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Comparison of the effectiveness of pilates exercises, aerobic exercises, and pilates with aerobic exercises in patients with rheumatoid arthritis -…

October 23rd, 2020 2:56 pm

Background:Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a rheumatic disease characterized by erosive synovitis and polyarthritis. Exercise is known to improve many symptoms in RA patients.

Aim:This study was designed to compare the effects of pilates exercises, aerobic exercises, and combined training including pilates with aerobic exercises on fatigue, depression, aerobic capacity, pain, sleep quality, and quality of life.

Methods:Thirty voluntary RA patients were included in this study. Patients were divided into three groups equally, and treatment was applied to each group for 8 weeks. Pilates exercises were practiced to the first group, aerobic exercises were practiced to the second group, and combined training was performed to the third group. Fatigue, depression, aerobic capacity, pain, sleep quality, and quality of life were evaluated using Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), 6-minute walk test (6MWT), McGill Pain Questionnaire- Short Form (MPQ-SF), Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life (RAQoL), respectively.

Results:The results of the present study showed significant improvements for the first group on fatigue, depression, aerobic capacity, and quality of life (p < 0.05). Improvements in all parameters except for pain were obtained for the second and third groups (p < 0.05). In addition, there was no statistically significant difference among the treatment groups in assessments (p > 0.05).

Conclusion:Pilates exercises may have similar effects to aerobic exercises in patients with RA. Addition of clinical pilates exercises to the routine treatment of RA may enhance the success of rehabilitation. Trial registrationNCT03836820.

Keywords:Aerobic exercises; Fatigue; Pilates exercises; Rheumatoid arthritis.

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ZetrOZ Receives Funding from the National Institute of Health to Find New Ways to Reduce Arthritic Pain for Over 60 Million Americans Using…

October 23rd, 2020 2:56 pm

TRUMBULL, Conn., Oct. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --ZetrOZ Systems, developers of sustained acoustic medicine (SAM), an FDA-cleared home-use ultrasound device that helps reduce pain associated with tendon, ligament, and muscle injuries, has received funding from the National Institute of Health (NIH) to find a way to reduce arthritic pain utilizing non-surgical, non-narcotic technology.

Arthritic pain has been primarily managed by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), namely diclofenac. Diclofenac, which is administered topically, is limited in its efficacy due to its limited ability to penetrate the skin. New findings from researchers at the University of Cincinnati show SAM technology's ability to deliver NSAIDs locally and effectively, demonstrating 380% enhanced delivery compared to existing technology for the treatment of joint pain.

"Targeted and localized drug delivery is the holy grail for many therapeutic agents, and this has been demonstrated with small-molecule therapeutics, combined with our latest sam 2.0," says Dr. George Lewis, CEO of ZetrOZ Systems. "The research community is excited by the findings, as it has broad implications for the local delivery of therapeutic agents without the need for oral delivery."

The study published in the Journal of Therapeutic Delivery Vol 11. NO 6.investigated the use of sam 2.0, "a multi-hour, wearable, localized, sonophoresis transdermal drug delivery device for the penetration enhancement of diclofenac through the skin." The use of sam 2.0 medical technology resulted in increased delivery of diclofenac by 380% and increased depth of penetration of the skin by 32%. Findings concluded that sustained acoustic medicine can be used as an effective transdermal drug-delivery device for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

"Our collaborations with the top research institutions such as the University of Cincinnati foster continuous innovation on sustained acoustic medicine in the treatment of chronic pain," adds Lewis.

About ZetrOZ Systems

ZetrOZ Systems is an FDA cGMP and ISO 13585 medical technology company headquartered in the southern coastal region of Connecticut. The organization also has manufacturing facilities across the United States. ZetrOZ Systems produced UltrOZ, samSport and samPro 2.0 to provide safe and effective treatment options for prevalent conditions such as arthritis. Learn more at zetroz.comand samrecover.com.

Media Contact: [emailprotected]

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sam-2-0-medical-technology.jpg SAM 2.0 medical technology featured in the Journal of Therapeutic Delivery for the treatment of chronic arthritis pain

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Rheumatoid arthritis drug tocilizumab falls short as treatment for hospitalized Covid-19 patients in three studies – msnNOW

October 23rd, 2020 2:56 pm

CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP/Getty Images A medic prepares to transfer a patient on a stretcher from an ambulance outside of Emergency at Coral Gables Hospital where Coronavirus patients are treated in Coral Gables near Miami, on July 30, 2020. - Florida has emerged as a major new epicenter of the US battle against the disease, with confirmed cases recently surpassing New York and now second only to California. The state toll has leapt over the past week and more than 6,500 people have died from the disease there, according to health officials. More than 460,000 people have been infected with the virus in Florida, which has a population of 21 million, and a quarter of the state's cases are in Miami. The US has tallied a total of 151,826 deaths from COVID-19, making it the hardest-hit country in the world. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP) (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images)

Tocilizumab, a repurposed rheumatoid arthritis drug once considered a promising treatment for hospitalized patients with Covid-19, generally did not increase patients' chances of survival or help them get better faster, according to three trials published this week.

However, a fourth trial did find the drug increased the chances of survival, but because it was an observational study, the results are considered less definitive.

Three of the trials were published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association and the other was published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

While this leaves the picture for tocilizumab use a bit muddy, the studies taken together show the drug isn't a magic bullet that should be used in all hospitalized patients with Covid-19, but they leave the door open for possible use in specific patient groups.

"It is possible that forthcoming results from other randomized trials will help us identify specific groups of people who will benefit. However, growing evidence supports current guidelines, which recommend against tocilizumab use outside of clinical trials," Dr. Jonathan Parr told CNN.

Parr, an assistant professor in the division of infectious diseases at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, wrote an editorial that was published alongside the three studies in JAMA.

Tocilizumab, sold under the brand name Actemra and used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, blocks interleukin-6, a molecule that produces inflammation.

Earlier in the pandemic, the drug became widely used in the United States after reports from China and Europe appeared to show it helped very ill patients who experienced a so-called cytokine storm by extinguishing the out-of-control inflammation that developed in response to the coronavirus.

However, those early reports were mostly observational, meaning they took existing data and analyzed it as opposed to designing a trial specifically to assess tocilizumab.

But now the results from trials designed to look at the drug prospectively are beginning to come in.

The first of the three JAMA studies found that hospitalized patients in Italy who were not yet in intensive care and who received tocilizumab fared no better than those who received standard care. The trial was stopped early due to "futility."

A similar study in France found that tocilizumab may have led to slight improvements by day 14 over usual care, but there were no differences in survival by day 28.

The third study found that the risk of in-hospital death was about 30% lower in US patients receiving tocilizumab within the first two days of ICU admission compared to those who didn't get the drug.

But because it was an observational trial there could be factors that affected the results other than how well the drug itself worked.

"We specifically studied tocilizumab administration in very sick patients, all of whom required ICU level of care. In contrast, the [other two trials] studied patients with much milder illness severity," said Dr. Shruti Gupta of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, who led the study team.

Dr. David Leaf, the trial's senior author, added, "We focused on early use of tocilizumab -- within the first two days of ICU admission. This may be the key to tocilizumab's efficacy -- administering it prior to the occurrence of irreversible organ injury," he said in an email.

Gupta said their findings need confirmation by a large randomized, controlled trial.

The fourth study, published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, used the gold standard of trial design-- it's a randomized, double-blind, placebo control trial.

It enrolled 243 patients from seven Boston-area hospitals who were admitted with Covid-19 at the height of the surge in that region.

"The primary goal of the trial was to determine if tocilizumab, administered intravenously at a moderate stage of the patients' disease, could prevent progression to intubation or death," said Dr. John H. Stone, lead study author and director of Clinical Rheumatology at Massachusetts General Hospital, told CNN via email.

But the findings were not encouraging for the use of tocilizumab.

"Our data do not support the concept that early IL-6 receptor blockade is an effective treatment strategy in moderately ill patients hospitalized with Covid-19 infection," said Stone.

Results show that the chances of intubation or death were about similar in both groups and patients in both groups essentially took the same amount of time to discontinue supplemental oxygen.

So, where does that leave tocilizumab?

"Tocilizumab may still have a role in COVID-19. Several large trials are expected to come out soon that will tell us more about how and when it should be used, if at all," said Parr, noting that it "shouldn't be taken off the table completely, but we need more convincing evidence before using it routinely."

Stone agreed that the drug may still benefit other patient groups, but he stressed the importance of doing these trials.

"An important take-away point from our trial and the overall experience with IL-6 receptor blockade is that any such approach to the treatment of COVID-19 must be subjected to randomized, blinded trials," he said, adding that the trials should be done "before the adoption of widespread use."

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Rheumatoid Arthritis Stem Cell Therapy Market Highlights On Future Development 2018 to 2028 – TechnoWeekly

October 23rd, 2020 2:56 pm

New Study Reports Rheumatoid Arthritis Stem Cell Therapy Market 2020 Global Market Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies and Forecasts 2026 has been Added on Fact.MR.OverviewStarting from the fundamental details, the report provides a complete overview of the industry along with a proper market profile. The details provided here about the crucial technologies used for manufacturing and product management purpose makes it easier to have a thorough insight into the Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Stem Cell Therapy Market. Based on the information obtained, the market has been segmented into various categories. It predicts the growth rate of the Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Stem Cell Therapy Market in between the forecasted period, having a base year as 2020.

