Blog

New technique enables efficient loading of large biomolecules into exosomes

Exosomes, naturally derived vesicles responsible for intercellular communication, are emerging as next-generation drug delivery systems capable of transporting therapeutics to specific cells. However, their tightly packed, cholesterol-rich membranes make it extremely difficult to encapsulate large molecules such as mRNA or proteins. Conventional approaches have relied on techniques like electroporation or chemical treatment, which often damage both the drugs and exosomes, reduce delivery efficiency, and require complex purification steps-all of which pose significant barriers to commercialization.

A joint research team led by Dr. Hojun Kim at the Center for Advanced Biomolecular Recognition and Dr. Hong Nam Kim at the Center for Brain Convergence Research of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, President Sang-Rok Oh) has developed a novel drug-loading technique that allows large biomolecules to be efficiently incorporated into exosomes simply by mixing. This breakthrough enables stable drug encapsulation in under 10 minutes, eliminating the need for specialized equipment or complex processing.

The team utilized a lipid-based nanoparticle known as a “cubosome,” which mimics the fusion structure of cell membranes and naturally fuses with exosomes. By mixing cubosomes carrying mRNA with exosomes at room temperature for just 10 minutes, the researchers achieved efficient fusion and confirmed that the mRNA was successfully loaded into the exosomes. Analysis showed that over 98% of the mRNA was encapsulated, while the structural integrity and biological function of the exosomes were preserved.

Furthermore, the engineered exosomes demonstrated the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, one of the most difficult hurdles in drug delivery. Notably, the team observed a “homing” effect, where exosomes return to the type of cell they originated from, enabling targeted drug delivery to diseased tissues. This technology achieves efficient loading of large biomolecules without altering the exosomes themselves, opening the door to practical applications of exosome-based therapies in precision medicine.

The technique is highly adaptable to clinical environments, as it requires no specialized equipment or complex processing. It preserves exosome function while enabling the delivery of large payloads, offering broad potential for the treatment of intractable diseases, including neurological disorders, cancer, and autoimmune conditions. The team plans to conduct further safety evaluations for clinical translation and establish a mass production system for cubosomes.

This technology allows medical professionals to easily combine exosomes and therapeutic molecules at the clinical site, making it a meaningful step toward realizing personalized medicine.”

Dr. Hojun Kim of KIST

Dr. Hong Nam Kim added, “Because it enables precise drug delivery even in complex tissues such as the brain, it holds great potential for treating a wide range of diseases.”

Source:

National Research Council of Science & Technology

Journal reference:

Son, G., et al. (2025). Fusogenic lipid nanoparticles for rapid delivery of large therapeutic molecules to exosomes. Nature Communications. doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59489-5.

Continue Reading

August 14, 2025
Pakistan Army Rocket Force Command: Rawalpindi’s New Escalation Doctrine Takes Shape

On 13 August, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shahbaz Sharif, announced that the Pakistan Army (PA) has officially raised a ‘Rocket Force Command’ under its umbrella.

The formation of ‘Army Rocket Force Command’ (ARFC) cements the PA’s multi-year effort to build its independent stand-off range precision-strike capability as not just a doctrine, but an organized element with its own command structure, concept of operations (CONOPS), requirements, and objectives.

While the announcement of the ARFC follows the reveal of the Fatah-IV, a subsonic ground-launched cruise missile (GLCM) with a range of 750 km, the work to form it likely dates back to 2021, when the PA began testing the indigenous Fatah-I guided multiple launch rocket system (GMLRS).

The original intent of the Fatah-I GMLRS was likely to augment the PA’s existing artillery capabilities with a longer-ranged guided rocket, complementing the A-100 already in service at that point. However, following Ukraine and Russia’s respective successes in deploying organized rocket-centric tactics since 2022 and – perhaps more importantly – the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) gradual evolution to using its strike capabilities for broader strategic purposes, the PA likely saw the need to build its own precision-strike element.

Where dedicated precision-strike differs from using guided artillery under the artillery paradigm is that the ARFC will use its munitions to achieve bigger tactical goals and, in aggregate, a strategic outcome rather than narrowly supporting a specific land maneuver. So, for example, where guided artillery would be used to neutralize an entrenched enemy position, ARFC will aim to deprecate air defences, threaten airfields or air bases, and, overall, deplete India’s broader warfighting.

One might be tempted to draw a parallel between the PA ARFC and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF). In some respects, the apparent similarities might be valid.

Continue Reading

August 14, 2025
New album, Travis Kelce relationship

Max Matza & Christal Hayes

BBC News

Watch: Taylor Swift appears in Travis and Jason Kelce’s podcast ‘New Heights’

Taylor Swift made her highly anticipated podcast debut on New Heights, hosted by boyfriend Travis Kelce and his brother Jason Kelce.

