Articles tagged with Drug Discovery
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.
Researchers found a new approach to treating chronic and debilitating neuropathic pain by blocking the alpha9alpha10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. The study suggests a previously unrecognized molecular mechanism for treating this condition, which affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide.
A British drug discovery company is teaming up with a Brazilian firm to search for new medicines in the Amazonian and Atlantic rain forests. The partnership aims to combat diseases such as tuberculosis, avian flu, and tropical illnesses like hepatitis C and Chagas disease.
Diarrheal diseases kill over 2 million children annually, and the Institute for OneWorld Health aims to combat this with novel anti-secretory drugs. The $46 million grant will support the development of new treatments to complement traditional approaches.
Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University have discovered a new way to sidestep gleevec resistance in leukemia cells. By reactivating the protein C/EBP-alpha, they found that leukemia development is halted. This discovery could lead to new treatment strategies for leukemias resistant to gleevec and other cancers.
J-P Garnier, GSK CEO, emphasizes the company's commitment to providing affordable HIV drugs and vaccines for diseases affecting the developing world. He highlights GSK's efforts to introduce modern HIV drugs at lower prices and protect innovation through patents.
Researchers have discovered that C. albicans can neutralize antifungal drugs by duplicating one arm of chromosome 5 and deleting the other, creating an 'isochromosome'. This finding could lead to strategies for making currently available antifungal drugs more effective.
Researchers at UCLA have discovered how the drug Ro15-4513 binds to specific receptors in the brain to block alcohol's effects on motor coordination. This breakthrough may lead to the development of sober-up pills, alcohol addiction medications, and treatments that harness the beneficial effects of moderate alcohol consumption.
Researchers at Michigan State University have developed a new, eco-friendly method for producing Taxol, a top-selling cancer-fighting drug. By harnessing enzymes from the Pacific yew tree and using water-based chemicals, they aim to reduce waste and minimize environmental impact.
Researchers at UCSB have discovered that rapamycin, a widely available immunosuppressant, can strongly reduce cyst growth in kidneys affected by polycystic kidney disease (PKD). The treatment was found to shrink cysts and retain kidney function in mice with PKD.
William Fenical, a Scripps Institution of Oceanography professor, has been awarded the Ernest Guenther Award for his pioneering work on marine natural products chemistry. His research has led to the discovery of potent anticancer agents and anti-inflammatory drugs from ocean sea floor bacteria.
The American Chemical Society has awarded a national recognition to a prominent chemist for their groundbreaking work in medicinal chemistry. Anderson has made significant contributions to the development of statins and HIV treatments, including Zocor and Crixivan.
Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology have developed an algorithm that creates accurate three-dimensional models of over 900 GPCRs, a class of proteins targeted by many drugs. These models could help scientists discover new drug compounds more efficiently, and are now freely available to noncommercial users.
Researchers have created temperature-sensitive capsules that can release drugs at different rates, with the release rate controlled by the amount of wrinkling. The solution to cool the capsules without harming surrounding tissue lies in newly discovered nanoparticles chilled through magnetic cooling.
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have successfully synthesized hundreds of milligrams of heparin using engineered enzymes and co-factor recycling. This breakthrough could enable the widespread use of synthetic heparin in human medical treatments, reducing reliance on animal-derived products.
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a new compound that selectively inhibits pro-inflammatory proteins called cytokines by glia, slowing or reversing neuroinflammatory cascade progression. The compound also restored normal synaptic function and attenuated Alzheimer's-like behavioral deficits in mice.
Researchers believe that analyzing Medicare data will help assess medication use in real-life conditions, improving the nation's ability to understand risks and benefits of drug treatment. This can lead to increased data on whether drugs are used as intended and their potential risks.
A new biochip tool called MetaChip can analyze drug candidates for toxicity and eliminate harmful ones before they advance to pre-clinical stages. The technology mimics the effects of metabolism in the human liver, enabling early detection of toxic compounds that could be difficult to predict or find with current testing methods.
The collaboration aims to uncover the genetic basis underlying important agricultural traits in rice. By identifying sequence variation between major rice varieties, researchers can associate DNA variations with traits like drought resistance or vitamin content, ultimately helping to breed more resilient and nutritious rice strains.
Tomio Joins Blackwell Publishing to Advance Chemical Biology & Drug Design, Focusing on Smart Chemistry and Innovative Drug Development. Tomio brings extensive experience in small-molecule drug discovery and multidisciplinary research at ARIAD Pharmaceuticals.
GSK has successfully implemented a new automated process for the early phase of drug discovery, using InforSense KDE to retrieve and analyse data rapidly. This technology allows chemists to modify complex analytic workflows and access data from distributed databases, significantly improving their ability to respond to scientific needs.
Lipman Hearne biochemist will receive a $500,000 MacArthur grant for outstanding contributions to drug research. The award recognizes their exceptional originality and dedication to their creative pursuits.
Researchers employed a bacteriophage to learn how an HIV protein responds to new anti-viral molecules, identifying compounds with potential to overcome drug resistance. This approach enables faster and more effective drug discovery for other anti-viral therapies.
Rensselaer researchers have developed a predictive modeling approach that can determine protein behavior for use in bioseparation applications. The model uses molecular information obtained from the protein structure to predict adsorption isotherm parameters and chromatographic behavior, replicating experimental results.
Researchers have discovered a potential new target for cannabis-derived drugs to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which causes inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. Cannabis-based medicines could help heal the gut lining, alleviating symptoms such as pain and weight loss.
In a unique project, scientists collaborated with Fijian villagers to explore, protect, and generate income from their coral reef. The project involves planting synthetic rock that becomes naturally covered by desirable species, providing villagers with financial benefits.
Mayo Clinic researchers report a new mechanism behind thiopurine metabolism, a protein deficit caused by misfolded proteins that disrupts enzyme function. The discovery offers promising new directions for predicting genetic changes and altering drug effects.
The study reveals key connections between metabolic disease pathways and aging, identifying genes and mechanisms that can be targeted for drug discovery. Targeting these pathways may uncover novel therapeutic targets and drugs to treat metabolic diseases and potentially impact the progression of aging.