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The CDC is sending monkeypox vaccines to people at high risk in a race to prevent the spread – CNBC

Posted: June 5, 2022 at 2:13 am

Test tubes labelled "Monkeypox virus positive and negative" are seen in this illustration taken May 23, 2022.

Dado Ruvic | Reuters

The Biden administration has distributed 1,200 monkeypox vaccine doses for people who have had high-risk exposures to the virus, part of a nationwide public health response to stamp out the disease before it causes a major outbreak.

U.S. health officials, worried the virus is spreading faster than previously thought, have said the global outbreak of monkeypox is the largest ever. The World Health Organization said Wednesday that there are now more than 550 cases across 30 countries. In the U.S., at least 20 confirmed or suspected cases have been reported in 11 states, including California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Utah and Washington state, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"A monkeypox outbreak of this scale and scope across the world, it has not been seen before," Dr. Raj Panjabi, who leads the White House pandemic preparedness office, told reporters on a call last week.

However, CDC officials have sought to reassure the public that the arrival of monkeypox in the U.S. is vastly different from Covid-19, which blindsided the country two years ago. Scientists knew little about Covid when it first emerged and the U.S. had no vaccines or antiviral treatments to fight the virus in 2020.

Monkeypox, on the other hand, has been known to scientists since 1958 when the virus was first identified during outbreaks among monkeys kept for research purposes, and its transmission in humans has been studied since the 1970s. Global health authorities also have extensive experience successfully fighting smallpox, which the World Health Organization declared eradicated in 1980 after a successful global vaccination effort. Monkeypox is in the same virus family as smallpox though it is much milder.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told reporters last week that the U.S. has been preparing for an outbreak from a virus like monkeypox for decades. The U.S. has millions of vaccine doses in the strategic national stockpile that protect against monkeypox and smallpox as well as antiviral pills to treat the diseases.

Dawn O'Connell, who leads the Health and Human Services office responsible for the strategic national stockpile, said on Friday that the U.S. has enough vaccine on hand to manage the current monkeypox outbreak. However, O'Connell would not disclose how many shots the U.S. has at the ready.

The U.S. has two vaccines but the preferred option is in shorter supply. Jynneos is a two-dose vaccine approved by the FDA in 2019 to prevent monkeypox in people ages 18 and older. The CDC generally recommends Jynneos over the other option, ACAM2000, which is an older generation smallpox vaccine that can have serious side effects.

Last week, CDC official Dr. Jennifer McQuiston said the U.S. has 1,000 doses of Jynneos available. However, the Danish biotech company that makes the shots, Bavarian Nordic, said the U.S. actually has a supply of more than 1 million Jynneos frozen doses stored in the U.S. and Denmark under an order placed in April 2020. The shots have a shelf life of three years.

The U.S. has ordered close to 30 million Jynneos doses since 2010 but 28 million of them expired, the spokesperson said.Bavarian Nordic plans to increase production this summer and has the capacity to produce 30 million shots a year, the spokesperson said.

The U.S. government also has a stockpile of more than 100 million doses of ACAM2000, made by Emergent BioSolutions, McQuiston told reporters last week. The U.S. had released 500 doses of Jynneos and 200 doses of ACAM2000 as of Tuesday, according to the CDC. The U.S.has also sent out 100 courses of the oral antiviral tecovirimat to the states, health officials said Friday.

"We want to ensure that people with high risk exposures have rapid access to vaccines and if they become sick, can receive appropriate treatment," Panjabi said on a call with reporters Friday. Jynneos and ACAM2000 can be administered before or after exposure to the virus. However, patients need to receive the vaccines within 4 days of exposure to prevent disease onset.

ACAM2000 has demonstrated high levels of protection against monkeypox in animal models and is expected to provide 85% protection against disease from the virus similar to earlier versions of smallpox vaccines, according to Mike Slifka, an immunologist at Oregon Health and Science University who has studied monkeypox. Less is known about Jynneos because the vaccine is newer but it produced reasonable antibody levels in humans and should protect against severe disease, Slifka said.

The CDC generally recommends Jynneos over ACAM2000 because it is considered safer. ACAM2000 can have serious side effects, and distributing the vaccine widely would require serious discussion, McQuiston said in a call with reporters last week. ACAM2000 uses a mild virus strain in the same family as monkeypox and smallpox that can still replicate, which means there's a risk that the live virus in the vaccine can spread in the human body or to other people.

ACAM2000 is administered with a two-pronged needle that is scratched into the upper arm and the virus then grows into a localized infection in the form of a blister. The patient can potentially spread the virus to other people, or to other parts of their body if they scratch the blister and then rub their eye for example, which can result in vision damage. The FDA warns that it's very important for people vaccinated with ACAM2000 to take proper care of the vaccination site so they don't spread the virus to other people or other parts of the body.

The CDC has said women who are pregnant or breast feeding, people with weak immune systems, those with skin conditions such as eczema or atopic dermatitis, and people with heart disease should not receive ACAM2000. In pregnant women, the virus can spread to the fetus and cause stillbirth. People with weak immune systems face a risk that the virus will grow uncontrollably and cause a dangerous infection, Slifka said. People with skin conditions such as eczema or atopic dermatitis are also at risk of the virus spreading on their skin which can turn into a life-threatening infection, he said.

