DUBLIN, Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Cell Therapy Market by Cell Type, Therapy Type, Therapeutic Area, and End User: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global cell therapy market accounted for $7,754. 89 million in 2019, and is expected to reach $48,115. 40 million by 2027, registering a CAGR of 25. 6% from 2020 to 2027.

Cell therapy involves administration of somatic cell preparations for treatment of diseases or traumatic damages. Cell therapy aims to introduce new, healthy cells into a patient's body to replace diseased or missing ones.

This is attributed to the fact that specialized cells, such as brain cells, are difficult to obtain from human body. In addition, specialized cells typically have a limited ability to multiply, making it difficult to produce sufficient number of cells required for certain cell therapies. Some of these issues can be overcome through the use of stem cells. In addition, cells such as blood and bone marrow cells, mature, immature & solid tissue cells, adult stem cells, and embryonic stem cells are widely used in cell therapy procedures.

Moreover, transplanted cells including induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), embryonic stem cells (ESCs), neural stem cells (NSCs), and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are divided broadly into two main groups including autologous cells and non-autologous cells. Development of precision medicine and advancements in Advanced Therapies Medicinal Products (ATMPS) in context to their efficiency and manufacturing are expected to be the major drivers for the market. Furthermore, automation in adult stem cells and cord blood processing and storage are the key technological advancements that fuel growth of the market for cell therapy.

In addition, growth in aging patient population, The rise in cell therapy transplantations globally, and surge in disease awareness drive growth of the global cell therapy market. Furthermore, The rise in adoption of human cells over animal cells for cell therapeutics research, technological advancements in field of cell therapy, and increase in incidences of diseases such as cancer, cardiac abnormalities, and organ failure are the key factors that drive growth of the global market.

Moreover, implementation of stringent government regulations regarding the use of cell therapy is anticipated to restrict growth of the market. On the contrary, surge in number of regulations to promote stem cell therapy and increase in funds for research in developing countries are expected to offer lucrative opportunities to the market in the future.

The global cell therapy market is categorized on the basis of therapy type, therapeutic area, cell type, end user, and region. On the basis of therapy type, the market is segregated into autologous and allogenic. By therapeutics, it is classified into malignancies, musculoskeletal disorders, autoimmune disorders, dermatology, and others.

The global cell therapy market is categorized on the basis of therapy type, therapeutic, cell type, end user and region. On the basis of therapy type, the market is segregated into autologous and allogenic. By therapeutic area, it is classified into malignancies, musculoskeletal disorders, autoimmune disorders, dermatology, and others. On the basis of cell type, it is segregated into stem cell therapy and non-stem cell type. On the basis of end user, it is segregated into hospital & clinics and academic & research institutes. On the basis of region, the market is studied across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.

Key Benefits

Key Topics Covered:

Chapter 1: Introduction1.1. Report Description1.2. Key Benefits for Stakeholders1.3. Key Market Segments1.4. Research Methodology1.4.1. Secondary Research1.4.2. Primary Research1.4.3. Analyst Tools & Models

Chapter 2: Executive Summary2.1. Key Findings of the Study2.2. Cxo Perspective

Chapter 3: Market Overview3.1. Market Definition and Scope3.2. Key Findings3.2.1. Top Player Positioning3.2.2. Top Investment Pockets3.2.3. Top Winning Strategies3.3. Porter's Five Forces Analysis3.4. Impact Analysis3.4.1. Drivers3.4.1.1. Technological Advancements in the Field of Cell Therapy3.4.1.2. The Rise in Number of Cell Therapy Clinical Studies3.4.1.3. The Rise in Adoption of Regenerative Medicine3.4.2. Restraint3.4.2.1. Developing Stage and Pricing3.4.3. Opportunity3.4.3.1. High Growth Potential in Emerging Markets3.5. Impact of Covid-19 on Cell Therapy Market

Chapter 4: Cell Therapy Market, by Cell Type4.1. Overview4.1.1. Market Size and Forecast4.2. Stem Cell4.2.1. Key Market Trends and Opportunities4.2.2. Market Size and Forecast, by Region4.2.3. Market Size and Forecast, by Type4.2.3.1. Bone Marrow, Market Size and Forecast4.2.3.2. Blood, Market Size and Forecast4.2.3.3. Umbilical Cord-Derived, Market Size and Forecast4.2.3.4. Adipose-Derived Stem Cell, Market Size and Forecast4.2.3.5. Others (Placenta, and Nonspecific Cells), Market Size and Forecast4.3. Non-Stem Cell4.3.1. Key Market Trends and Opportunities4.3.2. Market Size and Forecast, by Region

Chapter 5: Cell Therapy Market, by Therapy Type5.1. Overview5.1.1. Market Size and Forecast5.2. Autologous5.2.1. Key Market Trends and Opportunities5.2.2. Market Size and Forecast, by Region5.2.3. Market Analysis, by Country5.3. Allogeneic5.3.1. Key Market Trends and Opportunities5.3.2. Market Size and Forecast, by Region5.3.3. Market Analysis, by Country

Chapter 6: Cell Therapy Market, by Therapeutic Area6.1. Overview6.1.1. Market Size and Forecast6.2. Malignancies6.2.1. Market Size and Forecast, by Region6.2.2. Market Analysis, by Country6.3. Musculoskeletal Disorders6.3.1. Market Size and Forecast, by Region6.3.2. Market Analysis, by Country6.4. Autoimmune Disorders6.4.1. Market Size and Forecast, by Region6.4.2. Market Analysis, by Country6.5. Dermatology6.5.1. Market Size and Forecast, by Region6.5.2. Market Analysis, by Country6.6. Others6.6.1. Market Size and Forecast, by Region6.6.2. Market Analysis, by Country

Chapter 7: Cell Therapy Market, by End-user7.1. Overview7.1.1. Market Size and Forecast7.2. Hospitals & Clinics7.2.1. Key Market Trends and Opportunities7.2.2. Market Size and Forecast, by Region7.2.3. Market Analysis, by Country7.3. Academic & Research Institutes7.3.1. Key Market Trends and Opportunities7.3.2. Market Size and Forecast, by Region7.3.3. Market Analysis, by Country

Chapter 8: Cell Therapy Market, by Region8.1. Overview8.2. North America8.3. Europe8.4. Asia-Pacific8.5. LAMEA

Chapter 9: Company Profiles9.1. Allosource9.1.1. Company Overview9.1.2. Company Snapshot9.1.3. Operating Business Segments9.1.4. Product Portfolio9.1.5. Key Strategic Moves and Developments9.2. Cells for Cells9.2.1. Company Overview9.2.2. Company Snapshot9.2.3. Operating Business Segments9.2.4. Product Portfolio9.3. Holostem Terapie Avanzate Srl9.3.1. Company Overview9.3.2. Company Snapshot9.3.3. Operating Business Segments9.3.4. Product Portfolio9.4. Jcr Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd.9.4.1. Company Overview9.4.2. Company Snapshot9.4.3. Operating Business Segments9.4.4. Product Portfolio9.4.5. Business Performance9.4.6. Key Strategic Moves and Developments9.5. Kolon Tissuegene, Inc.9.5.1. Company Overview9.5.2. Company Snapshot9.5.3. Operating Business Segments9.5.4. Product Portfolio9.5.5. Key Strategic Moves and Developments9.6. Medipost Co. Ltd.9.6.1. Company Overview9.6.2. Company Snapshot9.6.3. Operating Business Segments9.6.4. Product Portfolio9.6.5. Business Performance9.7. Mesoblast Ltd9.7.1. Company Overview9.7.2. Company Snapshot9.7.3. Operating Business Segments9.7.4. Product Portfolio9.7.5. Business Performance9.8. Nuvasive, Inc.9.8.1. Company Overview9.8.2. Company Snapshot9.8.3. Operating Business Segments9.8.4. Product Portfolio9.8.5. Business Performance9.9. Osiris Therapeutics, Inc.9.9.1. Company Overview9.9.2. Company Snapshot9.9.3. Operating Business Segments9.9.4. Product Portfolio9.10. Stemedica Cell Technologies, Inc.9.10.1. Company Overview9.10.2. Company Snapshot9.10.3. Operating Business Segments9.10.4. Product Portfolio

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Worldwide Cell Therapy Industry to 2027 - Profiling Allosource, Medipost and Mesoblast Among Others - PRNewswire

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Worldwide Cell Therapy Industry to 2027 – Profiling Allosource, Medipost and Mesoblast Among Others – PRNewswire | February 10th, 2021

Paragon Biosciences, a life science innovator that creates, invests in and builds life science companies in biopharmaceuticals, cell and gene therapy and synthetic biology utilizing artificial intelligence, has launched CiRC Biosciences, a cell therapy company developing treatments for serious diseases with high, unmet needs with an initial focus on the eye."The addition of CiRC Biosciences to our portfolio builds upon our cell and gene therapy platform, an area that has tremendous potential to address serious genetic diseases," said Jeff Aronin, founder, chairman and chief executive officer, Paragon Biosciences. "CiRC Biosciences gives us the science to target retinal diseases that could lead to vision restoration with numerous other applications in the years ahead."CiRC Biosciences is currently advancing pre-clinical development of chemically induced retinal cells for vision restoration in Geographic Atrophy Age-Related Macular Degeneration (Dry AMD), which is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss over the age of 65, and advanced Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), a genetic disorder that causes tunnel vision and eventual blindness. There are no U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved treatments to restore vision loss in Dry AMD or RP.The company's novel mechanism of action is designed for direct chemical conversion of fibroblasts into other cell types using a cocktail of small molecules in an 11-day chemical conversion process. Pre-clinical studies have shown efficacy in blind mice that demonstrated vision restoration. CiRC Biosciences has provisional patent applications to protect its platform."Our technology transforms ordinary skin cells into specialized retinal cells using a cocktail of small molecules," said Sai Chavala, M.D., co-founder and chief scientific officer, CiRC Biosciences. "This process is potentially safer, quicker, more cost effective and easier to manufacturer than using traditional stem cells. Working with Paragon Biosciences to build and advance CiRC Biosciences provides us the opportunity to efficiently progress this technology through research and development stages.CiRC Biosciences first reported its discovery in the highly respected scientific journal Nature (April 15, 2020). A recently published New England Journal of Medicine article (Nov. 5, 2020) discussed CiRC's technology of using chemically induced cells to restore retinal function. The article concluded, "The new and emerging strategies for the rescue, regeneration, and replacement of photoreceptors suggest a bright future in the fight to preserve and restore vision in blinding eye diseases."The abstract in Nature is available here.Access to the NEJM article is available here.

Excerpt from:
Paragon Biosciences Expands Cell And Gene Therapy Platform - Contract Pharma

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Paragon Biosciences Expands Cell And Gene Therapy Platform – Contract Pharma | February 10th, 2021

Introduction

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the major causes of cancer-associated illness and death, with more than 600,000 newly diagnosed cases worldwide each year1 and a continuously increasing incidence rate.2 HNSCC includes cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx. The anatomical structures of the head and neck can be damaged by the tumor itself or treatments such as surgical resection and chemoradiotherapy, which sometimes cause speech, swallowing, and breathing impairments.3,4 Patients with HNSCC have been shown to bear greater psychological distress than those with other types of cancer.5

Despite the currently available therapies, patients with advanced HNSCC still experience poor outcomes.68 For example >50% of patients with locoregionally advanced HNSCC experience recurrence or metastases development within 3 years of treatment.911 Treatment options for patients with the recurrent and metastatic disease following progression after a platinum-based regimen are limited, and the median overall survival of such patients is less than 7 months.1215

