Articles tagged with Drug Discovery
Scientists at the University of Kentucky have discovered that withaferin A can simultaneously target two key proteins, vimentin and GFAP, implicated in reactive gliosis. This finding could lead to new treatments for diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and traumatic brain injury.
Researchers at McMaster University have developed a way to propel microscopic worms using an electric field, enabling high-throughput micro-screening devices for drug discovery. The technique demonstrates movement of worms forward and in reverse guided by the direction of the electric field, allowing for rapid screening of chemicals an...
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 found that antibiotic drugs can alter bacterial cell gene expression levels, leading to increased survival. The study suggests that antagonistic drug pairings can slow down the evolution of antibiotic resistance by restoring cellular equilibrium.
A new imaging technique developed by a team of researchers could lead to the discovery of new antibiotics, antifungal, antiviral, and anti-cancer drugs. The method uses mass spectrometry to analyze chemical communication between microorganisms.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University discovered a 1930s gonorrhea medication, acriflavine, that can halt the growth of new blood vessels in cancer cells. By inhibiting HIF-1, a protein essential for tumor growth, acriflavine may one day be incorporated into chemotherapy cocktails to fight cancer.
A team of researchers from Pitt and Walter Reed Army Institute of Research have identified compounds that hold promise for treating leishmaniasis, a parasitic infection affecting millions worldwide. The newly developed strategy, called HILCES, uses high-throughput screening to identify effective drug candidates.
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 novel method to generate functional hepatocytes for drug testing, offering an unlimited and reliable source of liver cells. The new technique uses induced pluripotent stem cell technology to create hepatocytes from adult skin cells, overcoming the limitations of primary human hepatocytes.
Dabigatran, a new blood-thinner, has been shown to be as effective as warfarin in preventing strokes and major bleeding, but with significantly fewer side effects. This finding could lead to a change in standard anticoagulant therapy.
The CRIMALDDI project, led by Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, aims to coordinate European and international antimalarial drug discovery efforts. The project will develop a prioritized roadmap and 5-year action plan to deliver on this roadmap.
SRI International was chosen to lead three research and development centers in the NCI's Chemical Biology Consortium program. The goal of the program is to discover and develop new cancer therapeutics against novel molecular and genetic targets.
Scientists have developed a more efficient method to produce a novel form of acetaminophen with reduced liver toxicity risk, offering a potential solution to the growing concern over the drug's effects.
Researchers found that quinine blocks cells' ability to take up essential amino acid tryptophan, leading to adverse side effects. Dietary tryptophan supplements may help alleviate these issues by improving quinine's effectiveness against malaria parasites.
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.
Researchers have developed a low-cost strategy to discover new drugs for neglected diseases, utilizing global educational resources and distributed problem-solving. Students worldwide are synthesizing candidate molecules, meeting industry standards, and participating in the process.
Researchers identified an enzyme called Idol that destroys the LDL receptor, allowing more 'bad' cholesterol to circulate in the blood. By blocking Idol's activity, cells produce more receptors and absorb more cholesterol from the body.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have discovered a natural compound that can stop malaria parasite growth, interacting with the parasite's MetAP2 protein. The compound, fumarranol, was found to be less toxic than existing medications and showed promise in treating malaria in mice.
SRI International will screen a library of well-characterized drugs against the 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus. The project aims to identify new treatments with better efficacy and potency than current antiviral drugs. SRI's expertise in drug screening and development will help expedite the development of new therapies.
SRI International has received a $100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations grant to develop new antibiotics against antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis. The project aims to identify small organic molecule metabolites essential for bacterial growth and survival.
Researchers develop cheap and efficient method to identify small molecules for diabetes treatment, finding NAADP plays a crucial role in insulin secretion. This discovery could lead to a new class of drugs to treat type 2 diabetes.
Researchers at the University of Oxford have developed a cheap and efficient method to discover new drugs for type 2 diabetes. They identified a small molecule called Ned-19, which plays a crucial role in insulin secretion, representing a brand new target for diabetes drugs.
