A Parkinson's 'game changer,' backed by Michael J. Fox, could lead to new diagnostics and, someday, treatments

Research funded by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research has resulted in the clearest evidence yet that the presence of a particular misfolded protein can be used to determine if people have Parkinson's. It is an advance that may soon be used to develop better diagnostics and rapidly accelerate the search for treatments for the disease. Read more.

By Matthew Herper

Kristoffer Tripplaar/SIPA via AP

Exclusive: FDA staff leaned toward rejecting Sarepta gene therapy before top official intervened

Reviewers at the FDA were leaning toward rejecting a closely watched gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy made by Sarepta Therapeutics, prompting a top official to step in earlier this year. Read more.

By Adam Feuerstein and Jason Mast

Courtesy Ole Frøbert

Scientists, going on a bear hunt, find a potential way to treat deadly blood clots

Cardiologist Manuela Thienel believes hibernating bears may hold an answer to an ailment that kills up to 100,000 Americans every year. When humans are rendered immobile for weeks or months, they are at high risk for a potentially fatal blood clot called venous thromboembolism. Yet every year brown bears curl up for four to seven months and suffer no blood-congealing consequences. Read more.

By Jason Mast

More great reads from STAT this week

Exclusive: 'It was my call': Stanford president defends decision not to correct key paper in misconduct investigation
Pear Therapeutics dreamt of huge revenues and 'commercial scale.' It never came close
Here's a new data point for cancer patients to consider: 'time toxicity'
A controversial hire at Arnold Ventures raises questions about the donor's stance on addiction
In counties with more Black doctors, Black people live longer, 'astonishing' study finds
Demand for home health aides is soaring. So why are they still so undervalued?
Opinion: I'm a biopharma supply chain specialist — and even I can't find the Adderall I'm prescribed