Sanofi successfully prices euro 1.5 billion bond issue

Paris: Sanofi has successfully priced its offering of euro 1.5 billion of notes across 2 tranches:

  • €750 million fixed-rate notes, due June 2029, bearing interest at an annual rate of 2.625%.
  • €750 million fixed-rate notes, due June 2032, bearing interest at an annual rate of 3.000%.

The notes are being issued off the company’s Euro Medium Term Note Programme.

Sanofi intends to use the net proceeds of the offering for general corporate purposes.

The transaction has been led by Citigroup and RBC Capital Markets as Global Coordinators, and Credit Agricole CIB, HSBC and Societe Generale, all as Joint Lead Managers.

Read also: CDSCO Panel Clears Sanofi’s Updated Myozyme Insert, Seeks Revision on Administration Guidance

In the second week of June, Sanofi announced that results from the DISCOVER phase 4, single-arm, open-label study assessing Dupixent (dupilumab) in adults and adolescents with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis with skin of color, were shared in an oral presentation at the 2025 Revolutionizing Atopic Dermatitis (RAD) Conference. These are the first clinical study results for Dupixent in a large population of patients with darker skin tones. The results, along with the Dupixent phase 3 studies, demonstrated patients taking Dupixent experienced improvements in signs and symptoms of atopic dermatitis from baseline across many skin tones. The safety results in the DISCOVER study were generally consistent with the known safety profile of Dupixent in its approved dermatological indications.

Read also: Sanofi-Regeneron Dupixent data reinforce use in atopic dermatitis patients with skin of color

Sanofi is a French multinational pharmaceutical and healthcare company based in Paris. Founded in 1973, it merged with Synthélabo in 1999 to become Sanofi-Synthélabo, and later merged with Aventis in 2004 and renamed to Sanofi-Aventis, which were each the product of several previous mergers. In May 2011, the company changed its name back to Sanofi. An R&D driven, AI-powered biopharma company listed on EURONEXT: SAN and NASDAQ: SNY.

Read also: Sanofi-Regeneron Dupixent data reinforce use in atopic dermatitis patients with skin of color

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Clinical trial for teens shows improved health outcomes for type 1 diabetes

A clinical trial involving adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) has found a combination therapy may reduce chronic kidney disease and improve health outcomes. The findings could help guide more precision care for young people with T1D.

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LG Orders Dissolution of Delhi Medical Council

New Delhi: Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has given his approval for the proposal to dissolve the Delhi Medical Council.

L-G Saxena on Tuesday ordered the dissolution of the Council over alleged irregularities, PTI has reported. He has also directed the Health Department to initiate the process for the reconstitution of the medical council and to ensure that the entire process is completed within two months.

The Delhi Medical Council is an autonomous statutory body enacted under the Delhi Medical Council Act 1997 to regulate the practice of the modern system of medicine in Delhi. DMC also ensures that private doctors in the city are following ethical practices.

It is the only statutory body in Delhi to handle complaints of medical negligence and professional misconduct in Delhi. The council comprises 25 members, including eight elected by around 100,000 registered allopathic doctors in the city, one by the 20,000-member Delhi Medical Association, 10 by medical college faculties, four government nominees, and two former officials.

Also Read: Delhi Health Minister Approves Medical Council Dissolution, DGHS to Handle Doctor Registrations, Council Functions

Earlier, the Delhi Health Department had sent a proposal to L-G Saxena seeking control over the body under Section 29 of the DMC Act, 1997. The proposal recommended the dissolution of the council for a specified period.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Delhi Government had sent the proposal amid allegations of mismanagement and irregularities in the functioning of the Council. Meanwhile, the Delhi Health Department tasked the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) to oversee the functions of the Council until a new body is formed.

PTI has reported that the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi has now approved the proposal. In the note to the Health Department, Saxena noted that the Delhi Medical Council had unilaterally extended the retirement age of the Registrar from 60 years to 65 years without government approval and further extended his term by one year from December 1, 2024.

The Delhi Medical Council, while responding to a showcause notice issued in February this year, said the concerned official had resigned with immediate effect but did not share further details, the LG note said.

Saxena noted that the council “exceeded” and “abused” the powers granted to it by the Delhi Medical Council Act, 1997. He concurred with the proposal of the Health Department for the dissolution of the Delhi Medical Council.

Indian Express has reported the L-G mentioned in the order, “Accordingly, I concur with the proposal of the Health Department for dissolution of Delhi Medical Council as approved by the Hon’ble Chief Minister.”