The pop superstar used the appearance to announce her new album, The Life of a Showgirl, and give some updates on her life since the Eras Tour, which spanned almost two years and five continents before ending in December.

More than 1.3 million tuned in live for the broadcast as Swift offered insights into her relationship with Travis, the hidden clues she plants in music for fans and even tidbits on her sourdough-bread baking.

It marked a change for the megastar, who tends not to give interviews, instead sharing updates on her life through song lyrics, which are dissected by obsessed fans.

The American football star brothers called Swift “Tay Tay” and ran through a list of her many awards.

Preview clips of the New Heights podcast went viral before her episode aired, including one where Swift pulled out her new album.

Here is some of what we learned from her appearance.

What we learned about the new album

Swift’s 12th studio studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, will be available on 3 October.

Its cover features the singer wearing a dress emblazoned with diamonds lying in turquoise green.

She is seen submerged in the water, with only her face and wrist above the surface.

The record was simultaneously made available for pre-order on her website, which started crashing as soon as the podcast began.

Swift explained that she wrote the album while on her Eras Tour and would frequently return to Sweden while performing concerts in Europe, in order to record it.

Wondery/Taylor Swift

“I was basically exhausted at this point in the tour, but I was so mentally stimulated and so excited to be creating,” she said.

Travis added: “Literally living the life of a showgirl.”

Swift went on to read out all 12 track names, including the title track featuring Sabrina Carpenter.

Travis said the album is “upbeat” and will make people dance. He called it a 180-degree turnabout from her last album, The Tortured Poets Department.

“Life is more upbeat,” Swift said in response, smiling and looking at Travis.

Swift said the album tells the story of “everything that was going on behind the curtain” of her time on tour.

Orange was chosen because it’s a colour she likes and felt energised by, she added.

Swift says the podcast ‘got me a boyfriend’

Near the beginning of the show, Swift was asked why she chose to appear on the podcast, which caters primarily to sports fans.

“This podcast got me a boyfriend,” she said, accusing Travis of using the broadcast as his “personal dating app” to connect with her.

Before they even met, Travis famously gushed on the podcast about attending one of Swift’s concerts and being disappointed when they couldn’t meet.

He talked about making her a beaded friendship bracelet, which were popular during the Eras Tour, and said he wanted to give her his phone number.

She said the clip, which went viral, felt almost like “he was standing outside of my apartment, holding a boom box saying, ‘I want to go on a date with you’”.

She said this was exactly the moment she had “been writing songs about, wanting to happen to me since I was a teenager”.

“It was wild, but it worked… He’s the good kind of crazy,” she said, calling her boyfriend “a human exclamation point”.

Poking fun at male sports fans

Sitting beside Travis, Swift teased the “male sports fans” in the audience.

“As we all know, you know, you guys have a lot of male sports fans that listen to your podcast,” she said.

“I think we all know that if there’s one thing that male sports fans want in their spaces and on their screens, it’s more of me,” she deadpanned, looking straight into the camera.

Swift’s appearance at Kansas City Chiefs games have caused a frenzy over the years. But some football fans weren’t happy.

She was booed when she appeared on the jumbotron screen at the Super Bowl last February, which drew social media posts from President Donald Trump.

Despite the criticism, Jason assured her she has been the “most requested guest on the podcast”.

Other recent guests on the show have included basketball stars Caitlin Clark, Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James, and actors Brad Pitt, Ben Affleck, Bill Murray and Adam Sandler.

How she crafts her hidden ‘Easter eggs’

Swift also spoke about all the ways she uses Easter eggs – or secret messages to fans – to tease her music.

She said she has rules for these covert clues in her music and performances.

“I’m never going to plant an Easter egg that ties back to my personal life. It’s always going to go back to my music,” she said, joking that some fans are so good at decoding her that it’s almost gotten a bit “zodiac killer”.

The secret messages are “something that you don’t know I’m saying for a specific reason, but you’ll go back and be like, ‘Oh my God!’”

She said her favourite example was a speech she gave when she received an honorary doctorate.

“I put so many lyrical Easter eggs in that speech that when the Midnights album came out, after that, the fans were like, ‘The whole speech was an Easter egg!’”

She also spoke about her love of numbers and dates.

“I love math stuff,” she said, saying 13 was her favourite number.

Travis, she said, is “87” – the number he wears on his game jersey – and she noted that 13 plus 87 equals 100.

Some of her hidden messages are so complex, she said, they are crafted “upside down, backwards in Braille”.

