thebiostories

Can Hepatitis B Finally Be Cured? How an antisense drug moved from an experimental molecule to successful Phase 3 trials. ⏱ In 30 Seconds ✓ Bepirovirsen is an antisense oligonucleotide designed to target hepatitis B virus (HBV) RNA. ✓ In two Phase 3 trials, functional cure was achieved in 20% and 19% of treated participants, compared with 0% in placebo groups. ✓ Bepirovirsen is now under regulatory review, although questions remain about how many patients will benefit and its safety profile . Chronic hepatitis B can be effectively controlled with antiviral drugs such as tenofovir and entecavir, which suppress HBV replication and substantially reduce the risk of liver disease. However, these treatments rarely produce a functional cure, and many patients require long-term therapy. Bepirovirsen is an antisense oligonucleotide that targets HBV RNA, with the aim of reducing both viral replication and the production of viral proteins. In 2026, two large Phas...

What Is the Most Common Virus That Causes Cancer? HPV causes more cancers worldwide than any other virus — but it is only one of several infections capable of contributing to human cancer. Cancer is usually thought of as a disease of damaged genes. But sometimes the chain of events that leads to cancer begins with something entirely different: an infection. Most familiar viral infections are not associated with cancer. The viruses that cause the common cold, influenza viruses and coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV-2 are not established cancer-causing viruses. But a small group of viruses can, under the right circumstances and often over many years, contribute to the development of cancer. Among them, HPV is responsible for the largest number of cancer cases worldwide. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), almost 750,000 new cancer cases worldwide in 2020 were attributable to HPV infection. HPV is not alone. Hepatitis B and C viruses can cause li...

🌏 Available in: English | 한국어 생명을 구한 발견에서 치료 표적으로 GM-CSF 이야기 ⏱ 30초 요약 ✓ GM-CSF 는 처음에는 백혈구의 생성과 기능을 돕는 성장인자로 발견되었습니다. ✓ 이후 연구를 통해 GM-CSF는 대식세포와 단핵구를 비롯한 다양한 면역세포의 염증 반응을 조절하는 중요한 사이토카인이라는 사실이 밝혀졌습니다. ✓ 이러한 발견은 류마티스관절염과 같은 염증성 질환에서 GM-CSF 또는 그 수용체를 차단하는 치료제 개발로 이어졌습니다. ✓ GM-CSF의 이야기는 하나의 분자가 어떤 상황에서는 생명을 구하는 치료제가 되고, 또 다른 상황에서는 치료 표적이 될 수 있음을 보여주는 대표적인 사례입니다. 호주의 과학자 도널드 메트칼프(Don Metcalf) 와 그의 동료들이 과립구-대식세포 집락자극인자(Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor, GM-CSF) 를 발견했을 때, 그리고 G-CSF와 같은 다른 집락자극인자들을 연구했을 때만 해도, 연구자들은 이것이 백혈구 생성을 조절하는 또 하나의 성장인자라고 생각했습니다. 당시로서는 그 해석이 완전히 맞는 것처럼 보였습니다. GM-CSF는 골수에서 과립구와 대식세포의 생성을 촉진하여 항암화학요법이나 골수이식 후 감소한 면역세포를 회복시키는 분자로 이해되었습니다. 실제로 GM-CSF는 뛰어난 임상적 가능성을 보여주었습니다. 세계적인 테너 호세 카레라스(José Carreras)는 백혈병 치료 과정에서 GM-CSF가 사용된 초기 임상시험에 참여했고, 이는 혈액세포 생물학의 기초 연구가 실제 환자의 생명을 살리는 치료로 이어질 수 있음을 보여주는 대표적인 사례가 되었습니다. GM-CSF에 대한 연구가 계속되면서 백혈구 생성 이외의 역할도 밝혀지기 시작했습니다. 많은 염증성 질환에서는 면역세포의 수뿐 아니라 이들 세포의 행동에도 변화가 나타났습니다. 이들...

🌏 Available in: English | 한국어 From Life-Saving Discovery to Drug Target The Story of GM-CSF ⏱ In 30 Seconds ✓ GM-CSF was first discovered as a growth factor that supports the production and function of white blood cells. ✓ It later became clear that GM-CSF also changes how macrophages, monocytes and other immune cells behave during inflammation. ✓ This led scientists to develop antibodies that block GM-CSF or its receptor in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. ✓ The story shows how the same biological pathway can help patients in one setting but become a therapeutic target in another. When Australian scientist Professor Don Metcalf and his colleagues first discovered granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) , together with other colony-stimulating factors such as G-CSF , they believed they had identified another growth factor involved in white blood cell production. For years, that assumption appeared to be correct. GM-CSF was...

