Alebund Pharmaceuticals (Hong Kong) Ltd. has described complement factor B (CFB) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of glomerular disorders and rheumatoid arthritis.
Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is an autosomal recessive connective tissue disorder caused by pathogenic variants in ATP-binding cassette subfamily C, member 6 (ABCC6). ABCC6 typically exports ATP, which is then converted by ENPP1 into AMP and pyrophosphate (PPi). Because PPi is a potent inhibitor of calcification, reduced systemic PPi production is a key driver of PXE. University of Pennsylvania investigators and collaborators proposed applying liver-targeted variant correction via genome editing as a single-intervention therapeutic approach for PXE, leading to subsequent restoration of systemic PPi.
Researchers from Stanford University have reported that inhibiting the enzyme 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) promoted cartilage regeneration in mouse models of osteoarthritis due to either aging or tissue injury. An oral version of the inhibitor that the team used is in a clinical trial for sarcopenia; it improved muscle mass and strength in preclinical studies. However, the mechanism by which 15-PDGH inhibition works appears to differ in the two conditions.
In a recent study published in Cell Reports Medicine, researchers from the Institute of Chinese Materia Medica of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences and Xi’an Jiao Tong University Health Science Center found that Mesothelin (MSLN) was significantly elevated in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats and mice, where it drove osteoclast differentiation.
Interleukin 1 receptor accessory protein (IL1RAP) is a receptor that activates signaling pathways triggered by IL1α/β, IL33 and IL36α/β/γ, which are involved in several autoimmune or inflammatory disorders, including psoriasis, gout or systemic sclerosis. Innovent Biologics Co. Ltd. presented data for their anti-IL1RAP antibody IBI-3011, a fully humanized IgG1 antibody targeting IL1RAP that blocks those pathways.
Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has disclosed discoidin domain-containing receptor 1 (DDR1) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.
Arcus Biosciences Inc. has announced five new research programs for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, and is targeting initiation of the first clinical studies next year.
Impaired fracture healing is a clinical management challenge. Fracture healing can be impaired due to several factors, such as aging, chronic inflammation or metabolic abnormalities. Osteoclasts play a crucial role in bone tissue reconstruction, but their abnormal activation can lead to impaired fracture healing. In a recent publication in Frontiers in Immunology, researchers from Naval Military Medical University and collaborators searched for crucial regulatory genes in the process of bone fracture healing.