Research Roundup: SARS-CoV-2 developing drug resistance, New drug for resistant malaria, US government invests in AI antibiotic discovery
Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC)
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TOP NEWS IN R&D
Two studies find SARS-CoV-2 virus becoming resistant to antiviral drugs used to treat patients MedicalXpress (9/27)
Two recent studies found that the virus that causes COVID-19 is developing resistance to two antiviral drugs commonly used for treatment in patients with compromised immune systems: remdesivir and nirmatrelvir. The first study from Cornell University and US National Institutes of Health researchers, which specifically looked at immunocompromised patients, found that the virus developed a reduced sensitivity to the drugs, while the second study from University of Pittsburgh, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Stanford University, and Harvard University researchers also found resistant mutations, with the effect more evident in the immunocompromised and those who had received nirmatrelvir. These results raise concerns as the threat of antimicrobial resistance globally grows.
New drug MED6-189 shows promise against drug-resistant malaria NewsMedical (9/26)
Researchers from the University of California, Riverside; the University of California, Irvine; and the Yale School of Medicine have designed a new synthetic compound, MED6-189, which is effective against drug-sensitive and drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria strains in vitro and in mice engineered to have human blood. MED6-189, inspired by a compound extracted from marine sponges, works by targeting and disrupting a specialized part of P. falciparum cells, as well as the pathways used to transport materials within the cells, thereby preventing the pathogen from developing resistance. The next steps include continued optimization of the MED6-189 and further confirmation of its mechanisms of action, but, if the compound continues to demonstrate success, this research could lead to the development of an important tool to address the rising challenge of antimalarial drug resistance.
HHS invests in project to accelerate the discovery and development of new antibiotics using generative AI US Department of Health and Human Services press release (9/26)
Last week, the US Department of Health and Human Services through the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health announced funding for the Transforming Antibiotic R&D with Generative AI to stop Emerging Threats project that will use artificial intelligence (AI) to speed up the discovery and development of new classes of antibiotics to meet the urgent need for new drugs amid the growing threat of antibiotic resistance. While conventional antibiotic discovery methods require time-consuming manual screening and testing of potential molecular compounds, most of which do not advance into further development, this project will employ deep learning to develop new methods to identify biomolecules with potential and use generative AI to expand the number of potential antibiotic candidates.
NEWS FROM GHTC
Senator Booker introduces SIGHT Act in Senate GHTC statement (9/27)
MMV welcomes donor call for urgent action to address antimalarial drug resistance Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) news story (9/27), features the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
GHTC welcomes global commitments to combat AMR at UN High-Level Meeting GHTC statement (9/26)
CEPI launches ambitious biosecurity strategy at UNGA Devex (9/26), features the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)
GHTC welcomes release of new WHO guidance on clinical trial best practices GHTC statement (9/25)
Africa CDC and IAVI sign Memorandum of Understanding to enhance vaccine and antibody research capacity in Africa IAVI press release (9/25), features CEPI
World Contraception Day 2024: Six innovative technologies on the horizon GHTC’s Breakthroughs?blog (9/24)
Matching design to desire: Developing the next generation of contraceptives Population Council blog post (9/23)
PAHO and CEPI to advance regulatory harmonization and response to health emergencies in the Americas CEPI press release (9/22)
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WEEK
Rwanda reports 8 deaths linked to Ebola-like Marburg virus days after it declared an outbreak Associated Press?(9/30)
Pharma eyes male birth control pill for Gen Z Axios?(9/30)
Opinion:?WHO director general: A breakthrough global agreement on combatting antimicrobial resistance STAT?(9/27)
'Undetectable' HIV patients could hold key to treatments MedicalXpress?(9/27)
Study shows gradual waning of MMR vaccine effectiveness over time NewsMedical?(9/27)
Enanta's RSV antiviral crushes viral load in challenge study Fierce Biotech?(9/26)
Understanding SARS-CoV-2's viral strategies for infection NewsMedical?(9/26)
Antiviral drug molnupiravir linked to new mutations in SARS-CoV-2 NewsMedical?(9/26)
Japanese bats found carrying high levels of novel viruses, raising concerns about zoonotic outbreaks NewsMedical?(9/26)
Alveo Tech, Global Virus Network, Johns Hopkins partner on POC MDx assay development program 360Dx?(9/26)
UMC Utrecht study uncovers 29 novel antibodies against Klebsiella pneumoniae NewsMedical?(9/26)
Merck bags options on Evaxion's AI-designed vaccines, offering small upfront and big back end Fierce Biotech?(9/26)
Drug-free nasal spray demonstrates effectiveness in blocking viral and bacterial infections NewsMedical?(9/25)
领英推荐
Researchers uncover key to combat Campylobacter infections NewsMedical?(9/25)
Roche rolls out 12-virus diagnostic test in Europe Fierce Biotech (9/24)
Vicebio hauls in $100M series B to push RSV combo vaccine through phase 1 Fierce Biotech (9/23)
AVIAN FLU R&D ROUNDUP
Opinion:?Sequencing wastewater material may be the key to getting a grip on the H5N1 bird flu outbreak STAT?(9/27)
Four more health care workers reported illnesses after caring for bird flu case in Missouri STAT?(9/27)
CSL gets $121 mln contract to increase US stockpile for bird flu vaccines to 40 mln doses Reuters?(9/25)
‘We are not testing enough’: New US bird flu cases stoke fears over poor response The Guardian (9/23)
Ghana confirms human H9N2 avian flu infection CIDRAP (9/23)
California reports 18 more H5N1 outbreaks in dairy cows CIDRAP (9/23)
MPOX R&D ROUNDUP
Emergent BioSolutions racks up $400M in mpox preparedness orders as outbreak continues its spread Fierce Pharma?(9/25)
Why wealthy countries are being urged to surrender their smallpox vaccine stockpiles The Telegraph (9/25)
India reports imported clade 1b mpox case CIDRAP (9/23)
UPCOMING EVENTS
October 3 Workshop: “Advancing health equity through diagnostics and health systems strengthening for NTD elimination” Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
October 7-10 2024 Clinical Virology Symposium Long Beach, California
October 8-10 Global Forum on TB Vaccines Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
October 16-19 IDWeek 2024 Los Angeles, California
October 17 Research in Action Awards New York, New York
October 22 North Carolina Global Health Conference Raleigh, North Carolina
November 13-17 ASTMH Annual Meeting New Orleans, Louisiana
November 18-21 2024 Global Health Landscape Symposium Virtual; Washington, DC
December 5 GHIT R&D Forum 2024 Tokyo, Japan
February 4-5 Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Conference 2025 Virtual
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