CEPI is partnering with Astrazeneca plc to advance VHH-based multispecific antibodies targeting influenza, while Harbour Biomed Ltd. has entered into a global strategic collaboration with Astrazeneca to discover and develop next-generation multispecific antibodies for immunology, oncology and other diseases.

Ampersand Biomedicines Inc. has secured $65 million in series B funding from investors including Ampersand’s founder, Flagship Pioneering, to support advancement of two lead programs and a new discovery partnership in obesity.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a serious disorder that develops after SARS-CoV-2 infection, could arise from latent infection of another pathogen, the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Researchers at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the German Rheumatology Research Center (DRFZ) have linked the inflammatory effect of this co-infection with transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), ruling out the possibility that MIS-C is caused by an autoimmune reaction, or persistence of the coronavirus in the body.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is impacted by genetic, environmental and immunological factors, where the imbalance in T-cell immune responses significantly promotes its progression. In recent years, the role of RNA modifications in epigenetic regulation has caught significant attention in research; among these, N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) is the only acetylation process in RNA and plays a role in several biological processes, but its implication in the functioning of immune cells is largely unknown to date.

A combination of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antibodies and genetic factors may be linked to an increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study led by scientists at Karolinska Institutet and Stanford University. “The Epstein-Barr virus has been a suspect for many years for having a role in causing MS. The evidence for it has increased though one has not really reached complete proof of its role,” Tomas Olsson told BioWorld.

Patients with psoriatic arthritis exhibit high levels of both IL-17A and IL-17F cytokines in the synovium. Bimekizumab, a biologic that targets both IL-17A and IL-17F, was recently approved for the treatment of plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

Psoriasis is a chronic, recurrent and inflammatory skin disorder associated with immune system dysregulation. The abnormal immune response led to accelerated skin cell proliferation, resulting in thick plaques and chronic inflammation. The current gold-standard treatment is injectable immunosuppression.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition driven by complex immune mechanisms involving T cells. In the context of AD, OX40, a costimulatory receptor present on activated T cells, supports the function of inflammatory T cells, exacerbating skin dysfunction. Researchers from Astria Therapeutics Inc. presented the preclinical characterization of STAR-0310, a humanized monoclonal IgG1 antibody targeting OX40.

The overproduction of immunoglobulin E (IgE) resulting from alterations in the humoral immune response contributes to the development of allergic and atopic diseases such as allergic asthma and rhinitis, chronic spontaneous urticaria or food allergies and acute anaphylaxis.