Collplant Biotechnologies Ltd. and Ramot at Tel Aviv University Ltd., the technology transfer company of Tel Aviv University and Sheba Medical Center, have entered into a license and research agreement to codevelop a gut-on-a-chip tissue model for drug discovery and high-throughput screening of drugs.
Asieris Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. has received FDA clearance of its IND for APL-1401 for the treatment of moderate to severely active ulcerative colitis.
TOTUM-448 is a unique combination of plant extracts designed to reduce hepatic steatosis, a risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes.
Olix Pharmaceuticals Inc. has obtained promising data with OLX-702-A, an investigational GalNAc-asiRNA therapeutic for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), in a nonhuman primate NASH model. Administration of OLX-702-A resulted in a significant reduction in liver fat content, measured by magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF).
High hopes rest on manipulating the gut microbiome in order to treat a multitude of disorders. Clinical validation for the idea has come from the success of fecal microbiome transplants to treat chronic Clostridium difficile infections. Such transplants are in clinical trials to treat other gastrointestinal disorders, and more targeted methods to manipulate the microbiome are being developed as well, not just for infections, but in a multitude of other indications. Targeting the gut microbiome may turn into a way to alleviate inflammatory bowel disease, food allergies, and even psychiatric conditions.
Saniona AB has completed preclinical development with SAN-903 and is ready to start the regulatory process for entering phase I trials either alone or together with a partner. SAN-903 is a novel, potential first-in-class medicine based on inhibition of the calcium-activated potassium ion channel KCa3.1.
Inipharm Inc. has divulged thiazoles/isothiazoles acting as 17-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 13 (HSD17B13) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, cirrhosis, alcoholic liver disease, drug-induced liver injury and portal hypertension.
Immunic AG has disclosed deuterated dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of Crohn's disease, influenza, lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) and cancer.