The recurrence and metastasis of HNSCC are facilitated by immune evasion;16 therefore, as one of the methods to inhibit immune evasion, the use of programmed death 1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) pathway inhibitors is considered effective in the treatment of recurrent HNSCC.1719 Nivolumab, a fully human IgG4 antiPD-1 monoclonal antibody, has shown remarkable antitumor efficacy and safety when administered to patients with recurrent HNSCC whose disease had progressed within 6 months of platinum-based chemotherapy;19 Furthermore, nivolumab treatment has been shown to improve the quality of life of these patients.20 However, PD-1 inhibitors can upregulate T cells in vivo, which may lead to the development of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).2123 To the best of the authors knowledge, no studies have investigated the safety and efficacy of nivolumab in patients with HNSCC after allo-HSCT. Here, we report the case of a patient who experienced excellent control of left buccal squamous cell carcinoma with nivolumab after the failure of platinum-based chemotherapy despite receiving allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

Without any family history of tumor, a 33-year-old man was diagnosed with Philadelphia chromosome-positive T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia on March 19, 2014. He received one course of vincristine and prednisone therapy and four courses of vincristine, daunorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and prednisone therapy. He was in complete remission at the end of therapy. Subsequently, allogeneic bone marrow transplantation was performed; the donor was his human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-haploidentical sibling (sister). He experienced chronic GVHD (c GVHD) of the oral cavity and skin 3 months after transplantation, for which he was treated with steroid hormone- and cyclosporine-based therapies. Skin rejection lasted for more than 3 years. Imatinib mesylate was administered for 2 years after transplantation, and his leukemia was well controlled.

In August 2018, the patient developed an ulcer of approximately 0.5 0.5 cm size in the left buccal mucosa; the ulcer was slightly painful and covered with white moss. In September 2018, the patient was admitted to Peking University Stomatological Hospital, where a biopsy of the buccal mucosa was performed. The pathology results showed the presence of squamous cell carcinoma in the left cheek. Unfortunately, this patient was not a right candidate for HNSCC in terms of exposure to risk factors, such as long terms of smoking and drinking. On October 10, 2018, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (CT) showed that the mass in the left cheek was metabolically active, which is consistent with the activity of a malignant tumor. One course of an adjuvant therapy regimen (nimotuzumab [200 mg d0] + docetaxel [60 mg d1, 8]+ nedaplatin [60 mg d2, 3]) was administered on October 26, 2018. Following this, the patient developed degree II thrombocytopenia and redness, swelling, and ulceration of the cheek, which had discharge with a peculiar smell. On November 29, 2018, a head and neck CT scan showed a left buccal malignant tumor with the destruction of the neighboring mandibular bone and lymph node enlargement in the left submaxillary region and right carotid sheath. The CT examination revealed disease progression. Following a multidisciplinary consultation in our hospital, surgery was not recommended; instead, a chemotherapy-based comprehensive treatment was recommended as a better option for the patient. The patient received chemotherapy with albumin paclitaxel (200 mg d1, 8)+ bleomycin (15,000 units d2, 9) from November 30, 2018 to January 9, 2019. On another CT scan, the curative effect was evaluated as partial remission (showed in Video 1, Figure 1A); subsequently, two courses of a chemotherapy regimen comprising nivolumab (140 mg d1) + albumin paclitaxel (200 mg d1, d8) were administered. A CT examination showed stable disease (SD) on March 12, 2019, following which the patient was administered 120 mg of nivolumab once every 2 weeks from March 15 to May 23, 2019. Another CT examination was performed on May 28, 2019 (showed in Video 2, Figure 1B). During the therapy course, the related tumor markers showed an overall downward trend, the new metastases did not appear, the patients status became better than before. Subsequently, another CT examination performed in August 02, 2019 showed the extent of the tumor was obvious reduction than before (showed in video 3, Figure 1C). And the corresponding CT report in August 02, 2019 was described as follows Compared with the CT on 28 May, 2019, the extent of the tumor in the left cheek became obviously smaller, the tubercle in the left submandibular and the lymph nodes in the left neck also became smaller. There were no other significant changes in this image. Most importantly, the patient did not develop any form of GVHD following nivolumab administration.

Figure 1 Head and neck CT images showing tumor before (A) and after treatment with nivolumab (B, C, respectively).

Abbreviation: CT, computed tomography.

Note: The arrows indicate the maximum length diameter of tumor or tumor site.

Reliable data on the clinical safety and efficacy of nivolumab in the treatment of recurrent or metastatic HNSCC have been obtained in a Phase III randomized clinical trial (CheckMate 141).19 In this trial, 361 patients with recurrent HNSCC for whom disease had progressed within 6 months after platinum-based chemotherapy were enrolled between May 29, 2014, and July 31, 2015. The median follow-up duration for overall survival (OS) was 5.1 months (range, 016.8 months). OS was significantly greater in patients randomized to receive nivolumab than in those who received standard second-line, single-agent systemic therapy with either methotrexate, docetaxel, or cetuximab (hazard ratio, 0.70; 97.73% confidence interval (CI), 0.510.96; P = 0.01). The median OS was 7.5 months (95% CI, 5.59.1) in the nivolumab group versus 5.1 months (95% CI, 4.06.0) in the standard therapy group. The one-year survival was also greater in patients who received nivolumab than in those who received standard therapy (36.0%vs. 16.6%). Furthermore, the response rate was higher in those who received nivolumab than in those who received standard therapy (13.3% vs 5.8%); however, the median progression-free survival was not significantly different between the groups (2.0 vs 2.3 months; P=0.32). In this study, patients who were treated with nivolumab had a longer OS than those treated with standard therapy, regardless of tumor PD-L1 expression or p16 status. Grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 13.1% of patients who received nivolumab and 35.1% of those who received standard therapy. Physical function, role functioning, and social functioning were stable in the nivolumab group, whereas they were substantially worse in the standard therapy group.20 Moreover, among Asian patients, the survival benefits were consistent with the global group.24

It was unclear whether nivolumab could be used in patients with recurrent HNSCC after allo-HSCT, though Khaddour et al proved the efficacy and safety of Pembrolizumab in patients who underwent allo-HSCT after relapsed and refractory Szary Syndrome and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.25 However, some case reports (Table 1) and clinical trials (Table 2) have reported the efficacy and safety of nivolumab when administrated to patients with recurrent hematological malignancies (mostly Hodgkins lymphoma) after allo-HSCT.

