Malaria remains a significant global health challenge, causing over 600,000 deaths annually despite existing prevention and treatment measures. Current vaccines and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against Plasmodium falciparum, such as RTS,S/AS01 and R21, primarily target the central repeat region of the circumsporozoite protein (CSP) but have shown limited efficacy in completely preventing infection.
The largest analysis to date of patients taking GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) has investigated their effects on nearly 175 diseases, and found that compared to three other classes of diabetes medications, individuals with a prescription for GLP-1RAs had a reduced risk of 42 diseases, and an increased risk of 19. The findings, which were published Jan. 20, 2025, in Nature Medicine, provide a comprehensive overview of GLP-1RAs’ effects.
Shionogi & Co. Ltd. won a $375 million project agreement from the Rapid Response Partnership Vehicle to develop its 3CL protease inhibitor, S-892216, as a long-acting injectable for COVID-19 pre-exposure prophylaxis.
Fox Chase Chemical Diversity Center Inc. and University of Pittsburgh have jointly described new proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) consisting of Nef (HIV-1)-targeting moiety covalently linked to cereblon (CRBN)-binding moiety.
Universidade Nova De Lisboa has disclosed rhenium complexes described as potentially useful for the treatment of cancer and gram-positive bacterial infections.
Immuron Ltd. has signed a new research collaboration agreement with Monash University to develop new therapeutic drug candidates targeting antimicrobial-resistant pathogens. This work will utilize the Immuron technology platform, and the experience of the Biomedicine Discovery Institute research team.
Investigators at The Scripps Research Institute and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have designed novel covalent inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease (PLpro) and assessed their drug properties in preclinical models.
Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) will award a seed grant of $610,000 to Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU) to support the definition of a lead optimization path for the development of a direct-acting peptide therapeutic based on a natural-product scaffold targeting gram-negative pathogens.
After a five-year court battle in which Gilead Sciences Inc. scored several victories only to have the U.S. government appeal, Gilead has reached a settlement with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice to resolve government claims that the company had infringed its patents covering the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use of two Gilead HIV drugs.
Researchers have developed a novel point of care (POC) diagnostic that can test for multiple respiratory viral infections simultaneously, including for the flu and COVID-19. The POC diagnostic tool leverages a novel, non-enzymatic signal amplification method, according to study lead Eunjung Kim, professor at Incheon National University (INU), whose team published the findings in Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical online November 2024.
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