New understanding of antibiotic synthesis

Pharmaceutical Microbiology | January 10, 2020

Researchers at McGill University's Faculty of Medicine have made important strides in understanding the functioning of enzymes that play an integral role in the production of antibiotics and other therapeutics. "Many of the medicines that we rely on today are natural products, made by the Earth's flora," explains Dr. Martin Schmeing, Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at McGill and the study's senior author. "This includes compounds made in microbes by massive enzymes called nonribosomal peptide synthetases, or NRPSs. NRPSs synthesize all sorts of antibiotics, which can kill dangerous fungi and bacteria, as well as compounds to help us fight off viral infections and cancers. For example, these compounds include viomycin, an antibiotic used for the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis; cyclosporin, which has been widely used as an immunosuppressant in organ transplants; and the familiar antibiotic penicillin."

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PHARMA TECH

Douglas Pharmaceuticals Forms Lead Program R-107 Clinical Advisory Board

Douglas Pharmaceuticals | January 27, 2023

A clinical advisory board has been established to support Douglas Pharmaceuticals' lead program R-107, an oral extended-release dose of racemic ketamine being developed as an adjunctive or stand-alone therapy for treatment-resistant depression. Douglas Pharmaceuticals is a New Zealand-based pharmaceutical company specializing in the development of specialty generic and repurposed medications (TRD). Peter Surman, Chief Scientific Officer expressed, "We are very excited to bring together a group of world-class experts in the field of psychiatry, to help guide our late-stage development of R-107." "We believe their deep knowledge in the field, insights and contributions will be instrumental in charting an efficient course through pivotal clinical studies in TRD," he added. (Source – Cision PR Newswire) Some of the members of the clinical advisory board are as follows: • Prof. Paul Glue [MB, ChB (Otago), MD (Bristol), FRCPsych] • Prof. Alan F. Schatzberg, [MD] • Prof. Sanjay J. Mathew [MD] • Prof. Allan Young [MB, ChB, MPhil, Ph.D., FRCP (Edin.), FRCPC, FRCPsych] • Prof. Wiesław J. Cubała, [MD, PhD] • Prof. Colleen Loo [MBBS (Hons), FRANZCP, MD] About Douglas Pharmaceuticals New Zealand's largest private pharmaceutical and healthcare firm, Douglas Pharmaceuticals, employs over 700 people and exports to over 40 countries. The company provides creative, competitive, and high-quality healthcare solutions to 'improve lives'. It designs, manufactures, and distributes unique and generic products, preferring those with significant intellectual property and technological complexity in high-unmet need sectors. The company's presence in international markets continues to grow, exposing New Zealand to the world. It is dedicated to improving people's health all around the globe. Some of the products that the company works with cutting-edge partners to develop, make, market, and distribute are pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, automated compliance systems, and consumer healthcare items.

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BUSINESS INSIGHTS, PHARMA TECH

Neochromosome Announces Successful Collaboration with Sumitovant Biopharma

Sumitovant Biopharma, Inc. | January 20, 2023

On January 19, 2023, Neochromosome, Inc., announced a partnership with Sumitovant Biopharma, Inc., a technology-driven biopharmaceutical firm expediting the discovery and commercialization of novel therapeutics. This collaboration blends Neochromosome's neoYeast™ platform with Sumitovant's DrugOME™ computational ecosystem to identify new proteins that would benefit from non-canonical amino acid chemistries that are unavailable in nature. As part of the collaboration, Sumitovant used a combination of natural language processing (NLP), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and computational algorithms to identify opportunities for Neochromosome to enhance the discovery and production of proteins limited by evolution and traditional fabrication processes. For example, non-canonical amino acid inclusion allows new-to-nature proteins with improved structures and functions but often requires chemical synthesis, which is expensive, size- and complexity-restricted, and environmentally damaging. neoYeast™, based on Neochromosome's world-leading genome-scale cell engineering technology stack, enables the highly efficient and environmentally friendly integration of non-canonical amino acids into proteins, with both discovery and manufacturing possible in a single genome-engineered yeast strain. Sumitovant used DrugOME to explore libraries of traditional and non-traditional sources of data to recommend targeted protein development candidates for neoYeast. Co-Founder and CEO of Neochromosome, Leslie Mitchell, commented, "The combination of Sumitovant's technology platform and life-sciences expertise with Neochromosome's ability to both discover and biomanufacture novel proteins in a single system enables Neochromosome to accelerate and streamline the delivery of better therapies for patients." She added, "We are excited to partner with the world-class team at Sumitovant to identify opportunities to create better versions of existing drugs, along with new-to-nature compounds, and to manufacture them efficiently at scale." (Source – Business Wire) Sumitovant Biopharma, Inc. The firm has supported the development of multiple FDA-approved products and a strong pipeline of early-through late-stage investigational assets addressing unmet needs in pediatrics, oncology, urology, women's health, specialty respiratory, and infectious diseases through its proprietary computing and data platforms, scientific expertise, and diverse company portfolio. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Pharma.

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RESEARCH, PHARMA TECH

OM1 Releases Analytic Reports, Uncovering Medication Discontinuation in Patients

OM1 | February 06, 2023

OM1, a leading real-world data, results, and technology firm focused on chronic diseases, recently announced the release of its Reasons for Discontinuation (RfD) Analytic Reports. Utilizing the OM1 Real-World Data CloudTM, Immunology Real-World Data Network, and proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the RfD reports provide difficult-to-obtain, extremely valuable discontinuation trends for cDMARDs, bDMARDs, and tsDMARDs in primary dermatologic and rheumatologic conditions. Each year, millions of Americans cease their prescriptions prematurely, costing the pharmaceutical industry in the United States an estimated $250 billion in lost income and can affect the health of these patients. Therefore, it is crucial for pharmaceutical businesses to comprehend patient discontinuation patterns so they may act on information regarding tolerability, costs, and emerging contraindications to enhance the patient experience. Prior to this point, it was extremely difficult to extract these insights due to the fact that crucial information was not reflected in claims or any other sort of structured data but was only available in clinical notes. OM1 is elevating the clinical narrative into actionable insights that pharmaceutical companies can rely on to comprehend patient adherence and clinician prescribing behavior, thanks to its data cloud built on billions of data points from over 300 million patients and unique AI and modeling capabilities. The analyses, which are conducted across multiple strata, such as demographic groups, patient characteristics, medical histories, comorbidities and care pathways, extract insights from the extensive clinical data sets available to OM1 and notes from prescribing clinicians dating back to 2013. Currently, accessible RfD reports include psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis, with more to come, including schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar illness. About OM1 Founded in 2015, OM1 is a renowned health outcomes, and registries firm focused on treatment outcome measurement, comparison, and prediction. OM1 created the first intelligent data cloud for healthcare, leveraging big data, standardized outcomes measurement, and artificial intelligence technologies to provide more precise information and improve decision-making for stakeholders across the healthcare ecosystem. The company is reimagining real-world data and evidence in immunology, cardiometabolic, mental health and neurosciences, respiratory and ENT specialty areas by establishing vast electronically connected networks of clinicians and health data.

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