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Targeting Plasmodium falciparum pathways to overcome antimalarial resistance Paul C. Chikezie1,2,*ORCID iD , Franklyn O. Ohiagu3ORCID iD , Raphael C. Ekeanyanwu2ORCID iD , Augustine A. Uwakwe4ORCID iD , Chinwendu M. Chikezie5ORCID iD , Muideen R. Gbadamosi1ORCID iD , Ogueri Nwaiwu

2026-10-31T06:10:39.084-07:00

https://www.academia.edu/3071-2521/2/3/10.20935/AcadDrug8499 The global burden of malaria remains substantial, exacerbated by the progressive emergence of resistance to frontline antimalarial therapies. Plasmodium falciparum, the most lethal malaria parasite, has developed reduced susceptibility to artemisinin-based combination therapies and several partner drugs, underscoring the urgent need for therapeutics acting on novel molecular targets. This review aims to critically evaluate emerging molecular targets for antimalarial drug development and assess the current preclinical and clinical evidence supporting their therapeutic potential in overcoming drug resistance. Evidence for this study was gathered through extensive searches of major scientific databases (PubMed, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar) from 1985 to 2026. A total of 53 references were selected to support the review. Advances in parasite genomics, metabolic profiling, and high-throughput screening have expanded the antimalarial target landscape, revealing essential enzymes, transporters, and regulatory pathways critical for parasite survival across life cycle stages. The review demonstrates that several genetically validated parasite-specific targets, namely Plasmodium falciparum phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase (PfPI4K), the P-type Na+-ATPase (PfATP4), dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (PfDHODH), folate metabolism enzymes, the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) isoprenoid biosynthesis pathway, and P. falciparum eukaryotic translational elongation factor 2 (PfeEF2), have shown promising preclinical and early clinical efficacy. Collectively, these novel pathways represent promising avenues for next-generation antimalarial drug development and combination therapy strategies. https://www.academia.edu/journals/academia-drug-development-and-pharmacotherapy/articles?source=journal-top-nav

Is AI changing what gives our lives meaning?

2026-10-30T07:18:11.600-07:00

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20261029/Is-AI-changing-what-gives-our-lives-meaning.aspx As AI blurs the boundaries between human and machine, researchers examine how emerging technologies challenge our understanding of identity, purpose, and human connection. A new rapid review in the journal Humanities and Social Sciences Communications explores how digital technologies, digital literacy, and knowledge management shape existential inquiry and meaningful engagement with technology.

Multivitamins boost key vitamin levels, but do they improve your health?

2026-10-30T07:16:44.660-07:00

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20261029/Multivitamins-boost-key-vitamin-levels-but-do-they-improve-your-health.aspx Millions take multivitamins hoping to protect their health, but what do decades of clinical trials reveal about their effects on memory, pregnancy, heart health, and aging? In a recent review published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements, the researchers examined the efficacy and safety of multivitamin use in adults. The effects varied by supplement formulation, population, and duration of use.

Online reviews reveal troubling side effects of insomnia drug lemborexant

2026-10-30T07:15:03.321-07:00

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20261029/Online-reviews-reveal-troubling-side-effects-of-insomnia-drug-lemborexant.aspx Researchers from Rutgers and other universities analyzed hundreds of online reviews on lemborexant – and learned that about 1 in 4 of the reviewers stopped or planned to stop taking the prescription medication used to treat insomnia. Insomnia – difficulty falling or staying asleep – affects about 30% of adults, according to prior sleep research. Lemborexant, approved in the U.S. in 2019, belongs to the newest class of insomnia drugs. Rather than broadly sedating the brain like many older sleeping pills, these medicines block signals from orexin, a chemical messenger that helps keep people awake. In clinical trials, lemborexant (sold as Dayvigo) helped people fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer than a placebo. Ongoing work at Rutgers Brain Health Institute is investigating the potential repurposing of orexin-based sleep medications to treat sleep disturbances in a range of psychiatric conditions, including addiction.

Gut microbial catalog reveals systemic inflammation drivers in spinal injury

2026-10-30T07:13:40.585-07:00

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20261030/Gut-microbial-catalog-reveals-systemic-inflammation-drivers-in-spinal-injury.aspx Scientists exploring the links between a spinal cord injury, inflammation and immune function have turned their attention to a genome-level analysis of the gut microbial community, with early study results offering hints at potential new approaches to aid healing.

