Medical Xpress
GLP-1 medicine improves liver health independent of weight loss, study finds
Semaglutide improves liver health through a direct mechanism on liver cells, not merely as a byproduct of weight loss, according to new research from Toronto's Sinai Health. The discovery upends a foundational assumption about how GLP-1 drugs function and opens the door to targeted treatments for metabolic liver disease. The implications are significant for the millions of patients who may benefit from these therapies regardless of their weight loss outcomes.
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Blood test can predict Alzheimer's disease progression years before symptoms or brain scan changes
A simple blood test measuring a protein called phosphorylated tau 217 can predict Alzheimer's-related brain changes and cognitive decline years before symptoms appear, according to new research from Mass General Brigham published in Nature Communications. The test detects shifts in amyloid buildup visible on brain scans, offering an earlier and less invasive window into disease progression. The findings could transform how clinicians identify at-risk patients, potentially enabling intervention long before the disease takes hold.
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Almost 2bn to be affected by metabolic liver disease by 2050, study suggests
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is on track to affect 1.8 billion people globally by 2050, up from roughly one in six people today. The projected surge is being driven by population growth, rising obesity rates, and increasing prevalence of high blood sugar. The scale of the forecast underscores the mounting pressure metabolic disease will place on healthcare systems worldwide.
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New drug doubles 1-year survival in pancreatic cancer trial
Pancreatic cancer patients in a new Northwestern University trial saw their one-year survival rate double thanks to an experimental drug — a striking result in a disease notorious for its lethality. With median survival typically under 12 months, the findings represent one of the most significant breakthroughs in pancreatic oncology in years. If results hold in larger trials, this drug could fundamentally change the treatment landscape for one of medicine's hardest-to-crack cancers.
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Stat News
STAT+: Maryland state affordability board sets its first price cap for a medicine
Maryland's health cost watchdog has made history by setting its first-ever price cap on a prescription drug, targeting the popular type 2 diabetes treatment Jardiance. The board will now manage a process to bring the drug's cost down by January 2027. The move signals a new era of state-level drug pricing intervention that could become a model for other states looking to rein in pharmaceutical costs.
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