He also directed that two ex-officio members of the Delhi Medical Council may continue in the Council, and DGHS may be assigned the responsibilities of Registrar for the intervening period.

Also Read: Administrative Chaos at Delhi Medical Council: CM Urged to Nominate Govt Representatives at Earliest

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Tragic: 2 more young doctors killed in Ahmedabad plane crash

Ahmedabad: In a heartbreaking incident, two more young and aspiring doctors lost their lives in the tragic Air India plane crash that struck the hostel mess building of BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad last week.  

The deceased have been identified as Dr Bhavesh Senta, an intern from the 2019 batch of Government Medical College, Surat, and Dr Taskin Inayatali Saiyed from the 2018 MBBS batch of NHL Medical College, Ahmedabad.

While rumours suggest that the doctors were present at the BJ Medical College mess building when the incident occurred, it remains unclear whether they were passengers on AI 171 or had visited the premises for another reason.

Also read- After beating cancer, Surat doctor and Pathologist wife killed in Air India Tragedy

Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association Junior Doctors’ Network (IMA JDN) shared the heartbreaking news on ‘X’, offering their condolences and mourning the loss.

“Their untimely demise is a heartbreaking reminder of how deeply this tragedy has impacted our medical fraternity. IMA JDN stand in solidarity with her family, friends, and colleagues in this moment of grief,” the association said. 

A prayer meeting was held on Tuesday at 5 pm at the Ahmedabad Medical Association (AMA) on Ashram Road, organised in collaboration with the AMA. Officials and members of the medical community from Ahmedabad and across Gujarat gathered to pay their respects to the doctors and medical students who lost their lives in the plane crash.

Medical Dialogues recently reported that four MBBS students unfortunately lost their lives, and 20 students sustained serious injuries after the London-bound Air India plane crashed into the mess building of the BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon.

According to a press note issued by the Junior Doctors’ Association (JDA) of BJ Medical College, out of the 20 injured students, 11 have already been discharged from the hospital and are in stable condition.

The crash also impacted the families of doctors living in the Atulyam building, which houses Super Speciality doctors. Four family members have tragically died. Additionally, the wife of a resident doctor from the Super Speciality department has been injured and is under treatment.

The tragedy unfolded just 32 seconds after the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner took off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:38 PM. Eyewitnesses and video footage show the aircraft failing to gain lift before plunging into the BJ Medical College Hostel and bursting into flames. Before the incident, the pilots had sent a Mayday call shortly after take-off, but it was too late.

Also read- 4 MBBS students died, 20 injured: BJ Medical College Ahmedabad doctors issue statement

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Progression of Cardio-Kidney-Metabolic Syndrome Tied to Increased Cognitive Impairment Risk: CHARLS Study

China: A recent study published in Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome sheds new light on the strong connection between cardio-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome and the development of cognitive impairment. Conducted by Yuanyue Zhu and colleagues from the Medical Center on Aging at Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, the research explored how different stages and progression patterns of CKM syndrome affect cognitive function over time. 

CKM syndrome represents a broad cluster of interconnected health conditions, including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease. While the link between these individual conditions and cognitive decline has been previously recognized, the cumulative impact of CKM syndrome as a whole on cognitive outcomes remained uncertain.

The team conducted a longitudinal observational study using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), spanning the period from 2011 to 2018. A total of 8,833 participants were assessed to examine the relationship between baseline CKM stages and cognitive impairment. An additional subset of 4,230 individuals was analyzed to evaluate how changes in the CKM stage over time (classified as improved, stable, or progressed) influenced cognitive outcomes.

Participants’ CKM status was categorized into five progressive stages based on American Heart Association criteria. The study employed logistic regression models to assess the risks associated with each stage and the transitions between stages.

The following were the key findings of the study:

  • Individuals with higher baseline CKM stages had significantly greater odds of developing cognitive impairment.
  • Compared to those with no CKM syndrome (stage 0), the adjusted odds ratios for cognitive impairment were 1.74 for stage 1, 2.05 for stage 2, 2.09 for stage 3, and 3.91 for stage 4.
  • The increased risk of cognitive impairment was especially notable among men and older adults.
  • Participants whose CKM stage worsened over time faced a 61% higher risk of cognitive impairment (aOR 1.61).
  • Participants who showed improvements in CKM status exhibited a positive trend toward reduced cognitive risk (aOR 0.44), although this finding was not statistically definitive.

These findings highlight the crucial role of both early detection and proactive management of CKM syndrome in preserving cognitive health. The study authors emphasized that progression to advanced CKM stages is closely tied to cognitive decline and that reversing or stabilizing CKM status may help mitigate this risk.

