Metabolic Syndrome

HONG KONG, April 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- EpiMedTech Global, the parent company of HKG epiTherapeutics (the "Company"), a commercial-stage biotech company developing novel tools for the early detection of cancer and promoting healthy aging, announced the Company's Chairman and CEO, Moshe Szyf, Ph.D., FRSC, FCAHS, will be presenting at the MedInvest Biotech & Pharma Investor Conference on April 3, 2024, at 10:55 a.m. ET in New York, NY. The presentation will spotlight groundbreaking advancements in DNA methylation and its significant potential in transforming global healthcare through early disease detection. DNA methylation, a critical process in epigenetic signaling, acts as a sophisticated regulatory mechanism, controlling gene expression without altering the DNA sequence itself. This "bookmarking" of genetic material is pivotal in embryonic development and is subject to changes that can lead to various diseases, including cardiovascular disorders, metabolic syndromes and cancer. The presentation will highlight the substantial impact of epigenetic markers in early disease detection, underscoring EpiMedTech Global's unique position in the market with its platform-based approach. Unlike traditional single-test methods, the Company's platform offers a versatile foundation for a wide array of tests, ensuring adaptability and scalability in the fast-evolving field of epigenetics. "EpiMedTech Global is at the forefront of leveraging DNA methylation for early disease detection, aiming to bridge the vast gap between the potential of epigenetic research and its current clinical application," said Prof. Szyf. "Our innovative tools are designed to be accurate, cost-effective and globally accessible, heralding a new era in preventive healthcare." Join us at MedInvest to discover how EpiMedTech Global is paving the way for a future where early detection and prevention are within reach for everyone, everywhere. For more information, please visit our websites at and . About EpiMedTech Global EpiMedTech Global, formerly known as HKG Epitherapeutics, is a pioneering company dedicated to transforming healthcare through the power of epigenetics. With a focus on early disease detection and a platform-based approach to testing, EpiMedTech Global is committed to making advanced healthcare solutions accessible on a global scale. Media Contacts Caitlin Kasunich / Michaela Fawcett KCSA Strategic Communications [email protected] / [email protected] SOURCE HKG Epitherapeutics

The guidelines for weight gain during pregnancy in obese women have long been questioned. New research supports the idea of lowering or removing the current recommendation of a weight gain of at least 5 kg. The guidelines for weight gain during pregnancy in obese women have long been questioned. New research from Karolinska Institutet supports the idea of lowering or removing the current recommendation of a weight gain of at least 5 kg. The results are published in The Lancet. International guidelines from the US Institute of Medicine (IOM) state that women with obesity should gain a total of 5 to 9 kg during pregnancy, compared to 11.5 to 16 kg for normal-weight women. The guidelines have long been questioned, but there has been no evidence to warrant a re-examination. A new study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden now shows that there are no increased health risks for either the mother or the child with weight gain below current guidelines for women with obesity class 1 and 2 (BMI of 30-34.9 and 35-39.9 respectively). On the contrary, for women with obesity class 3 (BMI over 40), weight gain below current guidelines might even be beneficial for those with class 3 obesity. The study supports previous calls to either lower or remove the current recommended lower limit of a weight gain of at least 5 kg, according to Kari Johansson, docent at the Department of Medicine, Solna. "We hope that our research can inform a re-examination of national and international guidelines on weight gain during pregnancy," she says. The study is based on electronic medical records and registry data for 15,760 women with obesity in Stockholm and Gotland (the so-called Stockholm Gotland Perinatal Cohort). 11,667 of the women in the study had obesity class 1, 3,160 had obesity class 2 and 933 had obesity class 3. The study included singleton pregnancies that delivered between 2008 and 2015. The women were followed for a median of eight years after delivery. Ten known adverse outcomes associated with weight gain during pregnancy were studied: pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, excess postpartum weight retention, maternal cardiometabolic disease, unplanned caesarean delivery, preterm birth, large for gestational age and small for gestational age at birth, stillbirth and infant death. These adverse outcomes were assigned weights according to their severity and combined into an adverse composite outcome. Overall, the study shows no increased risks of the adverse composite outcome with weight gain below current IOM guidelines in women with obesity classes 1 and 2. For women with obesity class 3, on the contrary, weight gain values below the guidelines or weight loss were associated with reduced risk of the adverse composite outcome. For example, an absence of weight gain (i.e. 0kg) was associated with a risk reduction of about 20 per cent. "Based on this, we have concluded that weight gain below current recommendations is likely safe in pregnancies with obesity, and might even be beneficial for those with class 3 obesity," says Kari Johansson. The results also indicate that there is a need for specific recommendations for women with class 3 obesity. "Unlike today, this group could receive separate recommendations," says Kari Johansson. The researchers will now proceed with similar studies on overweight, normal weight and underweight women. The study was conducted in collaboration with the University of British Columbia, Canada, the University of Pittsburgh, USA, and the University of California, USA. Funders were Karolinska Institutet Research Grants and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Kari Johansson and co-authors Lisa Bodnar and Jennifer Hutcheon are part of a WHO initiative for global standards for weight gain during pregnancy. However, the views expressed in the study do not reflect the views of the WHO. Olof Stephansson is co-founder and co-owner of a Swedish pregnancy app, One Million Babies. No other conflicts of interest are reported.

