- IGM to Develop Birinapant in Combination with IGM-8444 for the Treatment of Solid Tumors - - IGM to Develop Birinapant in Combination with IGM-8444 for the Treatment of Solid Tumors -
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IGM Biosciences Enters into Exclusive Licensing Agreement with Medivir for Birinapant
Panel can detect multiple variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, including those most recently identified in the United Kingdom, South Africa, and the U.S.
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Theratechnologies Announces US$40 Million Bought-Deal Public Offering of Units
Jiuquan, China, Jan. 11, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Qilian International Holding Group Limited (the “Company”), a China-based pharmaceutical and chemical products manufacturer, today announced the pricing of its initial public offering ("Offering") of 5,000,000 ordinary shares at a public offering price of US$5.00 per share. The ordinary shares have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Global Market and are expected to commence trading on January 12, 2021 under the ticker symbol “QLI”.
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Qilian International Holding Group Limited Announces Pricing of Initial Public Offering
- Collaboration with Richard Childs, M.D., yields potential first-ever antibodies targeting human endogenous retrovirus associated with renal cell carcinoma
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Adagene Announces Milestone of CAR-T Collaboration with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health
Basel, 12 January 2021 - Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) will present updated overall survival (OS) data from the Phase III IMbrave150 study evaluating Tecentriq® (atezolizumab) in combination with Avastin® (bevacizumab), compared with sorafenib, in people with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have not received prior systemic therapy.
Geneva, Switzerland, January 12, 2021 - Addex Therapeutics Ltd (SIX: ADXN and Nasdaq: ADXN), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company pioneering allosteric modulation-based drug discovery and development, announced today that Tim Dyer, Chief Executive Officer, is scheduled to participate in the virtual Baader Helvea Swiss Equities Conference taking place on January 13 – January 15, 2021.
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Addex to Present at the Baader Helvea Swiss Equities Conference
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Bone Therapeutics treats first patient in ALLOB Phase IIb tibial fracture study
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iosBio signs exclusive worldwide licensing agreement granting ImmunityBio rights to OraPro™ oral vaccine platform technology for COVID-19
VANCOUVER, Jan. 11, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VANCOUVER, January 12, 2021 - BetterLife Pharma Inc. (“BetterLife” or the “Company”) (CSE: BETR / OTCQB: BETRF / FRA: NPAU), an emerging biotech focused on the development and commercialization of cutting-edge treatments in mental disorders and viral infections, is pleased to provide an overview of the Company’s primary plans for this calendar year to develop 3 novel therapeutic products, each addressing significant unmet needs with multi-billion dollar market potential.
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BetterLife Provides Shareholder Update and 2021 Product Development Roadmap
SAN FRANCISCO and LONDON, Jan. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (Nasdaq: VIR) and GlaxoSmithKline plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) today announced an agreement with the U.K.-based AGILE initiative to evaluate VIR-7832 in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 in a Phase 1b/2a clinical trial. VIR-7832 is a neutralizing COVID-19 antibody that preclinical data suggests has two distinguishing properties: an enhanced ability to clear infected cells and the potential to enhance virus-specific T-cell function, which could help treat and/or prevent COVID-19 infection.
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Vir Biotechnology and GSK Announce NHS-Supported AGILE Study to Evaluate VIR-7832 in the Early Treatment of COVID-19
ORION CORPORATION STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE 12 JANUARY 2021 at 10.15 EET
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Recommendation by the Nomination Committee concerning the Board of Directors to be elected by the 2021 AGM of Orion Corporation
Helsinn Announces First Patient Dosed in Phase 1/2 Study of TAS0953/HM06 in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors with RET Gene Abnormalities
Without a doubt, 2020 will be recorded in history with the theme of COVID-19. The pandemic heavily affected our lives, creating new global challenges in almost all spheres, including security and defense. While the new normal is reshaping our reality, the existing security threats have not disappeared. It gives a reason to enhance our cooperation and develop a flexible approach more than any time before.
The outbreak has consequently led to a thorough examination of the armed forces role in countering this unprecedented crisis resulting from the spread of the virus.
Since the beginning, the Polish Armed Forces have been actively engaged in supporting civilian authorities and the health care system. Every day, an average of about 10,000 soldiers were actively fighting the pandemic, and another 10,000 were on standby. Fourteen military hospitals, five medical preventative medicine centers, and the Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology are constantly providing support to the national health care system. Soldiers were collecting around 55 thousand swabs each week and were supported almost 700 hospitals, 173 sanitary-epidemiological stations, and about 11,000 combatants, veterans, seniors and medical staff families. Soldiers are also supporting construction of 17 temporary hospitals, have built over 50 isolation centers and have operated over 20 field-admission points.
