Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 4 (IRAK4) plays a critical role in innate immunity by acting both as a scaffolding protein and a protein kinase, and its overactivation correlates with several autoimmune disorders.
The U.S. Recover program, set up in July 2022 to identify the causes of long COVID, find biomarkers of disease and discover new therapeutic targets, is now preparing to move to its next phase and begin testing potential treatments in a multi-arm, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. But with 200 different symptoms, and limited understanding of relevant system-level pathological targets, there are significant hurdles to be overcome.
The U.S. Recover program, set up in July 2022 to identify the causes of long COVID, find biomarkers of disease and discover new therapeutic targets, is now preparing to move to its next phase and begin testing potential treatments in a multi-arm, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. But with 200 different symptoms, and limited understanding of relevant system-level pathological targets, there are significant hurdles to be overcome.
Immunomolecular Therapeutics Inc. has described compounds targeting HLA-DQ2 reported to be useful for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, myasthenia gravis, Stiff-man syndrome, Addison and celiac diseases.
UCB SA has identified imidazotriazine derivatives acting as IL-17 modulators reported to be useful for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders.
NMD Pharma A/S has announced top-line results showing its orally available ion channel inhibitor, NMD-670, has a positive clinical impact in myasthenia gravis (MG), with patients having stronger hand grip and improvements in quantitative MG scores.
Structure-guided design for carbazole antagonists of Toll-like receptors 7 and 8 (TLR7/8) for the potential treatment of autoimmune disorders was reported by Bristol Myers Squibb Co. TLR activation can induce proinflammatory pathway activation, which has been identified in patients with lupus.
In May, Sidekick Health AB revealed an expanded partnership with New York-based Pfizer Inc. for autoimmune-related conditions. Now, it has joined forces with Eli Lilly and Co. to help patients battling breast cancer with its gamified platform. The companies plan to introduce the integrated digital therapeutic starting in July with the roll out beginning in Germany.
It’s no mystery why Scipher Medicine Corp. successfully raised $110 million in a series D financing round to further develop the company’s precision medicine platform. The company aims to address one of most modern medicine’s most challenging enigmas: how to eliminate the cost and adverse effects associated with the prescription of expensive medications that provide life-changing outcomes for some and no benefit for others. The new funds boost Scipher’s total funding to $227 million, of which $192 million has come into the Waltham, Mass.-based company’s coffers in the last 12 months.
Antibodies to the EBNA1 protein of Epstein-Barr virus can cross-react with glial cell adhesion molecule (GlialCAM), a component of the myelin sheath. The findings are the first to report a mechanism for how viral infections can cause autoimmune disorders.
