Pharmaceuticals

Scientists could reshape cancer treatment by helping powerful drugs work better in the body by exploiting a surface protein called CD36 that helps pull substances into cells. This dramatically improves the uptake of a promising class of cancer-fighting drugs called PROTACs. The new drug design deliveries up to 22 times more of he drug inside cancer cells, and tumor suppression in mice.

Mycobacteria are the world's most deadly bacteria --c ausing infectious diseases including tuberculosis (TB), which alone kills more than one million people each year. New drugs to fight these infections are desperately needed, as the number of cases of antibiotic-resistant mycobacteria is on the rise. Scientists have now used advanced imaging techniques to provide a detailed look at how a tiny virus, known as a phage, invades Mycobacteria.

Certain common genetic changes might make some people with focal epilepsy less responsive to seizure medications, finds a new global study.

Identifying a key protein's role could improve the common mental health medications and point to new treatments for inflammation-related diseases, a medicinal chemist says.

Researchers have developed a new, neuroplasticity-promoting drug closely related to LSD that harnesses the psychedelic's therapeutic power with reduced hallucinogenic potential.

Research on the biological basis of addiction has found that the critical epigenetic enzyme histone deacetylase 5 (HDAC5) limits the expression of the gene Scn4b, regulating neuronal activity and thereby the formation of strong drug-related memories, which can trigger relapse in individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs). The study, detailing these epigenetic mechanisms in the brain, uncovers a new molecular target for the development of novel SUD treatments.

Scientists explored selectively blocking the CYP3A4 protein responsible for breaking down large swaths of approved drugs, providing a way to improve drug efficacy.

Assertiveness -- a communication style that involves frank self-expression while respecting others -- is considered a teachable skill and has been regarded as useful in improving the safety of medical care. Researchers have found that assertiveness among pharmacy pharmacists is associated with appropriate prescribing for safe drug treatment.

Scientists have developed an artificial intelligence-based method to more accurately detect antibiotic resistance in deadly bacteria such as tuberculosis and staph. The breakthrough could lead to faster and more effective treatments and help mitigate the rise of drug-resistant infections, a growing global health crisis.

Engineers have created new technology that can move cells without touching them, enabling critical tasks that currently require large pieces of lab equipment to be carried out on a benchtop device.

Drug-carrying DNA aptamers can deliver a one-two punch to leukemia by precisely targeting the elusive cancer stem cells that seed cancer relapses, researchers report. The aptamers -- short single-strand snippets of DNA that can target molecules like larger antibodies do -- not only deliver cancer-fighting drugs, but also are themselves toxic to the cancer stem cells, the researchers said.

Early administration of the drug Fosdenopterin/rcPMP improves the chances of survival of infants with MoCD type A and promotes the development of brain functions.

Antibiotic resistance tends to stabilize over time, according to a new study.

Certain antibiotic-resistant infections could be treated with precision medicine in the future, thanks to a new resource mapping plasmids the ultimate vehicle of rapid bacterial evolution.

A new study shows how common gut bacteria can metabolize certain oral medications that target cellular receptors called GPCRs, potentially rendering these important drugs less effective.

A team has developed a new way to quickly find personalized treatments for young cancer patients, by growing their tumors in chicken eggs and analyzing their proteins. The team has combined these two techniques to identify and test a drug for a young patient's tumor in time to be used for their treatment. Their success in finding a new drug for the patient shows how the study of proteins, known as proteomics, can be a valuable complement to the established study of genes (genomics) in real-time cancer therapies.

Post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) is a condition that affects joints after an injury. Current treatments focus on relieving symptoms but do not prevent or stop the progression of the condition. Although emerging therapies have shown promise in preclinical studies, a major obstacle is delivering these therapies effectively into the joint, a highly dynamic environment subjected to constant mechanical stress. Researchers have created a new hydrogel to improve drug delivery for treating PTOA.

A drug typically prescribed for arthritis halts brain-damaging seizures in mice that have a condition like epilepsy, according to researchers. If the drug proves viable for human patients, it would be the first to provide lasting relief from seizures even after they stopped taking it.

Engineers have derived potent new antibiotics from a frog's secretions. The new molecules demonstrated capabilities on par with existing last-resort antibiotics, without harming human cells or beneficial gut bacteria.

Investigators have developed a long-acting contraceptive implant that can be delivered through tiny needles to minimize patient discomfort and increase the likelihood of medication use. Their findings in preclinical models provide the technological basis to develop self-administrable contraceptive shots that could mimic the long-term drug release of surgically implanted devices.

Engineers devised a way to deliver drugs such as contraceptives by injecting them as suspended crystals. Once under the skin, the crystals assemble into a drug depot that can last for months or years, eliminating the need for frequent injections.

Scientists have unveiled a groundbreaking chemical process that could streamline the development of pharmaceutical compounds, chemical building blocks that influence how drugs interact with the body.