The authors concluded, “The study highlights the need for clinicians to monitor and address CKM syndrome comprehensively—not only to prevent cardiovascular or kidney complications but also to safeguard cognitive function in aging populations.”

Reference:

Zhu, Y., Wang, X., Wang, K. et al. Association between baseline cardio-kidney-metabolic syndrome, its transition and cognitive impairment: result from CHARLS study. Diabetol Metab Syndr 17, 211 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13098-025-01779-5

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Ciliary dysfunction linked to bronchopulmonary dysplasia severity, suggests research

Premature infants are at risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, or BPD, a type of lung injury associated with increased mortality. Now a new study published at the ATS 2025 International Conference shows that ciliary dynamics may play a role in the pathophysiology of this disease.

Researchers found that infants with more severe BPD showed signs of ciliary dysfunction that were not present in those with moderate disease. It’s the first study to examine the link between BPD and cilia, tiny hairlike structures that help clear the airways of mucus and pathogens.

“Ciliary dynamics have never really been studied before in BPD, and we found they can have a significant impact on the pathophysiology,” said first author Daniel A. Yassa, MD, a pediatric pulmonologist at UT Health Houston.

BPD is a type of chronic lung injury that can occur in premature infants as a result of barotrauma and oxygen injury. Existing therapies focus on protecting the functional tissues of the lungs, airway management, and managing vascular complications. However, the impact of ciliary function and the ability of cilia to clear mucus hasn’t been understood.

Cilia work by “beating,” or moving in coordinated pulses to propel mucus out of the body. Dysfunctional mucociliary clearance is known to be linked to recurrent infections and progressive lung damage, Dr. Yassa noted.

For the new, retrospective study, researchers used high-speed video microscopy to observe nasal samples from nine infants with BPD, analyzing four recordings for each patient. The team found a distinct reduction in the angle and amplitude of cilia beats in patients with severe BPD, compared to those with more moderate disease.

The findings provide new insights into the mechanisms that influence BPD severity and point to a potential role of mucociliary clearance in the development of the disease, Dr. Yassa said.

“This potentially allows us to have a better understanding of the disease process, which can affect all aspects of clinical care,” he said. The findings could potentially point to new therapeutic targets, help classify BPD diagnoses, or lead to other advances in managing BPD.

Next, the researchers hope to continue with follow-up studies.

“Future research with larger cohorts and advanced imaging modalities is warranted to further elucidate the implications of ciliary dynamics and physical properties on clinical outcomes in patients with BPD,” he added.

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Cannabis use linked to doubling in risk of cardiovascular disease death

Cannabis use is linked to a doubling in the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, with significantly heightened risks of having a stroke or acute coronary syndrome-sudden reduced or blocked blood flow to the heart-finds a pooled analysis of real world data, published online in the journal Heart.

The authors of a linked editorial call for the drug to be treated like tobacco-not criminalised, but actively discouraged, with protection of bystanders from secondhand vapour inhalation.

The use of cannabis and cannabinoids has soared over the past decade, note the researchers. Legalising cannabis in certain jurisdictions and expanding its use for medicinal purposes has probably changed people’s risk perceptions of the drug and helped drive its growing popularity, they suggest.

While previously published studies have linked cannabis use to cardiovascular problems, the magnitude of the risk hasn’t been clear. This is an important gap in light of the recent major changes in consumption and the increased potency of the drug, they add.

To strengthen the evidence base, therefore, the researchers scoured research databases looking for large observational studies, published between January 2016 and December 2023, which explored cannabis use and serious cardiovascular outcomes: cardiovascular disease death; and non-fatal acute coronary syndrome to include heart attack and stroke.

From an initial haul of 3012 articles, 24, involving around 200 million people, were included in a pooled data analysis of the results: 17 cross-sectional studies, 6 cohort studies, and 1 case-control study.

Study participants were mostly aged between 19 and 59. And in those studies where sex was recorded, cannabis users tended to be mostly male and younger than non-users.

The analysis revealed heightened risks for cannabis use: 29% higher for acute coronary syndrome; 20% higher for stroke; and a doubling in the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.

The researchers acknowledge that there was a moderate to high risk of bias in most of the included studies, largely because of lack of information on missing data and imprecise measures of cannabis exposure. And most of the included studies were observational, precluding the ability to draw causal inferences from the data. Several used the same data.

Notwithstanding these caveats, the researchers say that theirs is an exhaustive analysis of published data on the potential association between cannabis use and major cardiovascular disease and provides new insights from real-world data.

