G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) is a crucial kinase that has been shown to interact with multiple signaling molecules under different pathological conditions, including fibrosis.
In August 2020, Johnson & Johnson paid $6.5 billion cash to acquire Momenta Pharmaceuticals Inc. That strengthened J&J’s immune-mediated disease portfolio and grew its interest in autoantibody-driven disease therapies by bringing nipocalimab into the fold. Now the investment is paying off with top-line results of phase II and III studies that hit their primary endpoints using the fully human glycosylated monoclonal antibody targeting the human neonatal Fc receptor. The studies were in treating generalized myasthenia gravis and in Sjögren’s disease.
Astellas Pharma Inc. and Mitobridge Inc. have synthesized stimulator of interferon genes protein (STING; TMEM173) antagonists reported to be useful for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, neurodegeneration, type I interferonopathy and Sjögren’s syndrome.
Boston Immune Technologies and Therapeutics Inc. (BITT) has been awarded funding by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support the preclinical development of BITT-101, its CD40 antagonist antibody for treating Sjögren’s syndrome. The award will help support steps toward an IND filing next year.
Boston Immune Technologies and Therapeutics Inc. (BITT) has announced progress using its Domab platform. Two Domab CD40 antagonists, BITT-CD4D11 and BITT-CD4F10, have completed discovery and optimization and a final candidate is being selected for IND-enabling steps.
Following a research program to identify inhibitors of protein kinases TBK1 and IKK-ε, Domainex Ltd. has nominated DMXD-011 as a preclinical drug candidate.
