Discovered and characterized at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the compound showed potent PDE4D inhibition and demonstrated high selectivity over other PDE families.
Scientists at Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats and Universitat de Barcelona have identified three-prime repair exonuclease 2 (TREX2) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and ichthyosis.
Enanta Pharmaceuticals Inc. has announced the expansion of its immunology portfolio with the nomination of a new development candidate and the introduction of a new discovery program.
Secretome Therapeutics Inc. has closed a $20.4 million round of financing to support its development of therapies derived from neonatal cardiac progenitor cells.
Blood dendritic cell antigen 2 (BDCA2) is expressed in plasmacytoid dendritic cells. These cells’ overproduction of type I interferon is closely linked to the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus and other autoimmune diseases.
Protagonist Therapeutics Inc. has selected PN-881, an oral peptide interleukin-17 (IL-17) antagonist, as a development candidate for the treatment of immune-mediated skin diseases.
The U.S. FDA added hidradenitis suppurativa to the label for UCB SA’s Bimzelx (bimekizumab-bkzx), throwing renewed light on the indication, a chronic disease that causes painful, boil-like lumps that appear under the skin. Regulators cleared the humanized IL-17A and IL-17F antagonist for adults with moderate to severe HS, marking the drug’s fifth approval.
Incyte Corp.’s mention of would-be “backup molecules” could bode well for findings yet to roll out with Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor X2 antagonist INCB-000262 in chronic spontaneous urticaria. Meanwhile, though, the news is not good, as Incyte said in a terse press release that it will pause enrollment in the ongoing phase II study with the drug because of in vivo preclinical toxicology findings.
IL-23 receptor antagonist icotrokinra hit co-primary phase III endpoints in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, positioning the oral peptide at the forefront of a multibillion-dollar franchise for partners Protagonist Therapeutics Inc. and Johnson and Johnson.