Pakistan continues to be dealing with a polio outbreak as four fresh cases have emerged, pushing the national tally to 37 this year, according to health officials on October 19, 2024. Health officials said that the regional reference laboratory for polio eradication at the National Institute of Health in Islamabad confirmed wild poliovirus type-1 (WPV1) in two children-one from each Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

In recent cases, a girl has been affected from Pishin, and two boys from Chaman and Noshki of Balochistan, and a girl from Lakki Marwat in KP. These are the first detections of the virus within Noshki and Lakki Marwat this year; isolated cases of poliovirus were previously reported within Chaman and Pishin. The province of Balochistan was the worst hit with 20 cases, Sindh had 10, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had five, and Punjab and Islamabad had one case each.

A gigantic fight against polio has been on going in Pakistan- especially in Balochistan and southern KP-over the last two years. Immunisation campaigns have often been suspended or delayed because of local protests, insecurity, and community boycotts. Consequently, quite a number of children did not get the necessary vaccinations, making existing patches of vulnerability for the virus to flow within those pockets.

Noshki, located near Afghanistan's border, and Lakki Marwat have also recently reported some positive environmental samples that confirm the virus is present here, said a local reference laboratory official. Samples of latest cases are currently under genetic sequencing for checking spread of virus and origin.

As the threat of polio continues to grow, Pakistan has vowed to mount a nationwide campaign against it beginning from October 28. With the zeal to tackle the menace in the most effective manner, over 45 million children under the age of five will be vaccinated across the country.

Today, Afghanistan and Pakistan remain one of the few countries where polio has not yet been eradicated. The WHO said the virus remains a potential serious public health threat in areas with low vaccination coverage and weak surveillance.

India On Alert Against Polio

The country declared itself polio-free since 2014 and has kept the disease on bay almost a decade with very robust vaccination programs; however, two cases of vaccine-derived poliovirus cases reported in recent days from Meghalaya create some amount of doubts over a possible resurgence. Experts observe that in India, despite these detections taking place, strong coverage of vaccination at 90-95% and mandatory surveillance measures keep the risk of this widespread outbreak at bay.

The experts point out, however, that such stable situation in India requires continued surveillance. "Countries like Pakistan and parts of Africa remain at a high risk because vaccination rates in those areas are much lower," Dr. Siddharth, public health expert, said. Vaccination is an indispensable act in order to avoid the spread of this incapacitating disease that manifests most importantly as a nervous system affliction leading to the paralysis of a long period.

With concerted efforts from health authorities, there is hope someday that the scourge of polio will be completely eradicated from the face of the earth and future generations will never suffer from its effects.

Moderna has launched the first-in-human Phase 1 clinical trial of its investigational vaccine against the Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV), the strain behind the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The biotechnology company said Health Canada has authorized the study, which will evaluate its vaccine candidate, mRNA-1469, in healthy adult volunteers at three clinical sites across Canada.

The trial comes as the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak continues to worsen, with 3,748 confirmed cases and 1,657 deaths reported across 49 health zones in five provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to World Health Organization (WHO) data as of August 1.

The epidemic is now the second-largest and fastest-spreading Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak on record.

What is mRNA-1469?

Also read: Russia's New Ebola Vaccine To Protect Against Rare Bundibugyo Strain, Says Health Minister

mRNA-1469 is an investigational vaccine developed using Moderna's messenger RNA (mRNA) platform—the same technology used in its COVID-19 vaccine.

The vaccine builds on the company's broader research into filoviruses, the family of viruses that includes Ebola.

"Vaccinating the first participants with mRNA-1469 marks an important milestone in advancing a vaccine candidate against Bundibugyo ebolavirus, for which no approved vaccine currently exists," said Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna.

The Phase 1 Trial

The Phase 1 study is being conducted at three clinical sites in Canada and is expected to enroll around 80 healthy adult volunteers.

Researchers will assess whether mRNA-1469 is safe and well tolerated, and whether it generates immune responses strong enough to justify further clinical development.

