University of Aberdeen

TUESDAY, April 1, 2025 -- Urodynamics plus comprehensive clinical assessment (CCA) is not superior to CCA only for women with refractory overactive bladder or urgency predominant mixed urinary incontinence , according to a study published in the March 29 issue of The Lancet to coincide with the 40th Annual European Association of Urology Congress, held from March 21 to 24 in Madrid. Mohamed Abdel-Fattah, M.D., from the University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom, and colleagues conducted a superiority trial in 63 U.K. hospitals to compare the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of urodynamics plus CCA versus CCA only in the management of women with refractory overactive bladder symptoms. Women aged 18 years or older with refractory overactive bladder or urgency predominant mixed urinary incontinence, with failed conservative management and being considered for invasive treatment, were randomly assigned to urodynamics plus CCA versus CCA only (550 and 549 patients, respectively). The researchers found that the participant-reported success rates of "very much improved" or "much improved" were not superior in the urodynamics plus CCA group versus the CCA-only group at the final follow-up time point at 15 months after randomization. Low and similar serious adverse events were seen between the groups. Per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was £42,643. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of £20,000 per QALY gained, the cost-effectiveness acceptability curve showed urodynamics had a 34 percent probability of being cost-effective, which reduced further when extrapolated over the patient's lifetime. "Significantly more women who underwent CCA only report earlier improvement in their symptoms," the authors write. Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry. Abstract/Full Text Editorial (subscription or payment may be required) More Information Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.

FRIDAY, March 28, 2025 -- Patients with takotsubo syndrome have increased risk for rehospitalization compared with the general population, according to a research letter published online March 25 in the Annals of Internal Medicine . Amelia E. Rudd, from the University of Aberdeen and NHS Grampian in the United Kingdom, and colleagues examined the incidence and causes of all subsequent hospital readmissions affecting patients with takotsubo syndrome in a cohort study. Unselected cases of patients with takotsubo syndrome (620 patients) were matched to control participants, selected based on age, sex, and geographic location from the Scottish general population (2,480 controls), and to patients with acute myocardial infarction (620 patients). Of the 12,873 hospitalizations, the incidence rate of hospital readmissions was 743, 365, and 750 per 1,000 person-years for patients with takotsubo syndrome, controls from the general population, and patients with myocardial infarction, respectively. Patients with takotsubo syndrome were twice as likely to be hospitalized for any cause (hazard ratio, 1.96) and especially for cardiovascular causes, such as myocardial infarction, heart failure, or arrhythmia, compared with the general population. Excess admissions were seen for mental health, stroke, pulmonary, neurologic, infectious, gastrointestinal, and peripheral vascular disease causes. Patients with takotsubo syndrome had lower admission rates for myocardial infarction, heart failure, and arrhythmia but similar admission rates for stroke and mental health compared with those with myocardial infarction. "This highlights these patients' increased vulnerability and a need for better discharge advice, clinical follow-up, and a focused search for therapeutic strategies directed to the specific pathophysiology of this condition," the authors write.

ABERDEEN, UK I July 01, 2024 I TauRx Pharmaceuticals Ltd, a global leader in tau-based research in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), has announced the submission of a UK Marketing Authorisation Application (MAA) for hydromethylthionine mesylate (HMTM) for treatment of mild cognitive impairment (MCI-AD) and mild to moderate stages of dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. HMTM has been designated by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for the Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway (ILAP). If successful, the UK could be the first country in which an accessible, safe, oral treatment, which targets the hallmark tau pathology of the disease, becomes available to patients. The MAA is based on the totality of evidence available from the recently released 24-month Phase 3 LUCIDITY data and two earlier Phase 3 trials in mild to moderate AD. These studies have been consistent in showing benefit on measures of decline in cognition, ability to perform normal activities of daily living, and reduction in the rate of brain shrinkage. Tau aggregation is strongly correlated with the rate and severity of cognitive decline, brain atrophy, and the damage to neurons responsible for the characteristic neurodegeneration of the disease. HMTM acts by selectively inhibiting the aggregation of tau-protein in brain nerve cells. It also has a second mode of action which results in enhancement of brain functioning. Commenting on the submission, Professor Claude Wischik, Executive Chairman of TauRx, said: “This is a significant milestone for TauRx and is an important step in potentially bringing a new type of treatment and a new hope to patients and families who carry the burden of this terrible disease.” NOTES ABOUT HMTM Hydromethylthionine mesylate (HMTM) has been developed as a potential oral treatment for AD targeting tau aggregation. It also has a secondary tau-independent mode of action which increases acetylcholine levels in the hippocampus. The global Phase 3 clinical trial LUCIDITY has recently completed and the data were presented at the AD/PD™ 2024 Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s Diseases Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, on 7 March. With over 3,000 subjects studied, HMTM has a strong safety profile and could be delivered with minimal patient and physician burden. Neurofilament Light Chain (NfL) is an established biomarker for neurodegeneration. LUCIDITY showed a significant reduction in the change of NfL, in the randomised double-blind portion of the study at 12 months. Clinical measures of cognition showed improvement over baseline levels that was sustained over 18 months in MCI, as diagnosed in the LUCIDITY trial. Patients who were in the control group were unable to catch up in terms of cognitive function despite transitioning to 16mg per day HMTM (target dose) in the open-label phase after 12 months. This emphasises the importance of early intervention with effective therapies in AD. ABOUT TAURx PHARMACEUTICALS LTD TauRx was founded in 2002 in Singapore, with primary research facilities and operations based in Aberdeen, UK. In collaboration with the University of Aberdeen, the company has dedicated the past two decades to developing treatments and diagnostics for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases due to pathological aggregation of tau and other proteins. AD is a leading cause of disability and death throughout the world and is one of the most important global public health issues. TauRx will contribute to addressing this urgent unmet need with data from the totality of evidence available from LUCIDITY and the earlier AD trials in pursuit of regulatory approvals starting in UK. TauRx’s hope is to make HMTM available for people living with Alzheimer’s as soon as possible. Future research is planned for other related neurodegenerative diseases. https://taurx.com/ SOURCE: TAURx Pharmaceuticals