In this demanding period, the Polish Territorial Defence Forces the relatively young fifth service of the Polish Armed Forces have impeccably proved their importance and effectiveness.
At the same time, Poland has been a part of numerous activities on the international level. NATO is using its existing mechanisms and bodies, such as the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Center and strategic airlift programs, to support allies. It has also developed new tools such as new operations plans and a trust fund to strengthen response capabilities. NATO members provide mutual assistance to each other by donating vital medical equipment and relief material. These actions are a visible proof of international solidarity in response to this extraordinary multidimensional challenge we face nowadays. They also constitute valuable lessons learned to be implemented to be better prepared and resilient for similar challenges in the future.
We realized that without exchanging experience, our efforts would not be so efficient. Therefore, in spring 2020, our Military Institute of Medicine led several medical missions to Italy, the United States and Slovenia. Our experts had a unique opportunity to share best practices and obtain knowledge that could be applied to design national response measures.
Regardless of our fight against COVID-19, effective deterrence and defense remain the core task of our armed forces. Therefore, throughout 2020 we made every effort to fulfill previously planned activities and goals. Several top exercises such as Defender Europe 2020, conducted in a highly sanitary regime, proved allied determination to sustain high readiness of its forces.
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The COVID-19 pandemic will most likely have an impact on national security policies, including defense budgets, but we remain committed to keeping out defense spending above the required 2 percent of gross domestic product.
On the national level, Poland continues to strengthen its defense potential through further development of the Polish Armed Forces and their modernization.
We intend to keep up international cooperation aimed at increasing defense capabilities, specifically contributing to the needs of the alliance and the European Union. In this respect, we will implement state-of-the-art equipment, such as the F-35 fighter jet, the Patriot missile defense system and the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System.
Where applicable, we will engage our national defense industry in modernization projects to include procurement of self-propelled howitzers and mortars.
As before, close international collaboration aimed at meeting key commitments and pledges will be of the utmost importance. Despite the negative effects that COVID-19 may bring to our economies, Poland will maintain its involvement in allied missions, operations and initiatives in line with the 360-degree approach applying to NATOs eastern flank and other strategic directions. It translates to our constant engagement in the Enhanced Forward Presence in Latvia, the Tailored Forward Presence in Romania and the Baltic Air Policing mission, as well as in peacekeeping activities in the Western Balkans. We will continue to declare significant forces to the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, NATO Response Force and NATO Readiness Initiative, not to mention our support to the international community in the fight against terrorism.
The COVID-19 pandemic proves that stronger cooperation in security is needed, though some may raise the argument that with the public health challenges we confront every day, defense expenditures are secondary. Nevertheless, as we are responsible for building a security landscape for the coming decades, we must concentrate on common defense projects and put emphasis on solidarity.
Mariusz Blaszczak is Polands minister of defense.
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Poland's defense minister: COVID-19 is forcing the military to reexamine its role - DefenseNews.com
Understanding how opiates work is something that most people are not that well-educated about. This poses a major problem, given that the United States has some of the highest opiate abuse rates in the world. Every hour, over five people die due to drug overdoses within the US. The first step in reducing opiate addiction rates is to educate people on how opioids work and how they lead to a high level of addiction seldom seen.Dr. Russell Surasky is someone who has become an expert on opiate addiction. He is triple board-certified in neurology, addiction medicine, and preventative medicine. Dr. Surasky is the medical director of Bridge Back to Life, which is a multi-center outpatient addiction treatment program that helps those addicted to dangerous opiates like fentanyl. He has also founded the Surasky Neurological Center for Addiction in Great Neck, NY.Dr. Surasky believes that once someone understands how opioids work, they will also realize why it is incredibly difficult for someone addicted to them to stop cold turkey. Rather than being a moral failing, as politicians have been telling us for decades, addiction is a complex chronic disease that includes a lifetime risk of relapse. Thankfully, there have been advances in our understanding of the brain and how opiates affect it. There are now treatments, which Dr. Surasky uses, that have the power to reverse the neurological damage caused by opiates, leading to a permanent recovery.The first step in understanding opioid addiction is to understand what opioids are themselves. Generally, the word opioid refers to drugs that originate from the opium poppy. These include morphine, codeine, heroin, fentanyl, and others. Synthetic drugs like Oxycodone and Hydrocodone, known as Percocet and Vicodin, are also classified as opioids. The way they work is by lighting up the opiate receptors in the brain and spinal cord. These opioids have the power to significantly reduce the amount of pain someone feels. However, opiate receptors will also play into how we feel, both mentally and emotionally. That leads to opioids temporarily improving someones well-being. In fact, they will drastically lower feelings of depression and anxiety in the user, but only temporarily.Opioids that get prescribed to mitigate pain can indeed provide pain relief. However, they do so at a cost. It is very easy to misuse them and get hooked on them. That is due to these drugs overstimulating the brain's reward system. There is a euphoria experienced when using opioids that, once gone, turns to depression.As soon as the drug wears off, it will detach from the opiate receptors it was locked into, which tells the brain that it needs more. Thankfully, there are safe and non-addictive methods today that can effectively wean people off of opiates, including Vivitrol and spinal adjustments, among others.
