Articles tagged with Drug Design
Researchers at Scripps Research Institute have determined the three-dimensional atomic structure of a human opioid receptor, a molecule that binds to opioids and is involved in pain, pleasure, addiction, depression, and related conditions. The findings could lead to the development of better medicine for these conditions.
A team of researchers at Duke University has determined the structure of a concentrative nucleoside transporter, which works by moving nucleosides from outside to inside of cells. This discovery may lead to more effective drugs with fewer effects on healthy tissue.
Two research teams report new findings on the structure of enterovirus 71, a virus causing hand, foot and mouth disease and potentially fatal brain swelling. Researchers propose designs for antiviral drugs to treat the infection by targeting a unique 'pocket factor' exposed in EV71.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota developed an antidote for cyanide poisoning called Sulfanegen, which can be administered rapidly by intra-muscular injection. The treatment could save lives in mass casualty emergencies and smoke inhalation incidents, where current treatments require medical professionals' expertise.
Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital share details of novel processes involved in a successful face transplant program, including rigorous screening and consent processes. The team also discusses early functional outcomes, immunosuppression protocols, and cost-effectiveness of the procedure.
Researchers at University of Warwick have found that the CPT1 enzyme has a switch controlling its activity, which can lead to better understanding of individual metabolic rates. This discovery may lead to development of drugs targeting specific patients with conditions like diabetic keto acidosis.
Researchers have discovered a blueprint for how Helicobacter pylori survives in the human gut by exploiting an enzyme called urease to neutralize gastric acid. Disrupting the formation of the molecular machine responsible for this process may lead to new drug targets to combat antibiotic-resistant ulcers and stomach cancer.
A cartoon character is being used to promote the use of tranexamic acid, a life-saving drug that is not being used enough. The animation, designed by Hywel Roberts, aims to increase awareness and uptake of the generic drug among healthcare professionals.
Researchers have developed a method to design drugs that can target specific areas of the brain by selectively blocking subtype SK channels. This breakthrough could lead to more effective treatments for dementia and depression by enhancing nerve activity in specific nerves.
Researchers at Sam Houston State University are developing new methods to detect designer drugs like 'bath salts', which can produce powerful and unpredictable effects. The study uses solid phase extraction, chromatography, and spectroscopy to identify beta-keto amphetamines in biological samples.
Health Canada should make clinical trials registration mandatory to increase transparency and protect consumers. The lack of openness about trial designs and results puts patients at risk, according to recent analysis.
Researchers at The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center have discovered that green tea polyphenols can control a deadly congenital disease by hijacking the ADP activation site. This finding has also been validated in two types of tumors, glioblastomas and tuberous sclerosis complex disorder, suggesting potential for drug development.
Researchers from the University of Melbourne have developed a new cold electron source that enables enhanced nanoimaging at the atomic or nanoscale. This technology will aid in designing better drugs and understanding material vulnerabilities, leading to advancements in health and advanced technology industries.
Researchers have identified potential human molecular targets of Nelfinavir, an anti-HIV drug also effective as a cancer therapy. The study suggests that the collective effect of weak interactions with multiple protein kinases leads to clinical efficacy.
Researchers at Scripps Research Institute found that an E. coli enzyme must move to function properly, and blocking these movements renders it defective. The study may lead to the development of more specific and effective drugs targeting enzymes.
The article discusses the resurgence of covalent drugs, which have made a major positive impact on human health, and highlights the potential of rational covalent drug design to expand their use. Several rationally designed covalent inhibitors are advancing in clinical development, addressing problems of drug-resistance mutations.
Scientists have engineered a protein fragment that prevents the AIDS virus from entering cells, offering a potential breakthrough in treating and preventing HIV/AIDS infection. The discovery is based on a naturally occurring protein called RANTES, which was modified to remove harmful effects while maintaining its therapeutic properties.
Researchers have gained insight into how 'tidying up' enzymes, like cytochromes P450, break down drug molecules. The study reveals that the oxygen transfer process can be influenced by three factors: molecular docking, oxygen-accepting ability, and enzyme pocket shape.
The UCSF team identified a few dozen chemical compounds that alter fat storage in worms, which may be useful for understanding metabolism in other organisms. The discovery demonstrates the value of worm screening as a way to find new targets for human diseases.
Scientists have discovered an important insight into carbohydrate bonding, which could lead to improved medicines. The study reveals the shapes of carbohydrates when they are free from external influence and interacting with neighboring molecules.
