Benevolentai Ltd. has signed a strategic collaboration with Merck KGaA to identify novel drug candidates, initially for three targets in oncology, neurology and immunology.

Rohitukine is a chromone alkaloid with antiproliferative, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activities. Although several rohitukine derivatives are being investigated as potent anticancer leads, the potential antitumor activity of the naturally occurring rohitukine-N-oxide has yet to be evaluated.

Long bones, vertebrae and skull bones have distinct types of stem cells, and new insights into those stem cells could lead to new ways to treat both rare developmental disorders of skull formation and the all-too-common phenomenon of bone metastases. Scientifically, the work, which was published in two papers by Matthew Greenblatt and colleagues in Nature, adds to the increasing understanding of bone’s complexities. “Bone may serve as an endocrine organ that is secreting factors throughout the body,” Greenblatt said.

Lantern Pharma Inc. has received FDA clearance of its IND application for LP-284, being developed for the treatment of relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), including mantle cell lymphoma, double hit lymphoma and other high-grade B-cell lymphomas. Enrollment in a first-in-human phase I trial is expected to begin during the fourth quarter of this year.