The Jynneos vaccine, on the other hand, is not associated with these risks because it uses a virus strain that is no longer able to replicate in humans, according to Slifka. It is also administered with a normal syringe like other common shots such as the flu vaccine.

Given the potential side effects of ACAM2000, the vaccine would likely only see wide use in the context of a major smallpox epidemic because that virus is so deadly, according to Dr. Peter Hotez, an infectious disease and vaccine expert at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas. Monkeypox, on the other hand, is a much milder virus and no deaths have been reported in the recent cases in Europe and North America.

Smallpox can have a fatality rate as high as 30%, according to the WHO. The West African strain of monkeypox that appears to be driving the current outbreak likely has a mortality rate somewhere around 1%, though data is sparse because the virus has previously spread mostly in remote parts Africa. Most people recover within two to four weeks without specific medical treatment, according to the CDC. There's another monkeypox strain, Congo Basin, associated with a higher death rate of 3% to 10%, according to the WHO.

"We're very lucky that the outbreak right is the low virulence West African strain," said Dr. Rachel Roper, a professor of microbiology and immunology at East Carolina University who has studied monkeypox.

Though the U.S. has far more tools and more knowledge to fight monkeypox than it had against Covid in 2020, there are still many unknowns about the current outbreak. It's unclear why the virus is now spreading in countries outside West and Central Africa where virus is endemic. Historically, the virus spread in small villages in Africa by jumping from rodents that carry the virus to humans with very little transmission between people, Slifka said. However, the virus now appears to be spreading better between people, he said.

"Through intimate contact and skin-to-skin transmission, it's transmitting better than it has under other circumstances," Slifka said.

Most monkeypox patients in the U.S. travelled internationally in the 21 days before symptom onset which suggests they picked up the virus outside the country, according to McQuiston. The CDC doesn't believe monkeypox is spreading widely in the U.S right now but is closely monitoring the situation. The U.S. has conducted 120 tests so far for orthopoxvirus, the family that includes monkeypox.

"There could be community level transmission that is happening, and that's why we want to really increase our surveillance efforts," McQuiston told reporters during a call on Friday. "We want to really encourage physicians that if they see a rash and they're concerned it might be monkeypox to go ahead and test for that," she said.

WHO officials said on Wednesday that the sudden appearance of monkeypox in multiple countries in North America and Europe indicates that the virus has probably been spreading outside West and Central Africa undetected for some time, though it is unclear for how long. Dr. Rosamund Lewis, the WHO's technical lead for monkeypox, said the virus may be spreading more now because immunity in the human population has waned since smallpox vaccination was halted after the disease was eradicated.

Lewis said the WHO is not recommending mass vaccination against monkeypox because the current outbreak can still be contained. Most of the cases so far have been reported among men who have sex with men, developed symptoms and sought care at sexual health clinics, according to the WHO. Lewis said it is important to provide gay and bisexual men with the information they need to protect themselves from the virus and prevent it from spreading.

The CDC has told people with confirmed or suspected monkeypox infections to isolate at home until local or state health departments say otherwise. People with confirmed infections should remain in isolation until the skin lesions that characterize the disease have completely resolved, the scabs have fallen off and a new layer of skin has formed.

Monkeypox typically starts with symptoms similar to the flu including fever, headache, muscle aches, chills, exhaustion and swollen lymph nodes.Lesions then form on the body, and the virus spreads primarily through skin-to-skin contact with these lesions. Monkeypox can spread through respiratory droplets if a person has lesions in their throat or mouth, but it does not transmit easily this way.

People exposed to monkeypox should monitor for symptoms for 21 days, according to the CDC. They should check their temperature twice daily and monitor for chills, swollen lymph nodes and new skin rashes. If a fever or rash develops, the person should self isolate and contact the local health department immediately.

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The CDC is sending monkeypox vaccines to people at high risk in a race to prevent the spread - CNBC

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Missing Sikeston teen may be heading to Kansas City area – KMBC Kansas City

Posted: at 2:13 am

Missing Sikeston teen may be heading to Kansas City area

14-year-old Aisha Grayson was last seen May 23.

Updated: 9:35 AM CDT Jun 4, 2022

The Sikeston Department of Public Safety is looking for missing 14-year-old Aisha Grayson.Officers say she was last seen on May 23. Grayson's mother, Shreenia Cummings, says she may be heading to the Kansas City area. Cummings says she is not sure if her daughter is in danger.Grayson is 5 feet 6 inches tall with red and black box braids, and she has eczema on her arms.Cummings says Grayson may be traveling with a young man who has a mustache, and they may be in a silver Kia Soul.If you have any information on Grayson's whereabouts, detectives ask that you call the Sikeston Department of Public Safety at 573-471-4711.

The Sikeston Department of Public Safety is looking for missing 14-year-old Aisha Grayson.

Officers say she was last seen on May 23. Grayson's mother, Shreenia Cummings, says she may be heading to the Kansas City area. Cummings says she is not sure if her daughter is in danger.

