What’s up in 2018?

Huge hype has been around in the past few years aroung therapeutic approaches targeting the human microbiome to cure antibiotic resistant, complex Clostridium difficile infections. However, 2018 will see the first BLA/MAA for a fecal transplantation curing the disorder in 91% of cases. Clinical trials investigating microbiome-targeted approaches in autoimmune, infectious and neurological disorders are currently underway.

The MS antibody Natalizumab is a prominent example how blocking the blood-brain-barrier could improve clinical outcome. Now, world-reknown medical experts support a new approach to diagnose and treat a huge range of common diseases that all seem to be linked to endothelial dysfunction. Clinical datasets from more than 10,000 patients with sepsis and with decompensated acute heart failure suggest that a peptide hormone adrenomedullin, which restores leaky blood vessels, could serve both as a diagnostic marker to identify patients that need most medical support as well as a therapeutic target to correct vascular dysfunction. Proof-of concept Phase II trials have just been initiated with the antibody Adrecizumab and diagnostics majors are already conducting confirmation studies with the biomarker adrenomedullin for endothelial dysfunction.

 [FH1]Verweis auf clinicaltrials.gov –  NCT03085758? https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?cond=&term=NCT03085758&cntry=&state=&city=&dist=

Exosomes are tiny vesicles that enable targeted cell-to-cell signal transfer and are thought to be a novel target in prevention of metastasis. Results from early clinical trails in several cancers are expected to be published next year.

The team of European Biotechnology Magazine wish you an exciting and a happy New Year.