A new multi-omics approach to unpicking how noncoding gene variants influence the development of common chronic diseases has identified tens of thousands of instances where variants have an impact on gene expression levels and gene splicing, the post-transcriptional modification that allows one gene to code for multiple proteins.
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC has synthesized viral replication inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus and metapneumovirus infections.
Investigators at Pennsylvania State University have described a novel approach to combat Clostridioides difficile infection using a synthetic microbiome therapy, which offers an alternative to antibiotics and fecal microbiota transplant (FMT). C. diff, the main cause of antibiotic-related diarrhea, is responsible for an estimated half a million infections annually in the U.S.
Persica Pharmaceuticals Ltd. has delivered positive 12-month follow-up data from its phase Ib study of PP-353, an injectable antibiotic for treating chronic lower back pain, and is now looking for a partner and further financing to take the product into phase III development.
University of Arizona has identified non-structural protein 3 (nsp3; PL-pro) (SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19 virus) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19).
Centauri Therapeutics Ltd. has selected its first clinical candidate in the ABX-01 program to treat gram-negative bacterial lung infections. Based on the company’s Alphamer platform, the broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptide has been selected to treat clinically prevalent and multidrug-resistant bacterial strains.
Antibody-drug conjugate developer Duality Biotherapeutics Inc. is gearing up for a second IPO attempt this year, having filed on Feb. 27 a new prospectus on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Two other biotechs – Genuine Biotech Ltd. and Cloudbreak Pharma Inc. – also are having another go at a listing in Hong Kong in 2025.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is predicted to cause 10 million deaths every year by 2050. Since its identification more than 50 years ago, pleuromutilin has served as a scaffold for the development of new types of antibiotics.
As U.S. regulatory uncertainty swirls around the vaccine space and health care in general, Vaxcyte Inc. stands poised for a readout of phase II infant data by the end of this quarter with VAX-24, the 24-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). The San Carlos, Calif.-based firm will offer top-line safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity data, to be followed by top-line data with the booster dose by the end of this year.
Dimicare Biotech and affiliated organizations have presented the discovery and preclinical characterization of DCB-001, a trichloroacetimidamide compound being developed as a novel precision antibiotic against multidrug-resistant strains.