Essentially, graying hair is just natural, whether you have a full head of silver or patches of gray throughout. Loss of pigmentation in hair is something out of our control, agrees celebrity colorist and Redken brand ambassadorMatt Rez. Its largely due to genetics and aging in general, and unfortunately there arent any existing treatments to reverse those grays to their natural vigor.

Specifically, your pigment-producing cells (called melanocytes) start to deteriorate, leading to sprouted grays. The melanocytes are pigment producing cells located near the bulb of the hair and their stem cells, explains hair transplant surgeon James S. Calder, M.D., medical director of Ziering Medical. When your hair ages, those melanocytes dont function as well or start to migrate away from the hair bulb, which causes a sprinkling of grays. And according to Calder, no supplement, nor diet, can successfully prevent the process forever.

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Can You Prevent Gray Hair? The Answer Isn't Black & White, Experts Say - mindbodygreen.com

MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP)/Be The Match today announced a collaboration with the Minnesota health system M Health Fairview and Marcus Center for Cellular Cures (MC3)/Carolinas Cord Blood Bank at Duke University (Duke) to offer cryopreservation services to transplant centers through the Be The Match BioBank. The collaboration brings together industry-leading expertise in cryopreservation and storage of patient-directed donor blood stem cell products to improve donor availability, collection quality, and ultimately, to provide a more reliable path to transplant for patients.

Through the Be The Match BioBank, blood stem cell donors will be able to donate bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) for an intended patient on a timeline that is convenient for the donor. The cells are then cryopreserved and stored for the transplant center at no cost to them and shipped to coincide with initiation of the patient's conditioning regimen and optimal treatment timeline.

"We're excited to expand our partnership with Duke University by adding the expertise of physicians and researchers at M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center to continue to overcome logistical barriers to blood and marrow transplantation that might otherwise disrupt optimal patient care. Through the flexibility offered by the Be The Match BioBank, we believe we can provide transplant centers with a well-matched, available donor more often, and allow the transplant to occur at the best time for the patient," explained Steven Devine, MD, Chief Medical Officer, NMDP/Be The Match, and Associate Scientific Director, CIBMTR (Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research). "The team at the Duke University lab was instrumental in the development of the Be The Match BioBank, as well as supporting donor product cryopreservation during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure patients can continue to receive the transplants they need."

"We are proud to extend our partnership with the NMDP/Be The Match in a new way. Be The Match BioBank is an innovative way to remove barriers that otherwise may stand in the way of a patient's transplant," said Joanne Kurtzberg, MD, who leads the Marcus Center for Cellular Cures (MC3)/Carolinas Cord Blood Bank at Duke University.

"We are thrilled to be working with the NMDP/Be The Match to offer Be The Match BioBank. Through this partnership, transplant physicians can have confidence a high-quality bone marrow or PBSC product will be available from the donor they requested in the timeframe that works best for their patient," said David McKenna, MD, who leads the Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics program at M Health Fairview.

Be The Match BioBank can be used by any transplant center in the NMDP/Be The Match Network of more than 180 transplant centers worldwide. Blood stem cell donors are informed that the transplant center is requesting cryopreservation and provide consent prior to collection. Donors can also consent to having their donated cells made available to other searching patients in the unlikely event the intended patient is unable to proceed to transplant as planned.

To learn more about Be The Match BioBank, visit Network.BeTheMatchClinical.org/BioBank.

About the National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match The National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match is the global leader in providing a cure to patients with life-threatening blood and marrow cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, as well as other diseases. The organization manages the world's largest registry of potential blood stem cell donors and cord blood units. The NMDP/Be The Match partners with a global network to connect patients to their donor match for a transplant, and provides education and support for patients. Through Be The Match BioTherapies, the NMDP/Be The Match partners with cell and gene therapy companies to support the development and delivery of new therapies. The organization conducts research through its research program, CIBMTR (Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research), in collaboration with Medical College of Wisconsin.

About M Health Fairview M Health Fairview is the newly expanded collaboration betweenthe University of Minnesota, University of Minnesota Physicians,and Fairview Health Services. The healthcare system combines the best of academic and community medicine expanding access to world-class, breakthrough care through its 10 hospitals and 60 clinics.

SOURCE Be The Match

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NMDP/Be The Match partners with M Health Fairview and Duke University cryopreservation labs to launch Be The Match BioBank - PRNewswire

By Dylan Adams News Editor

Timothy Ray Brown, the first known person to be cured of HIV, died on Sept. 29 at age 54 after battling cancer.

Timothy Ray Brown, a figurehead in the AIDS and HIV community, passed away surrounded by friends after a five-month battle with leukemia, stated Tim Hoeffgen, Browns partner.

Brown received a positive HIV diagnosis in 1995 while studying in Berlin.

In 2006, Brown was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, which is a cancer that builds in the bone marrow and blood interfering with blood cell production. After bouts of infections from several rough rounds of chemotherapy, Browns leukemia came out of remission.

Due to leukemia in his bones, Brown required a stem cell transplant, a process that allows healthy stem cells to be introduced into a host to stimulate the immune system and healthy bone marrow growth. At the time, the survival rates for stem cell transplant were around fifty percent.

Doctors found a match to Browns genetic type, a donor with the CCR5 Delta 32 mutation, a protein that acts as a doorway to stop the HIV from infecting new cells. Three months after Brown stopped taking his HIV medication, doctors found he no longer had HIV in his blood.

After another round of stem cell treatment in February of 2008, Brown went through several near-death complications, almost going blind and becoming paralyzed but slowly recovering. His body was still successfully fighting off HIV.

In July 2012, the Timothy Ray Brown Foundation was created during the World AIDS Conference in Washington, DC. This foundation was built for Brown to show his support and work with medical institutions and scientists to develop a unifying cure and vaccination against HIV.

Brown would often donate large amounts of blood and tissue samples to researchers in the hope of progressing closer towards an HIV cure. According to his partner, Hoeffgen, Tims lifework was to tell his story about his HIV cure and become an ambassador of hope to those in need.

Doctors have since used Brown as a blueprint to work on a potential cure and vaccine for HIV. Most notably for the second person to ever be cured of HIV the London Patient, Adam Castillejo who went through similar stem cell transplants in 2019 before coming forward to the public.

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Gosselies, Belgium, 5 October 2020, 7am CEST BONE THERAPEUTICS(Euronext Brussels and Paris: BOTHE), the cell therapy company addressing unmet medical needs in orthopedics and other diseases, Link Health Pharma Co., Ltd (Link Health) and Shenzhen Pregene Biopharma Company, Ltd (Pregene) today announce the signing of an exclusive license agreement for the manufacturing, clinical development and commercialization of Bone Therapeutics allogeneic, off-the-shelf, bone cell therapy platform ALLOB in China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand.

Under the agreement, Bone Therapeutics is eligible to receive up to 55 million in development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments including 10 million in upfront and milestone payments anticipated in the next 24 months. Bone Therapeutics is also entitled to receive tiered double-digit royalties on annual net sales of ALLOB. Bone Therapeutics retains development and commercialization rights to ALLOB in all other geographies outside of those covered by this agreement. As a result, Bone Therapeutics will continue to concentrate on its development and commercialization plans for ALLOB in the US and Europe and novel innovative cell-based products globally.

This collaboration between Bone Therapeutics, Link Health and Pregene expands our geographic reach and demonstrates the global commercial potential of ALLOB,said Miguel Forte, MD, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Bone Therapeutics. We already have operational experience in Asia with the Phase III clinical trial of our lead product JTA-004 in Hong Kong. We selected Link Health and Pregene to partner with us in Asia as a result of their expertise in advanced therapeutics and cell therapies, their proven track record of development and commercial implementation in Chinese and Asian markets, and Pregenes well established cell therapy manufacturing capacity. Bone Therapeutics will continue to develop the ALLOB cell therapy platform for other markets while exploring additional partnership opportunities in the U.S. and Europe.

The agreement grants Link Health and Pregene exclusive rights to clinically develop and commercialize ALLOB for the treatment of human bone disorders in Greater China, Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand. All rights for China will be transferred to Pregene and Link Health will gain rights for the remaining countries Bone Therapeutics will share its patented proprietary manufacturing expertise for the expansion and differentiation of bone-forming cells and has the option to sell clinical supplies to Link Health and Pregene in preparation for their clinical development of ALLOB.

This collaboration and license agreement for Bone Therapeutics ALLOB provides a strong addition to our pipeline. ALLOB has demonstrated the potential to reduce the recovery time and stimulate bone growth for a variety of bone conditions, and to have a considerable impact on patients lives,said Yan Song, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Link Health. It is important for Link Health to collaborate with companies that have strong therapeutic product portfolios and entrepreneurial management. This partnership with Bone Therapeutics is a direct result of our shared commitment to appreciate the enormous potential of cell therapy and regenerative medicine.

Pregene now has a flourishing portfolio of CAR-T cell therapy-based cancer treatments. Bone Therapeutics ALLOB provides anallogeneic, off-the-shelf cell therapy that expands our portfolio of cell therapies to include the sizable commercial potential of orthopedics,said Hongjian Li, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Pregene. We expect to be able to leverage our extensive international cell and gene therapy experience to develop Bone Therapeutics ALLOB platform and subsequently launch products in China and Southeast Asian markets.

ALLOB, an allogeneic and off-the-shelf cell therapy product manufactured through a proprietary, scalable production process, consists of human bone-forming cells derived from cultured bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells of healthy adult donors. In preclinical studies ALLOB has shown to reduce healing time in a delayed-union fracture model by half, and has demonstrated good tolerability and signs of efficacy in two Phase IIa studies for two separate indications. The Companys randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind Phase IIb clinical trial in patients with difficult tibial fractures has received approval from regulatory authorities in six of the seven planned European countries to date, and is expected to enroll the first patient later this year.

About Link Health Pharma Co., Ltd

Link Health is a leading Chinese pharmaceutical company based in Guangzhou, Southern China, focusing on the development of innovative drugs for unmet medical needs.

Link Health has created a highly professional team with diverse expertise in drug development, medical affairs and regulatory affairs. Leveraging deep understanding of China market, regulatory environment and strong network with global biopharmaceutical companies, Link Health is well positioned to bring innovative drugs to the market efficiently. The company has a drug development pipeline of 5 clinical stage assets and 1 under NDA reviewing in China.

The company has also established a fully owned subsidiary in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The Dutch office builds and further strengthen collaborations with global pharma/biotech partners and research institutes.

About Pregene Biopharma Co., Ltd

Shenzhen Pregene Biopharma Co. Ltd is a leading enterprise in the cell and gene therapy field with the core technology for industrialization. The companys core team comes from well-known institutions and companies including the Academy of Military Medical Sciences, the University of Toronto, and the US FDA.

Pregene has established the gene editing platform, viral vector and cell production platform, nanobody selection platform and other small to pilot trial manufacturing system, with total investment over 100 million CNY. It has the laboratories and GMP plants for cell and gene therapy of over 10,000 square meter.

