Cytomx Therapeutics Inc. has announced the nomination of the second clinical candidate under its Probody T-cell engaging bispecific (TCB) collaboration with Astellas Pharma Inc. The two companies are collaborating on multiple conditionally activated TCB programs, with T-cell engagers offering new possibilities for the treatment of solid tumors.
Natural killer (NK) cells play a crucial role in cancer immunosurveillance. Circulating NK cells can kill target cells without prior sensitization. There are some receptors known to impact the activity of NK cells, such as the inhibitory NK cell receptor TIM3, among others, which recognizes phosphatidylserine on the surface of cells. More research has been performed using targeted or genome-wide CRISPR screening to identify cancer cell genes that impact NK cell-killing ability.
Alterome Therapeutics Inc. has divulged RAC-α serine/threonine-protein kinase (AKT1; PKBα) (E17K mutant) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer.
Blueprint Medicines Corp. recently disclosed the chemical structure of BLU-222, an oral, potent and highly selective inhibitor of the CDK2 kinase, being developed for the potential treatment of cancers with CCNE1 amplification and/or cyclin E overexpression, such as HR-positive HER2-negative breast cancer resistant to CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy.
A group of scientists at Shanghai Virogin Biotech Co. and Zhujiang Hospital in China designed a new mRNA vaccine that could prevent tumor formation associated with human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16) and also reduce its size if used as a treatment.
About 90% of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) develop severe bone disease, known as myeloma bone disease (MBD). This occurs due to the ability of MM cells to disrupt bone homeostasis, leading to excessive bone resorption. Some current treatments are effective for treating MBD, but they are associated with undesired adverse events.
Dizal (Jiangsu) Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has described EGFR (HER1; erbB1) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune disease.