Reduced Cystathionine Γ-Lyase Levels May Contribute Meaningfully to Age-Related Neurodegeneration
Researchers found that cystathionine γ‑lyase (CSE) levels decline with age and that complete genetic removal of CSE in mice reproduces key features of brain aging. CSE‑deficient mice exhibited oxidative damage, blood‑brain barrier breakdown, impaired neurogenesis, and measurable cognitive deficits. The study highlights CSE as a major source of brain hydrogen sulfide, challenging the previous view that CBS dominates H2S signaling. These results position CSE as a promising therapeutic target for Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and other neurodegenerative disorders.
Improved Drainage of Cerebrospinal Fluid as a Time Critical Treatment for Stroke
Researchers at Monash University are developing non‑invasive neck devices that accelerate cerebrospinal fluid drainage via the glymphatic system immediately after ischemic stroke. Advanced imaging of 140 participants shows women have less lymphatic coverage in the brain’s outer layer, potentially explaining...
2026 Predictions: Historic FDA Shift, Plausible Mechanisms, Bespoke Tx, RFK Jr., Biotechs, State AGs, Peptides, Embryos
The blog forecasts a historic regulatory shift in 2026, with the FDA likely approving Capricor’s deramiocel for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and at least two additional cell therapies based on limited data. New FDA buzzwords—plausible mechanisms, N=1 trials, bespoke therapies, and...
A Small Sample of the Complexity of Hair Follicle Aging
A recent single‑cell RNA sequencing study mapped the transcriptional landscape of human hair follicles across a wide age range, profiling 57,181 cells from young, middle‑aged and elderly donors. The analysis identified three distinct keratinocyte subtypes and highlighted activation of the...
RFK Decimates Vaccine Schedule
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as HHS secretary, has reduced the U.S. routine vaccine schedule from covering 17 illnesses to just 11, moving hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rotavirus, meningococcal, influenza and COVID‑19 into a “shared clinical decision‑making” category. The change bypasses...
A New Approach to Drugging MYC: The Application of Translation-Inhibiting Interdictors To MYC-Driven Malignancies
Researchers have unveiled a novel class of translation‑inhibiting interdictors that selectively suppress MYC protein production, offering a viable strategy to target MYC‑driven malignancies. These small‑molecule agents disrupt the initiation of mRNA translation, leading to rapid depletion of MYC levels in...
Exosomes in Aging and Age-Related Conditions
Exosomes, nanoscale extracellular vesicles, are increasingly recognized as key mediators of aging and age‑related diseases through their cargo of proteins, lipids, and RNAs. Recent research shows that stem‑cell‑derived exosomes can reproduce the therapeutic signals of cell transplantation, prompting early clinical...
Evidence for Tau and Amyloid Pathology to Drive White Matter Damage in the Brain
A recent PET imaging study of older adults finds that amyloid‑β and tau protein deposits drive the progression of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) rather than the reverse. Baseline analyses showed bidirectional links, but longitudinal data revealed that higher amyloid levels...
The Saturating-Removal Model of Damage Accumulation and Effects of Lifestyle on Aging
The Saturating-Removal (SR) model links stochastic damage accumulation to human mortality, showing that variations in damage production or removal rates are tightly constrained across individuals. Analyses of NHANES cohorts, centenarian siblings, and progeria cases support the model’s prediction that maximal...
Top 10 Most Popular Drug Hunter Reviews of 2025
2025 drug discovery emphasized rigorous target selection, with genetics‑driven programs outpacing unvalidated approaches. Immunology saw a breakthrough as small‑molecule degraders and inhibitors of transcription factors IRF5 and STAT6 demonstrated oral activity, challenging the dominance of biologics. Emerging modalities such as...
MICOS in the Age-Related Decline of Mitochondrial Function
Recent 3‑D reconstructions reveal that the mitochondrial contact site and cristae organizing system (MICOS) becomes progressively disordered in aging neurons, especially those exposed to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology. The study documents age‑dependent cristae fragmentation, reduced inter‑mitochondrial connectivity, and altered mitochondrial...
