Pharmapedia

Vinay Kumar Singh.  
Head-Formulation
Kumar Organic Products Research Centre Pvt. Ltd.,
Bengaluru
Email : formulation_krc@kopresearchcentre.net

Vinay Kumar Singh.  
Head-Formulation
Kumar Organic Products Research Centre Pvt. Ltd.,
Bengaluru
Email : formulation_krc@kopresearchcentre.net

A new pharmacological inhibitor can intervene in a central cell death mechanism that is responsible for the death of motor neurons and hence important for the progression of the motor neuron disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). A research team led by Prof. Dr Hilmar Bading, neurobiologist at Heidelberg University, examined a neuroprotective molecule that belongs to a novel drug class. It is able to inhibit the interactions of certain proteins and has been successfully tested in a mouse model of ALS and in brain organoids of ALS patients.

Research throws light on the mystery of why women are much more prone to autoimmune disorders: A molecule made by one X chromosome in every female cell can generate antibodies to a woman’s own tissues.

In the new study, researchers modified DNA from a bacteriophage or “phage,” a type of virus that infects and replicates inside of bacteria. Then, the research team put the DNA inside Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), a deadly bacterium that is also highly resistant to antibiotics. Once inside the bacterium, the DNA bypassed the pathogen’s defense mechanisms to assemble into virions, which sliced through the bacterium’s cell to kill it.

Most patients with Type 2 diabetes will end up needing to add a second-line medication after metformin - the go-to primary drug for glucose management to control their blood sugar levels. But adherence to these second-line drugs can be hit or miss, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study.

ABOUT AUTHOR
Dr. R. S. Thakur
Former Secretary, Pharmacy Council of India.
Email : drramsthakur@gmail.com

Insulin icodec, a once-weekly basal injection to treat type 1 diabetes, has the potential to be as effective in managing the condition as daily basal insulin treatments, according to research from the University of Surrey. The results of the year-long phase 3 clinical trial could revolutionise the future of diabetes care and help millions of people better manage their condition.

The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) announced today promising data from a Phase 2a human challenge study evaluating JNJ-1802, a first-in-class oral antiviral in development for the prevention of dengue. The data showed that the compound induced antiviral activity against dengue (DENV-3) in humans, compared to placebo, and is safe and well-tolerated. The data were announced at the American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois.