This week, we found some interesting research on nanoparticles and using… chewing gum as an antiviral method? On top of that, new strategies to find and design drugs, a really positive outlook from the FDA to further keep phasing out animal testing, and some more goodies. So grab a drink ☕️ and let’s read!
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Table of Contents
Research we loved this week ❤️
Advances in using nanoparticles for brain therapeutics
Nanoparticles (NPs) offer advantages for drug delivery but face challenges like clearance and crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This work tries to enhance brain delivery. In this recent paper, NPs are functionalized with ligands, particularly peptides, due to their favorable properties, to trigger receptor-mediated transcytosis across the BBB. These peptides include brain-targeting types for BBB crossing and cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) for entering cells, though CPPs may require co-functionalization to avoid off-target effects
Read the full article HERE
Chewing gum for stopping viruses?
Together with higher urbanization and globalization, we have seen multiple viral outbreaks on top of our seasonal flus, like influenza. This, together with the knowledge that intraoral viral load is highly correlated with disease transmission, and up to 3-5 times more when compared to the nasal route, has prompted interest in looking for ways to manage these transmission pathways.
A recent paper has outlined using a natural viral trap protein (FRIL) present in lablab bean powder within a chewing gum format. This would provide an easy-to-store and convenient way to tackle potential infection through the oral pathway. The bean gum was shown to result in more than 95% inhibition without negative cell effects with 160 mg/ml and 74 mg/ml for HSV-1 and HSV-2, respectively, when testing (ELISA and plaque reduction assays were employed). This shows interest and promise, but it still requires more rigorous testing
Read the full article HERE
Now, what are ‘proximity drugs’ and how did they raise $16M for General Proximity to develop them
General Proximity, a San Francisco-based biotech company, recently came out of stealth, having raised $16M seed to develop ‘next-generation “induced proximity” medicines’. The basic idea of proximity revolves around ‘dynamic interplay of these molecules [proteins that modify other proteins] being brought in and out of proximity with their targets to orchestrate life’ and how these together comprise the ‘effectome’.
They tell us to build a platform able to map the effectomes of potential and develop drugs for these. How much of these terms and effects is marketing, and how much is truth eludes us, so we invite you to read a little deeper and make your own reasoning.
Read a coverage from HERE
FDA notice to further phase out animal testing, now with monoclonal antibodies
A few years back, at the end of 2022, the FDA Modernization Act 2.0 came into effect, which allowed some drugs to not be tested on animals anymore. Now the process continues with the FDA announcing a plan to phase out more animal testing requirements, this time for monoclonal antibodies and other drugs. This has been prompted by global leadership, public opinions, regulatory incentives, and technological advances in ‘in silico’ methods, such as computer simulations and alternatives to animals, like Organ-on-Chip systems that can be used instead for testing.
Although the FDA is a US regulatory body, the effects of its decision-making are reflected globally as markets and decision makers react. However, this is still a positive movement as the technologies and opinions change, making drug development more ethical, efficient, and safe, which will allow more life-saving therapies to get to markets faster.
Read the FDA announcement HERE
Bite-sized goodies
Trump’s tariffs are still at it, now targeting pharmaceuticals
Effects of the tariffs imposed by Trump are continuing, as the worry about diminishing the availability of ingredients for and the drugs themselves. As of now, these pharmaceuticals as well as semiconductors have been exempt from tariffs, but Trump has let known that they would be issued as well.
Read more HERE
Dire wolves
A few weeks back, we covered some advances in ‘bringing back’ the mammoth by the company Colossal Biosciences. This time, they have reported reviving dire wolves based on old bone material. They used comparative genetics and CRISPR on EPCs to generate and clone the new wolves.
Read more HERE
Tribune Therapeutics lands €37M in funding for an Anti-fibrotic drug
Tribune Therapeutics reported raising €37M in series A for advancing their portfolio of therapy candidates towards addressing fibrosis at a more root level. The majority of the funding will go into preparing their lead program, TRX-44, targeting CCN family proteins that are downstream tissue-agnostic gatekeepers for tissue remodeling and scar tissue formation. In the case of TRX-44, it mimics the CCN5. They say that they are also developing other programs targeting this protein family.
Read their press release HERE
Spring seems to be in full swing, finally, here in Finland (again), and the sun is shining as we start running towards summer. Now, if you found this interesting, feel free to share it again with friends, family, the neighbor’s dog FiFi that seems suspiciously intelligent, or anyone else that you think might enjoy it. And actually! If you have any news yourself, research you’re publishing and are super proud of, or anything in between, give us a holler, and if we like it, we’ll share it!
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