Breakthrough – or even better, revolutionary breakthrough – is perhaps the most overused term in drug development. But the discovery and development of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), which was honored with the 2024 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award just last week, is one of the rare innovations that is deserving of the title. Read More
The assessment of glycosylated autoantigens as immunotolerance therapies is emerging as a potential strategy for the treatment of several autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes, Crohn’s disease or multiple sclerosis. Read More
Surrozen Inc. has announced that Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG will further develop SZN-413 to advance the compound and prepare it for clinical testing. Boehringer decided to move forward with development based on the completion of the initial period of joint research under the companies’ strategic partnership for the research and development of SZN-413 for the treatment of retinal diseases. Read More
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) at the NIH has awarded Resvita Bio a $2.03 million phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to advance RVB-003, a novel treatment for Netherton syndrome. Read More
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Inc. has filed for regulatory clearance to initiate a phase I/IIa trial of ARO-INHBE, the company’s investigational RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutic being developed for obesity. Read More
Ribometrix Inc. recently discussed the discovery and preclinical evaluation of a novel potent and selective eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eiF4E) inhibitor, RBX-6610, being developed for the treatment of KRAS-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Read More
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC has identified compounds targeting α-synuclein (ASYN; NACP) acting as positron emission tomography agents reported to be useful for the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. Read More
The FDA has cleared an IND application for a phase I/II study of KSQ-004EX, KSQ Therapeutics Inc.’s second engineered tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (eTIL) program. KSQ-004EX consists of TIL in which the genes encoding SOCS1 and Regnase-1 are inactivated using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. Read More
Bioatla Inc. and Context Therapeutics Inc. have entered into an agreement under which Context has obtained from Bioatla an exclusive, worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize BA-3362, Bioatla’s Nectin-4 x CD3 T-cell engaging (TCE) bispecific antibody. Read More
Reglagene Inc. has prepared and tested compounds reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer, familial Mediterranean fever, gout and nail fungal infection. Read More
The homeostasis of cytosolic calcium (Ca2+) is crucial for several physiological functions such as cell motility and neuronal transmission, among others. In this process, the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor type 3 (ITPR3) plays a key role in the release of intracellular Ca2+. Read More
Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Corp. has disclosed 1,3,4-oxadiazole-containing compounds acting as histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of prion diseases, asthma, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, autosomal dominant polycystic kidney, stroke, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and uveitis, among others. Read More
Genespire Srl has closed a €46.6 million (~$52 million) series B financing to support its work developing off-the-shelf gene therapies based on immune shielded lentiviral vectors (ISLVs) for pediatric patients with genetic diseases. Read More
Mabylon AG has been awarded three grants totaling more than CHF1.3 million (US$1.5 million) from Innosuisse Swiss Innovation Agency, Target ALS and the ALS Association. Read More
F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. and Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. have patented indazole compounds acting as membrane-associated tyrosine- and threonine-specific Cdc2-inhibitory kinase (PKMYT1) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer. Read More
