The present invention relates to novel Raf-1 kinase inhibitor compounds for improving skeletal muscle regeneration to maintain or increase muscle function and/or muscle mass by modulating muscle stem cells. For example, the present invention is useful for subjects to promote muscle repair and/or subjects suffering from precachexia, cachexia, sarcopenia, myopathy, dystrophy and/or recovery after muscle injury or surgery.

The present invention relates to dual GLP-1/glucagon receptor agonists and their medical use, for example in the treatment of disorders of the metabolic syndrome, including diabetes and obesity, as well as for reduction of excess food intake.

There is provided an oral biofilm inhibitor having an exceptional inhibitory effect on oral biofilm formation. It is an oral biofilm inhibitor comprising a curable composition containing an antimicrobial agent, wherein a compressive strength of a cured product formed by curing the composition is 150 MPa or less, and a content of the antimicrobial agent is 0.001 to 3% by weight. An oral biofilm inhibitor thus obtained is used for inhibiting biofilm formation in an oral cavity by applying a curable composition containing an antimicrobial agent to a dental defect site for allowing the composition to cure at the dental defect site, and then disintegrating the cured composition.

The invention provides a method for treating a cancer with a human FOLR1-targeting drug by increasing an expression of folate receptor α (hereinafter abbreviated to FOLR1) by using an antagonist for folic acid metabolism, a medicament for a cancer containing a human FOLR1-targeting drug for increasing an expression of FOLR1 by using an antagonist for folic acid metabolism and a method for enhancing a therapeutic effect of a human FOLR1-targeting drug by increasing an expression of FOLR1 in a cancer cell by using an antagonist for folic acid metabolism. For example, the invention provides a more effective therapeutic method using an antagonist for folic acid metabolism with a human FOLR1-targeting drug, for cancer patients in which an expression level of FOLR1 is low and in which an anti-tumor activity of the human FOLR1-targeting drug is not exhibited sufficiently or for cancer patients in which a treatment of a cancer expressing FOLR1 is to be further enhanced.

A novel marker for determining sensitivity to an anti-cancer agent is provided. Disclosed is a marker for determining sensitivity to an anti-cancer agent including one or more molecules selected from the group consisting of PHB, ANXA5, ANXA1, TALDO, C1QBP, IPYR, CRBP1 and COX5A.

The present invention relates to a method for evaluating the activity level of mesenchymal stem cells, and a method for culturing mesenchymal stem cells using the evaluation method in the field of culturing mesenchymal stem cells for regenerative medicine, and further, a method for producing a therapeutic agent for liver dysfunction and a therapeutic agent for liver dysfunction. This method for evaluating mesenchymal stem cell activity according to the present invention comprises an assay step for assaying the amount of adenylate kinase 4 (AK4) in the mesenchymal stem cells; and a determination step for determining the activity level of the mesenchymal stem cells from the assayed amount of adenylate kinase 4.

In this method, the activity level of mesenchymal stem cells can be evaluated from the assayed amount of AK4, for instance, if the mitochondrial activity level of mesenchymal stem cells is high, the mesenchymal stem cells can be evaluated as ideal for use as a therapeutic agent, while if mitochondrial activity of the mesenchymal stem cells is low and aging does not proceed, the mesenchymal stem cells can be evaluated as suitable for subculture.

The presently disclosed subject matter relates to a method for predicting increased risk of obesity on a non-obese subject. More particularly, the presently disclosed subject matter relates to a method of predicting increased risk of obesity in a non-obese subject by determining a level of neurotensin expression in a biological sample from the subject and comparing the level of neurotensin expression in the sample with a control level. The presently disclosed subject matter further relates to a method of preventing and/or treating obesity in a subject in need thereof by administering to the subject an effective amount of an agent that inhibits neurotensin.

Provided is an agent for preventing and/or treating osteogenesis imperfecta, osteoporosis and/or osteoarthritis, the agent comprising a peptide consisting of one of the following amino acid sequences: (a) Val-Asn-Pro-Glu-Ser-Glu-Glu-Glu (SEQ ID NO: 1) and (b) Val-Asn-Pro-Glu (SEQ ID NO: 2). The agent of the present invention can be orally ingested, has osteogenic function, and has a preventive and/or healing-promoting effect on bone fractures and is therefore very useful for prevention and/or treatment of osteogenesis imperfecta, osteoporosis and/or osteoarthritis.

Described herein are pharmaceutical compositions comprising one or more modulators of a cytochrome 450 enzyme (CYP450) and substituted or unsubstituted diindolylmethane. Also described herein are methods for treating one or more skin conditions by administering a combination therapy comprising substituted or unsubstituted diindolylmethane and one or more modulators of CYP450. In particular, methods are disclosed for improving bioavailability and pharmacokinetic parameters of substituted or unsubstituted diindolylmethane following the combination therapy.

In order to provide a prophylactic and/or therapeutic agent for Trk-related diseases, the present invention provides a compound which has a selective Trk-inhibiting activity and persistently inhibits NGF vascular hyper permeability and does not have a drug interaction and in addition thereto, is excellent in solubility and absorbability against free bases. The compound of the present invention has a selective Trk-inhibiting activity and persistently inhibits NGF vascular hyper permeability and does not have a drug interaction and is excellent in solubility and absorbability against free bases, and is therefore useful as a prophylactic and/or therapeutic agent for Trk-related diseases.