Dec 11, 2017

In early trial, new drug silences Huntington’s disease gene

An experimental drug could slow the spread of Huntington's disease, giving hopes to patients suffering from uncontrolled movements and mental confusion associated with the disease, reports The Guardian. An early-stage trial of the drug was conducted with 46 patients in the UK, Germany and Canada.

Why it matters: Huntington's disease is an inherited condition resulting from a genetic mutation. Current treatments can only help minimize the symptoms, instead of slowing it down.

Professor Sarah Tabriz at UK's University College of London said in a statement on Monday that the drug has lowered the level of the “toxic disease-causing protein in the nervous system, and the drug was safe and well-tolerated. The key now is to move quickly to a larger trial to test whether the drug slows disease progression.”

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Inside hackers' pivot to medical espionage

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

A wave of cyber-spying around COVID-19 medical research is once more demonstrating the perils of treating cybersecurity as a separate, walled-off realm.

Driving the news: U.S. officials recently announced an uptick in Chinese-government affiliated hackers targeting medical research and other facilities in the United States for data on a potential COVID-19 cure or effective treatments to combat the virus. Additionally, “more than a dozen countries have redeployed military and intelligence hackers to glean whatever they can about other nations’ virus responses,” reports the New York Times.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow16 mins ago - Technology

The downsides of remote work

Data: Reproduced from Prudential/Morning Consult "Pulse of the American Worker Survey"; Chart: Axios Visuals

The coronavirus pandemic has forced a large-scale experiment in working from home. It has gone well enough that many companies are expanding their remote work expectations for the foreseeable future, and remote employees want to continue to work that way.

Yes, but: The downsides of remote work — less casual interaction with colleagues, an over-reliance on Zoom, lack of in-person collaboration and longer hours — could over time diminish the short-term gains.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow32 mins ago - Economy & Business

Hong Kong's economic future hangs in the balance

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

As Beijing forces a sweeping national security law on Hong Kong, the once semi-autonomous city's status as one of Asia's largest financial hubs is at risk.

Why it matters: Political freedoms and strong rule of law helped make Hong Kong a thriving center for international banking and finance. But China's leaders may be betting that top firms in Hong Kong will trade some political freedoms for the economic prosperity Beijing can offer.

Go deeper (3 min. read)Arrow37 mins ago - Economy & Business