A unique characteristic of Helicobacter pylori could serve to end infections of this gastric bacterium. A group of scientists from the University of Munich have found that this pathogen has a strategic point in its mitochondrial respiratory complex I that could be targeted with inhibitors. “We did not look for respiration inhibitors in the first place,” co-senior author Wolfgang Fischer told BioWorld. “We screened libraries with a reporter assay, looking for something different, a particular protein secretion, the secretion system type (T4SS). Then, we found that a lot of compounds inhibit this process. From these compounds, we came to the point that they are actually respiration inhibitors,” he explained.
The long-anticipated top-line phase IIa study results for Morphic Therapeutic Inc.’s oral alpha 4 beta 7 integrin inhibitor, MORF-057, have surpassed even the company’s own expectations, with a significant decline in disease activity seen in moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC) patients combined with a safety profile consistent with phase I findings.
Therabest Co. Ltd. has identified glutathione (GSH) or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-activated prodrugs comprising obeticholic acid dimers conjugated via linkers and their nanogels coated with fucoidan reported to be useful for the treatment of liver diseases.
Deregulation of enzymes that control lipid turnover such as adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) is an essential contributor to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Recent studies suggest that a fraction of the cytosolic pool of ATGL is proteasomal degraded by E3 ligase constitutive photomorphogenesis protein 1 (COP1).
Innate Pharma SA inked a licensing deal that grants Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd exclusive worldwide rights to research and develop antibody-drug conjugates using a panel of selected Innate antibodies against an undisclosed target, with a primary focus in celiac disease.
Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is the most common autoimmune liver disease; several genome-wide association studies have suggested chromosome locus 19p13.3 is associated with PBC pathology. Chinese researchers conducted a case-control study to unveil genetic variants in the 19p13.3 locus associated with PBC. The meta-analysis included 1,931 individuals with PBC and 7,852 controls.
Eli Lilly and Co. has described aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists reported to be useful for the treatment of psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, graft-vs.-host disease and multiple sclerosis.
The role of G protein-coupled receptor 35 (GPR35) in gastrointestinal (GI) diseases has been genetically validated for some time, with several pharmaceutical companies advancing programs designed to tackle the target; however, most of these efforts to date have focused on increasing GPR35 activity. ThirtyFiveBio’s approach is different: The newly founded virtual biotech company believes that antagonizing the target and thereby blocking unwanted GPR35 signaling may be a more appropriate way to address GI conditions, including digestive tract cancers.
Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a condition that encompasses a range of liver disorders, from steatosis to fibrosis. In a recent study, researchers investigated the role of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 (PCK1) in MAFLD progression in vivo. This work found that deficiency of the gluconeogenic enzyme PCK1 promoted the development of MAFLD through activation of the PI3K/AKT/PDGF axis.
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