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Academic biomedical scientists are increasingly being encouraged to engage in translational research. However, there are underappreciated downsides for investigators if their translational efforts do not lead to positive results in pivotal clinical trials.
Driven by recent clinical breakthroughs and technological progress, 30 antibody–drug conjugates against over 24 targets are now in trials for blood cancers and solid tumours.
Henry Chesbrough, a professor at the University of California in Berkeley and popularizer of 'open innovation', discusses the trends and limitations of the business approach.
This article analyses the evolution of the market for genomic sequencing technologies in the light of major reductions in sequencing costs and time, and the growth in potential pharmacogenomics applications.
Extracellular vesicles have emerged as important mediators of intercellular communication, and they are now implicated in numerous biological and pathological processes. Here, Wood and colleagues focus on the role of extracellular vesicles in diseases including cancer, HIV and neurodegenerative disorders, and consider how extracellular vesicles might be targeted or directly exploited for therapeutic intervention.
Rapid advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) are facilitating deeper insights into the molecular classifications of cancer and the mechanisms of resistance development, thereby paving the way for a new era of personalized medicine. In this Perspective, Simon and Roychowdhury explore how genomic information can be used in the design of clinical trials for molecularly targeted anticancer drugs as well as for the development of new biomarkers.
Re-establishing effective platforms for antibiotic discovery is crucial for combating the growing threats from antibiotic resistance. Here, Lewis discusses the lessons learned from the golden era of antibiotic discovery and reasons for the failure of previous platforms, and proposes strategies to create new platforms or revitalize old ones, including harnessing untapped sources of natural products as well as developing species-selective and prodrug antibiotics.
Tuberculosis (TB) continues to cause considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide and there is an urgent need for novel therapies and treatment regimens of shorter duration. Here, Zumla, Nahid and Cole discuss current concepts and recent advances in TB drug discovery, development and clinical trial evaluation, and provide an update of new agents and approaches currently being investigated.
