A new derivative of coumarin, a natural plant product abundant in cinnamon, could hold the key to healthy aging. Researchers at the Buck Institute have shown that it extended life span and prevented neurodegenerative disease in worms and mice. The drug, a TFEB gene inducer called MIC, promoted mitochondria recycling (mitophagy) but also interacted with lysosomes, which could have multiple applications. The scientists published the results of this aging and mitophagy study on Nov. 13, 2023, in Nature Aging. Read More
Researchers from Adicet Bio Inc. reported on the preclinical development of ADI-925, an engineered Chimeric Adapter (CAd) γδ1 T-cell therapy that targets major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related protein A/B (MICA/MICB) and ULBP1-6 expressed in tumor cells. Read More
Researchers from Nkgen Biotech Inc. have developed an anti-HER2 CAR NK cell therapy, named SNK-02, as a potential immunotherapeutic for HER2-overexpressing tumors. SNK-02 was tested in a xenografted murine model of cancer. Read More
ΔF508-CFTR is the most common CFTR mutation in cystic fibrosis (CF), which leads to destabilization of CFTR’s first nucleotide-binding domain (NBD1), contributing centrally to defective ΔF508-CFTR folding, trafficking and function. Read More
Proxygen GmbH has disclosed molecular glue degraders comprising a cullin-ring E3 ligase (CRL) binding moiety acting as cyclin-dependent kinase 12 (CDK12)/cyclin K degradation inducers. They are reported to be useful for the treatment of metabolic diseases, cancer, infections and more. Read More
Solid Biosciences Inc. has received FDA clearance of its IND application for SGT-003, the company’s next-generation gene therapy candidate for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The planned first-in-human phase I/II trial will enroll pediatric patients with DMD to receive SGT-003 as a one-time intravenous infusion. Read More
Researchers from Aligos Therapeutics Inc. have presented the discovery and preclinical evaluation of a novel next-generation liver targeted PD-L1 small molecule inhibitor, ALG-094103, which is being developed for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B and liver cancer. Read More
Inborn errors of immunity comprise a group of several diseases, the most severe of which are immunodeficiency disorders. The latter are characterized by defective T-cell functioning leading to impaired immunity. Read More
Kumquat Biosciences Inc. has synthesized son of sevenless homolog 1 (SOS1)/GTPase KRAS interaction inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer. Read More
Blueprint Medicines Corp. has identified KIT (c-KIT) (mutant) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). Read More
The Innovative Medicines Initiative’s COMBINE (COllaboration for prevention and treatment of MDR Bacterial INfEctions) project is developing a standardized in vivo pneumonia model to test small-molecule antibiotics. Read More
It’s known that interferon-alpha (IFNα) activates interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) and disrupts the hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication cycle. Pegylated (PEG)-IFNα has been widely used for its immunomodulatory and antiviral properties but it is not always well tolerated and thus its use is limited. Read More
Virginia Commonwealth University has divulged NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of traumatic brain injury, myocardial infarction, arthritis, diabetes, gout, COVID-19, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, among others. Read More
Trex Bio Inc. has announced its selection of a new development candidate, TRB-061, designed to selectively agonize TNF receptor 2 (TNFR2), a mechanism with potential across a broad range of autoimmune indications. Read More
