent with selective T-cell activation, according to data from the phase 1/2 STARt-001 trial (NCT05592626).1

    Data presented at the 2025 ESMO Gastrointestinal Cancers Congress demonstrated that patients with tumor mutational burden–high (TMB-H) GI tumors (n = 17) achieved an overall response rate (ORR) of 23.5% and a disease control rate of 63%. In patients with TMB-H metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC; n = 12), the ORR was 25%. Among those with microsatellite instability–high (MSI-H) GI tumors (n = 6), the ORR was 33.3%.

    Regarding safety, most treatment-related adverse effects (TRAEs) were transient, low grade, and occurred during the first 2 doses of invikafusp alfa. No instances of immune effector cell–associated neurotoxicity syndrome, grade 4 TRAEs, or treatment-related deaths were reported. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) occurred at any grade in 87.0% of patients treated within the optimal biologic dose range (n = 23). CRS was reported at grade 1 (13.0%), grade 2 (65.2%), and grade 3 (8.7%). Notably, the study did not utilize primary prophylaxis with corticosteroids or tocilizumab (Actemra), and step-up dosing was not used.

    “The US FDA [previously] granted fast track designation for invikafusp alfa in TMB-H mCRC,” lead study author Elena Elez, MD, PhD, said in a presentation of the data. “Phase 2 dose-expansion cohorts are ongoing in TMB-H or MSI-H/mismatch repair–deficient [dMMR] tumors to confirm the efficacy signal from phase 1.” Elez is an attending physician in the Gastrointestinal Tumors Service of the Medical Oncology Service of the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona, Spain.

    Invikafusp Alfa and STARt-001 Background

    The T-cell agonist is intended to revitalize antitumor T-cell responses in vivo via the selective activation and expansion of Vβ6 and Vβ10 memory-like effector T cells. The agent also features an interleukin 2R agonist.

    STARt-001 is a dose-escalation and -expansion study evaluating invikafusp alfa monotherapy in patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors. In phase 1, patients needed to have TMB-H, MSI-H/dMMR, or virally associated tumors. Phase 2 also included a cohort for patients with TMB-H and/or MSI-H/dMMR mCRC. All patients needed to have an ECOG performance status of 0 or 1, and they could not have liver metastases unless they were adequately treated and stable. Prior anti–PD-(L)1 therapy was allowed but not required.

    During dose escalation, invikafusp alfa was given at 1 of 6 dose levels ranging from 0.01 mg/kg to 0.16 mg/kg once every 2 weeks. The 0.08-mg/kg and 0.12-mg/kg doses were determined to fall within the optimal biological dose range; the 0.08-mg/kg dose given once every 2 weeks was established as the recommended phase 2 dose.

    The incidence of dose-limiting toxicities served as a primary end point in phase 1; ORR was the primary end point in phase 2.2 Safety is a primary end point in both phases.

    Select Case Studies

    During the presentation, Elez highlighted 4 patients treated with invikafusp alfa during the study who achieved a confirmed or unconfirmed partial response (PR). The 2 confirmed PRs spotlighted included a patient with RAS wild-type, microsatellite stable (MSS) mCRC who had a TMB of 10 mut/mb, primary anti–PD-(L)1 resistance, and liver metastases; and a patient with KRAS G12D–mutated, MSS CRC with a TMB of 10 mut/mb and disease that was naive to PD-(L)1 inhibition. These 2 patients achieved target lesion shrinkage of –58% and –38%, respectively.

    Among the 2 unconfirmed PRs highlighted by Elez, 1 patient had MSI-H mCRC with a TMB of 16 mut/mb and secondary anti–PD-(L)1 resistance, and the other had MSI-H gastroesophageal junction cancer with a TMB of 14 mut/mb and primary PD-(L)1 resistance. Both of these patients experienced target lesion reductions of –31% at their first tumor assessment.

    Data on T-Cell Expansion

    Vβ6 T-cell expansion in the blood increased from 7.22% at baseline to 15.7% at day 8 of treatment; Vβ6 T-cell expansion within the tumor rose from 8.85% at baseline to 14.6% at day 8. Notably, increases between baseline and day 21 were also observed for CD3-positive T cells (41.0% at baseline vs 50.5% at day 21), CD8-positive T cells (11.9% vs 22.1%), and CD4-positive T cells (28.3% vs 41.0%).

