Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory skin disease accompanied by pruritus, for which IL-13 and IL-31 are clinically validated targets. Earendil Labs Inc. has developed a bispecific antibody targeting both IL-13 and IL-31, HX-16108, with an extended half-life.

Atea Pharmaceuticals Inc. recently presented preclinical data on two of its compounds, AT-2490 and AT-587, which have shown promising antiviral potential for treating hepatitis E virus infection.

The signaling axis orchestrated by OX40L-OX40 is a T-cell costimulatory pathway implicated in multiple autoimmune diseases, such as atopic dermatitis (AD). Antibodies targeting this pathway have proven useful at treating AD in the clinical setting. Earendil Labs recently presented data regarding HXN-1021, an anti-OX40L antibody with potent activity and extended half-life, in vivo.

In Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), deficiency of dystrophin leads to cardiomyocyte membrane instability, abnormal calcium influx, and progressive fibrotic remodeling of cardiac tissue. Histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) contributes to disease progression by regulating cytoskeletal dynamics and proteostasis in dystrophic muscle cells. Consequently, inhibition of HDAC6 represents a potential therapeutic strategy for addressing both the skeletal and cardiac manifestations of DMD.

In developed countries, up to 20% of the population suffers from pollen allergies to birch and related trees. Mabylon AG has developed an anti-tree pollen antibody therapeutic, MY-010, that targets several inducers of spring hay fever, such as birch, alder and hazel, among others.

HIV-1 persistence in latent reservoirs of T lymphoid and myeloid origin is a major barrier for the cure of the disease, with complex and multifactorial mechanisms behind HIV-1 latency; thus, investigating these mechanisms is key for future targeted HIV therapies.

Gliadin is the major allergen of wheat-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (WDEIA). YH-35324 (lesigercept, GI-301) is a long-acting IgEtrap-Fc fusion protein that targets FcεR1α that could serve as a therapeutic approach in WDEIA. It is under development by Yuhan Corp. in early clinical trials as an allergy treatment.

Gilead Sciences Inc.’s integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) GS-3242 is in early clinical development for HIV infection (NCT07001319). The company presented nonclinical data on the candidate at the recent CROI meeting in Denver.

IgE is known to drive allergic disease, and omalizumab is the only approved anti-IgE antibody to date that has shown suboptimal IgE affinity and limited use in scenarios with high IgE levels.