Uncovering how obesity leads to Alzheimer’s disease It’s long been recognized that obesity in midlife significantly raises the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. A new study shows the biological mechanisms that contribute to pathogenesis. Written byAllison Whitten, PhD

Uncovering how obesity leads to Alzheimer’s disease It’s long been recognized that obesity in midlife significantly raises the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. A new study shows the biological mechanisms that contribute to pathogenesis. Written byAllison Whitten, PhD https://www.drugdiscoverynews.com/uncovering-how-obesity-leads-to-alzheimer-s-disease-17179?utm_campaign=DDN_Newsletter_Dose&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Ma_mRbio0_Tb9p1to7Y9ISzL1XmEa_xhjnMoEFiDVDEmPIT-1hTcTtKZhzWoSY1eBl32o4-zZ5EsBrrMU2kBmqtBvTQ&_hsmi=434969664&utm_content=434969664&utm_source=hs_email The biggest risk factor in the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one that can’t be controlled: the act of aging itself. But there are other risk factors that lay the groundwork for the disease earlier in life that can be changed — like obesity during midlife. The presence of obesity in middle age can mean up to a 74 percent increased risk of developing dementia, clearly signaling a key relationship between excess adipose tissue and neurodegeneration in the brain. Yet, the biological mechanisms linking the two have remained a mystery.

Can the healthcare system catch up to GLP-1 drug use? Millions of patients are now taking drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, but clinicians still struggle to predict who will benefit and how best to support lasting results. Written byBree Foster, PhD

Can the healthcare system catch up to GLP-1 drug use? Millions of patients are now taking drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, but clinicians still struggle to predict who will benefit and how best to support lasting results. Written byBree Foster, PhD https://www.drugdiscoverynews.com/can-the-healthcare-system-catch-up-to-glp-1-drug-use-17108?utm_campaign=DDN_Newsletter_Dose&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9GYVEyXaLMBMj7Xa8j5E3MeIhFDq5KR_VGZf5UT9yQSdPvyz5GI5HW7ZLuuFxg1Sin_w1O_cnWryV1P2aYsWqEITplEA&_hsmi=434969664&utm_content=434969664&utm_source=hs_email When GLP-1 drugs first entered clinical practice nearly two decades ago, few could have predicted how quickly they would escape the confines of endocrinology and enter everyday conversation. Today, medications like Ozempic and Wegovy are discussed not just in clinics and conferences, but on social media, red carpets, and group chats — often framed as lifestyle enhancers rather than powerful, lifelong medications.

An old small molecule drug could fight obesity and keep lean muscle First discovered in the 1970s, the compound was shown in mice to boost energy expenditure and block fat synthesis — resulting in weight loss without muscle loss. Written byAllison Whitten, PhD

An old small molecule drug could fight obesity and keep lean muscle First discovered in the 1970s, the compound was shown in mice to boost energy expenditure and block fat synthesis — resulting in weight loss without muscle loss. Written byAllison Whitten, PhD https://www.drugdiscoverynews.com/an-old-small-molecule-drug-could-fight-obesity-and-keep-lean-muscle-17474?utm_campaign=DDN_Newsletter_Dose&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_el91H-YOBZXtKN3rSW1QsRWKG4f_FOW09aYVw97dGYSA0f5DJkZv1qln-AvNYlBOfC8ODfPOF7vQ61WKcRJhKa7Wztw&_hsmi=434969664&utm_content=434969664&utm_source=hs_email Losing weight can happen via two paths: eating less, or spending more energy. Today’s blockbuster GLP-1 drugs are well-known for their ability to help people eat less, but finding drugs that increase energy expenditure could add another effective option to treat obesity and related metabolic disorders.

FDA drafts roadmap for regulating generative AI medical devices STAT News | August 25, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/08/25/fda-drafts-roadmap-for-regulating-generative-ai-medical-devices/ The FDA is drafting a first-ever policy roadmap for regulating medical devices powered by generative AI, according to STAT News reporter Mario Aguilar. “Our goal is formal policy guidance,” said Rick Abramson, director of the FDA’s Digital Health Center of Excellence, describing the discussion paper the agency recently released.

CRISPR-edited tomatoes could deliver dramatically higher cold-season yields The Hebrew University of Jerusalem | August 25, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/08/25/crispr-edited-tomatoes-could-deliver-dramatically-higher-cold-season-yields/ Researchers identify a genetic mechanism that coordinates flower development and fruit formation, paving the way toward tomato varieties with more reliable winter harvests.

FDA-approved mRNA flu vaccine signals future for RNA therapeutics Li Li | August 25, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/08/25/fda-approved-mrna-flu-vaccine-signals-future-for-rna-therapeutics/ Vaccines have been reliably and affordably protecting people from diseases worldwide for centuries. Until the COVID-19 pandemic, however, vaccine development was still a long and idiosyncratic process. Traditionally, researchers had to tailor manufacturing processes and facilities for each vaccine candidate, and the scientific knowledge gained from one vaccine was often not directly transferable to another.

The story behind Moderna’s cancer vaccine miracle Wall Street Journal | August 25, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/08/25/the-story-behind-modernas-cancer-vaccine-miracle/ A personalized mRNA shot for melanoma just did something no cancer vaccine has done before. As The Wall Street Journal’s Alex Janin reports, the company’s personalized mRNA cancer vaccine, intismeran autogene, succeeded in a Phase 3 trial for high-risk melanoma patients — the first personalized mRNA cancer therapy to hit its mark in a late-stage study.