Darin Walid Aswa

Dr. Darin Walid Aswa

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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23 September 2024 in The Journal of Physiological Sciences
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
NLNoha Lasheen
Noha Lasheen
SASalma Allam
Salma Allam
Abdulrahman ElgarawanyAbdulrahman Elgarawany
Abdulrahman Elgarawany
DADarin Walid Aswa
Darin Walid Aswa
RMRana Mansour
Rana Mansour
ZFZiad Farouk
Ziad Farouk
Neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and Parkinson’s disease (PD) have no disease-modifying treatments, resulting in a global dementia crisis that affects more than 50 million people. Amyloid-beta (Aβ), tau, and alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) are three crucial proteins that are involved in the pathogenesis of these age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Only a few approved AD medications have been used in the clinic up to this point, and their results are only partial symptomatic alleviation for AD patients and cannot stop the progression of AD. Immunotherapies have attracted considerable interest as they target certain protein strains and conformations as well as promote clearance. Immunotherapies also have the potential to be neuroprotective: as they limit synaptic damage and spread of neuroinflammation by neutralizing extracellular protein aggregates. Lately, disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) that can alter the pathophysiology that underlies AD with anti-Aβ monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) (e.g., aducanumab, lecanemab, gantenerumab, donanemab, solanezumab, crenezumab, tilavonemab). Similarly, in Parkinson's disease (PD), DMTs utilizing anti-αSyn (MAbs) (e.g., prasinezumab, cinpanemab,) are progressively being developed and evaluated in clinical trials. These therapies are based on the hypothesis that both AD and PD may involve systemic impairments in cell-dependent clearance mechanisms of amyloid-beta (Aβ) and alpha-synuclein (αSyn), respectively, meaning the body's overall inability to effectively remove Aβ and αSyn due to malfunctioning cellular mechanisms. In this review we will provide possible evidence behind the use of immunotherapy with MAbs in AD and PD and highlight the recent clinical development landscape of anti-Aβ (MAbs) and anti-αSyn (MAbs) from these clinical trials in order to better investigate the therapeutic possibilities and adverse effects of these anti-Aβ and anti-αSyn MAbs on AD and PD.

29 April 2025 in BMC Gastroenterology
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
MEMohamed A. Abu Elainein
Mohamed A. Abu Elainein
SESama S. ElSherefy
Sama S. ElSherefy
NYNorhan M. Yousef
Norhan M. Yousef
SESama M. ElKady
Sama M. ElKady
NHNada G. Hamam
Nada G. Hamam
SASalma Allam
Salma Allam
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a widespread incurable chronic inflammation of the colon mucosa. Currently, oral small-molecule medications targeting Janus kinase or sphingosine-1-phosphate and monoclonal antibodies to TNF-α,α4β7 integrins and Ustekinumab are the lines of treatment for UC. Up to 50% of patients either do not react to initial treatment or lose response over time, emphasizing the need for innovative treatment. Mirikizumab, a humanized IgG4-variant monoclonal antibody, binds to subunit p19 of interleukin-23. This systematic review aims to evaluate Mirikizumab compared to placebo in treating moderate-to-severe active UC. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and using the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Study design (PICOS) model for inclusion and exclusion criteria, we systematically reviewed the literature. Our inclusion criteria encompassed randomized controlled trials assessing Mirikizumab efficacy in treating UC across demographics. We employed the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool (RoB1) to investigate bias within included studies across its seven domains. The statistical analysis was conducted using Review Manager Version 5 software. Four studies were included, comparing patients treated with mirikizumab to placebo groups. All doses of mirikizumab administered intravenously demonstrated clinical remission, specifically, the 200 mg and 300 mg doses showed significant efficacy, with risk ratios of 4.74 (95% CI [1.43, 15.69]) and 1.82 (95% CI [1.33, 2.50]), respectively. During the maintenance phase of extension trials, symptoms subsided with a subcutaneous 200 mg dose (RR = 1.46, 95% CI [0.47, 4.51], P = 0.51). To conclude, mirikizumab demonstrates significant efficacy in treating UC, substaintially improving clinical, endoscopic, and histological outcomes.

18 January 2025 in SLAS Discovery
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
Doaa S. R. KhafagaDoaa S. R. Khafaga
Doaa S. R. Khafaga
Ghazala MuteebGhazala Muteeb
Ghazala Muteeb
DADarin Walid Aswa
Darin Walid Aswa
MAMohammad Aatif
Mohammad Aatif
MFMohd Farhan
Mohd Farhan
SASalma Allam
Salma Allam
Brain metastasis (BM) from colon cancer is associated with a poor prognosis and restricted treatment alternatives, largely due to issues related to blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability and the negative effects of standard chemotherapy. Nanotechnology improves treatment efficacy by enabling targeted and controlled drug delivery. This review article evaluates the potential of nanotechnology-based therapies for treating colon cancer BM, emphasizing their capacity to cross the BBB, diminish metastatic growth, and enhance overall survival rates. A review of multiple studies evaluated nanoparticles (NPs) as carriers for chemotherapy, focusing on parameters including particle size, surface charge, and drug-loading capacity. The study also reviewed studies that examined BBB penetration, in vitro tumor accumulation, and in vivo tumor growth inhibition. In vitro findings indicated that NPs accumulate more efficiently in BM tissue than in healthy brain tissue and show significant BBB penetration. In vivo, nanotherapy markedly inhibited tumor growth and prolonged survival relative to conventional chemotherapy or control treatments while also exhibiting reduced side effects. Recent studies demonstrated that plant extracts can effectively and safely synthesize nanomaterials, positioning them as a viable and environmentally friendly precursor for nanomaterial production. Nanotechnology-based therapies demonstrate significant potential in the treatment of colon cancer BM by minimizing systemic toxicity, enhancing therapeutic efficacy, and facilitating more targeted drug delivery. Further research is required to confirm these findings and implement them in clinical practice.

25 October 2025
Verified
Book Chapter
Closed access
PDF file
Doaa S. R. KhafagaDoaa S. R. Khafaga
Doaa S. R. Khafaga
IQIsraa Ahmed Qutob
Israa Ahmed Qutob
SKSamr Kolkas
Samr Kolkas
FSFatema Shehab
Fatema Shehab
DADarin Walid Aswa
Darin Walid Aswa
Abdulrahman ElgarawanyAbdulrahman Elgarawany
Abdulrahman Elgarawany