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New genetic markers may lead to personalized treatments for lung cancer

Investigators at Wake Forest School of Medicine, part of Wake Forest Baptist Health, have identified a set of new genetic markers that could potentially lead to new personalized treatments for lung cancer.

15 Apr 2021

Malaria mutations may be gaining a foothold in Africa, shows new data

New data provide the first clinical evidence that drug-resistant mutations in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum may be gaining a foothold in Africa.

15 Apr 2021

Speed of vaccination is key to reducing COVID-19 spread, says study

Mathematical modeling of the effects of vaccine efficacy and the speed of vaccination show that a lower efficacy vaccine may curb disease transmission similar to that of a higher efficacy vaccine if the speed of immunization is high.

15 Apr 2021

Evidence of sustained immune responses weeks after Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 vaccination

A new study published ahead of print in the Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM) journal reports the production of a robust immune response against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) using the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 vaccine. The increase in humoral immunity includes elevated Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and Immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels after the second mRNA dose.

14 Apr 2021

Pigs’ brain size and digestive system are excellent analogs for human newborns

Before humans can benefit from new drug therapies and nutritional additives, scientists test their safety and efficacy in animals, typically mice and rats.

14 Apr 2021

Updated Moderna vaccines neutralize South African SARS-CoV-2 variant in mice

Researchers in the United States have conducted a pre-clinical study demonstrating the efficacy of two updated versions of the Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine against variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

14 Apr 2021

Early monoclonal antibody therapies beneficial for COVID-19, finds study

A team of scientists recently conducted a large-scale study at Northwell Health, New York, USA, to evaluate the efficacy of neutralizing monoclonal antibody (MAB) therapies in preventing disease progression among patients with mild to moderate COVID-19. The findings reveal that the timing of initiating MAB therapy is a crucial factor in determining its efficacy against COVID-19.

14 Apr 2021

SARS-CoV-2 mutations impact T-cell recognition of virus

A new research paper posted to the bioRxiv preprint server deals with the impact of these mutations on adaptive cellular immunity.

14 Apr 2021

A new polymersome-based SARS-CoV-2 nanovaccine elicits robust immunity

As newer vaccines are being developed to combat the ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), targeting the pathogen, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a new preprint research paper posted to the bioRxiv server describes a new subunit nanovaccine that appears to have robust immunogenicity and neutralizing activity.

14 Apr 2021

No evidence B.1.1.7. variant worsens symptoms or increases risk of long COVID

The study, published in The Lancet, demonstrates that there is no evidence of a link between severe illness and death and lineage when comparing the B.1.1.7 lineage and other variants.

14 Apr 2021

Experimental evidence that ADAM17 inhibition prevents severe COVID-19

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus that is contagious in humans. It is the causal agent of the ongoing coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This virus causes a mild to severe infection and has claimed over 2.95 million lives worldwide. SARS-CoV-2 is the successor to SARS-CoV-1, the virus that caused the 2002–2004 SARS outbreak.

13 Apr 2021

A host of mutations could compromise COVID-19 vaccines and antibody therapies

Researchers in the United States have identified 95 high-frequency mutations in the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that threaten to compromise the efficacy of current and future vaccines and antibody therapies for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

13 Apr 2021

Researchers find a way to fine-tune the molecular assembly line that creates antibiotics

Researchers from North Carolina State University have found a way to fine-tune the molecular assembly line that creates antibiotics via engineered biosynthesis.

13 Apr 2021

Alpaca nanobodies effective against South African SARS-CoV-2 variant

Researchers in South Africa and the UK have identified alpaca-derived nanoantibodies that potently neutralize variants of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

13 Apr 2021

Clinical trial of monoclonal antibody for treating respiratory disease in COVID-19 patients begins

A clinical trial testing the safety and efficacy of an investigational monoclonal antibody for treating people who are hospitalized with respiratory disease and low blood oxygen due to infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has begun.

13 Apr 2021

Researchers develop broad-spectrum SARS-CoV-2 RBD-based vaccine

In a recent bioRxiv* preprint, the large team of researchers evaluated a SARS-CoV-2 Spike receptor-binding domain ferritin nanoparticle protein vaccine (RFN) in a nonhuman primate challenge model. This study addresses the need for a next-generation, efficacious vaccine with an increased pan-SARS breadth of coverage.

13 Apr 2021

PCR-based reverse genetic system helps analyze SARS-CoV-2 mutations

SARS-CoV-2 is the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. We know that mutations in the genome of SARS-CoV-2 have occurred and spread, but what effect do those mutations have?

13 Apr 2021

New technology shows encouraging results for treating osteosarcoma

A preclinical study led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center shows an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting surface protein MT1-MMP can act as a guided missile in eradicating osteosarcoma tumor cells without damaging normal tissues.

13 Apr 2021

High SARS-CoV-2 vaccine effectiveness in California, even with variants

Researchers in the United States and the UK have conducted a study showing that the rollout of vaccines to protect against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is proving effective among California's general population.

12 Apr 2021

Researchers receive $500,000 grant to test novel approach for restoring damaged muscles after injury

Researchers from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center have received a $500,000 grant over three years from the Department of Defense to test a novel strategy using mitochondria transplantation therapy for restoration of neuromuscular structure and function after injury.

12 Apr 2021