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This report focuses Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Stem Cell Therapy market, it covers details as following:Competitive landscape

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Market DynamicsThe report identifies all the key aspects that drive the super-fast growth of the international Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Stem Cell Therapy Market. In this context, it identifies the crucial aspects regarding the pricing part of the concerned product. It analyses the market value of each of the products and services as well in the report, including the various kinds of volume trends. Prime aspects that are covered in this report range from the effect of growing population at international level, accelerating technological growth, and the analysis of level of demand and supply as evident in the Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Stem Cell Therapy Market. The report also covers extensive studies regarding various effects in relation to the initiatives taken by the government and the competitive platform that is there in the Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Stem Cell Therapy Market in between the forecasted period. Segmental AnalysisThe report does thorough segmentation of international Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Stem Cell Therapy Market upon taking various factors associated with the growth of the market. It does a thorough regional segmentation. These segmentation based studies are done with an intention of achieving a thorough and specific insight of the Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Stem Cell Therapy Market. The report does a regional analysis of the key zones of the world, starting from the US, North America, Latin America, Middle East & Africa, and Asia. Modes of researchThe research being done by experienced experts has done a comprehensive analysis of Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Stem Cell Therapy Market based on Porters Five Force Model, taking the assessment period between 2020-2026 into account. Additionally, a deep SWOT analysis is done to facilitate quick decision making for the associated people in the Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Stem Cell Therapy Market.

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Report covers:Comprehensive research methodology of Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Stem Cell Therapy Market.This report also includes detailed and extensive market overview with gap analysis, historical analysis & key analyst insights.An exhaustive analysis of macro and micro factors influencing the market guided by key recommendations.Analysis of regional regulations and other government policies impacting the Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Stem Cell Therapy Market.Insights about market determinants which are stimulating the Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Stem Cell Therapy Market.Detailed and extensive market segments with regional distribution of forecasted revenuesExtensive profiles and recent developments of market players

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Platelet glycoprotein Ib alpha chain as a putative therapeutic target for juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a Mendelian randomization study – DocWire…

October 23rd, 2020 2:56 pm

Objective:To ascertain the role of platelet glycoprotein Ib alpha chain (GPIb) plasma protein levels in cardiovascular, autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases and whether its effects are mediated by platelet count.

Methods:We performed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study, using both cis and trans-acting protein expression quantitative trait loci (pQTL) near GP1BA and BRAP genes as instruments. To assess if platelet count mediated the effect, we then performed a two-step MR study. Putative associations (GPIb/ platelet count/ disease) detected by MR analyses were subsequently assessed using multiple-trait-colocalization analyses.

Results:After correcting for multiple testing (P 210-3), GPIb, instrumented by either cis-pQTL or trans-pQTL, was causally implicated with increased risk of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA oligoarticular and rheumatoid factor negative subtypes). These effects of GPIb appear to be mediated by platelet count and are supported by strong evidence of colocalization (probability of all three traits sharing a common causal variant 0.80). GPIb instrumented by cis-pQTL did not appear to affect cardiovascular risk, although the GPIb trans-pQTL associates with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and autoimmune diseases but decreased risk of autoinflammatory diseases, suggesting this trans- instrument acts through other pathways.

Conclusion:The role of platelets in thrombosis is well-established, however our findings provided some novel genetic evidence that platelets may be causally implicated in the development of JIA, and GPIba as a putative therapeutic target for these JIA subtypes.

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Try these three natural remedies to manage arthritis pain – Germiston City News

October 23rd, 2020 2:56 pm

Arthritis affects over 350 million people in the world.

It is also a leading cause of disability and can affect mobility and interrupt peoples ability to perform simple daily tasks.

World Arthritis Day was on October 12, which aimed to raise awareness about rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. Although strides have been made to find suitable treatments, many continue to suffer from debilitating pain.

Owner and founder of The Harvest Table, Catherine Clark, said there are natural remedies which can help manage symptoms associated with arthritis.

There is no cure for arthritis, but if you support your body with the right foods and supplements, you can alleviate some of the pain so that it doesnt become a hindrance in your daily life, said Clark.

Clark added that arthritis can affect ones energy levels, cause pain, and is a direct result of a loss of collagen in the bones.

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The key is to find solutions that will help you feel less fatigued, while also managing pain and replenishing the collagen lost, she said. Clark offers three natural remedies to manage arthritis pain:

Anti-inflammatory foodsArthritis fatigue is real, and according to the Arthritis Foundation, unchecked inflammation and pain largely contribute to your energy levels, along with certain medications that can cause drowsiness.Boosting your energy starts with nourishing your body with the right foods, especially those with high anti-inflammatory properties that help your bodies repair process. This will not only alleviate pain but will reduce the inflammation in your body. To effectively manage your arthritis, reduce the amounts of processed foods and saturated fats as these will only further contribute to your symptoms. Instead, choose fresh fruits and vegetables, especially green vegetables and berries. Also include fish and nuts, which both contain high anti-inflammatory properties.

Slow and gentle movementMovement is a critical part of recovery when addressing the symptoms of arthritis as it retains the suppleness of your joints. Various low impact movements can specifically tackle flexibility, strength and generally support your joints to prevent injury. Prolonged lack of movement can lead to chronic stiffness that results into joint immobility which will impact your ability to complete daily activities. Yoga is an effective solution as it reduces joint pain and also eases stress, tension and promotes better quality sleep.

Collagen-rich supplementsCollagen consists of protein building blocks, otherwise known as amino acids, which aid in cushioning our joints. When you have arthritis, this cushioning diminishes which then affects your cartilage and leads to your bones rubbing against each other without protection. Supplements like Bone Broth and Collagen granules help replenish the collagen content in your body. Bone Broth is a natural anti-inflammatory, so when you have it as part of your diet, you benefit in more ways than one. Collagen granules can help reduce both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis joint pain, improve flexibility, and helps form new bones. Although all the collagen you ingest does not go straight to your bones, increasing your intake makes them readily available for your body tissues.

Natural remedies are meant to support your body so that you can better manage pain and other symptoms associated with arthritis.

The idea is to implement small and manageable changes that contribute to you feeling better and having the energy and ability to get through the day without pain getting in the way, Clark concludes.

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Septic Arthritis Treatment Market 2020| Know The Latest Trends, Business Outlook, New Opportunities By Top Key Player | Affluence Market Reports -…

October 23rd, 2020 2:56 pm

The report on Septic Arthritis Treatment Marketgives an analysis of Septic Arthritis Treatment Industry dependent on angles that are significant for the market study. Factors like production, the share of the overall industry, revenue rate, regions and key players characterize an overall market study. This report gives an overview of market esteemed and its development in the coming years. It likewise predicts CAGR.

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The report is a thorough examination of this market over the world. It offers an outline of the market including its definition, applications, key drivers, key market players, key segments, and assembling innovation. Furthermore, the research report presents factual information on the status of the market and subsequently is an important wellspring of direction for companies and individuals interested in the businesses. Also, in-depth knowledge on the company profiles, product particulars, capacity, production worth, and market shares of key players are introduced in the report.

Major Key Players in this Septic Arthritis Treatment Market Report are as follows:

Lupin Pharmaceuticals (US), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd (Swtizerland), AbbVie Inc (US), Amgen Inc (US), Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (US) , Johnson & Johnson (US), Pfizer (US) ,

The Report is Segmented as Following:

With an overall methodology for information aggregation, the market situations include significant players, cost and pricing working in particular geographies. Statistical looking over-utilized are SWOT Analysis, PESTLE analysis, prescient examination, and constant examination. Charts are plainly used to help the data format for a clear understanding of facts and figures.

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The report further explains on the restraining elements in the Septic Arthritis Treatment market for individuals, strategists, and partners to deliberately execute their techniques and accomplish their objectives. Whats more, the Septic Arthritis Treatment market is segmented based on product, innovation, and end-user. This Septic Arthritis Treatment Research report segments are altogether concentrated to offer key data like open doors for business owners, planners, and marketing staff. It encourages them to deal with their activities and execute unequivocal to earn more profits. Septic Arthritis Treatment Report offers insights on each segment and sub-segment for assisting producers to identify key opportunities and grow their business.

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Precision NanoSystems Receives $18.2 Million from the Government of Canada to Develop an RNA Vaccine for COVID-19 – Canada NewsWire

October 23rd, 2020 2:54 pm

VANCOUVER, BC, Oct. 23, 2020 /CNW/ -Precision Nanosystems, Inc. (PNI), a global leader in technologies and solutions in genetic medicine, announced today that it has received a commitment of up to $18.2 million in support from the Government of Canada under the Innovation, Science and Economic Development's (ISED) Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. PNI will use the investment to advance a best-in-class COVID-19 mRNA vaccine candidate to clinical trials.

PNI provides over 250 industry and academic partners with solutions for the development of vaccines, gene therapies, and cell therapies, in the areas of infectious diseases, oncology and rare diseases. With this investment from the Government of Canada, PNI's Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Andrew Geall, and his team will use their state-of-the-art technology platforms and expertise in self-amplifying mRNA vectors, lipid-based drug delivery systems and nanomedicine manufacturing to develop a cost-effective COVID-19 vaccine.

As part of Canada's efforts to combat COVID-19, the Strategic Innovation Fund is working diligently to support projects led by the private sector for COVID-19 related vaccine and therapy clinical trials to advance Canada's medical countermeasures in the fight against COVID-19. "An effective vaccine will be critical as we work to contain the COVID-19 virus and prevent future infections.Today's contribution will support PNI to advance the development of a mRNA vaccine candidate through pre-clinical studies and clinical trials to help protect Canadians," stated the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.

Bringing together its proprietary technology platforms, key partnerships and unparalleled expertise in nanomedicines, PNI is excited to be leading the development of a Made-in-Canada COVID vaccine. James Taylor, CEO and co-founder of PNI said "Since its inception PNI has executed on its mission to accelerate the creation of transformative medicines. It is an honour to be supported by the Canadian government in this global fight against COVID-19 and to further build capabilities for rapid response against COVID-19 and future pandemics"

About Precision NanoSystems Inc. (PNI)

PNI is a global leader in ushering in the next wave of genetic medicines in infectious diseases, cancer and rare diseases. We work with the world's leading drug developers to understand disease and create the therapeutics and vaccines that will define the future of medicine.PNI offers proprietary technology platforms and comprehensive expertise to enable researchers to translate disease biology insights into non-viral genetic medicines.

