Drug Discovery@nature.com 9 March 2012

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Learn more and RSVP online, biotechnology.jhu.edu.   Advertisement Nature Reviews Neuroscience ARTICLE SERIES ON BRAIN AGEING The articles in this series examine the hallmarks of ageing in the brain, the mechanisms underlying brain ageing and the implications for brain function and disease susceptibility. Follow the article series online at: http://www.nature.com/nrn/series/brainageing   News Top New blood-boosting drugs aim to staunch renal anemia doi:10.1038/nm0312-332a Longer-acting anemia agents for individuals with severe chronic kidney disease on dialysis could be on the way. Full Text Trial watch: Integrin antagonist shows promise in MS doi:10.1038/nrd3676 Phase II trial results for GlaxoSmithKline's firategrast - an oral small-molecule α4β integrin antagonist - indicate that it reduces disease activity in patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis. Full Text Patent Watch: Merck loses information disclosure dispute doi:10.1038/nrd3695 A round-up of patent-related news, including the outcome of a request by Merck that information related to regulatory filings of the asthma drug Singulair (montelukast) should remain confidential. Full Text An audience with Guido Rasi doi:10.1038/nrd3684 Guido Rasi, the recently appointed head of the European Medicines Agency, discusses his goals for the regulatory agency. Full Text Analysis Top REThinking lung cancer doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.219 Four research teams have independently identified a RET kinase fusion that could drive about 2% of lung adenocarcinoma cases. One of the groups hopes to begin a Phase II trial of Pfizer's multikinase inhibitor Sutent in RET fusion–positive patients in 1H12. In addition, Xcovery is looking for more specific RET inhibitors. Full Text Fresh from the Pipeline: Tafamidis doi:10.1038/nrd3675 In November 2011, the first-in-class drug tafamidis (Vyndaqel; Pfizer), which inhibits protein misfolding, was approved in Europe for the treatment of familial amyloid polyneuropathy. Full Text From the analyst's couch: Maximizing the value of diagnostics in Alzheimer's disease drug development doi:10.1038/nrd3535 This article examines strategic issues faced by pharmaceutical companies relating to the development of biomarkers and diagnostics for Alzheimer's disease. Full Text Research Highlights Top Neurodegenerative disease: Harnessing virus-mediated mitochondrial protection to combat neurodegeneration doi:10.1038/nrd3688 A novel therapeutic strategy could have important implications for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases involving impaired mitochondrial function. Full Text Anticancer drugs: Targeting menin doi:10.1038/nrd3689 Inhibitors that target the interaction between menin and MLL could be useful for the treatment of acute lymphocytic leukaemia. Full Text Angiogenesis: Scheduled delivery doi:10.1038/nrc3232 Angiogenesis inhibitors may not provide clinical benefit by normalizing blood vessels and thereby increasing the delivery of chemotherapy, as has been hypothesized. Full Text Research & Reviews Top Diagnosing the decline in pharmaceutical R&D efficiency doi:10.1038/nrd3681 The authors of this Perspectives article discuss four factors that they consider to contribute significantly to the decline in pharmaceutical R&D efficiency. Full Text The insulin and insulin-like growth factor receptor family in neoplasia: an update doi:10.1038/nrc3215 Possible reasons for the disappointing outcomes of Phase III clinical trials for therapies targeting the insulin and insulin-like growth factor I receptor family, potential next steps and relevance to other areas of drug development in oncology are the subject of this Review. Full Text Family-wide chemical profiling and structural analysis of PARP and tankyrase inhibitors doi:10.1038/nbt.2121 PARP inhibitors have recently entered Phase III clinical trials as cancer therapeutics, but the specificity of many of these compounds is unknown. Wahlberg et al. used biochemical approaches to show that most PARP inhibitors target multiple PARP family members. Full Text Activin-like kinase 3 is important for kidney regeneration and reversal of fibrosis doi:10.1038/nm.2629 Raghu Kalluri and colleagues have identified an orally available, small-peptide agonist of activin-like kinase 3, the key co-receptor for BMP7 in the kidney, that reduces established fibrosis in animal models of kidney injury. Full Text Drug Discovery JOBS of the week Postdoctoral Research Position In The Discipline Of Pharmaceutical Sciences University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa Research in Biochemistry CEA Scientist / Senior Scientist Development Toxicology Genentech Field Application Specialist - Drug Discovery - Benelux Invenia Resourcing Product Manager Drug Discovery Cellectis BioResearch More Science jobs from Drug Discovery EVENT Adaptive Designs in Clinical Drug Development 26.-27.03.12 London, 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 SciBX: Science-Business eXchange is a weekly publication that identifies and analyzes the most important translational research articles from over 40 journals. 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