Newco Elkedonia SAS has raised €11 million (US$12.7 million) in a seed round, which will fund it to take a potentially first-in-class ELK-1 inhibitor into the clinic in the treatment of refractory depression. ELK-1 plays a pivotal role in neuroplasticity and in reward circuits in the brain, which when disrupted can lead to depression, addiction and post-traumatic stress disorder. Read More
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive blood cancer characterized by the accumulation of immature myeloid cells. Current treatments often fail to achieve durable remission, underscoring the need for innovative therapeutic approaches. CD97 is a cell surface protein with broad, increased expression on AML cells compared to normal blood stem and progenitor cells. Moreover, CD97 overexpression in AML patients has been associated with poor survival, thus emerging as a potential therapeutic target. Read More
IgA nephropathy is a progressive kidney disease characterized by the deposition of immune complexes containing IgA, where a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) drives the production of pathogenic IgA. Jade Biosciences Inc. has developed a novel APRIL-binding therapeutic, JADE-101, for the treatment of IgA nephropathy. Read More
At the ongoing International Society for Stem Cell Research meeting, Chinese researchers reported they demonstrated that SPT6 homolog, histone chaperone and transcription elongation factor (SPT6) promotes epidermal stem/progenitor cells differentiation by facilitating transcriptional elongation, but its role in vivo in skin homeostasis is not well defined. Read More
Haisco Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. has disclosed compounds acting as glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists reported to be useful for the treatment of diabetes and obesity. Read More
Colorectal cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Recent advancements in immunotherapy have demonstrated the potential of targeting immune checkpoints and co-inhibitory pathways to enhance antitumor responses. Read More
In gout, excessive levels of uric acid in the blood lead to deposition of urate crystals in joints, which can cause strong inflammatory pain. Effectively treating gout involves mitigating not only the pain due to inflammatory responses, but also reducing uric acid levels in the blood, such as by inhibiting the uric acid transporter URAT1. Read More
Researchers at Gachon University and Seoul National University Hospital have synthesized a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 4 (ADAMTS4; aggrecanase-1) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of hepatic fibrosis. Read More
Shanghai Tyk Medicines Co. Ltd. and Tyk Medicines Inc. have identified poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer. Read More
Vascular endothelial factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) is an attractive target for cancer drugs because inhibiting it prevents tumors from developing the blood vessels that they require for rapid growth. Several VEGFR-2 inhibitors have already been licensed for the clinic. Read More
Shanghai Qilu Pharmaceutical Research and Development Centre Ltd. has divulged compounds acting as apolipoprotein A (ApoA; LPA) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction. Read More
Betta Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. has described proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) compounds comprising a VHL-binding agent coupled to a GTPase KRAS-targeting moiety through a linker acting as KRAS degradation inducers reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer. Read More
Doxorubucin is an effective therapeutic in cancer treatment, but it can cause cardiotoxicity and damage the mitochondrial machinery. A new patient-derived and mitochondria-rich human induced pluripotent stem cell derived-cardiomyocyte (hiPSC-CM) model protected by dexrazoxane was developed. Read More
