Capivasertib: The first AKT-targeting drug to hit the market

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Last week, the U.K. Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) granted approval to the first AKT inhibitor, named capivasertib, to treat breast cancer. 

The drug is the result of the collaboration between AstraZeneca and U.K.-based Astex Pharmaceuticals.

But what exactly is capivasertib?

Well, it basically targets the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, which is often dysregulated in various cancers, including breast cancer. AKT kinases are proteins involved in this pathway.

So, what role could AKT inhibitors play in oncology in a broader sense, and which other drugs of this type are currently being developed?

To find out more, read the full article: “First AKT-targeting drug capivasertib to hit the market, could it open the door for more?”

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🔥 More noteworthy articles from this week:

• 🧠 Is tau protein the key to defeating Alzheimer’s? Asceneuron thinks so and raises $100 million to prove it

Last week, the Swiss biotech Asceneuron bagged $100 million in a series C round. The company is focused on developing therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases and the funds will accelerate the development of their lead asset, ASN51, a promising candidate targeting tau proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

• 💊 Lenacapavir: Can Gilead’s drug end the HIV pandemic? 

As research into HIV advanced, the scientific community was able to come up with antiretroviral medicines to suppress the viral load, in turn improving immune function and reducing the risk of infections and cancers commonly associated with HIV. Now, in the most recent development, we could be on our way to preventing HIV altogether, as Gilead’s drug, lenacapavir, has demonstrated complete protection against infection. 

• 🤝 The ABC of biotech partnerships

There are many different types of biotech partnerships on offer, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Which type of partnership a company goes for is very much dependent on both its individual needs and also how much independence it wants. In this article, we take a look at eight different types of biotech partnerships. 

• 🎙️[Podcast]  Cutting through the AI hype in drug discovery 

The hype around generative AI and machine learning is driving unprecedented investor interest in AI. But are investors, and other drug discovery biotech companies, knowledgeable about AI and its role in drug discovery? To look at how AI is making a difference in medicine, and where the hype doesn’t meet expectations, we had a conversation with LabGenius founder and CEO, Dr. James Field. 

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