Anemia

Menstrual health literacy is alarmingly low – what you don’t know can harm you

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星期三, 三月 13, 2024

When I ask my menstrual health workshop participants – including clinicians – there’s usually a lot of shrugging and shaking of heads.

Key Points: 
  • When I ask my menstrual health workshop participants – including clinicians – there’s usually a lot of shrugging and shaking of heads.
  • If given multiple choice options, most think that periods either “clean the womb” or somehow “help prepare for pregnancy”.
  • Yes, the blood part can stain clothing, but there is nothing pathological, contaminating, or dangerous about periods.

So, why do we have periods?

  • Periods likely evolved as a kind of preemptive abortion, to protect women from unviable or dangerous pregnancies.
  • As a result, we have low rates of conception, high rates of miscarriage, and extremely high rates of maternal mortality in comparison to other mammals.
  • The menstrual cycle is critical for facilitation of the initial steps of this raison d’être of the female reproductive system.
  • The menstrual cycle is critical for facilitation of the initial steps of this raison d’être of the female reproductive system.

What else don’t we know?

  • Perhaps with the fact that the second phase of the cycle from ovulation to menstruation is a series of highly inflammatory processes.
  • This was only very briefly mentioned in three out of 16 textbooks.
  • We really ought to be taught from puberty how to reduce period pain and blood loss – this is not difficult science.

Why aren’t we taught this stuff?

  • My research shows that the exclusive focus on the female sex hormones in menstrual education is informed by societal influences, such as the myth of the hysterical or hormonal female.
  • This gender myth is still alive and well, although now we tend to blame the (female sex) hormones.
  • Again, there was no scientific reason for this change in focus, although it reflected existing societal beliefs about the inherently irrational behaviour of women.
  • Unfortunately, menstrual health literacy has not yet recovered from this shift in physiological models.

So what?

  • It also becomes much easier to differentiate premenstrual changes from underlying health conditions, since the latter will not be substantially alleviated by anti-inflammatory interventions alone.
  • Teaching the reductive hormonal model of the menstrual cycle unintentionally provides pseudo-scientific evidence for the damaging hormonal or hysterical female gender myth.


Sally King is the founder of Menstrual Matters- the world's first evidence-based info hub on menstrual health and rights www.menstrual-matters.com. Her doctoral research and current research fellowship were funded by the ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council).

Multi-Center Study Presented by Duke at Heart Failure Therapeutics Conference Highlights Daxor’s Unique Clinical Utility for Heart Failure Patients

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星期五, 三月 8, 2024

Oak Ridge, TN, March 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Daxor Corporation (Nasdaq: DXR), the global leader in blood volume measurement technology, today announces new data from Duke University Medical Center validating the benefits of blood volume analysis (BVA) in optimizing individualized therapy for heart failure patients with impaired renal function. Data were presented on 259 patients from three centers at the Technology and Heart Failure Therapeutics Conference (THT), which brought together the world’s leading experts in heart failure innovations at the Westin Boston Seaport in Boston, Massachusetts March 4-6, 2024.

Key Points: 
  • Data were presented on 259 patients from three centers at the Technology and Heart Failure Therapeutics Conference (THT), which brought together the world’s leading experts in heart failure innovations at the Westin Boston Seaport in Boston, Massachusetts March 4-6, 2024.
  • The study, titled, ‘Blood Volume Profiles and Correlations with Pressures in Heart Failure with Impaired Renal Function,’ aimed to answer if the degree of renal impairment in heart failure patients impacts volume status, the pressure-volume relationship, and the prevalence and types of anemia.
  • Veraprapas Kittipibul M.D., lead investigator of the study concluded that:
    Heterogeneity in volume exists across renal function which can only be accurately measured with BVA.
  • Patients with large volume expansion had worsening renal function, showing the urgent need for care.

Cellectar Biosciences Reports High Rate of Complete Remission in Investigator Initiated Phase I Study of Iopofosine in Combination with External Beam Radiotherapy in Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer

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星期一, 三月 4, 2024

The twelve patients treated for locoregionally recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma previously received chemoradiation alone (42%), surgery (58%) or surgery combined with radiation or chemoradiation (92%).

