Articles tagged with Drug Development
Scientists at Harvard University have developed a 'bionic' cardiac patch that can monitor and respond to cardiac problems, potentially revolutionizing heart attack treatment. The patch, made of nanoscale electronic scaffolds, can detect arrhythmia and adjust its performance in real-time.
Researchers at Princeton University, MIT and Merck & Co. have developed a cheap, complementary approach to the fundamental chemical reaction known as C-N bond coupling. The direct, cost-effective method enables efficient production of anilines, a common structure in medicinal agents, without expensive ligands.
Researchers at the University of Iceland have developed several new formulations for topical treatments of oral mucosal conditions. Topical application of doxycycline was effective in promoting healing of mucosal lesions, while monocaprin reduced counts of Candida rapidly and significantly.
The research article discusses experimental and clinical data on the pharmacological inhibition of the Akt/mTOR pathways, which play a vital role in prostate cancer. The blockade of this pathway may be necessary to increase standard therapies and improve treatment outcomes.
Researchers at the Buck Institute identified a new target for treating sporadic Parkinson's disease, which accounts for 95% of all cases. The study showed that increasing PGC-1alpha expression restored mitochondrial function and prevented degeneration of dopaminergic neurons.
A new class of styrylbenzene antibiotics, Ramizol®, has been developed to target Clostridium difficile associated disease. The drug stays in the gastrointestinal tract and reaches high concentrations to yield a therapeutic effect, with benefits including low frequency of resistance.
Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center identified an enzyme called SHP-2 that significantly contributes to the development of lupus. Inhibiting this enzyme can diminish lupus symptoms and suggest a new therapeutic approach for the disease.
Hot melt extrusion (HME) and injection moulding (IM) are becoming increasingly prevalent in the pharmaceutical industry due to their ability to increase solubility of poorly water-soluble drugs. HME-IM can manufacture a range of dosage forms, from oral tablets to implantable devices.
Experts argue that good governance, long-term technology investment, and strong product management skills are essential to combat infectious outbreaks. The proposed global strategy aims to pool funds and coordinate efforts to develop effective countermeasures for these diseases.
Researchers developed nanoparticles that target CD98, a glycoprotein promoting inflammation in IBD. These particles showed anti-inflammatory capacity without toxicity, offering an alternative treatment to existing medications.
A Scripps Research Institute team has received a $3.4 million grant to develop new therapeutics for addiction and mood disorders. The project focuses on the kappa opioid receptor, which helps regulate dopamine release, aiming to create potent new compounds with minimal side effects.
By treating individuals with a combination of drugs having different mechanisms of action, the chances of a malaria parasite developing multiple genetic mutations needed to survive is substantially decreased. This approach prolongs therapy effectiveness and preserves first-line drugs for treating malaria.
A new human liver microphysiology platform has been developed to study liver physiology, drug safety, and disease progression. The Sequentially Layered, Self-Assembly Liver (SQL-SAL) model mimics the physiological conditions created by immune, stellate, and endothelial cells.
Researchers have developed a new method to determine the structures of nanocrystalline pharmaceuticals, reducing radiation damage and allowing for study at room temperature. The approach uses low-dose electron diffraction with a high-sensitivity detector, enabling the collection of high-quality data for direct crystallography methods.
Researchers used functional MRI to assess the effectiveness of new pain medications in patients with chronic pain. The study found that FMRI can provide objective evidence to prevent premature discarding of potentially beneficial therapies.
Research supports the effectiveness of providing psychosocial interventions in combination with medications to treat opioid addiction. However, limitations were found in the amount and quality of evidence on safest and most effective combinations of medications and treatments.
Researchers at MSU have discovered the mechanisms of self-organization in living cells, revealing the role of topologically associated domains (TADs) in compacting DNA into three-dimensional structures. This knowledge may lead to new approaches for understanding and treating diseases related to gene regulation.
Researchers found that switching to efavirenz is effective in reducing viral rebound and improving CD4 T cell counts, suggesting it's a safer alternative for older children and adults.
Researchers at WSU will collaborate with Botanisol to study TAI-LCx, a newly identified active component of turmeric, and develop better means to isolate it. Early research showed TAI-LCx to be effective at reducing inflammation using biologic pathways different from NSAIDs.
Researchers found developing resistance to miltefosine in patients with post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis, leading to higher relapse rates. The study suggests a pressing need for new therapies to combat drug-resistant strains of the disease.
