Results presented from the Phase III IMpower133 study and extension trial IMbrella A, show Roche’s Tecentriq (atezolizumab), in combination with chemotherapy, demonstrates a potential long-term overall survival (OS) benefit as first-line treatment for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC).

As presented at the IASLC 2023 World Conference on Lung Cancer hosted by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, these are the first reported five-year survival outcomes for people who have received first-line cancer immunotherapy and chemotherapy. Data from IMbrella A and IMpower133 represent the longest survival follow-up data ever reported for a cancer immunotherapy combination in ES-SCLC.

At this five-year OS landmark in IMpower133/IMbrella A, 12 per cent of patients receiving Tecentriq were still alive, demonstrating the potential for a durable survival benefit with Tecentriq plus chemotherapy.¹ Historical data of platinum-etoposide chemotherapy, which was the standard first-line treatment for ES-SCLC for several decades, show a five-year OS rate of approximately two per cent.^2,3

These results build on the previously reported IMpower133 study. The primary results reported in June 2018 showed that Tecentriq plus chemotherapy helped people live significantly longer compared with chemotherapy alone (median OS=12.3 versus 10.3 months; hazard ratio [HR]=0.70, 95 per cent CI: 0.54-0.91; p=0.0069). These findings were the first clinically meaningful advance in the treatment of ES-SCLC in more than twenty years.⁴

“The results of IMbrella A and IMpower133 represent the longest survival follow-up reported to date for people with ES-SCLC who have received cancer immunotherapy. The five-year survival rate of 12 per cent is an important landmark for patients with ES-SCLC who have historically had poor outcomes with a five-year survival rate of approximately two per cent,” said Dr Stephen Liu, Associate Professor of Medicine, Director of Thoracic Oncology and Head of Developmental Therapeutics at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University.

Safety data for Tecentriq were consistent with the known safety profile and no new safety signals were identified.

Following the primary results of IMpower133, Tecentriq plus chemotherapy became the first cancer immunotherapy combination approved for ES-SCLC in more than 100 countries and reimbursed in more than 30 countries. The Tecentriq combination has been adopted as a standard of care in multiple clinical practice guidelines globally, including in the ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines.⁵

References
[1] Liu SV, et al. Five-year survival in patients with ES-SCLC treated with atezolizumab in IMpower133: IMbrella A extension study results. Presented at WCLC 2023. Abstract #OA01.04.

[2] Zhang and Cheng. Immunotherapy for extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer: current landscape and future perspectives. Front Oncol. 2023;12:1142081.

[3] Arriola et al. Prognostic Value of Clinical Staging According to TNM in Patients With SCLC: A Real-World Surveillance Epidemiology and End-Results Database Analysis. JTO Clin Res Rep. 2021;3:100266.

[4] Horn L et al. First-line atezolizumab plus chemotherapy in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer. N Engl J Med 2018;379: 2220–2229.

[5] Annals of Oncology. Small-cell lung cancer: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. https://www.annalsofoncology.org/article/S0923-7534(21)01113-3/fulltext. Last accessed: August 2023.

[6] Clinical Trials.gov.A Study of Carboplatin Plus Etoposide With or Without Atezolizumab in Participants With Untreated Extensive-Stage (ES) Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) (IMpower133). Available from: https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02763579. Last accessed: August 2023.

[7] Cancer.Net. Lung Cancer – Non-Small Cell: Statistics. Available from: https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/lung-cancer-non-small-cell/statistics. Last accessed: August 2023.

[8] Thandra et al.Epidemiology of lung cancer. Contemp Oncol (Pozn). 2021;25(1):45-52.

[9] American Cancer Society. Key Statistics for Lung Cancer. Available from: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/lung-cancer/about/key-statistics.html. Last accessed: August 2023.

[10] Alvarado-Luna and Morales-Espinosa. Treatment for small cell lung cancer, where are we now?—a review. Transl Lung Cancer Res. 2016;5(1):26-38.

[11] National Cancer Institute. Available from: https://www.cancer.gov/types/lung/hp/small-cell-lung-treatment-pdq. Last accessed: August 2023. 

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Researchers from Chung-Ang University developed an electrochemical DNA biosensor with enhanced sensitivity for effective HPV detection with high specificity. They achieved this feat using a graphitic nano-onion/molybdenum disulfide nanosheet composite with improved conductive electron transfer compared to the nanosheet alone. Their breakthrough can open doors to the development of electrochemical biosensors for early diagnosis of various ailments.

