Scientists in Edinburgh are planning a clinical trial of licensed drugs in the prevention of chronic kidney disease (CKD) following acute kidney injury (AKI), after uncovering a new mechanism linking the pathology of one with the other. It has only recently been recognized that AKI is linked to CKD and cardiovascular disease, and to date the molecular pathways that control the transition are not well-mapped. As a result, there are no therapies for preventing acute injury progressing to chronic disease. Read More
Investigators from Cerevance Inc. have reported the discovery and preclinical characterization of a novel tandem pore domain halothane-inhibited K+ channel 1 (THIK-1) inhibitor, C-101248, being developed for the treatment of neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). NETSseq and histological analysis revealed that THIK-1 expression was up-regulated in microglia from different cortical regions of AD donors compared with aged matched nondemented control brains. Read More
CD40-targeting therapies have been proposed as an interesting alternative to overcome resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors. In particular, bispecific CD40 antibodies can target CD40 more efficiently and safely than monospecific therapies. In a recent publication, researchers at Alligator Bioscience AB and collaborators demonstrate that bispecific antibodies targeting CD40 and tumor-associated antigens (TAA) can enhance priming of tumor-specific T cells in vivo. Read More
Currently, most patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs) require long-term antibiotic treatment, which poses risks of resistance development and alters the patients' microbiota. Therefore, vaccines that raise safe, effective and long-lasting immune responses across populations for UTI prevention constitute a critical medical need. However, developing such vaccination strategies remains challenging because the responses need to be specific to a broad range of UTI-causing bacteria and include both blood and mucosal responses in the urogenital tract. Read More
The hexanucleotide repeat expansion (HRE) GGGGCC in the noncoding region of the chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9ORF72) gene is the most common cause of hereditary (40%) and apparently sporadic (5%-6%) amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Read More
Abata Therapeutics Inc. has selected its first development candidate, ABA-101, an autologous regulatory T cell (Treg) therapy for the treatment of progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). ABA-101 targets MS patients with nonrelapsing progressive disease who have a DRB1*15:01 genetic haplotype and for whom imaging evidence of ongoing inflammatory tissue injury has been observed. Read More
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a multisystemic disorder caused by loss-of-function mutations in the TSC1 or TSC2 genes. Its clinical phenotype is heterogenous, but most patients with TSC have epilepsy. Read More
The HIV regulatory protein transactivator of transcription (Tat) is a viral protein believed to play a key role in the neurotoxicity and cognitive impairment seen in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. Tat allosterically modulates dopamine (DA) reuptake through the human DA transporter (hDAT). In the current study, researchers from University of South Carolina and affiliated organizations aimed to assess the effects of the novel allosteric modulator of DAT, SRI-32743, on the Tat-DAT interaction. Read More
Blossomhill Therapeutics Inc. has identified macrocyclic compounds acting as GTPase KRAS (G12D mutant) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer. Read More
Everest Medicines Ltd. has achieved a preclinical proof-of-concept milestone for its mRNA rabies vaccine program. This new vaccine candidate for rabies post-exposure prophylaxis was developed in partnership with Providence Therapeutics Holdings Inc. utilizing a clinically validated mRNA technology platform. Read More
Roche has synthesized pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel diseases, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer. Read More
Qrons Inc. has established a collaboration with scientists at a public research university in Israel, by which Tellurium-based compounds in combination with Qrons' QS-200 product candidate and other configurations will be explored as treatment for diffused axonal injuries (concussions), which accounts for approximately 89% of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Read More
