SciBX: Science-Business eXchange Contents: September 6 2012, Volume 5 / Issue 35

TABLE OF CONTENTS September 6 2012, Volume 5 / Issue 35 Analysis Cover Story Targets and Mechanisms Tools The Distillery: Therapeutics Autoimmune disease Cancer Endocrine/metabolic disease Infectious disease Inflammation Musculoskeletal disease Neurology Ophthalmic disease The Distillery: Techniques Assays and screens Disease models Drug delivery Drug platforms BioPharma Dealmakers A supplement to Nature Biotechnology and Nature Reviews Drug Discovery The June 2012 issue of BioPharma Dealmakers showcases companies with partnering opportunities within the academic and vaccine fields in the U.S and abroad. This week, find out about how you can collaborate with Wellcome Trust.   New Partnering Opportunities in Alzheimer's Disease! A comprehensive interactive dashboard from Relay Technology Management  Click here for more information on Alzheimer's partnering opportunities.   Trade Secrets A Nature Network blog by BIOENTREPRENEUR Brought to you by Nature Biotechnology Access the insights, advice and commentary from scientists and entrepreneurs building biotech sectors around the world. Join the global dialogue on life science entrepreneurship: http://blogs.nature.com/trade_secrets   Analysis Cover Story Top New home for bromodomains Lauren Martz doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.914 Researchers at Dana-Farber and the Baylor College of Medicine have shown that Tensha's bromodomain inhibitors could prevent sperm production and be developed as a male contraceptive. The biotech, which is focused on developing the molecules for cancer, has exclusive rights to the findings and is interested in pursuing bromodomain inhibitors in the indication. Full Text | PDF Targets and Mechanisms Top Passenger mutations take the wheel Tim Fulmer doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.915 Two research groups have independently shown that targeting genes carrying passenger mutations blocked growth of cancer cells and improved survival in mice. Although precise therapeutic windows are undetermined, the researchers are planning to develop therapeutics that exploit the presence of those mutations to inhibit tumor growth. Full Text | PDF Putting a cap on AD Lev Osherovich doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.916 AC Immune and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne researchers have unveiled a class of small molecules that block amyloid fibril growth in AD. If the compounds can be made to enter the brain, the approach could arrest the growth of amyloid plaques upstream of the usual target points for antibodies. Full Text | PDF Tools Top Peptide scaffolds for VEGF delivery Kai-Jye Lou doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.917 National Cheng Kung University researchers have developed an injectable self-assembling peptide nanofiber scaffold that enables sustained VEGF delivery and establishes a microenvironment that augments arteriogenesis and cardiac repair following myocardial infarction. The group is evaluating the scaffold in porcine studies and hopes to submit an IND in two to three years. Full Text | PDF Distillery: Therapeutics Autoimmune disease Top CD79b molecule immunoglobulin-associated-β (CD79B; B29) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.918 Mouse studies suggest B29 could induce anti-inflammatory Treg cells to help treat RA. Full Text | PDF Cancer Top Tuberous sclerosis complex tumor suppressor 1 (TSC1); TSC2; mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR; FRAP; RAFT1) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.919 Genome sequencing suggests mTOR inhibitors may be most effective in patients with bladder cancer carrying TSC1 mutations. Full Text | PDF Enolase 1α (ENO1); enolase 2γ neuronal (ENO2) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.920 Cell culture studies suggest inhibiting ENO2 in tumor cells could help treat glioblastoma. Full Text | PDF Phosphofructokinase muscle (PFKM; PFK1) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.921 Patient sample and mouse studies suggest inhibiting glycosylation of PFK1 could help treat cancer. Full Text | PDF Proteasome 26S subunit ATPase 2 (PSMC2) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.922 Mouse studies suggest inhibiting PSMC2 in tumor cells could help treat cancer. Full Text | PDF Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF); VEGF doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.923 Cell culture and mouse studies suggest HGF/SF and VEGF variants that do not bind heparan sulfate (HS) could help treat cancer. Full Text | PDF Endothelin B receptor doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.924 Mouse studies suggest antagonizing endothelin B receptor could help prevent or treat melanoma metastases to the CNS. Full Text | PDF Inhibitor of differentiation 4 (ID4) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.925 In vitro and mouse studies suggest inhibiting ID4 could help treat ovarian cancers. Full Text | PDF Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.926 In vitro and mouse studies suggest inhibiting STAT3 phosphorylation could worsen thyroid cancers. Full Text | PDF Endocrine/metabolic disease Top Bromodomain testis-specific (BRDT); bromodomain and extra terminal domain (BET) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.927 Mouse studies suggest targeting BRDT with BET inhibitors could be useful as a male contraceptive. Full Text | PDF Infectious disease Top Unknown doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.928 Mouse studies identified an artemisinin-derived thioacetal thiocarbonate that could be combined with mefloquine hydrochloride to help treat malaria. Full Text | PDF Inflammation Top Phosphoinositide 3-kinase-β (PI3Kβ); PI3Kδ doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.929 Rat studies identified a pyrrolo pyridine analog as a dual inhibitor of PI3Kβ and PI3Kδ that could help treat inflammation. Full Text | PDF Musculoskeletal disease Top Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.930 Mouse studies suggest antagonizing FSH could help treat osteoporosis. Full Text | PDF VEGF doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.931 Mouse studies suggest increasing VEGF expression in bone marrow stem cells could help treat or prevent osteoporosis. Full Text | PDF Neurology Top β-Amyloid (Aβ) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.932 SAR studies identified Ab-binding small molecules that could help treat AD. Full Text | PDF Ryanodine receptor 1 (RyR1) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.933 In vitro and mouse studies suggest inhibiting RyR1 could help treat AD. Full Text | PDF Unknown doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.934 Mouse studies suggest the antiepileptic drug levetiracetam could help treat AD. Full Text | PDF Proteasome doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.935 Mouse studies suggest inhibiting proteasome activity could help treat neurodegenerative diseases. Full Text | PDF Cardiolipin doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.936 Rat and cell culture studies suggest inhibiting cardiolipin oxidation in mitochondria could help treat traumatic brain injury (TBI). Full Text | PDF Myocyte enhancer factor 2D (MEF2D) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.937 Mouse studies suggest activating the transcription factor MEF2D with the dimeric acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor bis(3)-cognitin (B3C) could help treat PD. Full Text | PDF Ophthalmic disease Top MAP kinase 1 (MAPK1; ERK-2); MAPK3 (ERK-1); MAP kinase kinase 1 (MAP2K1; MEK1) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.938 Mouse studies suggest blocking ERK-1 and ERK-2 signaling in the retina could help treat dry AMD. Full Text | PDF Distillery: Techniques Assays and screens Top Fluorescent reporter–expressing dengue virus doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.939 Fluorescent reporter–expressing dengue virus could be useful for screening and evaluating therapeutic candidates to treat the disease. Full Text | PDF Disease models Top T cell migration across the blood brain barrier (BBB) doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.940 The mechanism of T cell migration across the BBB could help identify new therapeutic targets for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other CNS-related autoimmune diseases. Full Text | PDF Drug delivery Top Polyethyleneimine (PEI) as an adjuvant for intranasal vaccines doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.941 PEI could boost the efficacy of intranasal vaccines against viral infections. Full Text | PDF Drug platforms Top Influenza vaccine to induce broadly neutralizing antibodies doi:10.1038/scibx.2012.942 Mouse and ferret studies suggest vaccines that induce broadly neutralizing antibodies may be useful for preventing influenza virus infection, even in humans with previous influenza exposure. Full Text | PDF You have been sent this Table of Contents Alert because you have opted in to receive it. 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