Swift didn’t know about football – until Travis

Wondery/Taylor Swift

Swift said she knew nothing about football before their romance began.

“I didn’t know what a first down was,” or a “tight-end” (the position Travis plays), she said.

Swift said she appreciated Travis’ patience when they started dating and introducing her to his world.

She’s now personally invested, citing a moment where she found herself interested in a recent player trade.

Travis told her he will be “forever grateful” that she embraced his world “wholeheartedly”.

Taylor gets emotional speaking about album rights

In May this year, it was announced that she had bought the rights to her first six albums, ending a long-running battle over the ownership of her music.

After her original masters sold, she vowed to re-record all six albums, which became known as “Taylor’s Versions”.

Swift grew emotional as she explained the process by which she purchased her master recordings, after trying for a decade to secure the rights.

She said she was not interested in the financial rewards the albums would bring.

“I want this because it was my handwritten diary entries from my entire life,” she said.

She said her mother and brother had talked to Shamrock Capital, a Los Angeles-based investment firm, about purchasing her music.

When her mother called her, saying “You got your music,” she said: “I just very dramatically hit the floor. For real.”

“Bawling my eyes out, and just weeping.”

“This changed my life,” she continued.

Which version of her albums should fans listen to?

She also thanked loyal fans for listening to her re-recorded albums, saying they reacted to the dispute over rights to her music with the Western cowboy expression, “We ride at dawn”.

Swift also said it was through her fans that she was able to buy back her music.

“The reason I was able to purchase my music back is, they came to the Eras Tour,” she said.

Swift was also asked which versions of her albums her fans should listen to – now that she owns both versions.

“I think a lot of the vocals I did on the re-records were better than the original,” she said, adding she is especially fond of the remake of her 2012 album Red.

Sourdough bread baked with cat and chest hair

She and Travis spoke fondly about their love, describing how they bake sourdough bread together.

His dough winds up with chest hair in it, while hers has extra cat hair, she joked.

“I had never experienced something so mesmerising on stage, and then so real and beautiful in person,” said Travis.

Jason then joked that maybe he should leave, and give them some privacy, as Swift swooned.

“Yeah I think so, honestly,” Swift responded. “At this point, I think everyone should leave.”

While Swift has at times been shy about discussing her relationship in public, Travis has been more outspoken. Before the podcast aired, he told GQ in an interview: “I love being the happiest guy in the world.”

Continue Reading

August 14, 2025
AI finds hidden safe zones inside a fusion reactor

A public-private partnership between Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory has led to a new artificial intelligence (AI) approach that is faster at finding what’s known as “magnetic shadows” in a fusion vessel: safe havens protected from the intense heat of the plasma.

Known as HEAT-ML, the new AI could lay the foundation for software that significantly speeds up the design of future fusion systems. Such software could also enable good decision-making during fusion operations by adjusting the plasma so that potential problems are thwarted before they start.

“This research shows that you can take an existing code and create an AI surrogate that will speed up your ability to get useful answers, and it opens up interesting avenues in terms of control and scenario planning,” said Michael Churchill, co-author of a paper in Fusion Engineering and Design about HEAT-ML and head of digital engineering at PPPL.

Fusion, the reaction that fuels the sun and stars, could provide potentially limitless amounts of electricity on Earth. To harness it, researchers need to overcome key scientific and engineering challenges. One such challenge is handling the intense heat coming from the plasma, which reaches temperatures hotter than the sun’s core when confined using magnetic fields in a fusion vessel known as a tokamak. Speeding up the calculations that predict where this heat will hit and what parts of the tokamak will be safe in the shadows of other parts is key to bringing fusion power to the grid.

“The plasma-facing components of the tokamak might come in contact with the plasma, which is very hot and can melt or damage these elements,” said Doménica Corona Rivera, an associate research physicist at PPPL and first author on the paper on HEAT-ML. “The worst thing that can happen is that you would have to stop operations.”

PPPL amplifies its impact through public-private partnership

HEAT-ML was specifically made to simulate a small part of SPARC: a tokamak currently under construction by CFS. The Massachusetts company hopes to demonstrate net energy gain by 2027, meaning SPARC would generate more energy than it consumes.

Simulating how heat impacts SPARC’s interior is central to this goal and a big computing challenge. To break down the challenge into something manageable, the team focused on a section of SPARC where the most intense plasma heat exhaust intersects with the material wall. This particular part of the tokamak, representing 15 tiles near the bottom of the machine, is the part of the machine’s exhaust system that will be subjected to the most heat.