Key Points: 
  • The twelve patients treated for locoregionally recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma previously received chemoradiation alone (42%), surgery (58%) or surgery combined with radiation or chemoradiation (92%).
  • The data were presented in a poster at the 2024 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancers Symposium held February 29-March 2, 2024, in Phoenix, AZ.
  • Complete remission was achieved in 64% of patients, with an ORR of 73% (n=11).
  • Observed adverse events were consistent with the known toxicity profile of iopofosine I 131, with cytopenias being the most common with all patients recovering.

Filtering The Facts: The Urology Care Foundation Spreads Awareness for National Kidney Month

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星期五, 三月 1, 2024

BALTIMORE, March 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- March is National Kidney Month, and the Urology Care Foundation, the official foundation of the American Urological Association (AUA), wants to help share all the tools and information you need to take charge of your kidney health.

Key Points: 
  • BALTIMORE, March 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- March is National Kidney Month, and the Urology Care Foundation, the official foundation of the American Urological Association (AUA), wants to help share all the tools and information you need to take charge of your kidney health.
  • The kidneys also make hormones that help to keep blood pressure stable, make red blood cells and help keep bones strong.
  • Kidney health deserves equal awareness,” said Dr. Timothy Averch, chair of the Urology Care Foundation’s Kidney and Adrenal Health Committee.
  • For National Kidney Month, the Urology Care Foundation is focusing on information about kidney cancer and kidney stones:
    It is estimated that there will be over 81,000 new kidney cancer cases and over 14,000 cancer deaths in the United States in 2024.

Shattuck Labs Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2023 Financial Results and Recent Business Highlights

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星期四, 二月 29, 2024

Initial combination data from the Phase 1B clinical trial of SL-172154 in combination with mirvetuximab soravtansine in PROC expected mid-year 2024.

Key Points: 
  • Initial combination data from the Phase 1B clinical trial of SL-172154 in combination with mirvetuximab soravtansine in PROC expected mid-year 2024.
  • Shattuck Closes Financing: On December 21, 2023, Shattuck announced a $50 million public offering of common stock and concurrent private placement of pre-funded warrants.
  • Research and Development (R&D) Expenses: R&D expenses for the quarter ended December 31, 2023, were $15.2 million, as compared to $21.9 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2022.
  • General and Administrative (G&A) Expenses: G&A expenses for the quarter ended December 31, 2023 were $4.4 million, as compared to $4.8 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2022.

FibroGen Regains All Rights to Roxadustat from AstraZeneca in the United States and Other AstraZeneca Territories, Except China and South Korea

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星期一, 二月 26, 2024

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FibroGen, Inc. (NASDAQ: FGEN) announced today that FibroGen and AstraZeneca have agreed to terminate the U.S./RoW roxadustat collaboration agreement entered into on July 30, 2013, under which AstraZeneca held development and commercialization rights in the United States and other territories outside of China not licensed to Astellas Pharma Inc. Pursuant to a termination and transition agreement entered into between the parties, AstraZeneca is returning all U.S./RoW roxadustat rights to FibroGen (with the exception of South Korea) and providing certain assistance during a transition period. FibroGen’s collaboration agreement with AstraZeneca for roxadustat in China remains in place and roxadustat remains the leader in China by brand value share in the chronic kidney disease (CKD) anemia category. In the event FibroGen subsequently monetizes or commercializes roxadustat in the territories formerly licensed under the U.S./RoW collaboration agreement, FibroGen will have certain financial obligations to AstraZeneca.

Key Points: 
  • SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FibroGen, Inc. (NASDAQ: FGEN) announced today that FibroGen and AstraZeneca have agreed to terminate the U.S./RoW roxadustat collaboration agreement entered into on July 30, 2013, under which AstraZeneca held development and commercialization rights in the United States and other territories outside of China not licensed to Astellas Pharma Inc. Pursuant to a termination and transition agreement entered into between the parties, AstraZeneca is returning all U.S./RoW roxadustat rights to FibroGen (with the exception of South Korea) and providing certain assistance during a transition period.
  • FibroGen’s collaboration agreement with AstraZeneca for roxadustat in China remains in place and roxadustat remains the leader in China by brand value share in the chronic kidney disease (CKD) anemia category.
  • In the event FibroGen subsequently monetizes or commercializes roxadustat in the territories formerly licensed under the U.S./RoW collaboration agreement, FibroGen will have certain financial obligations to AstraZeneca.
  • “We continue to believe that roxadustat represents an important potential therapy for patients in the U.S. and other territories where it has not yet been approved,” said Thane Wettig, FibroGen Chief Executive Officer.

