American Israeli family of Hamas hostage to address RNC urging unity to secure release

 The parents of an American Israeli being held in Gaza are lobbying Republican lawmakers and supporters at this week’s convention in Milwaukee to exercise any influence and pressure to get Hamas to release the estimated 120 hostages held since the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel. 

Ronen and Orna Neutra, the parents of 22-year-old Omer Neutra, spoke to The Hill by phone ahead of their address at the Republican National Convention set to take place Wednesday night.

“We are aware that we’re getting closer to the elections and as such, the different parties are pulling in different directions. But we urge everybody to work together,” said Ronen Neutra.

President Biden has said that Israel and Hamas have accepted in principle a three-phase cease-fire deal — first announced at the end of May — but are still discussing the pathway to implementation.

“We are calling on the two parties and the administration to work hand in hand, put the pressure on all the parties involved, to make sure that they reach a deal now. It’s urgent. People are dying there. There is a real opportunity on the table,” Neutra said.

The Neutras last spoke with their son on Oct. 6, the day before Hamas’s attack, and have received no information on him over the course of the nearly 300 days of his captivity.

Omer Neutra is one of eight Americans still held in Gaza and believed to be alive. An Israeli soldier, he was kidnapped from his tank near the border with the strip during Hamas’s attack on Oct. 7. 

Omer turned 22 in Hamas captivity. He joined the Israeli army after graduating high school on Long Island, deferring enrollment at Binghamton University. 

“We’re dual citizens of the United States in Israel. We have a large family in Israel. Both of our fathers are Holocaust survivors. So Omer grew up on those stories, and the narrative of a strong Israel that needs to exist in order for the Jewish people to have a home,” Orna said.

“And he felt that before he was going to go to college, he should also help support and do his share,” Orna continued. “And on that day he was on the border and he was a first responder to the attack and was probably one of the first to be taken captive.”

The Neutras said their mission at the GOP convention is to make sure that the “hostages are kept front and center.”

An opening prayer at the convention conducted by Leora Levy, a Jewish Republican from Connecticut, called to “remember and pray for freedom for the hostages kidnapped and held so cruelly against their will. Lord, please keep them in your sight and hasten the day of their freedom.”

But former President Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, and his newly announced running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, have said little on a pathway to secure the release of the hostages, focusing instead on a call for Israel to “finish the job” of defeating Hamas. 

While Biden has said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to the cease-fire proposal, Netanyahu’s critics have accused the prime minister of prioritizing the military operation against Hamas over a deal to secure the hostages’ release. 

Netanyahu is set to address Congress on July 24, a speech that has deepened divisions between Republicans and Democrats on U.S. policy toward Israel, with some Democrats planning to boycott the speech. They blame Netanyahu for the high death toll of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip over the course of more than nine months of war against Hamas. 

The Neutras, stressing that they are nonpolitical, said that it is important for Netanyahu to announce that there is a cease-fire deal when he comes to the U.S. next week. 

“If he comes without a deal, the issue of the hostages must be the top priority,” Ronen said. 

“And we’re going to make sure that this topic will be on top of people’s minds next week as well.”

https://thehill.com/policy/international/4775723-american-israeli-hamas-hostage-rnc-2024-israel-gaza/

'‘Very high’ COVID levels detected in 7 states'

 Coronavirus levels in California’s wastewater have reached a “very high” level for the first time since last winter.

According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the trend matches what’s being reported in several other states.

The Golden State was one of seven states with “very high” levels; the others were Arkansas, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon and Texas.

In Los Angeles County, the nation’s most populous, coronavirus levels in wastewater have also increased.

For a 10-day period that ended on June 29, the most recent data available from the county’s health department, COVID-19 levels in the county were at 27 percent of last winter’s peak. That’s a significant increase from a dataset ending on June 26 when the county was just at 17 percent.

The daily average cases have also increased, from 215 for the week ending June 26 to 307 for the week ending July 7.

Overall, coronavirus levels have increased nationwide, indicating a summer trend continuing to grow.

Two new COVID variants, known as FLiRT, are responsible for more than half of the latest rise in cases. Experts have found that the latest variants are highly transmissible but don’t cause more severe disease.

Here’s a rundown of what you can do to keep yourself protected.

Vaccines

Doctors continue to urge people to consider getting up-to-date vaccinations, especially if they are in higher-risk groups.

In California, only 36 percent of seniors aged 65 and older have received an updated vaccination, which first became available in September.

The CDC has urged everyone 6 months and older to get one dose of the updated vaccine. A second dose is also recommended for those ages 65 and older, as long as at least four months have passed since their last shot, according to the L.A. Times.

Testing

COVID tests should be able to detect the FLiRT strains, according to Yale Medicine infectious diseases specialist Scott Roberts.

Experts recommend that people who are feeling sick take a test daily. People should consider taking a rapid COVID test once a day for three to five consecutive days after experiencing symptoms. It’s important to note that it could take longer for a COVID-19 rapid test to show a positive after an onset of illness.

