Data Dose November 2024 #2
Cross-Resistance in Focus: How Anticonvulsants Affect Muscle Relaxant Efficacy
Consider a patient on long-term anticonvulsant therapy who unexpectedly needs surgery. When the anesthesiologist administers a non-depolarizing muscle relaxant (NDMR), they may encounter reduced drug effectiveness. The reason? Cross-resistance - a unique pharmacological phenomenon where anticonvulsant medications modify the efficacy of NDMRs. Read more...
FDA proposes removing oral phenylephrine from use in nasal decongestants
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced plans to remove oral phenylephrine from the over-the-counter (OTC) monograph for nasal decongestants after an “extensive review” concluded that the ingredient is ineffective. This decision aligns with the recommendation from the FDA’s Nonprescription Drug Advisory Committee, which unanimously voted in September 2023 against the effectiveness of orally administered phenylephrine as a nasal decongestant. Phenylephrine is commonly found in OTC cold and sinus relief products, including brands like NyQuil, Advil, Tylenol, and Mucinex. Read more...
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Clinical trial shows immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab improves outcomes for patients with soft tissue sarcoma
The addition of the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab to the standard care for patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma in the limbs significantly improved disease-free survival, according to findings from the SU2C-SARC032 clinical trial. This study was led by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, UPMC, Duke University, and Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network. Read more...
Microcellular “Drones” Used To Deliver Lung Cancer-Fighting Drugs
A research team led by Assistant Professor Minh Le from the Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM) and the Department of Pharmacology at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine), has successfully shown that nanosized particles released by cells, such as red blood cells, can be repurposed as drug delivery platforms. These particles can carry antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) molecules targeting lung cancer cells, effectively suppressing cancer progression. Read more...