Scientists have come up with an innovative solution to improve the effectiveness of cannabidiol to treat epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases.

An experimental drug appears to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's-related dementia in people destined to develop the disease in their 30s, 40s or 50s, according to the results of a new study. The findings suggest -- for the first time in a clinical trial -- that early treatment to remove amyloid plaques from the brain many years before symptoms arise can delay the onset of Alzheimer's dementia.

Campylobacter infections are the most common foodborne illnesses in the U.S., sickening an estimated 1.5 million people each year. A new study examined records of Campylobacter jejuni infections from 10 states, plotting regional, age-related, and drug-resistance trends from 2013 to 2019. The study found that drug-resistant C. jejuni infections were highest in the 20-39 age group and that quinolone-resistant C. jejuni infections increased from 2013-2019. The researchers also identified regional differences in C. jejuni resistance to quinolones and six other classes of antibiotics.

A new study has discovered what researchers say is the first drug to fully reproduce the effects of physical stroke rehabilitation in model mice, following from human studies.

A research team has found that lecanemab was probably less effective in females than males in its Phase 3 trial. However, there was insufficient evidence to say the drug was totally ineffective in females.

Small amounts of a common antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drug can curb symptoms where a misplaced immune reaction (e.g., autoimmunity) can cause permanent hair loss, a new study shows. This regimen may also come with fewer side effects than higher doses of the medication.

Researchers conducted a large-scale online survey of clinicians in the Asia-Pacific region to investigate treatment policies for the gastric cancer-causing bacteria Helicobacter pylori.

A study has shown that lymph node transfer is a viable treatment for the swelling in the affected limb, a condition known as lymphedema, after breast cancer surgery. However, an effective drug to improve the outcomes of the transfer treatment continues to be sought.

Researchers have created an AI tool to accelerate the development of new disease treatments and demonstrated its potential by identifying an existing drug with the potential to prevent deadly heart failure.

Increased antibiotic use can lead, seemingly paradoxically, to more problematic infections, as the bacteria evolve to resist the treatment. The answer to this antimicrobial resistance, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called 'one of the world's most urgent public health problems,' might be a medication used for kidney disease, according to researchers.

Some notoriously difficult to treat infections may not be as resistant to antibiotics as has been thought, according to new research using a microfluidic device that more closely duplicates the fluid flow found in the body than standard cultures. The researchers hope that testing samples under flow conditions can improve antibiotic screening and development.

A study shows that high-grade glioma tumor cells harboring DNA alterations in the gene PDGFRA responded to the drug avapritinib, which is already approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration to treat gastrointestinal stromal tumors with a PDGFRA exon 18 mutation as well advanced systemic mastocytosis and indolent systemic mastocytosis.

Researchers have studied a new method to deliver antibiotics, specifically gentamicin, directly into the bladder tissue to better treat UTIs. They did this by creating nanogels combined with a special peptide (a small protein) that helps the drug get inside the cells where the bacteria are hiding. The results demonstrate that this approach proved highly effective when tested in animal models with UTIs, eliminating over 90% of the bacteria from the bladder.

Researchers were shocked to see that bacteria's antimicrobial resistance is strengthened when exposed to plastic particles and point to a potential outsized impact on refugees.

The herb rosemary has long been linked with memory: 'There's rosemary, that's for remembrance,' says Ophelia in Shakespeare's Hamlet. So it is fitting that researchers would study a compound found in rosemary and sage -- carnosic acid -- for its impact on Alzheimer's disease. In the disease, which is the leading cause of dementia and the sixth leading cause of death in the US, inflammation is one component that often leads to cognitive decline. Carnosic acid is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound that works by activating enzymes that make up the body's natural defense system. While pure carnosic acid is too unstable to be used as a drug, scientists have now synthesized a stable form, diAcCA. This compound is fully converted to carnosic acid in the gut before being absorbed into the bloodstream.

Researchers have developed a drug shown to significantly extend survival time for patients with glioblastoma, the most common primary brain tumor in adults, according to results of a new trial.

While a gradual loss in muscle strength is a natural part of aging, for many older adults it's more than just feeling a little weaker. Sarcopenia -- a condition affecting nearly half of adults over 80 -- involves a sharp decline in muscle size and strength, increasing the risk of falls and fractures, impacting overall health, life expectancy and quality of life. Now, researchers have identified a game-changing solution. Their recent study suggests that a small molecule drug that targets a specific serotonin receptor could become the first neurotherapeutic treatment for sarcopenia -- offering hope for older adults struggling to stay strong.

Antimalarial drug resistance is a pressing issue in combating the spread of malaria worldwide. In a new study, researchers discovered a key process where malarial parasites take up a human blood cell enzyme, which could provide a new approach for antimalarial treatment.