What to do if you get sick

Health officials still recommend that people who test positive for COVID-19 wear a mask, avoid contact with those with a higher risk of catching severe COVID-19 and, if needed, seek medical treatment, according to the updated guidelines released in January.

As of Jan. 9, people who test positive for COVID-19 but have mild symptoms and have been fever-free without the help of medication may return to school or work after one day of isolation.

For more COVID-19 guidelines, visit the CDC website.

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/4775575-very-high-covid-levels-california-texas-florida-maryland/

Mexico to employ 2,700 Cuban doctors but faces opposition

 Mexico said on Tuesday it will receive 2,700 Cuban doctors to alleviate a shortage of specialists despite criticism from opponents who say it will support the communist-led Caribbean nation to the detriment of local medical professionals.

Cuba has already sent Mexico hundreds of doctors, the first wave of them arriving during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are employed by Mexico's public health service.

"In the latest agreement, in addition to the 950 doctors (from Cuba) who are already working in 23 states of the country, 2,700 of these specialties are being added... mainly in internal medicine, pediatrics and emergency medicine," the head of Mexico's Social Security Institute Zoe Robledo said in a press conference.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has defended Cuba's government and argues the country is the victim of an unjust U.S. economic blockade.

Political opponents and representatives of Mexico's medical field say the doctor agreements support cash-strapped Cuba.

While the government contends there are not enough specialists, Julen Rementaria, senate leader for Mexico's opposition PAN party, said in May there are 51,000 unemployed doctors in Mexico that could do the work being given to Cuban doctors.

Cuba's government has said its deployment of doctors around the world is its primary source of foreign income.

The U.S. State Department in May warned about "serious concerns with Cuba's recruitment and retention practices surrounding this program, exacerbating workers' vulnerability to being subject to forced labor."

NGO Prisoner Defenders alleged in a 2022 report that Cuban doctors traveled to Mexico in military planes, bypassing immigration, working under "slave-like" conditions, and receiving minimal compensation.

In 2023, Lopez Obrador's government began sending oil to Cuba from state-owned oil company Pemex. The exports were valued at $400 million in the second half of the year.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/mexico-employ-2-700-cuban-190620708.html

UnitedHealth expects bigger hit to profit from tech unit hack

 UnitedHealth forecast on Tuesday a bigger hit to annual earnings from a February hack at its tech unit, but maintained its full-year profit forecast.

Shares of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based company surged about 6% to $544.32 as it beat Wall Street estimates for second-quarter profit and signaled that it would resume share buybacks after pausing them due to the hack.

The cyberattack at the healthcare conglomerate's Change Healthcare unit was one of the worst to hit the American healthcare industry and disrupted payments to doctors and healthcare facilities.

Billing channels are still not back to normal for some providers, UnitedHealth CFO John Rex said on a conference call.

The company said it expects a 30-cent per share higher hit to full-year adjusted profit from the disruptions caused by the hack, mainly due to a loan program to assist providers affected by the hack, and notification costs. UnitedHealth reiterated its full-year adjusted profit forecast for between $27.50 and $28.00 per share.

The company has not disclosed how many people were affected but has said that hackers could have stolen data from one-third of Americans.

The hack has had far-reaching effects across the industry. It also has led to higher medical costs for UnitedHealth as it suspended the prior authorization process for some insurance plans.

Its medical care ratio, a measure of medical costs, was 85.1% in the second quarter, above expectations of 84.40%.

COSTS ELEVATED, BUT MAGNITUDE NOT A CONCERN

Insurers have grappled with elevated medical costs as a turnover in people enrolled in Medicaid plans led to a shift toward sicker patients.

During the pandemic, insurers were required to keep Medicaid members enrolled. Insurers have had difficulty projecting medical use rates as states re-determine eligibility for low-income Americans following termination of that policy in 2023.

This trend should stabilize through 2025 as utilization rates are updated through the year, Rex said.

The company's medical costs were elevated, but not so much as to cause concern for UnitedHealth, said James Harlow, senior vice president at Novare Capital Management.

Stephens analyst Scott Fidel said UnitedHealth's shares rose after the company did not identify any new trends of higher-than-expected medical care expenses. Its higher quarterly costs reflected transient events, such as the Change hack and the sale of its South America operations, he added.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/unitedhealth-beats-quarterly-profit-estimates-100432606.html

Novo Holdings Leads $100M Raise for Asceneuron’s Alzheimer’s Push

 

Asceneuron, which develops small molecules targeting tau protein aggregation, plans to use the funds to advance its Alzheimer’s disease asset into Phase II.

Clinical-stage biotech Asceneuron announced Tuesday that it has secured an oversubscribed $100 million Series C round to help progress its lead asset to treat Alzheimer’s disease to advance further in the clinic.

The funding was led by Novo Holdings and also included new backers, including OrbiMed, SR One and EQT Life Sciences-LSP Dementia Fund, in addition to its existing investors.

