NIH Grant Cuts Leave 74,000 Clinical Trial Patients in Limbo

A new study in JAMA Internal Medicine finds that the Trump administration’s decision to terminate billions in NIH grants abruptly disrupted about 1 in every 30 NIH-funded clinical trials this year. Between February 28 and August 15, support was pulled from 383 trials out of 11,008, affecting more than 74,000 enrolled patients. Infectious disease studies were hit hardest, with over 14% losing funding, followed by respiratory and cardiovascular trials. Researchers warn the cuts risk wasting years of work, compromising data quality, and breaking ethical commitments to patients who consented to experimental care. HHS rejects the study’s conclusions as “intentionally misleading,” arguing that many canceled projects favored ideological agendas and that funds are being redirected to “high-impact, high-urgency science.”(Axios)

Fecal RNA “Exfoliome” Offers Noninvasive Window into Gut Immunity

A Nature Biotechnology study shows that sequencing human RNA shed into stool—the “fecal exfoliome”—can track immune activity in the gut without invasive biopsies. Researchers profiled host transcripts from fecal samples of healthy volunteers and patients with inflammatory bowel disease, revealing gene expression signatures that distinguish healthy from inflamed intestines and track treatment responses over time. The approach also captured dynamic immune changes, suggesting it could be used for longitudinal monitoring of chronic conditions rather than relying on sporadic colonoscopies. Because it uses standard sequencing workflows on easily collected samples, the method could be scaled for clinical diagnostics and large cohort studies probing how diet, infection, and microbiome shifts shape intestinal immunity. (Nature)

Stem Cell Grafts Restore Hand Function After Spinal Cord Injury in Monkeys

In a major preclinical advance, scientists used human embryonic stem cell–derived spinal cord neural stem cells to repair cervical spinal cord injuries in rhesus monkeys. Transplanted cells integrated into damaged tissue, extended long-distance axons, and rebuilt circuits between brain and spinal cord. In combination with rehabilitation, treated animals recovered substantial forelimb function—hand use returned in over half the grafted monkeys, compared with minimal recovery in controls. Histological analyses showed robust graft survival and synaptic connectivity, while safety monitoring found no tumor formation during long-term follow-up. Although human trials remain years away, the work provides a detailed roadmap for translating stem cell–based repair strategies to people with chronic paralysis. (Nature)

Swiss Biotech Punches Above Its Weight with 19 Standout Companies

Labiotech’s new deep-dive into Switzerland’s biotech scene profiles 19 companies that illustrate why the small nation remains a global innovation hotspot. Spanning oncology, rare diseases, vaccines, manufacturing technologies, and AI-driven drug discovery, the firms highlight Switzerland’s mix of academic strength, investor appetite, and mature pharma infrastructure. The report notes how younger biotechs are leveraging proximity to giants like Roche and Novartis while carving out niches in cell and gene therapy platforms, immuno-oncology, and advanced bioprocessing. Regional clusters around Basel, Zurich, and Lausanne are particularly dynamic, blending startups, CROs, and venture funds. For investors and partners, the list functions as a curated radar of Swiss players likely to shape pipelines, platforms, and partnerships in the coming years. (Labiotech.eu)

---

---

Experimental Gene Therapy Dramatically Slows Huntington’s Disease

A small but closely watched clinical trial suggests that a gene therapy could substantially slow Huntington’s disease progression. In the study, patients received brain injections of a viral vector encoding a short RNA segment designed to dial down production of the toxic huntingtin protein. Over three years of follow-up, treated participants showed up to a 75% slower clinical decline compared with natural history expectations, according to preliminary data presented by the research team. Brain imaging and biomarker readouts support on-target biological effects, though researchers stress that the therapy is not a cure and that long-term safety remains unknown. Larger, controlled trials will be needed to confirm benefit, refine dosing, and understand who is most likely to respond. (Science News)

Recharging Exhausted T Cells Yields Potent Tumor Clearance in Mice

A Nature Immunology study uncovers how tumors drain energy from “exhausted” T cells—and how blocking that process could reinvigorate anti-cancer immunity. Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine identified a molecular signal that shifts T cells into a metabolically depleted state, blunting their ability to kill tumor cells. In mouse models, inhibiting this pathway restored T-cell function and led to striking tumor regression, especially when combined with existing immunotherapies. The work suggests new drug targets to complement checkpoint inhibitors and CAR-T therapies, potentially overcoming resistance in solid cancers. While human translation will require careful safety testing, the study strengthens the case that fine-tuning T-cell metabolism is a powerful lever for next-generation cancer treatments. (SciTech Daily)

AI Detects Hidden Biosignatures in 3.3-Billion-Year-Old Rocks

Using machine learning and high-resolution organic geochemistry, scientists have pushed the detectable record of life on Earth back by more than a billion years. A team analyzed Archean rocks older than 3.3 billion years with pyrolysis–GC–MS, then trained supervised algorithms to distinguish biological from non-biological chemical patterns. The models uncovered subtle “chemical echoes” of ancient life and hinted that oxygen-producing photosynthesis may have begun far earlier than previously thought. Beyond rewriting early Earth’s timeline, the approach offers a template for searching for life elsewhere: the same tools could be applied to Martian samples or icy-moon materials. It’s a compelling example of AI and geochemistry converging to reveal biosignatures invisible to traditional methods. (SciTech Daily)

World’s Oldest RNA Found in Woolly Mammoth Raises Pathogen Questions

Scientists have recovered what appears to be the oldest RNA ever sequenced, extracted from long-frozen remains of a woolly mammoth. The study reveals fragments of the animal’s own transcripts alongside viral and microbial RNA, providing an unprecedented molecular snapshot of Ice Age biology. The work helps researchers understand how nucleic acids degrade over tens of thousands of years—and which viruses might remain chemically intact in permafrost as the climate warms. Although there is no evidence that these ancient pathogens are still infectious, the findings sharpen debates about “zombie” microbes and biosafety in thawing Arctic regions. The mammoth RNA trove also opens new possibilities for reconstructing gene regulation and disease in extinct species. (Scientific American)

Ethiopia’s First Marburg Outbreak Tests Health System in South

Ethiopia has confirmed its first-ever Marburg virus outbreak, centered around Jinka in the South Ethiopia Region. Authorities have identified 17 suspected cases and are monitoring 129 contacts, with nine infections confirmed and three deaths reported so far. Genetic analysis shows the virus strain matches those seen in earlier East African outbreaks. Marburg, a filovirus related to Ebola, causes acute fever, severe illness, and often hemorrhaging, and can kill around half of those infected, with some outbreaks far deadlier. There is still no approved vaccine, making rapid isolation, contact tracing, and infection control the main tools for containment. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised Ethiopia’s quick, transparent response as critical to preventing wider regional spread. (CIDRAP)