The activity of the human drug-metabolizing enzyme cytochrome P450 3A4 (hCYP3A4) can seriously compromise the therapeutic effect of several drugs. Although CYP3A4 inhibitors may improve the in vivo efficacy of hCYP3A4-substrate drugs, most of them trigger serious adverse effects.
Researchers from the University of Lausanne and affiliated organizations recently presented data from a study that aimed to identify novel candidate causative genes of visual impairment.
Certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV), named high-risk types, are known to be clearly associated with 60% of invasive cervical cancer cases. Prophylactic HPV vaccines are highly effective, but there is a need for new treatment options other than surgery.
Glox Therapeutics Ltd. has raised £4.3 million (US$5.37 million) in seed funding to develop targeted therapeutics against antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacteria. The company was founded earlier this year as a spin-out from the Universities of Glasgow and Oxford.
Inflammasome Therapeutics Inc. has received FDA clearance to begin a phase I/II trial of the company’s inflammasome inhibitor for the treatment of geographic atrophy, the most severe form of dry age-related macular degeneration. This is the first clinical trial of an inflammasome inhibitor to treat geographic atrophy. The company’s sustained-release implant contains the first of a new class of inflammasome inhibitor drugs, Kamuvudines, developed by the company and designed to halt the multiple processes that cause geographic atrophy.
Ray Therapeutics Inc. has been awarded a $4 million grant by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) to help advance development of the company’s optogenetics technology platform and support progression of RTX-021 for the treatment of geographic atrophy, the advanced form of age-related macular degeneration.
A recognized link exists between oxidative stress, obesity and atrial fibrillation (AF). NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) serves as a significant contributor to reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the heart, and it is known to be elevated in obese mice.
PYC Therapeutics Ltd. has announced the results of a study of PYC-003 conducted in human 3D models derived from patients with end-stage renal failure due to autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (PKD).
G1 and G2 genetic variants of the human APOL1 gene have been previously associated with an increased risk of developing chronic kidney diseases (CKD) in the African American population, and recent studies have shown that inhibition of APOL1 ion channel function could represent a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of patients with APOL1-like nephropathies.
Researchers have for the first time used human neural stem cells to print 3D brain tissues that mimic the architecture of the brain’s outer layer, the cerebral cortex. This breakthrough technique, developed by a team from the U.K.’s University of Oxford, could one day be used to provide tailored repairs to the millions of people who suffer from severe brain injuries, for which there is no effective treatment.