Category: Biotechnology

Posted on

Monkey Business 2.0 in South Carolina

rise-of-the-planet-of-the-apes-movie-image-031-600x335

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Recently, a curious case unfolded in South Carolina when 43 rhesus macaques escaped from a research facility operated by Alpha Genesis, a company specializing in breeding lab monkeys for biomedical research. The escape, caused by a caretaker failing to lock an enclosure, has not only sparked a search for the remaining fugitives but has also ignited a heated debate over the legal and ethical status of these animals.
Continue reading Monkey Business 2.0 in South Carolina

Posted on

FDA Approves First Nasal Spray for Severe Allergic Reactions: A Needle-Free Alternative

437919202 814701497357871 4145826449333274217 n

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, in a groundbreaking development, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first-ever nasal spray to treat potentially severe allergic reactions. The new spray, marketed under the brand name Neffy, offers a needle-free alternative to traditional injectable epinephrine products like the EpiPen, which has been in use since 1987.

Continue reading FDA Approves First Nasal Spray for Severe Allergic Reactions: A Needle-Free Alternative

Posted on

Breakthrough in HIV Prevention: Lenacapavir Injection Shows 100% Efficacy in Women

Screenshot 2024 07 25 8.40.16 AM e1721911334425

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, a groundbreaking study released yesterday revealed that a twice-a-year injection of the drug lenacapavir was 100% effective in preventing HIV infection in women during clinical trials. This promising development offers new hope in the fight against HIV/AIDS, particularly in regions with high mortality rates from the disease.

Continue reading Breakthrough in HIV Prevention: Lenacapavir Injection Shows 100% Efficacy in Women

Posted on

FDA Panel Endorses Eli Lilly’s Experimental Alzheimer’s Drug Donanemab

Eli Lilly Corporate Center

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, in a significant development, outside advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) unanimously endorsed the efficacy of Eli Lilly’s experimental Alzheimer’s drug, donanemab, for patients with early Alzheimer’s disease. This vote precedes the FDA’s impending decision on the drug’s approval. The panel’s discussion highlighted some unique aspects of Lilly’s trial, which differed notably from the trial design of Eisai and Biogen’s Leqembi, another Alzheimer’s drug that recently gained U.S. approval following a similar advisory committee review.

Continue reading FDA Panel Endorses Eli Lilly’s Experimental Alzheimer’s Drug Donanemab

Posted on

You Could Have Fooled Us: Scientists Find Human Brains Are Getting Larger and Larger

311305704 8828383040520641 7835088141202325665 n

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, a study on MRIs of people born in the 1930s through to the 1970s found that babies in the 1970s had nearly 15% more brain surface area and 6.6% more brain volume than in the 1930s. Parts of the brain associated with memory and learning have also increased in size. It is unclear if larger brains make people more intelligent, but it could still be a plus as there are links to better brain health. Larger brain structures may reflect improved brain development and health. The percentage of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease has decreased every decade. Ok so then why do people act so dumb?

Continue reading You Could Have Fooled Us: Scientists Find Human Brains Are Getting Larger and Larger

Posted on

Novo Nordisk’s Latest Obesity Treatment Shows Promising Results

Screenshot 2024 01 05 6.32.12 AM scaled e1704454390308

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Novo Nordisk’s latest obesity treatment medication, amycretin, has shown promising results, with patients shedding 13% of their body weight in a mere 12 weeks. This new drug, which targets GLP-1 and amylin hormones associated with hunger and satiety, may outperform semaglutide in effectiveness. However, before amycretin becomes widely accessible, it must undergo extensive and lengthier trials. The positive outcomes from the initial trials have propelled Novo Nordisk’s stock to surge by up to 8.3%.

Continue reading Novo Nordisk’s Latest Obesity Treatment Shows Promising Results

Posted on

Mammoth of an Idea: What Could Possibly Go Wrong With That

external content.duckduckgo 31

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Colossal Biosciences, a biotechnology startup based in Texas, made a groundbreaking announcement yesterday regarding their successful transformation of elephant cells into an embryo-like state—a significant milestone in their endeavor to recreate woolly mammoths that have long been extinct.

