Subscribe
Subscribe

Cardiovascular

Biomedical/pharma, Cardiovascular, Infectious disease

Drug combos: how much is 1 + 1?

Many of our current antiviral, antibacterial and anti-tumour medications are comprised of combinations of two or three active substances, selected on the basis that these combinations slow down emergence of drug resistance. We are currently witnessing a rapid expansion of disease indications for which exploratory drug combos are being tested, as well as of the rationales for combining drugs. In this article, we examine the drivers behind this trend and the inherent caveats and complexities of drug combo development.

How changing diets gave rise to the world’s deadliest diseases

In a recent article, we discussed how the most prescribed drugs are usually indicated for common noncommunicable diseases. These include chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, GERD and mental health issues. Regarding treatment innovation, these prevalent diseases are often underserved when compared to less common, but more profitable, orphan diseases. In this article, we look at some of the underlying factors causing these noncommunicable diseases and what could be done to prevent them.

Could tick saliva help save lives?

The biotech Bioxodes is using a molecule derived from tick saliva to stop blood clots. The Walloon company is focused on preventing thrombosis during procedures involving medical devices. The current gold-standard anticoagulant can cause unwanted bleeding and side effects; could a molecule derived from ticks really be safer?

The 2019 Nobel Prize in Medicine: How do cells adapt to changing oxygen levels?

The 2019 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to William G. Kaelin Jr, Sir Peter J. Ratcliffe and Gregg L. Semenza. Their discoveries have paved the way for promising new strategies to fight anemia, cancer and many other diseases. We’re breaking down the research that led to the prize and why this work was so vital for modern medicine.