Peer-reviewed clinical pilot trial reports dramatic improvements in psychiatric and metabolic outcomes in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia SAN MATEO, Calif., April 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The field of psychiatry may have a new ally in the form of a medical ketogenic diet, according to the findings of a pioneering pilot study published in Psychiatry Research and announced today by Stanford Medicine. The study, supported by funding from Baszucki Group and others, is the first U.S.-based clinical trial to examine the therapeutic impact of a ketogenic dietary intervention for serious mental illness since 1965. Continue Reading Can a keto diet treat mental illness? | 90 Seconds w/ Lisa Kim (courtesy of Stanford Medicine) Led by Stanford University School of Medicine's Shebani Sethi, MD, ABOM, Founding Director of the Stanford Metabolic Psychiatry Clinic and Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry, the study represents a significant step forward in exploring the connection between metabolism and psychiatry, and in driving toward new treatment approaches in the growing epidemic of mental illness worldwide. The study trialed a 4-month intervention of a low carbohydrate ketogenic diet with individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia who also were either overweight or met criteria for metabolic abnormalities such as insulin resistance or impaired glucose tolerance. The results offer compelling evidence of the potential benefits of ketogenic dietary therapy in this population. The dual improvements in both metabolic function and psychiatric symptoms are rare in mental healthcare, where treatments often lead to significant comorbidities, including weight gain, obesity, dyslipidemia, and cardiometabolic disease. Key findings of the single-arm pilot trial include: 79% of participants showed clinically meaningful psychiatric improvement – 1 point change or more on the Clinical Global Impression scale (CGI). 75% of participants were in recovery or a recovered state at the study's conclusion (on a Clinical Mood Monitoring Scale (CMM)). 100% of participants who met the criteria for metabolic syndrome were in remission by the end of the study. 100% of fully adherent participants achieved a recovered state at the study's conclusion, demonstrating a correlation between the frequency of achieving nutritional ketosis and the level of symptom improvement. Reductions were seen in weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and visceral adipose tissue. Improvements were seen in insulin sensitivity, quality of life, and sleep. Improvements were identified across all psychiatric measures. A ketogenic nutritional intervention was safe and feasible with a high adherence rate. Dr. Sethi shared: "These results are encouraging and suggest that a ketogenic diet intervention could serve as a valuable adjunctive treatment for individuals living with serious mental illness. The dual metabolic and psychiatric improvements observed in our study represent novel findings in psychiatry, warranting further investigation." Participants in the trial expressed enthusiasm about the 4-month intervention, as reported in the published paper: "My opportunity to participate in the metabolic psychiatry study transformed my life. I gained knowledge, became able-bodied again and my mood disorder and eating disorder symptoms lessened dramatically." "It can honestly save a lot of lives. It saved mine. I would not be here today if it wasn't for keto." "I can tell you that I have never felt better than I have since using ketosis." "After we witnessed ketogenic therapy send our son's 'treatment resistant' bipolar disorder into complete and lasting remission, we immediately started funding metabolic psychiatry studies like Dr. Sethi's," said Jan Ellison Baszucki, co-founder and President of Baszucki Group. "This pilot study, the first of its kind, offers hope to those living with bipolar illness, and has successfully paved the way for larger trials that could establish ketogenic therapy as a safe and effective adjunctive or even first-line treatment for bipolar disorder and other serious mental illnesses." Based on the results of Dr. Sethi's study, along with preliminary data from a University of Edinburgh trial, Baszucki Group has followed its pilot trial grants with the establishment of a new global funding program: ReThink Bipolar: Researching Therapeutic Integration of Nutritional Ketosis in Bipolar Disorder. To date, the program has announced $8M in funding to McLean Hospital and the University of Pittsburgh for randomized controlled trials combining mechanistic explorations with a clinical ketogenic intervention. In addition, Baszucki Group's initiative, MetabolicMind.org, amplifies research and personal stories and provides free resources for patients, families and clinicians adopting metabolic therapies to improve mental health. About Baszucki Group Launched in 2021 by Roblox founder and Chief Executive Officer David Baszucki and best-selling author Jan Ellison Baszucki, Baszucki Group leverages private giving, impact investing, advocacy, storytelling and community building to drive foundational change. A primary objective of Baszucki Group is to transform mental health outcomes, beginning with bipolar disorder, by supporting initiatives at the intersection of metabolism, psychiatry, and neuroscience. To learn more about metabolic approaches to mental disorders, including ketogenic therapy, visit Metabolic Mind, a nonprofit initiative of Baszucki Group. SOURCE Baszucki Group