SciBX: Science-Business eXchange Contents: February 21 2013, Volume 6 / Issue 7

/tr> TABLE OF CONTENTS February 21 2013, Volume 6 / Issue 7 Analysis Cover Story Targets and Mechanisms Tools The Distillery: Therapeutics Cancer Dermatology Endocrine/metabolic disease Infectious disease Musculoskeletal disease Neurology Other Renal disease The Distillery: Techniques Assays and screens Disease models Drug delivery Drug platforms Advertisement BioPharma Dealmakers A supplement to Nature Biotechnology and Nature Reviews Drug Discovery The October 2012 issue of BioPharma Dealmakers showcases companies with partnering opportunities and contains a focus feature on those active in Neuro-partnering. This week, find out about how you can collaborate with Merck. Nature Publishing Group and Relay Technology Management present: The Epigenetics Target Explorer  Click here to access this free online tool and the accompanying article in Nature Reviews Drug Discovery.  SciBX: Science-Business eXchange Recommend SciBX to your library today SciBx is a weekly publication that identifies and analyzes the most important translational research articles from over 40 journals. Find out which papers have real scientific and commercial potential, and why. Subscribe to SciBX and you won't miss the next big thing. For more information visit: www.nature.com/scibx.   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 NRG1 meets resistance Lev Osherovich doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.155 Researchers at Roche's Genentech unit have shown that neuregulin 1 can drive resistance to chemotherapy in non–small cell lung cancers. The team suggests countering resistance by hitting the kinase ligand and a pair of kinases in conjunction with conventional chemotherapy. Full Text | PDF Targets and Mechanisms Top Huperzine A in SCI Tim Fulmer doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.156 Harvard Medical School researchers have shown that the plant-derived small molecule huperzine A can reduce neuropathic pain in mice with spinal cord injury. Insero Health has licensed IP covering epilepsy and neuropathic pain and plans to report Phase Ib data this year in treatment-resistant epilepsy. Full Text | PDF Promoting telomerase Chris Cain doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.157 Two independent teams have identified activating mutations in the promoter of TERT that occur in more than 70% of melanoma cases. The functional role of these mutations still needs further exploration before their therapeutic relevance can be assessed. Full Text | PDF Tools Top Small molecules vs. teratomas Kai-Jye Lou doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.158 Researchers at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Roche have identified small molecules that prevented human pluripotent stem cells from forming teratomas in mice following transplantation. The molecules could be useful for reducing the tumorigenicity risk of cell therapies derived from stem cells. Full Text | PDF Distillery: Therapeutics Cancer Top Stem cell factor receptor tyrosine kinase (c-Kit; KIT; CD117) doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.159 In vitro and mouse studies suggest an anti-KIT mAb could help treat gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Full Text | PDF Neuregulin 1 (NRG1); epidermal growth factor receptor 3 (EGFR3; HER3; ErbB3); HER4 (EGFR4; ErbB4) doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.160 Cell culture and mouse studies suggest antagonizing NRG1, HER3 or HER4 could be useful for preventing chemotherapy resistance in NSCLC. Full Text | PDF BRAF; epidermal growth factor receptor 3 (EGFR3; HER3; ErbB3) doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.161 Cell culture and mouse studies suggest Zelboraf vemurafenib plus Tykerb lapatinib could be used to treat BRAF-mutant thyroid cancer. Full Text | PDF Dermatology Top Erythropoietin (EPO); colony stimulating factor 2 receptor-β low-affinity (CSF2RB; CD131) doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.162 Mouse studies suggest an EPO mimetic could help treat burns. EPO signaling through a heteromeric receptor that combines the EPO receptor and CD131 has been shown to decrease tissue damage. Full Text | PDF Endocrine/metabolic disease Top Receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL; TNFSF11) doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.163 Patient and mouse studies suggest RANKL antagonists could help treat type 2 diabetes. Full Text | PDF Infectious disease Top ATG6 autophagy related 6 homolog (BECN1; ATG6); GLI pathogenesis-related 2 (GLIPR2; GAPR-1) doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.164 Mouse and cell culture studies suggest blocking the interaction between BECN1 and GAPR-1 could help treat viral infections. Full Text | PDF Musculoskeletal disease Top Free fatty acid receptor 1 (FFAR1; GPR40) doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.165 Studies in mice suggest GPR40 agonists could help prevent bone loss. Full Text | PDF Neurology Top Metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 2 (mGluR2; GRM2) doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.166 Patient sample and rat studies suggest normalizing mGluR2 expression could help treat alcoholism. Full Text | PDF CD36 (GPIV) doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.167 Mouse studies suggest antagonizing CD36 could help treat cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Full Text | PDF Glucocorticoid receptor (GCCR) doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.168 Mouse studies suggest targeting glucocorticoid-mediated modulation of neurogenesis could help prevent or treat stress-induced depression. Full Text | PDF Prostaglandin E2 receptor EP2 subtype (prostanoid EP1 receptor; PTGER2) doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.169 Mouse studies suggest PTGER2 antagonism could help treat status epilepticus, which is characterized by persistent seizures. Full Text | PDF Not applicable doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.170 Studies in rats suggest the small molecule natural product huperzine A could help treat neuropathic pain associated with spinal cord injury (SCI). Full Text | PDF Other Top Usher syndrome 1C (USH1C) doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.171 Mouse studies suggest using antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) that correct splicing of mutant USH1C transcripts could help prevent Usher syndrome–associated hearing loss. Full Text | PDF Renal disease Top WAP four-disulfide core domain 2 (WFDC2; HE4) doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.172 Studies in patient tissue and in mice suggest antagonizing HE4 could help treat renal fibrosis. Full Text | PDF Distillery: Techniques Assays and screens Top Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS), whole-pathway screen to identify druggable host-virus protein-protein interactions doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.173 A CFPS, whole-pathway screen could help identify druggable host-virus protein-protein interactions. Full Text | PDF Disease models Top Engineered, functional bone organ as a model to study bone development and regeneration doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.174 An engineered, functional bone organ could be useful for studying bone development and regeneration. Full Text | PDF Mouse model for proteolytic clearance of plasma β-amyloid (Aβ) doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.175 Mouse studies suggest reducing plasma Aβ levels may not be sufficient to decrease Aβ in the CNS. Full Text | PDF Drug delivery Top Dendritic cell (DC)-mediated delivery of tacrolimus to autoreactive T cells doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.176 In vitro and mouse studies suggest DCs could be useful for delivering Prograf to treat autoimmune diseases. Full Text | PDF Injectable, protease-activated depots of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.177 Injectable, protease-activated depots of GLP-1 could enable sustained delivery of the peptide to treat diabetes. Full Text | PDF Drug platforms Top Epigenetic, methyllysine-binding protein inhibitors doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.178 Identification of the first potent and selective inhibitor of a methyllysine-binding domain suggests this class of epigenetic proteins could be targeted with small molecules. Full Text | PDF Human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell–derived oligodendrocyte progenitor cells for treating demyelinating diseases doi:10.1038/scibx.2013.179 Mouse studies suggest iPS cell–derived oligodendrocyte progenitors could help treat demyelinating diseases. Full Text | PDF You have been sent this Table of Contents Alert because you have opted in to receive it. 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