The best acne antibiotic

“Antibiotics for Acne,” reads the headline from Yale Medicine, “Groundbreaking Study Shows Why One Works Best.”

Saving you a click: It’s sarecycline.

It’s specific rather than broad spectrum, which makes resistance less likely to develop, and it targets Cutibacterium acnes, “the bacterium most doctors believe is behind acne and promotes skin inflammation.”

If you want the full 1,300 words about sarecycline and acne treatment, click here.

A (possible) major breakthrough in bone cancer treatment

Bone cancer is one of the most horrific forms of the disease, with a lot of pain, a low survival rate, and grueling treatment. But now researchers at the UK’s University of East Anglia have made what they think is a huge step toward treating it.

They found that bone cancer’s spread is helped by a gene called RUNX2, and were able to develop a drug that “blocks the RUNX2 protein from having an effect.” They tested it on mice, and … wow.

The breakthrough drug increases survival rates by 50 per cent without the need for surgery or chemotherapy. And unlike chemotherapy, it doesn’t cause toxic side effects like hair loss, tiredness and sickness.

It gets better: The drug, called CADD522, works against all the main forms of bone cancer, showed no toxicity, and is not usually required by normal cells, so it doesn’t have chemo’s side effects.

They’ve started the process leading to human trials.

Mercer: Check it out

If you happen to be at the 2023 Atlanta Science Festival show — March 25 at Piedmont Park — be sure to stop by the Mercer exhibit, where the College of Pharmacy (and other schools) will be giving demos.

A visitor at the 2022 festival examines a Braves fan still in its larval stage

Cancer drugs in shortage

Hospital pharmacists are worried about shortages of some important cancer drugs, including cisplatin, fluorouracil, and methotrexate.

It’s not critical … yet. But those are the kinds of meds where “the most likely predictor of success is getting that regimen on time at the full dose.”

The problem is the same as it ever was: Increased demand in some cases, product shortfalls in others (caused by plant delays, supply chain issues, Mercury in retrograde, and so on). And, of course, until the dawn of 3D printing of medication, there are only so many manufacturers.

Note: If you can’t read the story with the above link, here’s a PDF.

Nasal Narcan alternative

The FDA has approved a naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray from Amphastar Pharmaceuticals.

Like other naloxone products, it’s currently available only by prescription (including standing orders, as in Georgia’s case; PDF tip sheet here). That may change, though, as the push continues to allow it to be dispensed OTC.

Well, we tried

With Congressional hearings starting on the cause of the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ll finally reach an informed consensus on where (experts think) the virus actually came from. Unless, of course, the hearings just turn into partisan bickering.

Short Takes

“White-Collar Drug Dealer”

The first pharmacy executive is going to prison for his role in the opioid crisis. Laurence Doud III, 79, former CEO of Rochester Drug Cooperative will be spending 2 years and 3 months in prison “for selling addictive opioids to pharmacies that were suspected of dispensing them to addicts and street dealers.”

James Cagney would like a word

Rats can carry Covid.

Russian roulette

Scientists have not only found and revived a 48,500-year-old virus from permafrost, they’ve now infected modern amoebas (amoebae?) with it to prove it’s still infectious.

Okay, we get it. Old viruses in melting “perma” frost are dangerous. Now would you please destroy them and go research something safe, like fungi?