Immunomodulatory News and Research

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Researchers develop new mouse model that could lead to better treatment of kidney cancer

Research in the field of kidney cancer, also called renal cancer, is vital, because many patients with this disease still cannot be cured today.

30 May 2017

Using Spherical Nucleic Acids to Track and Treat Disease

Spherical nucleic acids are structures that are made by taking a nanoparticle template and using chemistry to arrange short strands of DNA or RNA on the surface of those particles. The spherical core of the nanoparticle creates a spherical arrangement of DNA or RNA, similar to tiny little balls of nucleic acids.

From Pittcon 1 Mar 2017

Activated T-cells promote heart failure after heart attack

Chronic inflammation after a heart attack can promote heart failure and death. University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers have now shown that activated T-cells — part of the immune system's inflammatory response — are both necessary and sufficient to produce such heart failure.

28 Feb 2017

Treating multiple myeloma with rabbit virus eliminates majority of malignant cells, study shows

Treating multiple myeloma (MM) with myxoma virus (MYXV) eliminated a majority of malignant cells in preclinical studies, report investigators at the Medical University of South Carolina and elsewhere in an article published online on December 7, 2016 by Molecular Therapy -- Oncolytics.

22 Feb 2017

Research findings could lead to development of novel therapeutic approaches against viral infections

Life is a question of balance, and the body is no exception. Expression levels of certain proteins can affect the immune system's ability to neutralize a virus.

12 Jan 2017

Promethera presents new preclinical NASH-Fibrosis data from HepaStem program at AASLD meeting

Promethera Biosciences SA, a world-leading cell therapy and regenerative medicine company targeting liver diseases, today announced the presentation of new preclinical NASH-Fibrosis data from its proprietary HepaStem program, demonstrating a beneficial effect of HepaStem in a nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) mouse model and confirming Hepastem’s unique and multifaceted mode of action.

15 Nov 2016

TUM scientists uncover novel mechanisms of action for skin disease medication

Imiquimod is a medication successfully used in the treatment of skin diseases. In addition to its known mechanism of action, it also triggers other processes in the body.

20 Oct 2016

Progesterone treatment protects female mice against consequences of influenza infection

Over 100 million women are on hormonal contraceptives. All of them contain some form of progesterone, either alone or in combination with estrogen.

22 Sep 2016

TSRI scientists shed light on molecular workings of MS drug

A study by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute has helped to de-mystify the molecular workings of the multiple sclerosis (MS) drug Tecfidera. The drug is the most widely prescribed pill-based therapy for MS, but its biological mechanism remains mysterious.

21 Sep 2016

Stealth insulin-producing pig cells may offer solution for treating Type 1 diabetes in humans

University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers are exploring ways to wrap pig tissue with a protective coating to ultimately fight diabetes in humans. The nano-thin bilayers of protective material are meant to deter or prevent immune rejection.

8 Sep 2016

Early life use of antibiotics linked to higher risk of developing allergies later in life

Research presented today (6 September, 2016) at this year's European Respiratory Society International Congress in London, UK shows that exposure to antibiotics early in life is related to increased risk of developing allergies later in life.

6 Sep 2016

Transplantation of placenta-derived MSCs can prevent diabetes-related CLI in rats

In an effort to determine if stem cell therapy can prevent or improve a condition called "diabetic foot" caused by poor blood flow in patients with diabetes, a team of researchers in China has found that transplanting human placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into rats modeled with diabetes can affect blood vessel growth, potentially improving blood flow and preventing critical limb ischemia (CLI), a condition that results in diabetic foot and frequently leads to amputation.

30 Aug 2016

Less invasive infusion strategy not linked to cardiac functional improvements but enhances health status

A single dose of mesenchymal stem cells delivered intravenously to patients with chronic non-ischemic cardiomyopathy was not associated with significant cardiac structural or functional improvements, but did result in several clinically relevant benefits, according to results from a phase II-a randomized trial.

29 Aug 2016

Janssen seeks to extend DARZALEX license to benefit more multiple myeloma patients

Janssen-Cilag International NV has announced the submission of a Type II variation application to the European Medicines Agency (EMA), seeking to broaden the existing marketing authorisation for the immunotherapy DARZALEX® (daratumumab) to include treatment of adult patients with relapsed multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy. The expanded indication is based on daratumumab in combination with lenalidomide (an immmunomodulatory agent) and dexamethasone, or bortezomib (a PI) and dexamethasone.

29 Aug 2016

TUM researchers uncover molecular mechanism of thalidomide

In the 1950s, thalidomide (Contergan) was prescribed as a sedative drug to pregnant women, resulting in a great number of infants with serious malformations. Up to now, the reasons for these disastrous birth defects have remained unclear.

20 Jun 2016

Phase I study of triple drug combination shows promise in multiple myeloma patients

PharmaMar announces the positive results from a Phase I study of plitidepsin in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone in patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma.

21 May 2016

Removing immunomodulatory protein improves symptoms of muscular dystrophy in mice

Removing an immunomodulatory protein called osteopontin improves the symptoms of mice with muscular dystrophy by changing the type of macrophages acting on damaged muscle tissue, according to a paper published in The Journal of Cell Biology.

19 Apr 2016

CHMP recommends conditional marketing authorisation for Janssen’s daratumumab

Janssen-Cilag announced today that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency has recommended the granting of a conditional marketing authorisation for first-in-class CD38 immunotherapy daratumumab in the European Union.

4 Apr 2016

Lenalidomide trials show potential for expanding lymphoma, leukaemia indications

Positive findings from two clinical trials have been published for the immunomodulatory agent lenalidomide in patients with heavily pretreated mantle cell lymphoma, and in adults with T-cell leukaemia-lymphoma or peripheral T-cell lymphoma.

19 Feb 2016

Clinicoradiological syndromes allow rapid recognition of EV71 neurological problems

Severe enterovirus 71 neurological disease in children predominantly involves the spinal cord and brainstem and can be quickly recognised using the World Health Organisation classification of clinicoradiological syndromes, study findings suggest.

29 Jan 2016