The natural product diterpene andrographolide, from Andrographis paniculata (‘creat’ or ‘green chiretta’), shows promising antitumor activity, so researchers from Nanjing Tech University and collaborators in mainland China and Hong Kong derivatized it by enlarging the six-membered decalin ring at position 3 to generate a seven-membered ring or by annulating the decalin at positions 3 and 19 through fusion with isoxazole.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play key roles in cancer development by regulating genes involved in cell growth, differentiation, invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis. Because their expression patterns differ across tumor types and stages, miRNA profiles hold strong potential as noninvasive diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers.

Revolution Medicines Inc. has developed and presented data for their KRAS codon 13-targeting compound, RMC-8839, for treating non-small-cell lung cancers.

Microbiotix Co. Ltd. has obtained IND approval from the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) for MP-101, a bacteriophage therapy for patients with acute pneumonia. A phase I study in adult patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa-induced pneumonia is expected to enroll its first patient within the year.

Corsera Health Inc. has filed a clinical trial notification (CTN) seeking to initiate a phase I trial of COR-1004 in New Zealand. COR-1004 is a novel investigational subcutaneously administered siRNA targeting proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) to reduce LDL cholesterol (LDL-C).

Researchers at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, have uncovered the hidden code governing how genetic mutations affect RNA splicing and result in disease. The researchers were able to identify the specific mutations that cause changes in RNA splicing, Sureshkumar Balasubramanian, the lead researcher at Monash University’s School of Biological Sciences, told BioWorld.