Health: Breakthroughs of hope and promise in 2025

Syllabus: GS2/ Health

Context

• As we approach 2025, groundbreaking advancements across multiple healthcare specialisations in 2024 are offering transformative possibilities and renewed hope.

Breakthroughs in Weight-Loss Treatments

• Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists have emerged as highly effective solutions for managing obesity, diabetes, and related health conditions. 
• Notable drugs such as Zepbound, Ozempic and Wegovy, have demonstrated remarkable efficacy in promoting weight loss and improving metabolic health.

Cancer: Innovations in Immunotherapy 

• CAR-T Cell Therapy: Advances in immunotherapy are redefining cancer treatment by leveraging the body’s immune system to target cancer cells.
  • India’s launch of NexCAR19, its first homegrown CAR-T therapy, represents a major breakthrough.
• Personalized Cancer Vaccines: In the UK, the Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad (CVLP) is exploring mRNA-based vaccines tailored to individual patients. 
• HPV Vaccination Campaign in India: India’s upcoming nationwide rollout of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in 2025 marks a critical step in cancer prevention. 

Alzheimer’s Disease

• Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive brain disorder that leads to memory loss and cognitive decline, affects millions globally, with around 5.3 million cases in India. 
• Leqembi (lecanemab) and Kisunla (donanemab-azbt) have been developed to clear amyloid beta plaques, believed to contribute to cognitive decline.

Gene Editing

• Gene editing has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of genetic diseases.
• In 2023, the FDA approved Casgevy and Lyfgenia, cell-based therapies for sickle cell disease (SCD) in patients aged 12 and older, offering a potential cure. 
• In 2024, Verve Therapeutics introduced VERVE-101 and VERVE-102, experimental therapies aimed at lowering cholesterol by targeting the PCSK9 gene in the liver.
• These treatments offer hope for patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) by permanently deactivating the PCSK9 gene.

Concluding remarks

• For India, the road to 2025 and beyond will require not only the adoption of these new treatments but also a concerted effort to ensure that they reach those who need them the most. 
• This includes strengthening healthcare infrastructure, expanding health insurance coverage, and investing in research to make these treatments accessible to a broader population.

Source: IE