Breaking World Pharma News

AI-assisted approach identifies IRS4 as a promising drug target in multiple solid tumors

Fri, 08 May 2026 10:00:00 +0200

Published in Science Advances, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital scientists used a mix of genetic cancer dependency data, artificial intelligence (AI) and naturally occurring mutations to prioritize safer cancer drug targets. They focused their efforts on targets most likely to be effective while limiting unwanted toxicity, identifying IRS4 as a potential dependency across multiple tumor types. The work provides a proof of principle for evaluating potential toxicity early in the search for novel therapeutics.

Researchers identify natural compound that disarms drug-resistant bacteria

Thu, 07 May 2026 10:00:00 +0200

Every year, antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, commonly known as “staph,” causes serious infections and outbreaks in hospitals and community settings, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations, including the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. Methicillin-resistant strains, known as MRSA, are a leading contributor to deaths associated with antimicrobial resistance globally.

Scientists discover a new way to make drug-resistant cancer treatable again

Wed, 06 May 2026 10:00:00 +0200

Cancer cells survive by repairing damage to their DNA - even damage that would normally be fatal. One of their most important defense systems is homologous recombination, a high-precision repair pathway that fixes broken DNA using key proteins such as RAD51 and CHK1. While therapies such as PARP inhibitors have successfully targeted this vulnerability, many tumors eventually regain their DNA repair ability and become resistant to treatment.

A new drug concept to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes

Tue, 05 May 2026 10:00:00 +0200

A team led by metabolism researcher Prof Timo D. Müller at Helmholtz Munich has developed a new approach for treating obesity and type 2 diabetes: a hybrid molecule uses the well-known GLP-1/GIP signalling pathway as a “door opener” and delivers an additional metabolic modulator specifically into the target cells. In laboratory experiments, mice subsequently ate less, lost more weight and showed improved blood-glucose values compared with reference treatments.

Autonomous AI-based drug prescribing rife with potential problems

Mon, 04 May 2026 10:00:00 +0200

A first-of-its-kind pilot program in Utah developed by a health-technology startup company uses artificial intelligence to automatically renew certain prescriptions for patients with chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. But according to a new paper co-written by a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign expert in legal issues surrounding cutting-edge medical technology, autonomous AI-based drug prescribing raises important clinical and legal issues.

New dual-target drug may help overcome immunotherapy resistance in pancreatic cancer

Fri, 01 May 2026 10:00:00 +0200

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the deadliest cancer types, with a five-year survival rate of 13%. There are only two treatment regimens available with limited efficacy. Pancreatic cancers do not respond to immunotherapy where the body’s immune system attacks tumor cells. The effectiveness of these treatments is limited due to immunotherapy resistance.

Targeted therapy drug shows early promise against KRAS-driven lung and pancreatic cancers

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0200

A first-in-human clinical trial led by an international team of researchers and published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that setidegrasib, an investigational targeted therapy drug designed to eliminate a key cancer-driving protein called KRAS G12D, shows encouraging early activity in patients with advanced lung and pancreatic cancers. The therapy shrank tumors in some patients and delayed disease progression, marking a potential step forward for cancers with few targeted treatment options.

Candidate breast cancer drug overloads tumors with "surge" of toxic lipids

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0200

An experimental drug targeting triple-negative breast cancer overwhelms cancer cells with toxic fats, according to new tests on human-derived tumors in mice. Triple-negative breast cancer lacks three common drug targets, making it one of the most aggressive forms of the disease.

The compound, known as DH20931, appears to push cancer cells past their limits by triggering a surge in fat-like molecules called ceramides.

Fighting oral cancer with bioengineered chewing gum

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0200

Researchers led by Henry Daniell of the School of Dental Medicine have shown that extracts from bioengineered chewing gum reduce the levels of three microbes known to be associated with head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC), paving the way for more effective and affordable therapies. Their findings are published in Scientific Reports.

Millions suffering needlessly with curable hepatitis C

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0200

Millions of Americans are still battling potentially deadly hepatitis C even though they could be cured with antiviral drugs they are not receiving, a new analysis reveals.

University of Virginia School of Medicine researcher Sanjay Kishore, MD, and colleagues at Mass General Brigham looked at prescribing trends for the drugs, known as direct-acting antivirals. They found that prescriptions rose rapidly when the drugs were first introduced in 2013, then peaked in 2015.

