The US Food and Drug Administration on March 27 approved the first gene therapy for severe Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency Type 1 (LAD-1), a rare immune disorder, Medscape reported. The approval marks a significant milestone in gene therapy for primary immunodeficiencies.
The European Medicines Agency on the same day recommended against the use of tecovirimat for treating mpox, concluding that the drug had not been shown to be effective in clinical trials, Medscape News Europe reported.
New research published this week found that erythritol, a widely used sugar substitute found in keto snacks and diet beverages, may disrupt brain blood vessel cells and reduce their ability to relax, potentially increasing stroke and cardiovascular risk, ScienceDaily reported on March 28. Researchers said the findings raise fresh questions about the long-term safety of the sweetener.
Scientists also identified a protein called SLIT3 as a key driver in helping brown fat burn energy by building networks it needs to function, a finding that could have implications for obesity and metabolic research, ScienceDaily reported.
ISS veteran astronaut Michael Fincke suffered a sudden medical emergency aboard the International Space Station, Live Science reported on March 28, highlighting the ongoing health challenges of long-duration spaceflight as NASA ramps up toward lunar missions.
