| |SEPTEMBER 20238Salipro Biotech and Sumitomo Pharma have formed a research partnership to better understand the pharmacological properties of a molecule from Sumitomo's drug discovery program. Both firms hope to improve Sumitomo's drug development program by revealing the mechanism of action and pharmacological characterization of a drug candidate with therapeutic potential against a specific target.According to the terms of the deal, Swedish biotech Salipro will use its Salipro technology platform to stabilize difficult membrane proteins such as GPCRs, ion channels, and transporters. Over 60 percent of all currently available medications interact with membrane proteins contained in the lipid membrane - fatty molecules that are part of the cell membrane and control what gets in and out of cells.These proteins, however, can be unstable and challenging to study for medication development.Salipro DirectMX technology allows for the direct reconstitution of membrane proteins from cell membranes into Salipro particles, allowing for the exploration of new pharmacological targets with their original lipids. The nano-membrane technology platform works by preserving membrane proteins in their natural state, allowing them to be used in drug discovery programs for therapeutic antibodies or small-molecule medicines to unlock difficult pharmacological targets.Commenting on the collaboration, chief executive officer of Salipro Biotech, Jens Frauenfeld, said: "By combining our expertise with Sumitomo Pharma's advanced capabilities in central nervous system drug discovery and development, we aim to shed light on the therapeutic potential of a drug candidate."Isao Shimizu, executive officer, senior vice president, head of drug research division, and senior executive research director at Sumitomo Pharma, said: "Collaborating with Salipro Biotech represents an exciting opportunity to accelerate our understanding of the mechanism of action of our novel drug candidate. POAfter showing a benefit in patients with advanced disease, Daiichi Sankyo Co. expects to file for US approval of its innovative lung cancer treatment by the end of March. Patients with non-small cell lung cancer who had progressed despite extensive prior treatment were given Patritumab deruxtecan. According to a presentation at the World Conference on Lung Cancer in Singapore, approximately 30 percent of patients responded to the medicine in the mid-stage experiment."These are the patients who have basically no standard of care treatment options," Ken Takeshita, global head of research and development for Daiichi Sankyo, said in an interview on Monday. "It's a very important advance for those patients."The positive outcomes are the drug's initial step. According to Daiichi, the program will be expanded to test it early in the disease and in individuals with different types of cancer. According to the World Health Organization, lung cancer is the most lethal type of tumor, accounting for nearly one in every five fatalities. In 2020, around 2.2 million people were diagnosed with it, the majority of whom had non-small cell lung cancer.If the cancer returns after chemotherapy and treatment that targets a growth-related gene called EGFR, currently available medicines give modest benefit. Patients in such category, according to the business, require innovative techniques to improve their outcomes. If authorized, the first-in-class medicine will complement Daiichi Sankyo's cancer portfolio, which is led by best-seller Enhertu, and strengthen the company's position in the global market. In contrast to Enhertu, which it sells alongside AstraZeneca Plc, the Japanese business intends to sell the treatment without a partner to increase profitability. POSALIPRO BIOTECH & SUMITOMO PHARMA PARTNER FOR DRUG DISCOVERYDAIICHI TO FILE FOR US APPROVAL OF NEW LUNG CANCER MEDICINETOP STORIES
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