Stat News
STAT+: OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma set to dissolve after judge approves its criminal sentence
Purdue Pharma is moving toward dissolution after a federal judge approved its criminal sentence, marking a significant legal reckoning for the company widely blamed for fueling the opioid epidemic. The hearing put a human face on the crisis, with grieving mothers, a teenager born in withdrawal, and survivors of addiction delivering testimony. The OxyContin maker's collapse closes a grim chapter, though critics argue no sentence can fully account for the devastation its aggressive marketing left behind.
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How unhealthy ultra‑processed foods are designed and marketed to make us crave them
The food industry engineers ultra-processed products with precise combinations of salt, sugar, and fat to override natural satiety signals and keep consumers eating more. Aggressive marketing, low price points, and convenient packaging reinforce these biological hooks, making these products difficult to resist even for informed consumers. As global consumption climbs, public health experts warn the consequences—ranging from obesity to cardiovascular disease—are becoming impossible to ignore.
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GLP-1 drugs have long-term benefit for heart health, review suggests
GLP-1 receptor agonists, the class of drugs behind blockbuster weight-loss medications, show sustained protection against heart attacks, strokes, and premature death, according to a major review from Anglia Ruskin University. Researchers analyzed data from more than 90,000 patients across large-scale international trials, finding significantly lower rates of major cardiovascular events among GLP-1 users compared to placebo groups. The findings strengthen the case for GLP-1 drugs as a long-term cardiovascular intervention, not just a weight-loss tool.
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Blocking energy metabolism may help treat an aggressive pediatric brain tumor
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have found that disrupting energy metabolism pathways may offer a new treatment strategy for an aggressive pediatric brain cancer. The findings, published in *Acta Neuropathologica Communications*, are based on mouse model studies. If validated in humans, the approach could open a new front in the notoriously difficult fight against childhood brain tumors.
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Stat News
STAT+: Axsome wins FDA nod for Alzheimer’s agitation
Axsome Therapeutics has secured FDA approval for its treatment targeting agitation in Alzheimer's patients, marking a significant addition to the limited toolkit available for managing one of the disease's most challenging behavioral symptoms. The approval represents a commercial milestone for Axsome as it expands its neuropsychiatry portfolio. Meanwhile, the biotech world also reflects on the legacy of genomics pioneer J. Craig Venter and tracks leadership shifts at the FDA.
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