New and Emerging Treatments in Canada: What to Expect

Human beings are constantly pushing the boundaries of science to be able to deliver life-altering medicine and therapies that will have the fastest and most impactful effect on diseases that we want to treat, prevent, modify and cure. The only way to create the next generation of therapeutics is by enhancing the understanding of disease biology and uncovering new ways of targeting disease drivers. This will impact the main therapy areas of immunology, metabolism, cardiovascular, renal and respiratory. New and emerging treatments in Canada will foster medical tourism within the country.

Scientists are already leveraging the rapid advancements in science and technology to create new treatment plans, such as cell-based therapy, antibody therapy and nucleotide-based therapies for disease mechanisms that were previously considered difficult, if not impossible, to successfully target. Scientists are also working on integrating knowledge of drug candidates and their interaction with their target, the pathophysiology of the infection or disease and the delivery system to properly design advanced delivery technology. 

What are Some of the New and Emerging Treatments in Canada and the World

Each breakthrough, innovation or information brings closer the creation of better, more advanced and more effective treatments for patients. Meditour agencies or medical travel agencies can offer overseas medical treatment for patients who do not have access to some of these innovative medical interventions. This can be considered as a form of health tourism or medical tourism. Some of the top medical innovations that are eagerly anticipated include:

Novel drug used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes 

This is the weekly injectable dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide receptor agonist (GLP-1) that is aimed at controlling blood sugar levels. The drug is administered subcutaneously, inducing the release of insulin by the pancreas and blocking the hormone glucagon. This then limits the spike in blood sugar after a meal. The drug also slows digestion, making the individual feel full for a longer period and eating less. The clinical trials of the drug revealed that the treatment significantly reduces haemoglobin A1C in type 2 diabetes and supports weight loss, making it potentially the most effective therapy for diabetes and obesity.

Non-hormonal alternatives for menopause 

More than half of all menopausal women experience hot flashes, which can persist for about seven years. Hormone therapy while effective if used properly, still presents some risks and not all patients are appropriate or ready for that treatment option. However, a new group of non-hormonal drugs called NK3R agonists have emerged as a viable alternative to hormone therapy. These medications disrupt a brain signalling pathway that has been linked to the development of hot flashes. In clinical trials, they showed promise for relieving moderate to severe menopausal flashes as effectively as hormones. While the drug requires additional study to understand fully its effectiveness and safety, it is clear that the next generation of non-hormonal treatments for menopausal hot flashes will be available very soon.

Implantable for severe paralysis 

Most patients with some form of paralysis or another experience a significant decline in their overall health. A team has recently offered hope for those patients by leveraging implanted brain-computer technology to recover lost motor control and enable the patient to be able to control digital devices. The technology uses implanted electrodes to collect movement signals from the brain and then decode them into movement commands. This technology has been shown to restore voluntary motor impulses in patients with severe paralysis due to brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerve or muscle dysfunction.

Next generation of mRNA vaccinology 

Advancements in the generation, purification and cellular delivery of RNA have enabled the development of mRNA vaccines across a vast array of applications in cancer and Zika virus infection. The technology is economical, simple to manufacture relatively, and also elicits immunity in a novel way. Also, the recent COVID-19 pandemic exposed the need for a rapid development of vaccines that could be deployable globally. Due to the background work that laid the foundation for this research, an effective COVID-19 vaccine was developed, produced, approved and deployed within a year. This technology has the potential to be used to manage some of healthcare’s most challenging diseases quickly and efficiently.

New treatment for the reduction of LDL 

A major contributor to cardiovascular disease has been known to be high levels of blood cholesterol, especially low-density lipoproteins (LDL-C). Inclisarin, an injectable small interfering RNA that targets the PCSK9 protein, was reviewed by the FDA in 2019 in treating primary lipidemia in adults with elevated LDL-C while on a maximally tolerated dose of statin therapy. It requires infrequent dosing, about twice a year unlike statins, and provides effective and sustained LDL-C reduction in addition to statins. Its prolonged effects may help alleviate medication non-compliance, which is one of the leading causes of failure to lower cholesterol levels.

PSMA-targeted therapy in prostate cancer 

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men worldwide. Accurate visualization is imperative for tumour localization, staging of the disease and detecting recurrences. PSMA, an antigen found in high concentrations on the surface of prostate cancer cells, could be used as a biomarker for the disease. PSMA PET scans attach a radioactive tracer to PSMA proteins, which are then combined with CT or MRI scans to visualize the location of prostate cancer cells. The technology received FDA approval in 2020, based on phase III clinical trials which showed substantially increased accuracy for the detection of prostate cancer metastasis compared to conventional imaging with bone and CT scans. When detected early by PSMA PET scans, recurrent prostate cancer can be treated through a targeted approach with stereotactic body radiation therapy surgery or personalized systemic therapy

Predictive analytics and hypertension

Often referred to as the silent killer, hypertension or high blood pressure usually shows no symptoms while increasing the risk for serious health issues like heart disease, heart failure and stroke. While effective treatment exists, many adults remain unaware that they have hypertension until they experience a significant health crisis. Using machine learning, a type of artificial intelligence, doctors can better medication combinations, more effective medication and dosages to improve the control of hypertension. The technology will also allow doctors to focus on interventions before they occur. Predictive analytics equip providers with the key that could open the door to preventing hypertension and many other diseases.

Artificial intelligence for early detection of sepsis 

Sepsis is the severe inflammatory response to infection and a leading cause of hospitalization and death worldwide. Early detection of sepsis is critical because septic shock has a very high mortality rate. Diagnosis can be complicated because early symptoms are common across other conditions, and it has no standard diagnosis for it. Using AI algorithms, the tool detects several key risk factors in real-time by monitoring patients’ electronic medical records as physicians input the information. Flagging the high-risk patients will be beneficial in facilitating early intervention, which can improve outcomes, lower health costs, and save lives.