David Baker, director of the Institute for Protein Design at the University of Washington School of Medicine, is a pioneer in protein design. His contributions have been recognized with countless awards, and now, a place among the 2024 Clarivate Citation Laureates. Baker’s lab has developed several open-source software applications for nanotechnology and biomedicine. With these methods, scientists build new proteins that bind to drug targets and block them or activate cellular signals.
Cyclin-dependent kinases 12 and 13 (CDK12 and CDK13) are involved in the regulation of transcription elongation, DNA damage response and genomic stability balance. A few inhibitors of CDK12- and CDK13-mediated transcription have shown antiproliferative effects in the preclinical setting but have not progressed to clinical testing due to excessive toxicity.
Kurma Partners has announced the first closing of its Biofund IV at €140 million (US$154.5 million) and is pressing ahead to a final close of €250 million this time next year. The fund will make 16 to 20 investments, with half the money due to be invested in novel science that Kurma teases out of academic labs and the remainder in established VC-funded companies. The Paris-based firm is agnostic about which fields or disease areas it invests in and will prospect for breakthrough research anywhere in Europe.
Research into the regulation of gene expression experienced a significant breakthrough with the discovery of microRNA, small RNA molecules that do not code for proteins but control their translation. This finding has earned its authors Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Aquinnah Pharmaceuticals Inc. has identified new TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TARDBP; TDP-43) aggregation and microtubule-associated protein tau (PHF-tau; MAPT) aggregation inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer’s disease.
Shanghai Synergy Pharmaceutical Sciences Co. Ltd. and Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. have jointly disclosed new nucleoside prodrugs reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer.
Cascade Pharmaceuticals Inc. has synthesized benzoheterocyclic compounds acting as free fatty acid FFA1 receptor (GPR40) agonists reported to be useful for the treatment of diabetes.
A Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG patent describes new phenylpiperidine derivatives acting as glutaminyl-peptide cyclotransferase (QPCT; QC) and glutaminyl-peptide cyclotransferase-like protein (QPCTL; IsoQC) inhibitors.
Hyundai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has patented probable global transcription activator SNF2L2 (SMARCA2; BAF190B; SNF2-α) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer.
It was hypothesized that the MEK1/2 inhibitor ATR-002 could reduce inflammation and clear Staphylococcus aureus infection during cystic fibrosis, thus potentially showing a dual effect.
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