Growth Factor News and Research

RSS

Gene linked to lower BMI points researchers toward a new obesity target

A review in Cardiology in Review highlights GPR75, a receptor for 20-HETE, as a promising therapeutic target for obesity and metabolic syndrome. Evidence from genetic studies, cell experiments, and mouse models suggests that blocking this pathway could influence weight gain, insulin resistance, hypertension, inflammation, and vascular dysfunction.

25 Jun 2026

FDA approves palbociclib combination for advanced HR-positive HER2-positive breast cancer

Today, Alliance Foundation Trials, LLC (AFT) was informed that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved palbociclib in combination with trastuzumab, with or without pertuzumab, and endocrine therapy for adult patients with hormone receptor–positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–positive (HER2+) locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer following induction treatment.

24 Jun 2026

Scientists identify unique receptor that accelerates early neuron growth

Cells have surface receptors that couple to proteins and other molecules to initiate or inhibit certain behaviors.

17 Jun 2026

Targeting immune cells could improve colorectal cancer treatments

Researchers at the Medical University of Vienna have described a mechanism in metastatic colorectal cancer that has received little attention to date: a key target of existing therapies, the so-called epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), is likely to affect more than just the cancer cells themselves.

17 Jun 2026

Tumor microenvironment drives drug resistance in lung cancer subtypes

A study by the University of Barcelona has discovered why the two main types of lung cancer — adenocarcinoma of the lung and squamous cell carcinoma — respond differently to anti-angiogenic therapy, that is, drugs that block the formation of new blood vessels that tumors need in order to grow.

15 Jun 2026

Single-dose gene therapy extends healthy lifespan in older mice

A research team from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) has shown that a one-time administration of a gene therapy expressing the metabolic factor FGF21 can prolong health span in old mice.

15 Jun 2026

Houston researcher identifies new targets for fatal rhabdomyosarcoma

A cancer researcher at the University of Houston is reporting what makes malignant soft tissue cancer grow in children, identifying key mechanisms and molecular targets to prevent tumor progression in patients in future therapies of the fatal rhabdomyosarcoma.

9 Jun 2026

Three-drug strategy forces pancreatic tumors into lasting regression

A triple-targeted preclinical therapy combining daraxonrasib, afatinib, and SD36 drove durable pancreatic cancer regression by blocking KRAS/RAS, EGFR/HER2, and STAT3 signaling. The approach prevented treatment resistance across mouse and human tumor-derived models, but remains preclinical and requires more clinically suitable drug combinations before human testing.

2 Jun 2026

Mesenchymal drift may explain how aging cells lose their identity

Mesenchymal drift may help explain how cells lose stable identity and acquire pro-fibrotic, inflammatory mesenchymal traits during aging. The review proposes MD as a unifying framework that links multiple hallmarks of aging and highlights partial reprogramming as a potential, but still preclinical, way to counteract this process.

1 Jun 2026

New nutrient-sensing mechanism offers hope for neurodegenerative diseases

Researchers from the University of Cambridge highlight new ways that neurons and many cell types use to sense nutrients - opening potential novel therapeutic avenues for disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

28 May 2026

Blocking sugar modification could boost breast cancer immunotherapy success

Immunotherapies such as so-called checkpoint inhibitors activate the body's own immune system to fight cancer cells and have revolutionized the treatment of many types of tumor.

27 May 2026

Explainable AI could make breast cancer drug predictions safer and clearer

AI-driven genomic analysis could help researchers identify existing drugs that may be repurposed for subtype-specific breast cancer treatment. The review proposes an interpretability-driven framework that links multi-omics data, mechanistic validation, and clinical translation to make AI predictions more transparent and clinically useful.

22 May 2026

Phase two clinical trial demonstrates dramatic mobility gains in children with severe fibrous dysplasia

Fibrous dysplasia is a rare skeletal disorder in which normal bone is gradually replaced by weak fibro-osseous tissue, leading to fractures, pain, deformities, and severe mobility impairment. In many patients, diseased bone tissue produces excessive amounts of fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23), a hormone that causes phosphate loss through the kidneys.

21 May 2026

Restoring ADAR2 enzyme reduces metastatic spread in osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone cancer in children, adolescents, and young adults. Although chemotherapy and surgery have improved survival for localized disease, outcomes remain poor when tumors spread to the lungs or return after treatment.

20 May 2026

Study reveals cellular mechanisms driving resistance to targeted cancer therapies

Despite impressive innovations in medicine, most advanced-stage cancers still carry a grim prognosis. Developing more effective treatments requires a deeper understanding of the cellular processes that drive the formation and growth of common cancers.

20 May 2026

How antibody-drug conjugates are redefining targeted cancer therapy

Antibody-drug conjugates are rapidly expanding cancer therapies, with 19 approved globally and many more in development, but their success depends on better targets, payloads, linkers, dosing, and patient selection. The Cell review shows that next-generation ADCs could widen treatment options, but safety, resistance, tumor heterogeneity, and clinical translation remain major barriers.

19 May 2026

Prenatal chemical mixtures may influence fetal growth and placental health

Common environmental chemicals could affect birthweight and placental function, according to a new study published in Environmental Science & Technology and led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by "la Caixa" Foundation. Conducted within the Barcelona Life Study Cohort (BiSC), the research underscores the importance of considering real-life exposure to complex chemical mixtures and highlights the role of angiogenic biomarkers in linking these exposures to fetal development.

17 May 2026

How Andes virus super-spreaders reveal the risk behind the MV Hondius hantavirus cluster

A 2020 NEJM study of the 2018 to 2019 Epuyén outbreak showed that Andes virus spread from one zoonotic introduction into four generations of human infection, causing 34 cases and 11 deaths. The findings are newly relevant after WHO reported an ANDV cluster linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship, where close indoor exposure may have enabled onboard human-to-human transmission.

14 May 2026

Study links mitochondrial health to effectiveness of anti-aging pathways

Mississippi State University biologist Jean-Francois Gout's contributions to a study highlighting key advances in the complexity of aging now are published in Science Advances, a leading peer-reviewed journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

7 May 2026