Features

New mRNA Vaccine !

Dengue Fighting T cells !

 Weight Loss Drug GLP-1 !    

Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs !

Lifestyle and  Factors for Health !

Aortic Valve Stenosis (AVS) !

Products of SQUARE Pharmaceuticals PLC.

EDITORIAL TEAM

A S M Shawkat Ali

MBBS, M. Phil

Rezaul Hasan Khan

MBBS, MPH, MSc, Fellow IPM

Rubyeat Adnan, MBBS, MPH

Mushfiqur Rahman, MBBS

Fuad Hasan, MBBS 

EDITORIAL

Dear Doctor:

Welcome to online bulletin 'e-SQUARE' !

Our current issue focused on some interesting features like

"New mRNA Vaccine !", "Dengue Fighting T cells !", "Weight Loss Drug GLP-1 !", "Lifestyle Factors for Health !", "Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs !", "Aortic Valve Stenosis (AVS) !".

In our regular feature, we have some new products information of SQUARE Pharmaceuticals PLC. as well.

We will appreciate your feedback !

Click on to reply mode.

Yours sincerely,

Editorial Team

Reply Mode      : e-square@squaregroup.com

The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of its editor or SQUARE PHARMACEUTICALS PLC.

                                    Diabetes drug GLP-1 receptor agonists achieve weight loss

Diabetes and obesity have become pressing health issues worldwide. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, a class of medications widely used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D), have shown significant effectiveness in both lowering blood sugar levels and aiding weight loss due to their unique pharmacological mechanisms. A research team assessed the impact of GLP-1 receptor agonist in weight loss through genetic studies, aiming to understand whether the use of these medications reduces weight due to muscle or fat mass loss. This genetic study revealed that GLP-1 receptor agonists reduce weight by reducing more fat mass than muscle mass. GLP-1 receptor agonists are pharmaceutical treatments primarily for T2D and more recently, obesity. They function by mimicking the action of GLP-1 hormone, which plays a crucial role in stimulating insulin secretion, inhibiting glucagon secretion, and delaying gastric emptying to suppress appetite, thereby regulating blood sugar levels and resulting in weight loss. Their application as a pharmacological intervention for weight reduction has gained popularity worldwide. However, concerns have been raised over whether GLP-1 receptor agonists reduce weight (often measured by body mass index, or BMI) mainly via muscle mass loss, which could lead to physical frailty or sarcopenia. The research team found that participants with genetic makeup mimicking the effect of GLP-1 receptor agonists leads to reductions in both lean mass (whole-body fat-free mass and trunk fat-free mass) and body fat (whole-body fat mass, trunk fat percentage and body fat percentage). Specifically, for each unit reduction in BMI, whole-body fat mass decreases by about 7.9 kg, while muscle mass reduces by about 6.4 kg. This indicates that GLP-1 receptor agonists lead to greater reduction in overall body fat than that in muscle mass, resulting in an overall body fat percentage decrease of around 4.5%. This supports the effectiveness of GLP-1 receptor agonists in reducing fat more than muscle. This study clarifies the controversy regarding the effect of GLP-1 receptor agonists on body composition as a weight-management medication, and showcases how a genetic approach can enhance our understanding of how medications work.

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                   Lifestyle and environmental factors affect health and aging more than our genes

A new study has shown that a range of environmental factors, including lifestyle (smoking and physical activity), and living conditions, have a greater impact on health and premature death than our genes. The findings show that environmental factors explained 17% of the variation in risk of death, compared to less than 2% explained by genetic predisposition (as we understand it at present). The study also suggests that of the 25 independent environmental factors identified, smoking, socioeconomic status, physical activity, and living conditions had the most impact on mortality and biological ageing. Smoking was associated with 21 diseases; socioeconomic factors such as household income, home ownership, and employment status, were associated with 19 diseases; and physical activity was associated with 17 diseases. 23 of the factors identified were found to be modifiable. Early life exposures, including body weight at 10 years and maternal smoking around birth, were shown to influence ageing and risk of premature death 30-80 years later. Environmental exposures had a greater effect on diseases of the lung, heart and liver, while genetic risk dominated for dementias and breast cancer.

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                             New drug may reduce need for aortic valve surgeries by slowing disease progression

Aortic valve stenosis (AVS) is a significant health concern globally. Researchers are exploring the use of a new drug called ataciguat, Sanofi to manage AVS. Results from preclinical and clinical studies show that ataciguat has the potential to significantly slow disease progression. In AVS, calcium deposits build up and narrow the aortic valve, forcing the heart to work harder to move blood. The condition typically progresses over time, with symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath and fatigue affecting people over age 65. The current standard of care -- watchful waiting -- often leads to reduced quality of life before the condition is severe enough for the patient to have a surgical or interventional valve replacement. This research represents a significant advancement in the treatment of aortic valve stenosis. Ataciguat has the potential to substantially delay or even prevent the need for valve replacement surgery, significantly improving the lives of millions. The researchers note that the impact extends beyond simply delaying surgery. Younger patients with aggressive disease or congenital valve defects may develop symptoms in midlife. If a patient requires valve replacement before the age of 55, there is a more than 50% likelihood they will require multiple valve replacement surgeries over their lifetime due to recalcification of the implanted valve. Ataciguat, which slowed progression of native aortic valve calcification in the clinical trial, offers the potential for an once-in-a-lifetime procedure if they can reach the age of 65. The older a patient is, the less likely the implanted valve is to calcify. Over the past decade, the research revealed that ataciguat reactivates a pathway crucial in preventing valvular calcification and stenosis. Preclinical studies in mice showed that this drug substantially slowed disease progression even when treatment began after the disease was established. Clinical trials in patients with moderate AVS demonstrated that once-daily ataciguat dosing was well tolerated, with minimal side effects compared to placebo. This latest phase 2 trial in 23 patients showed a 69.8% reduction in aortic valve calcification progression at six months compared to placebo, and patients receiving ataciguat tended to maintain better heart muscle function. Crucially, the research team confirmed that -- despite its profound effect on slowing valve calcification -- ataciguat did not negatively impact bone formation.

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Nirmatrelvir and Ritonavir

2x150mg+100 mg