The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London is shifting the focus of drug discovery from molecular targets in cancer cells to take in the whole ecosystem supporting tumor growth, evolution and the development of resistance. The aim is to exploit new understanding of the way cancers evolve within the ecosystem of the body, the interaction between cancer cells and the immune system, and the reliance of a tumor on the tissue and growth signals that surround it. Manipulating this environment could make cancer cells become “extinct,” ICR researchers say. Read More

A research team at Duality Biologics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd. has discovered a novel anti-TNF-α monoclonal antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), DB-2306, as a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of autoimmune disease. Read More

Researchers from Sutro Biopharma Inc. presented the discovery and preclinical characterization of a novel receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1)-targeted antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), STRO-003, being developed for the treatment of cancer. Read More

Acute liver failure (ALF) occurs when an acute injury to the liver is not compensated by the liver’s endogenous regenerative capacity, resulting in impaired liver function. Accelerating the liver’s regenerative capacity by activating the MET-hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) signaling pathway was the aim of this research. AGMB-101, developed by Agomab Therapeutics NV, is an agonist antibody targeting MET that was tested in two murine models of ALF. Read More

Jiangsu Simcere Pharmaceutical R&D Co. Ltd. has disclosed alkyne compounds acting as mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase kinase 1 (MAP4K1; HPK1; MEKKK1) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer. Read More

Activation of the cGAS-STING pathway activates the immune system through the production of type I interferons. There is knowledge that myeloid cell populations are among the most sensitive to STING agonism. Investigators at Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. presented results on TAK-500, an immune stimulant antibody-drug conjugate (ISAC) composed of an antibody linked to a STING agonist for delivery to CCR2+ cells. Read More

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common type of primary brain tumor in adults, with only a 7% rate of 5-year overall survival for patients. Oncolytic viruses based on HSV-1 vectors are an interesting and to-explore area for GBM treatment. Read More

Jiangsu Mabwell Health Pharmaceutical R&D Co. Ltd. and Mabwell (Shanghai) Bioscience Co. Ltd. have synthesized antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) consisting of antibodies targeting nectin-4 covalently linked to cytotoxic drugs through a linker reported to be useful for treatment of cancer. Read More

Ocean University of China has identified novel benzotropone derivatives acting as phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) and/or cAMP and cAMP-inhibited cGMP 3ʹ,5ʹ-cyclic phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of allergy, inflammatory, neurological and cardiovascular diseases. Read More

Silo Pharma Inc. plans to initiate a pilot study of SPU-21, its novel joint-homing peptide targeting rheumatoid arthritis (RA), in human synovial tissue surrounding joints and tendons. Read More

Janssen Pharmaceutica NV has divulged NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of osteoarthritis, cancer, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), skin lesion, sarcoidosis, as well as cardiovascular, metabolic and Alzheimer's diseases, among others. Read More

Constellation Pharmaceuticals Inc. has described three-prime repair exonuclease 1 (TREX1) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer. Read More

Bit Bio Ltd. has announced the addition to its portfolio of ioGlutamatergic Neurons MAPT N279K and ioGlutamatergic Neurons MAPT P301S disease models for frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and early access to its ioGABAergic Neurons for neurological diseases, including epilepsy, schizophrenia, autism and Alzheimer's disease. Read More