Continue reading Mammoth of an Idea: What Could Possibly Go Wrong With That

Posted on

Major Food Allergy Breakthrough

1525323 10151857127036194 1937851485 n

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, new research unveiled yesterday suggests that Xolair, a widely prescribed medication for chronic severe asthma, offers significant benefits beyond its primary use, notably reducing reactions to various common food allergens. This breakthrough marks Xolair as the first preventive treatment capable of safeguarding individuals against accidental exposure to life-threatening allergens.

Continue reading Major Food Allergy Breakthrough

Posted on

Blood Proteins Reveal at-risk People for Dementia

external content.duckduckgo 45

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, a study has identified blood proteins that appear to predict the risk of developing dementia up to 15 years before diagnosis. High levels of the blood proteins GFAP, NEFL, GDF15, and LTBP2 are strongly associated with dementia. Blood levels of these proteins can be outside of normal ranges more than 10 years before symptom onset. The findings, once validated, may lead to the development of blood tests that identify people at risk of developing dementia.

Continue reading Blood Proteins Reveal at-risk People for Dementia

Posted on

Gene Therapy Restores Genetic Hearing Loss

external content.duckduckgo 19

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, five children with a form of genetic deafness called DFNB9 regained their hearing thanks to a new type of gene therapy. The therapy involves the use of an inactive virus carrying a functioning version of the gene associated with the disease. The children, who were previously totally deaf, recovered their hearing and were able to conduct normal conversations. Further studies will enroll more patients and follow them for a longer period of time to ensure that the treatment works.

Continue reading Gene Therapy Restores Genetic Hearing Loss

Posted on

New Blood Test Appears Promising In Diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease Before Onset of Symptoms

342490565 977392716588598 1607050332759964311 n

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

A new blood test is showing “high accuracy” in screening for Alzheimer’s Disease markers, before the onset of symptoms according to a study published in JAMA Neurology this week. The study involved testing blood for a key biomarker of Alzheimer’s, a protein called phosphorylated tau or p-tau21, which increases at the same time as other damaging proteins — beta amyloid and tau — build up in the brains of people with the disease.

Continue reading New Blood Test Appears Promising In Diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease Before Onset of Symptoms

Posted on

Five Subtypes of Alzheimer’s ID’ed

mfs9se8yhxlwd8xqh5vc 3017149813

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, an international team of neuroscientists has identified five distinct subtypes of Alzheimer’s disease.Disease subtyping is a method for clustering people into subgroups using medical, epigenomic, transcriptomic, and genomic data.

Continue reading Five Subtypes of Alzheimer’s ID’ed

Posted on

Nutley Based Biotech Eisai Shares Best Inventions of 2023 with Biogen for Alzheimer’s Treatment

leqembi 3319353196

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Nutley NJ, and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Eisai Inc. and Biogen Inc. are honored to announce today that TIME has selected LEQEMBI® (lecanemab-irmb) as one of the Best Inventions of 2023 in the Medical Care category.

Continue reading Nutley Based Biotech Eisai Shares Best Inventions of 2023 with Biogen for Alzheimer’s Treatment

Posted on

The Family of Henrietta Lacks Reaches a Settlement Over IP rights to Medical Advancements from Cells Harvested Without Her Consent

irwan tweetbyirwan rbDE93 0hHs unsplash scaled

file photo

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Henrietta Lacks (August 1, 1920 – October 4, 1951) was an African American woman whose cells, known as the “HeLa” cells, have played a pivotal role in scientific and medical research. Henrietta Lacks was born in Roanoke, Virginia, and she later moved to Maryland. She passed away at the young age of 31 due to cervical cancer.

Continue reading The Family of Henrietta Lacks Reaches a Settlement Over IP rights to Medical Advancements from Cells Harvested Without Her Consent

Posted on

New Fentanyl Vaccine Called Potential ‘Game Changer’ for Opioid Epidemic

opioid od

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Houston TX, a research team led by the University of Houston has developed a vaccine targeting the dangerous synthetic opioid fentanyl that could block its ability to enter the brain, thus eliminating the drug’s “high.” The breakthrough discovery could have major implications for the nation’s opioid epidemic by becoming a relapse prevention agent for people trying to quit using opioids. While research reveals Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is treatable, an estimated 80% of those dependent on the drug suffer a relapse. 

Continue reading New Fentanyl Vaccine Called Potential ‘Game Changer’ for Opioid Epidemic