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) has recently garnered attention among materials science researchers owing to its ability to form two-dimensional nanosheets like graphene. The nanosheets are created by the stacking of S–Mo–S layers interacting via Van der Waals interactions. Additionally, the unique structural, optical, thermal, and electrochemical properties of MoS₂ have opened up multiple research avenues across several fields, including the development of biomolecule sensing and chemical detection platforms, optoelectronics, supercapacitors, and batteries.

Traditionally, carbon nanostructures have been employed as an immobilisation platform for DNA. In order to substitute carbon with MoS₂ as an effective electrochemical DNA sensor, the electrical conductivity of MoS₂ needs to be improved considerably. Against this backdrop, Associate Professor Eunah Kang and Youngjun Kim from the School of Chemical Engineering and Material Science at Chung-Ang University, Korea have recently come up with an elegant solution. The duo has developed an electrochemical DNA biosensor using a graphitic nano-onion/molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) nanosheet composite, which effectively detects human papillomavirus (HPV)-16 and HPV-18, and can serve as an early diagnosis of cervical cancer.

“Nano-onions possess graphitic sp₂ structures and are derived from crystalline sp₃ nanodiamonds via thermal annealing or laser irradiation,” explains Dr Kang. Their breakthrough was published in the Journal of Nanobiotechnology on 10 June 2023.

The researcher duo prepared the novel electrode surface for probing DNA chemisorption by enabling chemical conjugation between two functional groups: acyl bonds on the surfaces of functionalised nano-onions and amine groups present on the modified MoS₂ nanosheets. Cyclic voltammetry experiments revealed that a 1:1 composite electrode had an improved rectangular shape compared to that of an MoS₂ nanosheet electrode. “This indicated the amorphous nature of the nano-onions with curved carbon layers that facilitated an enhancement in electronic conductivity compared to MoS₂ nanosheet alone,” highlights Dr Kang.

Additionally, the duo measured the sensitivity of their novel electrochemical DNA biosensor device towards HPV-16 and HPV-18 by employing differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) technique in the presence of methylene blue (MB) as a redox indicator. Dr Kang elaborates, “The DPV current peak was lowered after probe DNA chemisorption and target DNA hybridisation. Since the hybridised DNA was double-stranded, it induced less effective MB electrostatic intercalation, resulting in a lower oxidation peak.”

The duo found that, compared to the MoS₂ nanosheet electrode, the nano-onion/MoS₂ nanosheet composite electrode attained higher current peaks, indicating a greater change in the differential peak. This was attributed to an enhanced conductive electron transfer owing to the nano-onion.

Notably, the target DNAs produced from HPV-16 and HPV-18 Siha and Hela cancer cell lines were detected by the proposed sensor effectively and with high specificity. Consequently, MoS₂ nanosheets with improved electrical conductivity facilitated by complexation with nano-onions provides a suitable platform for developing effective and efficient electrochemical biosensors for the early diagnosis of a wide variety of ailments, including cervical cancer.

Furthermore, combining nano-onions or nanodiamonds with different organic biomaterials can facilitate chemical functionality, electron transfer conductivity, light absorption, and more. These, in turn, can lead to innovative disease sensing, targeted drug delivery systems, and biomedical imaging and diagnostics.

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A research team from Japan developed an innovative methodology to detect Lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Based on a novel fluorescent chemosensor, the proposed system detects the endotoxin in a matter of minutes, making it suitable for on-site testing in hospitals and pharma manufacturing facilities.

LPS, largely known as “endotoxins”, is a molecule which is found in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, and can be very harmful to humans. It can trigger a major immune response, producing fever and inflammation. In the worst cases, it can cause organ failure due to sepsis.

The gold standard for its detection is the limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) test. Because this has to be done manually in a clean laboratory setting, the procedure can take several hours and is also expensive. While there are other methods to detect LPS, they too are time-consuming or cumbersome.

Against this backdrop, a research team from Japan has pioneered a new strategy to quickly detect LPS in soluble samples. In their latest study, published online in the journal Analytical Chemistry on July 31, 2023, the team presents a promising platform that could revolutionise how we screen for LPS. The first author of the study is Hiroshi Kimoto, who is a PhD student at Sophia University, Japan, and a member of the Technical Development Division at Nomura Micro Science Co. The study was co-authored by Takashi Hayashita and Takeshi Hashimoto, both from Sophia University, and Yota Suzuki from Saitama University.

