By treating mice with antifibrotic drugs, researchers were able to stave off functional decline of the ovaries. Six weeks of systemic treatment with the antifibrotic pirfenidone, which is approved for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, in early middle age improved both the morphology and the endocrine function of the animals’ ovaries at 1 year of age. Read More

The management of obesity and its associated comorbidities needs novel approaches for safety and efficacy. Researchers from Pep2tango Therapeutics Inc. are aiming to face this challenge by developing an approach that promotes superior weight loss through the loss of fat mass only, while preserving the muscle lean mass. Read More

Rakuten Medical Inc. has presented preclinical results with RM-0256, a PD-L1-targeted photoimmunotherapy, showing its ability to kill immunosuppressive myeloid cells to activate local and systemic antitumor immunity. Read More

CDR-Life Inc. has reported preclinical data for the CDR-813, a novel antibody fragment-based bivalent T-cell engager targeting preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME) on HLA-A*02:01. Read More

Impact Therapeutics (Shanghai) Inc. has disclosed tricyclic derivatives acting as poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1; ARTD1) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer. Read More

Chengdian (Suzhou) Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has received IND clearance from the FDA, allowing it to initiate a first-in-human phase I trial of CD-001. Read More

Functionally active hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA is open and accessible, while the action of an epigenetic editor turns it into functionally inactive DNA, which is closed and inaccessible. Chroma Medicine Inc. has presented data regarding their epigenetic editor CRMA-1001, which is delivered by lipid nanoparticles. Read More

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG has synthesized NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of atherosclerosis, cancer, pulmonary hypertension, inflammatory bowel disease, influenza, retinopathy, sepsis and wet macular degeneration (exudative), among others. Read More

Vanderbilt University has identified leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2; dardarin) and LRRK2 (G2019S mutant) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of tauopathies, cancer, Crohn’s disease, type 1 diabetes, leprosy, rheumatoid arthritis, traumatic brain injury and Alzheimer’s disease, among others. Read More

Researchers from Johnson & Johnson presented the discovery of a novel inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7), a co-factor that controls transcription by phosphorylating the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII). Read More

Details on the work leading to the discovery of the second-generation SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) inhibitor PF-7817883 (ibuzatrelvir) were disclosed recently by Pfizer Inc. The drug is in phase II clinical development for the treatment of adult individuals with COVID-19 symptoms who are not hospitalized. Read More

CK Regeon Inc. has divulged indirubin derivatives acting as CXXC-type zinc finger protein 5 (CXXC5)/DVL interaction inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of skin lesions, wounds, neurodegeneration, metabolic disorders and bone disorders. Read More

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences reported the discovery of the 1,2,4-oxadiazole derivative FO-4-15 for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Read More

Tambo Inc. has described conjugates consisting of payloads covalently linked to trans-cyclooctene through a linker reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer. Read More