Drug Discovery News and Research

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The drug discovery process begins with recognizing a disease or clinical condition in which there is a lack of adequate medical treatment. Once a potential drug has been identified, pre-clinical research can begin. This process includes several stages; the first of which involves identifying and validating the prospective drug’s target through assay development, high throughput screening, hit identification and finally, lead optimization. Once the pre-clinical process is complete, the newly synthesized drug candidate is selected for future clinical development.

OICR announces innovative initiative to drive development of new cancer therapies

The Ontario Institute for Cancer Research today announced the Cancer Therapeutics Innovation Pipeline initiative and the first 10 projects selected in CTIP's inaugural round of funding.

4 Dec 2017

New microscope optimized to perform studies using optogenetic techniques

A newly developed microscope is providing scientists with a greatly enhanced tool to study how neurological disorders such as epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease affect neuron communication.

29 Nov 2017

New discovery could speed up production of cells for studying diseases

Scientists have made a key discovery that could speed up the production of cells in the lab for studying diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease.

28 Nov 2017

Leishmania genome study reveals the parasites adaptation to the environment

A new study, conducted by researchers from the Institut Pasteur in Paris and the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona, have revealed that Leishmania adaptation is a consequence of reversible and frequent chromosomal amplifications.

23 Nov 2017

Leishmania adaptation to environmental changes results from frequent chromosomal amplifications

Leishmaniasis is an important human and veterinary disease caused by Leishmania parasites that affect 12 million people in over 98 endemic countries. The disease is now emerging in Europe due to climate change and massive population displacement.

23 Nov 2017

Researchers find way to switch tumor cells between 2D and 3D morphology

Paving the way for testing experimental drugs in more realistic environments, scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology have discovered how to make tiny colonies of cells grow in useful new ways inside petri dishes.

17 Nov 2017

Brain astrocytes could play key role in pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease

Astrocytes, the supporting cells of the brain, could play a significant role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), according to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland. This is the first time researchers discovered a direct association between astrocytes and AD. Published in Stem Cell Reports, the study investigated the brain cell function of familial AD patients by using stem cell technologies.

17 Nov 2017

Researchers develop computer program to find new indications for old drugs

Researchers at the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have developed a computer program to find new indications for old drugs.

16 Nov 2017

University of Michigan and AstraZeneca partner to improve treatment for CKD patients

Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) may benefit from a new collaboration between the University of Michigan and AstraZeneca who have partnered to develop a new therapeutic strategy for treatment.

10 Nov 2017

Study finds role of body clock in wound healing

A new study conducted at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Laboratory of Molecular Biology, UK, has found how wound healing is regulated by the body clock in such a way that injuries that occured at daytime heal nearly 60% faster than that at night.

9 Nov 2017

Novel approach could help predict how well patients respond to cancer treatment

A novel approach developed by researchers from the University of Leicester and the MRC Toxicology Unit could help to predict how well patients respond to drugs designed to fight various forms of cancer.

8 Nov 2017

New ‘SMART’ system holds potential to accelerate molecular structure identification process

An interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of California San Diego has developed a method to identify the molecular structures of natural products that is significantly faster and more accurate than existing methods.

8 Nov 2017

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals announces results from Phase II study of antipsychotic in Alzheimer's disease psychosis

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative medicines to address unmet medical needs in central nervous system (CNS) disorders, today announced the presentation of data from the Phase II -019 Study of pimavanserin in Alzheimer's disease psychosis at the 10th Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease meeting in Boston.

3 Nov 2017

Deep-learning technology reveals anti-aging plant extracts

Life Extension, in collaboration with Insilico Medicine, have employed artificial intelligence to develop a novel dietary supplement of plant extracts that can activate the body's own anti-aging path ways.

31 Oct 2017

Novel consortium aims to create new paradigm of cancer drug discovery

Scientists from two U.S. national laboratories, industry and academia today launched an unprecedented effort to transform the way cancer drugs are discovered by creating an open and sharable platform that integrates high-performance computing, shared biological data from public and industry sources and emerging biotechnologies to dramatically accelerate the discovery of effective cancer therapies.

27 Oct 2017

New concise guide to pharmacology offers key information on major drug targets

The Concise Guide to PHARMACOLOGY 2017/18 is now available in the British Journal of Pharmacology. Published by Wiley on behalf of the British Pharmacological Society, the 440 page guide includes overviews of key properties for close to 1,700 human drug targets, identifies 3,500 ligands including more than 2,400 synthetic organic molecules and over 50 antibodies.

27 Oct 2017

Study identifies protein that plays crucial role in diabetic retinopathy

For millions of Americans, their world is dissolving into an unrecognizable blur. Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease affecting one-third of the estimated 30 million Americans who struggle with diabetes. As the patients' vision slowly fades, it never recovers and few treatments are available.

24 Oct 2017

Using AFM to study cell mechanics and function

My lab, broadly speaking, is interested in trying to understand interactions between cells and materials. Those could be materials that are present within living tissue or materials that we use for engineering purposes to try to do something of technological or therapeutic interest.

From Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology 17 Oct 2017

Crown Bioscience announces availability of new translational models for obesity and diabetes in Europe

Crown Bioscience, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Crown Bioscience International and a global drug discovery and development services company providing translational platforms to advance oncology, inflammation, cardiovascular and metabolic disease research, announces the availability of their proprietary FATZO model in a European based laboratory.

12 Oct 2017