The COVID-19 virus may keep mutating, but new findings from Korean researchers at the Institute of Basic Science (IBS) offer a silver lining: human immunity is adapting, too.
Researchers from National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and affiliated organizations presented data from a study that aimed to assess the protective efficacy of the human fusion peptide (FP) broadly neutralizing antibody (bNAb), VRC34.01, along with two FP vaccine-elicited rhesus macaque mAbs, DFPH-a.15 and DF1W-a.01, to protect naïve rhesus macaques against mucosal challenge with SHIV(BG505).
Researchers at ETH Zurich have identified a proteomic signature that could recognize long COVID six months after acute infection. Biologically, the signature indicated that the complement system remained active in patients with long COVID six months after infection. Translationally, it could lead to a diagnostic test for long COVID, and suggests that targeting the complement system could be a therapeutic approach to prevent or treat the disorder.
Acurx Pharmaceuticals Inc. continues to post positive data for its lead candidate ibezapolstat but that didn’t stop the stock from tumbling. The antibiotic outperformed vancomycin in a phase IIb study treating Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). Vancomycin is a standard of care in the indication. Ibezapolstat eradicated fecal CDI at day 3 in 15 of 16 patients compared to vancomycin, which eradicated fecal CDI in 10 of 14 patients.
Malaria cases increase at a slow but continued rate. There is a vital need for new antimalarial treatments able to overcome drug resistance for a more sustained control of the disease.
Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. has entered into an asset purchase agreement with Spexis AG for a preclinical program of antibiotics from a novel class, targeting gram-negative bacteria, including multidrug-resistant strains.
Exevir Bio BV has released new data demonstrating that its antibodies are highly potent in neutralizing currently circulating COVID-19 omicron variants.
Merck & Co. Inc. CEO Robert Davis said the pneumococcal vaccines (PCVs) space is “an area where there is still a high unmet need, and what we have is a new vaccine specifically targeted to the adult population that addresses 83% of the residual disease. That's about 30% higher than anyone else that's out there.” Speaking Jan. 9 at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference (JPM), Davis predicted that his firm “will take a majority share” of the market if approved. The Merck candidate, V-116, bears a PDUFA date with the U.S. FDA of June 17.
Researchers from Indian Council of Medical Research and affiliated organizations presented the discovery and preclinical evaluation of OSP-rT2544, being developed for the treatment of salmonella.