It’s been an eventful year in the world of health and medicine, with a number of groundbreaking discoveries and developments being made. The World Health Organization announced on May 5th that COVID-19 no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, thanks to updated boosters of existing vaccines and the approval of a new COVID vaccine from Novavax.
Aside from COVID-19 vaccines, there have been other notable advancements this year, notably in the field of gene therapy. The world‘s first CRISPR-based gene therapy, called CASGEVY, was approved to treat sickle cell anemia and beta thalassemia. The therapy corrects defective hemoglobin genes in a patient’s bone marrow stem cells so they can produce functional hemoglobin, providing a potential cure for some patients.
Additionally, a new drug called Leqembi has been developed to slow the deterioration of memory and thinking in patients with Alzheimer’s disease by around 30% if administered in the early stages of the disease.
In the realm of reproductive science, scientists have made a breakthrough by creating eggs from stem cells derived from the skin cells of a male mouse, providing new insight into reproductive medicine.
Other significant developments include the mapping of the complete brain wiring of a fruit fly, shedding light on the neural circuits that could help decipher how the human brain works, the discovery of how gray hair is formed at a cellular level, and the identification of certain bacteria that directly aid cancer cells, promoting cancer progression and causing treatment failure.
Finally, researchers have developed an artificial intelligence algorithm that can accurately predict the risk of pancreatic cancer up to three years before diagnosis, potentially allowing for early detection and improved outcomes for patients.
Overall, these advancements represent a significant step forward in the fields of health and medicine, offering hope for improved treatments and outcomes for a range of conditions and diseases.