In infectious disease research, most of the research into genetic determinants of susceptibility to infection and disease severity are focused on the host. For COVID-19, for example, the delta variant’s infectivity, and how likely infection is to lead to severe disease, is the focus of an intense research agenda. But host genetics, too, contribute to the consequences of infections. An ongoing study into the host genetics of SARS-CoV-2 infection has identified 13 such factors that affected either the likelihood of contracting SARS-CoV-2, or the severity of disease, gleaned from the data of 50,000 infected persons and 2 million controls.
Fresh from showcasing preliminary evidence for the tolerability and potential benefits of LVGN-6051 at ASCO’s annual meeting in June, Lyvgen Biopharma Holdings Co. Ltd. is gearing up to move its CD40 agonist LVGN-7409 to clinical trials in China after initial U.S. patient dosing.
All the primary endpoints were met in Hepion Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s phase IIa trial of CRV-431 for treating nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The market, however, wasn’t celebrating as the Edison, N.J.-based company’s stock (NASDAQ:HEPA) sagged 15.27% on July 13 to close at $1.72 per share.
Safety will be the focus July 15 when the FDA’s Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee dives into the data for Fibrogen Inc.’s roxadustat as a treatment for anemia due to chronic kidney disease.
Europe’s clinical trial registry is a mess with patchy and incomplete data, according to a scathing review of the system from researchers based at the U.K.’s University of Oxford, who hope that a revamp at the end of the year could improve matters.
Diagnostics startup Geneoscopy Inc. has enrolled the first patients its pivotal CRC-PREVENT clinical trial. The interventional study will assess the safety and efficacy of the company’s noninvasive, at-home, multifactor RNA screening test for the prevention of colorectal cancer.
Looking to increase adoption among more tobacco users, Carrot Inc. expanded the indications for use of its smoking cessation breathalyzer with a new FDA 510(k) clearance to include the claims related to a recent study in the labeling and promotion of the sensor. The clinical trial demonstrated the Bluetooth-enabled sensor’s ability to increase a person’s motivation to quit.
DUBLIN – Inotrem SA has received €45 million (US$53 million) in public funding commitments to move its Trem-1 inhibitor, nangibotide, into a phase II/III trial in COVID-19 patients who are critically ill and on ventilation.
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