SOURCE Precision Nanosystems

For further information: Jane Alleva, Global Marketing Manager, Precision NanoSystems, Phone: 1 888 618 0031, ext 140, mobile 1 778 877 5473

http://www.precisionnanosystems.com

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Be Biopharma, AavantiBio Launch With Millions in Financing to Support Therapeutic Goals – BioSpace

October 23rd, 2020 2:54 pm

Its a day of firsts, with the launch of two new Cambridge, Mass.-based life sciences companies, Be Biopharma, with a focus on B cell malignancies, and AavantiBio, a gene therapy company aimed at treating rare genetic diseases.

AavantiBio launched with a $107 million Series A financing round, which includes not only a $15 million equity investment from Sarepta Therapeutics, but also an experienced executive in Alexander Bo Cumbo to helm the startup. The companys lead asset is a gene therapy treatment for Friedreichs Ataxia (FA), a rare inherited genetic disease that causes cardiac and central nervous system dysfunction.

AavantiBios gene therapy builds on the work of its co-founders, renowned gene therapy researchers Barry Byrne and Manuela Corti, who have researched FA and other genetic disorders. In addition to the foundational work of Byrne and Corti, the startup will also benefit from strategic partnerships with the University of Floridas renowned Powell Gene Therapy Center and the MDA Care Center at UF Health where Byrne and Corti maintain their research and clinical practices.

Cumbo, who spent eight years at Sarepta as chief commercial officer, will serve as the first chief executive officer of AavantiBio. He said his time at Sarepta has been incredibly rewarding as that company emerged as a pioneer in treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy and limb-girdle muscular dystrophy patients and ultimately transformed into a genetic medicine leader.

It has been a privilege to contribute to this growth and play a role in serving these communities. As I look ahead to the bright future of AavantiBio and the exciting opportunity to lead this innovative company, this same dedication to serving unmet patient needs and to leveraging deep scientific expertise will be core to our mission. I am also thrilled to continue to collaborate with the talented team at Sarepta, said Cumbo, who will continue to serve as an adviser to Sarepta through the end of 2020.

Sarepta CEO Doug Ingram praised Cumbos work over the past eight years and said he built a first-in-class rare disease commercial organization. As a partner with AavantiBio, Ingram said he looks forward to a continued relationship with Cumbo and AavantiBios efforts to advance therapies for FA and other rare diseases.

In addition to Sarepta, AavantiBios Series A was supported by Perceptive Advisors, Bain Capital Life Sciences and RA Capital Management.

Be Biopharma launched with a $52 million Series A financing round. The company will use the funds to engineer B cells to treat a range of diseases. B cells are prolific protein producers that can be collected from peripheral blood, have a programmable lifetime that could last decades, can target specific tissues, and have broad, customizable functionality.

The company intends to build on the work of co-founders David Rawlings and Richard James conducted at Seattle Childrens Research Institute. Rawlings said the goal is to build new class of engineered B cell medicines that will provide direct control over the power of humoral immunity and transform the prognosis for patients who currently have limited treatment options.

Be Biopharma is helmed by David Steinberg, a co-founder of the company and a partner at Longwood Fund, one of the supporters of the Series A.

Be Bio is capitalizing on the unique attributes of B cells to create a new category of medicine that is distinct from traditional cell or gene therapy. B cells can be engineered to express a wide variety of proteins, have the potential to generate durable responses, and can be dose-titrated and administered multiple times without the need for toxic preconditioning, Steinberg said in a statement. Moreover, the varied functions of B cells suggest that B cell medicines can address a range of conditions including autoimmune diseases, cancer, and monogenic disorders, as well as enhance the immune response to infectious pathogens. We believe Be Bio is at the forefront of a new approach to fighting disease.

In addition to Longwood Fund, the Series A financing round was supported by investment leaders Atlas Venture and RA Capital Management. Alta Partners and Takeda Ventures also supported the financing round.

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Use of Genetic Sequencing to Track SARS-CoV-2 Mutations Can Improve Diagnostic Testing Accuracy and Vaccine Effectiveness – HospiMedica

October 23rd, 2020 2:54 pm

Scientists are tracking the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 by sequencing the genome of virus samples collected from diagnostic testing. Using next generation sequencing on SARS-CoV-2 will help accurately diagnose the novel coronavirus, identify mutations and track its history.

A study by scientists at the UNC School of Medicine (Chapel Hill, NC, USA) has shown how next generation genetic sequencing can track mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which can in effect help with transmission tracing, diagnostic testing accuracy and vaccine effectiveness. This type of virus monitoring is also important in diagnostic testing. Much of the testing developed to diagnose COVID-19 looks for one portion of the gene sequence that causes the novel coronavirus. If that sequence mutates, the test is no longer accurate and results will be affected.

Their recent study is the largest to focus on suburban and rural communities in which the researchers were able to reconstruct the mutational landscape of cases seen at the UNC Medical Center. Within their study, the team of scientists did find variations in the virus genetic sequence, but fortunately none of the variations were located in the portion of the virus targeted in common diagnostic testing. 175 samples from confirmed COVID-19-positive patients were analyzed, out of which 57% carried the spike D614G variant noted in similar studies. The presence of this variant is associated with a higher genome copy number and its prevalence has expanded throughout the pandemic.

The researchers will continue using NGS to track the SARS-CoV-2 virus through the remainder of 2020. The goal is to enroll every patient at UNC Hospitals with flu or respiratory symptoms for COVID-19 diagnostic testing. These samples will be sequenced and compiled to form a comprehensive profile of any virus that these patients carry, information that will continue to help a community of researchers in their fight against SARS-CoV-2 and potentially novel coronaviruses.

We are concerned about future mutations though, said Dirk Dittmer, PhD, professor of microbiology and immunology at the UNC School of Medicine, and senior author of the study. It is inherent in a virus nature to mutate. Changes in other areas of the genetic sequence can not only disrupt testing, but hinder the effectiveness of vaccines.

Because we are only looking at one gene sequence for the virus, we have told the FDA that we will continually monitor for changes in this gene sequence so that we can be assured that our test is still reliable, said Melissa Miller, PhD, director of UNC Medical Center Microbiology and Molecular Microbiology Laboratories, and a co-author of the study. NGS will help us do that.

Related Links:UNC School of Medicine

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Comprehensive Genomic Analysis in Some Patients With Breast Cancer Reveals Rare, Pathogenic TP53 Variant in Families of Ashkenazi Jewish Descent -…

October 23rd, 2020 2:54 pm

The American College of Medical Genetics currently recognizes a wide range of germline variants in the gene TP53 as pathogenic or likely pathogenic and causing the inherited disorder, Li-Fraumeni Syndrome.1 Cancers strongly associated with Li-Fraumeni syndrome include common and rare malignancies such as breast cancer, adrenocortical carcinoma, and osteosarcoma, and are normally diagnosed in patients at much younger ages than the average age of diagnosis for the general population.

In July 2020, a team of multidisciplinary researchers led by clinician-scientists at the Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine, Philadelphia, added to the understanding of pathogenic TP53 variants with the publication of study in which they identified a rare, novel variant implicated in the development of Li-Fraumeni syndrome predominantly in families of Ashkenazi Jewish descent.2

Nonpathogenic p53 protein is composed of 4 major protein domains: transactivation, proline-rich, DNA-binding, and tetramerization, and is a transcription factor that activates transcription of genes encoding DNA repair machinery in healthy cells.1 Because p53 functions as a transcriptional regulator, pathogenic mutations in TP53 are most commonly observed in sequences encoding the DNA binding domain, causing the mutant p53 protein to lose its normal capacity to bind to target promoter sequences for transcriptional activation.1 Unlike more common pathogenic mutations in the DNA binding domain, the novel variant, c, 1000G>C;p. G334R, is a pathogenic missense mutation in the tetramerization domain of p53, resulting in disruption of the normal tetramerization of p53 polypeptides required to assume its native structure in wild-type carriers.2

A well-documented example of a pathogenic germline mutation in the tetramerization domain of p53 occurs in 0.3% of the general population in Southern Brazil, where a spectrum of early onset cancers was also observed in the population and confirmed as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome.3

Discovery of the novel pathogenic variant began with a research sequencing study at Abramsons Cancer Center aimed at identifying breast cancer susceptibility genes in patients with early-onset disease who were negative for germline pathogenic BRCA1/2 variants.4 Additional families with the TP53 c. 1000G>C; G334R variant were then identified from national databases and testing sites such as the National Society of Genetic Counselors ListServ and commercial genetic testing lab cases such as Ambry Genetics.

The researchers case-ascertainment database analyses resulted in a final total of 21 cases of early-onset cancer carrying the novel pathogenic TP53 variant.2 To further validate the pathogenicity of the novel variant, a team of multidisciplinary researchers utilized criteria in the 2015 ACMG/AMP Variant interpretation guidelines to evaluate predictive computational modeling of the mutant protein and in-vitro functional data of the mutant p53 in cells line.1,2

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Baby Gets Early Stem Cell Transplant to Treat Rare Disease Thanks to Newborn Screening – University of Michigan Health System News

October 23rd, 2020 2:54 pm

At birth, Minette looked perfectly healthy, and her parents took their 7 pound, 9- ounce, brown-eyed baby girl home thinking all was well.

But her newborn screening test revealed something different.

The results indicated Minette had a rare lysosomal storage disease known as mucopolysaccharidosis type I, or MPS-1. Babies usually dont show any symptoms at birth, but the condition is progressively debilitating, eventually causing permanent damage to mental development, organ function and physical abilities.