Table 1 Case Reports of Nivolumab Use After Allo-HSCT

Table 2 Studies on Nivolumab Use After Allo-HSCT

In Herbaux et al, nivolumab (3 mg/kg, once every 2 weeks) was administered to 20 patients with Hodgkins lymphoma who experienced relapse after allo-HSCT. The overall response rate was 95%, the 1-year progression-free survival rate was 58.2%, and the 1-year OS rate was 78.8%.26 Compared with other treatment options, nivolumab was more effective in these patients.2730 Haverkos et al reported results after a median follow-up duration was 428 days (range, 133833 days). After treatment with PD-1 inhibitors [nivolumab 3 mg/kg, once every 2 weeks (n = 28) and pembrolizumab (n =3)], the overall response rate of 31 patients with relapsed lymphoma after allo-HSCT was 77%, the median progression-free survival was 591 days (range,400644 days), and 68% of the patients survived to the end of the study.23 These two studies showed that nivolumab is effective when administered to patients with recurrent blood cancers after allo-HSCT, which is consistent with the results of several other case reports3134 and case series.35,36 The PD-1/PD-L1 pathway plays a key role in the regulation of the balance among T cell activation, T-cell tolerance, and immune-mediated tissue damage. This pathway protects healthy cells from excessive inflammatory or autoimmune responses.37,38 Some studies have shown that the activation of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway can reduce acute and chronic GVHD, whereas its blockade can accelerate the graft-versus-host response and increase the associated mortality.21,22,39 It is unclear whether the PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab increases the risk of GVHD and the associated mortality in patients after allo-HSCT.23,26 Some clinical studies and case reports have shown that nivolumab treatment-related GVHD and consequent death in patients after allo-HSCT might be affected by the following factors. First, GVHD after antiPD-1 treatment has been observed most frequently in matched sibling donor transplants; for which Haverkos et al reported an incidence of 75%.23 In a Phase I pilot study, without GVHD or G3/G4 immune toxicity after receiving multiple doses of nivolumab was only among one patient whose donor source was Haploidentical+cord blood Fludarabine.40 Second, a history of GVHD, especially for the acute GVHD, may lead to an increased risk of nivolumab treatment-related GVHD after allo-HSCT. In a French cohort, all patients who presented with acute GVHD after nivolumab treatment had a prior history of acute GVHD, among which three patients presented with steroid-refractory nivolumab-induced GVHD, and GVHD was not observed among patients without a history of GVHD.26 This phenomenon was also observed in Steinerovs medical report.41 In the study by Haverkos et al, 63% of patients with a history of GVHD prior to antiPD-1 treatment developed treatment-emergent GVHD after receiving antiPD-1.23 Third, the shorter the interval between transplantation and nivolumab use, the greater the risk of GVHD. In the study by Herbaux et al, the median intervals between transplantation and nivolumab use in cases with the presence and absence of GVHD were 8.5 months and 28.5 months, respectively.26 In another study by Wang et al, the reported four patients all experienced immune-related adverse events following nivolumab treatment and the median time from transplantation to nivolumab use was 7.8 months.40 Fourth, dose is a risk factor for nivolumab treatment-related GVHD. In a case report, chronic skin GVHD was observed when the dose of nivolumab was adjusted from 0.5 mg/kg to 2 mg/kg.33 Other factors, such as immunosuppressive therapy at the time of nivolumab administration, may also influence nivolumab treatment-related GVHD. Recently, a comprehensive literature review was launched by Awais et al to assess the safety and efficacy of the use of checkpoint inhibitors (ipilimumab, nivolumab and pembrolizumab) in blood cancers before and after allo-HSCT. Collective data showed that checkpoint inhibitors use after allo-HSCT for post-transplant relapse had higher efficacy but the risk of GVHD was significant. Moreover, the investigation indicated that higher drug doses, shorter intervals between checkpoint inhibitors exposure and allo-HSCT and prior history of GVHD had a positive correlation with the risk of GVHD.42

In the present case, HNSCC was effectively controlled without any nivolumab treatment-related acute or chronic GVHD after nivolumab administration, while the weight loss being the only adverse event. After comprehensive analysis, we found that many factors may impede the development of nivolumab treatment-related GVHD in our patient. On one hand, the appropriate donor, no use of checkpoint inhibitors prior to allo-HSCT, the long interval between nivolumab administration and allo-HSCT (36 months) and the standard dose use of nivolumab were the negative factors for GVHD development. On the other hand, the chronic GVHD of the oral cavity and skin before nivolumab use might lead to the development of GVHD. However, it remained unknown what role the immunosuppressant therapy played in the occurrence of GVHD, though we definitely known that immunosuppressant was administered more than 2 years after allo-HSCT and discontinued for 2 years before treatment with nivolumab in our patient. Finally, whether the two primary cancers in our case affected the efficacy and safety of nivolumab by some unknown pathways were unclear, which needed further exploration.

Nivolumab has been shown to be effective in patients with HNSCC for whom platinum-based therapy has failed. However, little is known about the efficacy and safety of nivolumab in patients with HNSCC who have undergone allo-HSCT. Our case report shows that nivolumab could be used effectively and safely in such patients, however, more clinical trials are required to confirm these results.

This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital. The authors state that they have obtained verbal and written informed consent from the patient for the inclusion of their medical and treatment history within this case report.

This work was supported by the Tianjin Science and Technology Commission (18ZXXYSY00070), Key Task Project of Tianjin Health and Family Planning Commission (16KG128), Anticancer Key Technologies R&D Program of Tianjin (12ZCDZSY16200), and Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin (18JCYBJC91600).

