This SGLT reduces heart attacks and strokes; antibody protects against H5N1 avian flu in macaques; new platform aids Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s research – Morning Medical Update

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Diabetes, heart, kidney drug reduces heart attacks and strokes

A new study shows that sotagliglozin — a sodium-glucose cotransporter (SGLT) recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for type 2 diabetes and kidney disease — is the first of its kind to significantly lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, the trial found that patients taking sotagliglozin had a 23% reduction in major cardiovascular events. Unlike other SGLT2 inhibitors, sotagliglozin targets both SGLT1 and SGLT2 proteins.

Single dose antibody protects macaques from H5N1 avian flu

Researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have demonstrated that a single dose of the broadly neutralizing antibody (bnAb) called MEDI8852 can protect macaques from severe H5N1 avian influenza. The study, published in Science, found that macaques pre-treated with MEDI8852 survived exposure to the virus with minimal symptoms, while untreated animals developed severe or fatal illness. MEDI8852 targets a stable region of the virus, providing extended protection, which could make it a valuable tool in preventing H5N1 outbreaks. The findings lay the groundwork for future clinical studies in humans.

New antibody discovery could help treat Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s

Researchers have developed a groundbreaking platform to create nanobodies — small, highly specific antibodies — that target the toxic protein clumps associated with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. By using advanced computational design and directed evolution, this approach makes it easier to study these harmful protein aggregates, which could open the door to new treatments that slow or prevent disease progression.