In a linked editorial, Emeritus Professor Stanton Glantz of the University of California at San Francisco and Dr Lynn Silver of the Public Health Institute, Oakland, California, and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California at San Francisco, say the study “raises serious questions about the assumption that cannabis imposes little cardiovascular risk.”

More research is clearly needed to clarify whether cardiovascular risks are limited to inhaled products or extend to other forms of cannabis exposure, they suggest. Cannabis is now generally more potent and has diversified into a wide array of inhaled high potency cannabis concentrates, synthetic psychoactive cannabinoids, and edibles, they point out.

“How these changes affect cardiovascular risk requires clarification, as does the proportion of risk attributable to cannabinoids themselves versus particulate matter, terpenes or other components of the exposure,” they say.

They conclude: “Cannabis needs to be incorporated into the framework for prevention of clinical cardiovascular disease. So too must cardiovascular disease prevention be incorporated into the regulation of cannabis markets. Effective product warnings and education on risks must be developed, required, and implemented.

“Cardiovascular and other health risks must be considered in the regulation of allowable product and marketing design as the evidence base grows. Today that regulation is focused on establishing the legal market with woeful neglect of minimising health risks.

“Specifically, cannabis should be treated like tobacco: not criminalised, but discouraged, with protection of bystanders from secondhand exposure.”

Reference:

Storck W, Elbaz M, Vindis C, et alCardiovascular risk associated with the use of cannabis and cannabinoids: a systematic review and meta-analysisHeart Published Online First: 17 June 2025. doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2024-325429

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Flecainide and Digoxin combo Significantly Improves Fetal Tachycardia Treatment Outcomes: Study

A new study published in the journal of Heart Rhythm showed that digoxin monotherapy was effective in only 32% of fetal tachycardia cases, while the addition of flecainide increased the response rate to 93%. Though side effects were more common with combination therapy, they were manageable through dose adjustments. Maternal digoxin levels remained stable throughout pregnancy

When fetal sustained fetal supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) occurs without hydrops, digoxin monotherapy is often started. If hydrops develops or digoxin monotherapy is unable to achieve conversion, flecainide is added. Transplacental antiarrhythmic treatment is necessary for persistent fetal tachycardia. The relationship between dosage, concentration, and effect, as well as the safety of the mother, fetus, and baby, is poorly understood. This study assessed maternal and umbilical cord concentrations, side effects, and the association between the maternal dosage of digoxin and flecainide treatment for fetal tachycardia.

A total of 28 pregnant women who were first treated with digoxin monotherapy for fetal tachycardia between June 2007 and January 2023 were included in this retrospective case series. The relationship between maternal medication exposure, effect, and side effects was the primary goal.

9 (32%) fetuses had sinus rhythm conversion by oral digoxin monotherapy after a median of 4.5 days (IQR 3-6.5). The total conversion rate was 93% (26/28), with 18 fetuses requiring extra oral flecainide (300 mg daily). Regardless of gestational age, maternal digoxin concentrations were identical for responders and non-responders with equal initial digoxin dosages (p=0.504). Doses were lowered due to side effects, mostly nausea, but the treatment was still successful.

Throughout pregnancy, maternal digoxin levels were consistent, and there was minimal variation across patients. Exposure to flecainide differed across and between subjects. Both the monotherapy (n=3) and combination (n=9) treatment groups had comparable median fetus/mother digoxin ratios (0.51 (IQR 0.28-0.76) vs. 0.45 (IQR 0.39-0.64), p=0.864). The median flecainide ratio between the mother and fetus was 0.82 (IQR 0.69-1.29).

Overall, important new information on the pharmacological therapy of fetal tachycardia has been added by the current study, which involved a bigger patient cohort. Digoxin and flecainide together are more effective than digoxin alone, but they also cause greater adverse effects, according to one study.

Source:

Smeets, R. M. A., van Beynum, I. M., van Kesteren, C., Cornette, J. M. J., van der Zande, J. A., Roos-Hesselink, J. W., Beex-Oosterhuis, M. M., & Flint, R. B. (2025). The maternal exposure of digoxin and flecainide in relation to the safety and effectiveness in the treatment of non hydropic fetal tachycardia. Heart Rhythm: The Official Journal of the Heart Rhythm Society. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2025.05.039

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Individuals with cataract at increased risk of developing herpes zoster: Study

A new study published in the journal of Frontiers in Medicine showed that the individuals with cataracts were more likely to get herpes zoster when compared to people without cataracts.

