Hundreds of millions of people who live in, or are descended from, regions where the malaria-causing protozoan Plasmodium vivax is prevalent have inherited a unique blood type that evolved to prevent malaria infection. People with the Duffy null phenotype—who are primarily of African and Middle Eastern descent—have red blood cells that lack a surface protein called the Duffy antigen, which is what P. vivax uses to infect cells.

Roche is holding out hopes that its injectable obesity prospect could eventually demonstrate 25% weight loss in late-stage trials, the pharma’s head of metabolism R&D has told Fierce Biotech.

The FDA has launched a study to examine the potential toxicity of metals that can be found within tampons—a regulated medical device, from the agency’s point of view.

Novo Nordisk has lifted the lid on a phase 1 trial of its oral amylin and GLP-1 receptor co-agonist, linking the candidate to 13.1% weight loss after 12 weeks—and highlighting the potential for further reductions in longer trials.