Publications by authors named "Marc Becker"

The prognosis for women with ovarian cancer (OC) is particularly poor if resistance to platinum compounds, the mainstay of standard-of-care therapy, develops. Inhibitors of the Nudix hydrolase MuT Homolog 1 (MTH1) have previously been shown to arrest cancer cells in mitosis, increase 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG) incorporation into DNA, and selectively kill neoplastic cells while sparing normal cells. Here we explored the cytotoxic mechanism of these agents as well as their activity against platinum-resistant OC in vitro and in vivo.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We report the total synthesis of enlicitide decanoate, an orally bioavailable inhibitor of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 that is being developed for the treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. It is a highly complex macrocyclic peptide with a significant number of nonpeptide structural elements that presents a daunting synthetic chemistry challenge. We describe the development of a convergent, efficient, and robust manufacturing process that enables the large-scale production of enlicitide.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background/objectives: Genetic newborn screening (NBS) has already entered the phase of common practice in many countries. In Germany, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and sickle cell disease (SCD) are currently a mandatory part of NBS. Here, we describe the experience of six years of genetic NBS including the prevalence of those three diseases in Germany.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: COVID-19 remains a challenge to individual health and healthcare resources worldwide. Telemedical surveillance might minimise hospitalisation and direct patient-physician contacts. Yet, randomised clinical trials evaluating telemedical management of COVID-19 patients are lacking.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Many newborn screening programs worldwide have introduced screening for diseases using DNA extracted from dried blood spots (DBS). In Germany, DNA-based assays are currently used to screen for severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), and sickle cell disease (SCD).

Methods: This study analysed the impact of pre-analytic DNA carry-over in sample preparation on the outcome of DNA-based newborn screening for SCID and SMA and compared the efficacy of rapid extraction versus automated protocols.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of hemoglobinopathies with a common point mutation causing the production of sickle cell hemoglobin (HbS). In high-throughput newborn screening (NBS) for SCD, a two-step procedure is suitable, in which qPCR first pre-selects relevant samples that are differentiated by a second method.

Methods: Three NBS centers using qPCR-based primary screening for SCD performed a laboratory comparison.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Targeted therapies for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) have led to efforts to include SMA screening in newborn screenings globally, with Germany implementing it in October 2021 after successful pilot projects from 2018 to 2021.
  • Follow-up criteria were established involving key stakeholders to ensure effective transition to this screening process, although initial false positives were reported in 3 cases.
  • After refining screening methods, confirmation of results improved, and on average, patients began seeing specialists by day 12 of life, with therapy starting by day 26, maintaining timely intervention compared to earlier pilot efforts.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Despite their favorable properties, azetidines are often overlooked as lead compounds across multiple industries. This is often attributed to the challenging synthesis of densely functionalized azetidines in an efficient manner. In this work, we report the scalable synthesis and characterization of seven azetidines with varying regio- and stereochemistry and their application as novel azetidine-based energetic materials, enabled by the visible-light-mediated Paternò-Büchi reaction.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Fast and reliable detection of infection is a key to control the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Lateral flow antigen tests (LFATs) are inexpensive, easy to use, but have to be verified, as they are rather unspecific and can produce both, false positive and false negative results. Our objective was to combine the speed of LFAT for SARS-CoV-2 with the reliability of qPCR tests.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: To compare elutable substances directly released from bulk-fill (BF) resin-based composites (RBCs) with indirect elution from teeth restored with a BF composite. In addition to (co)monomers, the analytical focus was on other potentially toxic ingredients or impurities. Furthermore, the barrier function of the residual dentin/adhesive layer was studied.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A number of seroassays are available for SARS-CoV-2 testing; yet, head-to-head evaluations of different testing principles are limited, especially using raw values rather than categorical data. In addition, identifying correlates of protection is of utmost importance, and comparisons of available testing systems with functional assays, such as direct viral neutralisation, are needed.We analysed 6658 samples consisting of true-positives (=193), true-negatives (=1091), and specimens of unknown status (=5374).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Azetines, four-membered unsaturated nitrogen-containing heterocycles, hold great potential for drug design and development but remain underexplored due to challenges associated with their synthesis. We report an efficient, visible light-mediated approach toward 1- and 2-azetines relying on alkynes and the unique triplet state reactivity of oximes, specifically 2-isoxazolines. While 2-azetine products are accessible upon intermolecular [2 + 2]-cycloaddition via triplet energy transfer from a commercially available iridium photocatalyst, the selective formation of 1-azetines proceeds upon a second, consecutive, energy transfer process.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic poses a continued challenge for all parties involved especially for the dentist as routine operation must be resumed. Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) are actually recommended to identify and minimize infectious risks. However, there is still no guideline on the implementation of RATs in a dental or medical setting.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: To develop a model for quantitative comparison of elutable substances by direct elution from resin-bonded composite (RBC) test specimens versus indirect elutability of substances from RBC-restored teeth. Furthermore, it was to be investigated whether the different composites of the Tetric® RBC product family release different types and amounts of substances.

Methods: Four different composite materials from the Tetric® product family were studied.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Acquired PARP inhibitor (PARPi) resistance in - or -mutant ovarian cancer often results from secondary mutations that restore expression of functional protein. is a less commonly studied ovarian cancer susceptibility gene whose promoter is sometimes methylated, leading to homologous recombination (HR) deficiency and PARPi sensitivity. For this study, the PARPi-sensitive patient-derived ovarian cancer xenograft PH039, which lacks HR gene mutations but harbors promoter methylation, was selected for PARPi resistance by cyclical niraparib treatment .

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Repeated measures studies are frequently performed in patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models to evaluate drug activity or compare effectiveness of cancer treatment regimens. Linear mixed effects regression models were used to perform statistical modeling of tumor growth data. Biologically plausible structures for the covariation between repeated tumor burden measurements are explained.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is the most common neurodegenerative disease in childhood. Since motor neuron injury is usually not reversible, early diagnosis and treatment are essential to prevent major disability. Our objective was to assess the impact of genetic newborn screening for SMA on outcome.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: The aim is to recommend a fast and cost-effective screening procedure for UK/SA SARS-CoV-2 variants in a routing diagnostic setting.

Methods: A rapid procedure using qPCR is described to provide clinicians with information about the two currently most prevalent variants (B1.1.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Intermolecular [2+2] photocycloadditions represent a powerful method for the synthesis of highly strained, four-membered rings. Although this approach is commonly employed for the synthesis of oxetanes and cyclobutanes, the synthesis of azetidines via intermolecular aza Paternò-Büchi reactions remains highly underdeveloped. Here we report a visible-light-mediated intermolecular aza Paternò-Büchi reaction that utilizes the unique triplet state reactivity of oximes, specifically 2-isoxazoline-3-carboxylates.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The [2 + 2] photocycloaddition reaction between an imine and an alkene component, the aza Paternò-Büchi reaction, is one of the most efficient ways to synthesize functionalized azetidines. However, the application of the aza Paternò-Büchi reaction has been met with limited success due to the inherent challenges associated with this approach. This review covers the current scope and limitations of reported examples of aza Paternò-Büchi reactions in organic synthesis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Although the value of newborn screening (NBS) for early detection and treatment opportunity in SMA patients is generally accepted, there is still an ongoing discussion about the best strategy in children with 4 and more copies of the SMN2 gene. This gene is known to be the most important but not the only disease modifier.In our SMA-NBS pilot project in Germany comprising 278,970 infants screened between January 2018 and November 2019 were 38 positive cases with a homozygous SMN1 deletion.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Ethoxylated bisphenol A dimethacrylate (bisEMA) is a base monomer in several dental resin composites. It was the main aim of the present study to determine if bisEMA can reach the dental pulp by generally passive diffusion through the coronal dentinal tubules stimulated via eluent liquids surrounding the root structures only.

Methods: In 20 human third molar teeth, standard Class-I occlusal cavities were prepared and provided either with an adhesive system alone or additionally with a composite restoration, according to the instructions of the manufacturer.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Azetidines are four-membered nitrogen-containing heterocycles that hold great promise in current medicinal chemistry due to their desirable pharmacokinetic effects. However, a lack of efficient synthetic methods to access functionalized azetidines has hampered their incorporation into pharmaceutical lead structures. As a [2+2] cycloaddition reaction between imines and alkenes, the aza Paternò-Büchi reaction arguably represents the most direct approach to functionalized azetidines.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF