Prostate cancer is one of the most common male-related cancers, and understanding the underlying mechanisms is crucial for developing new treatment strategies and avoiding resistance development.

FAST kinase domain-containing protein 5 (FASTKD5) is a mitochondrial protein that is needed for processing mRNA in the primary mitochondrial transcript. Several mutations have been found in other proteins involved in mitochondrial metabolism, but mutations in the FASTKD5 gene have not yet been reported.

Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corp., Veneno Technologies Co. Ltd. and Alpha Fusion Co. Ltd. have initiated a joint research collaboration in Japan to develop cancer drugs using targeted alpha therapy (TAT).

Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) has been noted to impact liver disease and promote liver inflammation. Researchers from Southern Medical University screened a natural product molecular library and found that ellipticine exerted moderate TLR3 inhibitory effects, with an IC50 value of 5.66 µM.

Renasant Bio Inc. has launched to develop new disease-modifying treatments for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), the primary genetic cause of end-stage renal failure. The $54.5 million in seed funding the company has secured will support advancement of its lead corrector program and ongoing discovery efforts for the company’s first-in-class potentiator program.

When injured, the human skin is repaired through a wound-healing process that forms fibrotic scar tissue. Scarring burdens patients at both the functional and esthetic levels, and scars in the craniofacial region in particular can be psychologically damaging for the individual. The principal limitation to developing effective scarring treatments is the limited understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind scar formation and the mechanisms that drive repair without scarring.