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Dr. Russell Surasky Helping Others Understand Opioid Addiction and the La - The Jerusalem Post
The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted daily life on a global scale faster and more severely than any previous economic recession or natural disaster, resulting in significant psychological distress.
A new longitudinal study, published in Preventative Medicine, has revealed that the first month of the pandemic caused as much distress in American individuals as experienced during the entire previous year.
The researchers used longitudinal data from a nationally representative sample of US adults over the age of 20 to compare psychological distress during the first two months of the pandemic with the highest level of distress experienced during the year before the pandemic.
The baseline survey, according to the researchers, was conducted in February 2019 and the survey focusing on the pandemic was conducted in May 2020, eight weeks after the declaration of the national emergency in the US.
Measuring distress
Researchers assessed psychological distress by using the Kessler-6 (K6), which is an instrument commonly used to determine clinically significant psychiatric conditions, the study explains.
According to the study, the researchers found that the prevalence of psychological distress during the pandemic exceeded levels that would be expected in the absence of the pandemic.
Moreover, the study states that people experienced the same amount of psychological distress in 30 days of the pandemic as experienced over an entire year before the pandemic.
The researchers also found an increased prevalence of psychological distress across all demographic groups in the sample, which makes the pandemic the most persistent and complex stressor that has affected the US population, the study explains.
Younger people report more psychological distress
Findings from the research reveal that the risk of psychological distress was higher among participants younger than 60.
Distress may be driven more by economic stressors than fears specific to the disease, since older individuals are widely reported to be at higher risk of morbidity and mortality related to the virus, the researchers state.
Although previous research suggests that those who experience psychological distress following a disaster will return to pre-disaster levels over time, the researchers state that the pandemics effects may continue for an extended period.
Tracing patterns of persistence of serious psychological distress will provide important information to guide the national public health response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the researchers concluded.
READ |The Covid-19 pandemic is causing anxious, upsetting dreams in many people, especially women
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READ |Mental health effects of Covid-19 pandemic, lockdown - and concern over suicide risk
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New study reveals extent of psychological distress resulting from Covid-19 pandemic - News24
The emerging clean wellness industry is about minimizing human exposure to harmful chemicals.
The clean beauty market has been growing immensely in recent years, with people demanding products that are free of toxic chemicals. According to experts, the Covid-19 pandemic has only increased the desire of conscious consumers to spend their money on companies who are committed to sustainability and social change. Here are two companies taking the lead in the emerging clean wellness movement. WTHN offers traditional healing methods including acupuncture and herbs. Genexa makes the only OTC medications that are free from allergens and other potentially harmful ingredients.
Michelle Larivee is the CEO and Cofounder of WTHN.
1)WTHN
WTHN is a modern wellness brand that shares the ancient healing techniques of acupuncture, cupping, and traditional Chinese herbal medicine through its retail studios and a clean wellness boutique that carries their own products as well as others. After opening at the end of 2018, in their first year they earned revenue of over $2 million and gave over 5,000 people their first ever acupuncture treatment. They helped women trying to get pregnant, clients struggling with chronic pain and mental health issues, and more.
WTHN also sells organic herbal supplements for stress, sleep, and immunity-boosting on their website as well as through partners like Goop, Erewhon, and Standard Dose. As the Covid-19 pandemic has forced the closure of the WTHN studio in Manhattan, the company has pivoted to expanding their online healing platform.
We fundamentally believe that there is a broad shift happening in US healthcare right now toward preventative care, says Michelle Larivee, the CEO and Cofounder of WTHN. Health and wellness is defined by being proactive and not just seeing the doctor when youre sick. Its about more than just eating healthy and working out. Its about knowing your body and mind and being empowered to make decisions that are right for you. The Covid-19 crisis has only increased the urgency around the need for more awareness of tools for preventative health.
Laviree has worked in the healthcare industry for the last 15 years. But her journey to WTHN began with a personal health transformation. Six years ago, she had a ski accident that left her with chronic neck pain. After countless rounds of physical therapy and other treatments, she tried acupuncture and herbal medicine. Not only did they give her pain relief, but also she found herself sleeping better, less stressed, and with a stronger immune system that resulted in fewer sick days. She also credits the treatments with helping her get pregnant.
The entrepreneurship journey is all about highs and lows and navigating those extremes, which can be exhausting, says Laviree. There is no boss or mentor or built-in comforts like in any other job I have had in the past, so a lot of self-reliance is required. One of the most helpful things I have done is to build out my own very strong support network that includes mentors, colleagues, other founders, and friends.
David Johnson is the CEO and cofounder of Genexa.
2) Genexa
Genexa makes clean, safe, over-the-counter (OTC) medicines using the same active ingredients as big brands but without the toxic, harmful ingredients. These medications include antacids, laxatives, pain relievers, and more. The products are available in more than 30,000 stores nationwide.
Along with business partner Max Spielberg, CEO David Johnson founded Genexa because as new fathers, they discovered that there were no clean medicines for their children to take. We were shocked to find out that many oral medications contain a potential allergen and almost half contain ingredients like lactose, hard-to-digest sugars and more. We believed medicine could and should be made cleaner, so we decided to do something about it.
Johnson grew up in a healthy household with parents who were naturopathic physicians and used only clean, organic ingredients in everything from food to cleaning products. When he had his son, he therefore found it extremely frustrating to not be able to find medicines without ingredients like red dye no. 40 and sucrose. Everyone deserves clean, safe medicine that works. Being able to provide that to consumers worldwide is my lifes purpose, he says.
To aspiring changemakers and entrepreneurs, Johnson offers this advice. Do the thing you cant stop thinking about, even if you dont know where to start. My partner and I werent scientists, pharmacists or doctors. We were two dads who believed there was a better way. A lot of doors were slammed in our faces, but we didnt stop trying. We couldnt stop thinking about what the world would look like if we could make another industry cleaner.
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These 2 Companies Are Leading The Clean Wellness Movement - Forbes
The University of Washington Medical Center is very quiet on April 1, 2020.
Think twice about the COVID-19 test you just took, because the rapid Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 antigen test has been found to be about 100 times less sensitive than standard lab tests, according to a new study by UW Medicine. That means those cleared by the test may still be infected with low levels of the virus and can transmit it to others.
The research, conducted by laboratory medicine and pathology assistant professor Dr. Alex Greninger, compared the sensitivity of Abbott tests to tests typically used in clinical labs, also known as real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction tests, or rRT-PCR tests.
It found that the Abbott test is only able to detect the virus 95% of the time when samples contain at least 40,000 viruses. The rRT-PCR test only requires a few hundred viruses in a sample to detect it, making it around 100 times more sensitive.
As such, the Abbott test works well when administered within seven days of symptom onset, which is when infected individuals tend to shed large amounts of the virus. However, the test becomes less effective in detecting the virus past that period, even if those tested are still infected, according to UW Medicine.
The virus behaves so differently from person to person, so it really depends on the context, Greninger said. We dont recommend [the Abbott test] for hospital use, but it might be alright for a public health approach.
The Abbott test was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration back in August, and was subsequently distributed across the country to be used in clinics, offices, and schools. The test works by rubbing a nasal sample on a rapid-result card, which can detect the presence of a coronavirus protein within 15 minutes.
Its convenience and affordability have made it a popular option as quarantine protocols increasingly hinge on negative COVID-19 tests. Greninger even speculates that the Abbott test might be available for over-the-counter use within the next year.
However, that does not mean that the Abbott test should serve as a greenlight for people to resume traveling or other infectious behaviors.
We hope [the Abbott test] will be used as an added test, [a] preventative measure, not a reason to change behavior, Greninger said. We are still very much in the midst of a pandemic.
As these tests are often administered to screen those without obvious symptoms, that means they are being used to clear people for whom they are least effective, which means that some of those infected can still slip through and continue to transmit the virus.
