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Researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have identified a glucose metabolism pathway that is activated by the K-Ras oncogene in pancreatic cancer. Based on the findings, it may be possible to target proteins …
Published on 5/17/2012
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Italian researchers have shown that inhibiting the P2X7 receptor can treat cancer. The findings could open up a new disease area for companies developing P2X7 antagonists to treat pain, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory …
Published on 5/17/2012
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A University of Miami team has used mitochondrion-targeted gene therapy to restore functional ND4 levels in Leber's hereditary optical neuropathy. Next steps include optimizing the approach to cover several variants of …
Published on 5/10/2012
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California researchers have shown that agonizing PPARdelta could help stave off fibrosis in a variety of chronic liver diseases. The findings could open new therapeutic real estate for the handful of biotechs working on…
Published on 5/10/2012
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Australian academics have used N-Gene's BGP-15, a small molecule inducer of Hsp72, to increase muscle strength and survival in mice with muscular dystrophy. The biotech, which is testing the compound in Phase IIb for …
Published on 5/3/2012
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Two teams have shown that Rev-ERBAs play a central role in regulating the circadian clock and metabolism, and a third group has found that agonizing the receptors treated obesity in mice, suggesting Rev-ERBA agonists …
Published on 4/26/2012
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Researchers at Harvard Medical School have developed isoform-specific antibodies to target phosphorylated TAU in Alzheimer's disease. The antibodies will need to be validated for early detection, treatment and …
Published on 4/26/2012
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UCSF researchers have shown that genetic deletion of the p75 neurotrophin receptor improves insulin sensitivity in diabetic mice. Targeting this receptor may offer a new way to treat insulin resistance, although the …
Published on 4/19/2012
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DEL1: taking the bite out of periodontitis Figure 1. DELving into periodontitis. According to a study in Nature Immunology, therapy with EGF-like repeats and discoidin I-like domains 3 (EDIL3; DEL1) could treat …
Published on 4/12/2012
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An international team of researchers has used the endothelial protein DEL1 to treat periodontitis in mice. Despite the therapeutic angle, the near-term utility of DEL1 is more likely as a diagnostic and risk marker for …
Published on 4/12/2012
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Two teams have independently provided preclinical proof of concept for using lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 inhibitors to treat acute myelogenous leukemia. One of the teams is now running a clinical trial of a …
Published on 4/5/2012
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Two independent American teams have linked the absence of normal gut bacteria with immune system abnormalities that lead to inflammation and allergy. The findings are in line with the theory behind two new companies--…
Published on 4/5/2012
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PARP Target Practice Figure 1. PARP inhibitors in profile. A Swedish research team has profiled the selectivity of a panel of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, including three inhibitors in Phase II …
Published on 3/29/2012
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Swedish researchers have used an in vitro screen to evaluate the target selectivity of a panel of small molecule PARP inhibitors. The findings could eventually lead to next-generation PARP inhibitors that have a better …
Published on 3/29/2012
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An international team has indirect genetic evidence that inhibiting the C isoform of ketohexokinase can block weight gain and insulin in a mouse model of metabolic syndrome. The challenge now is to selectively inhibit …
Published on 3/29/2012
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Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have found that Novartis' Gleevec can reduce tolerance to opioid analgesics. Novartis isn't pursuing the new indication, but the academics are pressing …
Published on 3/22/2012
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Italian and American researchers have mouse data showing that the most important function of B cells in fighting some viral infections is not making antibodies but rather stimulating an innate immune response led by …
Published on 3/15/2012
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A U.S.-South Korean team has identified the molecular target of the antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory small molecule halofuginone. The findings could help guide the design of next-generation analogs with improved …
Published on 3/15/2012
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Repowering the ovary Figure 1. OSC platforms for restoring fertility. OvaScience Inc. holds an exclusive license to use oocyte precursor cells in multiple approaches for increasing or restoring fertility. The most …
Published on 3/8/2012
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Novartis and the National Cancer Institute have developed mAbs against anthrax toxin receptor 1 that inhibited tumor angiogenesis in multiple mouse models of cancer with fewer side effects than anti-VEGF therapies. A …
Published on 3/8/2012
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An international team of researchers has shown that dysfunction of GPR120 leads to obesity and obesity-associated metabolic disorders such as glucose intolerance and fatty liver. The findings come less than two years …
Published on 3/8/2012
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Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School researchers have devised a way to generate viable oocytes from human germline stem cells. The findings have been licensed by OvaScience, which plans to use the …
Published on 3/8/2012
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Targets & Mechanisms: APOE in AD Figure 1. Two theories on APOE in AD. Two biotechs are targeting apolipoprotein E (APOE) isoforms in the brain to lower levels of toxic b-amyloid (Ab) and treat Alzheimer's disease (…
Published on 3/1/2012
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U.S. researchers have shown that Eisai's cancer drug Targretin raises APOE levels in the brain and reverses cognitive and behavioral deficits in a mouse model of AD. The team has founded ReXceptor, which plans to start …
Published on 3/1/2012
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Broadening TDO's base Figure 1. Dependency of TDO inhibition on the host immune system. Tumors can exploit the immunoregulatory properties of tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO2; TDO) to dampen the antitumor immune …
Published on 2/23/2012