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And at nine days old in January, 2019, after a series of tests run by the newborn screen follow up team in pediatric genetics at Michigan Medicine C.S. Mott Childrens Hospital, Minette was officially diagnosed with MPS-1.

There were no signs of this disease during pregnancy or after her birth, says her mother Samantha Mejia, of West Bloomfield, Mich.

It was so important that we identified it early so she could get treatment that would give her a better chance of living a more normal life.

MPS-1 means the body is missing or does not have enough of an enzyme needed to break down long chains of sugar molecules (glycosaminoglycans) within structures called lysosomes. Lysosomes are essentially the bodys recycling centers large molecules go in and come out small enough so the body can use them.

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When these molecules cant be broken down, they build up in the cell, causing many organs and tissues of the body to become enlarged, damaged and unable to work properly. Some children may develop mild to moderate mental impairment or learning difficulties, respiratory problems, sleep apnea and heart disease.

In severe cases like Minettes, children stop developing between ages 2-4, which is followed by progressive mental decline including loss of physical abilities and language skills.

MPS-1 was added to the Michigan newborn screen in August, 2017 just a little more than a year before Minette was born joining a list of more than 50 disorders that can now be detected through a simple blood test after birth.

Prior to being added to the newborn screen, many children were often diagnosed between ages one-and-a-half and three years old because they start losing developmental milestones or begin showing certain facial features as a result of glycosaminoglycans storage, such as thickened nostrils, lips or ears.

The clinical diagnosis of MPS-1 is often delayed because the symptoms tend to be non-specific early on. Newborn screening is crucial for making an early diagnosis and initiating treatment, which significantly alters the long term outcomes for patients, says Rachel Fisher, pediatric genetic counselor at Mott and a lysosomal storage disorder newborn screen coordinator for the state of Michigan.

Because of Minettes early diagnosis, her Mott care teams could quickly take next steps for treatment. She started enzyme therapy within six weeks, and at three months of age underwent four days of chemotherapy before ultimately getting a hematopoietic stem cell transplant to help replace the enzyme her body was missing.

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Global Population Sequencing Markets, 2020-2030 – Rising Adoption of Large-Scale Sequencing to Understand the Genomics of Susceptibility and…

October 23rd, 2020 2:54 pm

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 23, 2020--

The "Global Population Sequencing Market: Focus on Product, Method, Technology, Application, Country, and Competitive Landscape - Analysis and Forecast, 2020-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The population sequencing market is projected to reach $64,047.6 million by 2030 from $21,730.4 million in 2020, at a CAGR of 11.41% during the forecast period, 2020-2030.

Growth in this market is expected to be driven by the rising adoption of large-scale sequencing to understand the genomics of susceptibility and resistance from COVID-19, increasing adoption of personalized medicine for the screening and diagnosis of genetic disorders, and a global surge in direct-to-consumer genetic testing.

However, there are significant challenges that are restraining the market growth, such as lack of infrastructure to maintain, store, and share sensitive genomic data, absence of sufficient funding for the development of high-throughput genomic software tools, and poor reducibility and transability of data in clinical practice.

The market is favored by the technological advancements in the sequencing, and computational analysis solutions for a large volume of genetic data enabling a deep understanding of the genetic variants for the development of diagnostics, drug discovery, and translational research.

Furthermore, several sequencing companies are focusing on the development of high-throughput sequence platforms and polymerase chain reaction platforms, with higher sensitivity and low turn-around time to benefit the patients, enabling patient-based outcomes and implementing genomic medicine.

Within the research report, the market is segmented on the basis of product type, application, methods, and technology. Each of these segments covers the snapshot of the market over the projected years, the inclination of the market revenue, underlying patterns, and trends by using analytics on the primary and secondary data obtained.

Competitive Landscape

The exponential rise in the application of precision medicine on the global level has created a buzz among companies to invest in the development of rapid diagnostics providing information on genetic mutation and optimal candidates for adjuvant chemotherapy or hormonal therapy. Due to the diverse product portfolio and intense market penetration, Illumina, Inc. has been a pioneer in this field and has been a significant competitor in this market.

The population sequencing market provided immense growth opportunities for the companies providing technology and infrastructure for large-scale health initiatives, such as Color Genomics, Inc., Helix Opco, LLC, and big data companies such as Genuity Science.

Key Questions Answered in this Report:

Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

1 Product Definition

1.1 Definition by Product

1.1.1 Platforms

1.1.2 Kits and Assays

1.1.3 Software Tools

1.2 Inclusion and Exclusion

1.2.1 Inclusion and Exclusion for Country-Wise Market Estimation

1.3 Scope of Work

1.4 Key Questions Answered in the Report

2 Research Methodology

3 Introduction

3.1 Market Overview

3.2 Impact of COVID-19 on Population Sequencing

3.3 Future Potential

4 Global Population Sequencing Market Dynamics

4.1 Overview

4.2 Impact Analysis

4.3 Market Drivers

4.3.1 Rising Adoption of Large-Scale Sequencing to Understand the Genomics of Susceptibility and Resistance from COVID-19

4.3.2 Increasing Adoption of Personalized Medicine for the Screening and Diagnostics of Genetic Disorders

4.3.3 Global Surge in Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing

4.4 Market Restraints

4.4.1 Lack of Infrastructure to Maintain, Store and Share Sensitive Genomic Data

4.4.2 Absence of Sufficient Funding for Development of High-Throughput Genomic Software Tools

4.4.3 Poor Reducibility and Translatability of Data in Clinical Practice

4.5 Market Opportunity

4.5.1 Advancing Precision Medicine with Blockchain-Powered Artificial Intelligence

4.5.2 Technological Advancements in Sample Preparation for Population Sequencing

4.5.3 Increased Population Engagement and Data Management

5 Competitive Landscape

5.1 Key Strategies and Developments

5.1.1 Product Approval

5.1.2 Product Launches and Upgradations

5.1.3 Synergistic Activities

5.1.4 Funding and Expansion

5.1.5 Acquisitions

5.1.6 Other

6 Industry Insights

6.1 Overview

6.2 Legal Requirements and Framework in the U.S.

6.3 Legal Requirements and Framework in Europe

6.4 Legal Requirements and Framework in Asia-Pacific

6.4.1 Japan

6.5 Market Share Analysis (by Company) 2019

6.5.1 Growth Share Analysis (Opportunity Mapping)

6.5.2 By Company

7 Global Population Sequencing Initiatives (by Country)

8 Global Population Sequencing Market (by Product), $Million, 2019-2030

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Kits and Assays

8.3 Platforms

8.4 Software Tools

9 Global Population Sequencing Market (by Methods), $Million, 2019-2030

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Whole Genome Sequencing

9.3 Whole Exome Sequencing

9.4 Single-Read Sequencing

9.5 Other Sequencing Methods

10 Global Population Sequencing Market (by Technology), $Million, 2019-2030

10.1 Introduction

10.2 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

10.3 Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)

10.4 Other Technologies

11 Global Population Sequencing Market (by Application), $Million, 2019-2030

11.1 Introduction

11.2 Human health

11.2.1 Clinical Applications

11.2.1.1 Diagnostics

11.2.1.1.1 Cancer Diagnostics

11.2.1.1.2 Infectious Disease Diagnostics

11.2.1.1.3 Rare Disease Diagnostics

11.2.1.1.4 Other Diagnostics

11.2.1.2 Drug Discovery and Development

11.2.2 Translational Research Sequencing

11.3 Molecular Forensics

11.4 Blockchain in Genomics

11.4.1 Data Sharing and Monetization

11.4.2 Data Storage and Security

11.4.3 Automated Health Insurance

12 Global Population Sequencing Market (by Country), $Million, 2019-2030

13 Company Profiles

13.1 Company Overview

13.2 Role of Agilent Technologies, Inc. in Global Population Sequencing Market

13.3 Financials

13.4 Key Insights About Financial Health of the Company

13.5 SWOT Analysis

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UNC Researchers Identify Genetic Variant Linked to Drug-Induced Hypertension with Avastin – PRNewswire

October 23rd, 2020 2:54 pm

CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Oct. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In the largest study of its kind, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) have discovered a genetic variant that can be used to predict if patients will develop hypertension from the widely used cancer drug Avastin (generic name bevacizumab). The groundbreaking work is being presented this weekend by the lead researcher, Dr. Federico Innocenti, during a plenary session at the 32nd EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics. The presentation can be viewed on Sunday, October 25th at 9:45 ET on the Conference website.

VEGF inhibitors like Avastin have revolutionized cancer treatment and have been used by millions of patients. Because they target blood vessel growth and regulation, the most common and severe side effects are usually cardiovascular-related. Currently, there is no way to predict who is likely to experience these serious and potentially fatal adverse events, which can develop quickly and often require stopping or modifying treatment.

After analyzing thousands of genomic variations from over 1,000 Caucasian cancer patients across five independent clinical trials the researchers identified a genomic variant that appears twice as often in patients with hypertension than without it, and is present in over a quarter of hypertension cases. These results suggest the return on testing for this variant is very high. When assessing how many people need to be tested to avoid one severe event, the number is only 34 for Caucasian patients. If confirmed in patients of African ancestry, the number drops to just 9, given the much higher occurrence of the variant (80%+) in this population.

William R. Sellers,Professor of Medicine at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, who is co-chairof the Conference and not involved with the research said, "Side effects from bevacizumab can be debilitating; a simple genetic test to identify which patients will experience toxicities could help provide better and more effective treatments for our patients." Dr. Federico Innocenti, Associate Professor at UNC who led the research added, "Early identification is a potential double win. It will first help doctors identify patients at a higher risk of hypertension induced by Avastin. Then, for example, these patients can receive closer monitoring or prophylactic treatment, allowing them to continue their cancer treatment uninterrupted."

