The specialized region of the muscle where the motor neuron communicates the activation signal is at the neuromuscular junction. This is a specialized synapse between a nerve and muscle. In neuromuscular diseases there are deficits in both the motor neuron side (pre-synaptic) and on the muscle side (post-synaptic). © NDM Pharma

Researchers at NDM Pharma A/S and Aarhus University have demonstrated that their oral CIC-1 blocker NMD670 restores crosstalk between neurons and muscles in Myasthenia gravis.

In future, gene vectors for novel gene therapies will be developed and produced for clinical trials on an industrial scale by around 100 employees in the new gene therapy development centre at Roche in Penzberg, which covers around 2,500 square metres. © Roche

Basel-headquartered Roche AG has inaugurated a brand new €90m gene therapy development centre in Penzberg near Munich.

Canadian Fusion Therapeutics Inc is utilising the advantages of alpha medical isotopes to develop targeted alpha therapies. The company uses targeting molecules, such as antibodies, armed with potent alpha emitting isotopes to precisely and effectively induce cancer cell death by induction of DNA double strand breaks. © Fusion Therapeutics Inc

British pharma giant AstraZeneca has announced to acquire radio-conjugate specialist Fusion Therapeutics Inc for US$2bn upfront.

Primary astrocyte cells. © Dr Eva Latorre, Harries lab/Senisca Ltd

Exeter-based university spin-out Senisca Ltd has added £3.7m seed money to a £1.1m not dilutive funding to advance its pipeline of drugs targetting RNA splicing dysregulation.

AstraZeneca Cambridge headquarters © wikipedia.org/D_Wells

French endocrine diseases specialist Amolyt Pharma SA has entered into a take-over agreement by AstraZeneca.

Osteoporosis © Daria - stock.adobe.com

London-based virtual drug discovery specialist Relation Therapeutics Ltd has closed another US$35m seed financing round, bringing its total seed fundraise to US$60m.

Treatment with the agonistic TREM2 antibody 4D9 leads to the formation of smaller necrotic cores (red outlines) in atherosclerotic plaques of the aortic root in Ldlr-/- mice. © Nature Cardiovascular Research

TREM2, a receptor on the surface of macrophages, reduces necrotic core formation in early atherosclerosis, a German-Austrian reseach team reports.

© Stephanie Kath-Schorr

German researchers for the first time have expanded the half life of oligonucleotide-based drugs using artificial building blocks that mimic the features of RNA/DNA but are not digestible by enzymes.

© SynaptixBio Ltd

Rare disease specialist SynaptixBio Ltd has got its second FDA orphan drug designation for a subtype of TUBB4A leukodystrophy.

Pieere Fabre' R&D centre at Oncopole in Toulouse. © Par Don-vip - wikipedia.org

Pierre Fabre Médicament SAS has entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement (APA) over pan-RAF programs developed by Kinnate Biopharma Inc.