Over 15 years, malaria cases in Africa have decreased by 663 million, mainly due to bednet and ACT interventions. However, growing insecticide and drug resistance threaten these efforts, requiring a proactive approach to develop new antimalarial drugs and insecticides.
Scientists at McGill University have discovered that histones, previously underappreciated molecules, play a crucial role in transmitting environmental memories over several generations. This finding has the potential to profoundly change our understanding of inheritance and could lead to new avenues for disease prevention and treatment.
HIV-infected patients are excluded from early-phase clinical trials of new anti-tuberculosis drugs, resulting in slower development and potential drug interactions with antiretroviral therapy. Experts urge including HIV patients in relevant trials to accelerate development and address drug resistance.
A team of scientists developed a new system using stem cells to model features of the developing human brain that could be targeted by toxic chemicals or drugs. The approach, described in PNAS, uses machine learning to build a predictive model from RNA sequencing data collected from neural tissue constructs exposed to different chemicals.
Researchers discovered that genetic variations in opioid receptors are associated with more severe neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in newborn babies. These variations can help identify infants at risk of requiring medication to curb NAS symptoms, enabling tailored treatment plans and improved outcomes.
Scientists will develop an implantable drug delivery system to deliver antiretroviral drugs, providing protection against HIV infection for up to a year. The project aims to improve upon current methods of prevention, which have low adherence rates.
Researchers found a metabolic imbalance that is oncogenic in diffuse large B-cell lymphomas, characterized by a deficiency of alpha-ketoglutarate. This imbalance disrupts dioxygenase function, leading to various disturbances. The study suggests that metabolic regulation plays a critical role in cancer biology.
Scientists at UC Berkeley and Gladstone Institutes develop a system to grow beating cardiac tissue from stem cells, allowing for the screening of drugs that may cause cardiac birth defects. The model uses patient-derived human pluripotent stem cells to mimic early heart development.
Dr. Jian-Dong Li is developing novel anti-inflammatory therapeutics against middle-ear infections, a major childhood bacterial infection causing conductive hearing loss. The goal is to suppress overactive inflammation and improve middle-ear hearing function.
Researchers developed targeted nanoparticles that deliver existing drugs directly into parasite cells, reducing the curative dose by 100-fold and circumventing drug resistance. This high-tech approach has the potential to reverse resistance to many first-line treatments for infectious diseases.
Scientists have developed a rapid method to distinguish between left- and right-handed molecules in a mixture, offering potential breakthroughs in drug development and disease diagnosis. The Mass-Selected PhotoElectron Circular Dichroism technique can identify molecule handedness with high accuracy, even in complex mixtures.
A study found that use of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors for erectile dysfunction was associated with a modest but significant increased risk of malignant melanoma in Swedish men. The most pronounced increase in risk was observed in men who had filled a single prescription, but not among those with multiple prescriptions.
Researchers will use MRI machines to test injured nerves and develop a diagnostic tool to distinguish between brain damage and nerve trauma. The goal is to provide more effective treatment options for soldiers suffering from visual deficits caused by IED injuries.
Researchers developed a microfabricated device to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of drugs metabolized through the liver, simplifying the process and overcoming limitations of existing systems. The device enables separate culture of primary liver cells and cancer cells, allowing for analysis of metabolic conversion and toxic effects.
Cardiovascular outcomes trials are considered a high-risk venture due to long treatment periods and large sample sizes required to demonstrate incremental risk reduction. Simplifying randomized controlled trials could bring new therapies to market sooner, mitigating the impact of exclusivity loss and reducing development costs.
Chemists at Scripps Research Institute invent scalable method for synthesizing jiadifenolide, a plant-derived molecule with potential brain-protecting properties. The new eight-step synthesis yields gram to kilogram quantities, paving the way for further studies and development of a jiadafenolide-derived drug.
Researchers found that imperfect drug penetration can lead to spatial monotherapy and rapid evolution of multidrug resistance. To combat this, doctors should consider drug combinations that reach similar parts of the body, potentially leaving pockets without any drugs.
The task force recommends avoiding valproate in pregnant women due to high risks of malformations, while ensuring those with uncontrolled seizures receive effective treatment. The guidelines prioritize shared decision-making between clinicians and patients, balancing treatment benefits and risks.
The west African Ebola epidemic has sparked interest in global health security, but its impact on political commitment to public health is uncertain. The crisis has highlighted the importance of securing individuals' access to healthcare as part of global health security. Key challenges include counterfeit medicines, antimicrobial resi...
