Breaking WORLD PHARMA NEWS

AI-assisted approach identifies IRS4 as a promising drug target in multiple solid tumors

Published in Science Advances, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital scientists used a mix of genetic cancer dependency data, artificial intelligence (AI) and naturally occurring mutations to prioritize safer cancer drug targets. They focused their efforts on targets most likely to be effective while limiting unwanted toxicity, identifying IRS4 as a potential dependency across multiple tumor types. The work provides a proof of principle for evaluating potential toxicity early in the search for novel therapeutics.

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Researchers identify natural compound that disarms drug-resistant bacteria

Every year, antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, commonly known as “staph,” causes serious infections and outbreaks in hospitals and community settings, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations, including the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. Methicillin-resistant strains, known as MRSA, are a leading contributor to deaths associated with antimicrobial resistance globally.

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Scientists discover a new way to make drug-resistant cancer treatable again

Cancer cells survive by repairing damage to their DNA - even damage that would normally be fatal. One of their most important defense systems is homologous recombination, a high-precision repair pathway that fixes broken DNA using key proteins such as RAD51 and CHK1. While therapies such as PARP inhibitors have successfully targeted this vulnerability, many tumors eventually regain their DNA repair ability and become resistant to treatment.

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A new drug concept to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes

A team led by metabolism researcher Prof Timo D. Müller at Helmholtz Munich has developed a new approach for treating obesity and type 2 diabetes: a hybrid molecule uses the well-known GLP-1/GIP signalling pathway as a “door opener” and delivers an additional metabolic modulator specifically into the target cells. In laboratory experiments, mice subsequently ate less, lost more weight and showed improved blood-glucose values compared with reference treatments.

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Autonomous AI-based drug prescribing rife with potential problems

A first-of-its-kind pilot program in Utah developed by a health-technology startup company uses artificial intelligence to automatically renew certain prescriptions for patients with chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. But according to a new paper co-written by a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign expert in legal issues surrounding cutting-edge medical technology, autonomous AI-based drug prescribing raises important clinical and legal issues.

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New dual-target drug may help overcome immunotherapy resistance in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the deadliest cancer types, with a five-year survival rate of 13%. There are only two treatment regimens available with limited efficacy. Pancreatic cancers do not respond to immunotherapy where the body’s immune system attacks tumor cells. The effectiveness of these treatments is limited due to immunotherapy resistance.

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Targeted therapy drug shows early promise against KRAS-driven lung and pancreatic cancers

A first-in-human clinical trial led by an international team of researchers and published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that setidegrasib, an investigational targeted therapy drug designed to eliminate a key cancer-driving protein called KRAS G12D, shows encouraging early activity in patients with advanced lung and pancreatic cancers. The therapy shrank tumors in some patients and delayed disease progression, marking a potential step forward for cancers with few targeted treatment options.

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Candidate breast cancer drug overloads tumors with "surge" of toxic lipids

An experimental drug targeting triple-negative breast cancer overwhelms cancer cells with toxic fats, according to new tests on human-derived tumors in mice. Triple-negative breast cancer lacks three common drug targets, making it one of the most aggressive forms of the disease.

The compound, known as DH20931, appears to push cancer cells past their limits by triggering a surge in fat-like molecules called ceramides.

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Fighting oral cancer with bioengineered chewing gum

Researchers led by Henry Daniell of the School of Dental Medicine have shown that extracts from bioengineered chewing gum reduce the levels of three microbes known to be associated with head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC), paving the way for more effective and affordable therapies. Their findings are published in Scientific Reports.

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Millions suffering needlessly with curable hepatitis C

Millions of Americans are still battling potentially deadly hepatitis C even though they could be cured with antiviral drugs they are not receiving, a new analysis reveals.

University of Virginia School of Medicine researcher Sanjay Kishore, MD, and colleagues at Mass General Brigham looked at prescribing trends for the drugs, known as direct-acting antivirals. They found that prescriptions rose rapidly when the drugs were first introduced in 2013, then peaked in 2015.

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