Drug Discovery@nature.com 16 December 2011

TABLE OF CONTENTS 16 December 2011 News Analysis Research Highlights Research & Reviews Careers Nature Reviews Drug Discovery is on Twitter Advertisement Scientific Reports – Call for papers Publishing made easy! Entirely open access with papers accepted on technical merit, the community evaluates the importance of papers post-peer review. Scientific Reports exists to facilitate the rapid peer review and publication of research that is of interest to specialists within any given field in the natural sciences. Submit now!   News Top Class of once-weekly diabetes drugs poised for approval doi:10.1038/nm1211-1528b A decision is expected from the US Food and Drug Administration by 28 January on the regulatory approval of the once-weekly injectable diabetes medication, Bydureon, made by Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly. Full Text Interest groups jostle to influence PDUFA V doi:10.1038/nbt1211-1062 The contents of the finalized package of formal recommendations for the Prescription Drug User Fee Act V reflect many rounds of negotiations involving the US Food and Drug Administration, industry, medical groups, patient and consumer representatives and the general public. Full Text Industry continues dabbling with open innovation models doi:10.1038/nbt1211-1063a Several open innovation initiatives have been launched in a bid to share intellectual property and thereby speed up drug discovery. Full Text Four-in-one HIV pill may be exception among combination drugs doi:10.1038/nm1211-1528a If approved, Gilead’s four-in-one HIV 'Quad' pill promises the same virus-controlling ability as the four drugs separately but should be easier to use for people with the infection. Full Text Analysis Top Big MAC attack in osteoarthritis doi:10.1038/scibx.2011.1311 An international team has shown that inhibiting the complement system could help slow disease progression in osteoarthritis, thus handing a potentially disease-modifying strategy to companies developing complement 5 inhibitors. Full Text Crizotinib doi:10.1038/nrd3600 In August 2011, crizotinib (Xalkori; Pfizer), a small-molecule kinase inhibitor, was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer that is anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive, as detected by an FDA-approved test. Full Text Personalized medicine in oncology: next generation doi:10.1038/nrd3603 This article outlines the challenges, such as clinical trial design, biomarker selection, accurately forecasting sales potential and pricing, that face pharmaceutical companies in the development of targeted drugs. Full Text Research Highlights Top Analgesia: Unravelling epigenetic mechanisms of chronic pain doi:10.1038/nrd3606 Results from a new study suggest that histone deacetylase inhibitors could be used as analgesics to target the development of chronic pain. Full Text Medical devices: A protective stent coating doi:10.1038/nrd3604 Researchers have shown that coating stents with cathelicidin, an antimicrobial peptide released from neutrophils, could represent a novel strategy for preventing restenosis. Full Text Therapeutics: Another tool in the BCR–ABL kit? doi:10.1038/nrc3173 Inhibiting an interaction between the SH2 and kinase domains of BCR–ABL, which facilitates kinase activation, prevents leukaemogenesis in mice and can restore sensitivity to tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Full Text Research & Reviews Top Taking aim at the extracellular matrix: CCN proteins as emerging therapeutic targets doi:10.1038/nrd3599 This article summarizes the evidence for the participation of CCN matricellular proteins in disease pathologies, explores their potential as diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets, and outlines various strategies to target these proteins. Full Text MicroRNAs en route to the clinic: progress in validating and targeting microRNAs for cancer therapy doi:10.1038/nrc3166 In addition to highlighting the use of mouse models to understand the roles of miRNAs in cancer and metastasis, this article reviews the recent literature regarding the transition of these master regulators into clinical settings both as direct cancer therapeutics and as tools to sensitize tumours to traditional chemotherapeutics. Full Text The effects of dexpramipexole (KNS-760704) in individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis doi:10.1038/nm.2579 Preliminary evidence indicates that the drug dexpramipexole may have clinical activity in a small placebo-controlled trial in patients with the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Full Text RAF inhibitor resistance is mediated by dimerization of aberrantly spliced BRAF(V600E) doi:10.1038/nature10662 Researchers have identified a novel mechanism of acquired resistance to RAF inhibitors in patients: expression of splicing isoforms of BRAF(V600E) that dimerize in a RAS-independent manner. Full Text Drug Discovery JOBS of the week Elings Prize Fellowships in Experimental Science University of California Research Fellow Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine Research Associate University of Cambridge Research Associate Imperial College London Senior Medical Writer Vertex Pharmaceuticals More Science jobs from Drug Discovery EVENT Drug discovery: a job too complex for academia or industry alone? 05.-06.01.12 Oxford, UK More science events from Careers Top Career snapshots archive Career snapshots feature people associated with drug discovery and drug development, with the aim of providing expert insights and advice on a wide range of positions and career paths in this field. Full Text Top Advertisement Nature Reviews Genetics POSTER - Tools for studying and using small RNAs: from pathways to functions to therapies Authors: Kenneth Chang and Gregory J. Hannon November 2011 Access the Poster FREE online! www.nature.com/nrg/posters/small-rna COMING SOON: RNA interference animation Produced with support from Thermo Scientific   Natureevents is a fully searchable, multi-disciplinary database designed to maximise exposure for events organisers. The contents of the Natureevents Directory are now live. The digital version is available here. Find the latest scientific conferences, courses, meetings and symposia on natureevents.com. For event advertising opportunities across the Nature Publishing Group portfolio please contact natureevents@nature.com More Nature Events

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