Harbour Biomed Ltd. has announced the launch of Élancé Therapeutics with an aim to improve the treatment of obesity. Élancé seeks to address challenges in obesity treatment, by increasing overall body weight loss and fat mass loss, while preserving and even increasing muscle and lean mass.
Endocannabinoids are lipid mediators that interact with G protein-coupled receptors, including cannabinoid CB2 receptor (CB2R), which is mainly expressed in peripheral tissues with immune functions.
Previous research has demonstrated that activin receptor-like kinase 7 (ALK7) signaling suppresses lipolysis, resulting in increased adipocyte size and lipid content. Additionally, predicted loss of function variants in the ALK7 gene (ACVR1C) have been associated with reduced waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) adjusted for body mass index, protection from type 2 diabetes, as well as reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
Jnana Therapeutics Inc. has described sodium-dependent neutral amino acid transporter B(0)AT1 (SLC6A19) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of diabetes, chronic kidney disease, nonalcoholic or metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (NASH/MASH), phenylketonuria, metabolic syndrome, obesity, neurodevelopmental disorders and autism spectrum disorders, among others.
Epigenetic editing is a promising method for gene regulation in vitro and in vivo, allowing precise control of gene expression without altering the DNA sequence, thereby minimizing genotoxic risks.
Researchers from Medizinische Hochschule Hannover and affiliated organizations reported data from studies aimed to identify non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) with therapeutic potential against liver fibrosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Functional screening of patient-derived primary human hepatic myofibroblasts, followed by in vivo validation in mouse models of fibrosis, were performed in search of antifibrotic miRNAs.
Kadimastem Ltd. and Itolerance Inc. have held a type B pre-IND meeting with the FDA regarding the development of ITOL-102, an investigational biologic for the treatment and potential cure of type 1 diabetes that would not require life-long chronic immune system suppression. It comprises Kadimastem’s allogenic human stem cell-derived pancreatic islets (Isletrx cells) combined with Itolerance’s immunomodulator, ITOL-100.
Resident immune cells, including type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s), play a key role in adipose tissue homeostasis. Researchers from Sungkyunkwan University and affiliated organizations evaluated the impact of ILC2s on systemic metabolic regulation in obesity.
Nerio Therapeutics Inc. has synthesized proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) compounds comprising an E3 ubiquitin ligase-binding moiety coupled to a tyrosine-protein phosphatase non-receptor type 1 (PTPN1; PTP-1B) and/or tyrosine-protein phosphatase non-receptor type 2 (PTPN2; TCPTP) targeting moiety through a linker reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity and metabolic diseases.
A recent study published in Acta Neuropathologica Communications sheds light on the gender disparity in the incidence of ACTH-secreting pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs), which occur more frequently in females than in males.