Our immune cells are not just “defenders” against deadly viruses and pathogens but also a great balancer for tissue homeostasis. For neurological disorders, understanding the neuro-immune axis could be key to treating previously untreatable conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, according to Jun R. Huh, professor of immunology at Harvard Medical School.

During a busy day of dealmaking, Cour Pharmaceutical Development Co. Inc. entered a pact with Roche Holding AG’s Genentech unit to advance tolerogenic nanoparticle treatments for an autoimmune disease indication, garnering up to $940 million in up-front and milestone payments. Cour’s partnership with Genentech is its biggest to date, and the largest deal announced by a biopharma company on Dec. 3. A total of seven deals amounted to a combined single-day deal value of $3.67 billion.

Scientists from Recludix Pharma Inc. presented the preclinical characterization of REX-7117, an orally available, reversible, SH2 domain-targeting STAT3 inhibitor, being developed for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Kyverna Therapeutics Inc. has presented details on the development and preclinical characterization of KYV-102, an autologous fully human anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy developed for diseases driven by B cells, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), among others.

Our immune cells are not just “defenders” against deadly viruses and pathogens but also a great balancer for tissue homeostasis. For neurological disorders, understanding the neuro-immune axis could be key to treating previously untreatable conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, according to Jun R. Huh, professor of immunology at Harvard Medical School.

To address limitations with CAR T therapies targeting CD19, Allogene Therapeutics Inc. has developed ALLO-329, a CD19/CD70-targeting CAR therapy that is able to deplete activated alloreactive lymphocytes, while endowing dual targeting of CD19+ B cells and CD70+ T cells.