The company focuses on the research and development of cell and gene therapy drugs, and participated in the drafting the national standard Considerations for CAR-T Cell Quality Study and Non-clinical Evaluation issued by the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control in June 2018. The CAR-T cell therapy for the treatment of multiple myeloma have obtained NMPA IND clearance as the Class I new drug, which is the first in China and fastest in the world using the humanized single domain antibody in CAR construct, and phase I clinical trials are now in progress. Other pipelines such as CAR-T, TCR-T and mRNA drugs for tumors, autoimmune diseases and other indications are in the development at different stages. The company has broad development prospects with the abundant backup technologies.

Looking forward to the future, the company will build the core capacity in one-stop solution for cell and gene therapy drugs, and fulfill the Express of innovative medicine development from drug discovery to clinical products.

About Bone Therapeutics

Bone Therapeutics is a leading biotech company focused on the development of innovative products to address high unmet needs in orthopedics and other diseases. The Company has a, diversified portfolio of cell and biologic therapies at different stages ranging from pre-clinical programs in immunomodulation to mid-to-late stage clinical development for orthopedic conditions, targeting markets with large unmet medical needs and limited innovation.

Bone Therapeutics is developing an off-the-shelf next-generation improved viscosupplement, JTA-004, which is currently in phase III development for the treatment of pain in knee osteoarthritis. Consisting of a unique combination of plasma proteins, hyaluronic acid a natural component of knee synovial fluid, and a fast-acting analgesic, JTA-004 intends to provide added lubrication and protection to the cartilage of the arthritic joint and to alleviate osteoarthritic pain and inflammation. Positive phase IIb efficacy results in patients with knee osteoarthritis showed a statistically significant improvement in pain relief compared to a leading viscosupplement.

Bone Therapeutics core technology is based on its cutting-edge allogeneic cell therapy platform with differentiated bone marrow sourced Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) which can be stored at the point of use in the hospital. Currently in pre-clinical development, BT-20, the most recent product candidate from this technology, targets inflammatory conditions, while the leading investigational medicinal product, ALLOB, represents a unique, proprietary approach to bone regeneration, which turns undifferentiated stromal cells from healthy donors into bone-forming cells. These cells are produced via the Bone Therapeutics scalable manufacturing process. Following the CTA approval by regulatory authorities in Europe, the Company is ready to start the phase IIb clinical trial with ALLOB in patients with difficult tibial fractures, using its optimized production process. ALLOB continues to be evaluated for other orthopedic indications including spinal fusion, osteotomy, maxillofacial and dental.

Bone Therapeutics cell therapy products are manufactured to the highest GMP standards and are protected by a broad IP (Intellectual Property) portfolio covering ten patent families as well as knowhow. The Company is based in the BioPark in Gosselies, Belgium. Further information is available atwww.bonetherapeutics.com.

For further information, please contact:

Bone Therapeutics SAMiguel Forte, MD, PhD, Chief Executive OfficerJean-Luc Vandebroek, Chief Financial OfficerTel: +32 (0)71 12 10 00investorrelations@bonetherapeutics.com

For Belgian Media and Investor Enquiries:BepublicCatherine HaquenneTel: +32 (0)497 75 63 56catherine@bepublic.be

International Media Enquiries:Image Box CommunicationsNeil Hunter / Michelle BoxallTel: +44 (0)20 8943 4685neil.hunter@ibcomms.agency / michelle@ibcomms.agency

For French Media and Investor Enquiries:NewCap Investor Relations & Financial CommunicationsPierre Laurent, Louis-Victor Delouvrier and Arthur RouillTel: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94bone@newcap.eu

For US Media and Investor Enquiries:LHA Investor RelationsYvonne BriggsTel: +1 310 691 7100ybriggs@lhai.com

Certain statements, beliefs and opinions in this press release are forward-looking, which reflect the Company or, as appropriate, the Company directors current expectations and projections about future events. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions could adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. A multitude of factors including, but not limited to, changes in demand, competition and technology, can cause actual events, performance or results to differ significantly from any anticipated development. Forward looking statements contained in this press release regarding past trends or activities should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. As a result, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any update or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release as a result of any change in expectations or any change in events, conditions, assumptions or circumstances on which these forward-looking statements are based. Neither the Company nor its advisers or representatives nor any of its subsidiary undertakings or any such persons officers or employees guarantees that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does either accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or the actual occurrence of the forecasted developments. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

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Bone Therapeutics, Link Health and Pregene to develop and commercialize the ALLOB allogeneic bone cell therapy platform in China and Southeast Asia -...

Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) Market Scenario 2020-2026:

The Global Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) market exhibits comprehensive information that is a valuable source of insightful data for business strategists during the decade 2014-2026. On the basis of historical data, Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) market report provides key segments and their sub-segments, revenue and demand & supply data. Considering technological breakthroughs of the market Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) industry is likely to appear as a commendable platform for emerging Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) market investors.

This Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) Market Report covers the manufacturers data, including shipment, price, revenue, gross profit, interview record, business distribution, etc., these data help the consumer know about the competitors better.

Get Sample Report: https://grandviewreport.com/sample/63228

The complete value chain and downstream and upstream essentials are scrutinized in this report. Essential trends like globalization, growth progress boost fragmentation regulation & ecological concerns. This Market report covers technical data, manufacturing plants analysis, and raw material sources analysis of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) Industry as well as explains which product has the highest penetration, their profit margins, and R&D status. The report makes future projections based on the analysis of the subdivision of the market which includes the global market size by product category, end-user application, and various regions.

Topmost Leading Manufacturer Covered in this report:Escape Therapeutics Inc., Cryo-Save AG, Regen Biopharma Inc., CBR Systems Inc., ViaCord Inc., Lonza Group Ltd., Pluristem Therapeutics Inc., China Cord Blood Corp.

Product Segment Analysis: Allogeneic, Autologous

Application Segment Analysis:Peripheral Blood Stem Cells Transplant (PBSCT), Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT), Cord Blood Transplant (CBT)

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Regional Analysis For Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT)Market

North America(the United States, Canada, and Mexico)Europe(Germany, France, UK, Russia, and Italy)Asia-Pacific(China, Japan, Korea, India, and Southeast Asia)South America(Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, etc.)The Middle East and Africa(Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa)

Market Synopsis:The market research report consists of extensive primary research, as well as an in-depth analysis of the qualitative and quantitative aspects by various industry specialists and professionals, to gain a deeper insight into the market and the overall landscape.

The objectives of the report are:

To analyze and forecast the market size of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT)Industry in theglobal market. To study the global key players, SWOT analysis, value and global market share for leading players. To determine, explain and forecast the market by type, end use, and region. To analyze the market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks of global key regions. To find out significant trends and factors driving or restraining the market growth. To analyze the opportunities in the market for stakeholders by identifying the high growth segments. To critically analyze each submarket in terms of individual growth trend and their contribution to the market. To understand competitive developments such as agreements, expansions, new product launches, and possessions in the market. To strategically outline the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies.

View Full Report @ https://grandviewreport.com/industry-growth/Hematopoietic-Stem-Cell-Transplantation-(HSCT)-Market-63228

At last, the study gives out details about the major challenges that are going to impact market growth. They also report provides comprehensive details about the business opportunities to key stakeholders to grow their business and raise revenues in the precise verticals. The report will aid the companys existing or intend to join in this market to analyze the various aspects of this domain before investing or expanding their business in the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) markets.

Contact Us:Grand View Report(UK) +44-208-133-9198(APAC) +91-73789-80300Email : [emailprotected]

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Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) Market to eyewitness massive growth by 2026 | Escape Therapeutics Inc., Cryo-Save AG, Regen Biopharma...

LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / October 6, 2020 / Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals plc (LSE:HEMO), the biopharmaceutical group developing new therapies and treatments for blood diseases, is pleased to announce the following update on its activities.

As previously announced, Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals' CDX bi-specific antibody has the potential to treat Acute Myeloid Leukemia ("AML") directly as well as to provide a benign conditioning regimen for blood stem cell replacement therapy. The Company has now carried out extensive work developing treatments for AML and has to date obtained encouraging results.

As announced on 20 February 2020, the Company has constructed and successfully tested in vivo Chimeric Antigen Receptor ("CAR") programmed T cells ("HEMO-CAR-T") for the potential treatment of AML. HEMO-CAR was constructed using the Company's proprietary humanized monoclonal antibody against a target on the surface of AML cells.

It was also announced that the Company was engaging in additional engineering of HEMO-CAR-T cells to increase their safety and versatility. The Company has now introduced and successfully in vitro tested a safety switch within the HEMO-CAR. The aim of this safety switch is to modulate the activity of HEMO-CAR-T cells and to turn them into a "controllable drug" - SAFE-HEMO-CAR-T. The purpose of these efforts is to dramatically improve the safety and potential versatility of HEMO-CAR-T cells for the treatment of AML and/or conditioning of bone marrow transplants, as well as a number of additional potential indications.

Following the successful completion of these in vitro tests, in vivo tests of the efficacy of SAFE-HEMO-CAR-T against AML are being conducted using a model of AML established on the background of Advanced peripheral blood Hematopoietic Chimera (ApbHC) - humanized mice developed by Immugenyx, LLC, a subsidiary of Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals. If these in vivo tests are successful, the Company will discuss its findings with its partners under the Sponsored Research Agreement with the University of Pennsylvania, announced on 11 August 2020, with a view to considering the inclusion of SAFE-HEMO-CAR-T in the program of pre-clinical trials currently underway there.

Dr Vladislav Sandler, Chief Executive Officer, commented, "We are encouraged by this new data which demonstrates our continuing progress in the development of novel treatments for blood cancers such as AML. The development of SAFE-HEMO-CAR-T further expands the Company's pipeline and advances it into a cutting-edge area of cell-based immune therapy. We are excited to have developed another unique product candidate that should, if successful, provide a new and potentially effective treatment for blood cancers for which survival rates are currently very poor."

About AML and CAR-T

AML, the most common type of acute leukemia in adults, has poor survival rates (a five-year survival rate of less than 25% in adults) and is currently treated using chemotherapy, rather than the potentially more benign and effective form of therapy being developed by Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals. The successful development of the new therapy for AML would have a major impact on treatment and survival rates for the disease.

CAR-T therapy is a treatment in which a patient's own T cells, a type of immune cell, are modified to recognize and kill the patient's cancer cells. The procedure involves: isolating T cells from the patient, modifying the isolated T cells in a laboratory using a CAR gene construct (which allows the cells to recognize the patient's cancer); amplifying (growing to large numbers) the newly modified cells; and re-introducing the cells back into the patient.

Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure

Certain information contained in this announcement would have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 until the release of this announcement.

Enquiries:

Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals plc

Home

Dr Vladislav Sandler, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder

headquarters@hemogenyx.com

Peter Redmond, Director

peter.redmond@hemogenyx.com

SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP

Tel: +44 (0)20 3470 0470

Matthew Johnson, Vadim Alexandre, Soltan Tagiev

Peterhouse Capital Limited

Tel: +44 (0)20 7469 0930

Lucy Williams, Duncan Vasey, Charles Goodfellow

About Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals plc

Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals is a publicly traded company (LSE: HEMO) headquartered in London, with its US operating subsidiaries, Hemogenyx LLC and Immugenyx LLC, located in New York City at its state-of-the-art research facility.