A release from the research team informs, “The main component of the proposed LPS analysis system is a ratiometric fluorescent chemosensor called Zn-dpa-C2OPy. This compound, which was designed to bind selectively to LPS, exhibits interesting fluorescent properties. When not bound to LPS, it forms small spherical vesicles that emit light with a certain wavelength when excited by UV rays. However, in the presence of LPS, the chemosensor forms complex aggregates with the toxin in a solution; these aggregates are structurally distinct from the aggregates of either the chemosensor or LPS alone. The complex chemosensor-LPS aggregates emit light at a completely different wavelength when excited by UV rays, and their presence was further verified via spectrometric measurements.”

To achieve high-throughput LPS detection, the researchers combined the chemosensor with a flow injection analysis (FIA) system and a self-developed dual-wavelength fluorophotometer. This system allows one to easily mix a liquid sample of interest with a known quantity of chemosensor, and the mixture is then fed into the fluorophotometer, which measures the fluorescence changes in response to LPS. Based on the ratio between the fluorescence intensities, one can estimate the concentration of LPS in the input sample. One of the main benefits of this system is its speed. “It takes only one minute from sample collection to analysis results, with an hourly sample throughput of 36, making this technique extremely rapid and efficient,” remarks Kimoto.

The release adds, “In addition to the high throughput, the proposed chemosensor exhibits high sensitivity and stability to quantify LPS. In fact, the chemosensor has a detection limit of 11 pM (picomolar), which is lower than that of other reported small molecule chemosensors for LPS detection. This means that it can detect lower concentrations of LPS than other alternative methods can. Moreover, the chemosensor-based analysis system is simple and animal-friendly—other conventional LPS detection methods use animal resources and may, in turn, harm these animals. This makes it a great candidate for practical and efficient point-of care testing for LPS and bacterial contaminations in water, clinical, or pharma samples.”

Kimoto comments, “Based on this research, an online-endotoxin monitor will be developed and made available for use in real-life situations. Such a monitor could be installed at pharmaceutical production sites, hospital bedsides, and intensive care units to continuously monitor endotoxin concentration in pharmaceutical products, such as water for injection, or the blood of infected patients.”

With more work in the field, the threat of endotoxins will be minimised in the near future.

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When breast cancer cells spread to other parts of the body it is called secondary or metastatic breast cancer and although treatable cannot be cured

Researchers at the University of Sheffield are testing new combinations of drugs to treat breast cancer that’s spread to the bone with the help of funding from Breast Cancer Now.

The charity has awarded Professor Penelope Ottewell at the University of Sheffield £142,714, to investigate whether a drug called radium-223, which is used to treat prostate cancer that’s spread to the bone, could be combined with other treatments to also benefit breast cancer patients.

When breast cancer cells spread from the first cancer in the breast to other parts of the body it is called secondary or metastatic breast cancer and although treatable, it can’t be cured.

An estimated 61,000 people are living with secondary breast cancer in the UK*. And in 70-80 per cent of women with secondary breast cancer, the disease has spread to the bone**.

Radium-223 is effective at treating prostate cancer that’s spread to the bone and works by releasing radiation that kills cancer cells. But in clinical trials, it hasn’t been as successful in getting rid of breast cancer cells in the bone.

Scientists think this is because breast cancer cells are very good at repairing their DNA when it gets damaged.

Professor Penelope Ottewell and her team will test if radium-223 can be combined with other drugs that target cancer cells’ ability to repair DNA. They hope the combination of treatments will make radium-223 more effective.

The researchers will carry out tests with drugs that are already used to treat cancer, and some which are still being developed, to find out which ones are most effective at shrinking and eliminating breast cancer cells when combined with radium-223.

They will then test if this combination can get rid of inactive breast cancer cells in the bone and prevent secondary breast cancer from even developing.

Professor Penelope Ottewell from the University of Sheffield’s School of Medicine and Population Health, said, “Although radium-223 is already used to treat prostate cancer that’s spread to the bone, it’s not been as successful in clinical trials for breast cancer. We hope by combining radium-223 with other drugs, we can unlock the potential of this treatment and help thousands of women with secondary breast cancer.”

Dr Simon Vincent, Breast Cancer Now’s Director of Research, Support and Influencing, said, “With 11,500 women dying from breast cancer in the UK every year, it’s vital we continue to fund research to understand and treat this devastating disease.

