It is now possible to look up the 3D structure of every known protein following the latest release of Alphafold, an open database run in partnership by Deepmind, the London-based artificial intelligence company owned by Google parent Alphabet and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory’s European Bioinformatics Institute in Cambridge, U.K. Read More
Wall Street must wait to learn more about factors that might distinguish the Claudin18.2-targeting asset at the center of Elevation Oncology Inc.’s $1.2 billion license deal with CSPC Megalith Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd. Read More
Since the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to the attempts to rapidly develop a vaccine that was effective against current strains, researchers have been looking for a vaccine that could protect more broadly against multiple coronaviruses. That has prompted attempts to harness the potential of the more conserved S2 subunit of the spike protein via which SARS-CoV-2 enters human host cells. Read More
Sarepta Therapeutics Inc. said it plans to file a BLA for its gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), SRP-9001, with the U.S. FDA, potentially setting up a decision in the first half of 2023 for the therapy developed in partnership with Switzerland’s Roche Holding AG. The Cambridge, Mass.-based biotech said the BLA will seek accelerated approval for the therapy, also known as delandistrogene moxeparvovec, for ambulant individuals with DMD. Read More
Exploiting deficiencies in tumor cells’ inability to repair damage to their DNA has been one of the most successful endeavors of oncology research in recent memory. There are four approved PARP inhibitors to treat certain types of breast, ovarian, pancreatic and prostate cancers. Multiple other synthetic lethal combinations that might push repair-deficient tumors into cell death are being investigated. In the July 29, 2022, issue of Science, researchers at Yale University have described another approach to turning DNA repair defect against itself. Startup Modifi Biosciences Inc. is now on course to translate that work. Read More
Scientists will investigate whether cutting-edge technology such as base editing could be used to cure inherited heart muscle conditions after an international team co-led by Harvard Medical School won a research challenge. The $36 million Big Beat Challenge, run by the British Heart Foundation, is one of the largest non-commercial awards ever given and will focus on inherited heart muscle diseases known as genetic cardiomyopathies. Read More
Drug and device makers that offer health care professionals opportunities to earn continuing medical education (CME) points have a fine line to walk when sponsoring those programs, but a new advisory opinion by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) at the Department of Health and Human Services seems to draw a very clear line around those programs. Read More
The U.S. NIH’s National Institute on Aging’s Intervention Testing Program has been searching for ways to extend lifespan for more than two decades by now. And in its animal studies, it has been successful multiple times. There are half a dozen drugs, and a few lifestyle interventions, that reliably extend lifespan in one or both sexes by up to 30%. Read more in part four and five of BioWorld’s multipart series on extending the human lifespan. Read More
In Extending the human lifespan, a BioWorld special report, the team examined the latest science, the key biological drivers that can be targeted pharmacologically and the companies developing potential “Fountain of Youth” candidate drugs. In this episode of the BioWorld Insider Podcast, the team discussed the report’s highlights and key takeaways.
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Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Gigagen, Neophore, Nervgen, Novartis, Sunshine, Therapeutic Solutions, Tonix, Trevena, Viiv. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Acer, Astria, Kira, Marinus, Quoin, Sareum, Step, Turning Point. Read More