Reverse Transcriptase News and Research

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Semaglutide, omega-3s and diet shift epigenetic aging clocks in human studies

A systematic review identified 41 human studies evaluating interventions targeting next-generation DNA methylation-based aging clocks. Pharmaceutical, lifestyle, supplement, clinical, and psychosocial interventions shifted some clock outputs, but these biomarkers remain investigational rather than proven clinical surrogates.

16 Jun 2026

Ensitrelvir cuts household COVID-19 risk when given after exposure

Ensitrelvir, an oral SARS-CoV-2 3C-like protease inhibitor, reduced symptomatic RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 among household contacts when given within 72 hours after symptom onset in the infected index patient. In the phase 3 SCORPIO-PEP trial, COVID-19 occurred in 2.9% of ensitrelvir recipients versus 9.0% of placebo recipients, with similar overall adverse-event rates.

20 May 2026

Hantavirus scare on cruise ship prompts WHO response

Hantavirus infections among cruise ship passengers have sparked a global health response, highlighting the need for effective outbreak management strategies.

7 May 2026

New drying technique stabilizes vital vaccines at room temperature

A significant challenge in global healthcare and biotechnology is the "cold chain"-the network of refrigerated storage and transport required to keep protein-based drugs, vaccines, and diagnostic tests from degrading.

2 Apr 2026

New approach to reducing radiation toxicity

Radiation therapy is highly effective at killing cancer cells, but it often harms healthy skin around the treatment area, a common side effect experienced by up to 95% of cancer patients undergoing treatment. In worst-case scenarios, it can result in delayed or halted treatment.

26 Feb 2026

Bowhead whale’s secret to long life revealed: precision DNA repair may hold clues for human aging

Researchers discovered that bowhead whales achieve extraordinary longevity and cancer resistance through highly efficient and precise DNA repair mechanisms. A whale-specific protein, CIRBP, enhances genome stability even in human cells, revealing a potential pathway to strengthen DNA repair and slow aging.

30 Oct 2025

Innovative system accurately detects genetic mutations in the brain tumor within 25 minutes

A research team in Japan has developed an innovative system that can accurately detect genetic mutations in the brain tumor within just 25 minutes.

9 Oct 2025

Can an allergy spray help prevent COVID-19?

Researchers determine the efficacy and safety of azelastine nasal spray for preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection in healthy adults.

8 Sep 2025

New oral antiretroviral shows potential as long-acting HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis

A new HIV antiretroviral shows promise as a long-acting, oral prophylactic agent, according to a new study by Izzat Raheem, Tracy Diamond and colleagues from Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, published August 26th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology.

26 Aug 2025

Polyphenols and exercise show promise in fighting gliomas

A new review in Food Science & Nutrition highlights how combining dietary polyphenols with structured exercise can enhance brain function, regulate epigenetics, and support glioma management. The authors outline mechanisms, patient-centered strategies, and research gaps for turning this synergy into clinical practice.

12 Aug 2025

Reverse transcriptase activity found in aging and Alzheimer’s brains

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia and affects more than a tenth of Americans aged 65 and older.

5 Jun 2025

Single measles strain triggers outbreak in Milan despite high vaccination rates

A unique measles B3 lineage drove a sustained local outbreak in Milan and surrounding areas in early 2025, marking a shift from previous D8 importations. This primarily affected unvaccinated adults, raising alarms about potential endemic measles resurgence in northern Italy despite high overall vaccination coverage.

27 May 2025

Affordable HIV drug shows promise in improving vision for diabetic eye disease

An inexpensive, long-approved HIV drug can improve vision in patients with a blinding complication of diabetes more effectively and a much lower cost than many existing treatments, an initial clinical trial suggests.

27 May 2025

HIV drugs found to significantly reduce Alzheimer's risk in new study

UVA Health scientists are calling for clinical trials testing the potential of HIV drugs called NRTIs to prevent Alzheimer's disease after discovering that patients taking the drugs are substantially less likely to develop the memory-robbing condition.

8 May 2025

Review explores the underlying mechanisms of hepatocarcinogenesis post-HCV eradication

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains a major global health burden, affecting millions worldwide and contributing significantly to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development.

20 Mar 2025

Gilead’s capsid revolution meets our capsid solutions: Sino Biological – Engineering the tools to outsmart HIV

Gilead Sciences announced a significant milestone: the U.S. FDA accepted their New Drug Applications (NDAs) for lenacapavir (LEN), a groundbreaking twice-yearly injectable HIV-1 capsid inhibitor for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

From Sino Biological Inc. 12 Mar 2025

Mild avian flu cases in US spark safety warnings for poultry and dairy sectors

Researchers identify 46 mild cases of avian influenza A(H5N1) in U.S. poultry and dairy workers, highlighting low PPE adherence and potential outbreak risks.

2 Jan 2025

Floor swabbing offers new insights for COVID-19 monitoring

COVID-19 is here to stay. As restrictions and human testing have waned, new research is tackling the challenge of how we can monitor, predict, and prevent cases and outbreaks of COVID-19, especially among vulnerable groups like hospitalized patients.

22 Oct 2024

New study links pulmonary carcinoid aggressiveness to TERT gene activation

Pulmonary carcinoids are rare tumors of the lung with extremely different clinical courses. In many patients, they behave like benign tumors; surgical removal of the tumor leads to a complete cure. However, some patients experience aggressive growth and spread (metastasis) of the tumor with poor chances of recovery. The biological causes of these different forms of the disease are still unknown.

3 Oct 2024

CDC identifies new Oropouche virus cases in U.S. travelers, raising public health concerns

The CDC reports 21 new cases of Oropouche virus among U.S. travelers from Brazil and Cuba, highlighting potential health risks and the need for vigilant monitoring and preventive measures.

29 Aug 2024