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Drug candidate may ‘unmask’ latent HIV-infected cells, mark them for destruction

Researchers have identified a potential path to eliminate the viral reservoir that prevents people from being completely cured of HIV. A new drug candidate, called a proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTAC) molecule, triggers the degradation of the Nef protein, which suppresses HIV replication and restores immune system detection. This ...

SourceUniversity of Pittsburgh·JournalCell Chemical Biology·DateMar 19, 2024

Addressing both flu and COVID-19 through a single, multitasking injection

A new multitasking substance has been identified to prevent and treat both flu and COVID-19 infections concurrently. The long-acting recombinant cytokine protein rhIL-7-hyFc demonstrated therapeutic and preventive effects against various respiratory diseases, including COVID-19, influenza virus, and respiratory syncytial virus.

SourcePohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH)·JournalCell Reports Medicine·DateMar 18, 2024

Athira Pharma announces publication in Frontiers in Neuroscience highlighting therapeutic potential of ATH-1105 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

ATH-1105, a small molecule positive modulator of the neurotrophic HGF system, demonstrates significant neuroprotective effects and extends survival in preclinical models of ALS. The study highlights the therapeutic potential of ATH-1105 in slowing or stopping neurodegeneration.

SourceRathbun Communications, INC.·JournalFrontiers in Neuroscience·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 8, 2024

Scientists harness flower “super power” to pave the way for new drug treatments

Researchers at the University of Bath have created a novel bacterial system to mass-produce cyclic proteins and peptides, addressing a significant bottleneck in the development of new therapeutic treatments. By harnessing the natural cyclization process from the Oldenlandia flower, they improved heat and chemical stability, as well as ...

SourceUniversity of Bath·JournalJACS Au·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 28, 2023

Potential new target and drug candidate for Barth syndrome

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have discovered a potential new target for treating Barth syndrome, a rare genetic disease with devastating consequences. They identified a molecular culprit that could be targeted to potentially reverse the disease course and developed a small-molecule drug candidate to correct genetic tafaz...

SourceUniversity of Pittsburgh·JournalNature Metabolism·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 23, 2023

Effective treatment for rare sight-threatening infection

A new international clinical trial found that a drug candidate is highly effective in treating Acanthamoeba keratitis with medical cure rates of 87%, reducing the risk of poor visual outcomes and surgery. The treatment, low concentration polihexanide (PHMB 0.08%), follows a novel and evidence-based protocol.

SourceUniversity College London·JournalOphthalmology·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateOct 26, 2023

Study finds improved survival for incurable brain tumor, providing ‘a crack in the armor’

Researchers at Michigan Medicine have discovered a potential treatment for diffuse midline glioma, a type of childhood brain tumor with no effective treatments. The compound ONC201 nearly doubled survival rates in patients with the disease, and the underlying mechanism behind its success has been explained.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalCancer Discovery·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateAug 16, 2023

Efficient synthesis of indole derivatives, an important component of most drugs, allows the development of new drug candidates

Researchers at Nagoya University have successfully developed an ultrafast and simple synthetic method for producing indole derivatives. The new microflow synthesis method enables precise control of short reaction times, limiting unwanted dimerization/multimerization and increasing the yield of desired products.

SourceNagoya University·JournalCommunications Chemistry·DateApr 30, 2023

A herbal compound to fight autoimmunity

A team from Osaka University discovered that celastrol blocks the progression of rheumatoid arthritis by inhibiting a protein complex that promotes autoimmune responses. The researchers found that celestrol binds to COMMD3 covalently, preventing the formation of the COMMD3/8 complex and impairing antibody production.

SourceOsaka University·JournalScience Immunology·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 4, 2023

Extracts from two wild plants inhibit COVID-19 virus, study finds

A study by Emory University researchers found that extracts from two wild plants, tall goldenrod and eagle fern, inhibited the ability of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to infect living cells. The active compounds are present in miniscule quantities, making it ineffective for self-treatment, but may hold promise as medicines against COVID-19.

SourceEmory University·JournalScientific Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 10, 2023

Oncotarget | Plasma growth hormone is a potential biomarker of response to atezolizumab and bevacizumab in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma patients

Researchers found that plasma GH levels are a potential biomarker for predicting treatment outcomes in patients with advanced HCC treated with Atezo/Bev. The study showed significantly superior overall survival and non-significant trend in favor of GH-low patients compared to GH-high patients.

SourceImpact Journals LLC·JournalOncotarget·TypeObservational study·DateDec 22, 2022

Aging | The potential benefit of metformin to reduce delirium risk and mortality: a retrospective cohort study

A retrospective cohort study of 1,404 subjects with type 2 diabetes found that metformin use reduced the risk of delirium by 50% and decreased 3-year mortality rates. The study suggests that metformin may be a potential benefit for patients with diabetes, particularly in reducing age-related disorders such as dementia.

SourceImpact Journals LLC·JournalAging-US·TypeObservational study·DateDec 7, 2022

CityU neuroscientists discover a new drug candidate for treating epilepsy

A research team led by City University of Hong Kong neuroscientist Dr. Geoffrey Lau Chun-yue identified a new drug candidate, D4, that selectively blocks connexin hemichannels to suppress neuroinflammation and curbs TLE seizures in a mouse model. The findings suggest a promising new treatment strategy for epilepsy.

SourceCity University of Hong Kong·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 23, 2022

RedHill accelerates Opaganib’s nuclear radiation protection program - Positive data published

Opaganib, an oral small molecule pill, shows potential as a nuclear radiation injury therapeutic for homeland security medical countermeasures and antitumor radiotherapy. The compound protects normal tissue from radiation damage and improves antitumor activity and response to chemoradiation.

SourceRedHill Biopharma·JournalInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 14, 2022

New cancer drug candidate targets immune system “brakes”

Researchers have designed a potential therapeutic that dampens the activity of regulatory T cells, which can prevent the immune system from unleashing its full potential against tumor cells. The molecule, known as FOX3P, acts as a transcription factor for many Treg genes but isn't vital for other types of T cells.

SourceUniversity of Chicago·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 18, 2022

How do mushrooms become magic?

Scientists are conducting a first-of-its-kind study to investigate the origin of psychedelic compounds in fungi, including psilocybin found in 'magic mushrooms'. The research aims to understand the evolution of these compounds and their potential applications in medicine and conservation.

Cleveland Clinic researchers identify diabetes drug metformin as potential atrial fibrillation treatment in collaborative research

Researchers found that metformin targeted 30 genes associated with atrial fibrillation, showing direct effects on gene expression for eight. The study suggests metformin may be a promising candidate for treating atrial fibrillation due to its potential to reduce the risk of complications such as stroke and heart failure.

SourceCleveland Clinic·JournalCell Reports Medicine·DateOct 11, 2022

Patient-derived micro-organospheres enable cutting-edge precision oncology

Researchers developed a droplet-based microfluidic technology to produce micro-organospheres from cancer patient biopsies within an hour. These miniature tumors retain the original microenvironment and can be used for testing many drug conditions, showing almost perfect correlation with actual clinical treatment outcomes.

SourceTerasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation·JournalCell Stem Cell·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 5, 2022

Researchers at the GIST develop deep learning model to predict adverse drug-drug interactions

Researchers developed a deep learning-based model to predict drug-drug interactions using gene expression data. The DeSIDE-DDI model can identify potentially dangerous pairs and act as a drug safety monitoring system, helping establish the correct usage of drugs in the development phase.

SourceGIST (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology)·JournalJournal of Cheminformatics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMay 4, 2022