Inmagene Biopharmaceuticals Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. and biotech investment firm Aditum Bio Management Company LLC have announced the formation of Celexor Bio, a new biotech company focused on cell depletion of pathologic cells in autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. Celexor has been formed based on Inmagene’s IMG-018, a plasmacytoid dendritic cell (pDC)-depleting antibody targeting immunoglobulin-like transcript 7 (ILT7).
Researchers from the University of Florida have published preclinical data for the novel indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and galectin-3 (Gal3) fusion protein (IDO-Gal3), being evaluated for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA).
Recent Bristol Myers Squibb Co. patents describe new Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) antagonists reported to be useful for the treatment of inflammation, autoimmune disease, cancer, fibrosis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, chronic kidney disease, primary sclerosing cholangitis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, among others.
In multiple sclerosis (MS), macrophages and microglia play a dual role that could be used to treat this neurodegenerative disease. These cells promote inflammation that demyelinates neurons but also sweep away the debris of damaged myelin and produce neurotrophic factors that would allow its restoration. According to a group of scientists from the University of Hasselt in Belgium, damage or repair depends on a double switch that combines the action of two enzymes, one that desaturates and another that elongates fatty acids. By reducing the levels of these enzymes, phagocytic cells would replenish the myelin instead of engulfing it.
The interleukin-17 (IL-17) family is involved in innate immunity regulation and plays a crucial role in inflammatory and autoimmune disorders by sustaining inflammation during the onset and progression of diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriasis or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Researchers from the University of Naples have reported on a new biological entity, Ab-IPL-IL-17, that displays potent anti-inflammatory activity in preclinical testing.
Mysthera Therapeutics AG has launched to develop first-in-class, oral therapeutics to treat complex autoimmune diseases. Seed capital will be used to advance its portfolio of preclinical stage, pan-PIM kinase inhibitors to modulate multi-lineage immune cell functions.
Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a cytokine involved in the regulation of inflammation in several autoimmune and inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, or psoriasis. Anti-TNF biological treatments in place are effective but there is a need for alternatives with novel pharmacological profiles to overcome their limitations.
Peptidream Inc. and Modulus Discovery Inc. have nominated the first clinical development candidate arising from the companies’ strategic drug discovery partnership.