Grayson is 5 feet 6 inches tall with red and black box braids, and she has eczema on her arms.

Cummings says Grayson may be traveling with a young man who has a mustache, and they may be in a silver Kia Soul.

If you have any information on Grayson's whereabouts, detectives ask that you call the Sikeston Department of Public Safety at 573-471-4711.

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Missing Sikeston teen may be heading to Kansas City area - KMBC Kansas City

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Should you cleanse or exfoliate first? What to know – Medical News Today

Posted: at 2:13 am

Cleansing washes away dirt, makeup, and other skin impurities. Exfoliation removes dead skin cells that can clog pores and lead to acne breakouts. Cleansing first may remove surface-level dirt, allowing for better access to dead skin cells when exfoliating. Individuals can discuss their skin care with a dermatologist for the best advice.

Sun exposure, pollution, stress, fatigue, perspiration, and hormonal factors may cause a persons skin to become blemished, damaged, or prematurely aged.

Cleansing and exfoliating the skin both serve an important purpose in maintaining a healthy, glowing complexion. However, for best results, a person may consider cleansing the skin before exfoliating.

Individuals may remove makeup first with a gentle makeup remover and then choose a cleanser that best suits their skin type, such as oily, dry, or combination.

This article will examine the differences between exfoliation and cleansing, the benefits of each, the order in which a person may consider performing them for best results, and other skin care tips.

There are two types of exfoliation, mechanical and chemical.

Mechanical exfoliation uses an abrasive item, such as a sponge, to scrub away dead skin cells. It can also include washes with a rough textured item or exfoliating beads.

Physical exfoliation causes the quick removal of old skin cells. This results in a temporary disruption of the skin barrier, causing increased transepidermal water loss.

Chemical exfoliation removes dead skin cells by slowly dissolving them with chemicals. Common formulations for these exfoliation products include alpha and beta hydroxy acids.

There are also some newer chemical exfoliants called polyhydroxy acids that include lactobionic acid and gluconolactone. These exfoliants have larger molecule sizes, and individuals may find them more tolerable. However, for those with sensitive skin, experts typically recommend mandelic acid.

Removing dead skin cells can make the skin look more vibrant and renewed. It can also prevent acne flares due to a decrease in skin oil that can clog pores.

Exfoliation can be harsh for some skin types and may sting or burn if the skin is sensitive. Specifically, it may not suit individuals with rosacea, allergies, or older skin, and those with darker skin tones may notice pigment changes.

Because many methods of exfoliation are more abrasive than other daily skin care practices, such as cleansing, washing, and toning, a person does not need to exfoliate every day. For most people, once or twice per week is sufficient.

Cleansing the face helps decrease sebum or oil and old skin cells that can clog pores and lead to bacterial overgrowth. In turn, this can cause acne.

Washing the face does not remove all bacteria some are essential for the skin to remain healthy. However, overwashing the face can strip the skins resistance, decrease lipids, and increase water loss.

Dermatologists recommend using a nonabrasive cleanser that does not contain alcohol. Many cleansers use natural ingredients, such as tea tree oil or aloe vera, that are kind to the skin.

A person should use their fingertips to apply it, as washcloths or sponges can cause irritation. They should not scrub the cleanser into the skin. They can then rinse with lukewarm water and pat the face dry with a towel before applying moisturizer.

An individual should also only cleanse twice a day and after sweating.

The main benefit of exfoliating first is that it washes away dead skin cells during cleansing. Using an exfoliant a few times per week before sleeping and cleansing when waking may make for a gentler skin care routine.

A person should not scrub the face with a washcloth or sponge during cleansing, as this can cause irritation.

An individual should use the fingers to gently apply cleanser to the skin, rub in a circular motion, and then rinse with water.

They should follow exfoliation with a suitable moisturizer for their skin type.

Cleansing the face before exfoliation will allow chemical exfoliants to penetrate deep into the skin and prevent makeup or dirt from pushing deeper, especially if also using mechanical exfoliation. However, a gentle cleanser or exfoliant alone should remove makeup and dirt using both may strip the skin of moisture.

A person can follow these tips for cleansing:

Individuals using retinoids or other prescription medications for their skin should consider speaking with their dermatologist or healthcare professional before exfoliating to avoid over-exfoliation.

Keeping skin healthy requires daily attention.

There are a few skin care tips that dermatologists recommend to provide the best results:

Cleansing and exfoliation are both important steps in a persons skin care routine.

Cleansing washes away impurities and bacteria that can lead to acne or other infections. Exfoliation removes excess oil and dead skin cells that can clog pores and lead to acne breakouts.

There are two types of exfoliation chemical and mechanical. The former uses a chemical compound a person applies to the skin to dissolve dead skin cells while mechanical removes them through gentle scrubbing.

Cleansing the skin before exfoliation allows chemical exfoliants to penetrate the skin and prevents a person from scrubbing makeup and dirt into the skin during exfoliation.

For those who can tolerate exfoliants, cleansing the skin beforehand may aid in the absorption of the chemical exfoliants and could prevent dirt or leftover makeup from entering the epidermis.

