With the increasing research and development (R&D) difficulty of new molecular entities (NMEs), novel drug delivery systems (DDSs) are attracting widespread attention. This review investigated the current distribution of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved pharmaceutical products and evaluated the technical barrier for the entry of generic drugs and highlighted the success and failure of advanced drug delivery systems. According to the ratio of generic to new drugs and the four-quadrant classification scheme for evaluating the commercialization potential of DDSs, the results showed that the traditional dosage forms (e.g., conventional tablets, capsules and injections) with a lower technology barrier were easier to reproduce, while advanced drug delivery systems (e.g., inhalations and nanomedicines) with highly technical barriers had less competition and greater market potential. Our study provides a comprehensive insight into FDA-approved products and deep analysis of the technical barriers for advanced drug delivery systems. In the future, the R&D of new molecular entities may combine advanced delivery technologies to make drug candidates into more therapeutically effective formulations.

Summarizing the status of drugs in the market and examining the trend of drug research and development is important in drug discovery. In this study, we compared the drug targets and the market sales of the new molecular entities approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from January 2000 to December 2009. Two networks, namely, the target–target and drug–drug networks, have been set up using the network analysis tools. The multi-target drugs have much more potential, as shown by the network visualization and the market trends. We discussed the possible reasons and proposed the rational strategies for drug research and development in the future.

Through reviewing the current international market for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), this paper identified the internationalization challenges for TCM, including unclear therapeutic material basis and mechanism, difficulty of quality control, low preparation level, registration/policy barriers, and shortage of intellectual property. To deal with these challenges, suggestions were given including: (1) product innovation of TCM (study the TCM by using the methods and means of western medicine; innovate the basic theory of TCM; develop TCM health product); (2) standard innovation of TCM; (3) building big data platform of Chinese medicine (big data platform of TCM preparation; big data platform on the quality of TCM).

Yinchenhao decoction (YCHD) is a classical Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula that has been widely used in the treatment of liver fibrosis caused by chronic hepatitis B and jaundice for more than 1800 years. The purpose of this study was to investigate the apoptosis regulation mechanisms of YCHD and its active components suppresses liver fibrosis. The active components and putative targets of YCHD were predicted by network pharmacology approach. Functional and pathway enrichment analysis were presented in the present study by using clusterProfiler. Further, experimental validation was done by using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TDT) dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) assay and western blotting in dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced liver fibrosis rats, and cell proliferation assay, apoptosis assay, and western blotting in human hepatic L02 cells and LX2 cells. 45 active compounds in YCHD formula, 592 potential target proteins and 1191 liver fibrosis-related human genes were identified. Functional and pathway enrichment analysis indicated that YCHD obviously influenced TNF, PI3K-Akt signaling pathways. Further, In vivo experiment indicated that YCHD treatment not only attenuated the symptoms of liver fibrosis, but also decrease the apoptosis of hepatic parenchyma cells. Moreover, in vitro experiments showed that rhein, kaempferol and quercetin treatments remarkably decreased the protein levels of cleaved caspase-3 and increased p-ERK1/2, PI3K and Bcl-XL protein expression in TNF-α-stimulated L02 cells. On the contrary, rhein, kaempferol, aloe-emodin and quercetin inhibited the proliferation of LX2 cells and up-regulated the protein levels of Bax and cleaved caspase-8. In conclusion, 45 active components and 296 potential targets of YCHD against liver fibrosis were identified by the analysis of network pharmacology and transcriptomics combination. The mechanisms of YCHD against liver fibrosis were involved in the regulation of multiple targets, especially affecting the apoptosis-related signaling pathways.

Scherngell T. and Hu Y. Collaborative knowledge production in China: regional evidence from a gravity model approach, Regional Studies. This study investigates collaborative knowledge production in China from a regional perspective. The objective is to illustrate spatial patterns of research collaborations between thirty-one Chinese regions, and to estimate the impact of geographical, technological, and economic factors on the variation of cross-region collaboration activities within a negative binomial gravity model framework. Data are used on Chinese scientific publications from 2007 with multiple author addresses coming from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database. The results provide evidence that geographical space impedes cross-region research collaborations in China. Technological proximity matters more than geography, while economic effects only play a minor role. Scherngell T. et Hu Y. La production en collaboration de la connaissance en Chine; des preuves régionales provenant d'un modèle de gravité, Regional Studies. Cette étude examine la production en collaboration de la connaissance en Chine d'un point de vue régional. On cherche à illustrer les tendances géographiques de la recherche en collaboration pour trente et une régions chinoises et à estimer l'impact des facteurs à la fois géographiques, technologiques et économiques sur la variation des activités de collaboration interrégionales au sein d'un modèle de gravité du type binomial négatif. On emploie des données sur les publications scientifiques chinoises de 2007 dont les adresses à auteur multiples proviennent de la base de données China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). Les résultats laissent voir que l'espace géographique fait obstacle à la recherche interrégionale en collaboration en Chine. La proximité de la technologie l'emporte sur la géographie, tandis que les retombées économiques ne jouent qu'un rôle secondaire. Publication en collaboration Production de la connaissance en collaboration Modèle de gravité régional binomial négatif Régions chinoises Scherngell T. und Hu Y. Kollaborative Wissensproduktion in China: eine empirische Analyse mit räumlichen Interaktionsmodellen, Regional Studies. Die vorliegende Studie untersucht kollaborative Wissensproduktion in China aus einer regionalen Perspektive. Zielsetzung ist es, räumliche Muster kollaborativer Wissensproduktion zwischen 31 chinesischen Regionen zu beschreiben und den Einfluss von geographischen, technologischen und ökonomischen Determinanten auf die Variation interregionaler Kollaborationsaktiviäten zu messen. Die Studie verwendet neue Daten aus der China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) Datenbank über chinesische Ko-Publikationen mit mindestens zwei Autoren aus dem Jahr 2007. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Kollaborationswahrscheinlichkeit signifikant mit zunehmender geographischer Distanz abnimmt. Der Einfluss von technologischer Nähe ist jedoch wichtiger als geographische Distanzeffekte, während ökonomische Unterschiede eine geringere Rolle spielen. Ko-Publikationen Kollaborative Wissensproduktion Negatives binomiales Schwerkraftmodell Chinesische Regionen Scherngell T. y Hu Y. La producción de conocimiento colaborador en China: ejemplo regional de un modelo de gravedad, Regional Studies. En este estudio investigamos la producción de conocimiento colaborador en China desde una perspectiva regional. Nuestro objetivo es ilustrar los patrones espaciales de las colaboraciones de investigación entre treinta y una regiones de China y calcular el impacto de determinantes geográficos, tecnológicos y económicos sobre la variación de las actividades de colaboración interregional según una estructura de modelo de gravedad binomial negativa. Los datos utilizados proceden de publicaciones científicas chinas de varios autores de 2007 que proceden de la base de datos de la Infraestructura de Conocimiento Nacional de China (CNKI). Los resultados demuestran que el espacio geográfico obstaculiza las colaboraciones de investigación interregionales en China. La proximidad tecnológica importa más que la geografía mientras que los efectos económicos desempeñan solamente un papel menor. Copublicaciones Producción de conocimiento colaborador Modelo binomial negativo de gravedad regional Regiones chinas

The STimulator of INterferon Genes (STING) plays an essential role in the innate immune system by inducing the expression of type I interferons (IFNs) and inflammatory cytokines upon sensing cytosolic DNA. Although modulating STING has shown promise as a potential treatment for cancers and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in substantial pre-clinical studies, current preliminary clinical results of STING agonists have demonstrated limited anti-tumor efficacy. Currently, there is ongoing R&D targeting STING and focusing on the delivery of next-generation therapeutics. Whereas no comprehensive analysis on the STING patent landscape has been conducted to fill the gap between basic research progress and drug development and commercialization. This study summarized the current agents in the clinical stage and global patenting profiles to help identify the current status, development trends, and emerging technologies of the nascent field of STING modulation. Rapidly increasing R&D efforts and outcomes targeting STING were indicated by the recently increasing number and pharmacologic classes of drug candidates in clinic as well as in emergent technological patenting activities. Despite the overall fragmental ownership of patents, several pioneers that have advanced the clinical evaluation of novel STING agonists have established the basis of STING-relevant inventions through their influential patents in the field. These patents also facilitated progress on novel STING modulators, relevant delivery systems, pharmaceutical compositions, and combination strategies with the potential for further enhancing therapeutic outcomes by targeting STING.