Cardiovascular
Two common drugs show promise against fatty liver disease
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Researchers at the University of Barcelona have discovered that combining two existing medications, pemafibrate and telmisartan, significantly reduces liver fat in animal models of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). This approach could offer a safer treatment option for the condition, which affects about one in three adults worldwide. The findings highlight the potential of drug repurposing to address a disease with limited current therapies.
New DNA-based therapy reduces cholesterol by nearly 50 percent
Researchers from the University of Barcelona and the University of Oregon have developed a DNA-based treatment that targets the PCSK9 gene to lower cholesterol levels without the side effects of statins. Using polypurine hairpins, the therapy increases cholesterol uptake by cells and reduces artery-clogging lipids in animal models. The findings, published in Biochemical Pharmacology, suggest a safer alternative for preventing cardiovascular diseases.