“Breast cancer Now is delighted to fund this new research that we hope will lay the groundwork for clinical trials into new treatment combinations for secondary breast cancer in the bone. And even help to stop secondary breast cancer developing in the bone in the first place.”

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The study was performed to understand whether the immunity gained after vaccination or a prior infection was less effective or “leaky” in situations where people are exposed to high levels of the virus

High levels of exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus may reduce or overcome the protection that COVID-19 vaccination and prior infection provides, according to a study conducted in the US. The findings, published recently in the journal Nature Communications, suggest that in densely crowded settings, control measures that reduce levels of exposure to the virus — such as masking, improved ventilation, and distancing — may afford additional benefit in preventing new infections among people who have been vaccinated or previously infected.

The study was performed to understand whether the immunity gained after vaccination or a prior infection was less effective or “leaky” in situations where people are exposed to high levels of the virus.

“It’s really hard to find a population, such as the residents of the Connecticut Department of Correction, where we know the type of exposure somebody has and we know their vaccination and prior infection status,” said Margaret Lind, lead author of the research paper, and an associate research scientist at Yale University, US.

The researchers tracked infections among 15,444 residents of Connecticut correctional facilities between June 2021 and May 2022, when the state experienced two epidemic waves due to the emergence of the COVID-19 Delta and Omicron variants.

They also determined which people had resided with a COVID-19- positive cellmate and, as a result, had high exposure to the COVID-19 virus.

The study found that during the Delta and Omicron epidemic waves, immunity acquired after a vaccination, prior infection, and both vaccination and infection (hybrid immunity) was weaker when residents were residing with an infected inmate.

Specifically, during the Delta wave, vaccination was 68 per cent effective at preventing infection in residents without a documented exposure but was just 26 per cent effective in residents with exposure to an infected cellmate, the researchers said. A previous infection was 79 per cent effective in preventing infection in residents without a documented exposure but was 41 per cent effective when a resident was exposed to an infected person in their cell, they said.

Hybrid immunity provided the highest level of protection, at 95 per cent and 71 per cent effectiveness, in residents without a documented exposure and with a cell exposure, respectively, according to the researchers.

While the overall protection afforded by vaccination, prior infection, and hybrid immunity was lower during the epidemic wave with the more transmissible Omicron variant, the same pattern in the levels of protection was observed, they said.

The researchers also found that vaccination was 43 per cent effective at preventing infection in residents without documented exposure but was just 4 per cent in residents who shared a cell with an infected person.

A previous infection was 64 per cent effective without a documented exposure but was only 11 per cent effective when a resident was exposed to an infected person in their cell.

Although hybrid immunity afforded higher levels of protection during the Omicron wave, it was only 20 per cent effective in residents with an exposure in their cell as compared to being 76 per cent effective in residents without documented exposure.

“This research is the first study, as far as we are aware, that provides real-world evidence for the exposure-dependent or ‘leaky’ nature of the immunity afforded by vaccination and infection,” Lind added.

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Nanoscale view of proteins opens window to treat neurodegenerative illness

Many diseases affecting the brain and nervous system are linked to the formation of protein aggregates, or solid condensates, in cells from their liquid form condensate, but little is known about this process.

This liquid-to-solid transition can trigger the formation of what are called amyloid fibrils. These can further form plaques in neurons causing neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Biomedical engineers at the University of Sydney, in collaboration with scientists at the University of Cambridge and Harvard University, have now developed sophisticated optical techniques to monitor at close range the process by which these protein aggregates form.

By testing a protein associated with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis – ALS disease, which affected astrophysicist Professor Stephen Hawking – the Sydney engineers closely monitored the transition of this protein from its liquid to solid phase.

“This is a huge step forward to understanding how neurogenerative diseases develop from a fundamental perspective,” said Dr Yi Shen, lead author of the research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) in the United States.

“We can now directly observe the transition of these critical proteins from liquid to solid at the nanoscale – a millionth of a metre in scale,” said Dr Daniele Vigolo, a senior lecturer in the School of Biomedical Engineering and a member of the University of Sydney Nano Institute.

Proteins regularly form condensates during liquid-to-liquid phase separation in a wide range of critical and healthy biological functions, such as the formation of human embryos. This process assists biochemical reactions where protein concentrations are critical and also promotes healthy protein–protein interactions.

