Hypertension

NIH findings may lead to insights on pregnancy complications, adult health BETHESDA, Md., May 2, 2025 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- What: The genes of male and female placentas have marked differences in how they are expressed, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other institutions. These differences involve the presence or absence of tags on DNA known as methyl groups, which switch genes on or off without changing their structure. Understanding these DNA methylation patterns may inform future research on the higher risk for pregnancy complications involving male fetuses, such as stillbirth and prematurity, as well as later life health conditions that occur in adults who were born after a complicated pregnancy. Researchers analyzed male and female placental samples from a larger study for differences in their methylation patterns, and found differences in gene activity between male and female placentas that may play a role in birthweight and adult diseases. The study identified 2,497 previously unreported DNA sites that had different methylation patterns for males and females. Of these and more than 2,500 sites that had also been identified by previous studies, 66.9% of large increases in methylation occurred in DNA from male placentas and 33.1% from female placentas. Increases in methylation in male placentas was linked with greater neonatal size whereas those in females was linked with greater placental size. Some increases in methylation found in male placentas were located near the CCDC6 gene. Lower activation of CCDC6 has been linked with preterm birth in previous studies. Higher methylation near the FNDC5 gene was associated with lower expression of the gene in male placentas but not in female placentas. FNDC5 is involved with the manufacture of irisin, which protects the placenta from damage by reactive oxygen molecules and insulin resistance (cells' difficulty in using insulin to lower blood sugar.) Lower irisin levels have been associated with the pregnancy-related high blood pressure disorder, known as preeclampsia. Variations in the genes ATP5MG and FAM83A, expressed in female placentas, have been associated with asthma, hay fever, eczema (dry, itchy, inflamed skin) and higher risk for breast cancer later in life. Genetic factors influence the health differences between males and females, from before birth to later in life. Male fetuses grow faster than female fetuses and their pregnancies are more likely to be complicated by such conditions as preeclampsia (a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy), failure to grow at an adequate rate, and preterm birth. They also are more likely to die in the year after birth. Dysfunction of the placenta underlies many pregnancy complications and is thought to set the stage for male and female health differences that occur later in life. Variations in methylation patterns are thought to underlie many of these differences. The study was conducted by Fasil Tekola-Ayele, Ph.D., of the NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and colleagues at other institutions. It appears in Nature Communications. Who: Fasil Tekola-Ayele, Ph.D., is available for comment on this study. Reference Tekola-Ayele F, et al. Sex-differentiated placental methylation and gene expression regulation has implications for neonatal traits and adult diseases. Nature Communications. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58128-3 (2025) SOURCE Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; National Institutes of Health (NIH) WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

With fresh funding round, the health tech pioneer continues to work toward managing the world's blood pressure. LONDON, May 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Aktiia, a blood pressure intelligence platform, announces an oversubscribed $42 million (over CHF 34 million) Series B funding round, co-led by Earlybird Health and Wellington Partners, with new investors Kfund and naturalX Health Ventures, and participation from existing investors redalpine, Khosla Ventures, Molten Ventures, Translink Capital and Verve Ventures. The investment, which has brought the total financing to date above $100 million, will accelerate the company's mission to manage the world's blood pressure. Continue Reading The transition to Hilo marks an important milestone in the company’s journey, aligning with its vision of healthier blood pressure for all, while continuing to deliver the trusted technology and reports that have been central to its platform. The latest investment builds on a period of significant momentum for the company during which it has achieved several major milestones, including securing CE marking for its innovative mobile phone camera blood pressure monitoring technology, securing regulatory approvals in Canada, Australia and Saudi Arabia, achieving 76% compounded annual revenue growth, and completing a pivotal clinical trial ahead of its U.S. FDA application submission. This Series B funding will fuel continued product innovation, expansion into new markets and the build out of its blood pressure intelligence platform to support enterprise use cases. Alongside this funding, Aktiia is introducing its new brand identity: Hilo - a rebrand which reflects the company's global ambition to make cuffless, clinically validated blood pressure monitoring universally accessible and effortless. The transition to Hilo marks an important milestone in the company's journey, aligning with its vision of healthier blood pressure for all, while continuing to deliver the trusted technology and reports that have been central to its platform. With more than 120,000 devices sold, Hilo has already established itself as a stand-out in the health tech space. The company has developed a foundation Machine Learning model specifically designed for blood pressure. The model has been trained on tens