Could GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), already used in obesity and diabetes, be repurposed as drugs to slow aging? Hong Kong, one of the places in the world with the highest human longevity, is also home to a scientific study on the effects of GLP-1RAs. For the first time, scientists at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) have assessed their pharmacological potential in later life using a multiomics preclinical approach. Read More
The U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is calling for unified standards to harmonize microbiome research, after revealing major inconsistencies in the results when labs around the world analyzed identical reference samples of gut bacteria. Read More
Antengene Corp. Ltd. has outlined progress in its early-stage pipeline. The company has leveraged its Antengager T-cell engager (TCE) platform for the discovery of multiple investigational programs. Read More
Aperture Therapeutics Inc. has nominated APRTX-001 as a development candidate, with the program now advancing through IND-enabling studies. APRTX-001 is a CD33-targeting antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) designed for the treatment of frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, with potential for indication expansion into Alzheimer’s disease. Read More
Schizophrenia is a complex psychiatric disorder marked by positive, negative and cognitive symptoms, many of which are poorly addressed by current dopamine-blocking antipsychotics. Preclinical studies show that muscarinic acetylcholine M4 receptor positive allosteric modulators (M4 PAMs) can reduce hyperdopaminergic activity and improve both positive and negative symptom-related behaviors, suggesting they may offer enhanced antipsychotic efficacy with improved tolerability. Read More
Hangzhou Baicreat Pharma-Tech Co. Ltd. has disclosed oxamide compounds acting as signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory disorders. Read More
AI Proteins Inc. has closed a $41.5 million series A financing round to accelerate AI-driven design and development of purpose-built miniprotein medicines across therapeutic applications. Read More
Shandong Quanzhong Biomedical Technology Co. Ltd. has synthesized monoamine transmitter reuptake inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of neurological disorders, depression, autism, pain, substance abuse and dependency, epilepsy, osteoporosis and metabolic diseases, among others. Read More
Sunrise Oncology (Hong Kong) Ltd. has identified molecular glues acting as phosphodiesterase PDE3A/SLFN12 interaction inducers reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer. Read More
Ventoux Biosciences Inc. has initiated a research program to explore the therapeutic potential of lead compound, VEN-201, in translational preclinical models of spinal cord injury. Read More
Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. and Shanghai Hengrui Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. have divulged aromatic compounds acting as sodium channel protein type 10 subunit α (SCN10A; Nav1.8) blockers reported to be useful for the treatment of pain. Read More
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co KG has described stimulator of interferon genes protein (STING; TMEM173) antagonists reported to be useful for the treatment of glaucoma, rheumatoid arthritis, heart failure, sepsis, interstitial lung diseases, nonalcoholic or metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (NASH/MASH), bloom syndrome and cancer. Read More
METTL3, the enzyme that adds the m6A RNA modification, is a key regulator of RNA processing and protein synthesis. In cancer, METTL3 is often overexpressed, driving tumor growth, invasion and therapy resistance across multiple malignancies, including lung, pancreatic, ovarian, colorectal cancers and acute myeloid leukemia. Read More
