The inhibition of an enzyme associated with neurodegeneration processes reduced the toxic effect of tau, one of the proteins that damage neurons in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A group of scientists from the University of Helsinki have shown in vitro and in animal models of AD how inhibition of the prolyl endopeptidase (PREP) enzyme reduced tau protein aggregations. Read More

Thetis Pharmaceuticals LLC and Harvard Medical School have presented data on the stable salt chelate of Resolvin E1, TP-317, for the potential treatment of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-resistant and sensitive tumors. TP-315 is an activator of ChemR23, a receptor expressed on immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. In vivo murine models of lung, melanoma (B16F10) and pancreatic (Panc2-H7) tumors were used to investigate TP-317 monotherapy and in combination with ICI. Read More

Kinnate Biopharma Inc. has added two new internally developed next-generation development candidates to its targeted oncology pipeline, a brain-penetrant mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor and a highly selective hepatocyte growth factor receptor gene (c-Met) inhibitor. Read More

Checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) is involved in cell cycle arrest by activation of DNA damage response pathways. The aim of researchers from Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co. Ltd. was to develop a potent oral CHK1 inhibitor, XS-02, for the treatment of solid tumors. Read More

Hanchorbio Inc. has received IND clearance by the FDA to initiate a clinical trial of HCB-101, for the treatment of patients with advanced solid tumors or relapsed and refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Read More

Researchers from Bright Peak Therapeutics AG presented the discovery and preclinical characterization of a novel first-in-class PD-1/interleukin-18 (IL-18) immunocytokine, BPT-567. Read More

Janssen Pharmaceutica NV has disclosed IL-17A/IL-17 receptor A (IL-17RA) interaction modulators reported to be useful for the treatment of psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (ankylosing spondylitis), multiple sclerosis, asthma and more. Read More

China Pharmaceutical University has synthesized receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (RIPK1; RIP-1) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of ischemic stroke, among others. Read More

Estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer is among the most prevalent subtypes and is the cause of most of the mortality among breast cancer patients. Endocrine therapy is effective in these cases, but the development of resistance is a fact in many cases. Read More

Abliva AB’s NV-354 has been granted orphan drug designation by the FDA for the treatment of mitochondrial disease. Read More

Zeno Management Inc. has identified cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer. Read More

At the AACR meeting this week, EMD Serono Inc. reported the discovery of a novel endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress modulator (ERSM), M-3913. Read More

University of Durham has divulged heteroaryl derived compounds reported to be useful for the treatment of leishmaniasis and allergy. Read More

Researchers from the Institute of Zoology Guangdong Academy of Sciences have reported on the discovery and preclinical evaluation of a series of diaryl heterocyclic analogues with antiproliferative activities that led to the identification of [I] as the compound with the highest antiproliferative activity, yielding IC50 values of 2.65 μM against HCT-116 colon cancer cell lines comparable to combretastatin A-4 (Ca-4), a tubulin inhibitor with potent anticancer activities. Read More

HER2 is a member of the epidermal growth factor receptor family that is overexpressed in approximately 20% of breast cancers. Trastuzumab, an anti-HER2 antibody discovered 25 years ago has become the standard of care treatment due to its beneficial results. Read More

East China University of Science & Technology has described pteridinone derivatives acting as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR; HER1; erbB1) (mutant) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer. Read More

Additional early-stage research and drug discovery news in brief, from: Dragonfly Therapeutics, Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Kura Oncology, Telix Pharmaceuticals, Tonix Pharmaceuticals. Read More

New and updated preclinical data presented at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting in Orlando, Fla., by: Accent Therapeutics, Alphamab Oncology, Arais Biotech, Avacta, Biotheryx, Cellectis, Corbus Pharmaceuticals, Corvus Pharmaceuticals, Frontier Medicines, Ikena Oncology, In8bio, Medicenna Therapeutics, Medivir, Parthenon Therapeutics, Pathios Therapeutics, Precigen, Quanta Therapeutics, Sporos Biodiscovery, Strand Therapeutics, Syndevrx, Tempest Therapeutics, Transgene, Vincerx Pharma, Volastra Therapeutics. Read More