The Company is a pre-clinical stage biopharmaceutical group developing new medicines and treatments to treat blood and autoimmune disease and to bring the curative power of bone marrow transplantation to a greater number of patients suffering from otherwise incurable life-threatening diseases. Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals is developing several distinct and complementary product candidates, as well as a platform technology that it uses as an engine for novel product development.

For more than 50 years, bone marrow transplantation has been used to save the lives of patients suffering from blood diseases. The risks of toxicity and death that are associated with bone marrow transplantation, however, have meant that the procedure is restricted to use only as a last resort. The Company's technology has the potential to enable many more patients suffering from devastating blood diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma, as well as severe autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, aplastic anemia and systemic lupus erythematosus (Lupus), to benefit from bone marrow transplantation.

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit http://www.rns.com.

SOURCE: Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals PLC

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Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals PLC Announces SAFE-HEMO-CAR-T Effective against AML in vitro - BioSpace

Massachusetts-based AVROBIO announced today that it has entered an exclusive global license agreement, as well as a collaborative research funding agreement, with The University of Manchester. Together, the university and AVROBIO will look into an investigational lentiviral gene therapy for mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II), or Hunter syndrome.

The condition, which impacts an estimated one in 100,000 males worldwide, causes complications throughout the body and brain. Children with severe cases typically show symptoms beginning in their toddler years. At the moment, the standard of care is weekly enzyme replacement therapy, but it does not halt progression of the disease or address cognitive issues that may arise.

We believe a lentiviral gene therapy approach is well suited to treat a progressive and pervasive disease such as Hunter syndrome, which affects organs throughout the body and severely impairs cognitive function. If we treat children early, before their symptoms arise, we hope to prevent the tragic complications that rob these young children of their futures, said Geoff MacKay, AVROBIOs president and CEO. We believe our deep experience with investigational gene therapies for lysosomal disorders will enable us to efficiently move the program through clinical development in collaboration with Prof. Brian Bigger, who has done tremendous work to develop and optimize this investigational gene therapy. Were proud to add this program to our leading lysosomal disorder pipeline and excited about its potential to change the lives of patients and families living with Hunter syndrome.

The investigational gene therapy, titled AVR-RD-05, includes ex vivo transduction of the patients own hematopoietic stem cells with a therapeutic transgene. The transgene is meant to express functional enzymes that the patient needs to maintain cellular health. When reinfused back into the patient, the modified stem cells are designed to engraft in the bone marrow and produce generations of daughter cells, each carrying the transgene.

This is just one company looking toward making an impact in the MPS II realm as of late. REGENXBIO announced at the end of September that it was expanding its RGX-121 program, looking into the treatment of MPS II. RGX-121 is an investigational one-time gene therapy that uses the AAV9 vector to deliver the gene that encodes the iduronate-2-sulfatase (I2S) enzyme directly to the central nervous system.

An ongoing Phase I/II study is evaluating a single intracisternal administration of RGX-121 in severe instances of MPS II in patients under the age of five. As of Sept. 16, RGX-121 was reported to be well-tolerated in patients and there were no drug-related serious adverse events.

"MPS II is a serious and debilitating lysosomal disease that affects 1 in 100,000 children, and available treatments are inadequate to treat the neurodegenerative manifestations of the disease, said Terri Klein, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National MPS Society. Initiating a natural history study will increase the understanding of neurocognitive effects and key biomarkers of severe MPS II, and is critical to advancing the development of new treatment options. We are grateful for REGENXBIO's dedication to MPS and commitment to share the learnings from this observational study with the community.

REGENXBIO has also announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared an Investigational New Drug application. The company plans on initiating a second Phase I/II multicenter, open-label trial of RGX-121 for the treatment of pediatric patients with severe MPS II between the ages of five and 18.

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AVROBIO and University of Manchester Enter Agreement for MPS II Research - BioSpace

WASHINGTON Heres a look at how Georgias members of Congress voted over the previous week.

Along with its roll call votes this week, the House also passed the Cyber Sense Act (H.R. 360) to require the Secretary of Energy to establish a voluntary Cyber Sense program to test the cybersecurity of products and technologies intended for use in the bulk-power system; the Consumer Product Safety Inspection Enhancement Act (H.R. 8134) to support the Consumer Product Safety Commissions capability to protect consumers from unsafe consumer products; the School-Based Allergies and Asthma Management Program Act (H.R. 2468) to increase the preference given in awarding certain allergies and asthma-related grants to states that require certain public schools to have allergies and asthma management programs; and the Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act (H.R. 4861) to establish a program to improve the identification, assessment and treatment of patients in the emergency department who are at risk of suicide.

DISCLOSING TIES TO UYGHUR LABOR: The House has passed the Uyghur Forced Labor Disclosure Act (H.R. 6270) sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Wexton, D-Va., to require publicly traded companies to disclose whether they have business ties to Chinas Uyghur Autonomous Region in Xinjiang province. Wexton said the requirement would let investors know of a given companys passive complicity or active exploitation of one of the most pressing and ongoing human rights violations of our lifetime. A bill opponent, Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, R-Ohio, said it wrongly tried to have the Securities and Exchange Commission police human rights violations, a role that would be better handled by the Treasury Department. The vote, on Sept. 30, was 253 yeas to 163 nays.

NAYS: Loudermilk R-GA (11th), Allen R-GA (12th), Scott, Austin R-GA (8th), Collins R-GA (9th), Carter R-GA (1st), Woodall R-GA (7th), Ferguson R-GA (3rd), Hice R-GA (10th)

YEAS: Bishop D-GA (2nd), Scott, David D-GA (13th), McBath D-GA (6th), Johnson D-GA (4th)

NOT VOTING: Graves R-GA (14th)

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: The House has passed a resolution (H. Res. 1155) sponsored by Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., reaffirming the Houses commitment to an orderly and peaceful transfer of presidential power after the November election. Swalwell said: The peaceful transition of power is not only a bedrock principle of Americas founding, it is a living ideal that we must exercise and pass down to our children. An opponent, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., called the resolution a way for Democrats to attack the president and disguise the fact that they will refuse to accept the election results unless they win. The vote, on Sept. 29, was 397 yeas to 5 nays.

YEAS: Entire delegation, except Collins R-GA (9th), Graves R-GA (14th), who did not vote

DISEASE THERAPIES: The House has passed the Timely ReAuthorization of Necessary Stem-cell Programs Lends Access to Needed Therapies Act (H.R. 4764) sponsored by Rep. Doris O. Matsui, D-Calif. The bill would reauthorize a program for transplanting umbilical cord blood, stem cells, and bone marrow to adults and children suffering from various diseases. The vote, on Sept. 30, was unanimous with 414 yeas.

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YEAS: Entire delegation, except Graves R-GA (14th), who did not vote

FURTHER COVID-19 SPENDING: The House has approved an amendment to the Americas Conservation Enhancement Act (H.R. 925). The amendment would spend $2.2 trillion on new COVID-19 measures, including testing and treatment efforts and unemployment benefits. A supporter, Rep. James P. McGovern, D-Mass., said the spending was needed for families to pay for necessities like food, utilities, and rent during this pandemic. An opponent, Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., said the amendment had been hurriedly brought to the floor without minority input or adequate time for review, and that it would not pass the Senate. The vote, on Oct. 1, was 214 yeas to 207 nays.

NOT VOTING: Loudermilk R-GA (11th), Graves R-GA (14th)

YEAS: Bishop D-GA (2nd), Scott, David D-GA (13th), McBath D-GA (6th), Johnson D-GA (4th)

NAYS: Allen R-GA (12th), Scott, Austin R-GA (8th), Collins R-GA (9th), Carter R-GA (1st), Woodall R-GA (7th), Ferguson R-GA (3rd), Hice R-GA (10th)

CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS: The Senate has passed the Continuing Appropriations Act and Other Extensions Act (H.R. 8337) sponsored by Rep. Nita M. Lowey, D-N.Y., to extend through Dec. 11 funding for health programs, including Medicare, surface transportation, and many other government programs. The vote, on Sept. 30, was 84 yeas to 10 nays.

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT LITIGATION: The Senate has rejected a cloture motion to end debate on a motion to consider a bill (S. 4653) sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., that would block the Justice Department from making arguments in court for cancelling any provision of the 2010 health care reform law (ACA). The vote to end debate on Oct. 1, was 51 yeas to 43 nays, with a three-fifths majority needed for approval.

Link:
Congress Votes | News | albanyherald.com - The Albany Herald

Alex Peters is Dazed Beautys news writer. She picked up the phrase Its all happening from Almost Famous as a teen and it now exclusively makes up her vocabulary. Although in theory she likes the idea of a queer mullet, she is currently rocking the latest lockdown trend: Kajillionaire hair. Here, she shares her choice for Product of the Week a weekly round-up of the Dazed Beauty team and wider communitys must-have buys.

Brand: Augustinus Bader

Product: The Cream

Price: 205

As head of stem cell research at the University of Leipzig, Professor Augustinus Bader spent 30 years working with burns victims, developing a groundbreaking gel in 2008 that could heal third-degree burns without the need for skin grafts. Its this revolutionary stem cell technology the patented Trigger Factor Complex (TFC8) which lies at the heart of his skincare label and its hero product The Cream.

Powered by this technology, with consistent use (the Cream asks that you remain devoted to it for 27 days, using nothing else), the products activate and orchestrate the body's innate regenerative processes which basically means that when you use them your skin cells repair themselves. This helps with reducing the signs of ageing and environmental damage, reducing scarring and redness, and improving tone and texture.

Thats all very scientific, but the most important question is does it actually work? And for me it does. My skin is on the oily side as well as being sensitive and acne-prone so I use the Cream, rather than the Rich Cream which is better suited to dry skin types. The cream itself has a light texture that absorbs quickly and doesnt feel sticky. Two pumps is enough to cover your face and it goes on very smoothly. It has quite a distinctive scent, so if you are nose-sensitive be prepared. Its hard to describe clinical rather than artificial. It comes in a weighty blue and copper tube that feels fancy when youre using it.

I am not always great at using it consistently, particularly since we test out so many products as part of our job, but I have found that when I do, my skin looks noticeably better. My tone is more even and less red, the texture is better, scars look more faded, and I would tentatively say that it seems like I get fewer spots.

I would like to say, however, that the product is definitely on the higher end of the spectrum price-wise, and if you cannot afford it, please do not worry. There are a lot of great options out there that are more affordable and also very effective. If this is something that you can afford, I would highly recommend.

If I were communicating to an alien only using hand gestures, I would describe it with... Just a solid thumbs up. Or through elaborately miming the process of cell renewal.

It sounds like... A reassuring older German professor telling you efferyzing vill be alright and in the background the sound of a fire crackling.

If it was a meme it would be... Sorry to this man. Totally unrelated but its my favourite meme.

The fictional character who would use it is... Bette Porter from The L Word.

Alex Peters's Product of the Week

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The luxury skincare splurge that will help repair your skin cells - Dazed

Advances in the stem cell therapy sector have been phenomenal over the years. Its assistance in curing humans of various diseases and disorders has generated expansive advancements. These advancements are not just limited to humans. Stem cell therapy has also acquired a prominent place in the veterinary sector.

The influence of animal stem cell therapy for the treatment of various animals for diverse diseases and disorders is growing rapidly. Therefore, this factor may help the global animal stem cell therapy market to generate exponential growth across the forecast period of 2019-2029. Stem cells help in the replacement of neurons affected by stroke, Parkinsons disease, spinal cord injury, Alzheimers disease, and others.

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This animal stem cell therapy market report has extensive information on various aspects associated with bringing growth. Important factors such as emerging trends, mergers and acquisitions, and the regional scenario of the animal stem cell therapy market have been analyzed and included in the report. The stakeholders can derive a treasure of information from this report. This report also includes a scrutinized take on the COVID-19 impact on the animal stem cell therapy market.

Animal Stem Cell Therapy Market: Competitive Prospects

The competitive landscape of the animal stem cell therapy market can be described as mildly fragmented. With a considerable chunk of players, the animal stem cell therapy market is surrounded by substantial competition. Research and development activities form an important part of the growth landscape because they help gain novel insights.

Activities such as mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, collaborations, and partnerships form the foundation of the growth of the animal stem cell therapy market. These activities help manufacturers to gain influence and eventually help in increasing the growth rate of the animal stem cell therapy market. Prominent participants in the animal stem cell therapy market are Magellan Stem Cells, Medivet Biologics LLC, Kintaro Cells Power, U.S. Stem Cell, Inc., Celavet Inc., VETSTEM BIOPHARMA, and VetCell Therapeutics.

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Animal Stem Cell Therapy Market: Key Trends

Infections are scaling up among animals at a rapid rate. The alarming increase is proving fatal for many animals. Therefore, to avoid such incidences and treat existing diseases and disorders, animal stem cell therapy is being applied seamlessly. Hence, this aspect may bring great growth opportunities for the animal stem cell therapy market.

Developments have been observed across the animal stem cell therapy market for long. Autologous adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells are gaining traction for successfully resolving a range of issues in animals. These stem cells help in treating ligament and tendon injuries to a certain extent. The strengthening influence of this stem cell type in companion animals is also proving to be a prominent growth prospect for the animal stem cell therapy market.

Recent research has also found that stem cell-derived CC exosomes showed improved recovery from myocardial infarction (MI) among pigs. Such developments assure promising growth for the animal stem cell therapy market.

Animal Stem Cell Therapy Market: Regional Analysis

The animal stem cell therapy market is spread across North America, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, Europe, and Asia Pacific. The animal stem cell therapy market may derive significant growth from North America. The escalating awareness regarding animal stem cell therapy may attract profound growth. Strengthening research and development activities in the region regarding animal stem cell therapy is further expanding the growth prospects.

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TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.

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Animal Stem Cell Therapy Market - Great Growth Opportunities for the Market in the Coming Year | TMR Research Study - BioSpace

DetailsCategory: AntibodiesPublished on Saturday, 03 October 2020 15:56Hits: 667

Opdivo + Yervoy is the first new systemic therapy in over 15 years to be approved by the FDA in this setting1,2

Approval is based on CheckMate -743 in which Opdivo + Yervoy demonstrated superior overall survival vs. standard of care chemotherapy1

Approval marks third indication for Opdivo + Yervoy-based treatments in thoracic cancers and seventh indication overall

PRINCETON, NJ, UA I October 2, 2020 IBristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) today announced that Opdivo (nivolumab) 360 mg every three weeks plus Yervoy (ipilimumab) 1 mg/kg every six weeks (injections for intravenous use) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the first-line treatment of adult patients with unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM).1 This approval is based on a pre-specified interim analysis from the Phase 3 CheckMate -743 trial in which Opdivo + Yervoy (n=303) demonstrated superior overall survival (OS) versus the platinum-based standard of care chemotherapy (n=302) (Hazard Ratio [HR]: 0.74 [95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.61 to 0.89]; P=0.002), with a median OS (mOS) of 18.1 months (95% CI: 16.8 to 21.5) versus 14.1 months (95% CI: 12.5 to 16.2), respectively.1 These results were observed after 22.1 months of minimum follow-up.3 At two years, 41% of patients treated with Opdivo + Yervoy were alive and 27% with chemotherapy.1,3

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare cancer with limited treatment options. When it is diagnosed in advanced stages, the five-year survival rate is approximately 10 percent, said study investigator Anne S. Tsao, M.D., professor and Section Chief Thoracic Medical Oncology and Director of the Mesothelioma Program at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.2,4 The survival results from the CheckMate -743 trial show that the combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab could become a new front-line standard of care option. This is exciting news, instilling hope for patients with this devastating disease and for the healthcare providers who care for them.1,3

Opdivo and Yervoy are associated with Warnings and Precautions including immune-mediated: pneumonitis, colitis, hepatitis, endocrinopathies, nephritis and renal dysfunction, skin adverse reactions, encephalitis, other adverse reactions; infusion reactions; complications of stem-cell transplant that uses donor stem cells (allogeneic); embryo-fetal toxicity; and increased mortality in patients with multiple myeloma when Opdivo is added to a thalidomide analogue and dexamethasone, which is not recommended outside of controlled clinical trials.1Yervoy is associated with the following Warnings and Precautions: severe and fatal immune-mediated adverse reactions, infusion-related reactions, complications of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant after Yervoy, embryo-fetal toxicity and risks associated when administered in combination with Opdivo.5 Please see the Important Safety Information section below.

This is the third indication for an Opdivo + Yervoy-based combination in the first-line treatment of a form of thoracic cancer.1Opdivo + Yervoy is approved by the FDA as a first-line treatment for patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors express PD-L11% as determined by an FDA-approved test, and without EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations.1 It is also approved in combination with limited chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic or recurrent NSCLC with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations regardless of PD-L1 expression.1

Thoracic cancers can be complex and difficult to treat, and we are focused on developing immunotherapy options that may have the potential to extend patients lives, said Adam Lenkowsky, general manager and head, U.S., Oncology, Immunology, Cardiovascular, Bristol Myers Squibb.2,6 Just a few months ago, Opdivo + Yervoy-based combinations received two first-line indications for certain patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Now, Opdivo + Yervoy is approved for use in another type of thoracic cancer, previously untreated unresectable MPM. With todays announcement, Opdivo + Yervoy becomes the first new systemic therapy approved in more than 15 years in this setting, and may offer these patients a chance for a longer life. 1

Opdivo + Yervoy is a unique combination of two immune checkpoint inhibitors that features a potentially synergistic mechanism of action, targeting two different checkpoints (PD-1 and CTLA-4) to help destroy tumor cells: Yervoy helps activate and proliferate T cells, while Opdivo helps existing T cells discover the tumor.1,7 Some of the T cells stimulated by Yervoy can become memory T cells, which may allow for a long-term immune response.7,8,9,10,11,12 Targeting of normal cells can also occur and result in immune-mediated adverse reactions, which can be severe and potentially fatal.1 Please see the Important Safety Information section below.

This approval was granted less than six weeks following the submission of a new supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA), which was reviewed under the FDAs Real-Time Oncology Review (RTOR) pilot program. The RTOR program aims to ensure that safe and effective treatments are available to patients as early as possible.13 The review was also conducted under the FDAs Project Orbis initiative, enabling concurrent review by the health authorities in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Switzerland.

About CheckMate -743

CheckMate -743 is an open-label, multi-center, randomized Phase 3 trial evaluating Opdivo plus Yervoy compared to chemotherapy (pemetrexed and cisplatin or carboplatin) in patients with histologically confirmed unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma and no prior systemic therapy or palliative radiotherapy within 14 days of initiation of therapy (n=605).1 Patients with interstitial lung disease, active autoimmune disease, medical conditions requiring systemic immunosuppression, or active brain metastasis were excluded from the trial.1In the trial, 303 patients were randomized to receive Opdivo 3 mg/kg every two weeks and Yervoy 1 mg/kg every six weeks; 302 patients were randomized to receive cisplatin 75 mg/m2 or carboplatin AUC 5 plus pemetrexed 500 mg/m2 in 3-week cycles for six cycles.1 Treatment in both arms continued until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity or, in the Opdivo + Yervoy arm, up to 24 months.1 The primary endpoint of the trial was OS in all randomized patients.1 Additional efficacy outcome measures included progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR) and duration of response (DOR), as assessed by BICR utilizing modified RECIST criteria.1

Select Safety Profile from CheckMate -743 Study

Treatment was permanently discontinued for adverse reactions in 23% of patients treated with Opdivo + Yervoy, and 52% had at least one dose withheld for an adverse reaction.1 An additional 4.7% of patients permanently discontinued Yervoy alone due to adverse reactions. Serious adverse reactions occurred in 54% of patients receiving Opdivo + Yervoy.1 The most frequent (2%) serious adverse reactions in patients receiving Opdivo + Yervoy were pneumonia, pyrexia, diarrhea, pneumonitis, pleural effusion, dyspnea, acute kidney injury, infusion-related reaction, musculoskeletal pain, and pulmonary embolism.1 Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 4 (1.3%) patients and included pneumonitis, acute heart failure, sepsis, and encephalitis.1 The most common (20%) adverse reactions were fatigue (43%), musculoskeletal pain (38%), rash (34%), diarrhea (32%), dyspnea (27%), nausea (24%), decreased appetite (24%), cough (23%) and pruritus (21%).1 The median number of doses was 12 for Opdivo and 4 for Yervoy.3

About Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a rare but aggressive form of cancer that often forms in the lining of the lungs.2,14 There are approximately 3,000 cases diagnosed in the United States each year.14 Malignant pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of the disease.2 It is most frequently caused by exposure to asbestosand diagnosis is often delayed, with the majority of patients presenting with advanced disease.2,15 Prognosis is generally poor: in patients with advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma, median survival is approximately one year and the five-year survival rate is approximately 10%.2

INDICATIONS

OPDIVO (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY (ipilimumab), is indicated for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma.

OPDIVO (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY (ipilimumab), is indicated for the first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors express PD-L1 (1%) as determined by an FDA-approved test, with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations.

OPDIVO (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY (ipilimumab) and 2 cycles of platinum-doublet chemotherapy, is indicated for the first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic or recurrent non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations.

OPDIVO (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY (ipilimumab), is indicated for the first-line treatment of adult patients with unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma.

OPDIVO (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY (ipilimumab), is indicated for the treatment of patients with intermediate or poor risk, previously untreated advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

OPDIVO (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY (ipilimumab), is indicated for the treatment of adults and pediatric patients 12 years and older with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) that has progressed following treatment with a fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.

OPDIVO (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY (ipilimumab), is indicated for the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have been previously treated with sorafenib. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials.

Bristol Myers Squibb: Advancing Cancer Research

At Bristol Myers Squibb, patients are at the center of everything we do. The goal of our cancer research is to increase patients quality of life, long-term survival and make cure a possibility. We harness our deep scientific experience, cutting-edge technologies and discovery platforms to discover, develop and deliver novel treatments for patients.

Building upon our transformative work and legacy in hematology and Immuno-Oncology that has changed survival expectations for many cancers, our researchers are advancing a deep and diverse pipeline across multiple modalities. In the field of immune cell therapy, this includes registrational CAR T cell agents for numerous diseases, and a growing early-stage pipeline that expands cell and gene therapy targets, and technologies. We are developing cancer treatments directed at key biological pathways using our protein homeostasis platform, a research capability that has been the basis of our approved therapies for multiple myeloma and several promising compounds in early- to mid-stage development. Our scientists are targeting different immune system pathways to address interactions between tumors, the microenvironment and the immune system to further expand upon the progress we have made and help more patients respond to treatment. Combining these approaches is key to delivering potential new options for the treatment of cancer and addressing the growing issue of resistance to immunotherapy. We source innovation internally, and in collaboration with academia, government, advocacy groups and biotechnology companies, to help make the promise of transformational medicines a reality for patients.

About Bristol Myers Squibbs Patient Access Support

Bristol Myers Squibb remains committed to providing assistance so that cancer patients who need our medicines can access them and expedite time to therapy.

BMS Access Support, the Bristol Myers Squibb patient access and reimbursement program, is designed to help appropriate patients initiate and maintain access to BMS medicines during their treatment journey. BMS Access Support offers benefit investigation, prior authorization assistance, as well as co-pay assistance for eligible, commercially insured patients. More information about our access and reimbursement support can be obtained by calling BMS Access Supportat 1-800-861-0048 or by visiting http://www.bmsaccesssupport.com.

About the Bristol Myers Squibb and Ono Pharmaceutical Collaboration

In 2011, through a collaboration agreement with Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Bristol Myers Squibb expanded its territorial rights to develop and commercialize Opdivo globally, except in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, where Ono had retained all rights to the compound at the time. On July 23, 2014, Ono and Bristol Myers Squibb further expanded the companies strategic collaboration agreement to jointly develop and commercialize multiple immunotherapies as single agents and combination regimens for patients with cancer in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

About Bristol Myers Squibb

Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information about Bristol Myers Squibb, visit us at BMS.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.

Celgene and Juno Therapeutics are wholly owned subsidiaries of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. In certain countries outside the U.S., due to local laws, Celgene and Juno Therapeutics are referred to as, Celgene, a Bristol Myers Squibb company and Juno Therapeutics, a Bristol Myers Squibb company.

References

SOURCE: Bristol-Myers Squibb

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US Food and Drug Administration Approves Opdivo (nivolumab) + Yervoy (ipilimumab) as the First and Only Immunotherapy Treatment for Previously...

Bluebird bio could be just a few months away from approval of its gene therapy for rare disease cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy (CALD) in the EU, after the EMA started an accelerated review.

If approved, Lenti-D (elivaldogene autotemcel or eli-cel) could transform the prospects of people with CALD, the most severe form of the neurodegenerative disease ALD that usually emerges in boys during early childhood and causes physical and mental disabilities as well as behavioural problems.

Around 40% of patients develop the cerebral form of ALD, which in turn affects around one in 17,000 live births.

A few weeks ago, Bluebird reported new data from the phase 2/3 STARBEAM trial of Lenti-D which showed that 87% of CALD patients were still alive and free of major functional disabilities after at least two years follow-up.

The EU filing comes ahead of a filing for eli-cel in the US, which Bluebird says should take place sometime towards the middle of next year, having been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

If approved, eli-cel would provide a one-shot treatment for CALD, holding back the progressive breakdown in the protective myelin that sheathes neurons.

It would be the first alternative to a stem cell transplant to treat the disease, a therapy that can provide significant improvements and even halt progression in some patients if given early enough.

However it requires high-dose chemotherapy to destroy the bone marrow, and that poses significant risks to patients in its own right, and can also lead to graft-versus-host disease, a potentially life-threatening complication in which the bone marrow donors immune cells attack the recipients cells and tissues.

CALD is caused by mutations in the ABCD1 gene located on the X chromosome, which provides instructions for the production of the ALD protein.

ALD protein is needed to clear toxic molecules called very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) in the brain, and if mutated causes the VLCFAs to accumulate and damage the myelin sheath.

Using eli-cel, the patients own stem cells are modified in the lab to produce a working version of the ABCD1 gene, producing functional ALD protein that can help to flush VLCFAs from the body.

CALD is a devastating disease, often marked by rapid neurodegeneration, the development of major functional disabilities, and eventual death, said Gary Fortin, head of severe genetic disease programmes at Bluebird.

If approved, eli-cel would represent the first therapy for CALD that uses a patients own haematopoietic stem cells, potentially mitigating the risk of life-threatening immune complications associated with transplant using cells from a donor, he added.

Aside from STARBEAM, which will follow treated patients for up to 15 years, Bluebird is also conducting the phase 3 ALD-104 trial of eli-cel in CALD, which is due to generate results in 2024.

The EU filing for eli-cel comes shortly after Bluebirds development partner received a 27 March 2021 FDA review date for anti-BCMA CAR-T cell therapy ide-cel, a potential therapy for multiple myeloma.

The biotech already has approval in Europe for Zynteglo, a gene therapy for haematological disease beta thalassaemia, and is due to file its related therapy LentiGlobin for sickle cell disease next year. The two therapies have been tipped to generate $1.5 billion-plus in peak sales by some analysts.

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EMA starts rapid review of Bluebird's gene therapy for rare disease CALD - - pharmaphorum

If youre a parent, you know the thoughts, feelings and emotions that come with protecting your child. Youd do anything for them to ensure they live a long, healthy life. But what will you do when there are times when health conditions, such as childhood cancer, stand in the way?

Cancer in children is more common than you may think, as it accounts for the second-leading cause of death behind accidents. While a cancer diagnosis, or even the thought of your child developing cancer one day, is overwhelming, modern medicine has improved survival rates. As with any cancer, early detection is key. To help you familiarize yourself with childhood cancer, we asked Michael Confer, M.D., a radiation oncologist at the INTEGRIS Cancer Institute, about the different types of cancers, which signs to look for and how they can be treated.

Unlike adult cancers, which can result from the environment or exposure to certain things, childhood cancers result from genetic mutations that occur early on in life or before birth.

It all comes down to changes in genes. Your DNA contains information to make different types of cells in your body. In other words, your skin cells contain information to be brain cells, while your kidney cells contain information to be heart muscle cells. As cells mature, they become specialized, turning on and off certain genes to allow them to perform specific duties. Cells need to be able to replicate to replace damaged cells of the same category. They grow with help from genes called proto-oncogenes.

When your DNA changes, it leads to genetic mutations, and cells can become permanently activated. This can lead to cells duplicating uncontrollably, known as cancer.

Tumor suppressor genes slow down cell division. They repair DNA mistakes before cells divide and control cells internal death process (apoptosis or programmed cell death), Dr. Confer says. DNA mutations within tumor suppressor genes can also allow cells to duplicate uncontrollably. Children can be born with mutated proto-oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes in certain cells. These abnormally programmed cells lead to most childhood cancers.

So, what causes DNA changes? Your child can inherit genes from a parent that increases their risk of cancer or they can acquire these genes. Cancers from acquired, sporadic gene mutations are more common than those from inherited gene mutations 5% of all childhood cancers come from inherited mutations.

Breast cancer and ovarian cancer are the most common types of cancer caused by inherited DNA changes from BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations. Even with how well-known these are, only 5 to 10% of breast cancer cases come from BRCA1/BRCA2 inherited mutations. Plus, breast cancer and ovarian cancer are more common in adults than children. Talk to your doctor or visit a genetic counselor if you have specific questions about inherited mutations.

Cancer can impact any part of your body, ranging from your bones and blood cells to your brain, spinal cord and other internal organs. You may be most familiar with leukemia, lymphoma, and brain and spinal tumors, since they are the most common. But, here is a full overview of cancers that commonly affect children, according to the American Cancer Society.

Leukemia: This is the most common type of cancer in children, accounting for 28% of cases. It generally starts in white blood cells and becomes fast growing (acute). Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are the two most common types of leukemia. Three out of every four children with leukemia have ALL. This type of cancer starts in the lymphoid cells, called lymphocytes, whereas AML starts in myeloid cells. Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are two types of rare cancers

Brain and spinal cord tumors: These types of cancers make up 26% of all cases. Brain tumors are more common than spinal cord tumors. The cancer generally starts in the lower part of the brain.

Neuroblastoma: This type of cancer affects infants and young children. Neuroblastoma starts in nerve cells during pregnancy and accounts for 6% of childhood cancers. Abdomen swelling is a common sign of neuroblastoma.

Wilms tumor: This type of cancer starts in the kidneys and impacts children who are 3 or 4 years old. It accounts for 5% of childhood cancers.

Lymphoma: Although lymphoma isnt as common as other types of cancers, youve likely heard of Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the two main types of cancer that show up in the lymphocytes. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (accounts for 5% of childhood cancers) appears in younger children and is more common than Hodgkin lymphoma (accounts for 3%), which is more common in younger adults. You may notice a swollen lymph node under your childs arm or near their throat.

Rhabdomyosarcoma: This type of cancer develops in areas that your child uses to move their body, such as the head, pelvis, arms or legs. It accounts for 3% of childhood cancer cases.

Retinoblastoma: This cancer develops in the eyes, and your child is most at risk around the age of 2 until the age of 6. It accounts for 2% of childhood cancers.

Bone cancer: Bone cancer is more prominent in teens, but it still accounts for 3% of childhood cancers. There are two types, osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma, that show up via swelling around the bones. Ewing sarcoma is a less common type of cancer that is more prominent in older children and younger teens. Osteosarcoma, meanwhile, is more common in teens and in areas where bones grow quickly.

There isn't a one-size-fits-all guide to know if your child has cancer. In general, Dr. Confer says to keep an eye on any changes in your childs behavior, such as walking, eating, playing or sleeping. If theyre older, listen to any complaints they may have. Some cancers may produce a lump or swelling and pain in certain areas. Other symptoms include a loss of energy, weight loss, sudden eye or vision changes, frequent headaches with vomiting or a persistent fever that signifies the body is fighting an infection.

For example, leukemia, the most common type of childhood cancer, affects most children between the ages of 2 and 4. Typical symptoms include fever, bleeding, deep pain in the bones, small red spots on the skin called petechiae, bruises and enlarged lymph nodes.

