Lung cancer associated transcript 1 (LUCAT1) is a long noncoding RNA and has been identified as a negative feedback regulator of interferon I and inflammatory cytokine expression in myeloid cells; the anti-inflammatory protein nuclear receptor 4A2 (NR4A2) was identified as a LUCAT1-binding protein involved in regulating splicing and processing of mRNAs. NR4A2 inhibits the inflammatory process driven by NF-κB. It was observed that cells lacking LUCAT1 expression had their splicing of immune genes altered, with reduced expression of NR4A2 (altered splicing on exon 7) in those cells lacking LUCAT1, as shown by ChIRP-MS assay in THP-1 cells.

Askgene Pharma Inc. has received FDA clearance of its IND application to start a phase I study of ASKG-915, a novel and proprietary anti-PD-1/IL-15 prodrug fusion molecule for the treatment of cancer.

Obesity and chronic inflammation in the liver trigger the most severe form of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), steatohepatitis. Scientists at the University of Texas (UT) have shown how damaged hepatocytes accumulated in the liver after a vicious cycle of cytokine expression induced shedding of a critical liver receptor.

Tucked into the 4,155-page, $1.7 trillion spending bill for fiscal 2023 that U.S. President Joe Biden signed into law Dec. 23 is a small provision that may have outsized impact on future biosimilar and other drug development. Championed by lawmakers on both sides of the political spectrum, the provision modernizes the data that can be used to support drug development, including alternatives to animal studies.

Rewind Therapeutics NV has described 3-pyrrolylsulfonamide compounds acting as uracil nucleotide/cysteinyl leukotriene receptor (GPR17; P2Y-like) antagonists reported to be useful for diagnosis and treatment of neurodegeneration, leukodystrophies, optic neuropathy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, demyelinating, psychiatric and genetic disorders, among others.

Janssen R&D (Ireland) and Johnson & Johnson (China) Investment Ltd. have disclosed fused heterocyclic derivatives reported to be useful for the treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections.