January 14, 2025 – Vicky Hatch – Osteosarcoma is a type of aggressive bone cancer that most commonly affects children and young adults between the ages of 10 and 20, during times of rapid bone growth. Although rare, it has a significant impact on young people and their families as treatment can require surgery or amputation. The cancer also has the potential to spread to other organs, most commonly the lungs. Because osteosarcoma is so genomically complex, it has been challenging to identify what genetic mutations drive the disease. As a result, there has been little advancement in treatment options over the past 40 years. 

New research, published in the journal Cell, solves the mystery of what drives the genomic rearrangements causing the aggressive development and evolution of osteosarcoma tumours. By analysing the largest collection of whole-genome data from osteosarcoma patients, the researchers identified a new mutation mechanism, called loss-translocation-amplification (LTA) chromothripsis, which is present in approximately 50% of high-grade osteosarcoma cases. 

In an unprecedented new study in the journal Cell Reports, researchers have shown neurotransmitters in the human brain are released during the processing of the emotional content of language, providing new insights into how people interpret the significance of words.

The work, conducted by an international team led by Virginia Tech scientists, offers deeper understanding into how language influences human choices and mental health.

Spearheaded by computational neuroscientist Read Montague, professor of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and director of the institute’s Center for Human Neuroscience Research, the study represents a first-of-its-kind exploration of how neurotransmitters process the emotional content of language — a uniquely human function.

COLLEGE PARK, Md., January 14, 2025–(BUSINESS WIRE)–IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), a leader in the quantum computing and networking industries, today announced a landmark partnership with the University of Maryland and the State of Maryland with the aim to establish Maryland as the “silicon valley” of the quantum computing industry. The proposed initiative will aim to fuel the growing quantum economy of the U.S. capitol region, provide access to IonQ’s cutting-edge quantum technology, and dramatically strengthen Maryland’s workforce with new quantum-focused jobs.

As part of today’s announcement of the “Capital of Quantum” initiative’s goal of catalyzing more than $1 billion in investments towards Maryland becoming the “Capital of Quantum,” IonQ intends to anchor a state-of-the-art quantum intelligence campus based at the University of Maryland at College Park.

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Jan. 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE: EBS) announced today that it has entered into an agreement to obtain exclusive commercial rights in the U.S. and Canada to Hikma Pharmaceuticals’ KLOXXADO^® (naloxone HCl) Nasal Spray, an 8 mg naloxone agent that is approved for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose, as manifested by respiratory and/or central nervous system depression.¹ This six-year agreement complements and strengthens Emergent’s mission to protect, enhance, and save lives by helping to reduce opioid overdose deaths —providing compelling product options, combined with a commitment to increasing naloxone access, awareness, and education.

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. and ROCKVILLE, Md., Jan. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) and REGENXBIO Inc. (Nasdaq: RGNX) today announced updates to the ABBV-RGX-314 clinical program.

ABBV-RGX-314 in Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (wet AMD), Subretinal Delivery
Data from the ATMOSPHERE^® and ASCENT^™ pivotal trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of the subretinal delivery of ABBV-RGX-314 in patients with wet AMD are expected in 2026.

ABBV-RGX-314 in Diabetic Retinopathy (DR), Suprachoroidal Delivery
AbbVie and REGENXBIO will plan a Phase 3 clinical program. The clinical program will utilize the in-office SCS Microinjector^® to deliver gene therapy to the suprachoroidal space of the eye.

Like his fellow Type 1 diabetics, Alec Smith took insulin every day to regulate his blood sugar. Costs to treat his condition topped $1,000 per month, most of that going to insulin, and Alec made the difficult decision to ration his insulin to save money after aging off his mother’s health insurance plan.

Rationing insulin is a delicate process for diabetics. The body’s insulin needs can fluctuate significantly due to changes in diet, exercise, stress, poor sleep, or other medications, and diabetics must constantly monitor their glucose levels even when taking insulin as directed. When a person’s blood sugar gets too high, the body goes into diabetic ketoacidosis, which releases dangerous amounts of acid into the bloodstream and, if left untreated, can result in death — as it unfortunately did for Alec Smith in 2017. His mother, Nicole Smith-Holt, told CBS News, “I think if the price of insulin in 2017 had been $35, Alec would still be alive today.”

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Jan. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE: EBS) announced today that the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, executed a contract modification for the second option period, valued at approximately $16.7 million, for drug product process and analytical testing validation and long-term stability for Ebanga™ (ansuvimab-zykl). Ebanga™ is indicated for the treatment of infection caused by Zaire Ebola virus.

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*NOTE: Solution Summary due: February 14, 2025
The Big Question  

What if we could end the rare disease diagnostic odyssey?

The Problem  

Collectively, rare diseases are far from rare — more than 10,000 unique conditions affect over 350 million people worldwide, including one in ten Americans. The lengthy diagnostic “odyssey” endured by patients with a rare disease lasts six years on average but can extend for decades. Diagnostic delays stem from multiple factors, including overlapping symptoms, low disease incidence, and limited specialist expertise. It’s estimated that half of all individuals with a rare disease remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, leading to inappropriate care, irreversible disease progression, and rising medical costs.