“However, this process also increases the risk of dysfunctional aggregation, where unhealthy aggregates of solid proteins form in human cells,” said Dr Shen, who is an ARC DECRA Fellow in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and also a member of Sydney Nano.

“This can lead to aberrant structures associated with neurodegenerative diseases because the proteins no longer exhibit rapid reversibility back to liquid form. It is therefore crucial to monitor condensate dynamics, as they directly affect pathological states,” she said.

The world-first nanoscale optical observation of this process has allowed the team to determine that the transition from liquid to solid protein starts at the interface of the protein condensates. This window onto the phase transition also revealed that the internal structures of these protein agglomerates are heterogenous, where previously they were thought to be homogeneous.

Dr Vigolo said, “Our findings promise to greatly improve our understanding of neurogenerative diseases from a fundamental perspective.

“This means a promising new area of research to better understand how Alzheimer’s disease and ALS develops in the brain, affecting millions of people worldwide.”

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Gilead Sciences announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has placed a partial clinical hold on the initiation of new patients in US studies evaluating magrolimab to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

The FDA action follows the previously announced discontinuation of the Phase 3 ENHANCE study of magrolimab in higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (HR-MDS).

Effective immediately, screening and enrollment of new study participants under the US investigational new drug application (IND 147229) and US Expanded Access Program will be paused. Patients already enrolled in AML clinical studies may continue to receive treatment and be monitored, according to the current study protocol. Global regulatory authorities and clinical trial investigators involved in the studies have been informed of the FDA’s decision. Studies of magrolimab in solid tumours continue without any impact from the FDA action.

Gilead informed that it is working with regulatory authorities to determine next steps to release the partial clinical hold for new patient enrollment in the magrolimab AML studies.

Magrolimab is an investigational agent and has not been approved anywhere globally. Its safety and efficacy have not been established.

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Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG), under the leadership of Dr Rajkumar Thummer, in collaboration with scientists from Christian Medical College, Vellore, have reported a method to convert regular human skin cells into pluripotent stem cells.

Dr Thummer, Assistant Professor, Department of Biosciences & Bioengineering, IIT Guwahati, said, “The human body is made of many kinds of cells – nerve cells, heart cells, liver cells, pancreatic cells, and so on, with unique structures and functions. All these distinctive cells originate from stem cells to perform a specific function. Lack of any of this cell type in a human body will result in a disease or disorder. Thus, stem cells can be programmed to develop into mature functional cells, which can be used to replace damaged cells.”

Stem Cells have to be extracted from embryos or parts of the adult human body like the brain or bone marrow, which is challenging from both ethical and practical aspects. Thus, scientists are exploring techniques to convert ordinary cells, like skin or blood cells, into pluripotent stem cells – stem cells that can be programmed to develop into any other form of an adult cell type. These cells are called Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs). The most important advantage of iPSCs is their potential to produce patient-specific cells which can be transplanted to the site of injury or the site of tissue degeneration due to various disease conditions, and thereby, eliminate any chance of immune rejection.

The conversion of mature cells into iPSCs was first shown by Prof Shinya Yamanaka, who won the Nobel Prize in 2012 for his discovery. This research involved introducing specific genes into mature cells to convert them into iPSCs. Dr Thummer and his colleagues have used a safe, integration-free method, and have introduced genes such as OCT3/4, SOX2, KLF4, L-MYC, LIN28 and a p53 shRNA into skin cells to transform them into iPSCs.

Reportedly, the iPSCs produced by the IITG and CMC researchers were versatile, maintained their genetic makeup well, and could potentially differentiate into a range of body cell types. Additionally, tests confirmed that the DNA structure of the cells was not altered and matched that of the original cells. Importantly, these iPSCs were found to be free from bacterial contamination.

Dr Thummer added, “This achievement is a testament to the determination and endurance of our team. By generating iPSCs in Guwahati, we have opened up new opportunities for researchers to contribute to stem cell research.”

iPSCs are useful for the design of stem-cell therapies for a range of ailments. iPSCs can be programmed to become beta islet cells to treat diabetes, blood cells to treat leukaemia, or neurons to treat disorders like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Given the importance and potential of stem cells, the Government of India actively supports stem cell research through the Department of Health Research-Indian Council of Medical Research (DHR-ICMR). This commitment spans two decades and includes initiatives such as advanced research centres, thematic task forces, and iPSC generation. The collaboration between IIT Guwahati and CMC Vellore aligns seamlessly with these efforts and India’s endeavour to be at the forefront of stem cell research.

