In-utero stem cells for spina bifida & New cancer immunotherapy for solid tumors - News (Feb 27, 2026)

Today's topics: In-utero stem cells for spina bifida - A first-of-its-kind fetal surgery trial used placenta-derived stem cells for myelomeningocele, reporting no major complications and reversal of hindbrain herniation; published in The Lancet (2026). New cancer immunotherapy for solid tumors - Yale researchers boosted CAR-NK cells with the OR7A10 gene, improving tumor infiltration and reducing exhaustion in mouse models of breast, colon, and ovarian cancer; Nature study points toward off-the-shelf immunotherapy. Kenya rolls out twice-yearly HIV prevention - Kenya began offering free lenacapavir (LEN) PrEP injections that protect for six months, targeting high-risk groups including youth and pregnant or breastfeeding mothers, with side-effect monitoring and phased county rollout. HIV vaccine trial rebooted in Cape Town - South Africa’s BRILLIANT 011 Phase 1 HIV vaccine trial restarted after major funding cuts, testing two immunogens plus adjuvant to spark broadly neutralising antibody precursor cells using leukapheresis, sequencing, and flow cytometry. Single-dose pill for sleeping sickness - European regulators backed Sanofi’s acoziborole—three pills taken once—for sleeping sickness, potentially removing the need for spinal taps and long hospital stays; DNDi and WHO partners aim to accelerate elimination in Congo and beyond. Pentagon pressures Anthropic over Claude - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly told Anthropic to remove restrictions on military use of Claude or lose its contract, raising unprecedented questions about the Defense Production Act, AI safeguards, and supply-chain risk labeling. Iran-US nuclear talks in Geneva - The U.S. and Iran held a third round of indirect nuclear talks via Oman, as U.S. forces mass in the region and Tehran insists on enrichment rights; sanctions relief and IAEA access remain central sticking points. Pakistan-Afghanistan clashes escalate sharply - Pakistan and Afghanistan traded airstrikes and cross-border attacks, with Islamabad citing TTP militancy and Kabul alleging civilian casualties; the Durand Line dispute and deportation tensions deepen the crisis. India steps into global 6G standards - India says it has joined 6G standard-setting through ITU and 3GPP for the first time, pushing ‘Ubiquitous Connectivity,’ building research corridors, and targeting 10% of global 6G patents alongside new anti-fraud SIM rules. Social media addiction lawsuit goes to trial - In Los Angeles, a lead plaintiff testified that YouTube and Instagram features like autoplay and infinite scroll fueled addiction and mental-health harm, kicking off the first bellwether trial in litigation involving 1,600+ plaintiffs. https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20260227-kenya-to-offer-patients-free-six-month-hiv-breakthrough-prevention-jab https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00602-z?error=cookies_not_supported&code=603b4331-e074-4362-bbd4-5044231d94b7 https://news.yale.edu/2026/02/25/cracking-holy-grail-challenge-cancer-cell-therapy https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-war-geneva-talks-nuclear-c1eb17f570b059f34071937c3f310fb6 https://apnews.com/article/sleeping-sickness-sanofi-9dfce81e3cf101e04bbfc56a9736cc0e https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-military-ai-hegseth-department-of-defense-f05674f7195051ab843e5087d12c8cf8 https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/latest-fighting-afghanistan-pakistan-130558888 https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/policy/india-on-global-6g-standard-setting-table-for-the-first-time-jyotiraditya-scindia/128844107 https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-02-27-meet-the-sa-scientists-who-are-refusing-to-let-hiv-vaccine-research-stall/ https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/feb/26/us-trial-social-media-addiction