Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Lieber Institute for Brain Development goes all-in on AWS to develop new drug treatments for brain diseases

The Lieber Institute is developing a new tool called GRAPE that combines generative and predictive AI to find new, more effective treatments for brain disorders such as schizophrenia. The institute is utilizing AWS gen AI and compute services to advance research and store its massive collection of genomic and other data in the cloud.

Insilico Medicine announces Nature Medicine publication of Phase IIa results evaluating rentosertib, the novel TNIK inhibitor for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) discovered and designed with a pioneering AI approach

The Phase IIa trial of Rentosertib showed encouraging clinical data, with patients receiving the treatment experiencing significant improvements in lung function compared to placebo. The study also validated the biological mechanism of TNIK inhibition using exploratory biomarkers analyses.

SourceInSilico Medicine·JournalNature Medicine·DateJun 3, 2025

Candidate drug that boosts protective brain protein in mice has potential to treat Alzheimer’s Disease

Researchers at UCLA Health identified a candidate small molecule, DDL-357, that increases concentrations of secreted clusterin, reducing toxic protein phospho-tau and improving mitochondrial function. The drug also improved memory in treated mice in maze-based cognitive tests.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences·Journalnpj Drug Discovery·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMay 20, 2025

Join Us at ATS | Insilico Medicine Announces Upcoming Presentations at the 2025 American Thoracic Society International Conference

Insilico Medicine will present detailed Phase IIa data on rentosertib, a novel TNIK inhibitor developed using generative AI, for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The company has previously demonstrated encouraging results from its Phase IIa study, showing favorable safety and tolerability across all dose levels.

Accelerating drug discovery with a single carbon atom

University of Oklahoma researchers have developed a method to add a single carbon atom to drug molecules, increasing chemical diversity without compromising sensitive structures. This technique, called skeletal editing, has the potential to revolutionize DNA-encoded library technology and reduce healthcare costs.

SourceUniversity of Oklahoma·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 6, 2025

UT Health San Antonio-led discovery means IV medication could be taken orally for range of cancer, Alzheimer’s treatments

A UT Health San Antonio-led discovery could redefine drug discovery by turning IV medications into orally administered treatments for brain cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and other complex conditions. The new strategy uses a protein receptor called CD36 to efficiently deliver large molecules into cells.

SourceUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio·JournalCell·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 21, 2025

Green recipe: Engineered yeast boosts D-lactic acid production

Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University developed an engineered yeast that can produce record-high yields of D-lactic acid from methanol, a key compound used in biodegradable plastics and pharmaceuticals. The optimized yeast strain achieves a 1.5-fold boost in production compared to other methanol-based methods.

SourceOsaka Metropolitan University·JournalBiotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 20, 2025

Computational drug discovery: Exploring natural products targeting SARS-CoV-2

A recent study identifies 11 natural compounds that can inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, including caffeine, which exhibits high binding stability and excellent solubility. The discovery highlights the potential of natural products in combating COVID-19 and demonstrates the versatility of widely known compounds like caffeine.

SourceNara Institute of Science and Technology·JournalScientific Reports·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 20, 2025

Efficient development of drugs with fewer mice

Researchers at the University of Zurich have developed a technology to test 25 antibodies simultaneously in a single mouse, greatly reducing the number of laboratory animals required. The method uses protein fragments as barcodes for analysis, allowing for high-quality preclinical data on multiple antibody candidates.

SourceUniversity of Zurich·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 18, 2025

Scientists from IOCB Prague are on track of finding a treatment for autoimmune hair loss

Researchers from IOCB Prague have developed a compound that could treat alopecia areata by targeting the immune system. The substance, a series of prodrugs based on derivatives of itaconic acid, has shown efficacy in mice tests and may be administered orally.

Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) launches a second funding opportunity to accelerate novel tool development to advance Parkinson's disease research

The Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) initiative offers funding of up to $6M for research community members to develop sustainable tools for Parkinson’s disease research. The funding supports the development of preclinical models, detection reagents, and modulation agents to accelerate therapeutic research.

Harbour BioMed and Insilico Medicine achieve strategic collaboration to advance AI-driven antibody discovery and development

The collaboration aims to accelerate antibody discovery and development using Harbour BioMed's technology platform and Insilico's AI expertise. The companies will develop next-generation AI-powered antibodies for immunology, oncology, and neuroscience, aiming to deliver innovative therapies with enhanced specificity, efficacy, and safety.