IMU Biosciences has raised $53 million in a Series A financing round, pledging to use the funds to change understanding, diagnosis and treatment of disease. The biotechnology company has built what it claims to be the world’s largest immune dataset, scaling to more than 25,000 individuals in 2026… Read More
The effect of common medication on the gut microbiome could have a detrimental impact on metabolism, the immune system and overall health, a new study reveals. According to a new paper published in Cell Press, researchers at Stanford University, US, found that medications reduce certain bacterial populations and change… Read More
Scientists and clinician-scientists at the University of Birmingham will lead a major research programme to transform the treatment of autoimmune diseases by halting chronic inflammation at its source. Backed by a £3.83 ($5.1) million Wellcome Discovery Award, Birmingham researchers will join 2025 Nobel Prize winner Professor Shimon… Read More
The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet has decided to award the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine to three scientists “for their discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance”. The winners are: Mary E Brunkow, Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, USA; Fred Ramsdell, Sonoma Biotherapeutics, San Francisco, USA;… Read More
Dr Helen Bright FRSM, Chief Scientific Officer, Centauri Therapeutics discusses the intricacies of the body’s natural immune defences and explores how cutting-edge research is seeking to exploit it in order to drive development of a broad spectrum of innovative new immunotherapeutic technologies. The body’s natural immune defences, whether in response… Read More
In a new study, published in Nature, Professor Yifat Merbl’s lab at the Weizmann Institute of Science reports uncovering a surprising immune mechanism involving the proteasome. The proteasome is a cellular waste disposal system best known for its central role in… Read More
This is the latest episode of the free DDW narrated podcast, titled ‘Exciting start-ups and developments in drug discovery’, which covers two articles written for DDW Volume 24 – Issue 1, Winter 2022/2023. They are called: ‘What Lithuania offers life sciences start-ups’ and ‘… Read More
Zhijian ‘James’ Chen, Professor of Molecular Biology and Director of the Center for Inflammation Research at UT Southwestern Medical Center, has been awarded the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award for his discovery of the cGAS enzyme, which senses invading pathogens and triggers the body’s innate immune system. … Read More
Amgen has reported positive topline results from its randomised, double-blind, multicentre, placebo-controlled Phase III clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of its treatment for Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD). The company’s MITIGATE study was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of UPLINZA compared to placebo… Read More
Researchers have revealed that auto-antibodies block interferon signalling, contributing to severe Covid-19 by impairing the patient’s immune response. Scientists have found that some people who suffered from Covid-19 had auto-antibodies targeting their own type 1 interferons, which are important immune signalling proteins. Factors such… Read More
Oxitope Pharma and Arxx Therapeutics, companies with a shared goal of leveraging the innate immune system to discover and develop disease modulating therapies, has announced their merger to form Calluna Pharma. Calluna has raised €75 million in a series A financing and is backed by Oxitope… Read More
The latest episode of the DDW Highlights podcast is now available to listen to below. DDW’s Megan Thomas narrates five key stories of the week to keep DDW subscribers up-to-date on the latest industry updates. With seasonal illnesses running amok in the western hemisphere at the moment, it is… Read More
News round-up for 15-19 January by DDW Digital Content Editor Diana Spencer. With seasonal illnesses running amok in the western hemisphere at the moment, it is perhaps not surprising that this week’s news highlights focus on viruses and immunity. The top stories: Antibody… Read More
A new study at UTHealth Houston in the US has found that several routine vaccinations are linked to a significant reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Prior vaccination against tetanus and diphtheria, with or without pertussis (Tdap/Td); herpes zoster (HZ), better known as shingles; and pneumococcus… Read More
A team of researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California (USC) have found a drug with the potential for curbing painful hyperinflammation from osteoarthritis, according to results of an animal study. The findings indicate that a drug compound, R805/CX-011, may modulate… Read More
Listen to this article on the DDW Podcast: DDW Editor Reece Armstrong explores recent research looking into why cancer cells are so effective at avoiding the body’s immune system. Scientists may have discovered clues to why cancer cells can avoid the body’s immune system in a study… Read More
