Blackstone Life Sciences made an investment of up to $750 million in Moderna Inc.’s influenza program created with its mRNA technology. The new funding is designed to help propel the program forward and may help bolster a stock that has struggled in the past 12 months.
Neuraminidase (NA) is an essential surface protein of influenza viruses with potential as an effective drug and vaccine target. However, knowledge of the NA antigenic landscape remains limited, and most current influenza vaccines induce antibodies against the surface glycoprotein hemagglutinin.
A common molecular pathway associated with lung fibrosis may also hold the key to pulmonary vascular repair. A group of scientists at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) found that when a viral infection damaged these vessels, the injury could be restored by activating the transforming growth factor-β receptor 2 (TGF-βR2) in endothelial cells, which led to cell proliferation.
Ubidx Inc. has designed a diagnostic system comprised of a fluidic single-use disposable and a base. While the fluidic single-use disposable or cartridge is generally described as being suitable for testing a single sample, the base or hub may be used numerous times to perform numerous tests using numerous fluidic single-use disposables or cartridges.
The Novo Nordisk Foundation is committing up to DKK1.8 billion (US$260 million) to establish a research and vaccine development initiative that aims to create new or improved vaccines for respiratory diseases, including tuberculosis (TB) and influenza.
Enanta Pharmaceuticals Inc. has patented heterocyclic compounds potentially useful for the treatment of metapneumovirus (MPV), influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections.
Researchers from Eradivir Inc. and affiliated organizations presented the discovery and preclinical evaluation of EV-21, a dual mechanism antiviral immunotherapy for the treatment of influenza infections. EV-21 was designed as a ligand-targeted drug conjugate, developed by linking the neuraminidase inhibitor zanamivir to two distinct haptens that bind to two different naturally occurring antibodies in humans. As a result, the candidate acts though a dual mechanism of action, which consists of potent recruitment of the human immune system to recognize and destroy free viruses and virus-infected cells.
Synthetic, multi-epitope peptide vaccines are becoming an attractive universal influenza vaccine strategy. Longhorn Vaccines & Diagnostics LLC has created LHNVD-105, an influenza vaccine candidate consisting of unconjugated multi-epitope influenza peptides.
Researchers from Longhorn Vaccines & Diagnostics LLC recently presented preclinical data for the novel unconjugated peptide vaccine LHNVD-201, which is being developed as a universal vaccine candidate for protection against different strains of influenza and COVID-19.