A person should use a gentle cleanser that suits their skin type and only cleanse twice each day and after sweating.

Those with allergies should always conduct a patch test before using a new product. However, if a person experiences an allergic reaction, they should consult a doctor or healthcare professional as soon as possible.

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Should you cleanse or exfoliate first? What to know - Medical News Today

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The discovery and history of psoriasis: What to know – Medical News Today

Posted: June 3, 2022 at 1:08 pm

Doctor Robert Willan was the first to accurately describe the different types of psoriasis in the early 1800s. In the early 1960s, experts found that psoriasis was an autoimmune disorder, and modern treatment began in the mid-1900s.

In 1809, the English doctor Robert Willan was the first to develop an accurate description of the different types of psoriasis. While doctors learned more about the condition over the years, a pivotal finding emerged in 1963, when E. J. Van Scott found that psoriasis was an autoimmune disorder.

Modern treatment for this condition became available in the mid-1900s, and doctors still use these treatments today. Options include ultraviolet light and medications to reduce inflammation and suppress the immune system.

This article discusses the history and discovery of psoriasis and how treatment has changed.

According to the Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Alliance, people were aware of psoriasis as early as ancient Greece. Hippocrates wrote some of the first descriptions of skin conditions. However, he classified psoriasis in the same category as leprosy (Hansens disease).

People continued to classify psoriasis in the same category as Hansens disease for several centuries, and as a result, people with psoriasis often experienced stigma and were outcasts from society.

During the Renaissance period, several people wrote books further categorizing skin conditions. Two Italian authors, Girolamo Mercuriale and Bernardino Ramazzini, began to describe different skin conditions, including psoriasis, in their books De Morbius Cutaneis and De Morbis Artificum.

In 1809, the English doctor Robert Willan also categorized skin conditions. He was the first person to provide a description of different types of psoriasis, and he wrote about the progression of the condition.

While Robert Willan was the first person to investigate psoriasis as a separate condition, he still used the term lepra vulgaris, which contributed to people associating psoriasis with leprosy.

In the 1800s, the Austrian physician Ferdinand von Hebra was the first to use modern research techniques to study skin conditions. He also removed lepra from the description of psoriasis.

During this century, French doctors discovered the connection between psoriasis and a form of arthritis called psoriatic arthritis.

Other medical professionals of the time continued to make discoveries that led to later research subcategorizing psoriasis. For example, Australian dermatologist William J. Munro discovered mico-abscesses in the top layer of the skin in people with this condition. Later research would find that these abscesses are part of psoriasis vulgaris, a common form of this condition.

Heinrich Kbner made an important discovery during the 19th century. He found that people with psoriasis may also develop psoriatic lesions in previously unaffected areas that have experienced trauma, such as a cut, burn, or bruise. Doctors still use the Kbner phenomenon as a diagnostic tool today.

The 20th century saw various advancements in the classification of psoriasis and its symptoms.

In 1910, Leo von Zumbusch was the first to describe pustular psoriasis, a rare type of psoriasis that causes pustules, blisters, fever, and fatigue.

In 1926, Dr. Woronoff discovered that people with psoriasis may have a pale ring of skin around healing lesions. This halo, or Woronoff ring, is another diagnostic tool that medical professionals use. The appearance of a Woronoff ring may be a sign that psoriasis lesions are healing.

In 1963, E. J. Van Scott found that people with psoriasis have a rapid turnover of cells, which is a marker of an autoimmune condition. This discovery that psoriasis is an autoimmune condition affected the way doctors treated this condition.

A 1973 paper by John M. Moll and Verna Wright linked psoriasis to psoriatic arthritis. This was one of the first research papers to distinguish psoriatic arthritis from rheumatoid arthritis.

The understanding that psoriasis is an autoinflammatory condition rather than a skin disease has led to advances in treatment. In auto-inflammatory conditions, the immune system attacks healthy tissue and cells in the body.

Within the last decade, discoveries in genetics and molecular science have led to a greater understanding of how psoriasis affects people. Researchers now know that the cause is a complex interaction between immunological, environmental, cellular, and genetic factors.

One of the earliest treatments for psoriasis was coal tar. Medical professionals may still recommend using coal tar as a first-line treatment in cases of mild plaque psoriasis. And they may recommend it in combination with other medications for cases of moderate or severe plaque psoriasis.

In the 1920s, William Goeckerman developed Goeckerman therapy, which combined UVB light with coal tar to treat psoriasis. Doctors still use this treatment today for moderate or severe psoriasis.

Throughout the 1900s, experts created several new treatments, such as:

Biologic drugs are the most recent development in the treatment of psoriasis. These drugs interrupt the immune process of the condition, which can help ease its symptoms. A 2018 study reports that biologics are highly effective and lead to dramatic improvements in 8090% of people with psoriasis.

Healthcare professionals may also prescribe topical and oral retinoids, such as acitretin (Soriatane). Experts are also investigating the effectiveness of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, which healthcare professionals already use in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.

People have been aware of psoriasis for centuries and often grouped this condition with leprosy (Hansens disease). Over time, experts began to recategorize this condition and learn more about how it affects the body, eventually discovering it is an autoimmune condition.