    Expanded Safety Findings

    Outside of CRS, the most common any-grade TRAEs reported in patients treated in the optimal biologic dose range included pruritus (60.9%), nausea (47.8%), chills (43.5%), vomiting (43.5%), rash (39.1%), infusion-related reaction (21.7%), arthralgia (17.4%), pyrexia (13.0%), and hypotension (8.7%). Grade 3 TRAEs outside of CRS comprised pruritus (13.0%), rash (8.7%), and arthralgia (8.7%).

    Disclosures: Elez reported receiving honoraria, serving in consulting or advisory role, and being part of a speakers’ bureau for Agenus, Amgen, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cure Teq AG, GlaxoSmithKline, Hoffman La – Roche, Janssen, Johnson&Johnson, Lilly, Medscape, Merck Serono, MSD, Nordic Group BV, Novartis, Organon, Pfizer, Pierre Fabre, Repare Therapeutics, RIN Institute, Rottapharm Biotech, Sanofi, Seagen International GmbH, Servier, and Takeda; and receiving research funding from Abbvie Deutschland Gmbh & Co KG, Agenus, Amgen, Array Biopharma, AstraZeneca, Bayer Pharma, BeiGene, Bioncotech Therapeutics, S.L., Biontech Rna Pharmacuticals GMBH, Biontech Small Molecules GMBH, Boehringer Ingelheim, Boehringer Ingelheim de España SA, Bristol Myers Squibb International Corporation, Celgene International SARL, Dalichi Sankyo, Debiopharm International SA, Enterome BioScience SA, Exelixis, Genentech, Gercor, GSK, HalioDX SAS, Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Hutchinson Medipharma Limited, Hutchison MediPharma, International, lovance Biotherapeutics, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen-Cilag SA, MedImmune, Menarini, Menarini Ricerche SPA, Merck Health KGAA, Merck Sharp & Dohme de España SA, Merus NV, Mirati, Nouscom SRL, Novartis Farmacéutica SA, NuCana, Pfizer, PharmaMar SA, Pledpharma AB, Redx Pharma, Sanofi Aventis Recherche & Développement, Scandion Oncology, Seattle Genetics, Servier, Sotio A.S., Taiho Pharma USA, and Wntresearch AB.

    References

    1. Elez E, Garralda E, Parikh A, et al. Phase I/II clinical investigation of invikafusp alfa, a first-in-class TCR-beta chain-targeted bispecific antibody, as monotherapy in patients with anti-PD(L)1-resistant, antigen-rich gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. Presented at: 2025 ESMO Gastrointestinal Cancers Congress; July 2-5, 2025; Barcelona, Spain. Abstract 479MO.
    2. A study of a selective T cell receptor (TCR) targeting, bifunctional antibody-fusion molecule STAR0602 in participants with advanced solid tumors (START-001). ClinicalTrials.gov. Updated January 30, 2025. Accessed July 2, 2025. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05592626

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  • Nontoxic sprayable coating prevents fungus growth in 2 ways

    Nontoxic sprayable coating prevents fungus growth in 2 ways

    Fungi have a reputation for appearing where humans don’t want them: on crops, in basements and cold storage rooms, and in the human body. Worse, fungi are getting better at resisting conventional defenses, meaning we need to either use even more fungicides—which would exacerbate the resistance problem—or innovate our tools.

    Researchers have now developed a spray that can keep fungi at bay. The nontoxic solution forms an extremely hydrophobic surface coating that makes it harder for fungi to latch on to a surface and kills them if they do take root.

    Boaz Pokroy, a materials scientist at Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, and his colleagues decided to leverage their previous work with antibacterial fatty acids to develop a novel “dual mode” agent that is very difficult for the fungi to become resistant to. First, stearic acid, with its inherent hydrophobicity, keeps fungi from sticking to the surface. This alone reduced the growth of gray mold, Botrytis cinerea, by more than 60% on filter paper.

    Second, the addition of a shorter-chain fatty acid, such as caprylic acid, provides fungicidal power against any fungi that manage to anchor themselves. With the combined fatty acids, the researchers were able to achieve total inhibition of the mold.

    Pokroy and his team explain that after spraying, stearic acid forms crystal nuclei, which caprylic acid adsorbs onto. As the spray’s solvent evaporates, stearic acid crystals assemble into clusters, thus producing a rough surface imbued with adsorbed liquid layers of caprylic acid, which is primed to kill fungi. The caprylic acid leached out of the coating after about a week, thereby diminishing the potency of the coating.

    Pokroy points to ventilation ducts as a prime location to use the new spray. Air ducts often become breeding grounds for fungi due to their damp, dark, and cold interiors. These fungi release fungal spores into the air. In hospital settings, those spores raise the risk of infection for already vulnerable people. Since conventional fungicides are toxic to humans and the environment, stringent limits exist on the site, quantity, and duration of their use.

    Jonathan C. Barnes, a chemistry professor at Washington University in St. Louis who wasn’t involved in the study, commended the work and found the technology “very scalable,” as the same fatty acids are common ingredients of food and cosmetics.

    “The fact that the dual-purpose coating was successfully applied to both glass slides and cellulose filter substrates is an indication that the technology could be used on a variety of surfaces and thus in many different applications,” he says. One potential application he saw was spraying this coating on medical implants, where a quick burst release of the medium-chain fatty acids may prevent infections during surgery.

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  • LEATT HONORED TWICE AT EUROBIKE 2025

    5.0 Gravity Helmet Wins Eurobike Gold Award for Technical Highlight; 6.0 HydraDri Jacket Wins Eurobike Winner Award for Performance Clothing at World’s Leading Cycling Show

    CAPE TOWN, South Africa, July 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Leatt Corporation (OTCQB: LEAT), a leading developer and marketer of head-to-toe protective equipment for MOTO, MTB, and a wide range of extreme and high-velocity sports, today announced that two of its innovative products were honored last week at the prestigious Eurobike 2025 show in Frankfurt. The 5.0 Gravity Helmet won the Eurobike Gold Award for Technical Highlight, and the 6.0 HydraDri Jacket won the Eurobike Award for Performance Clothing.

    Eurobike is an annual event for the entire cycling world, and this year included 1,500 exhibitors, 31,270 trade visitors, and 30,420 cycling fans. The show is widely considered to be the world’s leading trade fair for cycling and ecomobility.

    “We are very proud of our strong drive and ability to continuously engineer and develop technical innovations and functional rider protection that is centered around the needs of a wide range of riders around the world,” said CEO Sean Macdonald. “These two award-winning products define the benchmark for modern rider protection with technical sophistication and practical innovation. It is always encouraging to be recognized by industry experts and peers with honors that celebrate the tireless efforts of our passionate and dedicated Leatt team.”

    At Eurobike, Leatt presented numerous other innovations for the 2026 model year including, a new upper body protection line for women, a sunglasses collection, new endurance trail shoes, and new waterproof MTB shoes, as well as a completely new clothing collection, and new components, including handlebars, stems, and pedals.

    The 5.0 Gravity Helmet offers the next generation of its proprietary 360° turbine safety technology, called the 360° Turbines EVO. The new triple-density construction significantly improves the absorption of rotational and impact forces at different speeds. In addition, the 5.0 Gravity helmet is the world’s first helmet with the new BOA® FS2 adjustment system, a milestone in the area of individual fit and stability. The 6.0 HydraDri Jacket is a highly functional all-weather solution for ambitious bikers and commuters, combining outstanding weather protection with impressive breathability and other innovative features.

    About Leatt Corp

    Driven by the science of thrill, Leatt Corporation develops head-to-toe personal protective gear for various sports, with a focus on mountain biking and extreme motorsports. This includes the award-winning Leatt-Brace®, a neck brace system considered the gold standard for neck protection when worn in conjunction with a helmet. Leatt products are designed for participants in extreme sports that use motorcycles, bicycles, mountain bikes, all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles, and other open-air vehicles.

