Pfizer Sues Novo Nordisk Over Alleged Tactics to Block Obesity Drug Competition 
Rio Tinto Signs Interim Agreement With Yinhawangka Aboriginal Group Over Pilbara Mining Operations 
Brazil Holds Selic Rate at 15% as Inflation Expectations Stay Elevated 
Novo Nordisk Appoints Greg Miley to Lead Corporate Affairs Amid U.S. Drug Pricing Pressure 
Global Markets Slide as Tech Stocks Sink, Yields Rise, and AI Concerns Deepen 
Evercore Reaffirms Alphabet’s Search Dominance as AI Competition Intensifies 
Pfizer Secures $10 Billion Deal for Obesity Drug Developer Metsera, Outbids Novo Nordisk 
Eli Lilly’s Weight-Loss Pill Nears Fast-Track FDA Approval as Profits Surge on Global Demand 
SK Hynix Considers U.S. ADR Listing to Boost Shareholder Value Amid Rising AI Chip Demand 
Hong Kong Cuts Base Rate as HKMA Follows U.S. Federal Reserve Move 
U.S. Greenlights Nvidia H200 Chip Exports to China With 25% Fee 
Bayer’s Stroke Drug Achieves Breakthrough Trial Results, Boosting Market Confidence 
Gold Prices Slip Slightly in Asia as Silver Nears Record Highs on Dovish Fed Outlook 
Trump Signs Executive Order to Establish National AI Regulation Standard 
Indonesia–U.S. Tariff Talks Near Completion as Both Sides Push for Year-End Deal 
Wall Street Futures Slip as Oracle Earnings Miss Reignites AI Spending Concerns 
Google DeepMind's AlphaMissense accurately assesses harmful genetic mutations, marking a transformative leap in rare disease research and potentially reshaping clinical practices for improved patient outcomes.
On Tuesday, researchers at Google DeepMind unveiled an innovative tool that predicts whether genetic mutations are likely to cause harm. The breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize research into rare diseases.
AlphaMissense specifically focuses on "missense" mutations, where a single letter of the genetic code is affected. These mutations, which can be harmless or lead to devastating conditions like cystic fibrosis or cancer, have been a longstanding challenge for scientists.
With over four million observed missense mutations in humans, only a mere two percent have been classified as disease-causing or benign. This leaves a staggering 71 million possible mutations yet to be classified.
This is where AlphaMissense steps in. After analyzing these mutations, the tool could predict 89 percent of them with an impressive accuracy of 90 percent.
Each mutation was assigned a score indicating its pathogenicity or likelihood of causing disease. The tool classified 57 percent as probably benign, 32 percent as probably pathogenic, and the remaining percentages fell into an uncertain category.
The groundbreaking database, along with an accompanying study published in the journal Science, is now available to scientists worldwide. Experts have praised AlphaMissense for its superior performance compared to previously available tools.
While the predictions were not intended for clinical diagnosis alone, researchers believe they could be pivotal in increasing the diagnostic rate of rare diseases and identifying new disease-causing genes. This, in turn, has the potential to pave the way for developing novel treatments.
AlphaMissense's training on the DNA of humans and closely related primates enabled it to differentiate between widespread genetic mutations and those with harmful implications. By analyzing millions of protein sequences, the tool learned to recognize regular protein sequences and accurately identify mutations and their potential for harm.
Google DeepMind's AlphaMissense tool marks another milestone in the ever-evolving field of AI and its impact on the natural sciences. Integrating AI into genetics research unlocks new possibilities and offers hope for millions of people affected by rare diseases.
Overall, this groundbreaking research fueled by AI has the potential to transform the landscape of genetic analysis, shape clinical practices, and ultimately improve patient outcomes.
Photo: Cess Idul/Unsplash
