Quantumpharm Inc., known as Xtalpi Inc., announced receiving $51 million up front from a potential $5.99 billion deal with Dovetree LLC on Aug. 6. The collaboration, first inked through a letter of intent between the two parties on June 23, will combine Shenzhen, China-based Xtalpi’s AI-based and robotics-driven discovery platform with Dovetree’s “biological insights.” The goal will be to select and validate potential first-in-class candidates for Dovetree across five areas of oncology, immunology and inflammatory diseases, neurological disorders and metabolic dysregulation. Read More
Homeobox genes, a conserved family of transcription factors, are key regulators of embryogenesis, cell growth and differentiation, and have been linked to bone mass regulation and osteogenesis. However, their specific roles in postmenopausal osteoporosis and osteoclast development are still not well understood, with limited and fragmented knowledge on which genes are central to these processes. Read More
Proteinqure Inc. has received regulatory clearances from the U.FDA and Health Canada to initiate a phase I trial of lead candidate, PQ-203. The trial will begin in Canada and expand to U.S. sites later in 2025. The FDA also granted PQ-203 fast track designation for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Read More
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is the leading cause of nosocomial infections, with an increasing prevalence worldwide. Researchers aimed to apply a new approach called “pseudo-natural product” (PNP) scaffolds for antibacterial development, and hypothesized that the indotropane class of PNPs might show potential activity against bacterial strains. Read More
A quarterly dynamic table featuring new molecular entities (NMEs) revealed for the first time in current literature, at congresses and in company communications during the quarter. NMEs include compounds chosen for further pharmacological evaluation or as clinical candidates; new leads whose structural optimization could provide new therapeutic agents; new additions to the structural diversity of known mechanistic classes of drugs; and new pharmacological tools for investigating drug targets. Read More
K36 Therapeutics Inc. has obtained IND clearance from the U.S. FDA for KTX-2001, a selective, oral, small-molecule inhibitor of nuclear receptor-binding SET domain protein 2 (NSD2), a histone methyltransferase and oncogene that activates gene expression in some cancers. Read More
Haisco Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. has disclosed fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer. Read More
The Nipah virus (NiV) from the Henipavirus genus is a bat-borne zoonotic pathogen that causes encephalitis and acute respiratory distress syndrome in humans. NiV infections have a very high fatality rate. No approved vaccine or therapeutics against NiV infection exist for use in humans despite its dangerous potential for causing larger epidemics. Read More
Astrazeneca AB has synthesized transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 4 (TRPV4) antagonists reported to be useful for the treatment of inflammatory disorders, respiratory diseases, metabolic diseases, dermatological disorders, neuromuscular disorders, genetic disorders, cancer and pain, among others. Read More
Foshan Ionova Biotherapeutics Co. Ltd. has described proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) comprising an E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase binding moiety covalently linked to an androgen receptor variant 7 (AR-v7) targeting moiety acting as AR-v7 degradation inducers reported to be useful for the treatment of prostate cancer. Read More
Although congenital aortic valve disease (AVD) is one of the most prevalent types of congenital heart disease, affecting 1% to 2% of the population, the understanding of the molecular genetics and mechanisms underlying the disease remains limited. Read More
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Inc. has divulged ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase 28 (USP28; KIAA1515) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune disease. Read More
Hebei Yiling Medicine Research Institute Co. Ltd. has described piperidine indole derivatives targeting complement factor B (CFB) reported to be useful for the treatment of inflammatory disorders, and hematological, neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases. Read More
Ischemic stroke triggers a strong neuroinflammatory response, with microglial activation and neutrophil infiltration contributing to blood-brain barrier disruption and worsening neuronal damage. Read More
