BHV-8000 from Biohaven Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a dual, brain-penetrant, oral small molecule that is highly selective against TYK2 and JAK1 enzymes, which are essential enzymes to the inflammatory response driving the progression of many neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD).
Investigators from the University of Pennsylvania have presented data regarding the relationship of angiopoietin-2 (ANG2) and its prognostic impact on traumatic brain injury (TBI). The ANG2 plasmatic levels were measured in patients with TBI (n=362), orthopedic injury controls (n=89) and healthy controls (n=64).
Dravet syndrome (DS) is a rare and severe form of epilepsy that causes intellectual disability and motor deficits and can lead to premature death. A loss-of-function mutation in one copy of SCN1A, encoding the voltage-gated sodium channel (NaV)1.1 α subunit, is the most frequent alteration found in DS patients and has been linked with inhibitory neuron dysfunction. Despite the potential of gene therapies, AAV-mediated SCN1A gene replacement for DS has not been possible yet due to AAV genome size constraints.
Oral peptide delivery specialist Cyprumed GmbH is about to find out if the high bioavailability of its tablet formulations seen in animal models will translate across to humans, after signing a $493 million license and option agreement with Merck & Co. Inc.
Momentum Therapeutics Inc. has described receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 3 (RIPK3) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of systematic inflammatory response syndrome, autoimmune disease, cancer, metabolic diseases, neurodegeneration and pain.
Insmed Inc. has divulged cathepsin C (dipeptidyl peptidase I, DPP1) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, asthma, metastatic cancer, chronic rhinosinusitis, heart failure, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis and thrombosis, among others.
Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding Co. Ltd. has identified C-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CCR4) antagonists reported to be useful for the treatment of asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, cancer, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and drug-induced rash.
Researchers at Provincial Health Services Authority and University of British Columbia have synthesized radiolabeled peptides targeting gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) reported to be useful for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Samjin Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has disclosed stimulator of interferon genes protein (STING; TMEM173) agonists reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer, allergy, autoimmune diseases and inflammatory disorders.