Especially with the recent emergence of the even more contagious COVID-19 strain first found in the United Kingdom, which he speculates will probably spread across the United States as well, Greninger recommends that people remain cautious in their behavior and remember that although the vaccine may be out, there is still a long road ahead of us.
Reach reporter Katherine Lin at news@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @linkat18
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Rapid antigen COVID-19 test not greenlight to return to pre-pandemic behavior - Dailyuw
Dr. Russell Surasky has been turning heads with his effective use of VIVITROL for successfully treating opioid addiction. This monthly injection has been found to reduce addictive cravings for opiate drugs. Unlike other alternatives like Suboxone and Methadone, it is not an opiate itself.
The fact that VIVITROL is not an opiate also means that it is not addictive. There is absolutely no physical dependency risk associated with taking it. Additionally, there are no negative side effects that similar alternatives feature, such as feeling high or sick. In fact, not much of anything is felt after receiving a Vivitrol injection.
The intense cravings to get the next fix of an opiate are gone after using VIVITROL. One of the best features of VIVITROL is the fact that a patient does not need to continue receiving injections for the rest of their lives. After one year of taking Vivitrol once a month, there is no further need to keep taking it.
Dr. Russell Surasky is triple board-certified in neurology, addiction medicine, and preventative medicine. This makes him an expert on addictions and how to treat them. At his multi-center outpatient addiction treatment programmed called Bridge Back to Life, Dr. Surasky has been administering VIVITROL to his patients. The results have been so remarkable that he has called VIVITROL one of the most effective treatments for opiate addictions.
However, VIVITROL isnt a miracle-maker. There has to be a bit of personal responsibility on the side of the patient that is undertaken. As long as a patient is firmly committed to getting rid of their opiate addiction, they will find VIVITROL treatment successful. They should also adhere to substance abuse therapy and have a healthy support system. You are the five or six people you spend the most time around, making it important to have an environment that reinforces healthy habits.
To date, Dr. Surasky has nothing but good things to say about VIVITROL. From his experience working with it, patients have seen dramatic improvements. VIVITROL has led to patients no longer feeling the intense cravings for opiate drugs they once had. Even further, they no longer even think about them. The patients Dr. Surasky has treated have expressed their relief about having finally freed themselves from the destructive additions that come with taking opiate drugs.
Dr. Surasky believes there is nothing more important than keeping families together and healthy. If someone in a family has fallen prey to opiate addiction, their family ends up suffering as well. Opiate addiction has found its way into every area of society. Nobody is immune to its dangers. That is why something like VIVITROL is a welcome solution that can help families everywhere avoid the terribly destructive consequences of opiate addiction.
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VIVITROL Is Quickly Becoming the Go-To Treatment Option for Getting Rid of Opioid Addiction - The Ritz Herald
It seems as though a llama may hold the answer we've been waiting for, in terms of combatting the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. A study conducted at Uniformed Services University's (USU) Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine showed that nanobodies produced by an absolutely gorgeous llama named Cormac may potentially be able to protect human lungs from infections such as COVID-19.
As previously mentioned, USU's researchers have been working with specific antibodies known as nanobodies derived from camels and llamas, which may be able to take down the coronavirus pandemic. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, when manipulated in the form of an aerosol or liquid form, nanobodies can act as a virus preventative and combatant. They weigh about 10 percent of a human antibody, and can apparently recognize virus proteins, latch themselves on, and fight them off.
Nanobodies are cheap and easy to work with in the realm of medical engineering, which is why USU's researchers had been testing them for months. Eventually, they discovered that Cormac the llama was producing a certain type of nanobody, NIH-CoVnb-112, which is thought to prevent, detect, and disembody SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins. Scientists tested this by immunizing Cormac five times over the course of a few weeks, using low levels of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, and seeing how he reacted.
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From doing this, researchers found that Cormac was producing low levels of the NIH-CoVnb-112 nanobodies, which latch onto the COVID-19 protein and prevent it from entering the body's cells. The nanobodies were then further tested in terms of infection prevention in petri dishes, and were eventually tested through an inhaler that used on asthma patients, which showed could work to treat patients in the form of a spray, according to National Institutes of Health.
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"One of the exciting things about nanobodies is that, unlike most regular antibodies, they can be aerosolized and inhaled to coat the lungs and airways," said Dr. David Brody, director of USU's Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, and leader of the study. "This is promising in that it could potentially be used to protect the lungs from infections."
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How Are Llamas Helping Cure the Coronavirus? Here's What We Know - Green Matters