Researchers at the University of Cape Town have compared the T-cell responses of individuals who were infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis but were able to control the infection to those who developed active disease. The researchers wrote that the shared antigens in controllers “can be considered as high-priority targets for future vaccine development.” Their results were published online in Nature Medicine on Jan. 5, 2023. In their experiments, the team first sequenced the CDR3β region of the T-cell repertoire in a total of 166 individuals with M. tuberculosis infection who progressed to either TB or controlled infection. Read More
The sigma 1 receptor is widely distributed in the nervous system and its function has been implicated in a number of neurological disorders including dementia, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. In a recent publication, researchers from the University of Nebraska detailed the discovery of novel sigma 1 receptor modulators. Read More
Frontier Medicines Corp. has selected its first development candidate, FMC-376, an oral, covalent small-molecule inhibitor that selectively targets both active (GTP-bound) and inactive (GDP-bound) conformations of KRAS G12C. Read More
It has been shown that site-specific phosphorylation of tau at threonine 205 (T205) by the kinase p38γ disengages tau from toxic pathways, thus acting as a neuroprotective function in Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers in Australia have designed a novel AAV-based gene therapy approach targeting p38γ, DBA/2.p38γCA, in murine models of epilepsy in which tau is known to play a neurotoxic effect. Read More
Abbvie Inc. and Immunome Inc. have announced a worldwide collaboration and option agreement for the discovery of up to 10 novel antibody-target pairs arising from three specified tumor types using Immunome's discovery engine. Read More
PDX Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s ARAC-02 has been selected to enter the Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory (NCL)'s Assay Cascade Characterization Program. Read More
Athira Pharma Inc. is advancing ATH-1105 toward a planned IND filing this year for first-in-human studies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Read More
Shaanxi Panlong Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. has disclosed proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) comprising cereblon (CRBN) ligands coupled to 3C-like proteinase (3CLpro; Mpro; nsp5) (SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19 virus) targeting moiety via linker acting as 3CLpro (SARS-CoV-2) degradation inducers reported to be useful for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Read More
Lantern Pharma Inc.'s LP-284 has been awarded orphan drug designation by the FDA for the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). LP-284 is a novel small-molecule agent that preferentially damages DNA in cancer cells harboring mutations in DNA damage repair pathways. Read More
Esperovax Inc. and Ginkgo Bioworks Inc. have established a partnership to develop circular RNAs (circRNAs) for a variety of therapeutic applications. Read More
Transgene SA has received clinical trial application (CTA) approval from the French National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) to proceed with a phase I trial of TG-6050, a novel oncolytic virus (OV) for intravenous administration in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Enrollment is expected to open in the first half of this year. Read More
Researchers from Nordic Nanovector ASA presented the discovery of a novel humanized anti-CD37 monoclonal antibody, NNV-024, engineered to exhibit a strong antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Read More
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG and 3T Biosciences Inc. have entered into a strategic collaboration and licensing agreement to discover and develop next-generation cancer therapies to address high unmet needs. Read More
Clearmind Medicine Inc. has released promising preclinical results demonstrating efficacy of its psychedelic-derived drug candidate MEAI for treating obesity and metabolic syndrome. Read More
