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Horizon Discovery Group Plc, a UK-based company which specializes in gene editing and modification, recently entered into an exclusive partnership with C4X Discovery Holdings, a pioneer in drug discovery. The partnership aims at developing and delivering oncology drugs for conditions that have very limited or no effective treatments available in the market such as colorectal and lung cancer. Under the exclusive partnership, Horizon will put its proprietary technology CRISPR-Cas9 to use and identify new synthetic lethal oncology threats which, in turn, will be used by C4XD to identify pre-clinical drug candidates using its patented 4D shape-based chemistry technology known as Conformetrix. The ultimate goal of the partnership is to develop ground-breaking oncology drugs.

Cancer cells require DNA pathways to repair in order to replicate and survive. Synthetic lethal oncology studies harness the dependency of cancer cells on repairing DNA pathways. The drugs work by identifying a specific DNA repair pathway on which particular cancer cells with mutations are dependent on. The novel oncology drugs then inhibit the repair process causing the cancer cells to self-destruct. A great practical example where synthetic lethal oncology is implemented is the use of drugs that specifically inhibit the DNA repair pathway of mutated BRCA cells which are the main cause of ovarian and breast cancer. Other mutating DNA repair pathways identified in recent times include poly (ADP-ribose) and polymerase (PARP). Inhibitors for PARP in Zejula, Rubraca, and Lynparza were recently approved further demonstrating the effectiveness of synthetic lethal oncology in the treatment of cancer.

Horizon Discovery Group has leveraged the recent advancements in technology to improve its CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool to perform a systematic process termed as “functional genomic screening”. The innovative screening procedure aims to identify new sequences of DNA repair pathways for specific cancer mutations. So far, Horizon Discovery Group has used its cutting-edge technology to conduct a high-quality study of the CRISPR sequences of various types of cancer cells. The company has put approximately ~3000 genes for screening and has identified ~20 new synthetic lethal genes that show great potential. The exclusive partnership aims at validating the synthetic lethal genes identified by CX4D which will later run and fund pre-clinical tests to develop inhibitors and deliver oncology drugs to the market. In case CX4D discovers pre-clinical drug targets it will license out the development of those drugs to its partners and Horizon Discovery group will receive an undisclosed percentage of the revenue share as decided in the exclusive partnership agreement.

Scientists have created a battery-free, easy-to-implant device that makes the brain think of the stomach as full after eating only a few nibbles of food. The device is capable of fighting the growing issue of obesity, worldwide. When the researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US tried the device in laboratory testing, it aided rats shed nearly 40% of the body weight.

While referring to the growing weight related health issues as a rising epidemic, researchers said that over 700 million grownups and kids are obese. The recently published study mentioned that the battery-free, easy-to-implant weight-loss devices are likely to work efficiently at fighting the bulge.

The newly-developed devices measure less than a centimeter in size, and are fully risk-free for use in the body and can be implanted via a minimally invasive procedure. The device produces gentle electric pulses based on the natural churning motions of the stomach and transmits them to vagus nerve, the link between the stomach and the brain. This stimulation persuades the brain to think that the stomach is jam-packed, when there is still a lot of scope to eat.

Xudong Wang, one of the professors at UW-Madison said that the pulses connect with the motions of the stomach and enhance a natural response to restrict food consumption. The effects of the newly-developed devices are reversible, and aren’t like gastric bypass, which changes the stomach’s capacity `permanently.

During the study, when the device was removed after 84 days, the researchers found that the rats started following their usual eating styles and patterns again, and gained back the weight they had shed.

These new devices are more useful than an already prevailing unit that rouses the vagus nerve for body weight loss. Named Maestro, the existing unit has received the FDA approval in 2015, and it directs high-frequency zaps to the vagus nerve to eliminate communication of all kinds, between the stomach and the brain.

The already existing device needs heavy batteries and a complex control unit, which requires frequent recharging.  As per one of the surgery professors at UW-Madison, Dr. Luke Funk such ongoing maintenance is likely to become a huge issue in the way of using the existing device.

Funk added that the newly-created device could prove more beneficial than the prevailing vagus nerve stimulators, because it doesn’t need external battery charging, which is an important advantage if you think about the troubles that patients have to face at the time of recharging battery for 60 minutes or more twice a week.

