Table of contents
June 2007 Vol 6 No 6
In this issue
p417 | doi:10.1038/nrd2351
Editorial: A step in the right direction
p419 | doi:10.1038/nrd2352
News and Analysis
Mixed bag for industry as key drug act moves towards reauthorization | PDF (170 KB)
p421 | doi:10.1038/nrd2346
News Feature
Finding new formulas for pharma success | PDF (114 KB)
p423 | doi:10.1038/nrd2347
News in Brief
AstraZeneca to acquire MedImmune in multibillion dollar deal | FDA requests more data for pioneering cancer vaccine | GlaxoSmithKline and Wellcome Trust partner to tackle antibiotic resistance | Upbeat month for Bristol-Myers Squibb | Massachusetts announces billion-dollar life-sciences initiative | First drug recommended for approval under Europe's accelerated program | PDF (411 KB)
p424 | doi:10.1038/nrd2348
Patent watch
Supreme Court decides on obviousness | Lundbeck looses Cipralex protection | Matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors | PDF (202 KB)
p426 | doi:10.1038/nrd2349
From the analyst's couch
Paediatric drug development | PDF (187 KB)
p429 | doi:10.1038/nrd2333
Fresh from the Pipeline
Lapatinib | PDF (182 KB)
p431 | doi:10.1038/nrd2332
Research Highlights
Lead discovery: Protein rescue to treat genetic disorders | PDF (110 KB)
p433 | doi:10.1038/nrd2339
Lead discovery: Screening by signature | PDF (139 KB)
p434 | doi:10.1038/nrd2340
Neurodegenerative disorders: Astrocytes turn nasty | PDF (113 KB)
p434 | doi:10.1038/nrd2343
Inflammatory diseases: MIF's receptors revealed | PDF (124 KB)
p435 | doi:10.1038/nrd2341
HIV: Natural barrier to HIV-1 entry | PDF (136 KB)
p436 | doi:10.1038/nrd2342
In brief
Angiogenesis | Neurodegenerative disease | Learning and memory | Neurological disease | PDF (145 KB)
p436 | doi:10.1038/nrd2344
Perspectives
Opinion
The FDA's assessment of follow-on protein products: a historical perspective
Janet Woodcock, Joseph Griffin, Rachel Behrman, Barry Cherney, Terrie Crescenzi, Blair Fraser, Dena Hixon, Christopher Joneckis, Steven Kozlowski, Amy Rosenberg, Lewis Schrager, Emily Shacter, Robert Temple, Keith Webber & Helen Winkle
p437 | doi:10.1038/nrd2307
The scientific and regulatory issues associated with the possible introduction of 'follow-on' versions of protein drug products are currently attracting much attention. Past examples are discussed of the FDA's actions involving the evaluation of various types of follow-on and second-generation protein products and within-product manufacturing changes with a view to illustrating the FDA's scientific reasoning in this area.
Progress
Interfering with disease: a progress report on siRNA-based therapeutics
Antonin de Fougerolles, Hans-Peter Vornlocher, John Maraganore & Judy Lieberman
p443 | doi:10.1038/nrd2310
RNA interference (RNAi) has rapidly advanced since its initial discovery to form the basis of a new class of therapeutics. De Fougerolles and colleagues discuss the challenges in the development of RNAi-based therapeutics, focusing on lead identification/optimization and effective delivery, and review the latest clinical results.
Reviews
Microenvironmental regulation of biomacromolecular therapies
Hyun Joon Kong & David J. Mooney
p455 | doi:10.1038/nrd2309
The cellular microenvironment plays a critical role in cellular responses to therapy. A greater understanding of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and ECM–cell interactions could facilitate the design of novel drug delivery systems for biomacromolecular therapies, and interventions to manipulate the microenvironment may further improve the efficiency of such therapies.
Untangling tau hyperphosphorylation in drug design for neurodegenerative diseases
Michael P. Mazanetz & Peter M. Fischer
p464 | doi:10.1038/nrd2111
Aggregation of hyperphosphorylated tau is involved in neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease and other disorders. The authors discuss the progress in the design of selective kinase inhibitors that suppress tau hyperphosphorylation as a therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative tauopathies.
Matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors as therapy for inflammatory and vascular diseases
Jialiang Hu, Philippe E. Van den Steen, Qing-Xiang A. Sang & Ghislain Opdenakker
p480 | doi:10.1038/nrd2308
Although clinical trials using matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors (MMPIs) for cancer therapy were disappointing, Opdenakker and colleagues discuss how the use of selective MMPIs might lead to new treatments for acute and chronic inflammatory and vascular diseases.
Careers and Recruitment
Correspondence
Correspondence: Magic bullets or novel multimodal drugs with various CNS targets for Parkinson's disease?
Moussa B. H. Youdim & Cornelis J. (Neels) Van der Schyf
| doi:10.1038/nrd2330
Corrigendum: The vanilloid receptor TRPV1: 10 years from channel cloning to antagonist proof-of-concept
Arpad Szallasi, Daniel N. Cortright, Charles A. Blum & Samer R. Eid
| doi:10.1038/nrd2337
Corrigendum: High-throughput electronic biology: mining information for drug discovery
William Loging, Lee Harland & Bryn Williams-Jones
| doi:10.1038/nrd2345
