Innate immunity specialist Calluna Pharma Inc. has raised €75 million (US$81 million) in a series A to take forward neutralizing antibodies targeted against damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) proteins that are released when cells are injured, or attacked by a pathogen.
Kymera Therapeutics Inc. has unveiled two new first-in-class oral degrader programs for immune-mediated diseases: KT-621, a STAT6 degrader, and KT-294, a TYK2 degrader.
Sudo Biosciences Inc. has closed a $116 million series B financing, with the funding raised to be used to advance two investigational TYK2 candidates into the clinic in 2024.
Nonreceptor tyrosine-protein kinase TYK2 plays key roles in the signaling of pro-inflammatory molecules such as IL-23, IL-12 or type I IFN, which at the same time play key roles in several immune-mediated diseases such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, among others.
Vyne Therapeutics Inc. has released promising new preclinical data on its oral small-molecule BD2-selective BET inhibitor, VYN-202, in preclinical models of psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis. In a well-established model, a psoriasis phenotype was induced in BALB-C mice, and treatment was administered intraperitoneally with either VYN-202, the allosteric TYK2 inhibitor Sotykto (deucravacitinib, Bristol Myers Squibb Co.) or placebo.
Qyuns Therapeutics Co. Ltd. has filed to list on the Hong Kong Exchange to fund its autoimmune and allergic disease therapy pipeline, including lead assets QX-002N for ankylosing spondylitis and QX-005N for multiple indications including atopic dermatitis.
Atomwise Inc. has nominated a development candidate focused on TYK2 inhibition, discovered by leveraging its proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) drug discovery platform, Atomnet.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder characterized by abnormal differentiation of keratinocytes and chronic inflammation where current treatments frequently are associated with severe side effects.
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor that maintains skin homeostasis in healthy skin and is expressed in keratinocytes, fibroblasts, mastocytes and melanocytes. In inflammatory skin disorders such as psoriasis, AhR deficit leads to marked skin inflammation, abnormal barrier function and increased cytokine release. Researchers from Sichuan University have reported the discovery and optimization of a new series of 2-thioxoimidazolidin-4-one derivatives acting as AhR agonists that led to the identification of [I] as the lead compound, which showed an EC50 value of 0.015 µM against AhR.
Interleukin-17A (IL-17A) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory, immune-mediated diseases such as psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and others.
