Backed by AI technology, Aigen Sciences Inc. raised ₩12 billion (US$8.8 million) in a series A financing round to further advance its cancer and rare disease drug pipelines. Aigen said Oct. 16 that the series A round was joined by existing investors Partners Investment, Quad Investment Management and Medytox Venture Investment, as well new investors Premier Partners, K2 Investment Partners and Scale Up Partners. Read More
Researchers from Purdue University and Eradivir Inc. presented a newly developed bispecific small molecule (zanDR) that bound and inhibited influenza neuraminidase on both free virus and virus-infected cells and also recruited the immune system. zanDR recruited naturally occurring anti-rhamnose and anti-dinitrophenyl (DNP) antibodies with rhamnose and DNP haptens. Read More
The histone acetyltransferase KAT2A, and its paralog KAT2B have been identified as key drivers of tumor cell plasticity in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Researchers from Auron Therapeutics Inc. aimed to evaluate the novel KAT2A/B heterobifunctional protein degrader, AUTX-703, in models of SCLC. Read More
One of the challenges associated with COVID-19 has been an increase of secondary infections, including fungal infections. These coinfections can hinder treatment efficacy and increase illness severity. Read More
Sandboxaq has received a $25 million research grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) LRRK2 Investigative Therapeutics Exchange (LITE) program to advance drug candidates for Parkinson's disease (PD). Read More
The knockout of Col4a3 in mice is used as a model of Alport syndrome. Knockout mice develop glomerular disease associated with neutral lipid accumulation in the kidney and progressive renal failure, which can be treated with lipid-lowering agents. Read More
Liver diseases are responsible for around two million deaths every year. Among them, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), particularly at late stages, presents limited therapeutic options and a dismal survival rate. Read More
Isoniazid is a first-line medicine for tuberculosis (TB) treatment. It is a prodrug activated by the mycobacterial catalase-peroxidase enzyme KatG. However, the development of isoniazid resistance compromises treatment efficacy and contributes to multidrug-resistant TB infections. Read More
Shanghai Huilun Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has synthesized proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) compounds comprising an E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase binding moiety coupled to an interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 4 (IRAK-4) targeting moiety through a linker reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer, neurodegeneration, infections, autoimmune disorders, metabolic diseases, cardiovascular disorders, genetic diseases and inflammatory disorders, among others. Read More
Immunophage Biomedical Co. Ltd. has divulged G-protein coupled receptor 183 (GPR183; EBI2) antagonists reported to be useful for the treatment of autoimmune disease, cancer, liver diseases, osteoporosis and neuropathic pain. Read More
Cancer cells are exposed to stress and depend on a balanced integrated stress response (ISR) to survive in the context of uncontrolled growth. Read More
Shanghai Yidi Biotechnology Co. Ltd. has identified dihydrothienopyrimidine compounds acting as phosphodiesterase PDE4B2 and/or phosphodiesterase PDE4D2 inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of autoimmune disorders, metabolic diseases, neurological diseases and inflammatory disorders. Read More
Jiangsu Alicorn Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has described AP2-associated protein kinase 1 (AAK1) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, bipolar disorder, Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, diabetic peripheral neuropathy and postherpetic neuralgia. Read More
Researchers from Zhejiang Jieyuan Med-Tech Co. Ltd. and collaborators have reported the design and preclinical characterization of a novel series of benzylamine derivatives acting as PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, with HD-10 being the most potent compound. Read More