Chronic kidney disease

• The Copenhagen Center for Biomedical Quantum Sensing will be established with a grant of DKK 150 million from the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
• "Quantum sensing is among the most mature of the quantum technologies and holds the potential to greatly improve medical diagnostics.
• The Novo Nordisk Foundation has recently made substantial investments in quantum technologies, including a grant to the Novo Nordisk Foundation Quantum Computing Programme and funding for Quantum Foundry Copenhagen P/S.
• The international quantum sensing research collaboration will consolidate and significantly strengthen the quantum sensing activities in Denmark, fostering international synergy and promoting translation into clinical applications.

• Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc., (OPDC); Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Co. Ltd. (Otsuka); and Visterra, Inc., an Otsuka group company announce that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Breakthrough Therapy designation for the investigational drug sibeprenlimab for the treatment of immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN; Berger’s disease).
• This press release features multimedia.
• Breakthrough therapy designation allows the agency to prioritize and focus resources on the most promising products for which no satisfactory treatment option exists.
• “We are encouraged by the FDA’s decision to grant breakthrough therapy status for the sibeprenlimab program,” said John Kraus, M.D., Ph.D., executive vice president and chief medical officer at Otsuka.

• CalciMedica expects to initiate the trial, named KOURAGE, in the first half of 2024 and data expected in 2025.
• "Through KOURAGE, we aim to determine how Auxora can benefit patients with severe AKI and potentially reduce the high mortality rate associated with this disease."
• AKI is classified as stages 1, 2 and 3 depending on the degree of kidney injury.
• A single dose of Auxora after IRI increased GFR by 61% and decreased mononuclear (inflammatory) cell infiltration by 30%.

• Cardiovascular disease — also called heart disease — is a condition affecting the heart and blood vessels, and is the leading cause of death among women worldwide.
• In fact, a women dies of heart disease every 20 minutes in Canada.
• Although cardiovascular disease is often considered a disease of men, women are more likely to die from a heart attack when compared with men.

Women’s hearts are different

• From the outside, women’s hearts may look the same as men’s, but there are important differences.
• Specifically, women experience unique events over the course of their lifespan which may impact their cardiovascular health.
• Pregnancy complications, such as hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and gestational diabetes, can also play a role in cardiovascular health.

Heart attack symptoms

• Early heart attack symptoms are missed in up to 78 per cent of women, in part related to the fact that women may present with different symptoms than men.
• An awareness of the differences in heart attack symptoms may lead to improved recognition and timely care for women.

Reducing heart risks

• There are many steps that you can take to reduce your risk of heart disease.
• Living free from commercial tobacco and vaping, reducing alcohol intake and managing stress are also key ways to reduce your risk.

Wear red and learn more

• On Feb. 13, we invite you to celebrate Wear Red Canada to raise awareness for women’s cardiovascular health, hosted by the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance and the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre.
• Attend free presentations and webinars by Canadian experts, join the Wear Red Canada Movement Challenge and take part in local events.

Nabilah Gulamhusein has received funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research through the Canada Graduate Scholarship - Master’s. Sandi Dumanski receives funding from the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society and the Kidney Foundation.