Narrow Results

BioDiem Enters Into Influenza Vaccine Deal With Nobilon.

AsiaPharm Seeks S’pore IPO Listing.

Dr Reddy’s to Set Up R&D Facility in China.

GeneCare Research Institute Granted License to Commercialize RNAi Therapeutics.

Agilent Announces Breakthrough for Cancer Researchers.

An Australian Company—Solagran Limited.

World's First Transdermal Insulin from Australia.

Circadian Technologies Ltd Forms New Company, Vegenics.

Yale Ovarian Cancer Detection Technology Licensed in China by SurExam.

Simcere Pharmaceutical Group Sets Foot in Anticancer Field.

Bio-Bridge Science Builds Vaccine Facility in China.

Novavax Inc and Bharat Biotech International Partner on the Development of Pandemic Influenza Vaccine.

Genesis Receives $5.5M Payment.

OraQuick^® HIV Test Receives Approvals from Singapore Ministry of Health.

Singapore-based SciGen Collaborates with Ferring on Recombinant Human Insulin.

Singular ID's Patent Portfolio Strengthens and Grows.

Bridge Announces $22 Million Capital Raise.

JAPAN – New broad strain anti-influenza macrocyclic peptide therapeutic developed.

LAOS – bioCSL supports public health efforts in Laos with donation of more than 700,000 doses of seasonal influenza vaccine.

SINGAPORE – New NUS spin-off company to reduce cancer death and disease burden through real time cancer diagnosis.

THAILAND – Bats protect rice fields against pests.

THE PHILIPPINES – Hotter nights may cause rice yields to fall.

THE PHILIPPINES – Study suggests shift in strategy on pneumonia vaccinations.

BANGLADESH – Mutant bird flu worries Bangladeshi scientists.

EUROPE – Novel strategy to molecular anticancer therapy.

SRI LANKA – Evolving dengue strains plague Sri Lanka.

UNITED STATES – Gene sequencing project discovers mutations tied to deadly brain tumors in young children.

UNITED STATES – Laboratory-grown vaginas implanted in patients.

UNITED STATES – Stem cells in circulating blood affect cardiovascular health.

UNITED STATES – New point of attack on HIV for vaccine development.

UNITED STATES – GAIM-changing molecules to combat Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders discovered.

UNITED STATES – Breath analysis offers non-invasive method to detect early lung cancer.

UNITED STATES – Researchers discover new genetic brain disorder in humans.

ASIA-PACIFIC – Quality and quantity of sleep affects behavior, cognition and glucose levels in Asian teens.

ASIA-PACIFIC – Quality of overall diet key to lowering type 2 diabetes risk.

ASIA-PACIFIC – Toxic bacteria found on microplastics retrieved from tropical waters.

ASIA-PACIFIC – New use of anti-parasitic drug to potentially treat cancer.

ASIA-PACIFIC – Hassle free influenza vaccine close to reality.

REST OF THE WORLD – Bitter rapeseed could be used as protein source for human nutrition.

The following topics are under this section:

• Asia-Pacific — MIT's research enterprise in Singapore (SMART) launches new research group, boosting nation's cell therapy R&D
• Asia-Pacific — Potential cancer treatment strategies for humans from mechanisms behind low cancer occurrence in bats
• Asia-Pacific — Singapore scientists uncover mechanism behind development of viral infections
• Asia-Pacific — Exosomes found to aid in fighting Dengue infection
• Asia-Pacific — National platforms created to accelerate Singapore's drug development efforts
• Rest of the World — Cybersecurity company threat report details cyberattacks targeting the healthcare industry
• Rest of the World — Artificial intelligence – designed influenza vaccine begins clinical trials in the US
• Rest of the World — Clinical – stage biotechnology company presents Murlentamab phase II study results in colorectal cancer

The 23 amino acid-long extracellular domain of the influenza virus transmembrane protein M2 (M2e) has remained highly conserved since the 1918 pandemic, and is thus considered a good candidate for development of a universal influenza A vaccine. However, M2e is poorly immunogenic. In this study we assessed the potential of increasing immunogenicity of M2e by constructing a nanoscale-designed protein polymer containing the M2e sequence and an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) nanodomain consisting of alanine and tyrosine guest residues (ELP(A₂YA₂)₂₄). The ELP nanodomain was included to increase antigen size, and to exploit the inherent thermal inverse phase transition behavior of ELPs to purify the protein polymer. The ELP(A₂YA₂)₂₄ + M2e nanodomained molecule was recombinantly synthesized. Characterization of its inverse phase transition behavior demonstrated that attachment of M2e to ELP(A₂YA₂)₂₄ increased its transition temperature compared to ELP(A₂YA₂)₂₄. Using a dot blot test we determined that M2e conjugated to ELP is recognizable by M2e-specific antibodies, suggesting that the conjugation process does not adversely affect the immunogenic property of M2e. Further, upon vaccinating mice with ELP(A₂YA₂)₂₄ + M2e it was found that indeed the nanodomained protein enhanced M2e-specific antibodies in mouse serum compared to free M2e peptide and ELP(A₂YA₂)₂₄. The immune serum could also recognize M2 expressed on influenza virions. Overall, this data suggests the potential of using molecules containing M2e-ELP nanodomains to develop a universal influenza vaccine.