To create such a simulation, researchers generate what they call shadow masks. Shadow masks are 3D maps of magnetic shadows, which are specific areas on the surfaces of a fusion system’s internal components that are shielded from direct heat. The location of these shadows depends on the shape of the parts inside the tokamak and how they interact with the magnetic field lines that confine the plasma.

Creating simulations to optimize the way fusion systems operate

Originally, an open-source computer program called HEAT, or the Heat flux Engineering Analysis Toolkit, calculated these shadow masks. HEAT was created by CFS Manager Tom Looby during his doctoral work with Matt Reinke, now leader of the SPARC Diagnostic Team, and was first applied on the exhaust system for PPPL’s National Spherical Torus Experiment-Upgrade machine.

HEAT-ML traces magnetic field lines from the surface of a component to see if the line intersects other internal parts of the tokamak. If it does, that region is marked as “shadowed.” However, tracing these lines and finding where they intersect the detailed 3D machine geometry was a significant bottleneck in the process. It could take around 30 minutes for a single simulation and even longer for some complex geometries.

HEAT-ML overcomes this bottleneck, accelerating the calculations to a few milliseconds. It uses a deep neural network: a type of AI that has hidden layers of mathematical operations and parameters that it applies to the data to learn how to do a specific task by looking for patterns. HEAT-ML’s deep neural network was trained using a database of approximately 1,000 SPARC simulations from HEAT to learn how to calculate shadow masks.

HEAT-ML is currently tied to the specific design of SPARC’s exhaust system; it only works for that small part of that particular tokamak and is an optional setting in the HEAT code. However, the research team hopes to expand its capabilities to generalize the calculation of shadow masks for exhaust systems of any shape and size, as well as the rest of the plasma-facing components inside a tokamak.

DOE supported this work under contracts DE-AC02-09CH11466 and DE-AC05-00OR22725, and it also received support from CFS.

Continue Reading

August 14, 2025
James Gunn Teases Peacemaker Role in DCU, Status of His Superman Saga

The second season of Peacemaker debuted in New York on Wednesday night, and James Gunn came ready to drop some hints on the show’s role in the future of the DC Universe.

The HBO Max series, which stars John Cena as the titular character and has Gunn as showrunner, is back for its second season three and a half years after its first, with Gunn now co-head of DC Studios alongside Peter Safran. As a result, season two will help lay out the pair’s vision for what’s coming up in the DCU.

“It’s a big part, definitely Superman leads directly into Peacemaker; it should be noted that this is for adults, not for children, but Superman leads into this show and then we have the setting up of all of the rest of the DCU in this season of Peacemaker, it’s incredibly important,” Gunn told The Hollywood Reporter on the carpet. “Lots of guest stars coming up, lots of characters that are showing up that we’ve already met in Superman. I don’t think there’s anything that I’ve ever done that I love more than this season of Peacemaker, so I’m so excited for people to see it.”

Cena confirmed that this season “is about furthering the narrative. Instead of standalone properties, all of the DCU is now connected, as you saw Peacemaker show up in Superman. I think what you see in season two is just a forward of that narrative. That whole DCU through line — it takes the 11th Street Kids through their next adventure, but it also has a lot to do with the DCU going forward.”

Gunn also gave a little tease for what’s next after the success of Superman — which he wrote and directed — revealing, “I’ve already finished the treatment for the next story in what I’ll call the ‘Superman Saga.’ The treatment is done, which means a very, very worked out treatment. I’m working on that and hopefully going into production on that not too far away from today.”

Peacemaker, which also stars Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, Steve Agee and Frank Grillo, starts streaming Aug. 21 on HBO Max.

Neha Joy contributed to this report.

Continue Reading

August 14, 2025
Moody’s moves Pakistan out of default danger

ISLAMABAD:

Moody’s on Wednesday upgraded Pakistan’s credit rating to the speculative grade of Caa1, lifting it from the brink of default, and noted that while debt affordability has improved, it remains the weakest among peers.

The rating agency — one of the world’s top three — raised Pakistan’s standing for the first time in a year and assigned a “stable” outlook, citing overall improvements in the country’s external and fiscal positions. Pakistan had been at serious risk of default less than two years ago.

The global credit rating agency has acknowledged the efforts that the government put in the past over one-and-a-half years to stabilise the economy.

“Moody’s Ratings has upgraded the Government of Pakistan’s local and foreign currency issuer and senior unsecured debt ratings to Caa1 from Caa2”, reads the announcement.

Pakistan still remains at least a notch below the minimum investment grade that the government needs for issuing international sovereign bonds at competitive rates. The government remains unable to float these bonds due to riskier credit ratings that often lead to double-digit interest rates.

Moody’s has also warned about the “fragile” position of the foreign exchange reserves despite improvements due to higher external debt repayments, estimated at $50 billion for two fiscal years.

“Pakistan’s external position remains fragile. Its foreign exchange reserves remain well below what is required to meet its external debt obligations, underscoring the importance of steady progress with the IMF programme to continually unlock financing”, it added.

Moody’s has estimated Pakistan’s external financing needs at about $24-25 billion in for this fiscal year and similar amounts again for the next fiscal year 2026-27, bringing the total needs to $50 billion.

The higher external debt repayments keep the Ministry of Finance in a tight position, which remains busy throughout the fiscal year in getting old loans refinanced. The ministry has played an important role in ensuring some semblance of fiscal prudence despite competing demands for additional budgets.

The rating agency said that the upgrade to Caa1 reflected Pakistan’s improving external position, supported by its progress in reform implementation under the IMF programme. The foreign exchange reserves are likely to continue to improve, although Pakistan will remain dependent on timely financing from official partners, it added.

Moody’s said that it expects further gradual improvements as progress in reform implementation under the IMF program supports financing from bilateral and multilateral partners but said that the foreign exchange reserves remain “still (at) fragile levels”.

It does not see any disruption in Pakistan’s external debt repayments for the next few years.

While commenting on the fiscal situation, Moody’s said that Pakistan’s fiscal position was also strengthening from very weak levels, supported by an expanding tax base.

The “debt affordability has improved, but remains one of the weakest among rated sovereigns”, it added.

Moody’s said that the country’s overall budget deficits were narrowing and primary surpluses were widening. The government debt affordability was also improving, although it remains one of the weakest among our rated sovereigns.

But it warned that there remains risks of delays in reform implementation required to secure timely official financing, which would in turn weaken Pakistan’s external position again.

Strengthening fiscal position

The rating agency said that the government has strengthened its revenue collection through a combination of better enforcement and new tax measures. The total revenues rose to about 16% of GDP in the last fiscal year from 12.6%, led by a large increase in tax revenues, amounting to about 2% of the GDP.

The government’s non-tax revenues also rose sharply due to a one-off extraordinary dividend from the State Bank of Pakistan.

It has estimated tax revenues to pick up by another half percentage points of GDP in this fiscal year but said that a decline in SBP dividends will lead to an overall narrowing of government revenue to about 15-15.5% of GDP.

The rating agency said that the government was facing a significant challenge to continually implement revenue-raising measures without triggering social tensions.

It hoped that the government would keep a control on expenditures, “even as budgeted defense spending has increased” after war with India. The government has gradually cut subsidies to the power sector alongside progress with energy sector reforms.

While commenting on the debt position, the rating agency said that the debt servicing costs are also reduced due to declining domestic interest rates in tandem with lower policy rates.

“Overall, we expect the fiscal deficit to narrow further to 4.5-5% of GDP in this fiscal year”. In the last fiscal year, the government’s deficit was 5.4% of the GDP, which was better than the target.

Due to reduction in the interest rates, the interest payments would amount to about 40-45% of revenues in this and next fiscal year, which is a marked decline from about 60% in FY2024. But the rating agency said that the interest payments were very high internationally and a key credit constraint.

It cautioned that there remains risk of slippage in reform implementation or results, leading to delays in or withdrawing of financing support from official partners. This could in turn lead to renewed material deterioration in the sovereign’s external position, it added.

Continue Reading

August 14, 2025
Meghan Markle mocked over her ’embarrassing’ Netflix season 2

Meghan Markle mocked over her ’embarrassing’ Netflix season 2

Meghan Markle is questioned over her new Netflix season by a credible chef.

The Duchess of Sussex, who is set to release the second season of her cooking show titled ‘With Love, Meghan,’ is asled whether her series will go beyond the upcoming installment.

Celebrity chef Jameson Stocks tells Express: “The second season was filmed immediately following the first.”

He added: “If Netflix had predicted the first season’s poor performance, they probably wouldn’t have approved a second. Anyone in the TV industry knows it’s more cost-effective to shoot one, two, or even three seasons back-to-back. However, I don’t believe there’s any real momentum, and the ratings clearly reflect that.”

Stocks added: “Honestly, I would feel embarrassed by the numbers and ratings — for it not to even rank in Netflix’s top 300 shows is truly reflective of her apparent star appeal and frankly, embarrassing.”

“It will just be the same dull nonsense. No amount of money can buy you a real personality, and no amount of money can manipulate people,” he concluded.

