Small Molecule Long-Acting Injectables (LAIs) Leading to a Paradigm Shift in HIV Treatment and Prophylaxis
In this highlight, Dr. Dennis C. Koester reviews treatment options for HIV and explains how small molecule long-acting injectables (LAIs) are offering significant promise in both HIV treatment and prophylaxis. A Coming Paradigm Shift for HIV Treatment and Prophylaxis By Dennis C. Koester The surge of the coronavirus pandemic has made our society increasingly aware…
Drug Discovery Technology Review: Emerging Tools and Modalities in 2022Q1
We did a comprehensive review of industry news in 2022Q1 (there was.. a lot of stuff to cover). In this article, we highlight some emerging companies, technologies, and drug discovery modalities we thought drug hunters would find interesting, including: New platform companies focused on drug discovery Different approaches to glues and degraders Strategies for targeting…
Production-Scale Synthesis of gem-Dimethylcyclopropylproline
The gem-dimethylcyclopropyl group is a key element in drugs, candidates, and agrochemicals, with a recent example being nirmatrelvir, the active ingredient in the Pfizer COVID-19 drug, Paxlovid. Here, we review synthetic strategies used to produce the key gem-dimethylcyclopropylproline intermediate, which may now be required in hundred-ton quantities to support nirmatrelvir manufacturing. Synthesis Spotlight: The gem-Dimethylcyclopropyl…
Drug Discovery IPOs in 2022Q1
We did a comprehensive review of industry news in 2022Q1 (there was.. a lot of stuff to cover). This article highlights companies focused on drug discovery that IPO’d in the first quarter. The Drug Discovery IPO Market Slowdown As everyone knows, biotech’s been in a bear market since Feb. 2021 (with the entire $XBI index…
AICs and PAINS: Mechanisms of Assay Interference
In this minireview, Drs. Jayme L. Dahlin and Michael A. Walters summarize the different mechanisms by which molecules can be AICs (assay interference compounds), a subset of which can be flagged as PAINS (pan-assay interference compounds) by a popular set of substructure filters. They bin these into non-technology-related interference mechanisms (e.g. nonspecific reactivity, surfactants, aggregation..)…
Review of 2021 FDA-Approved Drugs for Genetic Conditions
The FDA approved five new drugs in 2021 for use for genetic conditions, including molybdenum cofactor deficiency, Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease, achondroplasia, and progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC). This article and slide deck reviews each in detail, including their mechanisms of action, originators, key clinical data, disease context, target rationale, and more…
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