Tailoring prostate cancer radiotherapy to body clock could cut long-term side effects

2026-10-30T07:12:38.102-07:00

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20261030/Tailoring-prostate-cancer-radiotherapy-to-body-clock-could-cut-long-term-side-effects.aspx A study by Leicester researchers shows that the timing of radiotherapy treatment may be as important as how it is given for prostate cancer patients. Researchers at the University of Leicester have discovered that a patient’s genetic makeup and the time of day they receive radiotherapy can work together to influence their risk of developing long-term side effects for treatment of prostate cancer.

Voices in Care: Multidisciplinary and Patient Perspectives on Advanced/Recurrent Endometrial Cancer Authors: Eva-Maria Strömsholm; Rebecca Kristeleit, MBChB, MRCP, PhD; Domenica Lorusso, MD, PhD; Antonio González-Martín, MD, PhD; Claire Lusted, ANP

2026-10-30T07:10:44.816-07:00

https://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/voices-care-multidisciplinary-and-patient-perspectives-2026a1000hui?page=1&src=mkmcmr_driv_stan_mscpedu_261026-OUS-HONC-voices-care-multidisciplinary-and-patient-perspectives-2026a1000hui-cta&uac=148436CN

FDA approves talazoparib with enzalutamide for metastatic androgen pathway modulation-naïve or -sensitive prostate cancer with HRR gene mutations

2026-10-30T07:09:45.207-07:00

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resources-information-approved-drugs/fda-approves-talazoparib-enzalutamide-metastatic-androgen-pathway-modulation-naive-or-sensitive?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery On October 26, 2026, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved talazoparib (Talzenna, Pfizer Inc.) in combination with enzalutamide for the treatment of adults with metastatic androgen pathway modulation-naïve or -sensitive (mAPMN/S) prostate cancer with homologous recombination repair (HRR) gene mutations, as detected by an FDA-authorized test.

Improving men's health in a changing world The Lancet (+...)

2026-10-30T07:08:12.691-07:00

Improving men's health in a changing world The Lancet https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/vol408no10566/PIIS0140-6736(26)X2041-4

Reviving silent genes to treat Prader-Willi syndrome Researchers tested a new antisense oligonucleotide therapy that turns the maternal healthy genes back on to target the underlying cause of disease. Written byAllison Whitten, PhD

2026-10-30T07:06:34.546-07:00

Reviving silent genes to treat Prader-Willi syndrome Researchers tested a new antisense oligonucleotide therapy that turns the maternal healthy genes back on to target the underlying cause of disease. Written byAllison Whitten, PhD https://www.drugdiscoverynews.com/reviving-silent-genes-to-treat-prader-willi-syndrome-17615 In Prader-Willi syndrome — a rare genetic disease that leads to physical and metabolic changes and developmental delays — a group of genes on chromosome 15 inherited from the father are not expressed. The child still inherits the healthy versions from the mother, but they remain silent. New research from Marnie Blewitt’s lab at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research is investigating what happens if the maternal genes are switched back on. In a recent paper published in Science Advances, her team showed that using antisense oligonucleotides in mice and patient-derived neural cells to target the SMCHD1 protein, which is required to keep the maternal genes silenced, successfully restored the silenced gene activity. In mouse models of the condition, this led to improvements in social interaction, physical strength, and reduced weight.

A new strategy targets multiple proteins to restore cell function A new approach to protein degradation improved mitochondrial function and neuronal survival in cell models of several mitochondrial disorders. Written byBree Foster, PhD

2026-10-30T07:03:56.999-07:00

A new strategy targets multiple proteins to restore cell function A new approach to protein degradation improved mitochondrial function and neuronal survival in cell models of several mitochondrial disorders. Written byBree Foster, PhD https://www.drugdiscoverynews.com/a-new-strategy-targets-multiple-proteins-to-restore-cell-function-17609 Most drugs are designed to inhibit a particular protein or interfere with its activity. But in diseases involving widespread cellular dysfunction, targeting a single protein may not be enough. What if, instead, researchers could activate the cell’s own machinery to remove several problematic proteins at once? In a study published in Science, researchers describe a strategy called stimulated protein degradation (SPD), which activates a cellular protein-clearance system to accelerate the breakdown of multiple proteins. In cellular models of mitochondrial disorders, the approach improved mitochondrial function and helped neurons survive.

