Diwali, the Festival of Light, marks different events depending on where it is celebrated. In some areas of India, it marks the return of Lord Rama to his birthplace of Ayodhya after defeating the demon Ravana. For Vivek Subbiah, associate professor at the Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics, Division of Cancer Medicine of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, the story of how Rama defeated Ravana has parallels in drug discovery. Ravana had 10 heads, and when one was cut off, it grew back. Rama defeated Ravana by means of a magic arrow that entered through the demon’s navel. Read More
P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is a multidrug resistance (MDR)-associated protein, which is widely distributed in membranes of several cells including hepatocytes, renal proximal tubular cells and brain capillary endothelial cells. The overexpression of this drug efflux transporter protein is considered to play a key role in the development of MDR. Read More
Researchers from the University of Saskatchewan have developed a novel theranostic candidate, [67Cu]EB-TATE, as an alternative to [177Lu]DOTATATE, for the imaging of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NET). EB-TATE, which is a derivative of octreotate with evans blue (EB), was radiolabeled with electron linear accelerator-produced 67CuCl2. Read More
Novaccess Global Inc. has announced the approval of its application with the FDA for orphan drug designation for TLR-AD1, a vaccine immunotherapy for the treatment of aggressive brain cancers, including glioblastoma and other high-grade gliomas. The company’s therapeutic path involves a unique transformational process, which involves the addition of proprietary substances to create a cocktail for more personalized treatment that substantially increases clinical benefits for patients. Read More
Ascletis Pharma Inc. announces that the company has filed an IND application with the FDA for ASC-10, an oral antiviral drug candidate targeting viral polymerase of monkeypox virus. Read More
Transcode Therapeutics Inc. has reported positive preclinical results with its lead candidate, TTX-MC138, which targets microRNA-10b (miR-10b). The company evaluated the bioactivity of TTX-MC138 monotherapy in a murine model of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Read More
Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene (KRAS) is one of the GTPases from the RAS family activating signaling pathways that regulate cell functions. KRAS mutation of glycine to aspartate at position 12 (G12D) is a common mutation in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, colorectal cancer, lung adenocarcinoma and other solid tumors. ASP-3082 is a proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) under development by Astellas Pharma Inc. The company has presented the first in vitro and in vivo results of this new compound. Read More
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a pleiotropic cytokine that has been shown to be involved in metabolic regulation, development of lung disease and support of hematopoiesis, apart from its known roles in the central nervous system. Its plasma levels during sepsis were investigated in this study. Read More
Mercury Bio LLC has developed a patent-pending technology that will enable highly targeted delivery of both RNA therapeutics and small-molecule drugs to targeted diseased cells. Read More
Orexia Therapeutics Ltd. has divulged 2-(3-ethynylbenzyl)-substituted heterocycle derivatives acting as orexin OX2 receptor agonists reported to be useful for the treatment of narcolepsy, hypersomnia, insomnia and sleep apnea. Read More
Mablink Bioscience SAS., Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique have patented antibody-drug conjugates consisting of antibodies covalently linked to therapeutic drugs through an enzyme-triggered self-immolative linker reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer. Read More
Parenchyma Biotech Inc. has described aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune disease. Read More
Vanderbilt University has patented metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 2 (mGluR2) negative allosteric modulators reported to be useful for the treatment of depression, anxiety, Alzheimer's disease, obsessive-compulsive and autism spectrum disorders. Read More
New and updated preclinical data presented at the EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics in Barcelona, Spain, by: Black Diamond Therapeutics, Exscientia, Flare Therapeutics, Ikena, Nuvalent, Ryvu, Scorpion, Theseus. Read More
