AARP commits $60M to back new treatments for dementia
AARP nobly commits $60M to support investment in new medicines to combat dementia and its underlying illnesses. Dementia, the syndrome caused by several brain illnesses affecting memory, motor skills, thinking and behaviour, affects 47 million people around the world and is projected to afflict 75 million by 2030, according to the World Health Organization. For the AARP, the investment in finding cures for dementia is central to the nonprofit’s mission going forward, according to chief executive Jo Ann Jenkins.
Biotech company secures £28M for arthritis testing
NodThera, a Cambridge based biotech Company locked in £28M in funding this week. They work on medication for treating medical conditions driven by chronic inflammation. The additional funds will enable them to develop its therapies for cancer, cardiovascular diseases and immune conditions such as arthritis. Their leading project is focused on developing inhibitors of the NLRP3 inflammasome for the treatment of inflammatory and neuroinflammatory diseases.
Babylon is back in the news again… this time for passing medical exams!
No deal this week for Babylon, but they did pass their medical exam! According to Babylon, their chatbot is able to diagnose medical conditions as accurately as a GPs (I.e. Humans). It revealed the artificial intelligence bot at an event held at the Royal College of Physicians. The chatbot AI has been tested on what Babylon said was a representative set of questions from the Membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners exam. Babylon said that the first time its AI sat the exam, it achieved a score of 81%.
Personalised breast cancer care to be delivered by DNA Bar Code
Treatment of breast cancer care is set to transform thanks to advances in Genetics according to scientists in Cambridge. This week it was reported that women, who have joined the Personalised Breast Cancer Programme in Cambridge, are having their genetic code mapped when diagnosed with cancer. The ability to do this is helping doctors chose the right treatment for each patient and reveal whether the cancer is becoming resistant to treatment. To date, 275 women have joined the Personalised Breast Cancer Programme in Cambridge, which was launched in 2016 with just over £1m funding from Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust and the aim is to enroll 2,000 patients in the next 4 years.
Interesting reads for the weekend: