In The News – Page 2

October 23, 2021October 23, 2021

In a major scientific advance, a pig kidney is successfully transplanted into a human

“Scientists temporarily attached a pig’s kidney to a human body and watched it begin to work, a small step in the decades-long quest to one day use animal organs for life-saving transplants.

Pigs have been the most recent research focus to address the organ shortage, but among the hurdles: A sugar in pig cells, foreign to the human body, causes immediate organ rejection. The kidney for this experiment came from a gene-edited animal, engineered to eliminate that sugar and avoid an immune system attack.”

For 2 Ga. Couples, a Transplant Created an Unbreakable Bond: ‘We’re the Kidney Warrior Family’

“Tia Wimbush and Susan Ellis were coworkers for years at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and while friendly to each other at work, they rarely interacted in the large IT department. But in March, the two became bonded for life when Tia donated her kidney to Susan’s husband Lance, and Susan donated her kidney to Tia’s husband Rodney.

It all began with a chance encounter in the company restroom, and an introduction through another woman at work who knew that Tia’s husband Rodney had experienced sudden kidney failure in 2019 and that Susan’s husband Lance, who had long battled the disease, was in the same situation. Soon, they began to share what Ellis calls “a connection of sisterhood” after learning both their husbands had end-stage kidney disease and were on dialysis.”

Read full story, here.

August 24, 2021August 24, 2021

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine becomes first to win FDA’s full approval, paving way for boosters, mandates

“Eight months after authorizing the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in the USA, the Food and Drug Administration issued its full stamp of approval.

Now that the companies’ detailed, so-called biologics license application has been granted, it’s likely that vaccination will be required by many companies, schools and other entities.

Monday, President Joe Biden called on companies, nonprofit groups, government agencies and schools to “step up vaccine requirements that will reach millions more people.”

Vaccinations allowed people in this country to stop worrying about diseases such as smallpox, polio, measles, mumps and rubella, he said, and vaccines can help do the same for COVID-19.”

Read more, here.

August 13, 2021August 16, 2022

Blue Shield of California invests in Cricket Health expansion aimed at treating kidney disease

“Improving clinical outcomes for people with kidney disease results in lower costs for health plan partners, according to Cricket.

Today, Cricket Health closed an $83.5 million Series B funding round led by Valtruis, which will enable Cricket’s expansion to support demand for its care model for people with kidney disease.

Blue Shield of California made a strategic investment of an unspecified amount. The round also includes existing investors Oak HC/FT and Cigna Ventures, as well as K2 HealthVentures.

The expansion will improve clinical outcomes for people with kidney disease, resulting in lower costs for health plan partners, according to Cricket. In both Texas and California, across commercial and Medicare Advantage health plan partnerships, Cricket Health said it has shown improvements in key clinical measures for its populations living with kidney disease.”

U.S. FDA authorizes COVID-19 vaccine boosters for the immunocompromised

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized a third dose of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and Moderna Inc (MRNA.O) for people with compromised immune systems.

The amended emergency use authorization paves the way for people who have had an organ transplant, or those with a similar level of weakened immune system, to get an extra dose.

“After a thorough review of the available data, the FDA determined that this small, vulnerable group may benefit from a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines,” Janet Woodcock, U.S. FDA’s acting commissioner, said in a tweet on Thursday.”

Read more, here.

August 12, 2021August 11, 2021

NIH launches study of third COVID-19 vaccine dose in kidney transplant recipients

“A pilot study has begun to assess the antibody response to a third dose of an authorized COVID-19 mRNA vaccine in kidney transplant recipients who did not respond to two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The Phase 2 trial is sponsored and funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.

The lifelong immunosuppressive therapy that organ transplant recipients must take to prevent organ rejection blunts their immune response to both pathogens and vaccines. Research has shown that many organ transplant recipients do not develop antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, after receiving an authorized COVID-19 vaccine regimen. The purpose of the new study is to determine whether a third dose of one of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines could overcome this problem for at least some kidney transplant recipients. This is particularly important because this population has a high prevalence of conditions that are risk factors for severe COVID-19, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.”

Read more, here.

August 11, 2021August 10, 2021

FDA authorizes Covid antibody treatment as preventive after exposure

“The unvaccinated or people with weak immune systems at high risk of severe disease can receive an injection if exposed to an infected person.

People at considerable risk of developing severe Covid-19, including millions of Americans with compromised immune systems, now have the option of receiving a preventive monoclonal antibody treatment if they have been or are at risk of being exposed to the coronavirus.

The Food and Drug Administration’s action on Friday brings hope to the estimated 3 percent of Americans who are immunocompromised, including those with autoimmune diseases, HIV patients, cancer patients and organ transplant recipients, who may still be vulnerable to Covid even after being fully vaccinated.

This is the first time an injectable coronavirus antibody treatment has been approved for use as a prevention of Covid after someone has been exposed to the virus.”

Read more, here.

August 10, 2021August 10, 2021

FDA decision on booster shots for immunocompromised expected soon

“The nation’s top infectious disease doctor says he believes booster shots for the COVID-19 vaccine should be given “reasonably soon” to people with weakened immune systems.

“We need to look at them in a different light,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said on CNN’s ‘Fareed Zakaria GPS’ on Sunday. “We would certainly be boosting those people before we boost the general population that’s been vaccinated, and we should be doing that reasonably soon.”

The comments from the lead medical adviser to the White House on the pandemic are a change in messaging from about a month ago.”

Read more, here.

August 8, 2021August 16, 2022

Home is where the heart is: This CNN Hero is housing transplant patients near their hospitals

“Twelve years ago, Ava Kaufman was fighting for her life. Now, thanks to a donor heart and successful organ transplant, she’s alive — and saving others.

“My life changed on a dime,” said Kaufman, who was a professional dancer and black belt in taekwondo when an autoimmune disease went undiagnosed and wiped out her muscular system. She ultimately ended up on life support in intensive care with organ failure.

“I went from living this big life to not knowing how I was going to survive.”

In what she calls a series of small miracles, Kaufman was given a second chance at life.”

Read the full story, here.

August 6, 2021August 4, 2021

Man’s Sudden Heart Failure Led to US’ First Artificial Heart Transplant

“Rachel Moore thought her husband Matthew was pulling one of his usual stunts. The 39-year-old, who’d won Rachel over almost 14 years before with his sly wit, suddenly slumped over in his hospital recliner at Duke University Hospital, where he’d arrived June 15 expecting to undergo heart bypass surgery

But when she saw her husband’s tongue sticking out and his eyes dilate, “I started screaming,” Rachel, a nurse, told Insider.

For 45 minutes, clinicians performed chest compressions. They shocked his heart 16 times. Finally, he stabilized, but his life remained in danger for weeks as machines — and five more shocks — kept him alive.”

Read more, here.