Immunotherapy-focused biotech company LTZ Therapetics Inc. raised $20 million in a series A round that will advance development of its myeloid engager pipeline to treat cancer and autoimmune diseases. Proceeds from the funds will accelerate development of lead asset LTZ-301, which is expected to enter the clinic in early 2025, LTZ founder and CEO Robert Li told BioWorld.
After decades of being woefully under-diagnosed and all but ignored by the biotech and pharma industry, recent advances in understanding its complex etiology could be opening the way to new treatments for endometriosis. Impetus is coming from (modest) increases in funding for basic research, such as the Biden administration’s $200 million for women’s health research and NIH grants under an ‘Advancing cures and therapies and ending endometriosis diagnostic delays’ call announced in March of this year.
An antibody that binds to the latent form of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) prevented its release into the extracellular matrix and reduced the progression of fibrosis in the kidney. TGF-β is synthesized and secreted into the extracellular matrix in a latent inactive form associated with the latency peptide.
Zyversa Therapeutics Inc. announced it has selected obesity and its related metabolic complications as the lead indication for its ASC protein inhibitor IC-100. One consequence of high weight is chronic inflammation, which increases the risk of multiple metabolic and cardiovascular disorders.
Gigagen Inc., a subsidiary of Grifols SA, has received clearance from the FDA of its IND application to conduct a phase I trial of GIGA-2339 for the treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections.
Alkira Bio, a new spinout from Australia’s Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health has emerged from stealth mode thanks to seed funding from Curie.bio. Although the amount of funding is not disclosed, Curie.bio typically invests $5 million to $10 million in a founder company and then co-pilots the drug discovery program, deploying drug development experts to its portfolio companies to help navigate decision making as part of the deal, Florey researcher turned Alkira Bio CEO Daniel Scott told BioWorld.
Actinium Pharmaceuticals Inc. has received FDA clearance of an IND application to study Iomab-ACT for targeted conditioning prior to a bone marrow transplant (BMT) in patients with sickle cell disease.
Increased life expectancy also comes with age-related diseases. But what causes one to age? Although there is no single answer, scientists at Duke-National University of Singapore (NUS) have shown in mice that interleukin-11 (IL-11) promoted aging. Blocking it improved health and lifespan.
The 2024 meeting of the International AIDS Society (IAS), which is being held in Munich this week, began with the announcement of another curative bone marrow transplant. The new case brings the total number of patients cured of HIV via a bone marrow transplant up to 7 since “Berlin patient” Timothy Ray Brown became the first such person in 2007.
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