Genmab’s head and neck bispecific cancer drug reduced death by 50 percent FDA guidance, trial results, glioblastoma studies, and more led the news this week. Brought to you byDDN editorial team

2026-10-30T07:02:52.656-07:00

Genmab’s head and neck bispecific cancer drug reduced death by 50 percent FDA guidance, trial results, glioblastoma studies, and more led the news this week. Brought to you byDDN editorial team https://www.drugdiscoverynews.com/genmab-s-head-and-neck-bispecific-cancer-drug-reduced-death-by-50-percent-17621 Genmab’s $8 billion acquisition of Merus last year appears to be paying off already. Through that deal, the company gained Merus’ bispecific antibody drug, petosemtamab, that treats head and neck cancer. Phase 3 results announced on Wednesday of this week demonstrated that petosemtamab, in combination with Merck’s Keytruda, decreased the risk of death by 50 percent compared to Keytruda alone in patients with PD-L1 positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The announcement sent Genmab’s stock soaring up nearly 30 percent, and follows two other recent successes from Genmab, with positive results announced earlier this month for epcoritamab in lymphoma and rinatabart sesutecan in ovarian cancer released last week. “These topline Phase 3 results represent a defining milestone for Genmab and further strengthen our conviction in petosemtamab as a potential first-in-class treatment option for patients with this difficult-to-treat cancer,” said Jan van de Winkel, CEO of Genmab, in the press release. – Allison Whitten

Immunotherapy in Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer: Evidence, Impact, and Integration Authors: Hisham Mehanna, FMedSci, PhD, BMedSc (hons), MB ChB (hons), FRCS, FRCS (ORL-HNS); Robert Haddad, MD

2026-10-30T06:59:56.923-07:00

https://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/immunotherapy-locally-advanced-head-and-neck-cancer-evidence-2026a1000khq?page=1&src=mkmcmr_driv_stan_mscpedu_261029-OUS-HONC-immunotherapy-locally-advanced-head-and-neck-cancer-evidence-2026a1000khq-cta&uac=148436CN

Sonesitatug Vedotin Improves Survival in Gastroesophageal Cancer Tara Haelle

2026-10-30T06:58:07.006-07:00

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/sonesitatug-vedotin-improves-survival-gastroesophageal-2026a10015cu?src= Patients with previously treated Claudin 18.2-positive advanced or metastatic gastroesophageal carcinoma had longer progression-free and overall survival with the investigational antibody-drug conjugate sonesitatug vedotin than with investigator’s choice of therapy. https://www.medscape.com/c25/p14/european-society-medical-oncology-esmo-annual-meeting-2026-2026a1000zc2

Treatment-Induced Menopause Hikes CVD Risk: What to Know JoAnn E. Manson, MD, DrPH

2026-10-30T06:54:07.759-07:00

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/treatment-induced-menopause-hikes-cvd-risk-what-know-2026a100144g?ecd=WNL_trdalrt_pos1_ous_261030_etid8848579&uac=148436CN&impID=8848579 Hello. This is Dr JoAnn Manson, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and Mass General Brigham. I'd like to talk with you about a recent report on iatrogenic menopause (surgical bilateral oophorectomy or menopause medically induced by chemotherapy or radiation), age at menopause, and risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, just published in JAMA Network Open.

Lessons From the Real World: Treating High Risk HR+/HER2- Breast Cancer According to the Latest Evidence Authors: Nadia Harbeck, MD, PhD; Stephen Johnston, MA, FRCP, PhD; Sara Tolaney, MD, PhD

2026-10-30T06:53:01.009-07:00

https://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/lessons-real-world-treating-high-risk-hr-her2-breast-cancer-2026a1000bhd?page=1&src=mkmcmr_driv_stan_mscpedu_261030-OUS-HONC-lessons-real-world-treating-high-risk-hr-her2-breast-cancer-2026a1000bhd-cta&uac=148436CN

Clinical Trials for Rare Endocrine Disorders

2026-10-30T06:51:15.361-07:00

In this episode, endocrinologist Margarita Ochoa-Maya, MD, speaks with endocrinologist Katherine Arakay, MD, of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), about clinical trials for rare endocrine disorders. The conversation examines clinical trials from three perspectives: patients, clinical researchers, and sponsors.