Researchers at the University of Warwick have developed a simple method to give microscopic polymer vesicles 'stealth' capabilities, allowing them to avoid the body's defenses while releasing drugs. The new armor is made from nanoparticles and has been successfully tested using a cryo electron microscope.
Scientists from the Victor Chang Institute have discovered a key clue to understanding why certain medications cause abnormal heart rhythms. By studying the hERG potassium channel, they found that many common drugs bind to this channel when the outer gate is closed, blocking ions and increasing the risk of arrhythmia.
Researchers have developed a more robust approach to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) that can improve the detection of neural activity and allow for more precise interpretations of fMRI data. This new technique involves three stages: prediction, modeling, and inference, which can turn noisy data into discrete sequences of ...
Australian researchers have developed a method to analyze X-ray scattering data from XFELs, enabling the measurement of membrane protein structures even with significant electronic damage. This breakthrough will help fast-track the development of targeted drugs.
Researchers at Avila Therapeutics have developed the first-ever covalent irreversible inhibitors of a viral protease, achieving high selectivity and potency. The newly designed compounds irreversibly bind to molecular domains specific to proteases, offering a promising therapeutic approach for hepatitis C infection.
The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) has named 18 individuals as its 2010 Fellows, honoring their remarkable scholarly and research contributions. The new fellows include researchers who have made significant advances in drug delivery, pharmacokinetics, and cancer therapy.
Researchers at Brown University and international partners have identified a potential Achilles Heel in the rare but deadly JC polyomavirus, which binds to a specific sugar molecule on brain cells. The discovery provides a powerful platform for developing new therapeutics to prevent infection.
Researchers at U-M are investigating adaptive clinical trials to improve the efficiency of clinical trials. The goal is to accelerate drug and device evaluation, improve safety for patients, and reduce costs. Adaptive clinical trials make adjustments based on accumulated data to identify effective treatments more accurately.
A massive international study found no association between a genetic marker and the risk of coronary artery disease. The study analyzed data from over 17,000 patients with cardiovascular disease and 40,000 others, concluding that carrying a particular variant of the KIF6 gene does not indicate a greater risk for the disease.
Onconova Therapeutics has agreed with the FDA on a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) for its Phase 3 trial of Estybon in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. The trial is expected to begin in Q4 2010 and will compare Estybon to Best Supportive Care.
Researchers have identified gamma-secretase activating protein (GSAP) as a key player in the formation of Alzheimer's disease-plaque beta-amyloid. Gleevec, a cancer drug, shows promise in targeting GSAP and reducing plaque production.
Researchers have collected venom from Antarctic octopuses for the first time, discovering four new species and uncovering unique properties. The study provides insight into the adaptation of venom to sub-zero temperatures, which could lead to breakthroughs in pain management, allergies, and cancer treatment.
A team of MIT chemists has designed a new way to attach trifluoromethyl groups to compounds, which could allow pharmaceutical companies to create and test new drugs faster and more efficiently. The new synthesis uses a palladium catalyst and achieved yields ranging from 70 to 94 percent.
Researchers found that pyruvate kinase enzyme is reduced in pregnant women, leading to a modified immune response. This discovery may lead to the development of drugs targeting pyruvate kinase activity to treat conditions like pre-eclampsia and rheumatoid arthritis.
A new study uses Nuclear Magnetic Resonance to predict how flexibility affects drug-like properties, enabling systematic manipulation of candidate drug molecules. The research aims to overcome issues of resistance, transportation, and oral bioavailability in drug design.
The National Institute of General Medical Sciences has granted $1.18 million to the University of Missouri to improve their protein prediction software, MULTICOM. The system can help scientists design drugs by predicting protein structures in diseases.
Researchers use powerful computers to identify molecular structures that have high potential as new medications by simultaneously targeting multiple hot spots on protein surfaces. This method has the potential to complement and increase efficiency of existing time-consuming methods.
Researchers at IRB Barcelona have developed a new method to study intrinsically disordered proteins, crucial for designing drugs against Alzheimer's disease and prostate cancer. The approach uses computational predictions and laboratory experiments to obtain structural information about dynamic proteins.
Researchers have designed an experimental drug called OSU-CG12 that kills cancer cells by choking off their energy supply. The agent targets a survival mechanism used by many types of cancer, and its efficacy is 10 times better than a comparable drug, resveratrol.