    For more information, visit www.leatt.com.

    Follow Leatt® on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

    Forward-looking Statements

    This press release may contain forward-looking statements regarding Leatt Corporation (the “Company”) within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein are “forward-looking statements” including statements regarding the significance of the awards on the Company’s results of operations; the general ability of the Company to achieve its commercial objectives, including continued development of a pipeline of innovative products to fuel future growth; the business strategy, plans and objectives of the Company; and any other statements of non-historical information. These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “seeks,” “should,” “could,” “intends,” or “projects” or similar expressions, and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. These statements are based upon the Company’s current expectations and speak only as of the date hereof. The Company’s actual results in any endeavor may differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various factors and uncertainties, which factors or uncertainties may be beyond our ability to foresee or control. Other risk factors include the status of the Company’s common stock as a “penny stock” and those listed in other reports posted on The OTC Markets Group, Inc.

    SOURCE Leatt Corporation


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  • AI Model Unveiled to Pinpoint Stars’ Ages

    AI Model Unveiled to Pinpoint Stars’ Ages

    Figuring out the ages of stars is fundamental to understanding many areas of astronomy – yet, it remains a challenge since stellar ages can’t be ascertained through observation alone.

    So, astronomers at the University of Toronto have turned to artificial intelligence for help.

    Their new model, called ChronoFlow, uses a dataset of rotating stars in clusters and machine learning to determine how the speed at which a star rotates changes as it ages.

    The approach, published recently in The Astrophysical Journal , predicts the ages of stars with an accuracy previously impossible to achieve with analytical models.

    “The first ‘Wow’ moment was in the proof-of-concept phase when we realized that this technique actually showed a lot of promise,” says Phil Van-Lane, a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Arts & Science’s David A. Dunlap department of astronomy and astrophysics who led the research.

    Van-Lane worked on the project with Josh Speagle and Gwen Eadie, who are both assistant professors of astrostatistics in the departments of statistical sciences and astronomy and astrophysics.

    The research draws on two existing approaches to better estimate stars’ ages.

    The first stems from the fact that stars tend to form in clusters. This means researchers can often determine the age of all stars in the cluster by observing the evolutionary stages of a cluster’s higher mass stars, which progress more rapidly than those of lower mass stars. At the same time, researchers know that as stars get older, their spin tends to slow down due to the interaction of the star’s magnetic field with its stellar wind – a phenomenon that is well understood, but difficult to quantify with a simple mathematical formula.

    From left: researchers Phil Van-Lane, Josh Speagle and Gwen Eadie (supplied images)

    With ChronoFlow, the U of T researchers assembled the largest-ever catalogue of rotating stars in clusters, with about 8,000 stars in over 30 clusters of various ages, by using data from stellar surveys such as Kepler, K2, TESS and GAIA. Next, they used the dataset to train their AI model to predict how the speed at which a star rotates changes as it ages.

    “Our methodology can be likened to trying to guess the age of a person,” says Speagle, who guided the project from start to finish. “In astronomy, we don’t know the ages of every star. We know that groups of stars have the same age, so this would be like having a bunch of photos of people at five years old, 15 years old, 30 years old, and 50 years old, then having someone hand you a new photo and ask you to guess how old that person is. It’s a tricky problem.”

    The result? ChronoFlow has learned to estimate the ages of other stars with remarkable precision. This is because it models how rotation rates of populations of stars are expected to evolve over time.

    The research could have important implications across many aspects of astronomy. Knowing stellar ages is necessary to understanding not only how stars work, but also modeling how exoplanets form and evolve, and learning about the history of the evolution of our own Milky Way as well as that of other galaxies.

    The success of ChronoFlow also demonstrates how machine learning models could yield valuable insights into other astrophysical problems.

    The model will be available to the public, along with documentation and tutorials which provide steps for anyone to infer the ages of stars from observations. The code can be found on GitHub .

    /Public Release. This material from the originating organization/author(s) might be of the point-in-time nature, and edited for clarity, style and length. Mirage.News does not take institutional positions or sides, and all views, positions, and conclusions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s).View in full here.

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