Read More:Uganda Declared Ebola-Free As Congo Outbreak Grows To 3,262 Cases, 1,437 Deaths

mRNA-1469 is one of four initial Bundibugyo vaccine candidates being supported by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). CEPI has committed up to US$50 million to fund preclinical testing and the Phase 1 trial.

The partnership also supports manufacturing additional clinical trial doses in parallel with early-stage testing, enabling Phase 2 and Phase 3 trials to begin rapidly if the Phase 1 results are positive.

If the vaccine is eventually approved, Moderna has committed to making at least 500,000 doses available at access pricing for low- and middle-income countries under its agreement with CEPI.

Second Human Trial for Bundibugyo Ebola Vaccine

Moderna's study follows the launch of the University of Oxford–Serum Institute of India (SII) vaccine trial in July, making it the second human clinical trial targeting the Bundibugyo ebolavirus.

Unlike the Zaire strain of Ebola, there are currently no approved vaccines or antiviral treatments specifically for the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, making vaccine development a global public health priority.

Treatment Research Also Accelerating

Alongside vaccine development, WHO says clinical studies of experimental treatments and preventive medicines are progressing rapidly against the Bundibugyo strain.

The agency noted that research protocols prepared before the outbreak began have significantly accelerated the launch of clinical trials.

"If you compare this outbreak to previous Ebola outbreaks, we have been able to start trials more quickly," said Vasee Moorthy, acting head of WHO's R&D Blueprint Programme. He added that preclinical data for several candidates has shown encouraging results.

Ongoing Clinical Studies in DR Congo

WHO-backed treatment trial: A WHO-sponsored clinical trial is underway at three Ebola treatment centers in Ituri province in partnership with medical charities ALIMA and Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

More than 50 patients enrolled: Over 50 confirmed Ebola patients have been enrolled and randomly assigned to receive experimental treatment options, according to WHO.

Preventive antiviral study: A separate prophylaxis study led by DR Congo's National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB) and international partners has enrolled more than 25 high-risk contacts in Ituri province, Reuters reported.

Researchers are also evaluating whether a 10-day course of Gilead Sciences' oral antiviral drug Obeldesivir can prevent Ebola disease in people exposed to the virus.

Cancer recurrence remains one of the biggest challenges in cancer treatment. Dormant tumour cells are capable of surviving treatment and therapy and can reactivate months or even years later.

Now, researchers say that a new generation of experimental drugs designed to target these dormant cancer cells could offer a promising strategy to prevent the disease from recurring.

The findings come as scientists have been increasingly focusing on tumour dormancy, a state in which cancer cells stop actively multiplying but remain hidden in the body. They become resistant to chemotherapy and other conventional cancer treatments.

The research suggests that targeting the biological pathways controlling dormancy may help stop these cells from getting reactivated and forming new tumours or metastases.

According to researchers, dormant cancer cells are one of the key reasons why some patients experience relapse long after completing treatment.

"Dormant tumour cells are a major driver of cancer recurrence and metastasis," the researchers noted, stating that therapies aimed at controlling or eliminating these cells could change how cancer is treated and managed in the future.

About The Experimental Drugs

Also read: Bone Marrow Transplant: The Quiet Revolution Transforming India's Fight Against Blood Cancers

Unlike traditional cancer treatments that mainly attack rapidly dividing cells, these new experimental drugs target the molecular signals that allow dormant cancer cells to survive and go unnoticed in the body.

Researchers are investigating several approaches, including blocking pathways that trigger dormant cells to become active again, disrupting the cells' survival mechanisms, and making them more vulnerable to conventional cancer therapies.

Some experimental treatments are also being tested alongside immunotherapy to improve the body's ability to detect and destroy these hidden cells on time.

Scientists say this approach could be especially important for cancers known to recur years after treatment, including breast, lung and certain gastrointestinal cancers.

Why Do Some Cancers Return?