Similarly, treatment has evolved over time to become more effective. There are now several options that a doctor may recommend, many of which were first discovered in the 1900s.

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The discovery and history of psoriasis: What to know - Medical News Today

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Psoriasis and stress: The relationship and how to break the cycle – Medical News Today

Posted: at 1:08 pm

Psoriasis can cause stress for someone with the condition due to difficulties managing symptoms, physical discomfort, or feelings of social embarrassment. Conversely, stress can also trigger psoriasis flares. Practicing self-care to improve mental health and reduce stress can help to reduce the chance of stress triggering further flares.

Psoriasis and stress share a symbiotic relationship of sorts, where each can cause and worsen the symptoms of the other.

Psoriasis is a type of immune-mediated disease where the immune system causes inflammation throughout the body.

While many people may associate the condition with scaly patches of skin, it can also cause issues in other areas of the body.

In addition, living with psoriasis can also affect a persons mental health. It may cause a person to feel stress relating to showing their skin, social situations, or caring for the condition.

Stress can then trigger a psoriasis flare or a worsening of symptoms. As a result, people living with psoriasis often benefit from managing both their physical and mental health.

Psoriasis can cause stress, and stress can cause psoriasis symptoms to worsen.

A 2018 review of studies looking at the link between psoriasis and stress notes that anywhere from 3188% of people living with psoriasis report stress as a trigger for their symptoms.

It also noted that, in addition to triggering flares, stress may also trigger the development of the condition itself in people predisposed to developing psoriasis.

How stress influences psoriasis is still not fully understood. According to an older study, one hypothesis, called the neurogenic inflammation hypothesis, states that psoriasis causes the release of neuropeptides, such as substance P (SP) and nerve growth factor (NGF).

These substances then cause local inflammation and result in the formation of psoriasis plaques. The hypothesis notes that stress releases high amounts of SP, which could then trigger the onset of the condition or flares.

When psoriasis plaques occur, it can cause stress for the person. The stress may relate to issues of embarrassment, the challenges of dealing with symptoms, discomfort, or a combination of different emotions.

The National Psoriasis Foundation recommends that all people living with psoriasis take steps to manage their stress as part of their treatment plan. They recommend a person:

According to a 2019 study, there is a link between alcohol intake and an increase in anxiety and depression. Therefore, a person may consider limiting their alcohol consumption to help minimize stress.

Before starting any new exercise programs, a person should talk with a doctor about what activities will be safe for them to perform.

Psoriasis is a lifelong condition characterized by periods of flares and remission. When treating psoriasis, a doctor will often suggest a combination of medications, therapies, mental health support, and lifestyle changes to help keep the condition under control.

Medical treatments may include:

Doctors may also recommend lifestyle changes that help manage symptoms and triggers. The American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD) recommends a person take some steps to help manage their psoriasis at home:

In addition, a person should take measures to learn and avoid triggers. Triggers can vary from person to person but can include stress and weather changes.

By managing stress, a person may be able to help reduce psoriasis flares.

A person can consider the following general tips for managing stress, including:

Psoriasis triggers can vary from person to person. It is important for an individual to understand their triggers so that they can take steps to avoid them.

Some common triggers of psoriasis include:

Psoriasis and stress share a link both conditions can trigger the other.

Mental health treatment, including lifestyle changes such as physical exercise, can help prevent stress from triggering flares.

It can also help a person cope with the stress and other emotions that often accompany living with psoriasis.

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Psoriasis and stress: The relationship and how to break the cycle - Medical News Today

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Findings from Tufts Medical Center in Psoriatic Arthritis Reported (Coverage of Specialty Drugs for Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis by Commercial…

Posted: at 1:08 pm

Health Policy and Law Daily

2022 JUN 02 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Health Policy and Law Daily -- Current study results on psoriatic arthritis have been published. According to news reporting out of Boston, Massachusetts, by NewsRx editors, research stated, Specialty medications provide effective treatment with limited adverse effects to patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis; however, variable coverage and high costs often create a barrier to treatment for patients with commercial health insurance.

The news journalists obtained a quote from the research from Tufts Medical Center: We aimed to evaluate coverage of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis specialty medications by commercial insurance companies. We compiled data regarding specialty drug coverage for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis using Tufts Medical Center Specialty Drug Evidence and Coverage (SPEC) database and analyzed the data for any notable trends. The SPEC database lists coverage decisions for 158 specialty drugs by 17 of the largest US commercial health plans, as well as data regarding the types of evidence cited by these insurance plans when making coverage decisions. Our results showed that insurance plans tend to be more restrictive than the U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA) label when covering medications for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Furthermore, medications for psoriatic arthritis tended to be less restricted than for psoriasis, and medications were most commonly approved as second line agents for both indications.

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: Our analysis confirms that variability in insurance coverage exists for the indications of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

For more information on this research see: Coverage of Specialty Drugs for Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis by Commercial Insurance Companies. Journal of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis, 2022. The publisher for Journal of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis is SAGE Publications.

A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi.org/10.1177/24755303221101843.