With support from the research group Emerald Lake Safety, efforts are currently underway to start a prospective study that will provide doctors with a free test to screen patients and update their treatment regimens as necessary. "Interested clinicians should contact me," says Dr. Innocenti.

Press Contact:

FedericoInnocenti, MD, PhD[emailprotected](949) 257-2074

SOURCE Federico Innocenti, MD, PhD

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Getting to the Roots of Fragile X Syndrome – Tufts Now

October 23rd, 2020 2:54 pm

The cause of fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common inherited intellectual disability, is easy to see in the lab. Under electron microscopy, an affected X chromosome exhibits a deformed tip that gives the disorder its name and pinpoints the causative gene malfunction. Theres no cure for the disease, whose symptoms include learning deficits and hyperactivity and which has been linked with autism. FXS occurs in 1 in 4,000 to 7,000 males and 1 in 8,000 to 11,000 females in the United States.

Most research on FXS has focused on the brains neurons, the cells that transmit electrical and chemical impulses. But for a decade Yongjie Yang, associate professor of neuroscience at Tufts University School of Medicine, has pursued a different path, investigating the involvement of glia cells, particularly astroglia, which support neuron function and make up more than half the brain. In the past month, hes published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) and Glia. Tufts Now spoke with Yang about his work.

Tufts Now: What do we know about FXS?

Yongjie Yang: Fragile X syndrome is caused by the mutation of a single gene, FMR1, that codes for the FMRP protein, which is found in all brain cells and is essential for normal cognitive development. The mutation doesnt actually change the genetic code. Instead it causes part of the gene, specifically the chemical bases CGG, to repeat. We all carry those repeats in different numbers. If you carry roughly 50 or fewer, your brain development will be normal, but if the repeats go beyond 200, you will have the full mutation and your brain will produce only 10 to 20 percent of the needed level of FMRP, especially if youre male. FXS was characterized in 1943 but the genetic mutation wasnt identified until 1991, almost half a century a later.

What is the relationship between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and FXS?

The two are intermingled. ASD is much more common, occurring in 1 in 54 children according to new estimates. Its believed that 1 to 6 percent of people with ASD have the FXS mutation, and that mutation accounts for the largest genetic subset of those with ASD. Many people with FXS are also autistic. FXS is a learning and intellectual disability, while ASD includes a wide range of social and communications challenges.

What are the key findings of your most recent research?

The study in Glia shows that some physical symptoms of FXS can be induced in mice by eliminating FMRP from astroglia alone. So in thinking about gene therapy for FXS, we need to consider glia cells, not just neurons. Our PNAS paper is exciting because it defines a unique, distinct FMRP-dependent pathway in mouse and human astroglia that regulates communications from astroglia to neurons through mGluR5, an important receptor for glutamate, the neurotransmitter that triggers brain activity. Interestingly, this regulation pathway isnt found in neurons. Its also the first study to demonstrate how overall protein expression is changed in FMR1-deficient astroglia. Unveiling astroglia-specific molecular mechanisms involved in FXS development could give us new targets for potential therapeutics.

Whats next?

We want to better understand the pathophysiology of FXS and identify new avenues for drugs and other interventions to attenuate the effects of the disease. Of course gene therapy would be wonderful but it often takes a long, long time and carries a lot of risk. Most other studies have focused on the neuron side, and drug trials based on these studies have failed so far. Our glia/astroglia perspective gives a fresh view to search for new targets.

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WCM-Q Student Researchers Probe Effects of COVID-19 on Pregnancy – Al-Bawaba

October 23rd, 2020 2:54 pm

Two medical students at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) have conducted a systematic review of the latest medical literature to provide a clearer understanding of how the novel coronavirus affects pregnant women, new mothers and newborn babies.

Second-year students Reem Chamseddine and Farah Wahbeh reviewed 245 pregnancies that were complicated by maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection across 48 scientific studies published between the emergence of the pandemic in December 2019 and July 30, 2020. They found that 55.9 percent of the pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection presented with fever and 36.3 percent with a cough. A total of 12.7 percent presented with shortness of breath, but only 4.1 percent developed respiratory distress.

The vast majority (89 percent) of the pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 delivered their babies via cesarean section, compared with 15 percent in the general population, the study noted. Out of 201 newborns reported in the literature, 35.3 percent of babies born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 were delivered pre-term (before 36 weeks), compared with 13 percent in the general population. There was a concerning 2.5 percent rate of stillbirth delivery or neonatal death, compared with less than one percent in the general population. However, the study indicated that the risk of death for pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 is low, and that it does not appear that the infection is vertically transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy, although 6.45 percent of newborns tested positive for the disease. It is possible these newborns acquired SARS-CoV-2 infection in the hospital or at home after birth, according to the literature.

The study also found that SARS-CoV-2 does not appear to be passed from mother to baby in breast milk, but that there is still a risk the infection can be passed on via respiratory droplets during breastfeeding. As such, SARS-CoV-2-positive mothers are advised to take reasonable precautions during breastfeeding.

The study, titled Pregnancy and Neonatal Outcomes in SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Systematic Review, has been published in theJournal of Pregnancy, a leading peer-reviewed open-access journal.

Student Reem Chamseddine, a member of WCM-Qs Class of 2023, said: In the early days of the pandemic, not much was known regarding pregnancy complications in the setting of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Naturally, it was important to understand the emerging data about this topic as the virus would affect thousands of pregnant women. As medical students, we are encouraged to be curious and to engage in the healthcare issues around us. Getting to work on this project is an example of the academic values instilled in us here at WCM-Q.

Farah Wahbeh, also a member of the Class of 2023, said: The role of a medical student does not stop at learning how to diagnose and treat medical conditions; it is also our responsibility to take action during such uncertain times and to contribute in every way we can. This experience has been unique given the urgency and time sensitivity associated with the project. It taught us valuable skills and embodied our role as active contributors to the scientific community.

Reem and Farah were mentored during the research process by Dr. Arash Rafii Tabrizi, Professor of Genetic Medicine in Obstetrics and Gynecology at WCM-Q, who is also a named author of the research paper.

Dr. Tabrizi, who is also Director of the Clinical Research Support Core at WCM-Q, said: I was really impressed by the desire of our students to be part of the fight against COVID-19. In the early stages of the emergence of a new virus and a new disease there is a tremendous fear of the unknown and therefore an urgent need for evidence-based information. As such, the work of Reem and Farah perfectly illustrates one of the most important elements of our mission as doctors: we have to provide accurate information to allow people to adopt the correct attitude and actions to protect themselves and others.

He added: The work was difficult as new information was coming in almost every day and Reem and Farah had to filter and organize it correctly. The final result is a great review that really illustrates the impact of COVID-19 on the pregnant women as well as their newborn babies.

The review can be read in full here:https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jp/2020/4592450/

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Repurposing and Combining Drugs An Effective Cancer Treatment Strategy – Technology Networks

October 23rd, 2020 2:54 pm

Dr Robert Nagourneyis the founder and medical director of Nagourney Cancer Institute, and clinical professor at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. Nagourney is having success investigating whether a unique combination of existing and approved cancer drugs might be more effective compared to off-the-shelf treatments. Technology Networks recently had the pleasure of speaking with Nagourney to learn more about his work focused on repurposing drugs. He discusses the challenges and benefits of exploring new uses for drugs that are outside the scope of their original indication. He also shares a case whereby a cancer patient was recently treated with a tailored drug combination and explains how it was possible to design an effective personalized treatment strategy.Laura Lansdowne (LL): Can you touch on the importance of physiological relevance when testing therapeutics inin vitrosystems, has there been any key advances in cell culture technologies that have been particularly effective at improving this?Robert Nagourney (RN): The wide use of genomic profiling by next-generation sequencing (NGS) has provided targetable mutations in a number of cancers including chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), several forms of lung cancer, kidney cancersand melanoma. However, the majority of human tumors do not reveal actionable mutations. Today these tumors are treated with cytotoxic chemotherapy or experimental drugs with no attempt to select among options and offer combinations that are patient specific. To address patients needs we developed the Ex Vivo Analysis of Programmed Cell Death or EVA/PCD platform.Two fundamental advances have led to the successful application of our EVA/PCD technology for the prediction of patient response over older technologies.