Also read: NHS Breast Cancer Screening Misses 95% Of High-Risk Young Women In UK: Why Personalized Care Could Be Key

Cancer recurrence can happen when a small number of cells survive surgery, chemotherapy or radiation. These cells may remain inactive for long periods of time before starting to grow again, eventually leading to a relapse or metastatic diseas.

Researchers believe that the environment of the tumour, immune responses, inflammation and changes in cellular structure and metabolism all play a role in determining whether dormant cancer cells remain inactive or become aggressive again.

While the findings encourage advanced pathways for cancer treatments, experts caution that most drugs that target tumour dormancy are still in the experimental or early clinical trial stage.

Rather than only treating visible tumours, future therapies may also focus on preventing hidden cancer cells from ever becoming active again, potentially reducing the risk of relapse years after successful treatment.

More studies are needed to determine whether they can really reduce cancer recurrence and improve long-term survival in patients.

Viagra May Prevent Cancer From Spreading

The promising research comes after a new study found that Viagra, best known as a treatment for erectile dysfunction, may also help stop cancer from spreading.

Researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel found that sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, may enhance a newly identified cholesterol-regulating mechanism that could be used to curb cancer metastasis.

The study, published in Cancer Research, showed that sildenafil limits cancer cells' ability to use cholesterol, an essential component of cell membranes.

Cholesterol is especially important for cancer cells that break away from the primary tumor, travel through the body, and invade distant organs. When their access to cholesterol is reduced, these cells have greater difficulty forming metastases.

A common amino acid found in protein-rich foods, which is also available as an dietary supplement, may have surprising potential for strengthening the body's immune response against cancer and viral infections, according to a new study.

Published in the journal Cell, researchers from Rockefeller University found that arginine plays a key role in helping immune cells detect and attack abnormal cells.

Their findings suggest that restoring arginine levels could improve the effectiveness of the body's natural defences and may one day strengthen cancer or antiviral treatments.

"Our work reveals how a lack of arginine interferes with the immune system, and suggests that upping arginine intake could prove beneficial," said Qiushuang Wu, the study's first author and a postdoctoral researcher at Rockefeller University. "Perhaps that means it could be used in combination with other therapies to treat both cancer and viral infections."

What Are The Findings?

The team investigated how low arginine levels affect gene expression in models of colon cancer, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infection.

They found that arginine deficiency disrupted the production of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) proteins, molecules that help cells, allowing the immune system to detect and fight virus-infected or cancerous cells in the body.

The researchers discovered that when arginine was low, ribosomes, the cellular machinery responsible for making proteins, stalled while producing MHC-I proteins. As a result, infected or abnormal cells became harder for the immune system to identify.

However, after giving a moderate amount of arginine, roughly equivalent to a couple of over-the-counter tablets, restored the production of these stalled proteins.

Also read: Bone Marrow Transplant: The Quiet Revolution Transforming India's Fight Against Blood Cancers

Many cancers and viral infections are known to alter amino acid levels in the body. The new findings suggest that these changes may weaken immunity in an unexpected way by limiting the production of proteins essential for a stronger immune response.

Senior author Sohail Tavazoie, head of Rockefeller University's Laboratory of Systems Cancer Biology, believes the discovery could become an asset for future clinical research, especially in cancer treatment studies.

"Arginine supplementation could be readily tested in patients receiving immunotherapies or given to high-risk populations exposed to viral pathogens," Tavazoie said. "Considering that arginine is inexpensive and readily available, we hope that therapeutic and preventative studies could be undertaken soon."

What Is Arginine?

Arginine is an essential amino acid, meaning the body usually produces. Additional amounts of of arginine may be needed during illness, injury or periods of physiological distress to the body.

It is naturally found in foods such as meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, nuts, seeds and legumes. It is also sold as a dietary supplement. It also serves as a building block for nitric oxide, a molecule involved in blood flow and immune function.

While the findings are promising, the researchers emphasise that the study does not prove that taking arginine supplements can prevent or treat cancer or viral infections in people.

Reliable human clinical trials are still needed to determine whether the supplementation is safe, effective and beneficial.