The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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23. Haverkos BM, Abbott D, Hamadani M, et al. PD-1 blockade for relapsed lymphoma post-allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant: high response rate but frequent GVHD. Blood. 2017;130:221228. doi:10.1182/blood-2017-01-761346

24. Kiyota N, Hasegawa Y, Takahashi S, et al. A randomized, open-label, Phase III clinical trial of nivolumab vs. therapy of investigators choice in recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: a subanalysis of Asian patients versus the global population in checkmate 141. Oral Oncol. 2017;73:138146. doi:10.1016/j.oraloncology.2017.07.023

25. Khaddour K, Musiek A, Cornelius LA, et al. Rapid and sustained response to immune checkpoint inhibition in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma after allogenic hematopoietic cell transplant for szary syndrome. J Immunol Cancer. 2019;7:338. doi:10.1186/s40425-019-0801-z

26. Herbaux C, Gauthier J, Brice P, et al. Efficacy and tolerability of nivolumab after allogeneic transplantation for relapsed hodgkin lymphoma. Blood. 2017;129:24712478. doi:10.1182/blood-2016-11-749556

27. Peggs KS, Kayani I, Edwards N, et al. Donor lymphocyte infusions modulate relapse risk in mixed chimeras and induce durable salvage in relapsed patients after T-cell-depleted allogeneic transplantation for hodgkins lymphoma. J Clin Oncol. 2011;29:971978. doi:10.1200/JCO.2010.32.1711

28. Anastasia A, Carlo-Stella C, Corradini P, et al. Bendamustine for Hodgkin lymphoma patients failing autologous or autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation: a retrospective study of the fondazione Italiana linfomi. Br J Haematol. 2014;166:140142. doi:10.1111/bjh.12821

29. Carlo-Stella C, Ricci F, Dalto S, et al. Brentuximab vedotin in patients with hodgkin lymphoma and a failed allogeneic stem cell transplantation: results from a named patient program at four Italian centers. Oncologist. 2015;20:323328. doi:10.1634/theoncologist.2014-0420

30. Tsirigotis P, Danylesko I, Gkirkas K, et al. Brentuximab vedotin in combination with or without donor lymphocyte infusion for patients with hodgkin lymphoma after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2016;51:13131317. doi:10.1038/bmt.2016.129

31. Angenendt L, Schliemann C, Lutz M, et al. Nivolumab in a patient with refractory Hodgkins lymphoma after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2016;51:443445. doi:10.1038/bmt.2015.266

32. Yared JA, Hardy N, Singh Z, et al. Major clinical response to nivolumab in relapsed/refractory hodgkin lymphoma after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2016;51:850852. doi:10.1038/bmt.2015.346

33. Onizuka M, Kojima M, Matsui K, et al. Successful treatment with low-dose nivolumab in refractory hodgkin lymphoma after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Int J Hematol. 2017;106:141145. doi:10.1007/s12185-017-2181-9

34. Shad AT, Huo JS, Darcy C, et al. Tolerance and effectiveness of nivolumab after pediatric T-cell replete, haploidentical, bone marrow transplantation: a case report. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2017;64. doi:10.1002/pbc.26257

35. Godfrey J, Bishop MR, Syed S, Hyjek E, Kline J. PD-1 blockade induces remissions in relapsed classical hodgkin lymphoma following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. J Immunol Cancer. 2017;5:11. doi:10.1186/s40425-017-0211-z

36. El Cheikh J, Massoud R, Abudalle I, et al. Nivolumab salvage therapy before or after allogeneic stem cell transplantation in hodgkin lymphoma. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2017;52:10741077. doi:10.1038/bmt.2017.69

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40. Wang AY, Kline J, Stock W, et al. Unexpected toxicities when nivolumab was given as maintenance therapy following allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2020;26:10251027. doi:10.1016/j.bbmt.2020.01.021

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42. Ijaz A, Khan AY, Malik SU, et al. Significant risk of graft-versus-host disease with exposure to checkpoint inhibitors before and after allogeneic transplantation. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2019;25:9499. doi:10.1016/j.bbmt.2018.08.028

43. Albring JC, Inselmann S, Sauer T, et al. PD-1 checkpoint blockade in patients with relapsed AML after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Bone marrow transplantation. 2017. doi:10.1038/bmt.2016.274

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45. Herbaux C, Gauthier J, Brice P, et al. Nivolumab Is Effective and Reasonably Safe in Relapsed or Refractory Hodgkin's Lymphoma after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: A Study from the Lysa and SFGM-TC. Blood. 2015. doi:10.1182/blood.V126.23.3979.3979

46. Schoch LK, Borrello I, Fuchs EJ, et al. Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy and Graft Versus Host Disease in Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplant Recipients of Haploidentical and Matched Products with Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide. Blood. 2016. doi:10.1182/blood.V128.22.4571.4571

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Cultures with treated stem cells had a 50% higher stem cell survival rate than untreated cultures. Image by carolem41

Treating equine donor stem cells with a growth factor called TGF-2 may allow them to avoid tripping the immune response in recipients, according to new research.

The work carried out at North Carolina State University could simplify the stem cell treatment process for ligament and tendon injuries in horses, and may also have implications for human stem cell therapies.

Mesenchymal stem cell therapy is a promising avenue for treating musculoskeletal injuries, particularly tendon and ligament injuries, in horses.

Mesenchymal stem cells are adult stem cells found in bone marrow that act as repair directors, producing secretions that recruit healing-related paracrine factors to the site of injury.

Just as blood cells have types, depending upon which antigens are on the blood cells surface, mesenchymal stem cells have differing sets of major histocompatibility complex molecules, or MHCs, on their surfaces.

If the MHCs of donor and recipient arent a match, the donors stem cells cause an immune response. In organ transplants, MHCs are carefully matched to prevent rejection.