Wang’s device works on the basis of the undulations of the stomach walls, using which it powers its internal generators, meaning the device stimulates the vagus nerve only with the movement of the stomach. Wang added that the device responds to the working of our body automatically, creating stimulation when required.

Health Canada has taken an initiative to alleviate the quantity of alcohol permitted in the premixed sugary drinks. According to the agency, the growing amount of alcohol in such beverages are putting the health of public especially youngsters, at risk.

In a news release, the government agency said that such beverages can have nearly more than triple amount of the alcohol as compared to the usual quantity of alcohol in a container, and still they don’t taste like alcohol. It added that these drinks contain purified, flavored and usually sweet alcohol base.

Health Canada said that the proposed modifications to the Food and Drug Regulations of the country would help save youngsters from excessive intake of alcohol, which could result into alcohol poisoning and prove fatal.

If the amendments get approved, the number of alcohol servings allowed in one container would be decreased significantly. According to the amendments proposed by Health Canada, any container under a litre must have 1.5 or lesser servings of alcohol, which means they should have 25.6 millilitres of alcohol or less.

Currently, 568 millilitres of purified and flavored alcohol can is permitted to have 11.9 per cent or lesser amount of alcohol, which is equal to four alcoholic drinks.

As per the government agency’s proposed amendments, a same-sized drink must not have over 4.5 per cent alcohol in terms of volume. But these regulations won’t be applicable on alcohol sold in 750 millilitres or more sized glass bottles, as such drinks are considered to have many portions. While explaining the reason behind the same, the agency added that glass bottles of this size are a common format for old-style alcoholic beverages, like spirits and wine.

Previously, in March this year, Quebec proposed to prohibit the sale of premixed malt-based drinks that contain over 7 per cent alcohol from any other place apart from the provincial liquor stores.

Quebec had taken the action, following the death of teenager Athena Gervais from Montreal area, who reportedly consumed malt-liquor beverage known as FCKED UP, which contained 11.9 per cent alcohol, during school lunch break.

Since then, the manufacturer of FCKD UP stopped the production of the drink, but other drinks of same kind are still available on the shelves in the province.

According to the Quebec Association for Public Health (ASPQ), the suggested amendments are merely a step forward, and not a solid solution to address the issue completely.

In a recent announcement, one of the leading international healthcare and life sciences advisory firms Alira Health disclosed that it has purchased a data science organization Clinical Insights, which offers data analytics and predictive analysis to wide range of companies operating in the healthcare industry.

With this acquisition, every practice area of Alira Health, be it innovation, clinical, strategy, regulatory, or transaction advisory services, will get a hold on rich data. This will enable the collective organization to support its clients with a wide range of complementary, integrated services, such as helping clients deal with the problems they come across at the time of implementing novel value-based care models in EU and the U.S. as well as in clinical trial expenses and recruitment, health economics, market access, reimbursement, and the development of customized data products.

Gabriele Brambilla, CEO of Alira Health said that they have been searching for the apt analytics platform for long that can complement the working of the organization and can provide extra data tools to them enabling them to offer clients deeper insights and recommendations proved by science.

Brambilla further added that they are very excited to work with the amazing team of Clinical Insights, whose data analytics capabilities will prove highly beneficial in supporting strategic, clinical, commercial, regulatory, and innovation decision making processes in the fast-changing healthcare ecosystems. The advisor firm is eager to add the new competence and offer the best-value services to their clients.

In fact, while commenting on the acquisition, Paolo Migliari, Chief Operations and Digital Information Officer of Clinical Insights, said that the Clinical Insights team is excited to be a part of Alira Health. Migliar added that the collaboration will give them the chance to apply their knowledge to a wider range of service areas and they will be able to support clients better across their product and company lifecycles.

Alira Health has been helping the healthcare and life science companies to innovate and create value across their product and business lifecycles. Alira Health provides a wide range of advisory services, including innovation, strategy, regulatory, clinical, and transaction, and stay close to almost every aspect of healthcare, such as Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare Services, MedTech, Biotech, and IT.  It is dedicated to the healthcare sector and is constantly adding an integrated approach to the industry.