Anthony Fauci has retired from his position as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and as chief medical advisor to the U.S. president. But Fauci, who has advised every president since Ronald Reagan, continues to share his encyclopedic knowledge with the HIV research community, as he has since the beginning of the HIV pandemic. Fauci co-founded the first National Conference on Human Retroviruses and related infections in 1993. At the Opening Session of the 30th edition of the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), he highlighted the advances that have collectively extended the life expectancy of newly diagnosed patients by decades. Read More
Researchers from Caribou Biosciences Inc. presented preclinical data for the novel BCMA-specific allogeneic CAR T-cell therapy candidate, CB-011, being developed for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. A genome editing strategy was implemented in the production of CB-011 to blunt CAR T-cell rejection by both patient T cells and natural killer (NK) cells. Read More
Mesothelin (MSLN) glycoprotein is overexpressed in many solid tumors and is considered a relevant target for antigen-specific therapies. In fact, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy against MSLN has shown promising results in preclinical models, as well as safety in a phase I trial. Read More
Glypican 3 (GPC3) is overexpressed in hepatocellular cancers (HCC), even at very early stages. In contrast, GPC3 is not expressed in normal adult organs. One strategy in place for HCC consists in co-targeting GPC3 and CD3 with bispecific antibodies to activate the latter in order to attack GPC3-positive cancer cells. Read More
Over half of the children with high-risk neuroblastoma experience late relapses caused by minimal residual disease. Since chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has shown efficacy against minimal residual disease in pediatric patients with hematologic malignancies, several CAR T-cell therapies are being investigated for neuroblastoma. Read More
The emergence of new variants of concern (VOCs) of SARS-CoV-2 may limit the efficacy of monoclonal antibodies and vaccines currently used in the clinic. Read More
While it is known that differentiated myofibroblasts produce excessive collagens, which accumulate in tissues and cause hardening, the mechanisms involved in these processes are largely unknown. In a recent study, Kyushu University scientists aimed to assess the molecular mechanisms by which matrix stiffness increases fibrosis-related gene expression in myofibroblasts. Read More
Novartis AG has disclosed 3C-like proteinase (3CLpro; Mpro; nsp5) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Read More
Hebei Feinisi Biotechnology Co. Ltd. has synthesized shared epitope-containing HLA DR molecule (SE-DR) affinity peptides reported to be useful for the treatment of rheumatic diseases. Read More
Receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 2 (RIPK2) is a kinase protein that plays key roles in inflammation and antimicrobial response through the NF-kB signaling pathway, as well as it is known to activate c-MYC, which is involved in the progression of several malignancies, such as prostate cancer. Read More
Grey Wolf Therapeutics Ltd. has identified phenyl-sulfamoyl-benzoic acid derivatives acting as endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 1 (ERAP1) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer, viral infection, inflammatory and immunological disorders. Read More
Beigene Co. Ltd. has divulged proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) comprising an E3 ubiquitin ligase binding moiety covalently linked to a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase kinase 1 (MAP4K1; HPK1; MEKKK1)-targeting moiety reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer. Read More
Herantis Pharma plc has received approval from the Finnish Medicines Agency, Fimea, and an ethics committee for a clinical trial application (CTA) to start clinical development of HER-096 for Parkinson's disease. Read More
Neurocrine Biosciences Inc. has described new muscarinic M4 receptor antagonists reported to be useful for the treatment of tremor, dystonia and parkinsonism. Read More
