-
COVER STORY
A team at University Medical Center Utrecht has developed a rapid and quantitative in vitro intestinal cell-based assay for function of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator that could help identify prospective responders to targeted cystic fibrosis therapies. The researchers are now planning to test how well the approach can predict drug responses in the clinic.
-
TRANSLATIONAL NOTES
Although GlaxoSmithKline has quietly shuttered its Center of Excellence for External Drug Discovery, the pharma maintains it is not deprioritizing early program partnerships. Rather, GSK has shifted the establishment of early partnerships to its R&D scientists.
-
TARGETS & MECHANISMS
A multi-institutional team has added more than 20 pathogens to the list of known bacteria that express the capsule polysaccharide poly-N-acetylglucosamine. The findings open up new indications for Alopexx Vaccine and Alopexx Pharmaceuticals, which are developing a vaccine and an antibody for passive immunization, respectively.
-
Boston researchers have discovered a blood-borne protein called growth differentiation factor 11 that can reverse age-related cardiac hypertrophy in mice. The protein could be used as a therapeutic agent once its long-term effects are understood.
- THERAPEUTICS
Mitigating chemotherapy-induced infertility by blocking PI3K-PTEN-AKT signaling; treating osteoarthritis by disrupting TGFbeta1 signaling; alleviating neuropathic pain by inhibiting GRIN2B; and more...
- TECHNIQUES
Screening platform for detecting RAF dimerization in cells; phage display system for rapid mammalian expression of library hits; database of human phosphatase-substrate interactions; and more...