By applying deep learning methods to a large database of zinc finger nucleases, researchers at the University of Toronto and New York University have developed an algorithm, Zfdesign, that was able to design custom zinc fingers for any given stretch of DNA. “I think this system levels the playing field for zinc fingers and CRISPR,” said Philip Kim, co-corresponding author of the team's paper published online in Nature Biotechnology on Jan. 26, 2023. Read More
Treatment with the fusion protein QL-1005 reduced caloric intake and body weight in mice and primates. In obese animals, it also improved insulin, fasting glucose and triglyceride levels. The design belongs to the Chinese biopharmaceutical company Beijing QL Biopharmaceutical, which will begin clinical trials in a year. Read More
Researchers from Hefei Industrial Pharmaceutical Institute Co. Ltd. presented the discovery and preclinical evaluation of novel multifunctional inhibitors as potential anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents. Read More
Hepatocellular death is an important process for liver homoeostasis by elimination and replacement of impaired hepatocytes. Hepatocellular death occurs little under normal conditions in the healthy liver, and it plays a key role as a trigger of liver regeneration; meanwhile, hepatic steatosis increases hepatocellular death during liver regeneration, exacerbating both acute and chronic liver damage. Read More
Escient Pharmaceuticals Inc. has obtained FDA clearance of its IND application for EP-262, a first-in-class, potent, highly selective small-molecule antagonist of Mas-related G-protein coupled receptor member X2 (MRGPRX2) for mast cell-mediated disorders. Read More
About 8% of the worldwide population carries the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) alcohol flushing variant (ALDH2*2, rs671), which has been tied to an increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) due to severe loss of ALDH2 enzymatic activity. Read More
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Inc. has disclosed proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) comprising an E3 ubiquitin ligase-binding moiety coupled to an anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-targeting moiety through a linker reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer. Read More
Researchers from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center have published data from a study that aimed to investigate the role of interleukin-33 (IL-33) in cardiac remodeling after acute kidney injury (AKI). Read More
TYK Medicines Inc. and Zhejiang Tongyuankang Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. have identified tyrosine-protein phosphatase non-receptor type 11 (PTPN11) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer and LEOPARD and Noonan syndrome. Read More
Wigen Biomedicine Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. has described GTPase KRAS (G12D mutant) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer. Read More
Zedira GmbH has synthesized protein-glutamine γ-glutamyltransferase (TGM2) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of celiac disease. Read More