Modest Reversal of Proteomic Aging via a Structured Program of Exercise
A recent study using a 12‑week supervised exercise program showed a modest reversal of proteomic aging, shrinking the predicted biological age by roughly ten months in 26 male participants. The research linked higher ProtAgeGap scores to lower physical activity and...
Restoration of Lymphatic Vessel Contractility in Aged Mice
Researchers identified the voltage‑gated sodium channel NaV1.3 as a selective, drug‑gable target in adult lymphatic smooth muscle. Using the scorpion‑venom‑derived activator Tf2, they fully restored lymphatic vessel contractility in aged mice and partially rescued radiation‑induced deficits. NaV1.3 is absent from...
Blocking the IgG Highway: FcRn Biology, Approved Agents, and the Small Molecule Horizon
The article reviews the role of the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) in extending IgG half‑life and outlines how therapeutic blockade of this pathway can reduce pathogenic antibodies in autoimmune diseases. It surveys the currently approved FcRn‑targeting biologics, such as efgartigimod...
Weekly Reads: The Stem Cell Niche, Tongue Stem Cells, Autoimmune Diseases
The post highlights recent advances in stem cell niche research, focusing on bone‑marrow organoid models, niche‑preserving intestinal transplants, and the discovery of tripotent Lgr5+ stem cells in the posterior tongue that generate lingual, taste, and salivary lineages. It curates related...
Grading My 25 Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine Predictions for 2025
The author graded 25 2025 predictions for stem cell and regenerative medicine, finding most were accurate despite some disappointing headlines. Key highlights include reduced FDA oversight paired with notable warnings in the perinatal space, a successful Mesoblast approval, and several...
Zoliflodacin (ETX-0914)
Zoliflodacin (ETX-0914) received FDA approval as an oral bacterial type II topoisomerase inhibitor for the treatment of urogenital gonorrhea. The drug emerged from rational design of earlier inhibitors and is the product of a partnership among AstraZeneca, Entasis, Innoviva and GARDP....
Colossal Biosciences Wins 2025 The Screamers Award for Science Hype on Dire Wolf De-Extinction Claim
Colossal Biosciences was awarded the 2025 The Screamers Award for its overstated claim of de‑extincting the dire wolf. In reality the firm only introduced a handful of dire‑wolf‑related gene edits into existing gray wolves, leaving the animals genetically gray wolves....
Review of 2025 Reviews
The Practical Fragments blog celebrated its thousandth post in 2025, highlighting a decade of fragment‑based drug discovery (FBDD) milestones. Key reviews covered fragment‑to‑lead successes, the rise of covalent fragments, AI‑driven cryptic pocket discovery, and extensive bibliometric analysis showing steady global...
Top 5 Stem Cell Good News Stories of 2025
The 2025 stem‑cell roundup highlights five breakthrough developments: Capricor’s deramiocel for Duchenne muscular dystrophy is on track for FDA approval by 2026; three independent Parkinson’s trials reported encouraging early efficacy; Vertex’s diabetes program saw participants achieve insulin‑free periods; a Mass Brigham...
Top 10 Most Popular Drug Hunter Case Studies of 2025
2025 proved pivotal for drug discovery, with the FDA approving 44 new therapies and several breakthrough candidates advancing to late‑stage trials. The most‑read case studies highlighted oral macrocycles, innovative PK engineering, and first‑in‑class modalities such as the pan‑RAS glue daraxonrasib...
Iowa AG Wins $1M From Stem Cell Clinic
An Iowa civil court awarded a $1 million judgment against Omaha Stem Cells and its owner Travis Broughton for deceptive stem‑cell therapies. The ruling also ordered reimbursement of $810,477 to 76 patients, including an additional $20,000 penalty for targeting older adults....
