Exo Therapeutics Inc. has presented data on its preclinical program targeting TBK1/STING interaction of the cGAS-STING pathway. The company has identified potent, selective exosite-targeted TBK1/STING inhibitors, optimized properties toward development candidate nomination and demonstrated efficacy across preclinical models.

At the recent EULAR meeting, a presentation by Nanjing Leads Biolabs Co. Ltd. covered the discovery of LBL-047, a novel bifunctional fusion protein targeting both plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and B cells; it is being developed for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

The adverse effects of PD-1 blockers on the CNS observed in cancer patients could occur through their effects on an enzyme that activates microglia. Pharmacological inhibition of the enzyme in mice reduced microglial activation and cognitive deficit without altering the antitumor capacity of the immunotherapy.

The immune cell restricted guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) and scaffolding protein VAV1 plays a key role in mediating T-cell receptor (TCR) and B-cell receptor (BCR) activity and signaling.

Genetic variants in core-spliceosome components are tied to a variety of aberrant splicing-driven inherited disorders. CWF19-like protein 2 (CWF19L2) is such a key component located in the spliceosome complex in charge of maturing pre-RNA. No disease-phenotype has been established for CWF19L2.

A preclinical trial in mice and ferrets of an experimental mRNA vaccine against the H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus generated neutralizing antibodies and prevented severe illness and mortality of the animals.

Valanx Biotech GmbH has reported promising in vivo results for its lead program, VLX-101, for the treatment of a wide range of autoimmune diseases.

Exevir Bio BV has demonstrated that its antibodies are potent in neutralizing the SARS-CoV-2 variant JN.1, the parental strain of the currently most dominantly circulating variants worldwide.