Microbiotica Ltd. is poised to advance two of its microbiome-derived products into the clinic after securing regulatory approval and fresh finance. The first live bacterial therapeutic, MB-097, will be tested in combination with Keytruda (pembrolizumab) in patients with advanced melanoma who have not responded to treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. The second product, MB-310, is a once-daily oral therapy for treating the inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis.

The gastrointestinal tract could be key to developing new drugs to combat resistant bacteria. Computational analysis of the human microbiome has revealed a new class of peptides with antimicrobial potential that, once synthesized, inhibited the growth of several microorganisms in vitro and in vivo.

The nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is an intracellular multiprotein complex that may be activated by exogenous or endogenous signals and is involved in the pathogenesis of several inflammatory disorders.

Pregnane X receptor (PXR) is a transcription factor that plays a crucial role in maintaining bile acid homeostasis by regulating major metabolizing enzymes and transporters.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reinstated patent claims covering Allergan USA Inc.'s bowel treatment drug Viberzi (eluxadoline), reversing a lower court that had invalidated the claims for not meeting obviousness-type double patenting or written description requirements. However, the appellate court said the district court “can, and should, address any other grounds of invalidity raised … at trial that are adequately supported by the record.”

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI) is a common leading cause of liver injury and is associated with several clinical conditions, including liver transplantation, liver resection surgeries and cancer, among others.

Researchers in Japan were able to transfer genes from jellyfish into common fruit flies and discovered that the transferred gene suppressed an age-related intestinal issue in the flies. The findings suggest that studying genes specific to animals with high regenerative capability like jellyfish may uncover new mechanisms for rejuvenating stem cell function and extending the healthy lifespan of unrelated organisms.

Liver fibrosis still lacks effective therapy; hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the primary fibrogenic cell type activated during liver injury. To date, almost half of the drugs used for liver treatment are natural product derivatives.

Tr1x Inc. has announced that the FDA has cleared its IND application for its engineered Tr1 Treg cell therapy TRX-103 for treatment-refractory Crohn’s disease.