Westlake Therapeutics (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd. and affiliated organizations have reported the design and preclinical characterization of novel erythrocytes conjugated to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I (MHC-I) protein, being developed for the treatment of cancer.
Researchers from Shanghai Institute of Biological Products Co. Ltd. published details on the development and preclinical characterization of novel CD20-targeting T cell-dependent bispecific Fab-FabCH3 antibodies, referred to as tandem antigen-binding fragment 002 (TFAB-002).
Ono Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has entered into a license agreement with Ligachem Biosciences Inc. for LCB-97, a preclinical stage antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) for solid tumors.
Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) is a cell surface molecule with immunosuppressive function involved in T-cell immune regulation and proliferation. Researchers from Shanghai Junshi Biosciences Co. Ltd. and collaborators described the preclinical evaluation of JS-007, a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting CTLA-4, in cancer models.
Mestag Therapeutics Ltd. has sealed a potential $1.9 billion agreement with Merck & Co. Inc., in which it will apply its expertise in activated fibroblasts to identify novel targets for inflammatory diseases. The pharma company has the option to license one or more targets, up to a prespecified number, and will take on all subsequent discovery, development and commercialization work.
Adcencdo ApS has obtained FDA clearance of its IND application for ADCE-D01 in patients with metastatic and/or unresectable soft tissue sarcoma (STS). A first-in-human phase I/II study in patients with metastatic and/or unresectable STS will recruit in the U.S. and Europe.
Research into the regulation of gene expression experienced a significant breakthrough with the discovery of microRNA, small RNA molecules that do not code for proteins but control their translation. This finding has earned its authors Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Researchers at University of Oxford have been awarded funding by Cancer Research UK to develop a vaccine to prevent ovarian cancer. The team will receive up to £600,000 (US$784,000) for the study over the next 3 years to support lab research on Ovarianvax.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway are widely used in cancer immunotherapy, but poor tissue distribution or immune-related adverse events often limit their application.