Well Dr. Stephanie Seneff, 2025 Is Over. Did Glyphosate Turn Half of All Children Autistic?
In 2014 MIT researcher Dr. Stephanie Seneff warned that glyphosate would make half of all children autistic by 2025, a claim that has now been disproven. The blog post uses this missed prediction to illustrate a broader pattern where disinformation...
Felony Charges Against 3 in Utah Related to Stem Cells, Undercover Agents Visited Clinic
Utah authorities have filed felony charges against Dr. Paul William Winterton, Randall Matthew Relyea, and Jenny Astrid Fraizer for a pattern of unlawful activity at the Precision Pointe Regenerative Health clinic. The indictments include second‑degree felonies for communications fraud, third‑degree...
The FDA’s Proposed “Black Box” Warning for COVID-19 Vaccines
Former FDA official Henry I. Miller warns that the agency’s draft plan to place a black‑box warning on COVID‑19 vaccines lacks scientific justification. He notes that the proposal appears driven by political appointees, particularly HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., rather than robust...
Weekly TechBio News 🌟🎄
This episode highlights four major tech‑bio developments: Egypt’s Nawah Scientific secured $23 million to expand its remote "cloud lab" platform into Rwanda and Saudi Arabia while scaling operations in Egypt; UpCloud opened a new data center in Copenhagen to boost low‑latency...
Gepotidacin
Gepotidacin (Blujepa®), an oral bacterial type II topoisomerase inhibitor developed by GSK, received approval in April 2025 for uncomplicated urinary‑tract infections and gonorrhea. The drug emerged from an unbiased antibacterial screening program and represents the first new oral class of antibiotics targeting...
Every Accusation Is a Confession (or a Statement of Intent): MAHA’s New Tuskegee Experiment
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded a $1.6 million grant to the University of Southern Denmark to conduct a five‑year randomized trial of hepatitis B vaccine timing in newborns in Guinea‑Bissau. The study, led by Christine Stabell Benn and Peter Aaby,...
Weekly Reads: Stem Cells for Vision Loss Hope, Gene Therapy Trial Death, NFL Doc on Clinics
A low‑dose adult stem‑cell transplant (RPESC‑RPE‑4W) for dry age‑related macular degeneration met primary safety endpoints and showed visual acuity gains. In a separate development, a child died during a pioneering gene‑therapy trial that used engineered viruses to cross the blood‑brain...
November 2025 Patent Highlights
The November 2025 Patent Highlights post serves as a gateway to Drug Hunter’s most‑read resources, including top‑10 lists of popular articles, reviews, and case studies from the year. It spotlights a detailed review of FcRn biology and the push toward oral...
Dr. Vinay Prasad “Called For” RCTs. Dr. Peter Marks Delivered Them.
Dr. Vinay Prasad claims he was among the few who called for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of COVID‑19 vaccines, yet the blog argues that it was his predecessor, Dr. Peter Marks, who actually designed and executed the pivotal trials that...
GOP Lawmakers Ask RFK Jr. To Make FDA Unleash Risky Peptides Like BPC-157
GOP Representative Diana Harshbarger, a pharmacist, wrote FDA Commissioner RFK Jr. urging the agency to use enforcement discretion to loosen restrictions on six unapproved wellness peptides, including BPC‑157 and CJC‑1295. The request echoes a similar appeal from Senator Tommy Tuberville, signaling...
Targeting NLRP3: DFV890 and Beyond
The article reviews the NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor DFV890, highlighting its Phase 2 data in acute coronary syndrome and its mechanism of selectively blocking NLRP3 activation. It also examines emerging NLRP3‑targeted programs, including covalent inhibitors and PROTAC degraders, and discusses the broader...
ALS and the Market for False Hope
The post outlines ALS as a progressive neurodegenerative disease with no cure and only modestly effective drugs such as riluzole and edaravone. It highlights how multidisciplinary ALS clinics deliver the greatest survival benefit, while a booming market of unproven supplements...
