Scientists at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) have designed a group of synthetic molecules that could prevent the rejection of allogeneic cell transplants. Their strategy consisted of activating the immune checkpoints of different populations of immune cells from the cell surface, but avoiding the cytotoxicity of natural killer (NK) cells and macrophages that would destroy the transplanted cells.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is set to conduct a phase I trial with Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp.’s TNX-1800 (recombinant horsepox virus, live vaccine), a vaccine candidate to protect against COVID-19.
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the University of Oxford have launched a new project to initiate early development of prototype vaccines against the Junín virus, selected as an exemplar of the Arenavirus family which is responsible for multiple deadly hemorrhagic fevers with epidemic and pandemic potential.
Viridian Therapeutics Inc. has disclosed a preclinical portfolio of neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) inhibitors designed for next-generation treatment of antibody-mediated autoimmune diseases.
VBI Vaccines Inc. has announced the development of its next-generation mRNA-launched enveloped virus-like particle (eVLP) technology, which expands on the company's current proprietary eVLP technology by coding the particles in messenger RNA (mRNA).
Triveni Bio Inc. has announced a $92 million series A financing that will support the advancement of its lead antibody program, TRIV-509, from preclinical development to a phase IIa clinical trial in atopic dermatitis and fuel a pipeline of novel antibodies with two additional development candidate nominations expected in 2024.
Vaxcyte Inc. has received FDA clearance of its IND application for VAX-31, a 31-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) candidate designed to prevent invasive pneumococcal disease.
Activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase δ syndrome type 1 (APDS1) is a rare disease caused by gain-of-function (GOF) mutations in the PIK3CD gene that presents with combined immunodeficiency due to decreases in IgA, IgG, naive CD4 and naive CD8 cells. Nearly all APDS1 patients suffer from recurrent respiratory tract infections with most presenting with bronchiectasis and chronic viral infections.
In the U.S., hospital-borne antimicrobial-resistant nosocomial infections affect over 700,000 people every year causing more than 90,000 deaths along with a $28-45 billion financial burden. This commonly involves either methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus or carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.
Scientists at Egenesis Inc. have transplanted kidneys from genome-edited pigs into cynomolgus monkeys that remained functional for long periods after transplantation. The monkeys, whose own kidneys were removed during the surgery, survived for a median of 176 days after receiving one pig kidney. Maximal survival was just over 2 years. The data were published today in Nature. Egenesis CEO Mike Curtis told reporters that the study has achieved the longest survival to date “using clinically translatable immunosuppression … longer survival has been achieved using really aggressive immunosuppression that really isn’t clinically translatable.”
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