Breaking WORLD PHARMA NEWS

Opening the door to a vaccine for multiple childhood infections

A vaccine that tackles the bacteria that cause up to 200 million childhood infections every year could be possible, experts say.

In the first study of its kind, an international team including those at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the University of Oslo, the University of Oxford and the Shoklo Malaria Research Unit at Mahidol University in Thailand, analysed new and existing Haemophilus influenzae (H. influenzae) genomes, from global samples collected between 1962-2023.

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New cancer drug shows exceptional tumor-fighting potential

A research team led by the Medical University of Vienna, the HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences and the Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest has developed a groundbreaking new chemotherapeutic agent, LiPyDau, which shows remarkable efficacy against multiple tumor types in preclinical studies. Published in the leading journal Molecular Cancer, the study introduces a highly promising strategy for tackling drug-resistant cancers.

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Ingestible capsule robot: integrated diagnosis and treatment platform

While ingestible capsule endoscopes have revolutionized digestive tract diagnosis, current capsule devices are still difficult to combine diagnostic functions (targeted biopsy) and therapeutic functions (targeted drug delivery) in one-time oral intake. Now, research has broken through this limitation by presenting a novel multichamber magnetic capsule robot (named macabot) that can selectively open specific chambers on demand for targeted liquid sampling or targeted drug release.

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GLP-1 drugs effective for weight loss, but more independent studies needed

Three new Cochrane reviews find evidence that GLP-1 drugs result in clinically meaningful weight loss, but industry-funded studies raise questions. The reviews were commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) to inform upcoming guidelines on the use of these drugs to treat obesity.

The reviews, which examine the effects of three weight loss drugs known as GLP-1 receptor antagonists, have found that all three drugs result in clinically meaningful weight loss compared with placebo.

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New switch for programmed cell death identified

The activation and deactivation of apoptosis is a promising field of research in basic biomedical research. The team led by Prof. Franz Hagn from the Chair of Structural Membrane Biochemistry at the TUM School of Natural Sciences has now discovered a new switch: "Many research teams worldwide are working on the exciting topic of apoptosis and its targeted control. The big advantage is that we are dealing with a highly efficient, evolutionarily developed regulatory mechanism. So, we don't have to invent something completely new, but can use the appropriate structural methods to learn from nature's optimized processes."

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Pfizer files lawsuit against Metsera and its directors and Novo Nordisk for breach of merger agreement

Pfizer Inc. today announced that it has filed a lawsuit against Metsera, Inc., its Board of Directors, and Novo Nordisk, S.A. in the Delaware Court of Chancery. The lawsuit asserts claims for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and tortious interference in contract arising from Metsera’s breach of its obligations under the merger agreement between Pfizer and Metsera.

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Pfizer receives early clearance from U.S. Federal Trade Commission for Metsera acquisition

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) today announced the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has granted early termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “HSR Act”), with respect to Pfizer’s pending acquisition of Metsera (NASDAQ: MTSR).

The termination of the waiting period under the HSR Act satisfies the regulatory review requirements under the previously announced proposed acquisition of Metsera, which was set to expire on November 7.

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Pfizer addresses proposal for Metsera

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) is aware of the reckless and unprecedented proposal by Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE: NVO) to acquire Metsera, Inc. (NASDAQ: MTSR). It is an attempt by a company with a dominant market position to suppress competition in violation of law by taking over an emerging American challenger. It is also structured in a way to circumvent antitrust laws and carries substantial regulatory and executional risk. The proposal is illusory and cannot qualify as a superior proposal under Pfizer’s agreement with Metsera, and Pfizer is prepared to pursue all legal avenues to enforce its rights under its agreement.

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AI-driven nanomedicine breakthrough paves way for personalized breast cancer therapy

A comprehensive review in "Biofunct. Mater." meticulously details the most recent advancements and clinical translation of intelligent nanodrugs for breast cancer treatment. This paper presents an exhaustive overview of subtype-specific nanostrategies, the clinical benefits of FDA-approved nanodrugs, and innovative approaches to address tumor heterogeneity and treatment resistance. This serves as a foundational framework and pragmatic guide for enhancing precision-based breast cancer therapies.

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Bayer's Lynkuet™ (elinzanetant) approved in the U.S. for treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms due to menopause

Bayer announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved elinzanetant as the first dual neurokinin (NK) targeted therapy(1), neurokinin 1 (NK1) and neurokinin 3 (NK3) receptor antagonist, under the brand name Lynkuet™ for the treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS, also known as hot flashes) due to menopause. Inhibition of Substance P and Neurokinin B through antagonism of NK1 and NK3 receptor signaling on kisspeptin/neurokinin B/dynorphin (KNDy) neurons with elinzanetant can modulate neuronal activity in the thermoregulation associated with hot flashes.

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