Mirdametinib (PD0325901)
Springworks Therapeutics and Pfizer announced FDA approval of mirdametinib (PD0325901), an oral, brain‑penetrant MEK1/2 inhibitor for treating neurofibromatosis type 1‑associated plexiform neurofibromas (NF1‑PN) in both adults and children. The drug was optimized from an earlier in‑vitro tool compound to improve potency...
Weekly TechBio News
The episode highlights four major tech‑bio developments: LatchBio’s launch of agent.bio, an interactive sandbox for spatial biology analysis across five platforms; Chai Discovery’s $130 M Series B raise to build an AI‑driven CAD suite for drug design, backed by OpenAI; Accenture Ventures’...
Fenebrutinib (GDC-0853)
Fenebrutinib (GDC‑0853) is an oral, reversible Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor that entered Phase 3 trials for multiple sclerosis in a November 2025 press release. The drug was discovered through ATP‑site‑directed compound library screening and subsequently optimized by Roche and Genentech. Its...
UltraMarathonRT: When Your Reverse Transcription Must Go Long
RNAConnect has launched a new kit for Oxford Nanopore direct‑RNA sequencing that uses UltraMarathonRT, a group II intron‑derived reverse transcriptase. Unlike traditional AMV or M‑MLV enzymes, UltraMarathonRT is highly processive, can copy RNA longer than 30 kb, and works at a gentle...
GAS41 Revisited: A Chemical Probe
Researchers at the University of Michigan have refined a fragment‑based series into DLG‑41, a monomeric chemical probe targeting the YEATS domain of GAS41. The probe exhibits ~1 µM affinity by ITC and nanomolar potency in a NanoBRET cellular assay, confirming both...
Patenting Strategies for Small Molecule Drugs
The article reviews patenting strategies for small‑molecule drugs, emphasizing the need for early and comprehensive protection. It outlines the typical patent lifecycle—from provisional filings through PCT applications to national‑phase prosecution—and the legal standards of utility, novelty, and non‑obviousness. Real‑world examples...
The FDA Under MAHA Control: Weakening the Quack Miranda Warning on Supplements
The FDA, under the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda, is considering a rule change that would let supplement manufacturers place the DSHEA disclaimer on a single panel instead of every claim‑bearing panel. The proposal follows a December 11 letter...
A Compendium of Pharmaceutical Salts to Help Flavor Your Drug Formulation
The article presents a comprehensive list of pharmaceutical salts that can be leveraged to enhance the taste, solubility, and overall patient acceptability of oral drug formulations. It outlines the physicochemical properties, regulatory status, and typical applications of both traditional inorganic...
Fed Rate Cut Tailwind, Lilly’s Triple Agonist Delivers Big, Vaccine Policy Turmoil — This Week in Biotech #81
The episode highlights how the Fed’s recent rate cut creates a macro‑tailwind for biotech, reviving valuations and financing opportunities. It discusses mixed public‑health signals around COVID‑19 vaccination in children and warns that U.S. skepticism could erode its mRNA leadership. Landmark...
Extracorporeal Blood Oxygenation and Ozonation
Extracorporeal Blood Oxygenation and Ozonation (EBOO) is marketed by the wellness industry as a high‑end anti‑aging therapy that removes, oxygenates, ozonates, and filters a patient’s blood before reinfusion. The procedure is invasive, involving two IV lines and large‑volume blood processing,...
Inside NImmune’s Phase 3 Push in Ulcerative Colitis
In this episode, Dr. Josep Bassaganya‑Riera discusses NImmune's strategy to launch omilancor, a gut‑restricted LANCL2 agonist, into Phase 3 for ulcerative colitis, emphasizing its mechanism as an immune “thermostat” that rebalances gut immunity rather than broadly suppressing it. He highlights...