Researchers have discovered a drug that eases protein fusion, increasing learning capacity in mice with Alzheimer's disease. The treatment could offer new perspectives and alternatives to existing medications.
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University discovered a nanotechnology-based technique to block damaging gas transport through polymers, making them stronger and more efficient. This breakthrough has potential applications in food and medicine packaging, as well as electronic equipment protection.
Researchers at Monash University have made a breakthrough in treating malaria by deactivating the parasite's digestive machinery. The discovery could provide treatment for millions of people worldwide and offers hope against drug-resistant malaria.
Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have discovered compounds that show high antiparasitic activity against Leishmania parasite, which could potentially be modified to treat the disease. The new compounds are less toxic than miltefosine and can kill the parasite inside blood cells.
A drug based on a garlic chemical, vanadium-allixin, reduces blood glucose levels in diabetic mice, offering promise as an oral treatment for diabetes. The study aims to test the drug in humans in future work.
Biotech scientists are applying genomics technologies to toxicology research to better understand the effects of novel drug candidates. This trend towards predictive toxicogenomics aims to develop a new compound's mechanism of action and predict toxicity, with several companies and consortia already working on this technology.
Scientists from three universities will establish a new center to develop state-of-the-art chemical libraries, increasing the efficiency of compound synthesis. The center aims to identify new compounds for future drug development and basic biomedical research.
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center discovered that two common beta-blockers can stimulate a pathway that promotes cell survival and protects heart tissue. The study finds that alprenolol and carvedilol may have greater potential to repair the heart and prevent further damage.
Feldmann and Maini discovered tumor necrosis factor-alpha as an effective therapeutic target for rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic inflammatory conditions. Their research led to the development of several anti-TNF drugs, transforming treatment for people diagnosed with chronic inflammatory conditions.
Researchers found that uninsured patients were more likely to receive brand-name drugs after the clinic closed its drug sample closet, leading to increased costs. In contrast, Medicaid patients showed no significant change in generic prescribing despite the availability of free samples.
The American Chemical Society has inducted 25 scientists into its Heroes of Chemistry hall of fame, including Bruce Roth, inventor of Lipitor, the world's largest selling drug. The honorees are being recognized for their groundbreaking research and contributions to humanity.
The European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) will gain free access to large collections of information on drug properties and small molecules after receiving £4.7 million from the Wellcome Trust. This will enable academia to participate in early-stage drug discovery, potentially improving prediction of side effects.
Researchers developed a computational tool to compare drug side effects and predict common targets, revealing hidden therapeutic potential. The approach successfully identified new uses for marketed drugs in treating diseases they were not specifically developed for.
Researchers found that brightly colored beetles and butterfly larvae are significantly more common on plants with compounds active against certain diseases, such as breast cancer and malaria. This discovery could speed up drug discovery and provide insight into the ecological relationships between tropical-forest plants and insects.
Researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center have discovered a small molecule that locks an essential enzyme in an inactive form, potentially leading to the development of new antibiotics. The discovery targets morpheeins, proteins made from individual components that can reconfigure themselves within living cells.
Gamma-secretase modulators, a class of agents in testing to treat Alzheimer's, work by reducing long Abeta peptides and increasing shorter ones that inhibit aggregation. This could lead to new treatments for the disease, with one such drug, tarenflurbil, showing promise in patients with mild Alzheimer's.
Researchers at North Carolina State University have successfully reinvigorated a failed HIV drug by adding gold nanoparticles, which enhances its binding capability and prevents the virus from gaining a foothold. This innovative approach offers new hope for treating HIV infection.
Companies like UCB Pharma and CeeTox are using cell-based assays to assess the toxic characteristics of small molecule compounds. This early identification can improve clinical trial results and reduce the time to market.
Researchers at Uppsala University have made a breakthrough in treating eating disturbances, including obesity and anorexia, by targeting the melanocortin system. The system regulates energy balance and appetite, and tiny imbalances can lead to major changes.