National health systems play a crucial role in making progress in global health, according to Julio Frenk. Strengthening these systems can improve performance by addressing leadership, institutions, systems design, and technologies.
Researchers at Emerald BioStructures have developed new allosteric small molecule modulators of phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) with improved safety and efficacy. These discoveries validate the company's structure-based drug design capabilities for addressing previously undruggable targets in inflammatory diseases and cognitive impairments.
Researchers used computer search algorithms to identify fragments of FDA-approved drugs that could inhibit neuraminidase proteins, a key target for treating swine and avian influenza. The study suggests six compounds with potential as new medicines if emerging viruses develop resistance to current therapies.
Researchers developed a computer model to predict physiologically realistic drug delivery patterns from stents in branched arterial vessels. The model shows that spatial variation in drug distribution can be significant and may affect treatment outcomes.
Researchers design nanowire-based beads that release drugs in the gut, improving absorption and reducing degradation. The technology may also be used for delivering drugs to mucosal tissues like the nose, lungs, or vagina.
The Wellcome Trust has awarded €2.8 million to the Laboratory for Virology and Experimental Chemotherapy at K.U.Leuven to search for new treatments for dengue fever, a viral disease prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions. Researchers will collaborate with the pharmaceutical industry to develop medications for this deadly virus.
Researchers have developed a new drug, L803-MTS, that targets the GSK3 protein to prevent CNS diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. The compound slows down disease progression without exhibiting toxic side effects, offering a potential therapeutic approach for these devastating conditions.
Researchers developed an optimized mouthpiece design to reduce medication waste and improve drug delivery to the lungs. The new design allows for more medication to pass through the mouthpiece, ensuring effective delivery of future inhaled medications.
Scientists have discovered the atomic structure of an enzyme responsible for DNA replication in human mitochondria, which can cause harmful drug side effects. By targeting a different region of the enzyme, researchers aim to design more selective and less toxic anti-HIV drugs.
A new decision aid tool, developed by Mayo Clinic clinicians and designers, helps patients with type 2 diabetes make informed decisions about their medication. The tool, a set of cards, involves patients in the decision-making process and leads to better patient-centered care.
Researchers at Lund University have discovered that proteins change structure and stick together to form structures believed to underlie ALS. The discovery opens the possibility of designing drugs to prevent misfolding and its fatal consequences.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have found that proteins have an intrinsic ability to change shape, allowing them to select the structure that permits the best binding. This discovery could lead to more effective treatment of diseases by designing compounds that target specific protein structures.
A team of MIT chemists has created a new synthesis technique that allows for the easy addition of fluorine atoms to aromatic compounds, commonly used in drugs. This breakthrough could lead to more flexible and cost-effective drug design and development.
Researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine propose requiring drug manufacturers to state how new medications compare with existing treatments. The proposed labeling would help patients and insurers make informed decisions about treatment options.
A new study has developed a combination of biochemical and MRI-based biomarkers that will improve the measurement of osteoarthritis progression. The aggregate cartilage longevity marker outperformed individual markers in diagnosis and prognosis, allowing for more effective treatment trials.
Researchers discover potential drugs that block the first step in the infection process, preventing flu viruses from infecting cells. This breakthrough could lead to a new genre of antivirals and be used to develop treatments for other medical problems.
A Monash University study has discovered a critical link between obesity and Type 2 diabetes, revealing that fat cells release PEDF, which triggers insulin resistance. Blocking PEDF reverses these effects, suggesting a potential breakthrough in treating the disease.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School have made a breakthrough in understanding how the commonly prescribed drug praziquantel works to treat Schistosomiasis. Praziquantel causes two-headed organisms by subverting normal regeneration, leading to the identification of key molecules that control its effects.
A TGen-led team has identified five genetic biomarkers that may predict response to the anti-diabetes drug Actos, enabling personalized medicine for patients with type 2 diabetes. These markers were found in genes associated with PPARG function and include variants in a key drug metabolizing gene called cytochrome P450 3A4.
Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a new understanding of how chromosomes separate during mitosis, a crucial process in cell division. By manipulating chromosome size and observing its effect on movement, they validated the theory that polar ejection forces play a central role in guiding chromosome movements.
Researchers at Scripps Research Institute have discovered the structure of P-glycoprotein, a protein responsible for cancer cell resistance to chemotherapy. The study provides valuable insights into how P-gp transports substances out of cells and may lead to the design of more effective drugs.