These treatments arent like a bone marrow transplant or an organ transplant, says Lauren Schnabel, associate professor of equine orthopedic surgery at the university and corresponding author of the study, reported in the journal Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology.

Since the mesenchymal stem cells are being used temporarily to treat localized injury, researchers once thought that they didnt need to be matched that they wouldnt cause an immune response. Unfortunately, that isnt the case.

Schnabel and Alix Berglund, a research scholar at the university and lead author of the paper, wanted to find a way to use mesenchymal stem cell therapy without the time, effort and additional cost of donor/recipient matching.

Since these cells dont have to be in the body as long as an organ does, hiding them from the immune system long enough for them to secrete their paracrine factors could be a way around donor/recipient matching, Berglund says. Downregulating expression of the MHC molecules could be one way to do this.

The researchers cultured stem cells and lymphocytes, or T cells, from eight horses, cross-pairing them in vitro so that the stem cells and lymphocytes had differing MHC haplotypes.

In one group, stem cells had been treated with transforming growth factor beta (TGF-2) prior to being added to the lymphocytes in the culture media; the other group was untreated. TGF-2 is a cell-signaling molecule produced by white blood cells that blocks immune responses.

Cultures with treated stem cells had a 50% higher stem cell survival rate than untreated cultures.

We use mesenchymal stem cells to treat musculoskeletal injuries particularly tendon injuries in horses very effectively, Schnabel says.

And while you can extract the secretions from the stem cells, you get better results with the cells themselves. Stem cells arent just a reservoir of secretions, theyre a communications hub that tells other cells what they should be doing. So finding a way to utilize these cells without stimulating immune response gives us better treatment options.

This is a promising pilot study, Berglund says. Our next steps will be to further explore the immune response in vivo, and to look at human cells in vitro, as this work has excellent potential to help humans with these injuries as well.

The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the Morris Animal Foundation. Research specialist Julie Long and statistician James Robertson, both with the university, also contributed to the work.

TGF-b2 Reduces the Cell-Mediated Immunogenicity of Equine MHC-Mismatched Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Without Altering Immunomodulatory PropertiesAlix K. Berglund, Julie M. Long, James B. Robertson, Lauren V. SchnabelCell Dev. Biol., 04 February 2021 https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2021.628382

The study, published under a Creative Commons License, can be read here.

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Cord blood collection process is the easiest and safest for both mother and the baby in normal and C-Section delivery. Cord blood is collected after the baby is born and the umbilical cord is clamped and cut. Read here to know more.

A baby's umbilical cord contains blood-forming stem cells which can rebuild the immune system

As a parent to be, there are multiple things on your mind to consider and plan before the little one arrives. Between scan appointments and packing hospital bags, you certainly are on the lookout for the best for your baby. Every mother is always anxious to give birth to a healthy baby and assure that it has a healthy future. When you want to give it a healthy future, you need to think about life saving benefits. One of the most important decision which is made at birth for the baby and its family is preserving its cord blood from umbilical cord. The umbilical cord, which connects the baby and the mother in womb has life-saving benefits.

After the birth of the baby, the blood left in the umbilical cord has life-saving cells that can potentially treat over 80 medical conditions pertaining to blood disorders. Cord Blood Banking is the procedure of safely collecting blood from umbilical cord and placenta and preserving it in a sterile environment, thereby ensuring access to stem cells for one's lifetime.

The stem cells which is preserved can be used for blood related disorders. In simple words, stem cells can act like the body's own repair kit and help the body heal from life threatening diseases.

With several advancements, community cord-blood banking is a frontier in medical practice that will help secure not just your baby's future but also your extended family's health. Despite its benefits, there remains many common misconceptions about cord blood banking. Dr Anjali Kumar, Director, Obstetrics and Gynecology, C K Birla Hospital, Gurgaon debunks the myths and facts about Cord Blood banking.

Cord blood can secure baby's future and also your extended family's healthPhoto Credit: iStock

Also read:Expert Reveals Common Skin Problems In Newborn Babies And How To Take Care Of Them

Fact: Cord blood collection process is the easiest and safest for both mother and the baby in normal and C-Section delivery. Cord blood is collected after the baby is born and the umbilical cord is clamped and cut. The cord blood that is collected is blood that would normally be discarded after birth, so collection doesn't affect your baby's blood supply during pregnancy or delivery.

Fact: Cord Blood extracted from baby's umbilical cord is rich and can be easily available for the family and the child if preserved at birth. Incase of bone marrow or other source of stem cells, the donor has to be registered and should be a match to the family. Cord blood may be accessed more quickly than stem cells from an adult donor who may have registered for donation years ago. The donor must be located, consented, tested and harvested. The extraction of stem cells through Bone Marrow can be painful as well.

Also read:Newborn Care During Winter Season: Here's A Complete Guide For Parents

Fact: According to The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines commercial banking of Cord Tissue is not permitted to be collected and preserved.

Fact: A baby's umbilical cord contains blood-forming stem cells which be transplanted and rebuild the immune system and bone marrow by saving a patient life with a certain life-threatening condition such as leukemia, lymphoma or thalassemia. Infusion of these cells can also treat patients with inherited genetic disorders, bone marrow failure or inherited immune deficiency.

Fact: It is difficult to find a matching donor of Indian origin of the times hence its important to bank baby's umbilical cord. Incase even if a match is found, it can also be incredibly costly to obtain donor stem cells. The cost to obtain a unit of stem cells can be anywhere between 15-20 lakhs and upwards.

Also read:What Is The Best Time To Give Water To Your Newborn?

(Dr Anjali Kumar, Director, Obstetrics and Gynecology, C K Birla Hospital, Gurgaon)

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

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Truthfinder is a background check service designed to allow one to perform searches on any person. Check out our review. Truthfinder is a background check service designed to allow one to perform searches on any person. Check out our review.

