Results published Feb. 17, 2023, in Immunity have given a wider view of what happens in the earliest stages of HIV infection. Treatments against HIV prevent the replication of the virus, but do not kill the reservoir of latently infected cells that starts to build almost immediately upon infection.
Calibr at Scripps Research and the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute (Gates MRI) have entered into a strategic licensing agreement to advance development of a novel investigational compound for treatment of tuberculosis (TB).
Assembly Biosciences Inc. has selected development candidate ABI-5366 to progress to IND-enabling studies from its long-acting herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) helicase inhibitor program for high-recurrence genital herpes. The company is targeting IND/CTA filings in the first half of next year.
Cathepsin L (CTS-L) is a lysosomal enzyme responsible for degrading endocytosed proteins to generate immunogenic antigens for adaptive immunities. In the current study, researchers reported data from a study that aimed to assess the potential of targeting procathepsin L (pCTS-L) as a potential therapeutic strategy against sepsis.
Thylacine Biotherapeutics Inc. has entered into a license agreement with Columbia University for worldwide exclusive rights to develop and commercialize a novel antiviral peptide platform invented and refined at Columbia.
Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp. has exercised an option to obtain an exclusive license from Columbia University for the development of a portfolio of fully human (TNX-3600) and murine (TNX-4100) monoclonal antibodies for the treatment or prophylaxis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Scientists at the University of Sydney have discovered a protein in the lung that blocks SARS-CoV-2 infection and forms a natural protective barrier in the human body. Leucine-rich repeat-containing protein 15 (LRRC15) is an inbuilt receptor that binds the SARS-CoV-2 virus without passing on the infection. The discovery opens a new area of immunology research around LRRC15 and suggests a pathway to develop new drugs to prevent viral infection from coronaviruses like COVID-19, but also to deal with fibrosis in the lungs.
Blueprint Medicines Corp. presents mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase kinase 1 (MAP4K1) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer and viral infections.