Researchers who follow their instincts and achieve slow results while trying to break barriers have little support. They replace it with persistence. This is the story of Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman. What was once a dream in their minds was later a success.
Researchers from Longhorn Vaccines & Diagnostics LLC recently presented preclinical data for the novel unconjugated peptide vaccine LHNVD-201, which is being developed as a universal vaccine candidate for protection against different strains of influenza and COVID-19.
Researchers who follow their instincts and achieve slow results while trying to break barriers have little support. They replace it with persistence. This is the story of Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman. What was once a dream in their minds was later a success. Their work together for decades was essential to achieving mRNA vaccines, and their perseverance was rewarded today with the 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine.
Modex Therapeutics Inc. has been awarded a contract from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to advance a platform and specific candidates designed to address a range of public health threats in viral infectious diseases.
TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) serves prominent innate immune functions via complex interactions with adaptor proteins to affect phosphorylation of NF-κB (NF-κB). TBK1 is at the nexus of multiple pathways connecting interferon pathway activation and this is ultimately beneficial or hyperinflammatory-pathological in the context of viral infections.
Westvac Biopharma Co. Ltd. has described keto amide derivatives acting as 3C-like proteinase (3CLpro; Mpro; nsp5) (SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19 virus) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19).
Researchers at Ningbo Combireg Pharmaceutical Technology Co. Ltd. and Versitech Ltd. have described benzothiazole compounds reported to be useful for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19).
Novel effective antivirals against SARS-CoV-2 are needed because of the emergence of novel variants and the potential risk of SARS-CoV-2/MERS-CoV recombination. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) is a promising antiviral target. Mpro presents a His41-Cys145 catalytic dyad in the central part of its active site, which confers a natural advantage for developing covalent drugs.
Research at Medshine Discovery Inc. has led to the development of 3C-like proteinase (3CLpro; Mpro; nsp5) (SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19 virus) inhibitors potentially useful for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19).
Instead of the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines comprising both the original and omicron BA.4/BA.5 SARS-CoV-2 strains that have been in use in the U.S. since April, the CDC’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices voted 13-1 Sept. 12 to recommend the universal use of updated monovalent XBB-containing COVID-19 vaccines as authorized or approved by the FDA.
