Chengdu Westgene Biopharma Co. Ltd. (Westgene) has received approval from both China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) and the FDA for its therapeutic cancer vaccine WGc-043 to enter first-in-human trials.
Infection or cure? Scientists from Tel Aviv University and the University of Glasgow genetically modified the Toxoplasma gondii to bring a protein inside neurons. The novelty of using a protozoan that can travel from the gut to parasitize the CNS contrasts with the possibility of causing a disease. The scientists are already working on how to avoid it.
Big pharma continues to invest heavily into molecular glue degraders. The latest deal has Eisai Co. Ltd. striking up a research collaboration that could bring Seed Therapeutics Inc. up to $1.5 billion in up-front and milestone payments. The two said they plan to discover, develop and commercialize MGDs for several undisclosed neurodegeneration and oncology targets.
Astrazeneca AB has described transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 4 (TRPV4) antagonists reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, osteoarthritis and inflammatory disorders.
Cogent Biosciences Inc. has disclosed compounds acting as fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of achondroplasia, cancer, craniosynostosis, Alzheimer's disease, fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis, systemic scleroderma (systemic sclerosis) and thanatophoric dysplasia, among others.
Cerevel Therapeutics Inc. has identified compounds acting as muscarinic M4 receptor agonists reported be useful for the treatment of pain, sleep disorders, schizophrenia, substance abuse and dependence, drug-induced dyskinesia, and Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
Nammi Therapeutics Inc. has announced a $1 million investment commitment by the Myeloma Investment Fund (MIF) in a $30 million series B financing round prior to the planned start of a first-in-human phase I study of the company’s QXL-138AM in patients with locally advanced unresectable and/or metastatic solid tumors and multiple myeloma.
Researchers from Mustbio Co. Ltd. and Chung-Ang University have presented the discovery and preclinical characterization of MB-2033, a novel bispecific fusion protein being developed for the treatment of cancer.