The use of live cells for therapeutic purposes can be traced back to 1968, when patients were first successfully treated with allogeneic human hematopoietic stem cell transplants. This practice has now become an integral part of clinical procedures in the space of bone marrow regeneration and organ transplantation. Cell-based therapies are an emerging segment of the overall biopharmaceutical industry. Post the approval of first cell-based therapy, Carticel, in 1997 in the US, the field has rapid

Drug delivery systems optimized to provide flexibility in dosing regimen, reduce the number of hospital visits, decrease dependence on healthcare professionals and enhance adherence to the therapeutic regimen have become the preferred choice of drug administration. The large scale adoption of prefilled syringes, the first ready-to-use injection device to be marketed, demonstrated the growing interest in the concept of such convenient drug delivery systems. In addition, several pen-injectors and

Lupus is a serious, potentially fatal, autoimmune disease that attacks healthy tissue. The different types of the disease covered in the tracker include systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE), lupus nephritis and lupus vulgaris. Several drugs, including anti-inflammatory drugs (aspirin and acetaminophen), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (ibuprofen, naproxen, indomethacin, nabumetone and celecoxib), corticostero

The concept of immunotherapies dates back to the 18th century; however, since inception, the field has evolved tremendously and is currently cited as one of the most rapidly growing segments of the pharmaceutical industry. Harnessing immune system components for developing therapeutic solutions has demonstrated significant clinical benefit for various diseases areas, specifically against a number of oncological indications. Immunotherapeutics have gradually gained a strong foothold in the pharma

Injectable drug delivery systems have traversed a long way from conventional syringes with vials to prefilled syringes, autoinjectors, pen injectors and needle free systems. These modern devices have become preferred devices for parenteral administration of drugs. Specifically, the demand for prefilled syringes has been rising strongly over the past several years. A growing number of healthcare facilities are now adopting this format for delivering drugs. The popularity of prefilled syringes is

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune, inflammatory disorder wherein various components of the immune system begin to attack the body’s own cells and tissues. The disease is characterized by pain and swelling in and around the joints. It is a systemic disease and is known to affect several joints at the same time or different joints at different times. Hence, it is also termed as migratory or flitting polyarthritis. It has been estimated that RA affects over 1% of the world population

Since the discovery of penicillin in 1948, antibiotics have emerged as a crucial class of pharmacological interventions responsible for treating several infectious conditions. In addition, antibiotics are also used for prophylactic purposes in patients who have undergone surgery, or immunocompromised patients (cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy). However, the inappropriate use of antibiotics, both in healthcare and food production, has rapidly accelerated an evolutionary response of antibio

The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) is one of the key protein degradation pathway involved in the control of protein homeostasis and turnover that mediates the regulation of several cellular processes. The UPS consists of two separate consecutive steps, ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. Due to its involvement in multiple metabolic and regulatory functions, the UPS is considered as a vital part of the cellular machinery controlling protein homeostasis. Targeting specific components of

The discovery of the second messengers, cAMP and cGMP, in 1958 led to a deeper understanding of the signal transduction processes behind physiological stimulation and response. Later, the identification of phosphodiesterases (PDEs) and the establishment of their role in diseases led to the development of drugs targeting this class of enzymes. PDEs are a complex superfamily of metallophosphohydrolase enzymes that regulate the activity of second messengers. The superfamily consists of 11 different

Gene therapy has emerged as a promising treatment option for various diseases (primarily the ones that currently have no cure) including cancers, inherited disorders and some viral infections. Gene therapies and genetically modified therapies involve the introduction of therapeutic DNA (gene of interest) into the patient’s body. There have been a number of successful trials in several systems showing the efficient transfer and expression of a variety of human genes into target cells. This

Cancer is an extremely complex disease and medical science is still trying to understand the numerous factors responsible for its origin, propagation, spread (metastasis) and relapse. In 2016, an estimated 1.7 million new cancer cases were reported in the US alone. Furthermore, as projected by the World Health Organization (WHO), the annual incidence of cancer worldwide is expected to rise to 24 million by 2035. Currently, there is a huge unmet need for advanced and efficient treatment intervent

Owing to the indispensable need of every individual to remain healthy, the healthcare sector has been a key element in the overall growth of society and economy. With the ever increasing global population that currently stands at 7.4 billion, healthcare management is a primary challenge as more and more people become aware about fitness and health. In order to address this challenge, the industry is obligated to revise, restructure and improve its services and methodologies. The trend has recent

An imbalance in the production and / or drainage of aqueous humor within the eye is known to lead to an increase in intraocular pressure (IOP). Acutely elevated IOP, a condition broadly known as ocular hypertension, may either lead to the expulsion of ocular contents through a traumatic opening or result in a number of clinical conditions / disorders including glaucoma. Currently available treatment options include ocular hypotensive medications, laser therapy and surgical interventions. However

Epigenetics is defined as a heritable change in the gene expression and its activity without alteration in the DNA sequence. The different epigenetic mechanisms through which gene expression can be modulated primarily include histone modification, DNA methylation, alteration of chromatin architecture and involvement of small-interfering or non-coding RNAs. Enzymes such as histone acetyltransferases (HATs), histone methyltransferases (HMTs), histone deacetylases (HDACs) and histone demethylases (

Diabetes, considered to be the most common metabolic disorder in humans, is ranked among the top ten fatal diseases in the US. The increasing incidence, growing prevalence and the progressive nature of the disease has spurred several pharmaceutical companies to develop novel approaches / therapies to provide better treatment options for diabetic patients worldwide. While insulin supplements and insulin based therapies represent a major portion of the anti-diabetic drugs market, non-insulin thera

Oncology market, for decades, has been pillared on three areas: Surgery, Radiation Therapy and Chemotherapy. Immuno-oncology, especially immune checkpoint inhibitors, has recently gained traction from several stakeholders. Immune checkpoints are molecules that regulate (stimulate or inactivate) the immune cells. Yervoy (an anti CTLA-4 inhibitor) was the first immune checkpoint inhibitor that was made commercially available in 2011 for treatment of patients suffering from unresectable or metastat

After years of research tracing back to the 18th century, a gamut of novel therapies namely, CAR-T, TCR and TIL therapies, have finally reached a point of maturity. These promising therapeutic strategies, developed under the banner of T-cell immunotherapies, are set to hit the market in the near future.T-cells, also named as the soldiers of the immune system, are featured with specificity and functionally combat infections, cancerous cells and other foreign entities. High therapeutic potential a

Vaccines have always been viewed as a low-margin business characterized by high entry barriers. Developmental and production related complexities, combined with significant fixed costs and stringent regulatory standards,have limited competition among vaccine manufacturers. In addition, these complexities have also restricted innovation in this space to a great extent. However, recent advances in biotechnology and biomanufacturing have resulted in the development of advanced technologies capable

As defined by the National Nanotechnology Initiative, nanotechnology is the branch of science that deals with materials smaller than 100 nanometers. Nanomedicines are nano-sized particles that help in the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of therapeutic agents. The discovery of several nanocarriers such as polymers, proteins, micelles, dendrimers, liposomes, emulsions, nanoparticles, each with a unique structure, has provided the drug developers with options to improve the pharmacokinetics and

DNA is the repository of genetic information in all living cells. Genomic integrity and stability are amongst the key considerations for effective and coordinated biological function. However, DNA is not inert. Cells are continuously exposed to several endogenous and exogenous insults that often cause DNA damage. Despite its role in cellular signalling, ROS, a by-product of mitochondrial respiration, is known to cause severe oxidative DNA damage. Lesions in genomic DNA may also be caused by hydr