SARS-CoV-2 immunodominant epitopes identified as vaccine candidates 12 June 2020 | By Victoria Rees (Drug Target Review) Researchers have analysed the SARS-CoV-2 proteome to reveal seven promising immunodominant epitopes that could aid in the development of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Rod-shaped microparticles could improve immune system response to COVID-19 11 June 2020 | By Victoria Rees (Drug Target Review) Researchers have suggested that neutrophils, which contribute to the development of ARDS in COVID-19 patients, could be diverted from the lungs by rod-shaped particles in a new form of treatment.
Cancer drug could be used to treat Rett syndrome, finds study 11 June 2020 | By Victoria Rees (Drug Target Review) Researchers have found that a compound named JQ1, an experimental cancer drug, extends the life of mice with Rett syndrome.
Technique to synthesise anticancer compound FE399 developed 11 June 2020 | By Victoria Rees (Drug Target Review) A team has successfully created a new method to artificially produce FE399, a compound known to induce apoptosis in cancer cells.
Protease inhibitors could be highly effective against SARS-CoV-2 10 June 2020 | By Hannah Balfour (Drug Target Review) Researchers reveal the main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is highly sensitive to disruption, therefore Mpro inhibitors could be a potential COVID-19 therapeutic.
Researchers develop a novel respiratory system simulator 10 June 2020 | By Hannah Balfour (Drug Target Review) Scientists reveal their reliable and tuneable simulator created using swine lungs, synthetic actuators and artificial muscles.
Computational approach identifies novel COVID-19 vaccine targets 9 June 2020 | By Hannah Balfour (Drug Target Review) Researchers used computational tools to identify regions of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that could potentially provide a safe and long-term immune response.
Study identifies pathway responsible for blood-brain barrier impairment in Alzheimer’s 9 June 2020 | By Hannah Balfour (Drug Target Review) The team found that the expression of the APOE4 gene variant in pericytes caused amyloid plaque formation in a blood-brain barrier model.
Researchers find microglia are key to protecting brain from viral infection 8 June 2020 | By Hannah Balfour (Drug Target Review) The team found microglia and CD8 T cells were vital to protecting neurons from vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) infection and suggest loss of taste and smell in COVID-19 could be due to a certain mechanism of infection.
Investigational anti-SARS-CoV-2 molecules show efficacy in pre-clinical studies 8 June 2020 | By Hannah Balfour (Drug Target Review) Pre-clinical testing of the COVIDTRAP™ (STI-4398) protein and STI-1499 antibody reveal they can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 from infecting cells.
A new vision: restoring eyesight using a novel gene therapy technique 5 June 2020 | By Hannah Balfour (Drug Target Review) Scientists created a technique to give photoreceptors infrared-light sensitivity, allowing the animal models to see infrared heat signatures.
Researchers suggest animal experiments may be too standardised to be reproducible 5 June 2020 | By Hannah Balfour (Drug Target Review) Experts suggest that increasing biological and conditional variations in their experiments could not only make them more reproducible but also reduce the total number of animals required.
TiPARP activation should be the target of future cancer drugs, says researcher 4 June 2020 | By Hannah Balfour (Drug Target Review) Scientists reveal activating tumour suppressor protein TiPARP results in the degradation of several transcription factors implicated in cancer survival.
3D map of the heart’s intracardiac nervous system (ICN) revealed 4 June 2020 | By Hannah Balfour (Drug Target Review) The 3D map, created using Knife-Edge Scanning Microscopy and analysed using laser capture microdissection, reveals new insights about the nervous control of the heart.
Novel complement inhibitor improves ischemic stroke recovery in mice, say researchers 3 June 2020 | By Hannah Balfour (Drug Target Review) Administering a novel complement protein blocker (B4Crry) alongside reperfusion therapy improved cognitive and motor recovery in a model of ischemic stroke.