LL: Could you tell us more about your work repurposing drugs?RN: Drugs do not know what diseases they were invented for. This not only applies to drugs for cancer but to other drugs with biological effect that can influence cancer cell behavior.LL: In yourblogyoushare the story of a Stage 4 gastroesophageal cancer patient that was recently treated with a tailored drug combination. Could you elaborate on the genetic clue that helped design an effective combination therapy?RN: The patient was found sensitive to a drug that targets EGFR a cell signaling pathway. However,he did not have a mutation in EGFR. As such his doctors did not anticipate a likelihood of benefit from drugs that target EGFR and did not offer him these agents. In our EVA/PCD we found activity for these drugs. When we reviewed his gene profile it showed an EGFR amplification (not a mutation). Since EGFR amplificationis not considered a target, no drug was offered but with thediscriminating (functional) capability of the EVA/PCD assay, he indeed was that rare person with an EGFR amplification who would actually likely respond and when we gave it to him he did Completely!LL: When repurposing a drug, how careful do we need to be when considering existing safety and efficacy data? E.g. data that were obtained in previous studies, fordifferentindications, in adifferentstudy population (age/sex/ethnicity, etc.).RN: Any novel combination runs some risk, but many repurposed drugs are already in wide use, and very often are used in combination with many other drugs. I am not a proponent of random combinations (however many commercial firms do offer them) but instead like to examine the patient's likelihood of benefit when we do suggest a drug or combination.LL: What measures/approaches should be taken when considering off-label use of a drug?RN: Usually these drugs are well known for their modes of action and toxicity. The literature provides ample information on drugdrug interactions and usually can be consulted if an unusual combination is being considered.LL: There is currently no regulatory requirement to know the molecular target of a drug, as long the drug is shown to be safe and efficacious. How much of a drawback does this gap in knowledge present, in terms of repurposing existing drugs for other indications?RN: Actually, many new drugs come with companion diagnostics. That is, you can only get a TRK inhibitor if you are shown to carry and NTRK fusion. Where functional platforms can be immensely helpful is the vast amount of genomic regulation and cellular gene activity that cannot be identified at a genetic level.One perfect example in the oncogene MYC. This super-regulator that functions epigenetically is abnormally active in up to 70% of cancers, it regulates over 3600 individual human genes (15% of the human genome) and isalmost never mutated ever. Thus, it is only by probing its activities at a functional level that you know to target it therapeutically. Gene profiles are useless.Robert Nagourney was speaking with Laura Elizabeth Lansdowne, Senior Science Writer for Technology Networks.Interviewee BiographyDr Nagourney is a native of Connecticut and a graduate of McGill University School of Medicine and became disenchanted with the trial and error approach that he witnessed during fellowships at Georgetown and The Scripps Institute.Nagourney is currently a practicing oncologist and triple board certified in Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology and Hematology. Among his many accomplishments, as co-investigator on national cooperative trials. He is recognized for the introduction of Cisplatin/Gemcitabine doublets in the treatment of advanced ovarian and breast cancers.With more than 20 years of experience in human tumor primary culture analyses, Dr Nagourney has authored more than 100 manuscripts, book chapters and abstracts including publications in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Gynecologic Oncology, the Journal of the National Cancer Institute and British Journal of Cancer.

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Alnylam Presents Positive Results from ILLUMINATE-B Phase 3 Study in Pediatric Patients with Primary Hyperoxaluria Type 1 at the American Society of…

October 23rd, 2020 2:54 pm

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALNY), the leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today positive results from the 6-month primary analysis of the ILLUMINATE-B Phase 3 pediatric study of lumasiran, an investigational, subcutaneously administered RNAi therapeutic targeting hydroxyacid oxidase 1 (HAO1) the gene encoding glycolate oxidase (GO) in development for the treatment of adults and children with primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1). Results were presented from ILLUMINATE-B, as well as new 12-month results from the ILLUMINATE-A pivotal Phase 3 study and the ongoing Phase 2 open-label extension (OLE) study, at the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Kidney Week 2020 held as a virtual event on October 22-25.

Lumasiran is under review by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and received a Positive Opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on October 16, 2020. If approved, lumasiran will be marketed as OXLUMOTM.

We are delighted to present these positive data from ILLUMINATE-B that reinforce previously reported clinical study findings for lumasiran and underscore its potential to be an important treatment option for patients of all ages with PH1, a devastating and potentially fatal disease with no approved pharmaceutical treatment options, said Pritesh J. Gandhi, PharmD., Vice President and General Manager, Lumasiran Program at Alnylam. Based on longer term follow-up from the ILLUMINATE-A and Phase 2 open-label extension studies, investigators presented data showing enduring reductions of urinary oxalate the disease-causing metabolite in PH1. Moreover, we believe that newly presented results of exploratory endpoints provide preliminary evidence that reductions in urinary oxalate may lead to reduced rates of renal stone events and improve nephrocalcinosis in some patients.

Pathologic overproduction of oxalate by the liver is the root cause of morbidity and mortality associated with PH1. There is strong evidence in the literature to suggest that levels of urinary oxalate correlate with clinical outcomes in patients with this ultra-rare disease. With that in mind, I am pleased to see the reduction in urinary oxalate levels in response to lumasiran in all three studies presented at this years meeting. More broadly, I am encouraged by the promise that these findings hold for my patients living with this condition, said Jeffrey M. Saland, M.D., Professor and Chief, Pediatric Nephrology and Hypertension, Jack and Lucy Clark Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai Kravis Childrens Hospital, New York City, and Investigator on the ILLUMINATE-A trial. With the sustained reductions in urinary oxalate during long-term treatment and the exploratory renal stone and nephrocalcinosis data presented, I am hopeful about the potential of lumasiran to have a positive impact on the severe clinical manifestations that individuals with PH1 suffer.

ILLUMINATE-B 6-Month Results

Alnylam presented positive efficacy and safety results from the 6-month primary analysis (N=18) of the ILLUMINATE-B Phase 3 study of lumasiran in infants and children under the age of 6, with the youngest patient enrolled at 3 months of age. The efficacy results and safety profile of lumasiran were found to be similar to those observed in adults and children 6 years or older in the ILLUMINATE-A study. Treatment with lumasiran in ILLUMINATE-B led to a 72 percent mean reduction in spot urinary oxalate:creatinine ratio from baseline to Month 6, averaged across months 3 to 6 the primary endpoint of the study. Lumasiran also demonstrated positive results across secondary endpoints, including proportion of patients (9/18 or 50 percent) achieving urinary oxalate levels at or below 1.5 times ULNa.

Preliminary analysis of exploratory endpoints indicated improvements in nephrocalcinosis in 8 out of 18 patients (44 percent), while estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) remained stable. At baseline, 14 of 18 patients had nephrocalcinosis. After 6 months of lumasiran treatment, no patients worsened, 10 remained stable, and eight showed bilateral (3 out of 8) or unilateral (5 out of 8) improvements in nephrocalcinosis. As expected, given the 6-month duration of the study, there was no change in the rate of renal stone events (RSEs)b .

Lumasiran had an acceptable safety profile in infants and young children under the age of six. There were no deaths, severe adverse events, discontinuations of treatment or withdrawals from the study. One patient had a serious adverse event (SAE) of viral infection that was considered not related to lumasiran by the study investigator. The most common drug-related adverse events (AEs) were mild and transient injection site reactions (ISRs) reported in 3 of 18 (17 percent) patients. No clinically relevant changes in laboratory measures (including liver function tests), vital signs, or electrocardiograms related to lumasiran were observed.

ILLUMINATE-A 12-Month Results

As of the data cut-off date of May 1, 2020, results from the extension period of the ILLUMINATE-A Phase 3 study showed that patients initially randomized to lumasiran in the 6-month double-blind (DB) period who continued treatment with lumasiran through Month 12 (lumasiran/lumasiran; N=24) maintained their reduction in 24-hour urinary oxalate excretion, with a 64 percent mean reduction relative to baseline. The majority (88 percent) of patients in this group reached normal or near-normal levels (at or below 1.5x ULN)a of urinary oxalate. In patients who were originally randomized to placebo in the DB period but crossed over to lumasiran (placebo/lumasiran; N=13), treatment with lumasiran led to a 57 percent mean reduction in 24-hour urinary oxalate excretion after six months of treatment; 77 percent of these patients reached urinary oxalate levels at or below 1.5 x ULN.

In an exploratory analysis, reductions in oxalate levels were associated with lower rates of RSEb in lumasiran treated patients in both lumasiran/lumasiran and placebo/lumasiran groups.

The safety profile of lumasiran remained consistent with ongoing dosing (233 doses) and 9.9 months of mean exposure (range 2.8-15.1 months). There were no deaths, SAEs, treatment interruptions or discontinuations related to lumasiran. One patient had an SAE of urosepsis that was not related to study drug. Mild ISRs were the most common drug-related AE reported in at least 10 percent of patients. Most common ISR symptoms included erythema, pain, pruritus, or swelling at the injection site. No clinically relevant changes in laboratory measures (including liver function tests), vital signs, and electrocardiograms related to lumasiran were observed.

Phase 2 OLE Results

Additional positive data were also presented from the ongoing Phase 2 OLE study of lumasiran demonstrating the long-term efficacy and safety of lumasiran with up to 22 months of exposure (range: 11-22 months; median: 15 months). As of January 30, 2020, data cut-off date, patients continued to experience sustained reductions in urinary oxalate excretion, with similar responses across dosage regimens. Specifically, ongoing treatment with lumasiran resulted in 74 percent (range: 35.788.3 percent) mean maximal reduction in urinary oxalate relative to Phase 1/2 baseline (N=17), and 17/18 (94 percent) of patients achieved normal or near-normal levels of urinary oxalate. Mean eGFR levels remained stable over time.

Lumasiran had an acceptable safety profile. There were no deaths, severe AEs, or AEs leading to discontinuation of treatment. There were no drug-related SAEs. The most common drug-related AEs were mild ISRs. No clinically significant laboratory changes related to lumasiran were reported.

Post-hoc analysis of renal stones showed that long-term treatment with lumasiran resulted in a decline in the number of patients experiencing renal stones. In the 12 months prior to study entry, 6/20 patients (30 percent) reported renal stones. In the Phase 1/2 Part B study where renal stones were captured as AEs, 4/20 patients (20 percent) reported AEs of renal stones during the initial 5-month period, and no patients (0/20) reported AEs of renal stones during the Phase 2 OLE with up to 22 months of treatment.

Additional findings on real-world disease manifestations and healthcare resource use among patients with PH1 were also presented based on a retrospective multinational study of physician chart reviews.

To view all data presented by Alnylam at ASN Kidney Week, please visit http://www.alnylam.com/capella.

Lumasiran has received U.S. and EU Orphan Drug Designations, Breakthrough Therapy and Rare Pediatric Disease Designations from the FDA, and a Priority Medicines (PRIME) designation from the EMA. Alnylam has filed a New Drug Application (NDA) for lumasiran with the FDA, which has granted a Priority Review for the NDA and has set an action date of December 3, 2020 under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA). Following the recent Positive Opinion from the CHMP, the Company plans to initiate commercialization of lumasiran in the EU under the tradename OXLUMO, upon marketing authorization from the European Commission.