Notify your childs pediatrician if any of these concerns arise. Aside from that, you should schedule your child for routine checkups and wellness visits.

Routine checkups and wellness visits help monitor normal growth and development. A good pediatrician-patient relationship helps the physician better identify subtle signs of cancer and gives parents a trusted sounding board for the concerns parents or children may have, Dr. Confer says.

Many childhood cancers have become increasingly treatable, leading to longer survival rates. Dr. Confer says acute lymphoblastic leukemia, lymphoma or kidney tumors known as Wilms tumor all have more than a 90% five-year survival rate (the percentage of patients who are alive five years after receiving treatment or a diagnosis).

In fact, the overall five-year survival rate for childhood cancers has improved from 58% in the mid-1970s to 84%, according to the American Cancer Society. But, certain types of aggressive cancer still exist. Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), a rare brain tumor, is often cited as the childhood cancer with the poorest survival rate (less than 1% for five years).

No matter the diagnosis, continual hope and quality, proven therapies are the most important factors for children and families facing childhood cancers, Dr. Confer says.

Here are some of the most common forms of therapies to treat childhood cancer.

Surgery can help many patients, whether you need an entire tumor removed or a procedure to ease pain caused by a tumor. Your childs surgeon can also debulk a tumor, meaning they remove part of it and treat the rest with another method. Surgery has the highest success rate when its contained to one area, before the cancer has an opportunity to metastasize (spread to other parts of the body).

High doses of radiation help reduce cancer by either killing the cells or damaging their DNA to slow growth. Over time, these cells die and your body removes them. You can either receive internal or external radiation. External radiation comes from a beam that treats a specific body part, whereas internal radiation is in solid or liquid form. More specifically, brachytherapy is the medical term for solid internal radiation. Your doctor will place capsules, seeds or ribbons near the tumor. Systemic therapy is the medical term for liquid internal radiation. With this method, the radiation travels through your blood via a pill, injection or IV to kill cancer cells.

Chemotherapy comes in many methods of application, such as IV, oral, injection, topical or through a catheter, port or pump. Chemotherapy also kills healthy cells, which is one of the downsides. This is why many chemotherapy patients lose their hair and experience other side effects. Depending on the type and progression of the cancer, chemotherapy can help shrink a tumor to increase the success rate of surgery or radiation. Chemotherapy can also fight against any lingering cancer cells following surgery or radiation. Its also used to treat cancer that returns or metastasizes.

The immune system is your bodys way of defending itself against harmful germs, bacteria and viruses. When it comes to cancer, the immune system can have trouble recognizing and fighting off harmful cells because cancer starts in healthy cells. Immunotherapy helps your body pinpoint cancer kills to better defend against them. There are many types of immunotherapy treatments to boost your immune system. One type, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, mixes your own T-cells with a virus that teaches the T-cells how to kill cancer cells.

Targeted therapy is a form of chemotherapy. But, as the name suggests, these drugs zero in on a specific area of the cancer cells. Depending on the drug, targeted therapy can change the protein levels in cancer cells or block chemical signals that help cancer cells grow. Other targeted therapy drugs can limit blood vessel production to cut off the cancer cells or distribute toxins to specifically kill the cancer while sparing healthy cells.

Stem cells, which originate in the bone marrow, make red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Leukemia and lymphoma start in the blood cells, causing damage to the cells your body needs to function. A stem cell transplant involves destroying cancer cells via chemotherapy and/or radiation before replacing them with new, healthy cells. This allows doctors to use stronger doses of chemotherapy or radiation knowing new cells, via a transplant, will replace old, damaged cells. Stem cell transplants can come from your own cells or the cells of another person. Donated cells are often more effective since they can help kill off cancer cells.

While you cant do anything to prevent your child from developing cancer, you can be proactive by scheduling regular checkups and looking out for warning signs and symptoms. Contact an INTEGRIS pediatrician if you have any concerns, and they can refer you to an oncologist at the INTEGRIS Cancer Institute.

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Heres a look at how Maines members of Congress voted over the previous week.

Along with its roll call votes this week, the House also passed these measures: the Cyber Sense Act (H.R. 360), to require the Secretary of Energy to establish a voluntary Cyber Sense program to test the cybersecurity of products and technologies intended for use in the bulk-power system; the Consumer Product Safety Inspection Enhancement Act (H.R. 8134), to support the Consumer Product Safety Commissions capability to protect consumers from unsafe consumer products; the School-Based Allergies and Asthma Management Program Act (H.R. 2468), to increase the preference given, in awarding certain allergies and asthma-related grants, to states that require certain public schools to have allergies and asthma management programs; and the Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act (H.R. 4861), to establish a program to improve the identification, assessment, and treatment of patients in the emergency department who are at risk of suicide.

House Vote 1:

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: The House has passed a resolution (H. Res. 1155), sponsored by Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., reaffirming the Houses commitment to an orderly and peaceful transfer of presidential power after the November election. Swalwell said: The peaceful transition of power is not only a bedrock principle of Americas founding; it is a living ideal that we must exercise and pass down to our children. An opponent, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., called the resolution a way for Democrats to attack the president and disguise the fact that they will refuse to accept the election results unless they win. The vote, on Sept. 29, was 397 yeas to 5 nays.

YEAS: Pingree D-ME (1st), Golden D-ME (2nd)

House Vote 2:

DISCLOSING TIES TO UYGHUR LABOR: The House has passed the Uyghur Forced Labor Disclosure Act (H.R. 6270), sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Wexton, D-Va., to require publicly traded companies to disclose whether they have business ties to Chinas Uyghur Autonomous Region in Xinjiang province. Wexton said the requirement would let investors know of a given companys passive complicity or active exploitation of one of the most pressing and ongoing human rights violations of our lifetime. A bill opponent, Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, R-Ohio, said it wrongly tried to have the Securities and Exchange Commission police human rights violations, a role that would be better handled by the Treasury Department. The vote, on Sept. 30, was 253 yeas to 163 nays.

YEAS: Pingree D-ME (1st), Golden D-ME (2nd)

House Vote 3:

DISEASE THERAPIES: The House has passed the Timely ReAuthorization of Necessary Stem-cell Programs Lends Access to Needed Therapies Act (H.R. 4764), sponsored by Rep. Doris O. Matsui, D-Calif. The bill would reauthorize a program for transplanting umbilical cord blood, stem cells and bone marrow to adults and children suffering from various diseases. The vote, on Sept. 30, was unanimous with 414 yeas.

YEAS: Pingree D-ME (1st), Golden D-ME (2nd)

House Vote 4:

FURTHER COVID-19 SPENDING: The House has approved an amendment to the Americas Conservation Enhancement Act (H.R. 925). The amendment would spend $2.2 trillion on new COVID-19 measures, including testing and treatment efforts and unemployment benefits. A supporter, Rep. James P. McGovern, D-Mass., said the spending was needed for families to pay for necessities like food, utilities, and rent during this pandemic. An opponent, Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., said the amendment had been hurriedly brought to the floor without minority input or adequate time for review, and that it would not pass the Senate. The vote, on Oct. 1, was 214 yeas to 207 nays.

YEAS: Pingree D-ME (1st)

NAYS: Golden D-ME (2nd)

Senate Vote 1:

CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS: The Senate has passed the Continuing Appropriations Act and Other Extensions Act (H.R. 8337), sponsored by Rep. Nita M. Lowey, D-N.Y., to extend through December 11 funding for health programs, including Medicare, surface transportation, and many other government programs. The vote, on Sept. 30, was 84 yeas to 10 nays.

YEAS: Collins R-ME, King I-ME

Senate Vote 2:

OBAMACARE LITIGATION: The Senate has rejected a cloture motion to end debate on a motion to consider a bill (S. 4653), sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., that would block the Justice Department from making arguments in court for cancelling any provision of the 2010 health care reform law (Obamacare). The vote to end debate, on Oct. 1, was 51 yeas to 43 nays, with a three-fifths majority needed for approval.

YEAS: Collins R-ME, King I-ME

Continued here:
How Maine's members of Congress voted this week - Bangor Daily News

HOUSTON, Oct. 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- FibroGenesis, the leading developer of fibroblast based therapeutic solutions for unmet medical needs has entered into a clinical collaboration agreement with Brazilian R4D Biotech.Holding the world's largest patent portfolio in the field of cell therapies using fibroblasts, FibroGenesis is expanding its ongoing clinical programs internationally. The partnership will pave the way for clinical studies of PneumoBlast in Brazil as a unique treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) for patients affected by COVID-19, in parallel to clinical studies in the United States upon approval by the FDA.

Administration of PneumoBlast in pre-clinical and animal studies resulted in dramatic improvement of immunological signaling molecules, reducing concentrations of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, interleukin-17, interleukin-18, and Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha TNFa. Company scientists have also demonstrated that PneumoBlast has induced statistically significant reduction of lung fibrosis and lung scarring in COVID-19 infected animals, particularly when compared to more conventional treatments using bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Furthermore, recent data supports the potential benefits of PneumoBlast for preventing COVID-19 blood clotting. Both companies will collaborate on a clinical study design that meets the needs of Brazilian patients.

"As the scientific and medical community is discovering more about the biological and medical consequences of the COVID-19 infection, FibroGenesis is eager to contribute to the therapeutic cure options currently being created to fight this global war against this virus," commented Pete O'Heeron, Chief Executive Officer, FibroGenesis. "The collaboration with R4D Biotech is another strategic milestone that emphasizes our commitment to expand fibroblast research globally."

"The lab results which indicate our cell therapy approach possesses both therapeutic effects on animal models of the acute stage of COVID-19, and also benefits a cure for residual pathology seen in COVID-19 patients, has our research team extremely excited," said Thomas Ichim, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, FibroGenesis.

"Technology transfer is at the core of this partnership," said Paulo Ferraz, BRICS/Emerging Markets Director of international fund Newstar Ventures and an advisor for FibroGenesis on this transaction. "R4D Biotech has access to sophisticated resources comprising research facilities and hospitals, and its talent pool includes scientific advisors who are recognized academics and distinguished members of the Brazilian Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences. PneumoBlast clinical study will represent the first step in a long-term relationship designed to aid in the discovery of advanced therapeutic solutions for chronic medical needs."

About R4D Biotech:R4D Biotech is a Brazilian emerging company headquartered in the state of So Paulo focused on research and development for biotechnology and healthcare, with the mission of bringing disruptive technology innovation across all steps of clinical development in life sciences.

About FibroGenesis:Based in Houston, Texas, FibroGenesis is a regenerative medicine company developing an innovative solution for chronic disease treatment using human dermal fibroblasts. Currently, FibroGenesis holds 240+ U.S. and international issued patents/patents pending across a variety of clinical pathways, including Disc Degeneration, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, Cancer, Diabetes, Liver Failure, Colitis and Heart Failure. FibroGenesis represents the next generation of medical advancement in cell therapy.Visit http://www.Fibro-Genesis.com.

