An enzyme that activates cell death could be targeted to avoid the inflammation and lung lesions caused by influenza A virus (IAV). A collaborative study demonstrated that an inhibitor of receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 3 (RIPK3) blocked necroptosis in infected alveolar epithelial cells and prevented the consequences in the lungs of severe disease. Read More
Vaccination with infectious Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites (PfSPZ) administered with antimalarial drugs (PfSPZ-CVac) is more effective than vaccination with replication-deficient, radiation-attenuated PfSPZ. However, the requirement for drug administration is a significant limitation of the PfSPZ-CVac strategy. Read More
Voyager Therapeutics Inc. has announced the selection of a lead development candidate in the GBA1 gene therapy program for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and other GBA1-mediated diseases under its collaboration with Neurocrine Biosciences Inc. Read More
The autophagy process, a critical regulator of T-cell function, has been shown to control acute HIV-1 infection and play a crucial role also in HIV-1 disease pathogenesis. Read More
Multiple myeloma (MM) stands as the second most common hematologic malignancy. Proteasome inhibitors are effective in MM, but many patients develop resistance, which is thought to be caused by mutations in the PSMB5 gene. Read More
A research team at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), funded by Cancervax Inc., has created a promising new bispecific antibody vaccine for treating recurrent Ewing sarcoma. Read More
Scientists at Jisikai (Suzhou) Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. and Yaopharma Co. Ltd. have disclosed polycyclic N-heterocyclic ketone compounds reported to be useful for the treatment of HIV infection. Read More
The FDA has granted orphan drug designation to the active ingredient in Soligenix Inc.’s Marvax, a heat stable subunit protein vaccine of recombinantly expressed Marburg marburgvirus (MARV) glycoprotein, for the prevention and post-exposure prophylaxis against MARV infection. Read More
Researchers at Oncopia Therapeutics Inc. (dba Proteovant Therapeutics Inc.) and University of Michigan have synthesized proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) compounds comprising a Von Hippel-Lindau disease tumor suppressor (VHL) binding moiety covalently linked to a probable global transcription activator SNF2L2 (SMARCA2; BAF190B; SNF2-α) and/or transcription activator BRG1 (SMARCA4; BAF190A; SNF2-β) targeting moiety through a linker. Read More
With the aim of overcoming drug resistance and reducing the toxicities associated with pan-fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) inhibitors, scientists from 3H Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. developed a highly selective and potent small-molecule inhibitor of FGFR2, 3HP-2827, to be developed for the treatment of FGFR2‑driven solid tumors. Read More
Trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) is a member of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) TAAR family, which has been shown to be enriched in the central nervous system and periphery. TAAR1 can couple to diverse G protein subtypes, including Gs, Gq and Gi. Shandong University investigators have recently reported the discovery of a novel TAAR1 agonist as an antipsychotic drug candidate. Read More
University of Antwerp has identified substituted phenothiazines acting as ferroptosis inhibitors potentially useful for the treatment of acute renal failure, sepsis, ischemia-reperfusion injury, neurological and iron metabolism disorders, transplant rejection and chronic kidney disease, among others. Read More
Zinc transporter ZIP6, also known as LIV-1, is a transmembrane protein that is an interesting target for antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) therapy because of its higher expression in tumors and almost no expression in normal tissues. Read More
University of California Oakland has described potassium channel subfamily K member 2 (TREK-1; KCNK2) and/or potassium channel subfamily K member 10 (TREK2; KCNK10) activators reported to be useful for the treatment of Caisson disease (decompression sickness), depression, headache, pulmonary hypertension, insomnia, chronic pain, lung and neuronal Injury. Read More