The Company is also conducting ILLUMINATE-C a global open-label Phase 3 study of lumasiran in PH1 patients of all ages with advanced renal disease, including patients on dialysis, with topline results expected in 2021.

a Upper limit of normal or ULN = 0.514 mmol/24 hr/1.73m2; 1.5 x ULN = 0.771 mmol/24 hr/1.73 m2b A renal stone event (RSE) is defined as an event that includes at least one of the following: visit to healthcare provider because of a renal stone, medication for renal colic, stone passage, or macroscopic hematuria due to a renal stone

About ILLUMINATE-A Phase 3 Study

ILLUMINATE-A (NCT03681184) is a six-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, global, multicenter Phase 3 study (with a 54-month extension period) to evaluate the efficacy and safety of lumasiran in 39 patients, age six and older, with a documented diagnosis of PH1. Patients were randomized 2:1 to receive three monthly doses of lumasiran or placebo followed by quarterly doses at 3 mg/kg. The primary endpoint was the percent change in 24-hour urinary oxalate excretion from baseline to the average of months 3 to 6 in the patients treated with lumasiran as compared to placebo. Treatment arms were stratified at randomization based upon mean 24-hour urinary oxalate during screening (1.7 or >1.7 mmol/24hr/1.73m2). Key secondary and exploratory endpoints were designed to evaluate additional measures of urinary oxalate, plasma oxalate, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), nephrocalcinosis, renal stone events, safety and tolerability.

About ILLUMINATE-B Phase 3 Study

ILLUMINATE-B (NCT03905694) is a single arm, open-label, multicenter Phase 3 trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of lumasiran in 18 patients with PH1 under the age of six (range: 3-72 months), with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of greater than 45 mL/min/1.73 m2 or normal serum creatinine if less than 12 months old, at nine study sites, in five countries around the world. Lumasiran was administered according to a weight-based dosing regimen. The primary efficacy endpoint of the study was the percent change from baseline to Month 6 in spot urinary oxalate:creatinine ratio averaged across Months 3 to 6. At six months, relative to baseline, lumasiran demonstrated a clinically meaningful reduction in spot urinary oxalate:creatinine ratio. Reduction of urinary oxalate relative to baseline was consistent across all three body weight categories (less than 10 kg; 10 kg to less than 20 kg, and 20 kg or higher).

About Lumasiran

Lumasiran is an investigational, subcutaneously administered RNAi therapeutic targeting hydroxyacid oxidase 1 (HAO1) in development for the treatment of primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1). HAO1 encodes glycolate oxidase (GO). Thus, by silencing HAO1 and depleting the GO enzyme, lumasiran inhibits production of oxalate the metabolite that directly contributes to the pathophysiology of PH1. Lumasiran utilizes Alnylam's Enhanced Stabilization Chemistry (ESC)-GalNAc-conjugate technology, which enables subcutaneous dosing with increased potency and durability and a wide therapeutic index. Lumasiran has received both U.S. and EU Orphan Drug Designations, Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Priority Medicines (PRIME) designation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Lumasiran is under review by the U.S. FDA and received a Positive Opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the EMA.

About Primary Hyperoxaluria Type 1 (PH1)

PH1 is an ultra-rare disease in which excessive oxalate production results in the deposition of calcium oxalate crystals in the kidneys and urinary tract and can lead to the formation of painful and recurrent kidney stones and nephrocalcinosis. Renal damage is caused by a combination of tubular toxicity from oxalate, calcium oxalate deposition in the kidneys, and urinary obstruction by calcium oxalate stones. Compromised kidney function exacerbates the disease as the excess oxalate can no longer be effectively excreted, resulting in subsequent accumulation and crystallization in bones, eyes, skin, and heart, leading to severe illness and death. Current treatment options are very limited and include frequent renal dialysis or combined organ transplantation of liver and kidney, a procedure with high morbidity that is limited due to organ availability. Although a small minority of patients respond to vitamin B6 therapy, there are no approved pharmaceutical therapies for PH1.

About RNAi

RNAi (RNA interference) is a natural cellular process of gene silencing that represents one of the most promising and rapidly advancing frontiers in biology and drug development today. Its discovery has been heralded as a major scientific breakthrough that happens once every decade or so, and was recognized with the award of the 2006 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. By harnessing the natural biological process of RNAi occurring in our cells, a new class of medicines, known as RNAi therapeutics, is now a reality. Small interfering RNA (siRNA), the molecules that mediate RNAi and comprise Alnylam's RNAi therapeutic platform, function upstream of todays medicines by potently silencing messenger RNA (mRNA) the genetic precursors that encode for disease-causing or disease pathway proteins, thus preventing them from being made. This is a revolutionary approach with the potential to transform the care of patients with genetic and other diseases.

About Alnylam

Alnylam (Nasdaq: ALNY) is leading the translation of RNA interference (RNAi) into a whole new class of innovative medicines with the potential to transform the lives of people afflicted with rare genetic, cardio-metabolic, hepatic infectious, and central nervous system (CNS)/ocular diseases. Based on Nobel Prize-winning science, RNAi therapeutics represent a powerful, clinically validated approach for the treatment of a wide range of severe and debilitating diseases. Founded in 2002, Alnylam is delivering on a bold vision to turn scientific possibility into reality, with a robust RNAi therapeutics platform. Alnylams commercial RNAi therapeutic products are ONPATTRO (patisiran), approved in the U.S., EU, Canada, Japan, Brazil, and Switzerland, and GIVLAARI (givosiran), approved in the U.S, EU, and Brazil. Alnylam has a deep pipeline of investigational medicines, including six product candidates that are in late-stage development. Alnylam is executing on its Alnylam 2020 strategy of building a multi-product, commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company with a sustainable pipeline of RNAi-based medicines to address the needs of patients who have limited or inadequate treatment options. Alnylam is headquartered in Cambridge, MA. For more information about our people, science and pipeline, please visit http://www.alnylam.com and engage with us on Twitter at @Alnylam or on LinkedIn.

Alnylam Forward Looking Statements

Various statements in this release concerning Alnylam's future expectations, plans and prospects, including, without limitation, Alnylams views with respect to the safety and efficacy of lumasiran as demonstrated in the ILLUMINATE-B Phase 3 study in children under the age of six, including infants, as well as in the 12-Month extension period of the ILLUMINATE-A pivotal study and in results from the ongoing Phase 2 OLE study, the potential for lumasiran to have a favorable impact on PH1 disease manifestations and overall disease progression and management across all ages, Alnylam's expectations with respect to the review timelines for the lumasiran NDA by the FDA and expectations regarding EMA approval following the Positive Opinion from the CHMP, Alnylams plans, assuming favorable regulatory reviews, to bring lumasiran to patients with PH1 around the world under the tradename OXLUMO, expectations regarding the timing of topline results from ILLUMINATE-C, and expectations regarding the continued execution on its Alnylam 2020 guidance for the advancement and commercialization of RNAi therapeutics, constitute forward-looking statements for the purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results and future plans may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of various important risks, uncertainties and other factors, including, without limitation: the direct or indirect impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic or any future pandemic, such as the scope and duration of the outbreak, government actions and restrictive measures implemented in response, material delays in diagnoses of rare diseases, initiation or continuation of treatment for diseases addressed by Alnylam products, or in patient enrollment in clinical trials, potential supply chain disruptions, and other potential impacts to Alnylams business, the effectiveness or timeliness of steps taken by Alnylam to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, and Alnylams ability to execute business continuity plans to address disruptions caused by the COVID-19 or any future pandemic; Alnylam's ability to discover and develop novel drug candidates and delivery approaches and successfully demonstrate the efficacy and safety of its product candidates; the pre-clinical and clinical results for its product candidates, including lumasiran, which may not be replicated or continue to occur in other subjects or in additional studies or otherwise support further development of product candidates for a specified indication or at all; actions or advice of regulatory agencies, which may affect the design, initiation, timing, continuation and/or progress of clinical trials or result in the need for additional pre-clinical and/or clinical testing; delays, interruptions or failures in the manufacture and supply of its product candidates, including lumasiran, or its marketed products; obtaining, maintaining and protecting intellectual property; intellectual property matters including potential patent litigation relating to its platform, products or product candidates; obtaining regulatory approval for its product candidates, including lumasiran, and maintaining regulatory approval and obtaining pricing and reimbursement for its products, including ONPATTRO and GIVLAARI; progress in continuing to establish a commercial and ex-United States infrastructure; successfully launching, marketing and selling its approved products globally, including ONPATTRO and GIVLAARI, and achieving net product revenues for ONPATTRO within its revised expected range during 2020; Alnylams ability to successfully expand the indication for ONPATTRO in the future; competition from others using technology similar to Alnylam's and others developing products for similar uses; Alnylam's ability to manage its growth and operating expenses within the ranges of guidance provided by Alnylam through the implementation of further discipline in operations to moderate spend and its ability to achieve a self-sustainable financial profile in the future without the need for future equity financing; Alnylams ability to establish and maintain strategic business alliances and new business initiatives; Alnylam's dependence on third parties, including Regeneron, for development, manufacture and distribution of certain products, including eye and CNS products, Ironwood, for assistance with the education about and promotion of GIVLAARI, and Vir for the development of ALN-COV and other potential RNAi therapeutics targeting SARS-CoV-2 and host factors for SARS-CoV-2; the outcome of litigation; the risk of government investigations; and unexpected expenditures; as well as those risks more fully discussed in the "Risk Factors" filed with Alnylam's most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and in other filings that Alnylam makes with the SEC. In addition, any forward-looking statements represent Alnylam's views only as of today and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. Alnylam explicitly disclaims any obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update any forward-looking statements.

