Johns Hopkins researchers are touting microdevices that can latch onto intestinal mucosa and release drugs into the body. Led by engineering professor David Gracias and gastroenterologist Dr. Florin Selaru, the team of researchers and biomedical engineers designed and tested shape-changing microdevices that they say can mimic the way the parasitic hookworm affixes itself to an […]
Preclinical Trials
OncoSec, Inovio testing COVID-19 vaccines
OncoSec Medical (NSDQ:ONCS) and Inovio Pharmaceuticals (NSDQ:INO) announced that they are testing potential COVID-19 vaccines after the latter received investigational new drug clearance from the FDA. Inovio received an IND nod, while OncoSec’s is pending, but both companies are pursuing a first-in-human Phase 1 clinical trial for their vaccines, according to separate news releases. OncoSec is using […]
Rgenix raises $40M to develop novel cancer drugs
Biopharma startup Rgenix said it has raised $40 million in Series C financing to further develop its clinical and pre-clinical oncology programs and for general corporate purposes. New York City-based Rgenix has discovered several novel RNA-regulated cancer targets that drive tumor growth and cancer progression, according to its website. These targets regulate key components of […]
Researchers deliver cardiac stem cell therapy in preclinical trial using refillable patch
Researchers have developed a small device designed to halt the effects of a heart attack by delivering a stem cell therapy directly to damaged cardiac tissue. In a study published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, researchers from Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the National University of Ireland Galway and Trinity College Dublin reported that the […]
ContraVir’s drug slashes fibrosis by 46% in preclinical study
ContraVir Pharmaceuticals (NSDQ:CTRV) touted encouraging results today from a preclinical study of its cyclophilin inhibitor, CRV431. In an animal model, the drug reduced the extent of fibrosis by 46% compared to the control. The Edison, N.J.-based biopharma company is developing medicines to treat patients who are infected with the hepatitis B virus. In the treatment […]
NanOlogy touts preclinical data for inhaled NanoPac cancer drug
NanOlogy touted results today from preclinical studies of its inhaled submicron particle formulation of paclitaxel, NanoPac. The company said animal studies have shown prolonged retention of the cancer drug in lung tissue and significant tumor regression without adverse drug-related side effects. NanOlogy plans to present the data from its preclinical studies at this year’s annual […]
MIT researchers send drug-ferrying nanoparticles across the blood-brain barrier
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology demonstrated in an animal study that nanoparticles shuttling two different cancer drugs could effectively cross the blood-brain barrier and target tumor cells. The team of scientists evaluated the drug combination in mice that had gliobastoma – an aggressive form of brain cancer that is notoriously hard to treat. […]
Teva inks deal to test drugs with ProBioGen’s artificial lymph node tech
Teva Pharmaceuticals (NYSE:TEVA) has inked a non-exclusive licensing deal to use ProBioGen‘s human artificial lymph node technology in the preclinical testing of the pharma company’s drug candidates. ProBioGen, a contract developer and manufacturer based in Berlin, designed its 3D micro-organoid model for companies to use to predict the reactions that their drugs will provoke in the […]
NASA scientists take on muscular atrophy with drug-loaded implant
Scientists aboard the International Space Station plan to study if a drug-eluting implant can prevent, slow or even turn back the muscular breakdown observed in astronauts when they fly for an extended period of time. The investigation is designed to test the efficacy of a drug and a nano-channel drug-delivery system in a space-bound mouse […]
Sensorion, Cochlear collab to study combo therapies for patients with cochlear implants
Sensorion, a biotech working on therapies for inner ear diseases, said today that it inked a deal with Cochlear Ltd (ASX:COH) to study combination therapies for patients with cochlear implants. According to the deal, the companies will combine Sensorion’s SENS-401 compound with cochlear implants in preclinical studies starting next year. The drug-device therapies could be […]