Our news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Christine Learned, Department of Dermatology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States. Additional authors for this research include Sara Alsukait, Kristin R Fiumara, Melissa Ortega, James D Chambers, David Rosmarin.

ORCID is an identifier for authors and includes bibliographic information. The following is ORCID information for the author of this research: David Rosmarin (http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2786-0708).

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)

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Findings from Tufts Medical Center in Psoriatic Arthritis Reported (Coverage of Specialty Drugs for Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis by Commercial...

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ACELYRIN, INC., Affibody AB and Inmagene Biopharmaceuticals Announce Data from Global Phase 2 Trial of Izokibep in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis…

Posted: at 1:08 pm

Data suggest efficacy over standard of care for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis

Izokibep was well-tolerated, having a safety profile consistent with previous studies and the IL-17A inhibitor therapeutic class

Supports hypothesis that izokibep offers greater efficacy with high potency and small size, as well as strategy of evaluating IL-17A inhibition's potential for transformative efficacy across many disease states

LOS ANGELES and SOLNA, Sweden, and SHANGHAI, June 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ACELYRIN, INC., Affibody AB and Inmagene Biopharmaceuticals today announced data from a 16-week, global, Phase 2 clinical trial of izokibep in 135 patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) presented by Frank Behrens, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Head of Rheumatology Clinical Research, University Hospital & Deputy Director Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Germany and a founding member of the Group of Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA), during a podium session at the 2022 European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) Congress in Copenhagen.

The randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase 2 clinical trial evaluated the safety and efficacy of izokibep dosed 80 mg every two weeks (Q2W) or 40 mg Q2W, versus placebo Q2W, in adult patients with active PsA. The global study assessed various endpoints at 16 weeks including the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) response, the Leeds Enthesitis Index (LEI), the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score and Quality of Life via the Psoriatic Arthritis Impact of Disease (PsAID) questionnaire.

Endpoint

Placebo

Izokibep 80 mg Q2W

Izokibep 40 mg Q2W

ACR50

p-value

13%

52%

0.0006

48%

0.0014

Leeds Enthesitis1

(% LEI=0)

p-value for means

10%

88%

0.0003

63%

0.0095

PASI752

p-value

14%

85%

<0.0001

83%

<0.0001

PsAID

(% beyond MCID)

p-value

12%

41%

0.0017

31%

0.0418

1FAS, observed data for LEI > 0 at baseline N=43 (32%) post-hoc analysis2FAS, observed data for psoriasis BSA 3% at baseline N=74 (55%) post-hoc analysis

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"Psoriatic arthritis is a painful and debilitating inflammatory disease of the peripheral joints, skin, and nails, and it can also affect the spine," said Professor Behrens. "Furthermore, residual entheseal pain and inflammation,which occurs in up to 60% of patients, is associated with more severe disease, poorer quality of life and is considered one of the most significant unmet needs of psoriatic arthritis patients. The data presented at EULAR demonstrate there is potential opportunity for increased therapeutic efficacy in joints, entheseal pain and inflammation resolution and improved quality of life, all of which would be meaningful for patients living with psoriatic arthritis."

Izokibep was well-tolerated in the study, having a favorable safety profile consistent with that previously observed for izokibep and the IL-17A inhibitor therapeutic class. The most commonly reported AEs were injection site reaction and injection site erythema, the majority of which was mild.

"The improvements demonstrated in arthritis, psoriasis and enthesitis are exciting relative to responses reported for the current standard of care," observed Professor Peter Taylor, Norman Collison chair of musculoskeletal sciences at the University of Oxford. "Combined with theclinically meaningful improvement in disease-specific quality of life and well-tolerated safety profile, izokibep seemspromising for patients living with the painful and debilitating symptoms of psoriatic arthritis, and I am eager to see its continued development for patients."

ACELYRIN holds worldwide rights to izokibep except development and commercialization rights by Inmagene in selected Asian countries, including China, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan, and excluding Japan. Affibody holds commercialization rights in the Nordic countries.

About izokibep

To date, more than 300 patients many for up to three years have received izokibep, a unique, antibody mimetic, interleukin-17A (IL-17A) inhibitor designed to overcome the limitations of monoclonal antibodies. With high potency and small molecular size, izokibep can reach high drug exposure levels through a single, subcutaneous injection that monoclonal antibodies require IV administration to achieve. Additionally, the small size of izokibep about one tenth the size of a monoclonal antibody enables its potential to reach targeted tissues that may otherwise be inaccessible to the much larger monoclonal antibodies.

About Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory musculoskeletal condition affecting the peripheral joints, the skin (with psoriasis), the nails, and in approximately 30 percent of individuals, the spine. Left under-treated, PsA leads to chronic joint pain, swelling, and damage with a high potential for permanent disability. Psoriatic arthritis pathology is dominated by pro-inflammatory T-helper (Th-17) cells that lead to over expression of IL-17, IL-23, and TNF cytokines.