Prof Shaji Velayudhan, a collaborator from CMC, Vellore, said, “The generation of iPSCs is a major step forward in the field of regenerative medicine. It will not only facilitate local research in the North East of the country but also encourage collaborations with national and international institutions, ultimately benefitting patients in the region,”

This research paper has been published in the journal Stem Cell Research, authored by Khyati Raina, Gaurav Joshi, Kirti Modak, Chitra Premkumar, Sweety Priyanka, Praveena Rajesh, Prof Shaji Velayudhan and Dr Rajkumar P Thummer.

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A study published in the journal Nature Communications has identified a new pathway that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) uses to enter the nucleus of a healthy cell, where it can then replicate and go on to invade other cells. The researchers also identified three proteins that are needed for the virus to carry out the invasion and have in turn synthesised molecules (potential drugs) that can target one of the proteins, potentially leading to new treatments for AIDS.

“We have revealed a protein pathway that appears to have a direct impact on diseases, which opens up a new area for potential drug development,” says the study’s senior author Dr Aurelio Lorico, Professor of Pathology and interim Chief Research Officer at Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine.

HIV infection requires the virus to enter a cell and gain access to the well-guarded nucleus in order for the viral components to be integrated into the healthy cell’s DNA. But how the viruses get past the protective membrane is not well understood and is the subject of much debate.

The newly identified pathway begins with HIV entering a cell wrapped inside a membrane package, called an endosome. The virus-containing endosome then pushes the protective nuclear membrane inward, forming an indentation known as a nuclear invagination. The endosome then moves inside the invagination to its inner tip, where the virus then slips into the nucleus.

The study found that three proteins were critical to the invasion: One protein (Rab7) is located on the membrane of the endosome, the second (VAP-A) is on the nuclear membrane where the invagination occurs, and the third (ORP3) connects the first two proteins together. An interaction among the three proteins is needed for the invasion to be successful, so targeting any of these proteins could halt the infection. The team has synthesised and tested molecules that interrupt the interaction among the proteins. The researchers observed that, in the presence of these molecules, HIV replication does not occur.

This pathway for nuclear access was first discovered in the team’s research on cancer metastasis and is likely involved in other diseases as well.

“This is an entirely new pathway and we have developed molecules (drugs) that block it. Although our research is at a pre-clinical stage, it is likely that the new drugs synthesised may have therapeutic activity in AIDS, other viral diseases, and possibly metastatic cancer and other diseases where nuclear transport is involved,” said Lorico.

The team is currently looking at the pathway’s role in Alzheimer’s disease and metastasis of many types of cancer.

“Because the pathway we found may apply to many types of disease, there is a tremendous amount of work that needs to be done to understand the full benefits of this research,” said Dr Denis Corbeil, co-leading author of the study, research group leader at the Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC) of TUD Dresden University of Technology in Germany.

“The ground-breaking research of Dr Lorico and his team is a testimony to the importance that Touro University gives to its mission of service to humanity. The potential therapeutic applications of this new pathway to improve patient care are immense and may help us better navigate the next pandemic,” said Dr Alan Kadish, Touro University President.

The study, HIV-1-induced nuclear invaginations mediated by VAP-A, ORP3, and Rab7 complex explain infection of activated T cells, was the result of a collaboration of researchers from Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in New York, researchers from the Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC) of TUD Dresden University of Technology in Germany, and researchers from Italy.

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Sathgen Therapeutics, a division of Godavari Biorefineries, announced that they completed the dosing of the first two cohorts of healthy volunteers in a Phase 1 clinical trial with their novel chemical entity (NCE), MSP008-22. The clinical development of this drug is supported and managed by Clinexel Life Sciences, a clinical research organisation in the pharma sector.

Sathgen is a clinical-stage novel therapeutics venture focused on bringing therapies for diseases like cancer and viral infections. Their goal is to bring this drug, MSP008-22, as a solution to a range of viral infections. Developed under the leadership of Dr Sangeeta Srivastava, Executive Director, Godavari Biorefineries, and CSO, Sathgen Therapeutics, the lead molecule has reportedly shown outstanding effectiveness and safety against COVID-19 in preclinical development. This NCE has widespread anti-viral potential due to its ability to inhibit both viral entrance and replication.

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