Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a serious disorder that develops after SARS-CoV-2 infection, could arise from latent infection of another pathogen, the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Researchers at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the German Rheumatology Research Center (DRFZ) have linked the inflammatory effect of this co-infection with transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), ruling out the possibility that MIS-C is caused by an autoimmune reaction, or persistence of the coronavirus in the body.

Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is an inflammatory myopathy causing proximal and distal muscle weakness. IBM’s cause remains unknown, lacking validated models, biomarkers and effective treatment strategies. Histopathological studies identified inflammatory infiltrates, rimmed vacuoles, and mitochondrial changes in the muscles of IBM patients.

For the first time, researchers have identified that inflammation – long associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) – appears to cause increased mutations that damage neurons linked to MS progression. Researchers at the Florey Institute and the University of Melbourne studied MS brain lesions, which are areas of past or ongoing brain inflammation that are visible as spots on MRI scans.

Trimtech Therapeutics closed a £25 million (US$31 million) oversubscribed seed funding round to advance its targeted protein degradation treatments for neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases.

Researchers from Revolo Biotherapeutics Ltd. recently presented preclinical data for IRL-201104, a clinical-stage immunomodulatory peptide currently in phase II development as an intravenous treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis.