Investigators at Washington University in St. Louis and Umea University have reported that the small molecule PS-757 was effective in culture and animal models against Streptococcus pyogenes, a gram-positive pathogen responsible for more than 500,000 deaths per year globally.
Vir Biotechnology Inc.’s focus will look a little different for the latter half of 2024, as the San Francisco-based firm disclosed a restructuring that will cut about a fourth of its workforce and phase out programs targeting influenza and COVID-19 as well as vaccines developed using its T-cell-based viral vector platform.
Immunodesigners Co. Ltd. has discovered optical isomers of 2'-fluoro-6'-methylene carbocyclic adenosine monophosphate prodrug reported to be useful for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B.
Gigagen Inc., a subsidiary of Grifols SA, has received clearance from the FDA of its IND application to conduct a phase I trial of GIGA-2339 for the treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections.
Noze Inc. breathes a little easier with a new $5 million equity investment from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support the development of Diagnoze, a breath-based, hand-held diagnostic device. The foundation provided two earlier grants focused on diagnosing tuberculosis in low- and middle-income countries. “We're thrilled to see our partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation continue to grow,” Noze CEO Karim Aly told BioWorld.
Triastek Inc., of Nanjing, China, scored a potential $1.2 billion collaboration and platform technology license deal with Biontech SE to manufacture oral RNA therapeutics with 3D printing technology.
SK Bioscience Co. Ltd. signed a simple agreement for a future equity (SAFE) deal totaling $2 million with Hingham, Mass.-based Sunflower Therapeutics PBC on July 25 to secure both Sunflower’s equity and its yeast-based protein manufacturing technology. The conditional agreement will grant SK Bioscience future equity rights in Sunflower without the need for immediate valuation, allowing for minimal investment.
With the COVID-19 pandemic still visible in the rearview mirror, the World Health Organization (WHO) is taking no chances as it preps for human avian influenza, or H5N1, a subtype of influenza A.
Last week, the 2024 meeting of the International AIDS Society (IAS) was wrapping up as the 2024 Olympic Games were about to begin. That timing was probably what prompted the use of multiple sports analogies at Thursday’s plenary session on HIV prevention strategies. Given the decades-long attempts at developing an HIV vaccine, Peter Piot, past IAS president and director emeritus and professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said in his introduction: “This is clearly a marathon. But marathons also finish.”
Researchers from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention detailed the discovery of novel aromatic heterocycle substituted aminamidine derivatives (AADs) for the treatment of Necator americanus infection (hookworms).