April 2019- Volume 15, Issue 4
In this Issue
Discovery
Mining microbiomes
Mining microbiomes
Seres Therapeutics, AstraZeneca to explore the interaction of the microbiome and immunotherapies
AbCellera acquires multiple multiyear deals
AbCellera acquires multiple multiyear deals
Company collaborates with Novartis, Denali Therapeutics and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Merck and Iktos collaborate on compounds
Merck and Iktos collaborate on compounds
Agreement grants Merck KGaA access to Iktos’ AI technology across three drug discovery projects
Business & Government Policy
Biogen buys into ophthalmology
Biogen buys into ophthalmology
Company announces agreement to acquire Nightstar Therapeutics
A ‘continuous’ need
A ‘continuous’ need
Continuous manufacturing embraced by FDA and researchers
No pain and a gain
No pain and a gain
Pacira acquires MyoScience and its non-opioid pain therapy ioveraº
Research & Development
Scholar Rock picks SRK-181
Scholar Rock picks SRK-181
Company aims to develop cancer immunotherapy candidate, which is a selective inhibitor of TGFβ1 activation
Bioinformatics infrastructure finds funding
Bioinformatics infrastructure finds funding
UKRI has awarded infrastructure funding to support the open data resources provided by EMBL-EBI
Dementia diagnosis; dementia difference
Dementia diagnosis; dementia difference
Race can mean dramatic differences in pathologies, and new research seeks to delve into that
Cancer clue in cellular machinery
Cancer clue in cellular machinery
Florida researchers say potential avenue for cancer treatment could be hiding in microscopic ‘molecular machine’
Cancer clue in cellular machinery
Cancer clue in cellular machinery
Florida researchers say potential avenue for cancer treatment could be hiding in microscopic ‘molecular machine’
Building a new toolbox
Building a new toolbox
University at Buffalo lab receives NIH grant to develop tools for an inside look at cells’ responses to drugs
Contract Services
A match made in the cloud
A match made in the cloud
New alliance seeks to change and improve patient recruitment and trial participation
Launch time
Launch time
A roundup of recent new offerings from contract services organizations
Axiom awarded multiple contracts
Axiom awarded multiple contracts
Studies will use Fusion eClinical Suite’s IWRS Module
Crowning the rodents
Crowning the rodents
CrownBio strikes deals with Charles River for rats and JAX for mice
Preclinical
Summit seeks a much-needed superdrug
Summit seeks a much-needed superdrug
Company explores candidates against antimicrobial-resistant bacteria
Synthetic sebum
Synthetic sebum
Mouse model mimics human acne
Glauconix completes cannabinoid pilot study
Glauconix completes cannabinoid pilot study
Study confirms intraocular pressure-lowering effects, proving promising novel treatment for glaucoma
The point of the spear: Targeting MAGE-A4
The point of the spear: Targeting MAGE-A4
Adaptimmune presents preclinical data for its next-generation SPEAR T cell
Clinical Trials
MorphoSys reports ‘MIND’-bending results
MorphoSys reports ‘MIND’-bending results
MOR208 clinical trial results promising and drug is on fast track to FDA approval, company says
Challenging Chagas
Challenging Chagas
Bayer's efforts to advance nifurtimox against Chagas disease bear fruit in successful Phase 3 trial
Strongbridge shares SONICS study results
Strongbridge shares SONICS study results
Extended evaluation phase meets objective of showing positive long-term benefit-risk profile of Recorlev
Hear ye, hear ye
Hear ye, hear ye
Auris Medical announces publication of AM-111 Phase 3 results for inner ear hearing loss
TransCon hGH scores with superiority
TransCon hGH scores with superiority
Once-weekly growth hormone demonstrates superiority on primary endpoint compared to daily growth hormone in Phase 3
Diagnostics
A ‘Mammoth’ licensing victory
A ‘Mammoth’ licensing victory
Mammoth Biosciences gains license to Cas14 CRISPR protein, completing its diagnostic toolbox
Molecular makeup
Molecular makeup
Researchers aim to determine likelihood of breast cancer recurrence
A meeting of the minds at multiscale
A meeting of the minds at multiscale
Olympus, USC pair up to leverage a host of technologies to accelerate precision medicine in cancer
Biocartis and Bristol-Myers Squibb sign deal
Biocartis and Bristol-Myers Squibb sign deal
Collaboration will focus on MSI testing related to immuno-oncology therapies
Special Reports
Special Report on Neuroscience: Holding out hope
Special Report on Neuroscience: Holding out hope
In this special report, we explore how scientists are reframing the conversation around therapeutic approaches to depression
Editor's Focus
Editor’s focus: Shining light on depression?
Editor’s focus: Shining light on depression?
Does a new treatment specifically targeting postpartum depression signal new progress in other niche areas of depression as well as treating the illness more broadly?
Commentary
Small molecules need love too
Small molecules need love too
There are plenty of new areas to explore in therapeutic options for all diseases and conditions that vex us, but are we straying too far from reliable ground and ignoring good options in the process?
Guest Commentary: Targeting α-synuclein and the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease
Guest Commentary: Targeting α-synuclein and the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease
Discovery of antibodies highly selective for toxic α-synuclein conformations may require more than just classical methods if pharma and life sciences want to make faster progress against Parkinson's disease
Feature
Show Preview: Immunology 2019 heads to San Diego
Show Preview: Immunology 2019 heads to San Diego
The American Association of Immunologists brings its educational and other programming to the West Coast
Q&A
Q&A: Modeling the microenvironment
Q&A: Modeling the microenvironment
A newly developed tumor model could offer better accuracy
