Chronic pain is a constant challenge to around 20% of the global population, and treatments to mitigate such pain often cause unacceptable side effects because the receptors and signaling pathways involved in pain sensing also drive necessary processes in the heart, lungs and liver. Opioid analgesics can be effective against chronic pain, but they can lead to tolerance and addiction.

Rakuten Medical Inc.’s RM-0256 has been selected for funding by Japan’s Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED).

Oncovita SAS’s lead oncolytic virus candidate, Mvdeltac, has been awarded orphan drug designation by the FDA.

Cancervax Inc. has successfully created a nanoparticle that can target specific cells that are potentially cancerous.

Researchers from the University of Arizona have unveiled that coordinated Y chromosome loss in both cancer cells and immune cells may explain the worse prognosis in people with this alteration. The loss of the Y chromosome (LOY) is one of the most frequent somatic mutations in men, particularly with advancing age. Investigating the mechanisms and effects of LOY in PBMCs and its association with immune and tumor cells, they “found a relationship between the Y chromosome loss in normal cells inside the tumor and the Y chromosome loss inside the cancer cell,” Dan Theodorescu, senior author of the study, told BioWorld.

Epimab Biotherapeutics Inc. licensed out a development-ready KLK2/CD3 bispecific T-cell engager (TCE) for advanced prostate cancer to Juri Biosciences Inc. through a potential $210 million deal.