Spybiotech Ltd. has entered into a sponsored research agreement with the University of Oxford for the development of a vaccine against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

Owkin Inc. has in-licensed OKN-4395 (ACT-1002-4391), a highly selective and potent dual inhibitor of prostanoid receptors EP2 and EP4, from Idorsia Ltd.

Researchers from Purdue University and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have identified a potential target for treating Lyme disease, a prevalent tick-borne illness of increasing concern worldwide. Current treatment for Lyme disease is based on long-term administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics, with significant costs and impact on patients’ quality of life.

The world’s largest and most comprehensive repository of somatic mutations found in cancer is celebrating its 20th birthday by adding 307,000 new genomic variants to its 24 million-strong database. With somatic mutations being the main drivers of tumor development, the Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer (COSMIC) is firmly established as a source of potential drug targets, for the discovery and validation of biomarkers associated with prognosis, treatment response and patient outcomes, and as a resource for characterizing the mutational landscape of individual tumors.

Prologue Medicines Inc. has launched to develop therapeutics created from the viral proteome, which are proteins produced across all viruses. It’s a newer twist on harnessing the power of the proteins that regulate biology. The company was founded on the premise of peering beyond the human proteome to see if there were viral proteins that could become therapeutics, Theonie Anastassiadis, Prologue’s founding president, told BioWorld.