About ACELYRIN

ACELYRIN, INC. is a Los Angeles area-based biopharma company focused on providing patients life-changing new treatment options by identifying, acquiring, and accelerating development and commercialization of promising drug candidates and leveraging its expertise to rapidly advance these medicines to patients. For more information, please visit http://www.acelyrin.com

About Affibody AB

Affibody AB is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with a broad product pipeline focused on developing innovative bi- and multi-specific next generation biopharmaceuticals based on its unique proprietary technology platforms: Affibody molecules and Albumod. Affibody is a holding of Patricia Industries. For more information, please visit http://www.affibody.com

About Inmagene Biopharmaceuticals

Inmagene Biopharmaceuticals, with wholly owned subsidiaries in San Diego, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Wuhan, is a leading biotech company focused on immunology-related therapeutic areas. Believing in "borderless innovation", the Inmagene team integrates efficient resources worldwide to develop drugs for patients globally. Inmagene is operating twelve "Smart Innovation" programs to create and develop novel drug candidates for the global market. For more information, please visit http://www.inmagenebio.com

Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements. While ACELYRIN, INC., Affibody AB, and Inmagene Biopharmaceuticals consider the projections to be based on reasonable assumptions, these forward-looking statements may be called into question by numerous hazards and uncertainties, so that actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements.

Cision

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ACELYRIN, INC., Affibody AB and Inmagene Biopharmaceuticals Announce Data from Global Phase 2 Trial of Izokibep in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis...

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Kim Kardashian fans shocked after they see what her hands really look like in new pics… – The US Sun

Posted: at 1:08 pm

FANS of Kim Kardashian have long debated why the reality star is so often spotted covering her hands with various types of gloves when she goes out.

Now, they may have their answer, as the SKIMS founder was recently snapped with her hands bare, which appeared old and wrinkled.

In a series of new pictures, Kim was seen exiting a car. As she braced herself with her left hand, photos revealed her thin and bony frame.

On Reddit, fans were shocked by what they saw.

"Her skin looks like paper!" one fan exclaimed, as another added: "Where are the gloves when you need'em?!"

Still, one pointed out: "Hands tend to show age first, but she is also thin which lends itself to more visible blood vessels and tendons."

And another pointed out: "Doesnt she have psoriasis? Topical corticosteroids can cause the skin to become thin and age quickly."

Indeed, the 41-year-old has been open about herbattle with psoriasis, a skin disease that causes red, itchy, scaly patches.

The flare-ups most commonly occur on the knees, elbows, trunk, and scalp.

TheKeeping Up With the Kardashiansalum revealed she first began to deal with psoriasis in her mid-20s.

In an article for her sisterKourtneysbrandPoosh, Kim wrote: When I was 25, I had my first psoriasis flare-up.

I got a common cold, and since psoriasis is an autoimmune condition, this triggered it. It was all over my stomach and legs.

She continued: "Luckily, in my apartment complex at the time, my neighbor was a dermatologist. I showed it to him, and he said to come into the office, and he would give me a shot of cortisone, and then hopefully, it would go away (since it was my first big outbreak).

"I did this, and my psoriasis completely went away for about five years.

KardashianmatriarchKris Jenner, 66, also has psoriasis, though Kim was her only child to inherit the condition.

Kim explained in the Poosh story that her psoriasis returned when she was in her early 30s.

The model is currently celebrating the release of her newhigh-end skincare linecalled SKKN.

As part of the launch, she has admitted that her beauty "is not natural" and would take hours of work each morning, including stem cell facials and lasers.

In an interview with the New York Times, The Kardashiansstar explained she has a nine-step system that "might seem scary to some."

She added: "Thats why Im here to break it down, to be like, Theyre all necessary."

The Hulu star then dived into her appearance and revealed: "So many people want to act like they dont care about how they look.

"Im not acting like it comes easier or its all-natural. You just dont wake up and use whatever. You wake up, you use ingredients.

While using her SKKN samples, theKeeping Up With the Kardashiansalum demonstrated her lengthy routine.

She headed off to the bathroom and washed her face to remove the makeup from a previous photo shoot.

As part of her skincare routine, Kim cleansed, exfoliated, and patted her face with a combination of glow oil and face cream.

She concluded: I always go down to my chest - down to my nipples always down to nips.

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Kim Kardashian fans shocked after they see what her hands really look like in new pics... - The US Sun

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Artificial intelligence could shorten the diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis – Vaughan Today

Posted: at 1:07 pm

Artificial intelligence (AI) tool can drastically reduce diagnostic time for psoriatic arthritis patients, welcomes the educated community in a press release.

Its primarily dermatologists who treat patients with psoriasis and we have the opportunity to ask them about potential joint pain because about 10% of them may have osteoarthritis but without knowing it, recalls lead author Dr. Jonathan Shapiro of McCabe Health Services. The statement was quoted by Ramat Hasharon.

Since patients do not always associate joint pain with skin problems, they will talk to their general practitioner or orthopedic surgeon. But the latter can miss a psoriatic arthritis diagnosis because these symptoms are not very specific, leading to delayed care and risks of irreversible lesions and disability, he continues.