Clinical Trials in Rare Endocrine Disorders | Rare Endocrine Exchange

2026-10-30T06:50:09.575-07:00

Gambling on Clinical Trials

2026-10-30T06:49:02.358-07:00

Gambling on Clinical Trials

2026-10-30T06:48:04.430-07:00

In this episode, we discuss gambling on clinical trials, the FDA approval of a new formulation of Sjögren’s disease treatment, and an approval in IgA nephropathy. Produced by CheckRare. Explore additional CME activities, physician interviews, podcasts, and rare disease resources at CheckRare.com. Subscribe to the CheckRare Podcast Network for the latest rare disease education, expert interviews, and weekly news. Part of the CheckRare Podcast Network: Trusted conversations, news, education, and expert insights across the rare disease community.

Miv-cel Shows Durable Results in Stiff Person Syndrome and Myasthenia Gravis by Chad Birt| Published on: Oct 30, 2026

2026-10-30T06:45:48.218-07:00

Miv-cel Shows Durable Results in Stiff Person Syndrome and Myasthenia Gravis by Chad Birt| Published on: Oct 30, 2026 Naji Gehchan, MD, MBA, Chief Medical and Development Officer at Kyverna Therapeutics, discusses one-year data showing sustained benefits of KYV-101 (mivocabtagene autoleucel ; Miv-cel) in stiff person syndrome (SPS), along with longer-term follow-up data in generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG). https://checkrare.com/miv-cel-shows-durable-results-in-stiff-person-syndrome-and-myasthenia-gravis/

We’re likely over-consuming the world’s most profitable nutrient – and it’s wrecking our waistlines. BBC | October 29, 2026

2026-10-29T06:12:38.813-07:00

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/10/29/were-likely-over-consuming-the-worlds-most-profitable-nutrient-and-its-wrecking-our-waistlines/ Protein has become the darling of the grocery aisle, stamped on everything from cereal to snack bars. But as BBC Science Focus’s Jessica Bradley reports, most of us already eat more protein than we need — and the surplus is more likely to widen waistlines than build muscle.

Genetics of IQ: At what age do various forms of intelligence peak? Aporia Magazine | October 28, 2026

2026-10-29T06:11:38.510-07:00

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/10/28/genetics-of-iq-at-what-age-do-various-forms-of-intelligence-peak/ Bad news for anyone counting on getting sharper with age: once a few statistical quirks are corrected, overall IQ most likely peaks in your thirties, not your seventies. That’s the case Adam Rochussen, a fellow at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and the Roots of Progress Institute, makes in Aporia Magazine.

Viewpoint: How to rebuild trust in public health in an age of misinformation, political division, and media fragmentation Emily Gaines Buchler | Johns Hopkins University | October 29, 2026

2026-10-29T06:10:30.072-07:00

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/10/29/viewpoint-how-to-rebuild-trust-in-public-health-in-an-age-of-misinformation-political-division-and-media-fragmentation/ In the Facebook group Crunchy Moms: Natural Living & Clean Products, a debate rages over childhood vaccines amid posts about breastfeeding and artificial preservatives. One mom gets fed up and announces her departure: “I joined expecting conversations about organic food, holistic tips, and thoughtful ways to support our children—not the promotion of refusing routine childhood vaccinations.”

Viewpoint: AI pioneer Anthropic is going public. Should we embrace its transformative ambitions and safety promises, remain wary—or both? MIT Technology Review | October 29, 2026

2026-10-29T06:09:32.258-07:00

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/10/29/viewpoint-ai-pioneer-anthropic-is-going-public-should-we-embrace-its-transformative-ambitions-and-safety-promises-remain-wary-or-both/ Anthropic has filed to go public, and its IPO paperwork reads less like a sales pitch than a warning label. As MIT Technology Review’s Will Douglas Heaven reports, roughly 100 pages of the company’s 335-page IPO prospectus filed with the SEC focus on risks, including the chance its AI could “pose catastrophic or existential risks to humanity.”