A clinical trial shows that romiplostim significantly improved platelet levels in patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a hematologic disorder that can cause uncontrolled bleeding. The novel drug duplicates the action of a natural hormone discovered by MGH investigator, offering low toxicity and high response rates.
A physician-scientist is urging improved drug regulation to ensure the cardiovascular safety of non-heart drugs. This includes earlier testing and continued evaluation of drug effects post-approval.
TB drug resistance is a growing concern, with millions of cases worldwide each year. Doctors Without Borders advocates for increased funding and collaboration to develop new treatments.
A Portland researcher argues that overly restrictive intellectual property laws slow the availability of existing medications as life-saving treatments. Berger suggests that 'use' patents involving new uses for old medications need to be reformed to encourage pharmaceutical companies to develop these drugs.
A team of scientists, led by UCSF's Brian Shoichet, successfully translated the structure of an enzyme into its function. By modifying a molecular docking technique, they predicted the natural molecule that triggers enzyme action, confirming the approach's potential to determine how key enzymes work in the body.
A newly discovered transmembrane protein called 'Wurst' appears to play a decisive role in breathing, ensuring proper lung maturation and gas exchange in both insects and mammals. The protein's defect is linked to respiratory distress syndrome in premature infants, and researchers aim to develop new treatments for this condition.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed a new reference material for peptide analysis, which will improve the performance and reliability of experiments to measure peptides in biomolecular samples. The peptide standards project committee designed three synthetic peptides with varying lengths and net char...
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have found an absolute biochemical distinction between sporadic and hereditary forms of Lou Gehrig's disease, suggesting that current approaches to drug discovery should be re-examined. This distinction may impact therapeutic strategies for ALS patients.
The Wellcome Trust and GSK will collaborate on a new class of antibacterials to combat rising drug resistance in Gram-negative bacteria, which cause pneumonia and septic shock. The partnership aims to accelerate development of compounds for treating these resistant infections.
A team of Princeton University chemists has discovered a new method to synthesize molecules without toxic catalysts, reducing the risk of hazardous barriers in drug development. This breakthrough opens up new possibilities for working with ketones and aldehydes, potentially leading to more efficient synthesis of beneficial enantiomers.
Researchers at Scripps Institute have developed a new method for producing potential pharmaceuticals from natural compounds, eliminating the need for expensive protecting groups. This breakthrough could lead to significantly reduced production costs and expand interest in natural products for commercial development.
African scientists will receive training in drug discovery techniques to combat diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria. The program aims to develop affordable, effective drugs using low operating costs and socially conscious investments.
Researchers found that antipsychotic drugs increase AMPK activity in the brain, triggering increased appetite. Blocking a specific histamine receptor reduces AMPK levels and appetite, offering hope for new, weight-neutral treatments.
Researchers developed a Bayesian network model to forecast the success of new drugs, reducing mean capitalized expenditures by an average of $283 million per successful new drug. More data sharing by the pharmaceutical industry could improve forecasting accuracy and benefit patients by eliminating unsafe investigational new drugs.
Glenn Micalizio, Yale Assistant Professor, has been awarded the Eli Lilly Grantee Award for his research on simplifying organic chemistry. His work focuses on developing new methods for forming carbon–carbon bonds to facilitate drug discovery.
Researchers are developing novel antibacterial compounds targeting MRSA, a life-threatening drug-resistant infection. The new medicines block the ability of MRSA bacteria to divide and multiply, reducing resistance levels.
Scientists at ProXara Biotechnology Limited have identified a way to prevent tumour cells from growing by switching off key enzyme PKB. The research, funded by the Wellcome Trust Seeding Drug Discovery initiative, aims to develop a drug that can be used in clinical trials for lung cancer treatment.
Researchers have identified pancreatic polypeptide as a potential solution to appetite suppression, which may lead to a new obesity treatment. The hormone is naturally released in the gut and acts as a neurotransmitter to indicate fullness to the brain.
A novel program in Panama trains professionals to advance drug discovery, reducing costs and promoting tropical biodiversity conservation. The International Cooperative Biodiversity Groups (ICBG) program provides economic and educational benefits for local students and communities.