Breaking WORLD PHARMA NEWS

From inhibition to destruction - kinase drugs found to trigger protein degradation

Protein kinases are the molecular switches of the cell. They control growth, division, communication, and survival by attaching phosphate groups to other proteins. When these switches are stuck in the "on" position, they can drive cancer and other diseases. Not surprisingly, kinases have become one of the most important drug target families in modern medicine: today, more than 80 kinase inhibitors are FDA-approved, and nearly twice as many are in clinical development.

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FDA expands artificial intelligence capabilities with agentic AI deployment

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced the deployment of agentic AI capabilities for all agency employees. Agentic AI capabilities will enable the creation of more complex AI workflows - harnessing various AI models - to assist with multi-step tasks.

Agentic AI refers to advanced artificial intelligence systems designed to achieve specific goals by planning, reasoning, and executing multi-step actions.

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Experimental mRNA therapy shows potential to combat antibiotic-resistant infections

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and collaborators have reported early success with a novel mRNA-based therapy designed to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

The findings, published in the November 26 online issue of Nature Biotechnology, show that in preclinical studies in mice and human lung tissue in the lab, the therapy slowed bacterial growth, strengthened immune cell activity, and reduced lung tissue damage in models of multidrug-resistant pneumonia.

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Old drug, new use: How a cheap, century-old drug can improve life with type 1 diabetes

A Garvan-led clinical trial has found that using a common and inexpensive type 2 diabetes drug reduces insulin needs in type 1 diabetes, opening doors for improved management of the condition.

For years doctors have prescribed metformin, an old but common type 2 diabetes medication, to treat insulin resistance in type 1 diabetes. This has been largely based on anecdotal evidence.

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Rejuvenating the blood: A new pharmacological strategy targeting RhoA in haematopoietic stem cells

Ageing is defined as the deterioration of function overtime, and it is one of the main risk factors for numerous chronic diseases. Although ageing is a complex phenomenon affecting the whole organism, it is proved that the solely manifestation of ageing in the haematopoietic system affects the whole organism. Last September, Dr. M. Carolina Florian and her team revealed the significancy of using blood stem cells to pharmacologically target ageing of the whole body, thereby suggesting rejuvenating strategies that could extend healthspan and lifespan.

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Inspired by a family's struggle, a scientist helps uncover defense against Alzheimer's disease

Rutgers neuroscientist Peng Jiang was visiting his hometown of Qianshan, a city in China’s Anhui province, when a neighbor came to his parents’ house with a story that would stay with him.

The man’s mother had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in her early 60s. After nearly a decade of decline, she no longer recognized her own son. One morning, she looked at him and asked gently, "How is your mother doing? Is she well?"

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How the cheese-noodle principle could help counter Alzheimer's

Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have clarified how spermine - a small molecule that regulates many processes in the body's cells - can guard against diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's: it renders certain proteins harmless by acting a bit like cheese on noodles, making them clump together. This discovery could help combat such diseases.

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New 'sensor' lets researchers watch DNA repair in real time

Cancer research, drug safety testing and ageing biology may all gain a major boost from a new fluorescent sensor developed at Utrecht University. This new tool allows scientists to watch DNA damage and repair unfold in real time inside living cells. The development, which opens the door to experiments that weren't feasible before, is published in the journal Nature Communications.

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The immune system creates its own targets within viruses

A new study from the Systems Immunology Research Group at the Institute of Biochemistry, HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Szeged, reveals that our immune system does more than defend against viruses. In certain cases, it induces mutations within viruses that make them easier to recognize later on. The findings have been published in Nature Communications.

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Targeted drug could benefit young patients with invasive sarcoma

A collaborative research team, led by scientists at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center and Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, has identified a targeted drug that could effectively treat an aggressive soft tissue cancer that occurs most often in pediatric and young adult patients. New findings - published in Nature Communications - suggest that blocking a specific genetic pathway could reverse a series of tumor-driving cellular interactions

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