Targeting the yin and yang of macrophages to strengthen cancer vaccines and anti-tumor immunity

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0200

Macrophages, key regulators of tissue health and immune defense, are among the most abundant immune cells in solid tumors. Their role in cancer has been difficult to define because even closely related macrophage populations can have very different, and sometimes opposing, functions.

Funded by the National Institutes of Health’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, researchers at Geisel School of Medicine, led by principal investigator Claudia Jakubzick, PhD, professor of microbiology and immunology,

New knowledge about mobile proteins linked to childhood cancer

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0200

Researchers at Linköping University show how two important cancer-related proteins can be prevented from collaborating with each other. The discovery shows the way towards future medications to combat e.g. neuroblastoma in children. Their study has been published in the journal Nature Communications.

“Today we can cure many cases of childhood cancer that were incurable ten years ago. But there’s still an important group of childhood tumours that evade cure.

3D experimental system to evaluate candidate drugs against glioma

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0200

A three-dimensional experimental system has been developed to study the response to drugs in low-grade glioma, a tumor of the central nervous system that often occurs in children. The project, developed by the University of Trento, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital and Sapienza University of Rome, is a breakthrough in the study, understanding and treatment of the disease.

New drug combination doubles down on Alzheimer's treatments

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0200

A new study finds that combining the current medications for Alzheimer’s disease with small molecules derived from micronutrients found in grapes, berries, peanuts and turmeric is a safer and more effective way to treat the disease.

Individuals with Alzheimer’s have a buildup of toxic amyloid proteins in the brain. Researchers from the School of Pharmacy at the University of Waterloo combined amyloid-destroying small molecules with anti-amyloid antibodies that are already used in Alzheimer’s treatment.

A small molecule drug candidate fully restores survival in a lethal mouse model of a rare kidney stone disease

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0200

Scientists at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging have shown that an orally administered small molecule, N-propargylglycine (N-PPG), can completely prevent the formation of calcium oxalate kidney stones, protect against kidney failure, and fully restore normal survival in a mouse model of Primary Hyperoxaluria Type 2 (PH2), a rare and currently untreatable genetic disorder that causes progressive kidney failure in infants and young adults.

Scientists discover the antibacterial potential of ‘hero’ Korean skincare ingredient

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0200

Fans of Korean skincare may be familiar with ‘hero ingredient’ Madecassic acid for its skin-soothing properties, but researchers at the University of Kent have revealed its greater potential for use in the battle against antibiotic resistance.

Using a combination of computational screening and laboratory experiments, scientists in the School of Natural Sciences together with those at University College London (UCL) have demonstrated how this natural chemical from the common Asian herb Centella asiatica, is an effective antibacterial drug.

Bristol Myers Squibb evolves and expands Standing in the Gaap to advance more equitable care in multiple myeloma

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0200

Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY), a global leader in oncology, announced the evolution of Standing in the Gaap, a long-running program designed to help address persistent gaps in care for people living with multiple myeloma (MM) in medically underserved communities. Building on a decade of sustained commitment, BMS is reinforcing its focus on equitable access to multiple myeloma education, resources, and community-driven solutions by expanding the program to reach more patients and care partners.

New AI technology to speed drug development

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0200

University of Virginia School of Medicine scientists have developed a bold new approach to drug development and discovery that could dramatically accelerate the creation of new medicines.

UVA’s Nikolay V. Dokholyan, PhD, and colleagues have developed a suite of artificial intelligence-powered tools, called YuelDesign, YuelPocket and YuelBond, that work together to transform how new drugs are created.

Study shows new drug compounds dial down inflammation without compromising immunity

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0200

Scripps Research scientists have developed a new class of drug compounds that reduce harmful inflammation while leaving the body’s ability to fight infections intact - a long-sought goal in treating autoimmune diseases. The compounds, called ENDOtollins, work by interrupting a “molecular handshake” between two proteins inside immune cells.

Johns Hopkins team develops therapeutic, nasally delivered DNA vaccine for tuberculosis

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0200

In a paper published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, a research team at Johns Hopkins Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health reports developing a therapeutic intranasal (nose-delivered) DNA vaccine against tuberculosis (TB) that fuses two genes with the goal of directing the immune system to fight drug-tolerant bacterial “persisters” that can survive prolonged antibiotic therapy and contribute to disease relapse.