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Signatures of kidney transplant rejection and acceptance

Researchers identified biomarkers associated with stable kidney graft function in patients without immunosuppressants and a molecular signature indicative of future organ failure. These findings may help design personalized treatment regimens for kidney transplant recipients.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateMay 24, 2010

A new method for developing safer drugs

Scientists at the University of Gothenburg have created a method to develop safer drugs by simulating metabolism and identifying potentially toxic metabolites. This approach has been successfully applied to the antimalarial drug amodiaquine, which was withdrawn due to liver damage and immune system impairment.

SourceUniversity of Gothenburg·JournalRapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry·DateMay 9, 2010

Diabetes drug ups risk for bone fractures in older women

A recent study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that women with type 2 diabetes who take thiazolidinediones are at a higher risk for developing bone fractures. Women over 65 years old were shown to be particularly susceptible, with a 50% increased risk after one year of treatment.

SourceHenry Ford Health·JournalThe Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism·DateFeb 10, 2010

Scripps Research scientists find two compounds that lay the foundation for a new class of AIDS drug

Researchers identified two compounds that bind to novel parts of the HIV protease enzyme, which could improve potency of existing treatments and combat drug-resistant strains. These findings open a new approach to drug design against HIV protease, targeting non-active sites that may help restore effectiveness against resistant superbugs.

SourceScripps Research Institute·JournalChemical Biology & Drug Design·DateFeb 3, 2010

Overcoming taxane resistance in cancer

A proteomics study reveals prohibitin1 as a protein involved in taxane resistance, which could be targeted with drugs to make cancers more susceptible to chemotherapy. Suppressing prohibitin1 may also serve as a biomarker for predicting patient response to chemotherapy.

SourceBoston Children's Hospital·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 26, 2010

Minimal changes alter an enzyme dramatically

A research team at Uppsala University discovered that point mutation can introduce new functions into an enzyme without major structural alterations. This finding may explain the emergence of resistance to toxins in various organisms, including insects, viruses, bacteria, and tumors.

SourceUppsala University·JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry·DateJan 19, 2010

Discovery provides new drug targets for malaria cure

Researchers have identified a set of proteins related to the malaria parasite that can serve as new drug targets. The discovery uses a plant-based model, Arabidopsis, to understand how these proteins normally function, which could lead to the development of more effective antimalarial drugs.

SourceUniversity of Melbourne·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 11, 2010

Researchers trace HIV mutations that lead to drug resistance

Researchers have developed a novel way to trace mutations in HIV that lead to drug resistance. By comparing sequences of HIV from treated and untreated patients, they identified clusters of mutations that help the virus escape treatment. This breakthrough could enable doctors to tailor drug cocktails to individual patient strains.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 11, 2010

Systems biology approach provides insulin resistance insights

Researchers from UC San Diego used a systems biology approach to determine how core biochemical pathways are altered in skeletal muscle cells and fat cells in people with insulin resistance. The study found that common drugs for treating insulin resistance, such as TZDs, alter these pathways, leading to improved drug therapies.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 20, 2009

Drug shrinks lung cancer tumors in mice

A new study published in Cancer Research found that a potential drug for lung cancer eliminated tumours in 50% of mice and stopped growth and resistance to treatment. The researchers are planning to take the drug into clinical trials to establish its effectiveness for patients with small cell lung cancer.

SourceImperial College London·JournalCancer Research·DateNov 10, 2009

A nervous system drug-by-design

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.

SourceAmerican Friends of Tel Aviv University·JournalCurrent Pharmaceutical Design·DateOct 26, 2009

Intermittent preventive malaria treatment for African infants is safe and effective, but more long-acting drugs desperately needed

A recent study found that intermittent preventive malaria treatment in African infants is both safe and effective, with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine providing protection for up to 6 weeks. However, the use of this drug is limited by potential resistance and its risks. New long-acting antimalarial drugs are urgently needed for this strategy.

SourceThe Lancet_DELETED·JournalThe Lancet·DateSep 16, 2009

Fighting drug-resistant flu viruses

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.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalJournal of Medicinal Chemistry·DateJul 15, 2009

New hope for advances in treating malaria

Researchers at the University of Leeds have developed chemicals that kill the deadliest malaria-causing parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, and those resistant to existing drugs. These compounds work by preventing an enzyme essential to the parasite's growth, resulting in its death.

SourceUniversity of Leeds·JournalJournal of Medicinal Chemistry·DateApr 22, 2009