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Alnylam Presents Positive Results from ILLUMINATE-B Phase 3 Study in Pediatric Patients with Primary Hyperoxaluria Type 1 at the American Society of...

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MediciNova, in Collaboration with the University of Sydney and the Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Trials Group, Announces Plans for a Multi-center,…

October 23rd, 2020 2:53 pm

LA JOLLA, Calif., Oct. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MediciNova, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company traded on the NASDAQ Global Market (NASDAQ:MNOV) and the JASDAQ Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Code Number: 4875), today announced that it plans to initiate a multi-center, placebo-controlled, randomized Phase 2b trial to evaluate MN-166 (ibudilast) in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN).

The clinical trial is a collaborative effort between MediciNova, the University of Sydney, and the Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Trials Group (AGITG). Dr. Janette Vardy, Professor of Cancer Medicine, University of Sydney in Australia, will be the lead principal investigator. The proposed clinical trial will evaluate MN-166 (ibudilast) as a potential treatment to reduce acute neurotoxicity severity and CIPN in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. AGITG will provide funding for this study and MediciNova will provide study drug and regulatory support.

Yuichi Iwaki, MD, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of MediciNova, Inc. commented, We are excited to collaborate with Dr. Vardy on this grant-funded study to further explore the potential of MN-166 as a pharmacotherapy for CIPN. As we recently reported, our first clinical trial in CIPN showed that half of participants reported improved symptoms in the acute period and showed improved neurological parameters on clinical assessment with ibudilast treatment. There is a large unmet medical need for patients with this disorder.

Dr. Janette Vardy, the Principal Investigator for this study, commented, The findings from our initial study were encouraging, and with the support of AGITG and MediciNova, we plan to explore further the potential clinical utility of ibudilast in a larger sample of patients who experience oxaliplatin-induced acute neurotoxicity and chronic CIPN.

About the Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy Trial

This study is a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2b trial to determine whether MN-166 (ibudilast) can decrease acute neurotoxicity symptoms and CIPN, and to determine whether ibudilast treatment results in fewer neurotoxicity-induced dose reductions in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer receiving oxaliplatin up to six months. We plan to enroll a total 100 patients in a 1:1 (ibudilast:placebo) ratio. Treatment (MN-166 (ibudilast) 60 mg/day or matching placebo) will commence two days prior to the first cycle of oxaliplatin chemotherapy and will continue for the duration of the oxaliplatin chemotherapy.

About Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy is a set of symptoms caused by damage to the nerves that are outside of the brain and spinal cord. These distant nerves are called peripheral nerves. Some of the chemotherapy and other drugs used to treat cancer can damage peripheral nerves that carry sensations to the hands and feet. This damage results in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) and is a common side effect of cancer chemotherapy. Most commonly, people complain of pins and needles in their toes and fingers. CIPN may affect cancer outcomes due to reductions in chemotherapy dosing and/or premature treatment discontinuation and have a profound impact on quality of life and survivorship. According to a meta-analysis which included more than 4,000 patients, CIPN prevalence was 68% when measured in the first month after chemotherapy, 60% at 3 months, and 30% at 6 months or more (Seretny et al., 2014). Long-term neurotoxicity is an important issue for the growing number of cancer survivors, with the highest number of affected patients having been treated for breast and/or colon cancer.

About MN-166 (ibudilast)

MN-166 (ibudilast) is a first-in-class, orally bioavailable, small molecule macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) inhibitor and phosphodiesterase (PDE) -4 and -10 inhibitor that suppresses pro-inflammatory cytokines and promotes neurotrophic factors. Our earlier human studies demonstrated significant reductions of serum MIF level after treatment with MN-166 (ibudilast). It also attenuates activated glial cells, which play a major role in certain neurological conditions. MN-166 (ibudilast)'s anti-neuroinflammatory and neuroprotective actions have been demonstrated in preclinical and clinical studies, which provide the rationale for treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological diseases such as glioblastoma (GBM), and substance abuse/addiction. MediciNova is developing MN-166 for ALS, progressive MS and other neurological conditions such as degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM), glioblastoma, substance abuse/addiction, and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, as well as prevention of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by COVID-19. MediciNova has a portfolio of patents which covers the use of MN-166 (ibudilast) to treat various diseases including ALS, progressive MS, and drug addiction.

About MediciNova

MediciNova, Inc. is a publicly-traded biopharmaceutical company founded upon developing novel, small-molecule therapeutics for the treatment of diseases with unmet medical needs with a primary commercial focus on the U.S. market. MediciNova's current strategy is to focus on BC-PIV SARS-COV-2 vaccine for COVID-19, MN-166 (ibudilast) for neurological disorders such as progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM), substance dependence (e.g., alcohol use disorder, methamphetamine dependence, opioid dependence) and glioblastoma (GBM), as well as prevention of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by COVID-19, and MN-001 (tipelukast) for fibrotic diseases such as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). MediciNovas pipeline also includes MN-221 (bedoradrine) and MN-029 (denibulin). For more information on MediciNova, Inc., please visit http://www.medicinova.com.

Statements in this press release that are not historical in nature constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the future development and efficacy of BC-PIV SARS-COV-2 vaccine, MN-166, MN-001, MN-221, and MN-029. These forward-looking statements may be preceded by, followed by or otherwise include the words "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "can," "could," "may," "will," "would," considering, planning or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, risks of obtaining future partner or grant funding for development of BC-PIV SARS-COV-2 vaccine, MN-166, MN-001, MN-221, and MN-029 and risks of raising sufficient capital when needed to fund MediciNova's operations and contribution to clinical development, risks and uncertainties inherent in clinical trials, including the potential cost, expected timing and risks associated with clinical trials designed to meet FDA guidance and the viability of further development considering these factors, product development and commercialization risks, the uncertainty of whether the results of clinical trials will be predictive of results in later stages of product development, the risk of delays or failure to obtain or maintain regulatory approval, risks associated with the reliance on third parties to sponsor and fund clinical trials, risks regarding intellectual property rights in product candidates and the ability to defend and enforce such intellectual property rights, the risk of failure of the third parties upon whom MediciNova relies to conduct its clinical trials and manufacture its product candidates to perform as expected, the risk of increased cost and delays due to delays in the commencement, enrollment, completion or analysis of clinical trials or significant issues regarding the adequacy of clinical trial designs or the execution of clinical trials, and the timing of expected filings with the regulatory authorities, MediciNova's collaborations with third parties, the availability of funds to complete product development plans and MediciNova's ability to obtain third party funding for programs and raise sufficient capital when needed, and the other risks and uncertainties described in MediciNova's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and its subsequent periodic reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. Undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. MediciNova disclaims any intent or obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements.

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Consumers Opting For To Help The Neuropathic Pain Market Cross US$ 10414.0 Mn Between 2024 – The Think Curiouser

October 23rd, 2020 2:53 pm

Market Report Summary

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Read Full Press Release Below

Reaching the revenues of over US$ 6 Bn at the end of 2019, the globalneuropathic pain management marketis projected for a healthy CAGR during the forecast period (2019 2029). Increasing prevalence of neuropathic pain disorders and growing awareness about pain medication are boosting the demand for pain management drugs.

Pipeline strategies by manufacturers are focused on introducing advanced drugs with minimum side effects to increase market share. For instance, Pfizer sponsored drug Pregabalin, effective in treating neuropathic (nerve) pain resulting from peripheral nerve trauma that is in phase 3 clinical trials. Increasing research and development activities to develop medications for indications such as post-herpetic neuralgia are creating significant opportunities for manufactures to flourish in the market.

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Key Takeaways Neuropathic Pain Management Market Study

Increasing prevalence of diabetic neuropathy and availability of approved neuropathy pain medications have significantly added to the opportunities for market growth, thereby fostering the rate of adoption of neuropathic pain management drugs.

Increasing R&D Spending by Pharmaceuticals Companies Shaping Future

One of the key factors observed to impact the neuropathic pain management market growth is the development of new drugs for treatment of neuropathic and chronic pains. Companies are focusing on clinical trials to develop drugs for efficient treatment of neuropathic pain. For instance, Eli Lilly and Company developed Duloxetine (LY248686) for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathic Pain (DPNP) that is under phase 4 clinical trial.

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At the same time, companies are focused on expanding therapeutic applications of drugs such as opioids and steroids for neuropathic pain management without causing any serious side effects to patients. Currently, more than 100 clinical trials are been carried out for pain management. Among those clinical trials, nearly half of the clinical trials are for various indications of neuropathic pain such as diabetic neuropathy and post-herpetic neuralgia.

What Does the Report Cover?

The neuropathic pain management market, a new study from Persistence Market Research, provides unparalleled insights on evolution of the neuropathic pain management market during 2014 2018 and presents demand projections during 2019 2029 on the basis of drug class (tricyclic anti-depressants, anticonvulsants, SNRIs, capsaicin cream, local anesthesia, opioids, steroids, and others), indication (diabetic neuropathy, trigeminal neuralgia, post-herpetic neuralgia, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and others), distribution channel (retail pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, and online pharmacies) across prominent regions (North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and MEA).

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Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.

To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.

Our client success stories feature a range of clients from Fortune 500 companies to fast-growing startups. PMRs collaborative environment is committed to building industry-specific solutions by transforming data from multiple streams into a strategic asset.

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Ashish KoltePersistence Market ResearchAddress 305 Broadway, 7th FloorNew York City,NY 10007 United StatesU.S. Ph. +1-646-568-7751USA-Canada Toll-free +1 800-961-0353Sales[emailprotected]Website https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com

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Consumers Opting For To Help The Neuropathic Pain Market Cross US$ 10414.0 Mn Between 2024 - The Think Curiouser

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