Curr Opin Invest Dr
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Curr Opin Invest Dr · May 2008
ReviewXToll, a recombinant chaperonin 10 as an anti-inflammatory immunomodulator.
CBio Ltd, under license from the University of Queensland, is developing a recombinant form of chaperonin 10, known as XToll, for the potential anti-inflammatory treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and multiple sclerosis. All three indications have been evaluated in phase IIa clinical trials. By May 2005, a phase IIa trial for Crohn's disease had been terminated due to slow recruitment. The company has not disclosed plans for future development for this indication.
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Herpesvirus infection, in particular EBV infection, has been implicated in several major autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), multiple sclerosis (MS) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Herpesvirus infection has potential roles in both initiating the autoimmune process and exacerbating disease progression. ⋯ Research has been conducted in a mouse gamma-herpesvirus model, as it serves as a useful model for productive infection within autoimmune target tissues. The novel mechanisms by which EBV could contribute bystander effects by amplification of innate immune responses, along with preclinical and epidemiological studies into the role of herpesviruses in SLE, MS and RA, and clinical studies into the potential benefit of antiviral therapy, are discussed in this review.
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Curr Opin Invest Dr · Apr 2008
ReviewAlogliptin, a potent and selective dipeptidyl peptidase-IV inhibitor for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Takeda San Diego Inc is developing alogliptin, a small-molecule, orally available dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV) inhibitor, for the potential treatment of type 2 diabetes. In January 2008, Takeda announced that an NDA for alogliptin had been submitted to the FDA.
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Curr Opin Invest Dr · Feb 2008
ReviewMultidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections: the emerging threat and potential novel treatment options.
Gram-negative bacterial infections constitute an emerging threat because of the development of multidrug-resistant organisms. There is a relative shortage of new drugs in the antimicrobial development pipeline that have been tested in vitro and evaluated in clinical studies. Antibiotics that are in the pipeline for the treatment of serious Gram-negative bacterial infections include the cephalosporins, ceftobiprole, ceftarolin and FR-264205. ⋯ New pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data are available regarding the use of these agents. Finally, antimicrobial peptides and efflux pump inhibitors are two new classes of agents under development. This review of investigational antibiotics shows that several new agents will become available in the coming years, even though the pace of antimicrobial research is far from ideal.