Immunitas Therapeutics Inc. has revealed preclinical data supporting development of its potentially first-in-class, fully human anti-CD161 antibody, IMT-380. CD161-expressing T-cell subsets have been implicated in autoimmune diseases due to their production of inflammatory cytokines and presence in inflamed tissues.
Bacteria also defend themselves against pathogen attacks using mechanisms like those of the immune system. But if there is a system to repel an attack, it can also be dismantled. Scientists at the University of Southampton have described the components of Kiwa, a protein complex that blocks the entry of phage DNA, which are viruses that infect bacteria. They have also uncovered how Kiwa interacts with other bacterial defense strategies.
Formation Bio Inc. has licensed worldwide rights to Imidomics Inc.’s potentially first-in-class anti-CD226 monoclonal antibody (mAb). The program has received IND clearance and will be advanced by Formation Bio in autoimmune indications, starting with ulcerative colitis.
F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. and Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. have discovered new heteroarylphenyl ether derivatives acting as cyclin-dependent kinase CDK8/cyclin C inhibitors. As such, they are reported to be useful for the treatment of graft-vs.-host disease, transplant rejection, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and stroke, among others.
The autoimmune disorder systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) involves upregulation of IgD, and studies have shown that anti-IgD antibodies can alleviate the autoimmune disorder rheumatoid arthritis in mouse models. Building on this finding, researchers in Hefei and Changshu, China, have shown that interrupting the interaction between IgD and its receptor FcδR can reduce cytokine levels and phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3, suppressing the activation and proliferation of CD4+ T cells in SLE.
Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center found that autoantibodies targeting the exoproteome reshaped checkpoint inhibitor responses and opened new avenues to enhance immunotherapy. In the study published in the July 23, 2025, issue of Nature, the authors set out to address a long-standing question in cancer immunotherapy: why patients with the same type of cancer, treated with the same immunotherapy, can experience such drastically different outcomes.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disease characterized by systemic inflammation and progressive joint destruction. Current treatments include conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and biologics. However, long-term treatment is frequently associated with drug resistance and significant adverse effects.
Jiangsu Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. and Shanghai Hansoh Biomedical Co. Ltd. have synthesized new mast/stem cell growth factor receptor kit (KIT; c-KIT; CD117) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of urticaria.
Orbital Therapeutics Inc. has presented preclinical results supporting the development of OTX-201, a potential best-in-class in vivo CAR T therapy that comprises an optimized circular RNA encoding a CD19-targeted CAR delivered via targeted lipid nanoparticles.
We all look different to HIV, a virus that destroys the immune system. The defensive cells record every interaction with foreign agents, infections from viruses and bacteria, but also with mechanisms occurring within the body, such as microbiome metabolism, the effects of aging, or the development of diseases. At a preconference session at the 13th IAS Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2025), scientists explained the interactions of different microorganisms with HIV.