“Loss of synapses and dysfunctional synapses in a region-specific way is important in Alzheimer’s. It’s actually the strongest correlate of cognitive decline, far more so than plaques and tangles, which are the pathological hallmarks,” Soyon Hong told the audience at the XVII Meeting on Glial Cells in Health and Disease, which was held in Marseille last week. Read More
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and fatal lung disease with limited treatment options. IPF is thought to result from repeated microinjuries to aging lung tissue, triggering dysfunctional repair responses that drive fibrosis and respiratory failure. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin Madison and the University of Texas Medical Branch have now identified a potential new therapeutic approach for IPF by targeting bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4). Read More
Oxyntomodulin (OXM) is a peptide hormone released by intestinal L cells after food intake. It acts as a dual agonist of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and glucagon receptors, regulating appetite, energy expenditure and glucose metabolism. However, its short plasma half-life limits its therapeutic potential. Read More
Single agonists of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) have been a success in the treatment of obesity, but monomeric dual or triple agonists have demonstrated improved efficacy on energy intake, appetite or metabolic function. Read More
As of May 2023, the WHO recommends the use of a monovalent XBB.1 descendent lineage, such as omicron XBB.1.5, as the vaccine antigen for COVID-19 vaccines. However, BA.2.86 and its descendent lineages, such as JN.1, have emerged and rapidly spread worldwide. Read More
Recent patents from Vigil Neuroscience Inc. describe heterocyclic compounds acting as triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) agonists. Read More
A team of researchers from the University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain, further investigated the link between hippocampal G protein-activated inward rectifier potassium channel (GIRK) and Alzheimer’s disease pathology. Read More
Work at Eikon Therapeutics Inc. has led to the discovery of new ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase 1 (USP1) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer. Read More
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of vision loss in patients with diabetes, with limited therapeutic options. While current treatments focus on the proliferative stage, there is an urgent need to understand the underlying mechanisms of the early stages of DR to halt progression. Growing research suggests that activated microglia are key drivers of inflammation in DR. Read More
The University of Parma and the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia have jointly disclosed new transcriptional coactivator YAP1/transcriptional enhancer factor (TEAD) interaction inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer. Read More
Chiesi Farmaceutici SpA has identified new D-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (3-PGDH; PHGDH) inhibitors for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Read More
Despite the increasing sophistication of anticancer therapies, many malignancies continue to evade treatment. T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) can effectively attack some tumors by recognizing antigens expressed on the tumor surface, but the therapy may prove ineffective if the target antigen is not abundant enough throughout the tumor. Read More