Gut microbes that were thought to feed exclusively on dietary fiber also get fed sugar from our guts, from which they produce short-chain fatty acids that are crucial to many body functions. The discovery of this symbiotic relationship also points the way to developing novel therapeutics.

The balance between two types of molecules -- reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) -- plays a crucial role in tackling drug-resistant bacteria, according to a new study.

For children and teens living with migraine, there may be a new preventive treatment, according to a preliminary study. Researchers found the drug zonisamide, which has been used to treat seizures, may reduce migraine days in this age group. This study does not prove that zonisamide reduces migraine days; it only shows an association.

New findings could help make immunotherapies for brain cancer more effective. The team analyzed almost 200,000 individual immune cells in tumor samples taken from patients with glioma, the most common and aggressive type of primary brain cancer. The researchers describe four gene expression 'programs' -- sets of genes with coordinated activity -- that either suppress the immune system or make it more active. Defining and understanding what drives these programs could one day help researchers target them with new drugs to dial up or down specific parts of the immune system to improve patient response to immunotherapy.

A recent study shows that computer algorithms can be used to find molecules that can be developed into anti-inflammatory drugs. In the article, the researchers also describe how the same strategy can be used to search through 10 sextillion alternatives to identify the best drug candidate.

A new method seeks specific molecules that can target desired tissues through the bloodstream and penetrate tissues by passing through cells. This innovation could help solve issues related to drug treatments for, for example, cancer and brain diseases, particularly as regards to drug efficacy.

There's an arms race in medicine -- scientists design drugs to treat lethal bacterial infections, but bacteria can evolve defenses to those drugs, sending the researchers back to square one. A team describes the development of a drug candidate that can stop bacteria before they have a chance to cause harm.

Researchers have pioneered a new catalytic transformation that converts epoxides into fluorinated oxetanes, a coveted but difficult-to-make class of drug molecules that escaped synthetic preparation for years. By unlocking a pathway to these valuable drug scaffolds, this discovery potentially opens the door to new medicines for drug discovery applications.

Fetal acetaminophen exposure increases the likelihood that a child will develop attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a new study.

Researchers have developed a powerful computational tool, named iDOMO, to improve the prediction of drug synergy and accelerate the development of combination therapies for complex diseases. The study highlights iDOMO's ability to identify synergistic drug combinations using gene expression data, outperforming existing methods.

A multi-national, multi-institutional study investigators found little natural resistance to a new HIV therapy called lenacapavir in a population of patients in Uganda.

Biologists converted gut bacteria into miniature protein factories that manufacture and release a sustained flow of targeted proteins inside the lower intestines. This technique solves one of the longstanding problems surrounding gastrointestinal drug delivery.

A virus originally found in animals, mpox -- which causes the disease of the same name -- is now circulating in humans. Since 2022, it has been the cause of major epidemics spreading outside endemic areas in Central and West Africa. Two hundred and fifteen cases of mpox infection were reported to Sant publique France in 2024. Tecovirimat is the drug most commonly used to treat patients infected with the mpox virus. Unfortunately, it is sometimes ineffective against certain variants of the virus that have mutations in an enzyme. Scientists have been studying this resistance, and have been able to describe more precisely how this enzyme interacts with tecovirimat. This research will make it possible to develop novel antiviral therapeutic approaches.

A new study analyses how other countries' drug checking services use and share data, as a way of helping Australia's policymakers decide what to do with ours. The researchers also spoke with people who use drugs, community organizations, policymakers and prospective drug checking service users to gauge what data should be shared and how this information could be used.

Rapid weight loss affects muscle mass and can increase the risk of osteoporosis. But now there is good news for people taking weight loss medication who may be at risk. A new study indicates that the drug bimagrumab can counteract the side effects.

Scientists have successfully developed a gastric cancer model using 3D bioprinting technology and patient-derived cancer tissue fragments. This innovative model preserves the characteristics of actual patient tissues and is expected to rapidly evaluate and predict individual patient drug responses.

A new, comprehensive map of all the genes essential for blood infections in Plasmodium knowlesi (P. knowlesi), a parasite that causes malaria in humans, has been generated. The map contains the most complete classification of essential genes in any Plasmodiumspecies and can be used to identify druggable parasite targets and mechanisms of drug resistance that can inform the development of new treatments for malaria.

Nearly every disease has an inflammatory component, but blood tests can't pinpoint inflammation in specific organs or tissues in the human body. Now researchers have developed a method to detect inflammation using antibodies, potentially leading to blood tests for disease-specific biomarkers such as for heart disease, Alzheimer's disease and various cancers. Their breakthrough also holds promise for drug discovery.

Scientists identified a new strategy for attacking treatment-resistant melanoma: inhibiting the gene S6K2.

A new study shows how an anticancer drug triggers an 'outside in' signal that gets it sucked into a cancer cell. The work reveals a new signaling mechanism that could be exploited for delivering other drugs.