Continue Reading

August 14, 2025
Shoaib Akhtar loses cool, tells Rizwan and co. ‘Rawalpindi ki pitch lekar nahi ghoom sakte’ after humiliating loss vs WI

Pakistan cricket is facing a moment of reflection after a crushing ODI series defeat against the West Indies, with the Caribbean side claiming their first series win over Pakistan since 1991. The decisive third match at Tarouba ended in a 202-run humiliation for the visitors, as Pakistan’s chase collapsed to a paltry 92 all out while attempting to chase 295. West Indies fast bowler Jayden Seales stole the show with sensational figures of 6/18, while captain Shai Hope anchored the hosts’ innings with an unbeaten century, leaving Pakistan reeling under pressure.

Shoaib Akhtar criticised Pakistan batters after massive defeat to West Indies(AFP/X)

The collapse exposed cracks in Pakistan’s batting lineup, and former speedster Shoaib Akhtar didn’t hold back in his critique. Speaking on the Game On Hai show, Akhtar lambasted the team for lacking collective intent. “We used to have expressive and explosive talent, and we played like that. We were never dependent on one individual — everyone chipped in,” he said, as quoted by The Times of India.

“No one used to look for escape routes. The environment has changed, and in the last 10–15 years, everyone has started playing for themselves. Everyone is playing for their averages. The intent should be to win matches for your country.”

Akhtar emphasised the urgent need to overhaul mindset and team culture, calling for a shift from individual-focused play to a unified, intent-driven approach.

“We need to change the intent, the mindset, and create that atmosphere. You need to play according to modern cricket. How hard is that to understand?” he added.

Akhtar’s dig at Pakistan batters

Three ducks among the top four batters, including captain Mohammad Rizwan bowled for a golden duck by Seales, epitomised the batting debacle. Openers Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique failed to offer any resistance, and Babar Azam was trapped lbw for just nine runs, compounding the collapse.

Akhtar highlighted technical and environmental challenges that compounded Pakistan’s woes. “Halka sa seam hota hai toh musibat pad jaati hai (The ball moves a bit and they are in trouble),” he noted. “Rawalpindi pitch lekar nahi ghoom sakte (You can’t carry Pindi pitches everywhere).”

Pakistan will now return to action on August 29 when they take on Afghanistan in a tri-series featuring the United Arab Emirates as the third team, as they prepare for the Asia Cup next month. West Indies, meanwhile, meet Nepal for a three-T20I series next month before touring India for two Tests in October.

Continue Reading

August 14, 2025
Polypharmacy Common in Rheumatoid Arthritis, Driving Risk of Serious Drug Interactions
Polypharmacy is highly prevalent among individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and significantly increases the likelihood of potentially serious drug-to-drug interactions, according to a new Brazilian study published in Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira.

Specifically, researchers found that 81.1% of patients with RA were taking 5 or more medications at the same time—a rate strongly associated with older age and multiple comorbidities.

The retrospective analysis included medical records of 370 adults with RA treated in a public outpatient clinic between January 2021 and March 2022. Investigators identified 2018 potential drug interactions using the MedScape drug interaction platform, with 27.5% classified as mild, 54.4% as moderate, and 17.8% as severe. Serious interactions often involved combinations of antirheumatic drugs, particularly immunosuppressants, which can elevate infection risk.

More than 80% of patients with RA had polypharmacy. | Image credit: Kotchakorn – stock.adobe.com

“Our findings highlight the clinical relevance of polypharmacy in RA management, as the combination of immunosuppressants and medications for comorbidities significantly increases the risk of adverse events, hospitalizations, and treatment complexity,” the authors said. “Furthermore, it guides health care professionals toward safer choices with less potential for harm, enabling individualized therapeutic decisions based on the patient’s profile.”

Older Age, More Comorbidities Linked to Higher Risk

On average, patients with polypharmacy—taking 5 or more medications for at least 30 days—were about 6 years older (61.3 vs 55.4 years) and had triple the median number of comorbidities compared with those on fewer medications (3 vs 1). Common comorbidities included arterial hypertension (40.9%), osteoporosis or osteopenia (34.1%), and dyslipidemia (29.4%).

Glucocorticoids, vitamin D, leflunomide, calcium, methotrexate, and folic acid were the 6 most frequently prescribed medications, with more than 40% of the cohort taking them. Cardiovascular drugs such as simvastatin, losartan, and hydrochlorothiazide were also common, and many patients reported using omeprazole, reflecting the multimorbidity burden in this population.

Most Frequent Severe Interactions

The most common severe interaction involved prednisone and simvastatin (19.5% of cases), a combination that can contribute to muscle toxicity. Another frequent pairing was leflunomide and methotrexate (17.2%), associated with heightened risks of hepatotoxicity and bone marrow suppression. Other high-risk combinations included amitriptyline with fluoxetine, acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin) with methotrexate, and amlodipine with simvastatin. All other interactions occurred in less than 4% of the cohort, with several increasing infection risk.

Although some of these therapy combinations are intentional parts of RA management—for example, combining methotrexate or leflunomide with biologics to improve long-term disease control—they require close monitoring.

“It is essential to consider the increased risk of infection by using this combination, which may be evident to the rheumatologist, but not always to the general practitioner,” the researchers said. “In addition, RA patients in this study have several comorbidities that may require treatment from specialists in other medical fields, who may not be familiar with rheumatological medications.”

With this in mind, the authors recommended regular medication reviews, close collaboration between rheumatologists and other treating physicians, and systematic use of interaction-checking tools to minimize preventable harm.

“This approach is critical to optimizing patient safety and treatment outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis care,” they said.

Adding to the Evidence

These findings add to a growing body of evidence linking polypharmacy in RA to greater treatment complexity, higher infection risk, and increased health care utilization, underscoring the need for proactive strategies to safeguard patient outcomes.

A large German claims-based study of nearly 12,000 patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) found that polypharmacy affected 49% of patients compared with 17% of matched controls without inflammatory arthritis.² Polypharmacy rates were higher in women (52%) than men (45%) and rose sharply with age and comorbidity burden. Compared with controls, patients with PsA used significantly more drugs across all therapeutic categories, particularly musculoskeletal, immunomodulatory, cardiovascular, metabolic, and nervous system drugs. The authors concluded that polypharmacy in PsA reflects both disease-specific and comorbidity-related medications, highlighting the need to assess whether broader use of biologic DMARDs could reduce reliance on analgesics, glucocorticoids, and other comedications.

Another large multicenter cross-sectional study in Brazil involving 792 patients with RA found that 67.9% were taking 5 or more medications, and most (89%) were women with long-standing disease.³ Polypharmacy was strongly associated with the number of comorbidities and with use of corticosteroids, methotrexate, and biologic DMARDs. The authors concluded that the high prevalence of polypharmacy in RA represents a significant management challenge not addressed by existing treatment guidelines, warranting targeted strategies to reduce medication burden and associated risks.

References
1. Boeing LB, Fogaça NS, Kahlow BS, Skare T, Nisihara R. Polypharmacy and drug interactions in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2025;71(7):e20250151. doi:10.1590/1806-9282.20250151
2. Albrecht K, Regierer AC, Strangfeld A, Marschall U, Callhoff J. High burden of polypharmacy and comorbidity in persons with psoriatic arthritis: an analysis of claims data, stratified by age and sex. RMD Open. 2023;9(1):e002960. doi:10.1136/rmdopen-2022-002960
3. Gomides APM, Albuquerque CP, Santos ABV, et al. High levels of polypharmacy in rheumatoid arthritis-a challenge not covered by current management recommendations: data from a large real-life study. J Pharm Pract. 2021;34(3):365-371. doi:10.1177/0897190019869158
Continue Reading
August 14, 2025
NA adopts bill giving law enforcers wide arrest powers – Newspaper

• Draft law allows terror suspects to be detained for three months or more on ‘reasonable information or suspicion’; contains three-year ‘sunset clause’
• PTI terms bill ‘unconstitutional’, Fazl warns against passing ‘flawed legislation’
• US oil deal claim stirs controversy; minister says bidding for blocks was merit-based

ISLAMABAD: Amid outcry by the opposition, the National Assembly on Wednesday passed an amendment to the anti-terrorism act, empowering the government and the armed forces to detain “terror suspects” for three months or more, on the basis of “reasonable or credible information” or a “reasonable suspicion” for the purpose of inquiry.

The draft law received flak as the opposition lawmakers criticised it for violating Article 10 of the Constitution, which provides “safeguards as to arrest and detention” and the right to fair trial. The law minister, however, disagreed and said the amendment was in line with the constitutional provisions.

The Anti-Terrorism Amendment Bill 2024, tabled by Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, states that “the government, or where the provisions of Section 4 have been invoked, the armed forces or civil armed forces… issue order for the preventive detention of any person who has been so concerned, relating to the security or defence of Pakistan or any part thereof, or public order relating to target killing, kidnapping for ransom, and extortion, bhatta, or the maintenance of supplies or services, or against whom a reasonable or credible information has been received, or a reasonable suspicion exists of his having been so concerned, for purpose of inquiry”.

As per the bill, the detention of such a person, including detention for a further period after three months, shall be subject to the provisions of Article 10 of the Constitution.

