The Pituitary World News Podcast

S12E8: Inside the PWN Books Series

In today’s LIVE-TALK podcast, we chat about our recently published series of books.  We highlight Dr. Blevins’ prolific writing output in the PWN self-published book series, with five titles on pituitary adenomas, diabetes insipidus, Cushing’s, hypopituitarism, and pituitary disorders; a TSH-producing tumor book (in editing); a prolactinoma volume heading to the publisher; and an acromegaly book planned.

S12E7: After 36 Years a Breakthrough for Hypothalamic Obesity

Our live talk sessions of the pituitary and adrenal podcasts continue with this extremely informational conversation on hypothalamic obesity.  If you are interested in learning more about his devastating disorder, please listen to Dr. Blevins as he shares his insights and extensive expertise on its causes, new treatments, and latest developments.   He explains the underlying biology: fat cells produce leptin, which signals the hypothalamus to regulate appetite, metabolic rate, and activity level. When the hypothalamus is damaged, that signal fails, and patients feel constantly starving, their metabolism slows, activity drops, and severe weight gain follows.

S12E6: A spontaneous, candid exploration of health insurance issues, and what can we do about it

In today's podcast, Dr. Blevins and I discuss the health insurance landscape as it relates to medication, tests, and procedure approvals and denials. Dr. Blevins gives us an unfiltered look at what it is like to deal with these challenges and their effects on the practice of medicine and medical decision-making. Don't miss this segment and stay tuned for more of these insightful, genuine, and unguarded discussions from one of the most prolific and experienced teams in a leading neuroendocrine practice in the world.  If you'd like to send your thoughts and comments please click on this link

 

S12E5: Acromegaly up close: struggles, awareness, and why early diagnosis matters

In today’s podcast, we’ll dive into the personal journeys of two very interesting and accomplished people who have dealt with this disease and will share their experiences, and importantly, their opinions, shedding light on symptoms, diagnosis, the struggles and frustrations, and the importance of awareness to affect early diagnosis and to manage the condition effectively.

 

I’m delighted to welcome Jonathan Kahan and Darro Chea and bring you this engaging, insightful conversation.  Acromegaly is a complex condition that requires knowledge and understanding. I am very thankful to both Jonathan and Darro for sharing their stories and helping in our mission to help and educate.

S12E4: The science behind three-month Octreotide formulation

In today's podcast, we talk to Anne Vaslin Chessex,  Global Program Leader at  Debiopharm International. In this dynamic chat, we explore Debiopharm's innovative three-month formulation of Octreotide for acromegaly, highlighting the science, clinical trials, and patient benefits. Gain insights into drug development, patient-centered approaches, future treatment options, and learn how to participate in the clinical trial. Dr. Vaslin Chessex has a PhD in Neurosciences and currently oversees the global strategy for drug development programs in rare diseases.  This is a fascinating talk about the science and expertise behind long-acting formulations, patient needs in acromegaly, treatment challenges, and the specifics on the clinical trial design, sites, and recruitment.

S12E3: Closing the Gap: Dr. Francesca Galbiati on Diagnosis, AI, and the Promise of Better Care

Today we welcome to our podcasts Dr. Francesca Galbiati who recently joined the California Center for Pituitary Disorders at UCSF, where she cares for patients with pituitary tumors, acromegaly, Cushing's disease, and related hypothalamic conditions. She is originally from northern Italy and the first in her family to attend college, her path into medicine was driven by a love of science, a desire to work with people, and a passion for understanding how the human body works.  We had a delightful, candid discussion about delays in diagnosis , noting that pituitary disease remains underrepresented in medical education and that primary care physicians often miss early signs.  Among other subjects, we talked abut the promise of AI to aid in early diagnosis, and talked about the new emerging therapies and neuroimaging techniques 

S12E2: Behind the scenes with Crinetics cofounders Drs. Scott Struthers and Stephen Betz.

In today's podcast, Crinetics co-founders Dr. Scott Struthers and Dr. Steve Betz share their views and experiences in drug discovery and development, revealing what it really takes to bring a new medication from concept to patients. We discuss their recently approved drug for acromegaly, Paltusotine (Palsonify™), along with their pipeline plans for Cushing's disease and congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) Atumelnant. Palsonify™ represents the first drug developed and marketed by Crinetics—a significant milestone for the company. This rare, candid look inside a complex industry offers insights you won't want to miss. Drs. Struthers and Betz are both frequent guests on the Pituitary World News podcast.

S12E1: Inside Camurus: Dr. Markus Johnsson talks about FluidCrystal® technology and next-generation treatment Innovations

In the latest episode of the Pituitary World News podcast, Jorge D. Faccinetti sits down with Dr. Markus Johnsson, Senior VP of R&D at Camurus, to explore the fascinating world of FluidCrystal® technology. This innovative approach promises to revolutionize the way we think about drug delivery, providing long-lasting solutions for chronic diseases particularly for people with acromegaly. Markus shares insights into the development process, the importance of patient feedback, and the future of drug delivery systems. The discussion highlights the significance of sustained release medications and the convenience of self-administration for patients.  Click on the link to learn more about  FluidCrystal®.

S11E12: Un programa de Inteligencia Artificial para la diagnosis precoz de la Acromegalia

En el podcast de hoy hablamos con el Dr. Manel Puig Domingo sobre un estudio innovador que él encabezó y que se describe en un artículo reciente publicado en la revista PITUITARY. El artículo plantea la posibilidad de que los algoritmos de IA y el aprendizaje automático podrían proporcionar un enfoque revolucionario para el diagnóstico temprano de esta enfermedad compleja, cuyo diagnóstico actualmente tarda un promedio de 6 a 10 años. El artículo describe un sistema de reconocimiento facial impulsado por IA, AcroFace, que podría detectar la acromegalia mediante el análisis de fotografías faciales. Estos hallazgos preliminares presentan un sistema con un 93% de precisión. Si la investigación avanza y el programa se valida e implementa, promete ahorrar años de enfermedad no detectada. Sin duda prevendrá el desarrollo de complicaciones de condiciones relacionadas, transformará la acromegalia de una enfermedad incapacitante diagnosticada tardíamente a una condición detectada tempranamente y más manejable sin las molestas comorbilidades, y servirá como modelo para otras enfermedades raras con características faciales.

S11E11: Game Changers: An AI Facial Recognition System that detects acromegaly 10 years before diagnosis

In today's podcast we talk with Dr. Manel Puig Domingo about an innovative study he spearheaded and outlined in a recent paper published in the journal PITUITARY.  The paper raises the possibility that AI algorithms and machine learning could provide a game-changing approach to the early diagnosis of this complex disease, which now takes an average of 6 to 10 years to diagnose. The paper outlines an AI-driven facial recognition system, AcroFace, that could detect acromegaly by analyzing facial photographs.   These early findings present a system that is 93% accurate.  If further research goes forward and the program is validated and deployed, it promises to save years of undetected disease. It will undoubtedly prevent the development of complications from related conditions, transform acromegaly from a late-diagnosed crippling disease to an early-detected, more manageable condition without the pesky comorbidities, and serve as a model for other rare diseases with facial features.