Be it viral, nucleic acid or protein vaccines, recent efforts that led to the first regulatory approvals for not only COVID-19, but also for malaria and respiratory syncytial virus, positioned infectious diseases in the headlines for much of the last four years. But despite that attention, or the threat of future pandemics, or the numerous infectious diseases for which there are no preventable vaccines and very little development activity, the level of private and public funding for biopharma companies working in the space is dismal – at least compared with that of oncology products, according to a new analysis report released by the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) on Jan. 25.
Naegleria fowleri, colloquially known as the "brain-eating amoeba," is a water-borne amoeba and the leading cause of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). In a recent study published in Scientific Reports, researchers from the University of Central Punjab aimed to design an mRNA-based vaccine against PAM.
To combat trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis, researchers from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia and collaborators conducted a study focusing on pteridine reductase 1 (PTR1), a catalytic protein crucial to the folate metabolic pathway in Trypanosomatid parasites.
Researchers at ETH Zurich have identified a proteomic signature that could recognize long COVID six months after acute infection. Biologically, the signature indicated that the complement system remained active in patients with long COVID six months after infection. Translationally, it could lead to a diagnostic test for long COVID, and suggests that targeting the complement system could be a therapeutic approach to prevent or treat the disorder.
Bioversys AG has described 3-(phenylsulfonyl)-[1,2,3]triazolo[1,5a]quinazolin-5(4h)-one derivatives with the ability to interact with accessory gene regulator A (AgrA) and inhibit the expression of AgrA-regulated virulence factors reported to be useful for the treatment of bacterial infections and skin inflammation.
Several highly pathogenic viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, share a conserved mechanism of infection via the fusion of the viral and host membranes employing a six-helix bundle (6-HB) heptad repeat.
Researchers from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais have published details on the discovery of novel anti-SARS-CoV-2 compounds with robust antiviral activity.
Reithera Srl, The Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT and Harvard, and IAVI have established a collaboration to develop a novel HIV vaccine candidate based on gorilla adenoviral vector (GRAd), with funding by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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