Scientists behind Purespring Therapeutics Ltd. have made progress in overcoming the problems of accessibility, complexity of structure and diversity of cell types that have held back the use of gene therapy in the kidneys, reporting success in treating nephrotic syndrome in a mouse model of the inherited form of the renal disease.

Gri Bio Inc. reported data on its type 2 natural killer T (NKT) cell activator GRI-0803 at the Autoimmunity Conference hosted by FASEB earlier in August. The company is developing GRI-0803 in autoimmune diseases, with an initial focus of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Biohaven Ltd. is advancing development of its first-in-class bispecific IgG degrader, BHV-1300, which has potential to treat multiple immune-mediated diseases. The pan-IgG degrader has demonstrated a competitive safety, manufacturable and pharmacodynamic profile, and BHV-1300 dosage regimens are expected to allow co-administration with existing standards of care. An IND submission is planned for the second half of this year.

Researchers from Anhui Medical University (AMU) presented data from a study that aimed to assess the role of gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) and its receptor GRPR in acute kidney injury (AKI).

The Hubmap consortium has released the atlas of three human organs, a cell-by-cell map based on overlaid images from microscopy and molecular data. Maps of the intestine, the kidney and the placenta, published in three simultaneous articles, have revealed the cellular morphology and architecture of these organs in healthy and diseased conditions.

Given the high prevalence of chronic kidney disease and the impact of renal fibrosis on the prognosis of these patients, there is a need for novel diagnostic tools to be able to detect pathological changes earlier and thus avoid progression to later stages of the disease.

Cholemic nephropathy (CN) is an acute renal dysfunction that occurs after high bile acid (BA) levels provoke epithelial cell damage and tubular obstruction in the kidneys.