Drug Development

Researchers develop novel class of cancer immunotherapy

30 October 2020 | By Hannah Balfour (Drug Target Review)

The scientists developed a therapy which uses nanobiologics to train the innate immune system to recognise and combat cancer cells.

IDBS

Organs-on-a-chip model for breast cancer drug cardiac toxicity testing

27 October 2020 | By Hannah Balfour (Drug Target Review)

The newly developed chip includes heart and breast cancer tissues and could be used to predict the cardiac toxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs.

Novel anti-inflammatory slows progression of MS in mice

22 October 2020 | By Hannah Balfour (Drug Target Review)

When delivered intranasally, the anti-inflammatory drug VX-765 prevented axon demyelination and loss in a murine model of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Novel Alzheimer’s vaccine shows promise in murine models

21 October 2020 | By Hannah Balfour (Drug Target Review)

Scientists who developed the E22W42 DC vaccine suggest it could be safer and more effective than previous anti-amyloid Alzheimer’s therapies.

Assay to reveal anti-tumour T-cell cytotoxicity via flow cytometry developed

20 October 2020 | By Victoria Rees (Drug Target Review)

A simple co-culture assay that can assess anti-tumour T-cell cytotoxicity via luminescence and flow cytometry has been created.

SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease could be a novel drug target

19 October 2020 | By Hannah Balfour (Drug Target Review)

Scientists suggest targeting the SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease (PLpro) with inhibitors could prevent the spread of infection.

Novel siRNA therapy improves psoriasis in mice

19 October 2020 | By Hannah Balfour (Drug Target Review)

Topical delivery of a small interfering RNA (siRNA) using an ionic liquid complex significantly reduced levels of inflammatory cytokines and symptoms of psoriasis.

Novel antimicrobial molecules derived from wasp venom

13 October 2020 | By Hannah Balfour (Drug Target Review)

Altering the mastoparan-L (mast-L) peptide found in Vespula lewisii wasp venom, researchers created several novel antimicrobial molecules.

COVID-19 vaccines should not be affected by SARS-CoV-2 mutations, researchers say

12 October 2020 | By Victoria Rees (Drug Target Review)

A common SARS-CoV-2 mutation known as D614G should not impact on the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, a study has shown.

Scientists propose treating SARS-CoV-2 with sofosbuvir and remdesivir

7 October 2020 | By Victoria Rees (Drug Target Review)

Researchers have posited that SARS-CoV-2 could be combatted by sofosbuvir, in combination with other antivirals such as remdesivir.

Gramicidin A antibiotic analogues safe for human cells developed

6 October 2020 | By Victoria Rees (Drug Target Review)

A team has developed 10 new versions of the antibiotic gramicidin A, which they say should be safe for use in pills or injections.

SARS antiviral nitric oxide could be used to treat SARS-CoV-2

5 October 2020 | By Victoria Rees (Drug Target Review)

The nitric oxide treatment used during the 2003 SARS epidemic could be used as an antiviral against SARS-CoV-2, researchers say.

Novel tumour spheroids could improve ovarian cancer treatments

5 October 2020 | By Hannah Balfour (Drug Target Review)

Researchers have developed a new self-assembling three-dimensional (3D) ovarian cancer tumour model to recreate the in vitro disease more accurately.

Malaria compounds found to kill Cryptosporidium parasite

2 October 2020 | By Victoria Rees (Drug Target Review)

Researchers have shown that bicyclic azetidines, medicines used to treat malaria, can also kill the Cryptosporidium parasite in mice.