Quiver Bioscience Inc. is collaborating with the Dup15q Alliance to advance an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapeutic program for chromosome 15q duplication (Dup15q) syndrome.

Domain Therapeutics SA has nominated PAR2 antagonist DT-9046 as a drug candidate with potential to treat various inflammatory diseases, including atopic dermatitis, inflammatory bowel disease and arthritis, as well as neuroinflammatory conditions such as migraine.

Roivant Sciences Ltd. CEO Matt Cline said the firm’s unit Immunovant Inc. with FcRn blocker batoclimab has established “frankly a new bar” in myasthenia gravis (MG) as the New York-based firm reported top-line results from its phase III study and first data from period 1 of the phase IIb study with the same drug in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. The data look promising, and Immunovant intends to use the findings to help advance second-generation FcRn prospect IMVT-1402 in both indications. Potentially registrational trials are planned. The U.S. FDA has granted IND clearance.

Wall Street was weighing the gravity of the death from acute liver failure of a patient who was treated for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) with Sarepta Therapeutics Inc.’s gene therapy, Elevidys (delandistrogene moxeparvovec). Liver injury is a known possible side effect of the product, first approved by the U.S. FDA in June 2023 for DMD, as well as other AAV-mediated gene therapies, and the potential problem is highlighted in Elevidys’ prescribing information.

In work conducted by Jining Medical University investigators, synthesis and optimization of a previously reported ATP-competitive pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine-based glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) inhibitor led to the discovery of compound [I], a candidate with significant inhibitory activity on GSK-3β (IC50=0.35 nM), with its inhibitory effect being approximately 12-fold greater than that of broad-spectrum GSK-3β inhibitor staurosporine and 189-fold greater than that of the parent compound.

While data on functional endpoints are still to come, Avidity Biosciences Inc. executives said the firm is moving ahead with plans for a BLA filing by the end of 2025 for del-zota, an antibody-oligonucleotide conjugate, in Duchenne muscular dystrophy with mutations amenable to exon 44 skipping (DMD44), based on positive top-line data that analysts say bode well for Avidity’s other late-stage programs targeting rare neuromuscular diseases.

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.

Iqure Pharma Inc. has received institutional review board (IRB) approval for a first-in-human study of iQ-007 in healthy volunteers. This follows recent formal approval from the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) in Australia for the phase I study, which is expected to begin next month.