FibroGen Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Financial Results

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星期一, 二月 26, 2024

Fourth quarter FibroGen’s net product revenue under U.S. GAAP from the sale of roxadustat in China was $23.5 million compared to $23.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Key Points: 
  • Fourth quarter FibroGen’s net product revenue under U.S. GAAP from the sale of roxadustat in China was $23.5 million compared to $23.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2022.
  • Fourth quarter total roxadustat net sales in China¹ by FibroGen and the distribution entity jointly owned by FibroGen and AstraZeneca (JDE) was $66.5 million, compared to $53.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2022, an increase of 25%.
  • Total revenue for the fourth quarter of 2023 was $27.1 million, as compared to $34.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2022.
  • At December 31, 2023, FibroGen had $248.1 million in cash - defined as cash, cash equivalents, investments, and accounts receivable.

Disc Medicine Receives FDA Fast Track Designation for DISC-0974 for the Treatment of Anemia in Non-Dialysis Dependent Chronic Kidney Disease

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星期二, 二月 20, 2024

WATERTOWN, Mass., Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Disc Medicine, Inc. (NASDAQ:IRON), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel treatments for patients suffering from serious hematologic diseases, today announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track Designation to DISC-0974 for the treatment of patients with non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease (NDD-CKD) and anemia.

Key Points: 
  • WATERTOWN, Mass., Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Disc Medicine, Inc. (NASDAQ:IRON), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel treatments for patients suffering from serious hematologic diseases, today announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track Designation to DISC-0974 for the treatment of patients with non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease (NDD-CKD) and anemia.
  • “Receiving Fast Track designation highlights the unmet need for the millions of NDD-CKD patients with anemia, as well as the potential of DISC-0974 to address this need,” said John Quisel, J.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Disc.
  • A therapeutic candidate that receives Fast Track designation may be eligible for more frequent interactions with the FDA to discuss the candidate’s development plan.
  • Therapeutic candidates with Fast Track designation may also be eligible for priority review and accelerated approval if supported by clinical data.

Geron Corporation Reports Business Highlights and Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Financial Results

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星期三, 二月 28, 2024

Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN), a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company developing investigational first-in-class telomerase inhibitor, imetelstat, to treat hematologic malignancies, today reported business highlights and financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2023.

Key Points: 
  • Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN), a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company developing investigational first-in-class telomerase inhibitor, imetelstat, to treat hematologic malignancies, today reported business highlights and financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2023.
  • The FDA assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action date of June 16, 2024 to the NDA.
  • In September 2023, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) validated the Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for imetelstat in the same proposed indication as the NDA.
  • Geron will host a conference call at 8:00 am ET on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, to discuss business updates and fourth quarter and full year 2023 financial results.

BeiGene’s Biologics License Application for TEVIMBRA® (tislelizumab) for First-Line Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction Cancers Accepted by FDA

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星期二, 二月 27, 2024

“In clinical trials, TEVIMBRA has demonstrated its potential to improve survival for patients with gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancer.

Key Points: 
  • “In clinical trials, TEVIMBRA has demonstrated its potential to improve survival for patients with gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancer.
  • Median progression-free survival for TEVIMBRA plus chemotherapy was 6.9 months vs. 6.2 months respectively; (HR: 0.78 [95% CI: 0.67, 0.90]).
  • The safety profile for TEVIMBRA in combination with chemotherapy was manageable and in line with the known safety profile of anti-PD-1 antibodies.
  • A BLA for the treatment of patients with advanced or metastatic ESCC after prior chemotherapy is also under review by the FDA.