Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a serious disorder that develops after SARS-CoV-2 infection, could arise from latent infection of another pathogen, the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Researchers at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the German Rheumatology Research Center (DRFZ) have linked the inflammatory effect of this co-infection with transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), ruling out the possibility that MIS-C is caused by an autoimmune reaction, or persistence of the coronavirus in the body. Read More
Retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARα) is a nuclear receptor with a central role in spermatogenesis. Genetic knockout studies in mice have shown that the lack of RARα leads to a complete absence of sperm production without affecting overall health, suggesting that targeted inhibition of RARα may constitute a feasible strategy for male contraception. Read More
Domain Therapeutics SA has nominated PAR2 antagonist DT-9046 as a drug candidate with potential to treat various inflammatory diseases, including atopic dermatitis, inflammatory bowel disease and arthritis, as well as neuroinflammatory conditions such as migraine. Read More
Quiver Bioscience Inc. is collaborating with the Dup15q Alliance to advance an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapeutic program for chromosome 15q duplication (Dup15q) syndrome. Read More
At this week’s Muscular Dystrophy Association Clinical and Scientific Conference in Dallas, researchers from Suzhou Genassist Therapeutics Co. Ltd. presented preclinical data for GEN-6050X (ss.AAV9.oTAM and ss.AAV9.hE50-sgRNA). Read More
Ampersand Biomedicines Inc. has secured $65 million in series B funding from investors including Ampersand’s founder, Flagship Pioneering, to support advancement of two lead programs and a new discovery partnership in obesity. Read More
Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine Co. Ltd. and Shanghai Hengrui Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. have disclosed Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) and/or TLR8 and/or TLR9 antagonists reported to be useful for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren’s syndrome. Read More
Nitrase Therapeutics Inc. has unveiled a protein named glyoxalase domain-containing protein 4 (GLOD4) responsible for catalyzing selective protein nitration. This reflects a new class of enzymatic activity discovered by the company that had not been previously characterized. Read More
Investigators from Insmed Inc. have presented new preclinical data on the efficacy of their adenoviral vector (AAV9)-based gene therapy INS-1201 for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Read More
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is mainly triggered by immune dysregulation, barrier dysfunction and inflammation propagation, and chronic itching increases the susceptibility to infections. Read More
Allogenica SAS has been awarded a €2.5 million (US$2.7 million) grant under the French government’s France 2030 program to help advance its universal CAR T candidate, XL-001, for CD19-positive hematologic cancers. Read More
Axcynsis Therapeutics Pte Ltd. has described antibody-drug conjugates comprising an antibody or antigen-binding fragment targeting alkaline phosphatase placental type (ALPP) and/or alkaline phosphatase, germ cell type (ALPPL2) covalently linked to a cytotoxic agent through a linker reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer. Read More