The Annual Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) meeting in Copenhagen this week is celebrating its 40th edition. In recognition of this landmark, the plenary session and opening lecture were attended by Queen Margrethe of Denmark. Afterward, the hot topic session on neuroprotective therapies set the stage for the subsequent discussions on the latest trends in the management and treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS).
Cigarette smoke, the main cause of chronic obstructive lung disease, is considered a significant contributor of neuroinflammation, potentially leading to cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration. About 61% of individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have neurocognitive dysfunction.
Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences evaluated the highly potent and selective inhibitor of the second bromodomain (BD2) of the bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) family of proteins, ABBV-744, with the aim of assessing its preclinical efficacy and exploring the pathways by which the compound regulates microglia-mediated neuroinflammation.
Researchers from the University of Queensland and affiliated organizations recently presented preclinical data for the novel C3a receptor (C3aR) antagonist JR-14a, being developed as a neuroprotective agent for the treatment of post-stroke neuroinflammation.
Aberrant NLRP3 inflammasome activation is at the root of a wide number of conditions, from heart, gastrointestinal, kidney or liver disorders to neuroinflammatory diseases such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis. Researchers from Nodthera Ltd. have reported on NT-0796, an NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor with an in vivo brain penetration profile.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in modulating neuronal stress responses, but their impact on neuroprotection has been poorly studied. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common inflammatory disease affecting the central nervous system. Researchers have recently attempted to identify potential miRNAs that play a protective role in neuroinflammation.
Merck KGaA has entered deals that could bring U.K. artificial intelligence companies Benevolentai Ltd. and Exscientia plc more than $1.2 billion. Oxford, U.K.-based Exscientia and Merck will collaborate to find three small-molecule candidates in oncology, neuroinflammation and immunology. Exscientia is getting $20 million up front and could bring in $674 million in milestones payments.
Researchers from Binzhou Medical University and affiliated organizations have detailed the synthesis and optimization of a new series of 1,4,5,6-tetrahydrobenzo [2,3]oxepino[4,5-d]pyrimidin-2-amine derivatives, which resulted in the identification of compound [I] as the lead candidate with potent anti-neuroinflammatory activity in vitro.
The identification of new targets in diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s – conditions which continue to have significant unmet needs – has taken a small step forward as one company, Violet Therapeutics Inc., plans to put $10.6 million in seed funding toward building out a pipeline based on technologies that elucidate the way cells interact amongst one another.