of billions of optical signals from real-world users and further refined with hundreds of millions of calibration points, strengthening its position as the leader in the emerging cuffless blood pressure monitoring (CBPM) category. Raghav "Rags" Gupta, CEO of Hilo, commented: "This funding round is a testament to the confidence our investors have in Hilo's groundbreaking technology and our mission to manage the world's blood pressure via more frequent, convenient and accurate measurements. With billions worldwide suffering from hypertension, only 20% of whom are in control of their blood pressure, the need for innovative, accessible blood pressure monitoring solutions has never been greater. Our rebrand to Hilo represents more than just a name change, it's a commitment to empowering users around the world with smarter tools to optimise their health. We are grateful to early Aktiia customers for their support and to our investors, new and existing, for their faith." Christoph Massner, Principal at Earlybird Health, who will join Hilo's Board of Directors, commented: "Hilo stands at the intersection of medical-grade precision and consumer-centric accessibility. By building on a validated medical device platform and an intuitive, user-friendly design, they bridge the gap between clinical reliability and everyday usability. It's a rare combination that empowers users to take meaningful control of their health with minimal effort. This is especially critical given the enormous medical need: uncontrolled high blood pressure remains one of the leading risk factors for death worldwide." Johannes Fischer, Managing Partner at Wellington Partners, commented: "We are excited to co-lead this financing and to be backing Hilo's innovative technology, which provides groundbreaking advancements to the billions of people with elevated blood pressure today. We believe that real-time and continuous access to blood pressure information will change the way we think about the monitoring and management of one of the most common risk factors to human health." About Hilo Aktiia, now trading under Hilo, was established in 2018 to transform how blood pressure is measured and therefore managed. By integrating advanced AI algorithms with extensive datasets, Hilo's cuffless blood pressure monitoring (CBPM) products offer convenient, valuable reports to give both individuals and healthcare professionals a useful picture of their blood pressure. The company's foundation model for blood pressure has been trained on billions of optical signals and hundreds of millions of readings across more than 120,000 users, underscoring its leadership in the CPBM category. The company's multidisciplinary team, composed of experts with extensive experience in biomedical signal processing, has contributed to over 120 peer-reviewed publications and holds more than 35 patents. Headquartered in Switzerland, Hilo continues to expand its global presence, transforming how blood pressure is understood and managed. The Hilo system by itself is not intended to make diagnoses. Data should always be used in consultation with your healthcare provider. 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Amicus licenses exclusive U.S. rights to commercialize DMX-200 for the treatment of Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) DMX-200 is in a pivotal Phase 3 trial for FSGS, a rare and fatal kidney disease with no FDA-approved therapies Dimerix successfully completed Type C meeting with the FDA in March 2025, aligning on proteinuria as the primary endpoint for approval Dimerix to receive US$30 million (~AU$48 million) upfront payment, up to US$560 million (~AU$892 million) for success-based milestone payments, in addition to tiered royalties on DMX-200 net U.S. sales MELBOURNE, Australia and PRINCETON, NJ, USA I April 30, 2025 I Dimerix Limited (ASX: DXB, “Dimerix”) and Amicus Therapeutics (Nasdaq: FOLD, “Amicus”) today announced that the two companies have entered into an exclusive license agreement for the commercialization of Dimerix’ Phase 3 drug candidate DMX-200 for all indications, including FSGS, in the United States (U.S.). Dimerix retains all rights to commercialize DMX-200 in all territories other than those already exclusively licensed. DMX-200 is a small molecule inhibitor of the chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) under development in a pivotal Phase 3 study, ACTION3, for the treatment of Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) kidney disease. In early 2024, Dimerix reported positive interim results from the ACTION3 trial in FSGS showing DMX-200 was performing better than placebo in reducing proteinuria with no safety concerns to date. Full enrollment of ACTION3 is expected by year-end 2025. An additional blinded interim analysis is planned once the revised primary and secondary endpoints have been pre-specified in the protocol and agreed with the FDA. In a March 2025 Type C meeting, Dimerix successfully aligned with the FDA on proteinuria as an appropriate primary endpoint for traditional marketing approval for DMX-200. “Amicus is thrilled to enter into this collaboration with Dimerix to bring DMX-200 to patients in the U.S., and we are incredibly impressed by their achievements to date. We look forward to leveraging our regulatory, commercial, medical, and advocacy capabilities to bring this potentially transformative treatment to people living with FSGS in the U.S.,” said Bradley Campbell, President and Chief Executive Officer, Amicus Therapeutics. “This licensing agreement represents a major step forward in our strategy to strengthen our portfolio and fully aligns with our mission to develop and deliver transformative medicines for people living with rare diseases.” “We are delighted to partner with Amicus in the United States. The Amicus team has a remarkable history of successfully delivering rare disease medicines to those in need. Their expertise and resources will