Closer Look
Bristol Myers Squibb enlists new algorithm to expand reach of heart disease drug
Bristol Myers Squibb has enlisted an algorithm to find potential patients with a genetic heart condition addressed by one of its medications. The algorithm, called Viz HCM and developed by Viz.ai, earlier this month received FDA clearance. The tool looks at 12-lead electrocardiograms collected during routine care and flags suspected cases of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM, which the Bristol Myers drug Camzyos treats.
Suhas Krishna, BMS' VP of digital health, told STAT's Mario Aguilar that the company believes the algorithm "is going to help the overall diagnosis of the disease in the industry. And I think obviously by doing that, we will help make sure that our medicines also reach the right patients faster." But there are concerns the algorithm could catch conditions that present similarly to HCM, or increase diagnoses for people who aren't eligible for Camzyos, because their symptoms aren't severe enough. Read more.
environmental health
Long-term exposure to wildfire smoke linked to higher dementia risk
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
It's only in recent years that scientists have begun to find evidence that air pollution has led to a higher risk of neurodegenerative diseases like dementia. But which specific air pollution sources contribute to this association has been an enigma. A study published yesterday in JAMA Internal Medicine began to clear the haze of that mystery, finding that emissions from agriculture and wildfires are particularly harmful.
The study focused on a fine particulate matter known as PM2.5, which can hang in the air for long periods of time, and is small enough to float through the bloodstream to vital organs including the brain. With the global burden of dementia projected to increase, the study's lead author, Boya Zhang, told STAT's Abdullahi Tsanni that the research suggests interventions that target specific air pollution sources could be an effective way to cut down the dangerous PM2.5 particle levels among populations in the U.S.
research
Scientists use gene therapy to treat alcohol use disorder in monkeys
STAT's Jonathan Wosen brings this report: Humans aren't the only species that loves booze. Adolescent monkeys given free access to alcohol can't get enough of the stuff, which makes non-human primates a useful model for studying alcohol use disorder. And in a study published yesterday in Nature Medicine, researchers showed they could treat the condition with gene therapy.
Scientists took eight male rhesus macaques and injected the brains of half with a harmless virus delivering glial-derived neurotrophic factor, or GDNF, a growth factor that prompts neurons to release the neurotransmitter dopamine, which controls feelings of motivation. Doing so dramatically reduced the animals' drinking habits after alcohol was taken away and reintroduced. The findings, though preliminary, raise the possibility of one day using a similar approach to treat extreme cases of alcohol misuse in people. "This is a therapeutic approach that would be the last resort," said Kathleen Grant, a neuroscientist at Oregon Health & Science University and one of the study's senior authors.
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