The assessment of glycosylated autoantigens as immunotolerance therapies is emerging as a potential strategy for the treatment of several autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes, Crohn’s disease or multiple sclerosis.
Breakthrough – or even better, revolutionary breakthrough – is perhaps the most overused term in drug development. But the discovery and development of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), which was honored with the 2024 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award just last week, is one of the rare innovations that is deserving of the title.
Researchers from Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co KG presented the discovery and preclinical characterization of new spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) inhibitors, BI-894416 and BI-1342561, being developed for the treatment of asthma.
Huadong Medicine Co. Ltd. recently revealed data from in vitro and preclinical studies performed to evaluate the efficacy and pharmacokinetic, safety and tolerability profiles of a dual glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R)/gastric inhibitory polypeptide receptor (GIPR) full agonist – HDM-1005.
Investigators from Abzyme Therapeutics LLC have hypothesized that inhibiting this pathway in the CNS may prevent tissue damage and cease the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS).
Details on the work leading to the discovery of the second-generation SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) inhibitor PF-7817883 (ibuzatrelvir) were disclosed recently by Pfizer Inc. The drug is in phase II clinical development for the treatment of adult individuals with COVID-19 symptoms who are not hospitalized.
Researchers from Johnson & Johnson presented the discovery of a novel inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7), a co-factor that controls transcription by phosphorylating the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII).
Functionally active hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA is open and accessible, while the action of an epigenetic editor turns it into functionally inactive DNA, which is closed and inaccessible. Chroma Medicine Inc. has presented data regarding their epigenetic editor CRMA-1001, which is delivered by lipid nanoparticles.
CDR-Life Inc. has reported preclinical data for the CDR-813, a novel antibody fragment-based bivalent T-cell engager targeting preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME) on HLA-A*02:01.
The management of obesity and its associated comorbidities needs novel approaches for safety and efficacy. Researchers from Pep2tango Therapeutics Inc. are aiming to face this challenge by developing an approach that promotes superior weight loss through the loss of fat mass only, while preserving the muscle lean mass.