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BOSTON and MIAMI, Oct. 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Aegle Therapeutics Corporation today announced theU.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) has granted Fast Track designation to AGLE-102 for the treatment of patients with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa ("DEB"), a rare genetic pediatric skin blistering disorder. AGLE-102 is an extracellular vesicle ("EV") therapy that delivers proteins, genetic material and regenerative healing factors to diseased and damaged tissue. AGLE-102 will be evaluated in DEB patients in a phase 1/2a trial initiating in 2021.

The Fast Track program is intended to facilitate the development and review of drug candidates that treat serious conditions and fill an unmet medical need. A drug candidate with Fast Track designation is eligible for greater access to the FDA for the purpose of expediting the drug product candidate's development, review and potential approval.

"We are pleased to have received Fast Track designation for AGLE-102. Aegle's EV therapy is unique in that it delivers collagen 7 protein, COL7A1 mRNA and regenerative healing factors to potentially address the complex nature of DEB," said Evangelos Badiavas, MD, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer atAegle Therapeutics. "This designation will expedite the development and regulatory review of AGLE-102 and highlights the importance of providing novel treatments to this patient population."

AboutAegle Therapeutics Corporation

Aegle Therapeutics (www.aegletherapeutics.com) is a privately held biotechnology company developing extracellular vesicles, including exosomes, secreted by mesenchymal stem cells as therapy for the treatment of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa and other severe dermatological conditions. Aegle anticipates entering the clinic with AGLE-102 in early 2021.

ContactAegle Therapeutics CorporationShelley A. HartmanChief Executive Officer[emailprotected]

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FDA Grants Fast Track Status to Aegle Therapeutics' AGLE-102 for the Treatment of Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa - PRNewswire

Engineers at the University of California, Davis, will lead a consortium of universities, biomedical startups and nonprofit organizations to develop interventions for spinal cord injuries that can be applied within days of injury to improve long-term outcomes.

Karen Moxon, professor of biomedical engineering at UC Davis, will lead the five-year, $36 million contract as part of the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, or DARPA, Bridging the Gap Plus Program. A primary goal is to develop technologies to stabilize a patients hemodynamic response, which includes blood flow and blood pressure, within days of injury.

Because large swings in blood pressure are common following spinal cord injuries, stabilizing hemodynamics within days of injury will improve functional recovery. The team will take advantage of stabilized hemodynamics to optimize delivery of neural stem cells using personalized 3D printed scaffolds within two weeks of injury to regenerate lost connections within the injured spinal cord.

Spinal cord injury is a complex condition that causes partial or complete loss of function below the location of injury, Moxon said. We will develop systems for real-time biomarker monitoring and intervention to stabilize and rebuild neural communications pathways between the brain and spinal cord. As a result of our efforts, clinicians will be able to collect previously unavailable diagnostic information for automated or clinician-directed interventions. Our goal is to translate these technologies to humans within the five-year award period.

The international team includes 12 institutions: UC Davis, UC San Diego, UC San Francisco, the University of British Columbia, the University of Calgary and the cole Polytechnique Fdrale de Lausanne (EPFL, Switzerland); biotech startups Pathonix Innovation Inc. of Vancouver, GTX Medical (Lausanne, Switzerland), and Teliatry (Richardson, Texas); nonprofit institutions the Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering (Geneva, Switzerland) and Battelle Memorial Institute (Columbus, Ohio); and a regulatory consultant firm, NetValue BioConsulting Inc., Toronto.

Moxon and her team at UC Davis including Zhaodan Kong, associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Professor Kiarash Shahlaie and Assistant Professor Julius Ebinu, neurosurgeons in the UC Davis School of Medicine will take the lead on assessing the impact of these interventions on the brain to maximize the restoration of both motor and sensory functions. This part of the project will be conducted at the California National Primate Research Center.

We are extremely pleased that the California National Primate Research Center will host the nonhuman primate research arm of this extraordinary effort to restore function following spinal cord injury, said center director John Morrison, professor of neurology at UC Davis.

Part of the effort will also aim to improve functional recovery, using neural stem cell and bioengineering scaffold technology developed by professors Mark Tuszynski, Paul Lu, Ephron Rosenzweig and Jacob Koffler, all faculty in the Department of Neurosciences at UCSD. Their stem cell and scaffold technology will be combined with neural electrical stimulation technology (neuromodulation) developed by Gregoire Courtine at EPFL. The team hopes to successfully combine this cell and engineering technology to promote nerve regeneration that bridges the injury site.

Moxons lab at UC Davis, in collaboration with a teamat the Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering led by Tracy Laabs, will develop cortical stimulation protocols to enhance sensory feedback to the brain and aid in motor control. The team will take advantage of Wysss ABILITYsystem that wirelessly records signals from individual neurons in the brain and will further develop it to include closed-loop cortical stimulation, which employs a sensor to record signals, for improved motor function.

The multi-institution team will focus on advancing three main technologies:

Together, these technologies will integrate into a system-of-systems that monitors the information from sensors and stimulators to allow clinicians to monitor patients progress. At the same time, the team will be able to identify the optimal time to transplant the neural stem cells and 3D scaffold in this critical time period after injury.

It is exciting to lead this talented team of international scientists and to be in a position to effect real change for people who sustain a spinal cord injury, Moxon said. Its this type of team science between academia and industry that makes clinical breakthroughs possible in short time periods.

Development of the proposal for the award was facilitated by the UC Davis Office of Researchs Interdisciplinary Research Support team and Gabriela Lee, project manager. This project is part of a larger effort at UC Davis led by Moxon, Professor Sanjay Joshi in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Professor Carolynn Patten in the School of Medicine and College of Biological Sciences to develop a neuroengineering program that aims to restore, augment and extend human capacity to benefit society.

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UC Davis Engineers Lead $36M Effort to Improve Recovery From Spinal Cord Injuries - UC Davis

Olivia Allen-Price [00:01:55] OK, so what exactly does this bond fund?

Danielle Venton [00:01:59] This would fund $5.5 billion in stem cell research and treatments in California. Some of the diseases that stem cell research is seeking to cure or treat include cancer, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, blindness, and even COVID-19. I spoke recently with a guy named Jake Javier. He supports this bond initiative because he knows firsthand how life changing stem cell research can be.

Jake Javier [00:02:25] I am in my last year at Cal Poly.

Danielle Venton [00:02:28] So, Jake grew up locally in Danville and was just graduating high school when he suffered a life altering injury.

Jake Javier [00:02:35] On the last day of high school, I drove in to a pool and hit my head on the bottom and broke my neck and was immediately paralyzed.

Danielle Venton [00:02:47] He says his injury was complete, with very little hope of recovery. But a doctor at Stanford reached out to Jake and his family and said, you can be part of this clinical trial where we, with a one time surgery, will inject stem cells into the damaged area and you may possibly see some benefits.

Danielle Venton [00:03:07] Now, Jake is still injured.

Jake Javier [00:03:09] I'm a quadriplegic. I use a wheelchair.

Danielle Venton [00:03:11] But he says after the surgery, he noticed more movement in his arms, in his hands.

Jake Javier [00:03:17] So, I mean, with my injury, I'm at a level where I would normally not have any function at all in my hands and very, very little function like in my triceps and things like that. Muscles that are really important for functionality and, you know, being able to get through day to day activities that could help me push myself around more, help me transfer in and out of my chair independently. And then also, I notice, you know, I got some some finger movement. It doesn't seem like much, but even that little movement has helped me so much with picking things up and things like that. So it was really, I was really blessed to see that happen.

Danielle Venton [00:03:51] So he doesn't know how much of his recovery is due to the stem cells. How much is natural, or how much is due to physical therapy. But today he's able to live independently, to go to college and he wants to pursue a career in medicine. And he is a big believer in stem cell research, regenerative medicine, and is really hoping that California voters will support this proposition.

Olivia Allen-Price [00:04:20] Now, what exactly are stem cells and how do they work, I guess?

Danielle Venton [00:04:25] Yeah, stem cells are types of cells that can be turned into any type of specialized cell. Scientists have known about them since the eighteen hundreds, but it wasn't until the late 90s that researchers developed a method to derive them from human embryos and grow them in a laboratory. And then people really began to get excited about their potential for medicine. Now these cells came from unused embryos created for in vitro fertilization, and they were donated with informed consent. But many anti-abortion groups felt that using the cells were tantamount to taking a human life. So in 2001, then President George W. Bush banned federal funding for any research using newly created stem cell lines.

Olivia Allen-Price [00:05:09] OK. And how does that get us now to bonds in California?

Danielle Venton [00:05:13] Well, Californians wanted to circumvent these federal restrictions, and in 2004 voted for a bond that gave the state $3 billion to create a research agency called the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, or CIRM. There was a lot of public support for it. And it just felt like these wonderful cures could be right around the corner. Celebrities like Michael J. Fox appeared in TV commercials.

Michael J. Fox TV commercial [00:05:36] My most important role lately is as an advocate for patients, and for finding new cures for diseases. That's why I'm asking you to vote yes on Proposition 71, Stem Cell Research Initiative.

Danielle Venton [00:05:48] And the money for that research, that $3 billion, has now run out. And to continue their work, the stem cell advocacy group, Americans for Cures, is asking voters for more money.

Olivia Allen-Price [00:06:00] So we're basically voting on whether we want to refill the stem cell research piggy bank here.

Danielle Venton [00:06:05] Yeah, exactly. Some question if the state can afford this at this time when budgets are going to be so tight. Others have been disappointed by the slow pace of cures coming out of the field. Now, there are people who credit this research, such as Jake, with improving or restoring their health or the health of their loved ones. Or maybe they hope that one day it will, and they would balk at the idea that this is not worthy research. They point to achievements that the agency has funded. That includes effectively a cure for bubble baby disease. This is when someone is born without a functioning immune system. That mutation can now be corrected with genetically modified stem cells. And recently, just within the last year or so, the FDA approved two new treatments for blood cancer, developed with CIRM support. These achievements are what the agency points to when they're criticized for not having accomplished more. And they say the process of scientific discovery is long and unpredictable.

Olivia Allen-Price [00:07:04] Now, wasn't that Bush-era ban on stem cell research that you were talking about earlier wasn't that overturned?

Danielle Venton [00:07:11] Yes, that was overturned by President Obama. However, there are current members of Congress who are lobbying President Trump to ban the research again. And if that happens, then California would be the only major player in stemcell research once again in the United States.

Olivia Allen-Price [00:07:30] All right, so who is supporting Prop 14?

Danielle Venton [00:07:32] Governor Gavin Newsom, for one. Many patient advocacy organizations and medical and research institutions, including the California Board of Regents. These people don't want to see the pace of this research slow. They want it to accelerate. The political action committee supporting this proposition is reporting more than six million dollars in contributions.

Olivia Allen-Price [00:07:53] All right. And what about the opposition? Who's against it?

Danielle Venton [00:07:55] Well, so far, there's no organized, funded opposition. There have been several newspaper editorials coming out against it, including locally, the Mercury News and the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. They basically say state bonds aren't the way to fund research and the situation isn't like it was in 2004 and that the institute should now seek other sources of funding and move forward as a nonprofit.