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Immunocore Announces Pricing of Upsized Initial Public Offering

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Pratteln, Switzerland, February 5, 2021 – Santhera Pharmaceuticals (SIX: SANN) announces that it has issued 1,600,000 treasury shares. The number of shares recorded in the commercial register has been increased to 21,029,696 shares.

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Q4 2020 sales growth(2) of 4.2% and business EPS growth of 9.8% at CER

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Capital Markets Day 2021: Sanofi progresses on its strategy to drive growth across its businesses and innovation with emerging leadership in immunology

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NEW YORK and LONDON, Feb. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tiziana Life Sciences plc (NASDAQ: TLSA / LSE: TILS) ("Tiziana" or the "Company"), a biotechnology company focused on innovative therapeutics for oncology, inflammation, and infectious diseases, today announces the appointment of Dr. Thomas Adams, Ph.D. as an executive director.

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Three years ago, wading in the sun-warmed waters of the Florida Keys, I felt a sharp pinch and looked down at my feet in surprise. My friend Jen and I had driven down from Miami for a weekend full of strong Cuban coffee and Hemingways six-toed cats. Tempted by water so warm and aquamarine it was almost a cliche, we had stopped to swim at a roadside beach on Bahia Honda Key. I had eased in, careful to drag my feet slowly across the seafloor in a dance known to beachgoers as the stingray shuffle, hoping to alert any local sealife to my approach. But not careful enough.

My foot throbbing, I stumbled back to the beach toward Jen, who wondered if I might have stepped on some glass. But in the next half hour, as my ankle and foot ballooned and the pain ratcheted upfrom stinging to aching, from aching to bone breakingit became clear I must have been stung by something. Then my foot started to turn blue, and we drove to the hospital.

Bahia Honda? the nurse said. Youre the fourth person to come in with a stingray sting from there today.

The pain didnt subside until the next day, when my foot had returned to its normal color. That was the start of a six-week recovery, which also involved crutches, painkillers, heavy-duty antibiotics, and a horrible rash. I wouldnt wish the experiencewhich involves a level of discomfort that some have compared to a gunshot woundon anyone. But in retrospect, its an interesting one to consider. Because, it turns out, animal venoms like the one coursing through my veins on Bahia Honda Key are sought after for drug development, with seven FDA-approved drugs derived from venom toxins on the market so far. Harnessing their power to hurt opens up a world of possibilities for healing.

The Bahia Honda beach where the author had a run-in with a stingray. Image Credit: Giuseppe Milo, Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

Chemical biologist Mand Holford, who studies venom science at her lab at Hunter College, compares what was happening in my foot in the moment after the sting to a cluster bomb. The toxins in animal venom have been engineered by evolution over many millennia to incapacitate by affecting some component in the blood, brain, or cell membranes, she says. Youre getting invaded with 200 to 300 different toxins, all trying to figure out how to reach their target, moving through and rupturing cell membranes, doing all sorts of damage.

The nurse at the emergency room told me stingrays were migrating through the area, their path bringing them close to the cove where I went wading. Stingrays deliver their venom through one or more serrated barbs that lie along their tails. While at rest, a stingray keeps its barb tucked away, immunologist Carla Lima told me in an email. But when it feels threatenedsay, by the feet of a clueless human out for a swimit pushes its tail perpendicular to its body, puncturing that humans flesh with its venom-laden spine.

Lima studies toxins in venomous fish at the Butantan Institute in So Paolo, Brazil. Her research into stingray venom has shown that whats in that venom actually changes as a stingray matures. In the freshwater species she studieswhose venom properties are better explored than the marine stingray that got methe venom of young rays tends to contain toxins that cause pain to the target. Lima hypothesizes this may be to chase predators away. In contrast, the toxins in adult venom have a necrotizing effect, meaning they destroy tissue, which would be helpful for hunting.

Peptides, short chains of amino acids that play key roles in the biological functions of all kinds of organisms, make up a large part of most animal venomsand some are only found in those venoms. Lima and other researchers have identified the peptides porflan and orpotrin as two of the elements in the freshwater stingrays toxic cocktail, along with a number of different proteases, which are enzymes that break down peptides.

As I sat cradling my foot on the beach in Bahia Honda, similar proteases and related proteins worked to break down the structure of cells in my heel, helping the venom spread further, and to prompt an inflammatory reaction that led to the swelling I saw. The peptides, on the other hand, likely caused the arteries to constrict and blood to pool, creating more inflammation and blocking circulationperhaps the cause of my foot turning blue.

A southern stingray (Dasyatis americana) cruises the ocean floor off Grand Turk Island in the Caribbean. Image Credit: Nate Madden, Shutterstock

That a substance that causes so much pain and wreaks so much biological havoc can be used in medicine is what Holford calls the yin and yang of nature. And the fact that damage and healing are, at least in this case, two sides of the same coin forms the basis for the work she does in her lab, identifying new drug applications for various components of animal venom.

Venoms have great potential to contribute to drug development because they are both potent and highly targeted, Holford says, with peptides that fit physically into cell receptors and change how those cells function. Thanks to this dynamic, venom-based drugs can work almost instantaneously. And theyre not what people in the pharmaceutical business call leaky, meaning they tend to only act on the intended cell component and dont stop at other spots along the way causing side effects.

Most stingray venom research, like Limas, takes place in areas where stingrays pose a threat to people: tropical spots like Brazil and Australia. On a drug-development level, we still dont know much about it, Lima says. But we do know a lot about other venomsin particular those created by cone snails and snakes.

For one thing, not all venom toxins cause pain. Some peptides present in snake venom focus on manipulating proteins in the wound so blood flows freely, acting as natural anticoagulants. Other peptides in Gila monster venom promote insulin production, helpful for a hungry lizard that hasnt eaten for awhile. And yet other peptides in cone-snail venom do the opposite of what stingray venom does: paralyze and suppress pain, keeping the snails prey from going into fight-or-flight mode and slowing it down until the (also slow) snail can come nab it for a snack.

