Gene editing strategies, from epigenetic engineering to cell reprogramming and genetic vaccines, are accelerating the development of new therapies that awaken the immune system to treat cancer, as presented last month in Rome at the 31st Annual Congress of the European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ESGCT). Some of these advances are taking advantage of the conditions of the tumor microenvironment, where cancer cells coexist with immune cells, microorganisms and blood vessels.

The contest between the two main classes of antiproliferatives for circulatory system use continues as seen in a presentation at this year’s Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics.

A major increase in the popularity of weight loss drugs, particularly GLP-1s, has created a rivalry with traditional device orientated approaches, but a new technology aims to navigate the space between them.

Some rare skin diseases not only reduce the quality of life of patients, but also can be devastating conditions, leading to amputations or death. At the 31st annual congress of the European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ESGCT), held last week in Rome, different laboratories showcased their approaches to editing mutations related to this group of diseases.

Rakovina Therapeutics Inc. has obtained a short-list of recommended drug candidates from an initial artificial intelligence (AI) screening effort using the Deep Docking AI platform under a collaboration with the University of British Columbia.

Exscientia plc has announced progression of two additional discovery programs within its collaboration with Sanofi. Both lead compounds have met the product profile requirements, set by both parties, to enable a transition to the lead optimization phase within the collaboration.

Qnovia Inc. received U.S. FDA clearance to start its clinical trial for Respirx, a nicotine inhaler designed as a replacement therapy for smoking.

David Baker, Demis Hassabis and John Jumper share the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their contributions to the science of protein structure. David Baker was awarded half the prize “for computational protein design,” according to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Hassabis and Jumper shared the other half “for protein structure prediction.”

The founding CEO of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. is now leading the charge with newly launched City Therapeutics Inc., which just completed a $135 million series A financing. City’s executive chair, John Maraganore, will be in familiar territory as the new company plans to develop RNAi-based medicines using next-generation siRNA engineering. He expects dozens of these therapies to reach the market in a relatively short period of time, not just from City Therapeutics but from other companies. It’s a period in the development timeline that he finds reminiscent of the rise and development of monoclonal antibodies.

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.