2025 has been the most challenging year in the efforts to fight HIV since at least the advent of antiretroviral therapy. In a report on “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response,” released last week ahead of World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) described “a global system in shock” by sharply reduced funding from the U.S. and other wealthy nations. Scientifically, for now, progress is ongoing. To mark World AIDS Day, Nature published three independent studies on HIV. Read More

High-grade gliomas, including glioblastomas, are aggressive cancers of the brain that usually recur despite standard treatment, including radiation therapy. These mechanisms conferring persistence to tumor cells may be explained by DNA damage response pathways, especially those relying on ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), which induce the repair of radiation-induced DNA damage. The effects of the ATM/DNA-PK inhibitor XRD-0394 were evaluated in in vitro models of glioma. Read More

Ascletis Pharma Inc. has selected ASC-37 oral tablets as a clinical development candidate for the treatment of obesity. The company expects to submit an IND application to the FDA in the second quarter of next year. Read More

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Tessera Therapeutics Inc. have established a global collaboration to develop and commercialize TSRA-196, Tessera’s lead investigational in vivo gene editing program for the treatment of α-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD). Read More

Researchers from Synthekine Inc. presented preclinical efficacy data on STK-012, a first-in-class IL-2 partial agonist engineered for preferential binding to the IL-2Rαβγ receptor. Read More

Ideaya Biosciences Inc. has received IND clearance from the FDA for the initiation of a phase I trial to evaluate IDE-034, a bispecific B7H3/PTK7 TOP1 antibody-drug conjugate. Read More

Shenzhen Icarbonx Intelligent Peptide Pharmaceutical Technology Co. Ltd. has disclosed peptides targeting IQ motif and SEC7 domain-containing protein 1 (IQSEC1; BRAG2) reported to be useful for the treatment of stroke, major depression, substance abuse and dependence, and Alzheimer’s disease. Read More

Allogeneic CAR T-cell therapy offers several advantages over an individualized autologous CAR T approach, thanks to the use of readily available, higher quality and quantity of starting donor T cells and the potential to generate multiple doses from a single manufacturing process. Read More

Cornell University and The General Hospital Corp. (Massachusetts General Hospital) have synthesized conjugates comprising a targeting moiety covalently linked to a radiolabeled metal chelator through a linker acting as positron emission tomography (PET) or single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) imaging agents reported to be useful for diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Read More

Di’ao Group Chengdu Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has identified glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists reported to be useful for the treatment of diabetes, dementia, obesity, metabolic syndrome, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), dyslipidemia, stroke and cardiovascular disorders, among others. Read More

HER2-targeted antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have significantly improved cancer therapy in recent decades. However, ADCs can cause toxicity and resistance, while T-cell engagers (TCEs) show promising antitumor activity in solid tumors but are limited by substantial adverse effects. Read More

Genescience Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. has divulged thyroid-stimulating hormone (thyrotropin) receptor (TSHR) antagonists reported to be useful for the treatment of hyperthyroidism, Grave’s disease and thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (Grave’s ophthalmopathy). Read More

Chia Tai Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. has described Werner syndrome ATP-dependent helicase (WRN; RECQ3; RECQL2) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Read More

The canonical G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) cannabinoid CB1 (CB1R) and CB2 (CB2R) receptors are the most studied in the endocannabinoid system. CB1R is widely distributed throughout the CNS, but is also present on peripheral tissues. Read More