Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has approved GSK’s Hibsago (bepirovirsen), an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO), as a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) virus infection. It is approved in adult patients who have received at least six months of prior nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy and… Read More
The latest episode of the DDW Highlights Podcast is now available to listen to below. DDW’s Bruno Quinney narrates five key stories of the previous week to keep DDW subscribers up-to-date on the latest industry news. Last week, experts warned patients were being denied access to personalised cancer care. Cancer… Read More
News round-up for 29 June – 3 July by Bruno Quinney, Content Team at DDW. This week, experts warn patients are being denied access to personalised cancer care. Cancer research is a theme elsewhere, with findings emerging from studies into a CAR T-cell therapy, lung cancer and breast cancer. The… Read More
Researchers have uncovered the genetic basis of multiple primary lung cancers, shedding light on potential therapeutic targets for treatment. A team of researchers, led by Professor Motoshi Suzuki from the Department of Molecular Oncology, Fujita Health University, Japan, along with graduate student Dat Quoc Tran from the university, distinguished… Read More
Japanese pharma companies are shifting to earlier CDMO outsourcing, Neuland Laboratories has said. According to the report, pharma companies are engaging contract development and manufacturing organisations (CDMOs) earlier in the development cycle, as increasing complexity in peptide programmes places greater strain on in-house capabilities. This… Read More
A Canadian Japanese co-innovation programme is set to advance AAV production enhancers. AAV vectors are a cornerstone of in vivo gene delivery for gene therapies, but they remain difficult and expensive to manufacture at scale. As pipelines expand to more indications and broader patient populations, significantly greater amounts of… Read More
Asahi Kasei Pharma has advanced its treatment for refractory diseases to Phase I clinical trial. AK1960, a novel Endothelin A (ETA) receptor antagonist, has been developed in collaboration with drug discovery company Alchemedicine, which entered a license agreement with Asahi Kasei Pharma in 2022. In preclinical… Read More
Researchers in Japan have revealed a potential new therapeutic target for Parkinson’s disease. Scientists at Juntendo University found that liquid droplets of the protein ubiquilin-2 act as a catalyst for the aggregation of a-synuclein, a protein in the brain which is associated with neurodegenerative disorders. Ubiquilin-2 droplets… Read More
Scientists have identified a set of ‘signature’ genes that can determine the success of immune cells inside cancer tumours. Research published in Nature Communications reveals that scientists at the University of Tokyo, Japan identified whether CD8+ T cells, a type of immune cell, will multiply… Read More
Researchers from Yokohama City University in Japan have made a breakthrough in understanding Covid ‘brain fog’, providing clues for a new therapeutic target. Researchers used a novel imaging technique to visualise AMPA receptors (AMPARs), key molecules for memory and learning, in the living brain. They… Read More
Marine sponges could hold the answer to treating leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease, according to new research by the Tokyo University of Science and the University of the Ryukyus in Japan. A research team led by Associate Professor Kanami Mori-Yasumoto from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at… Read More
Hypercholesterolaemia treatment Nexletol has received regulatory approval from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. The announcement was made by US pharmaceutical company Esperion, whose partner Otsuka Pharmaceutical has developed and commercialised Nexletol. The product is a treatment for hypercholesterolaemia and familial hypercholesterolaemia. … Read More
Scientists have created a nanobody-based method that enables ultra-fast, high-resolution 3D mapping of neurons and glia in thick brain tissues. The researchers from Japan have developed a fast, high-sensitivity three dimensional immunohistochemistry (3D-IHC) method using nanobodies fused with peroxidase and a novel signal amplification system. … Read More
Blenrep combinations have been approved by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. The approval follows an orphan drug designation for Blenrep in Japan, which was granted based on its ability to address high unmet… Read More
The Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has approved Genmab’s Tivdak (tisotumab vedotin) for the treatment of advanced or recurrent cervical cancer that has progressed on or after chemotherapy treatment. Tivdak is the first antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) to be approved for people living with cervical cancer… Read More
Researchers have combined immunotherapy and chemotherapy to offer new hope for patients with thymic carcinoma, a rare and aggressive cancer. Thymic carcinoma is often associated with poor prognosis in advanced or recurrent stages. However, its rarity has delayed the development of novel pharmacotherapy. Now, researchers… Read More