In this retrospective study, Dr. Shapiro and colleagues discover ways to recognize early

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Transhuman Elon Musk: Your Brain Will Get Its Own USB-C Port

Posted: at 12:37 pm

Elon Musk is a consummate Technocrat and Transhumanist who seeks the merging of technology and the human body with the ultimate purpose of achieving immortality. His Neuralink project experiments with Brain Machine Interfaces (BMI) literally puts silicon in your skull and connects it to the outside world. TN Editor

Your brain, with a USB-C port in it. Thats Elon Musks vision for Brain Machine Interfaces (BMI). In a controversialJuly 2019 white paperhe claimed that his companyNeuralinkhad taken a huge step towards building a scalable high-bandwidth BMI system that would let the human brain stream full broadband electrophysiology data to a network, using a combination of ultra-fine polymer probes, a neurosurgical robot that sews them into the brain, and custom high-density electronics.

A single USB-C cable provides full-bandwidth data streaming from the device the paper noted: the device having been stitched, in theory, to your cerebral cortex. Neuroscientists were varying shades of intrigued, appalled and dismissive: the custom hardware would only pick up noise, they suggested: interpretation of brain waves simply wasnt that advanced; the ethical issues were pronounced; the body would reject this level of intervention; where was the peer review of the paper?

A year later, Musk has promised a Neuralink update.

This was cryptically announced by Musk in July 2020, with theTweets: If you cant beat em, join em Neuralink mission statement and Progress update August 28. Tendays ahead of the reveal, we decided to take stock of Neuralinks works and the ongoing discussion around the potential of BMI; speaking to a range of specialists in the sector about where the work was going and how realistic Musks vision was.

Neuralink began as a way to advance the technology of BMI: described by one organisation, the Mayo Clinic, as a technology that acquires brain signals, analyses them and translates them into commands that are relayed to output devices that carry out desired actions. (Many observers suspect that the pending update will have to do with the analyse them part of that statement, and Musks if you cant beat em statement refer to his well-documented concerns about the power of AI.)

These desired actions could be how to move a wheelchair without the use of your arms or how to control bionic limbs: It is plausible to imagine that a patient with spinal cord injury could dexterously control a digital mouse and keyboard wrote Musk in the 2019 paper. When combined with rapidly improving spinal stimulation techniques, in the future this approach could conceivably restore motor function. High-bandwidth neural interfaces should enable a variety of novel therapeutic possibilities.

While this might be the starting point for Neuralink, the ambitions of those working closely on BMI include, for some, the hope that technology could eventually to be used to connect the human race via a bona fide neural network; allowing people to communicate using thoughts and images rather than words, and even give over their motor function to others, with their consent*. The ideas behind this have their roots in a dizzying transhumanism. Meanwhile, very physical issues have remained a hurdle

The most commonly used invasive BMI chip, the Utah Array, comprises an electrode with tiny, incredibly sharp silicone needles, that are pushed into the brain, after some skull has been cut away. There are less invasive ways of collecting data on brain activity but in general terms, the more invasive the technology, the more data from the brain scientists can catch. Neuralinks tech is similar, but designed to gather even more data on how the brain works. The electrodes are long threads rather that short needles, allowing it to follow contours, and sewn into the brain rather than placed on top.

(Musks robot can accurately sew six sensor threads, or electrodes, per minute into the human brain, via small holes in the skull: The robot registers insertion sites to a common coordinate frame with landmarks on the skull, which, when combined with depth tracking, enables precise targeting of anatomically defined brain structures. An integrated custom software suite allows pre-selection of all insertion sites, enabling planning of insertion paths optimised to minimise tangling and strain on the threads.)

These sorts of advancements in BMI have been largelyavoided by neuroscientists at any significant scale due to their invasiveness; although testing on rats and chimpanzees is happening. The consequences of getting things wrong are significant. As Dr Henry Marsh, a leading English neurosurgeon, warned in one interview after the initial paper was published: The brain does not heal in the way bone and muscle and skin heals. Every time you cut the brain you damage it, and it wont recover

However, there are varying degrees of damage depending on the materials used. Co-founder and CSO of full stack neural interface platformBIOS, Oliver Armitage, explained the differences to Computer Business Review as follows: With the existing material, when youre using stiff materials like silicone, silicone substrates and metals, the finer and pointier and deeper into the tissue you go, the more damage you create. With some of the newer technologies based on soft polymer electrodes, that trade-off [between invasiveness and accuracy of data] doesnt really hold anymore.

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Category Archives: Transhuman News

The CDC is sending monkeypox vaccines to people at high risk in a race to prevent the spread – CNBC

Missing Sikeston teen may be heading to Kansas City area – KMBC Kansas City

Should you cleanse or exfoliate first? What to know – Medical News Today

The discovery and history of psoriasis: What to know – Medical News Today

Psoriasis and stress: The relationship and how to break the cycle – Medical News Today

Findings from Tufts Medical Center in Psoriatic Arthritis Reported (Coverage of Specialty Drugs for Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis by Commercial…

ACELYRIN, INC., Affibody AB and Inmagene Biopharmaceuticals Announce Data from Global Phase 2 Trial of Izokibep in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis…

Kim Kardashian fans shocked after they see what her hands really look like in new pics… – The US Sun

Artificial intelligence could shorten the diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis – Vaughan Today

Transhuman Elon Musk: Your Brain Will Get Its Own USB-C Port

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