“Provided that where the detention order has been issued by the armed forces or civil armed forces under sub-section (1), the inquiry shall be conducted by the JIT, comprising a police officer not below the rank of superintendent of police, intelligence agencies, civil armed forces, armed forces and other law enforcing agencies,” it read. The amended provisions will remain in force for three years from the commencement of the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Act, 2024.

This amendment bill was initially introduced in November last year by the law minister and had been referred to the committee concerned for consideration. In a similar development in June, the Balochistan Assembly passed legislation giving law enforcement agencies powers to detain any person for three months without being charged.

A similar law in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa authorises the provincial government or any person authorised by it to act as the interning authority having the powers to intern a person.

According to its statement of objects and reasons, Section 11EEE of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 was amended in 2014, providing the government and authorised armed forces/civil armed forces with the authority to conduct preventive detention of individuals suspected of terrorism.

“This provision was designed to empower law enforcement agencies to pre-emptively address security threats by detaining suspects for a period not exceeding three months, thereby allowing for thorough inquiries and preventing potential terrorist acts. However, this amendment was subject to a sunset clause, limiting its validity to a period of two years, which expired in 2016,” it read. It claimed that the security situation required a “robust response that goes beyond the existing legal framework”.

According to the bill, the amendment will allow the authorities to disrupt “terrorist plots before they can be executed” and provide legal backing to the law enforcement agencies to “conduct more effective operations against terrorism”.

Opposition concerns

When the bill was presented, the PTI took exception, with its interim chairman Gohar Ali Khan saying that any law contrary to the Constitution could not be passed. He said the bill violated Article 10 of the Constitution and the Supreme Court’s rulings against legislation infringing upon fundamental rights.

He pointed out that the Supreme Court had previously struck down similar provisions, as he criticised the provision of power to extend the detention of suspects from three months to six months, saying such measures eroded public trust.

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said such laws effectively treat every citizen as a born criminal, allowing institutions to arrest anyone, with the burden of proof lying on the accused.

He said the precedent of passing flawed legislation must not be set, adding that terrorism was a global issue and not confined to Pakistan.

Govt defends bill

PPP lawmaker Naveed Qamar defended the legislation, saying the Constitution protected rights in normal times, but “extraordinary circumstances” required such measures to safeguard the public. He argued that with two provinces facing heightened terrorism threats, granting such powers was now essential to ensure public safety.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar also defended the legislation, saying that a similar amendment had passed the test of judicial scrutiny when it had been enacted post-APS massacre in 2014.

He claimed the detentions would only be ordered when “sufficient ground exists”, adding that under Article 10 (2) of the Constitution, a person has to be produced before the nearest area magistrate after arrest.

However, he argued that sub-section 3 gives an exception, saying it was not applicable in cases of detention for which there was a separate mechanism involving the review board comprising two high court judges. The law minister said under the Constitution, a person could be detained for three months for safety, security and national defence.

Trump’s oil claim

Another highlight of the day’s proceedings was the controversy stirred by US President Donald Trump’s claim about the discovery of massive oil reserves in Pakistan and a deal for joint development of these reserves. The government had not made any such announcement, prompting the PPP lawmakers to raise the issue through a calling attention notice.

Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik claimed the country possessed “significant untapped natural resources”, including unconventional sources, such as tight gas, shale gas and shale oil.

He said the government had successfully concluded an onshore bidding round in April, awarding 13 exploration blocks, including two to Turkish Petroleum for the first time.

Another onshore round for 23 blocks was underway, with awards expected in October, while offshore bidding covering about 40 blocks, including in the Indus and Gwadar belt, was also progressing.

The minister said developing a single onshore exploration well required about $20-25 million in investment, while offshore wells could cost over $120m. He said Turkish, Chinese, Kuwaiti and the US companies had shown interest in exploration.

On unconventional resources, he cited studies estimating Pakistan’s tight gas potential at 30-35 trillion cubic feet, roughly equivalent to three Sui gas fields.

The minister said the policy for tight gas had been updated in 2024, adding that a USAID-supported assessment in 2015 found shale oil and gas resources in the Lower Indus Basin many times greater than Pakistan’s cumulative extraction over the past 70 years.

Answering a question, he said the bidding rounds were open to all and the government would move forward with a merit-based, transparent process, leaving many to wonder if he was refuting claims made by US President Trump about the oil deal.

When MNA Asad Niazi pointed out that President Trump had used the term ‘reserves’ and not ‘resources’, the minister conceded that these were called resources until actual drilling leads to a discovery.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2025

Continue Reading

August 14, 2025