Researchers explored the efficacy of biosimilar monoclonal antibody CT-P13 in treating rheumatic diseases, including its similarities and differences with the reference drug infliximab. The study found that CT-P13 is almost identical to infliximab and has similar immunogenicity, but more real-world data are needed on switchability.
A European study involving over 7,000 participants provides new insight into public interest in medicines research and development. The survey found that those with previous experience were almost five times more likely to have good knowledge of medicines R&D.
A study found that the PIK3CA gene mutation, previously thought to be a promising target for breast cancer treatment, may not drive the disease. Instead, it appears to be associated with benign proliferation. This new information will impact future drug development and replication studies.
A computer model developed by scientists can predict how the liver stores fat in response to various situations, including drug treatment. This knowledge could help researchers understand and treat diseases, as well as develop new drugs with fewer side effects.
A new compound developed at the University of Toronto Scarborough can monitor protein kinase activity without using radioactive isotopes. This innovation has potential to improve cancer treatment by providing a safer and more accurate method for assessing drug effectiveness.
Researchers at Aarhus University have made a comprehensive description of the proteins in gila lizard venom, which could lead to the development of new types of drugs. The study identified nineteen new proteins with potential pharmaceutical applications, including treatments for blood clots and pain relief.
A recent analysis published in CMAJ argues that Canada must ensure fair pricing of all orphan drugs to allow patient access. The study examines the case of trientine, a life-saving therapy for Wilson disease, which saw its price increase 13-fold before being rescinded.
A recent study at Vanderbilt University Medical Center has identified a crucial 'guardian' protein called CHIP that monitors mitochondrial function in the brain. The absence of this protein leads to profound impairments in mice with the CHIP gene deleted, highlighting its critical role in maintaining healthy nerve cells.
Researchers at LSU Health New Orleans have discovered a psychedelic drug that prevents the development of allergic asthma in mice. The study identified a potent anti-inflammatory mechanism for treating asthma, which could one day be administered via an inhaler or daily pill.
A study published in Current Biology establishes a molecular-level link between a slow-down in the biological clock and genetic deficits in Angelman syndrome. Experimental treatments targeting the paternal copy of UBE3A gene show promise for treating sleep disorders and other symptoms.
A new review highlights techniques to provide optimal dosing recommendations for patients with kidney disease. Mathematical modeling tools can help analyze clinical program level data to inform dosing decisions.
Scientists discovered two novel anesthetic compounds through a screening process of over 350,000 compounds, which interacted with apoferritin. The breakthrough could lead to the development of new, safer general anesthetics, as traditional drugs have been largely unchanged for decades.
A Ugandan doctor contracted Ebola in Sierra Leone and was flown to Germany for aggressive treatment involving the experimental drug FX06. The doctor developed severe multi-organ failure but made a marked improvement under intensive care and drug treatment, with no Ebola virus genetic material detected after 30 days.
A clinical trial has shown that a combination of well-known approved drugs is potentially safe for treating Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 1A disease, a rare genetic condition affecting 1 in 5,000. The drug combination, PXT3003, showed promising preliminary results for efficacy in improving symptoms and nerve function.
Research suggests respiratory infections play a key role in childhood asthma development. The link between paracetamol exposure and asthma is weakened when respiratory infections are considered.
A study found that youths with a family history of substance use disorders have impaired forebrain function, which may contribute to their increased risk of developing substance-use disorders. Forebrain regions responsible for decision-making and impulse control showed less efficient activity in those with a family history.
The pharmaceutical industry has stepped up its efforts to improve access to medicine in developing countries, with many companies introducing innovative access-oriented business models and expanding generic version production. Despite progress, some companies lag behind, including Sanofi and Pfizer, which fell down the rankings signifi...
Researchers at USC Davis School of Gerontology discovered a genetic pathway that enables certain worms and humans to resist the negative effects of high-sugar diets. The study suggests that activating this pathway could lead to new treatments for obesity, while cautioning against potential risks associated with increased Nrf2 function.
UMass Amherst doctoral student Khaja Muneeruddin has received the 2014-15 Global Fellowship Award for developing new analytical methods to characterize complex pharmaceuticals. The award aims to advance research in quality standards and support his work on creating novel assays for drug manufacturers.
A clinical trial found that darapladib, a Lp-PLA2 inhibitor, did not reduce the risk of recurrent major coronary events after an acute coronary syndrome event. The study involved over 13,000 participants and followed them for two and a half years.
Researchers from UCL and the Mayo Clinic argue that labelling people with moderately high blood sugar as pre-diabetic has no health benefits. The term could create significant burdens on healthcare systems without conferring any long-term health benefits.