Investigators at the Netherlands Hubrecht Institute have developed a novel gut organoid model, and used it to gain insight into the functions on human microfold (M) cells. Their experiments, which were published in the Dec. 10, 2025, issue of Nature, showed that M cells present gluten-derived antigens to T cells, which suggests a role for this cell type in the onset of celiac disease.
Researchers from the Medical School of Nanjing University hypothesized that in ulcerative colitis, the gut-resident macrophages may be compromised, leading to impaired integrity of the epithelial barrier. “From a basic science standpoint, our work uncovers a novel etiology of ulcerative colitis. From a translational perspective, it identifies a promising therapeutic target, potentially paving the way for developing effective drugs to treat or even cure the disease,” senior author Minsheng Zhu told BioWorld.
Tangram Therapeutics plc has submitted a clinical trial application (CTA) to the U.K.’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to initiate a phase I/II trial of TGM-312 for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
Opko Health Inc. has recently presented data for their GLP-1/glucagon receptor dual agonist OPK-88006, which is in preclinical development for the treatment of metabolic disease, including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and obesity.
The U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is calling for unified standards to harmonize microbiome research, after revealing major inconsistencies in the results when labs around the world analyzed identical reference samples of gut bacteria.
Two Flagship Pioneering Inc. biopharma companies founded in the last five years and focused on proteomic and genomic technologies entered agreements to help discover new therapeutics for respiratory and liver diseases under a framework collaboration with GSK plc. Under that agreement, Profound Therapeutics Inc. and Quotient Therapeutics Inc. would use their platform technologies to discover novel proteins and targets for developing drugs to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, with Quotient taking on a third indication with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.
The U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is calling for unified standards to harmonize microbiome research, after revealing major inconsistencies in the results when labs around the world analyzed identical reference samples of gut bacteria.
The U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is calling for unified standards to harmonize microbiome research, after revealing major inconsistencies in the results when labs around the world analyzed identical reference samples of gut bacteria.
Growth factor specialist Agomab Therapeutics NV is now preparing to move into phase IIb development after delivering positive phase IIa results for its lead program, ontunisertib, an orally available treatment for fibrostenosing Crohn’s disease.
Top-line results from a midstage study of Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s tradipitant hit its primary endpoint by preventing the nausea and vomiting that can be caused by the GLP-1 receptor agonist Wegovy (tirzepatide, Eli Lilly and Co.) in overweight and obese adults. The positive phase II study data prompted Vanda to look at a phase III study of the oral neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist next year.
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