Asceneuron’s lead candidate, ASN51, is an oral small molecule designed to inhibit OGA, an enzyme associated with protein aggregation. The drug aims to prevent the aggregation of tau proteins and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. The funding will be used to push ASN51, which has so far completed five Phase I clinical trials, into Phase II development, which will start later this year, according to Asceneuron.

“This high caliber life sciences investor syndicate further validates the potential of our OGA inhibitor pipeline and leadership in the field of tauopathies,” Asceneuron CEO Barbara Angehrn Pavik said in a statement. “We are excited to advance our lead asset ASN51 into Phase 2 clinical development, recognizing its potential to significantly expand treatment options for patients with Alzheimer’s disease.” 

According to the company, OGA inhibition has also shown potential to prevent the aggregation of proteins that are fundamental to other neurodegenerative diseases. Asceneuron’s pipeline includes ASN51 for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson’s disease, as well as a separate OGA inhibitor, ASN90, for treating orphan tauopathy progressive supranuclear palsy that was licensed to Ferrer last year.

Asceneuron is advancing in the Alzheimer’s sector as Eli Lilly’s donanemab was approved by the FDA earlier this month. Marketed as Kisunla, the anti-amyloid antibody is designed to modify the course of Alzheimer’s and will directly compete with Biogen and Eisai’s anti-amyloid antibody Leqembi, which was approved last year.

“We are now witnessing the approvals of the first disease modifying antibody based injectable therapies,” Naveed Siddiqi, senior partner of venture investments at Novo Holdings, said in a statement. “Asceneuron’s innovative oral small molecule drug targeting intracellular tau offers the potential for a paradigm shift in the way this neurodegenerative disease is treated.”

https://www.biospace.com/business/novo-holdings-leads-100m-raise-for-asceneurons-alzheimers-push

Silo Pharma Secures Exclusive Global License for Alzheimer's Therapeutic

 Silo Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: SILO) (“Silo” or the “Company”), a developmental stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel formulations and drug delivery systems for traditional therapeutics and psychedelic treatments, today announced that it has entered into an exclusive global license agreement to further develop, manufacture, and commercialize its Alzheimer’s drug SPC-14. Silo intends to utilize the FDA’s streamlined 505(b)(2) pathway for SPC-14, which would shorten clinical timelines and reduce drug development costs.

“In our view, our exclusive license for SPC-14 gives us the potential to meet a large unmet medical need. If approved, we believe SPC-14 could bring hope and relief for many families and patients. Early pre-clinical studies have shown stress reduction and cognitive improvement,” said Silo CEO Eric Weisblum.

Silo Pharma recently announced a similar exclusive license agreement for its lead drug candidate, SPC-15, an intranasal treatment for stress-induced affective disorders and PTSD.

The global Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market size is forecasted to exceed $30.8 billion by 2033, with a CAGR of 18.8% from 2024 to 2033 1 . Rising prevalence of the disease in the expanding elderly population and advancements in neurological research are expected to drive market growth.

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/07/16/2913582/0/en/Silo-Pharma-Secures-Exclusive-Global-License-for-Alzheimer-s-Therapeutic.html

'FDA urges rationing in shortage of BD BACTEC blood culture vials'

BD is seeing a shortage of its blood culture vials used to support a wide array of infectious disease diagnostics, and the FDA is urging healthcare providers to ration their current supplies and preserve them for patients at the highest risk.

According to the company, the issue with its BACTEC vials stems from manufacturing problems at its current plastic bottle supplier, and BD expects the issue to be temporary.

“We understand the critical role that blood culture testing plays in diagnosing and treating infections and are taking all available measures to address this important issue, including providing the supplier our manufacturing expertise, using air shipments, modifying BD manufacturing schedules for rapid production, and collaborating with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to review all potential options to mitigate delays in supply,” BD’s worldwide president of diagnostic solutions, Nikos Pavlidis, said in a statement.

“As an additional stopgap measure, our former supplier of glass vials will restart production to help fill the intermittent gap in supply,” Pavlidis said. 

The shortage does not affect the stocks of the company’s Vacutainer tubes used for blood sample collection. BACTEC vials include tailored growth media and reagents used in the detection of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria as well as for yeast, fungi and other harmful organisms.

BD previously alerted customers of potential “intermittent delays” among shipments in mid-June (PDF), citing manufacturer issues that had spanned “several months.” The company said it had been working to manage the problem but that new projections of demand would make it difficult for production to keep pace. 

Pavlidis and BD also said the company is working to allocate vials manually, with the goal of providing an “equitable distribution” that lessens the impacts on patient care.

The FDA published a letter to healthcare providers July 10, alongside the addition of the vials to its medical device shortage list, and said it expects the low supplies to continue through the end of this year. BD said it plans to provide a public update in September.

The agency recommended that clinicians consider conserving their vials when ordering blood culture diagnostic workups—such as by prioritizing their use for patients who are already showing the signs of a bloodstream infection—and that laboratories should take care to ensure no vials are tainted or wasted during the antimicrobial testing process.

https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/fda-urges-rationing-shortage-bd-bactec-blood-culture-vials