Medicinal Chemistry News and Research

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Heptares Therapeutics, AstraZeneca report significant progress in drug discovery collaboration

Heptares Therapeutics, the clinical-stage GPCR structure-guided drug discovery and development company, announces significant progress in its drug discovery collaboration with AstraZeneca.

22 Jan 2015

AMRI awarded NIH contract for drug development services

AMRI today announced it received a 10-year federal contract award from the National Institutes of Health for drug development and manufacturing services. This NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke award will support NIH's Drug Manufacturing and Formulation Program (DMFP), which is a component of the Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN).

19 Jan 2015

UTSA, UTHSCSA researchers to jointly develop next-generation breast cancer treatment drugs

Stanton McHardy, associate professor of chemistry and director of the Center for Innovative Drug Discovery in The University of Texas at San Antonio College of Sciences, is partnering on a $1.9 million award to develop next-generation breast cancer treatment drugs.

19 Dec 2014

ARA 290 drug reduces neuropathic pain in type 2 diabetic patients

Molecular Medicine, a peer-reviewed biomedical journal published by the Feinstein Institute Press, published the results of a new study reporting clinically significant pain reduction in type 2 diabetic patients. In an exploratory study conducted by Araim Pharmaceuticals, a biotech company developing novel treatments for chronic diseases, investigators also observed improvements in metabolic control in patients administered ARA 290.

16 Dec 2014

Scientists report new approach to defeating asthma by targeting allergen

Current asthma treatments can alleviate wheezing, coughing and other symptoms felt by millions of Americans every year, but they don't get to the root cause of the condition. Now, for the first time, scientists are reporting a new approach to defeating asthma by targeting the trigger -- the allergen -- before it can spark an attack. They describe their new compound, which they tested on rats, in ACS' Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.

3 Dec 2014

Researchers create synthetic surface to control adhesion of E. coli bacteria

A research team from Kiel University and Goethe University Frankfurt has jointly created a synthetic surface on which the adhesion of E. coli bacteria can be controlled. The layer, which is only approximately four nanometres thick, imitates the saccharide coating (glycocalyx) of cells onto which the bacteria adhere such as during an infection. This docking process can be switched on and off using light.

3 Dec 2014

Researchers synthetize molecules to block virus that causes influenza A

The influenza A virus is a contagious and severe respiratory infection that affects animals but also humans. Researchers from the University of Barcelona have synthetized some molecules which are able to block the virus that causes influenza A and some of the mutations that make it resistant to common drugs.

7 Nov 2014

Astellas, Dana-Farber to develop K-Ras inhibitors for treatment of lung, pancreatic cancers

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Dana-Farber) and Astellas Pharma Inc. today announced a three-year collaboration to research and develop small molecule inhibitors of oncogenic K-Ras for the treatment of cancer, including lung cancer.

4 Nov 2014

RPC1063 drug candidate has potential to improve treatment for ulcerative colitis patients

Positive new clinical data were released today on a drug candidate for ulcerative colitis that was first discovered and synthesized at The Scripps Research Institute.

28 Oct 2014

Research could pave way for more effective drugs to treat inflammation

Six Case Western Reserve scientists are part of an international team that has discovered two compounds that show promise in decreasing inflammation associated with diseases such as ulcerative colitis, arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

25 Oct 2014

FDA grants QIDP and Fast Track designation to Nabriva's lefamulin for treatment of CABP, ABSSSI

Nabriva Therapeutics AG, a biotechnology company focused on developing pleuromutilins, a new class of antibiotics for the treatment of serious infections caused by resistant Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens, announced today that the United States Food and Drug Administration has granted Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) as well as Fast Track status designation to Nabriva's lead product lefamulin, for the treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP) and acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI).

8 Oct 2014

Arisaph Pharmaceuticals receives STTR grants to develop cancer drug candidates

Arisaph Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on discovery and development of novel therapies for cardiometabolic diseases and cancer, announced today that it has been awarded a phase II Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant and a supplemental phase I grant, both from the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health.

29 Sep 2014

Disrupting cancer regulator MYC: an interview with Professor Kim Janda

MYC is an oncogenic member of the basic helix-loop-helix-leucine zipper transcription factor family. In its monomeric form, MYC’s tertiary structure is intrinsically disordered and the protein is transcriptionally inactive.

17 Sep 2014

Scientists explore chili pepper's effect to develop new drug candidate for pain

Biting into a chili pepper causes a burning spiciness that is irresistible to some, but intolerable to others. Scientists exploring the chili pepper's effect are using their findings to develop a new drug candidate for many kinds of pain, which can be caused by inflammation or other problems.

21 Aug 2014

IUPUI receives $600,000 award from National Science Foundation for drug discoveries

Haibo Ge, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology in the School of Science at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), is the recipient of a 5-year, $600,000 award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to fund research that may one day contribute to drug discoveries.

14 Aug 2014

TAXIS acquires novel antimicrobial drug candidates from Biota

TAXIS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the acquisition of a group of novel antimicrobial drug candidates from Biota Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Atlanta, GA.

11 Aug 2014

Altering the circadian rhythm: an interview with Dr. Doug Kojetin, The Scripps Research Institute

The circadian rhythm is affected by many different stimuli—such as sleep and light, which are the most broadly appreciated ways—but also eating— all of which can modulate, or change, important processes in our bodies such as temperature, production of hormones or other signalling small molecules, cellular regeneration, and others.

6 Aug 2014

Compounds developed for cancer treatment show promise as potential oral therapy for Alzheimer's

Currently, no cure exists for Alzheimer's disease, the devastating neurological disease affecting more than 5 million Americans. But scientists are now reporting new progress on a set of compounds, initially developed for cancer treatment, that shows promise as a potential oral therapy for Alzheimer's. Their study appears in ACS' Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.

24 Jul 2014

Brain network measures placebo effects in Parkinson's disease patients

Investigators at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research have utilized a new image-based strategy to identify and measure placebo effects in randomized clinical trials for brain disorders. The findings are published in the August issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

19 Jul 2014

ACS Infectious Diseases journal highlights chemistry and collaborative research area

The American Chemical Society (ACS) announced today that Courtney Aldrich, Ph.D., will head the brand-new, web-only journal ACS Infectious Diseases as editor-in-chief. With the first issue slated for publication in January 2015, the pioneering journal will meet a growing demand for a place to publish top-notch chemistry-focused infectious diseases research.

11 Jul 2014