This last type of venom is one of the focuses at Holfords lab. Many cone-snail venom peptides are rich in cysteine amino acids, whose structure she compares to Velcro. That makes it relatively easy for them to stick in the hourglass-shaped pores on the surface of cells that let important minerals like sodium, calcium, and potassium flow in and out. The free movement of those minerals is part of how cells talk to each other.

With those channels shut down, neurons cant communicate with one another to indicate pain. Thats what makes Prialt, the commercial version of the cone snails ziconotide peptide, an effective pain medication. Holford and her colleagues are also exploring the potential of other related cone-snail peptides to help dampen signals firing too fast in someone having a heart attack or an epileptic seizure.

She even sees possible applications here for cancer treatment. Current chemotherapy regimens dont discriminate between normal cells and tumor, she says. But because venom peptides work on specific receptorsreceptors that some tumors grow too many of as part of their developmentthey could help create a cancer drug that specifically starves cancer cells of essential minerals, stopping their growth.

The saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus) is one of the deadliest snakes in India, and its venom is the basis of the blood-thinning drug Tirofiban. Image Credit: Sagar Khunte, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The venom that nearly ruined my Florida Keys vacation (though I still got to enjoy some beautiful sunsets, and the seafood was fantastic) was incredibly sophisticated, honed by evolution to inflict pain and physiological damage with laser precision. It was almost comforting to learn this in the weeks after, as I hobbled around on my crutches and watched with fascinated disgust as the wound developed a stingray-shaped blister. (My boyfriend said it was a sign I was developing superpowers, but sad to say none appeared.)

We know from nature that these peptides work, Holford says. What we dont know is massive: where they work, how they work, how effective they are. And thats a huge game of Wheres Waldo. Holford and her colleagues have come up with a protocol for finding new venom components that have potential in drug applications, then figuring out how to get them there. The first step is a practical look at the natural world: identifying which animal species are creating venom, especially venom that can be extracted manually. Next, the team uses new technologies that Holford refers to as the omics genomics, transcriptomics, proteomicsto identify the toxins within those venoms, by examining the instructions the animals' DNA and RNA contain and the proteins built by following those instructions.

From there, the team is able to use that genetic code to manufacture more of a chosen peptide in the lab, which is especially useful when it comes to studying venoms that are produced in small quantities in nature. They then test the synthetic toxin on the animals natural prey to make sure its effective and further tweak it to ensure its as specifically targeted as it can be for humans. And finally, they start to think about drug delivery. Does this drug need to cross the blood-brain barrier? Would it work if administered orally? These are essential questions, since potential drugs that cant be delivered effectively cant really be drugs at all.

Much like the experience of the sting itself, the possibilities for new drugs here are dizzying. Most venom-based drugs on the market are derived from a single peptide. But my stingrays venom (just like other naturally occurring venoms) featured hundreds of peptides. And with the advent of the omics, drug development with venom has become more efficient. Time- and resource-intensive experiments can now be run much more quickly using computer modeling, making the whole process more viable and opening up a whole world of drug prospects.

Lima and her colleagues in Brazil, for example, are continuing to explore the realm of fish venom. One synthetic peptide derived from the venom of a species of toadfish shows particular promise. A 2017 study suggested that peptide, known as TnP, has powerful anti-inflammatory and therapeutic effects in mice. Effects that could potentially help stem the autoimmune reactions that lead to spinal cord damage in patients with multiple sclerosis.

As Holford and her team navigate the new technological landscape, theyre also looking for ways to simplify their process. One innovation Holford is excited about is organoids, in this case, venom glands grown independently in a laboratory. Growing organoids would make acquiring venom samples much easier, she says, and would not require sacrificing an animal for the initial sample.

Thats especially important with climate change and habitat loss fueling a looming biodiversity collapse that could take with it undiscovered venoms with the capacity to heal. In 10 years were heading toward this major shift thats coming if we dont change our attitudes and lifestyle, she says. We could lose a lot of things on the planet that are potentially lifesaving.

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Trading by management and close relations of management

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OCALA, Fla., Feb. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AIM ImmunoTech Inc. (NYSE American: AIM) today announced that it has completed its At-The-Market (ATM) facility and closed the ATM’s Equity Distribution Agreement (EDA). Management believes, based on the company’s current financial condition, that it has adequate funds to meet its anticipated operational cash needs and fund current clinical trials over approximately the next twenty-four months.

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Hyloris and Purna Female Healthcare announce partnership to develop novel women’s health product

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THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF ARTICLE 7 OF THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU) NO. 596/2014 AS IT FORMS PART OF LAW IN THE UNITED KINGDOM BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018. IN ADDITION, MARKET SOUNDINGS WERE TAKEN IN RESPECT OF THE MATTERS CONTAINED IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, WITH THE RESULT THAT CERTAIN PERSONS BECAME AWARE OF SUCH INSIDE INFORMATION. UPON PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT THIS INFORMATION IS NOW CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN AND SUCH PERSONS SHALL THEREFORE CEASE TO BE IN POSSESSION OF INSIDE INFORMATION.

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Silence Therapeutics plc Announces $45 Million Private Placement

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Strengthened Financial Position Supports Execution into the First Half of 2023 Strengthened Financial Position Supports Execution into the First Half of 2023

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Orchard Therapeutics Announces $150 Million Strategic Financing

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MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Feb. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IGM Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: IGMS), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on creating and developing engineered IgM antibodies, today announced that Fred Schwarzer, Chief Executive Officer, will participate in a fireside chat at the Guggenheim Healthcare Talks 2021 Idea Forum Oncology Day on February 12, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. ET. The conference will be held in a virtual meeting format.

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NEW YORK and SAN DIEGO, Feb. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZNTL), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing small molecule therapeutics targeting fundamental biological pathways of cancers, today announced that Anthony Sun, MD, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Zentalis, will participate in fireside chats at two upcoming virtual investor conferences.

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