be crucial to help achieve our mutual objective of commercializing this innovative treatment,” said Dr. Nina Webster, CEO and Managing Director of Dimerix. “I’m grateful to the dedicated Dimerix team, trial participants, and investigators for their continued commitment to developing a new therapy for patients with FSGS who currently have a poor prognosis and very limited treatment options.” Dimerix will continue to fund and execute the ACTION3 study, and Amicus will be responsible for submission and maintenance of the regulatory dossier in the United States, as well as all costs of commercialization activities. Additionally, Amicus will have the exclusive rights to develop DMX-200 in other future indications in the United States. Amicus and Dimerix will form a Joint Steering Committee to align the development and commercialization of DMX-200 in FSGS in U.S. The agreement otherwise contains terms common for an arrangement of this kind. In exchange for these rights, Dimerix will receive a US$30 million (~AU$48 million) upfront payment. The next potential milestone payment is based on positive data from the Phase 3 trial in FSGS. In total, Dimerix is eligible to receive potential success-based development and regulatory milestone payments of up to US$75 million (~AU$119 million) until FDA approval of DMX-200 in FSGS, US$35 million (~AU$56 million) on first sale, commercial sales milestone payments of up to US$410 million (AU$653 million), and tiered royalties from the low-teens to low-twenties percentages of DMX-200 net sales in the U.S. In addition, Dimerix is eligible to receive up to US$40 million (~AU$64 million) in milestone payments for potential future indications. The upfront payment from Amicus will be funded with cash on hand. All contracted financial terms are denominated in U.S. dollars. Evercore Partners International LLP is acting as exclusive financial advisor to Dimerix, and Cooleys LLP is serving as Dimerix legal advisor. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati is serving as Amicus legal advisor. Authorized for lodgment with ASX by the Board of Dimerix. About ACTION3 Phase 3 Study The Phase 3 study, which is titled “Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor (AT1R) & Chemokine Receptor 2 (CCR2) Targets for Inflammatory Nephrosis”, or ACTION3 for short, is a pivotal (Phase 3), multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the efficacy and safety of DMX-200 in patients with FSGS who are receiving a stable dose of an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB). Once the ARB dose is stable, patients will be randomized to receive either DMX-200 (120 mg capsule twice daily) or placebo. The single Phase 3 trial in FSGS patients has two interim analysis points built in that are designed to capture evidence of proteinuria and kidney function (eGFR slope) during the trial, aimed at generating sufficient evidence to support marketing approval. Further information about the study can be found on ClinicalTrials.gov (Study Identifier: NCT05183646) or Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) (Study Identifier ACTRN12622000066785). About DMX-200 DMX-200 is a chemokine receptor (CCR2) antagonist administered to patients already receiving an angiotensin II type I receptor (AT1R) blocker, the standard of care treatment for hypertension and kidney disease. DMX-200 is protected by granted patents in various territories until 2032, with patent applications submitted globally that may extend patent protection to 2042, in addition to Orphan Drug Designation granted by the FDA in the United States. About FSGS FSGS is a rare, serious kidney disorder characterized by progressive scarring (sclerosis) in parts of the glomeruli—the kidney’s filtering units. This scarring leads to proteinuria, progressive loss of kidney function, and often end-stage renal disease. FSGS is increasingly understood to have an inflammatory component, with monocyte and macrophage activation contributing to glomerular injury. In the United States, more than 40,000 people are estimated to be living with FSGS, including both adults and children. There are no therapies specifically approved for FSGS in the U.S., and management relies on non-specific immunosuppressive and supportive therapies. In patients with progressive or treatment-resistant FSGS, the average time from diagnosis to end-stage kidney disease can be as short as five years. Even among those who undergo kidney transplantation, disease recurrence occurs in up to 60% of cases, underscoring the urgent need for new, disease-modifying treatments. About Dimerix Limited Dimerix (ASX: DXB) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company working to improve the lives of patients with inflammatory diseases, including kidney diseases. Dimerix is currently focused on developing its proprietary Phase 3 product candidate DMX-200, for Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) kidney disease, and is also developing DMX-700 for respiratory disease. DMX-200 and DMX-700 were both identified using Dimerix’ proprietary assay, Receptor Heteromer Investigation Technology (Receptor-HIT), which is a scalable and globally applicable technology platform enabling the understanding of receptor interactions to rapidly screen and identify new drug opportunities. For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.dimerix.com and follow on X and LinkedIn . About Amicus Therapeutics Amicus Therapeutics (Nasdaq: FOLD) is a global, patient-dedicated biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and delivering novel high-quality medicines for people living with rare diseases. With extraordinary patient focus, Amicus Therapeutics is committed to advancing and expanding a pipeline of cutting-edge, first- or best-in-class medicines for rare diseases. For more information please visit the company’s website at www.amicusrx.com , and follow on X and LinkedIn . SOURCE: Amicus Therapeutics