Heat-shock protein 90 (HSP90) is known to be a key member of the epichaperome complex that is involved in the maintenance of protein homeostasis during stressful and nonstress conditions, and known to be overexpressed in glioma tumors, conferring cancer cells survival and resistance to therapy. In this study, researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center investigated the activity and toxicity profile of MPT-0B640, an HSP90 inhibitor, for treating gliomas and its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) using glioma stem-like cell (GSC) lines.
Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a disease affecting the bile ducts that can lead to end-stage liver disease and cholangiocarcinoma. Patients with this disease lack therapeutic treatment other than liver transplantation.
Animal models recapitulating the immune features of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) are very limited. An Osaka University research team has developed a novel murine model of CHB and tested the efficacy and immunomodulating effects of interferon-α (IFN-α) therapy.
Researchers from Gilead Sciences Inc. presented preclinical data for the hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine candidates GS-2829 and GS-6779. Conservation analysis and functional immunogenicity screening were applied to identify optimized anti-hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg).
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is the second most common primary cancer of the liver with a median survival of 25 months. Therapeutic options for CCA are limited and the discovery of new therapeutic approaches is crucial for CCA management.
Scientists from Orsobio Inc. and affiliated organizations have described preclinical data for the novel liver-targeted mitochondrial protonophore TLC-6740, being developed for the treatment of metabolic disease. In vitro, mild mitochondrial uncoupling caused by TLC-6740 had pleotropic metabolic benefits in multiple cell lines. TLC-6740 increased mitochondrial potential, oxygen consumption rate and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle flux, and it also inhibited de novo lipogenesis with EC50 values of 6.9 µM.
Noncoding RNAs, such as long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), are important regulators and markers of cardiovascular diseases. Saphenous veins are frequently used in coronary artery bypass surgery, but about 50% of the saphenous vein grafts fail in the first 10 years after surgery due to neointima formation.
Researchers from Shasqi Inc. have reported the development of a new monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE)-based therapeutic, SQ-2270, within its proprietary CAPAC (Click Activated Protodrugs Against Cancer) platform for the treatment of cancer.
Researchers from Cerevel Therapeutics LLC presented data from a study that aimed to evaluate preclinical antipsychotic properties of M4 agonism while minimizing off-target side effects using novel muscarinic acetylcholine M4 receptor full and partial agonists, CV-0000042 (CVL-042) and CV-0000071, respectively.