Olivia Allen-Price [00:08:19] All right, Danielle. Well, thanks, as always for your help.

Danielle Venton [00:08:21] My pleasure. Thanks.

Olivia Allen-Price [00:08:28] In a nutshell, a vote yes on Proposition 14 says you think Californians should give $5.5 billion to the state's stem cell research institute. That money will be raised by selling bonds, which the state would pay back, with interest, out ofthe general fund over the next 30 years. A vote no means you think we shouldn't spend public money on this research.

Olivia Allen-Price [00:08:54] That's it on Proposition 14. We'll be back tomorrow with an episode on Prop 15. And oh, it is a doozy. Commercial property tax! A partial rollback of one of California's most controversial propositions! It's going to be fire. In the meantime, you can find more of KQED election coverage at KQED.org/elections. Two reminders on the way out: October 19th is the last day to register to vote and mail in ballots must be postmarked on or before November 3rd.

Olivia Allen-Price [00:09:28] Bay Curious is made in San Francisco at member supported KQED. I'm Olivia Allen-Price. See you tomorrow.

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What You Need to Know About Prop 14, The Stem Cell Research Bond (Transcript) - KQED

Researchers from Critical Analytics for Manufacturing Personalized-Medicine (CAMP), an interdisciplinary research group at Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), MITs research enterprise in Singapore, have been awarded Intra-CREATE grants from the National Research Foundation (NRF) Singapore to help support research on retinal biometrics for glaucoma progression and neural cell implantation therapy for spinal cord injuries. The grants are part of the NRFs initiative to bring together researchers from Campus for Research Excellence And Technological Enterprise (CREATE) partner institutions, in order to achieve greater impact from collaborative research efforts.

SMART CAMP was formed in 2019 to focus on ways to produce living cells as medicine delivered to humans to treat a range of illnesses and medical conditions, including tissue degenerative diseases, cancer, and autoimmune disorders.

Singapores well-established biopharmaceutical ecosystem brings with it a thriving research ecosystem that is supported by skilled talents and strong manufacturing capabilities. We are excited to collaborate with our partners in Singapore, bringing together an interdisciplinary group of experts from MIT and Singapore, for new research areas at SMART. In addition to our existing research on our three flagship projects, we hope to develop breakthroughs in manufacturing other cell therapy platforms that will enable better medical treatments and outcomes for society, says Krystyn Van Vliet, co-lead principal investigator at SMART CAMP, professor of materials science and engineering, and associate provost at MIT.

Understanding glaucoma progression for better-targeted treatments

Hosted by SMART CAMP, the first research project, Retinal Analytics via Machine learning aiding Physics (RAMP), brings together an interdisciplinary group of ophthalmologists, data scientists, and optical scientists from SMART, Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Duke-NUS Medical School, MIT, and National University of Singapore (NUS). The team will seek to establish first principles-founded and statistically confident models of glaucoma progression in patients. Through retinal biomechanics, the models will enable rapid and reliable forecast of the rate and trajectory of glaucoma progression, leading to better-targeted treatments.

Glaucoma, an eye condition often caused by stress-induced damage over time at the optic nerve head, accounts for 5.1 million of the estimated 38 million blind in the world and 40 percent of blindness in Singapore. Currently, health practitioners face challenges forecasting glaucoma progression and its treatment strategies due to the lack of research and technology that accurately establish the relationship between its properties, such as the elasticity of the retina and optic nerve heads, blood flow, intraocular pressure and, ultimately, damage to the optic nerve head.

The research is co-led by George Barbastathis, principal investigator at SMART CAMP and professor of mechanical engineering at MIT, and Aung Tin, executive director at SERI and professor at the Department of Ophthalmology at NUS. The team includes CAMP principal investigators Nicholas Fang, also a professor of mechanical engineering at MIT; Lisa Tucker-Kellogg, assistant professor with the Cancer and Stem Biology program at Duke-NUS; and Hanry Yu, professor of physiology with the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS and CAMPs co-lead principal investigator.

We look forward to leveraging the ideas fostered in SMART CAMP to build data analytics and optical imaging capabilities for this pressing medical challenge of glaucoma prediction, says Barbastathis.

Cell transplantation to treat irreparable spinal cord injury

Engineering Scaffold-Mediated Neural Cell Therapy for Spinal Cord Injury Treatment (ScaNCellS), the second research project, gathers an interdisciplinary group of engineers, cell biologists, and clinician scientists from SMART, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), NUS, IMCB A*STAR, A*STAR, French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), the University of Cambridge, and MIT. The team will seek to design a combined scaffold and neural cell implantation therapy for spinal cord injury treatment that is safe, efficacious, and reproducible, paving the way forward for similar neural cell therapies for other neurological disorders. The project, an intersection of engineering and health, will achieve its goals through an enhanced biological understanding of the regeneration process of nerve tissue and optimized engineering methods to prepare cells and biomaterials for treatment.

Spinal cord injury (SCI), affecting between 250,000 and 500,000 people yearly, is expected to incur higher societal costs as compared to other common conditions such as dementia, multiple sclerosis, and cerebral palsy. SCI can lead to temporary or permanent changes in spinal cord function, including numbness or paralysis. Currently, even with the best possible treatment, the injury generally results in some incurable impairment.

The research is co-led by Chew Sing Yian, principal investigator at SMART CAMP and associate professor of the School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering and Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine at NTU, and Laurent David, professor at University of Lyon (France) and leader of the Polymers for Life Sciences group at CNRS Polymer Engineering Laboratory. The team includes CAMP principal investigators Ai Ye from Singapore University of Technology and Design; Jongyoon Han and Zhao Xuanhe, both professors at MIT; as well as Shi-Yan Ng and Jonathan Loh from Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR.

Chew says, Our earlier SMART and NTU scientific collaborations on progenitor cells in the central nervous system are now being extended to cell therapy translation. This helps us address SCI in a new way, and connect to the methods of quality analysis for cells developed in SMART CAMP.

Cell therapy, one of the fastest-growing areas of research, will provide patients with access to more options that will prevent and treat illnesses, some of which are currently incurable. Glaucoma and spinal cord injuries affect many. Our research will seek to plug current gaps and deliver valuable impact to cell therapy research and medical treatments for both conditions. With a good foundation to work on, we will be able to pave the way for future exciting research for further breakthroughs that will benefit the health-care industry and society, says Hanry Yu, co-lead principal investigator at SMART CAMP, professor of physiology with the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS, and group leader of the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology at A*STAR.

The grants for both projects will commence on Oct. 1, with RAMP expected to run until Sept. 30, 2022, and ScaNCellS expected to run until Sept. 30, 2023.

SMART was. established by the MIT in partnership with the NRF in 2007. SMART is the first entity in the CREATE developed by NRF. SMART serves as an intellectual and innovation hub for research interactions between MIT and Singapore, undertaking cutting-edge research projects in areas of interest to both Singapore and MIT. SMART currently comprises an Innovation Centre and five interdisciplinary research groups (IRGs): Antimicrobial Resistance, CAMP, Disruptive and Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision, Future Urban Mobility, and Low Energy Electronic Systems.

CAMP is a SMART IRG launched in June 2019. It focuses on better ways to produce living cells as medicine, or cellular therapies, to provide more patients access to promising and approved therapies. The investigators at CAMP address two key bottlenecks facing the production of a range of potential cell therapies: critical quality attributes (CQA) and process analytic technologies (PAT). Leveraging deep collaborations within Singapore and MIT in the United States, CAMP invents and demonstrates CQA/PAT capabilities from stem to immune cells. Its work addresses ailments ranging from cancer to tissue degeneration, targeting adherent and suspended cells, with and without genetic engineering.

CAMP is the R&D core of a comprehensive national effort on cell therapy manufacturing in Singapore.

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SMART researchers receive Intra-CREATE grant for personalized medicine and cell therapy - MIT News

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New microelectrode-array chips for measuring nerve impulses could reveal how thousands of nerve cells interact with each other.

For over 15 years, ETH Zurich professor Andreas Hierlemann and his group have been developing microelectrode-array chips that can precisely excite nerve cells in cell cultures and to measure electrical cell activity. These developments make it possible to grow nerve cells in cell-culture dishes and use chips at the bottom of the dish to examine each individual cell in a connected nerve tissue in detail.

Alternative methods for conducting such measurements have some clear limitations. They are either very time-consumingbecause contact to each cell has to be individually establishedor they require the use of fluorescent dyes, which influence the behavior of the cells and so the outcome of the experiments.

Now, researchers from Hierlemanns group at the department of biosystems science and engineering of ETH Zurich in Basel, together with Urs Frey and his colleagues from the ETH spin-off MaxWell Biosystems, developed a new generation of microelectrode-array chips. These chips enable detailed recordings of considerably more electrodes than previous systems, which opens up new applications.

As with previous chip generations, the new chips have around 20,000 microelectrodes in an area measuring 2 by 4 millimeters. To ensure that these electrodes pick up the relatively weak nerve impulses, the signals need to be amplified. Examples of weak signals that the scientists want to detect include those of nerve cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells). These are currently used in many cell-culture disease models. Another reason to significantly amplify the signals is if the researchers want to track nerve impulses in axons (fine, very thin fibrous extensions of a nerve cell).

However, high-performance amplification electronics take up space, which is why the previous chip was able to simultaneously amplify and read out signals from only 1,000 of the 20,000 electrodes. Although the 1,000 electrodes could be arbitrarily selected, they had to be determined prior to every measurement. This meant that it was possible to make detailed recordings over only a fraction of the chip area during a measurement.

In the new chip, the amplifiers are smaller, permitting the signals of all 20,000 electrodes to be amplified and measured at the same time. However, the smaller amplifiers have higher noise levels. So, to make sure they capture even the weakest nerve impulses, the researchers included some of the larger and more powerful amplifiers into the new chips and employ a nifty trick: they use these powerful amplifiers to identify the points in time at which nerve impulses occur in the cell culture dish. At these time points, they then can search for signals on the other electrodes, and by taking the average of several successive signals, they can reduce the background noise. This procedure yields a clear image of the signal activity over the entire area being measured.

In first experiments, which the researchers report in Nature Communications, they demonstrated their method on human iPS-derived neuronal cells as well as on brain sections, retina pieces, cardiac cells, and neuronal spheroids.

With the new chip, the scientists can produce electrical images of not only the cells but also the extension of their axons, and they can determine how fast a nerve impulse is transmitted to the farthest reaches of the axons.

The previous generations of microelectrode array chips let us measure up to 50 nerve cells. With the new chip, we can perform detailed measurements of more than 1,000 cells in a culture all at once, Hierlemann says.

Such comprehensive measurements are suitable for testing the effects of drugs, meaning that scientists can now conduct research and experiments with human cell cultures instead of relying on lab animals. The technology then also helps to reduce the number of animal experiments.

MaxWell Biosystems is marketing the existing microelectrode technology, which university and industry research groups around the world are using.

Source: ETH Zurich

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