Why Can a Simple Sore Throat Damage the Heart? Rheumatic Heart Disease: Global Burden, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention ⏱ In 30 Seconds ✓ Rheumatic heart disease can develop after acute rheumatic fever, an abnormal immune reaction that may follow infection with Group A Streptococcus . ✓ The disease affects more than 40 million people worldwide and causes hundreds of thousands of deaths each year. ✓ Early disease may cause no symptoms, but progressive valve damage can lead to breathlessness, fatigue, swelling and an irregular heartbeat. ✓ Echocardiography is the most important tool for detecting and monitoring heart-valve damage. ✓ Early treatment of streptococcal infections and long-term penicillin prophylaxis can prevent recurrent rheumatic fever and reduce further valve injury. A Personal Note I spent several years studying the immune response behind acute rheumatic fever. Before I became involved in this research, I had not fully apprecia...

🌏 Available in: English | 한국어 왜 약 이름은 '-mab', '-nib', '-clax'로 끝날까? 복잡해 보이는 약 이름에도 일정한 규칙이 숨어 있습니다. ⏱ 30초 요약 ✓ 대부분의 전문의약품 이름은 국제적으로 정해진 규칙에 따라 만들어집니다. ✓ 이름에 포함된 stem(어간) 은 약물의 계열이나 작용 방식을 알려주는 중요한 단서입니다. ✓ -nib 은 주로 kinase 억제제, -toclax 는 BCL-2 계열 단백질 억제제를 의미합니다. ✓ 우리가 익숙한 -mab 은 단일클론항체를 의미하지만, 최근에는 새로운 항체 명명 체계가 도입되고 있습니다. 개인적인 이야기 이 글은 제가 스스로에게 던진 작은 질문에서 시작됐습니다. 왜 이렇게 많은 약 이름이 -mab , -nib , -clax 처럼 비슷하게 끝날까? 무작위로 붙인 이름은 아닐 거라고 생각했지만, 각각이 정확히 무엇을 의미하는지는 저도 제대로 알아보고 싶었습니다. 전 세계에서 사용되는 대부분의 전문의약품 이름은 국제적인 규칙에 따라 만들어지며, 이름 속에는 약물이 어떤 종류인지 알려주는 정보가 담겨 있습니다. 세계보건기구(WHO)의 국제일반명(INN, International Nonproprietary Names) 과 미국의 USAN(United States Adopted Names) 체계는 새로운 약물의 일반명을 정하는 역할을 합니다. 우리가 흔히 사용하는 venetoclax , pembrolizumab , imatinib 같은 이름이 바로 이런 규칙에 따라 만들어진 일반명(Generic name)입니다. 반면 Venclexta , Keytruda , Gleevec 은 제약회사가 사용하는 상품명(Brand name)입니다. 이 명명 체계에서 가장 중요한 요소 가운데 하나가 바로 stem(어간) 입니다. Stem은 이름에 공통적으로 ...

🌏 Available in: English | 한국어 Decoding Drug Names: Why “-mab,” “-nib” and “-clax” Aren’t Random Generic drug names may look complicated, but many contain clues about how the medicine works. ⏱ In 30 Seconds ✓ Generic drug names are created through internationally coordinated systems rather than chosen purely for marketing. ✓ Shared word fragments called stems can indicate a drug’s pharmacological family or mechanism. ✓ Names ending in -nib usually identify kinase inhibitors, while -toclax identifies BCL-2-family inhibitors. ✓ Older antibody medicines commonly end in -mab , although the WHO has introduced a new naming system for newly named antibodies. ✓ A stem provides a useful clue, but it does not reveal the complete target, indication, safety profile or route of administration. A Personal Note This article started with a question I asked myself: why do so many drug names seem to end in the same way? I knew names such as -mab , -nib and -clax w...

Venetoclax: How a “Molecular Off-Switch” Is Changing Blood Cancer Treatment How blocking BCL-2 allows blood cancer cells to restart their own self-destruct programme ⏱ In 30 Seconds ✓ Venetoclax is a targeted medicine that blocks BCL-2 , a survival protein used by some blood cancers. ✓ By inhibiting BCL-2, Venetoclax helps cancer cells restart apoptosis , their natural self-destruct programme. ✓ It is used in adults with CLL/SLL and in selected older or medically unfit adults with newly diagnosed AML . ✓ Venetoclax-based combinations have helped make fixed-duration treatment possible for many people with CLL. ✓ Because it can kill large numbers of cancer cells rapidly, treatment must be carefully managed to reduce the risk of tumour lysis syndrome . A Personal Note I recently came across a blog where people living with blood cancer and their families were sharing their experiences. Reading their stories made me think about what a drug like Venetoclax c...