Lexeo Therapeutics Inc. has announced that its IND for LX-2020 has been cleared by the FDA. LX-2020 is an AAVrh10-based gene therapy candidate designed to intravenously deliver a functional PKP2 gene to cardiac muscle for the treatment of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) caused by variants in PKP2 (PKP2-ACM).

Protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor type 22 (PTPN22) has been previously linked to several chronic inflammatory disorders and it has been established that PTPN22 regulates T-cell receptor signaling. Recent studies have also shown that PTPN22 plays a role in thrombosis, suggesting its potential use as target for cardiovascular diseases. In the current study, researchers from Southern Medical University and affiliated organizations aimed to assess the role of PTPN22 in the pathogenesis of calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD).

Riparian Pharmaceuticals Inc., a Viva Biotech Holdings Group portfolio company, has entered into an exclusive license agreement and research agreement with Pfizer Inc. in cardiovascular disease.

Eleven Therapeutics Ltd. has established a research collaboration with Novo Nordisk A/S for the identification of novel molecules that promote precise delivery of nucleic acid for cardiometabolic diseases by leveraging Eleven’s innovative Deliveri platform.

The endogenous human protein annexin A1 (ANXA1) is a driver of inflammatory resolution and has shown protective effects in several models of diseases with inflammatory components, including myocardial infarction. Researchers from Resother Pharma A/S and colleagues reported on the preclinical cardioprotective role of RTP-026, a peptide derived from the ANXA1 N-terminal region that acts as N-formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2) ligand. In vitro, testing of receptor selectivity and activation in FPR2-HEK-293 cells showed an EC50 value between 10 and 30 nM.

Researchers from the Mayo Clinic have reported findings from the preclinical evaluation of a novel cardiac targeting peptide (CTP)-based radiotracer – [68Ga]NOTA-CTP – being developed as a myocardial perfusion imaging PET probe.