Given their high frequency, related morbidity, and healthcare burden, cataracts and herpes zoster are undoubtedly common illnesses among the elderly population and pose serious global public health issues. The gradual clouding of the lens, which is linked to a reduction in visual acuity, is what defines a cataract. The most common cause of blindness and visual impairment is still cataracts. 

Herpes zoster is a serious health burden since it can produce unpleasant symptoms and therefore lower quality of life. The connection between cataract and herpes zoster is yet unknown, despite the fact that both diseases have some risk factors in common, including age and weakened immune systems. Therefore, this cohort research was to determine if Taiwanese people with cataracts are more susceptible to herpes zoster.

Over the course of 8 years (2013–2020), a cohort of people with cataracts, ages 20 to 84, was compiled using Taiwan National Health Insurance Program electronic health data. The non-cataract group was chosen from the same database of people who had attended an ophthalmology clinic but were not diagnosed with cataracts. Between the two groups, the incidence rate of herpes zoster throughout the follow-up period was computed. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to compare the two groups’ risk of herpes zoster while controlling for possible variables.

Almost, 1,299,685 people with cataracts and 1,138,887 people without cataracts were part of the cohort study. In the cataract group, about 43.9% of study participants were male, and the mean age was 64 years old. About 47.1% of research participants in the non-cataract group were male, and the mean age was 63.6 years old.

In the group with cataracts, the incidence rate of herpes zoster was 10.84 per 1,000 person-years, whereas in the group without cataracts, it was 8.64 per 1,000 person-years (incidence rate ratio = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.24–1.27, P < 0.001). When comparing those with cataracts to those without, the hazard ratio for herpes zoster was 1.22 (95% CI = 1.21–1.23, P < 0.001) after controlling for possible covariates.

Overall, these findings emphasize how crucial it is to take into account the higher risk of herpes zoster in those who have cataracts. This demographic should be vaccinated against herpes zoster as part of public health programs. Since there are not any directly comparable studies, this research recommend more study to determine whether there is a direct link or just a coincidental association between cataract and herpes zoster.

Reference:

Lai, S.-W., Kuo, Y.-H., & Liao, K.-F. (2025). Investigating the association between cataract and the risk of herpes zoster in a cohort study. Frontiers in Medicine, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2025.1492365

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Toothbrush-shaped ultrasound allows for gum monitoring, reports research

When visiting the dentist, you might remember being poked and prodded by a thin metal instrument to check your teeth and gums. This technique, called periodontal probing, is used to look for signs of gum disease.

Now, researchers publishing in ACS Sensors report a toothbrush-shaped ultrasound transducer that can provide a less invasive screening for gum disease. In proof-of-concept demonstrations on animal tissues, the device produced measurements similar to those of a manual probe.

Gum disease is a common condition affecting tissue that surrounds and supports teeth. If left untreated, it causes the gums to pull away from the teeth, creating pockets where harmful bacteria can grow. Currently, manual periodontal probing is the standard way to check for gum disease, but the technique is uncomfortable and can miss early stages. So, Jesse Jokerst and colleagues developed a small, non-invasive ultrasound method capable of imaging teeth and gums — even hard-to-reach molars and premolars at the back of the mouth.

Ultrasounds work by sending sound waves into the body. When the sound waves encounter a structure, like gum tissue or a tooth, they are reflected and detected by a transducer. The transducer then converts the reflected sound waves into an image. Currently, most ultrasound transducers have large heads that are about the same size as a wireless earbuds case.

Although they work for larger parts of the body, these transducers cannot access smaller spaces like those in the mouth. Smaller transducers that are about half the length and width of traditional devices are available, but current models have limited image resolution because they are only able to produce and detect low frequencies. To overcome these limitations, the researchers created an even smaller toothbrush-shaped transducer that operates at a higher frequency and can produce high-quality images of teeth and gums.

To test the transducer’s accuracy, the researchers used the new instrument to measure the gum thickness and gum height of pig teeth. Then the researchers repeated the measurements using a manual metal periodontal probe. After analyzing the correlation between the two sets of measurements, the team found that the ultrasound measurements were statistically similar to those of the manual technique. The results support the reliability of the toothbrush-shaped transducer as a less invasive technique for monitoring gum health.

“We designed this tool to meet the realities of clinical dentistry — it is miniaturized, accurate and easy to use. Future work will use this device with patients to image below the gumline, where we will monitor treatments and diagnose earlier to reduce dental pain and help patients keep a healthy smile,” says Jokerst.

The authors acknowledge funding from the National Institutes of Dental and Craniofacial Research at the National Institutes of Health Office of the Director.

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