Medical robotics startup Noah Medical Inc. is conducting a first-in-human clinical trial to assess the safety and feasibility of its Galaxy system to improve lung cancer diagnosis. The device received U.S. FDA clearance on March 1 for use in bronchoscopic visualization and accessing patient airways for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
Precision oncology startup Prana Thoracic Inc. closed a $3 million series A financing round aimed at advancing its minimally invasive lung tissue excision device for early treatment of lung cancer. The series A funds and a prior $3 million award from the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas are earmarked for product development and to support first-in-human clinical studies.
Shanghai Huilun Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has identified thiazle derivatives acting as dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer, viral infections and autoimmune diseases.
Adlai Nortye Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has identified Wnt signaling inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer, immunological and inflammatory disorders.
Researchers from the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas aimed to identify pathways that contribute to the metabolic reprogramming ability of cancer cells upon resistance to ataxia-telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) inhibition. Metabolism-centered CRISPR screening identified Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1), which is an oxidative stress sensor that controls the Nrf2-regulated antioxidant pathway, as a key factor involved in desensitizing cancer cells to ATM inhibition.
Lift Biosciences Ltd. and Minaris Regenerative Medicine GmbH have entered into a development and manufacturing partnership for N-Lift, Lift's first-in-class neutrophil progenitor-based leukocyte infusion therapy for the treatment of various cancer indications, including pancreatic cancer, lung cancer and other solid tumors.
Lateral Pharma Pty. Ltd. has discovered peptides targeting LanC-like (LANCL) proteins reported to be useful for the treatment of diabetes, infections, inflammation, obesity, pain, metabolic, muscle and neurological disorders, among others.
Hookipa Pharma Inc. has achieved a US$10 million milestone payment under its collaboration agreement with Roche (F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.) to develop HB-700, a novel arenaviral immunotherapy for KRAS-mutated cancers.
Legochem Biosciences Inc. has entered into a license agreement with Elthera AG to develop and commercialize a novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) therapy using a monoclonal antibody developed by Elthera.