April 2016- Volume 12, Issue 4
April 2016
In this Issue
Discovery
Taking on the undruggables
Taking on the undruggables
PhoreMost and Wistar seek to de-orphan new targets in oncology, aging and immunology
Compugen seeks to usher in ‘new era’ in oncology
Compugen seeks to usher in ‘new era’ in oncology
Company identifies binding partner for CGEN-15029 and moves closer to IND filing
Not your Jedi’s ‘LIGHTSABR’
Not your Jedi’s ‘LIGHTSABR’
Scripps Florida researchers develop a cheap, portable drug discovery system
Peptides for immunology and immuno- oncology
Peptides for immunology and immuno- oncology
New biotech startup focuses on next generation therapeutic peptides in oncology, immuno-oncology and immune diseases
Microbiome magic
Microbiome magic
Synlogic-AbbVie collaboration to use synthetic biotics to develop IBD drug
Research & Development
Breaking membrane barriers
Breaking membrane barriers
Microfluidic device could quicken DNA insertion into bacteria
Cobra strikes with CPI to advance regenerative medicines
Cobra strikes with CPI to advance regenerative medicines
UK’s Cobra Biologics and CPI join hands to develop industrial manufacturing platform, advance regenerative medicines
Boosting research on organisms
Boosting research on organisms
DNASTAR releases Lasergene 13 software to enhance RNA research
TSRI and JCVI scientists call stem cell techniques ‘safe’
TSRI and JCVI scientists call stem cell techniques ‘safe’
New research indicates the act of creating iPSCs for clinical use is unlikely to pass on cancer-causing mutations to patients
RNA and HIV
RNA and HIV
In exploring methylation in HIV, researchers uncover a key to its replication
Contract Services
A partner for Phase 3
A partner for Phase 3
Actinium selects Medpace as CRO for pivotal Iomab-B clinical trial
Synexus expands to U.S.
Synexus expands to U.S.
The U.K. SMO has acquired Dallas-based Research Across America
Crown to commercialize prostate cancer models
Crown to commercialize prostate cancer models
University of York’s unique collection of PDX models to be applied to drug development
Preclinical
Improving on CIK CAR-T
Improving on CIK CAR-T
Formula and Rockland collaborate to develop C.I.K. CAR pipeline for cancer
Relief from Rett?
Relief from Rett?
Study suggests Phase 2 Alzheimer’s drug could treat rare Rett syndrome
Pancreatic cancer vaccine shows promise
Pancreatic cancer vaccine shows promise
OncoQR’s TYG100 elicits strong immune response in all treated individuals
Much-improved mouse models
Much-improved mouse models
Taconic addresses cross-species issues to create mouse model with human-like immune system
Diagnostics
Age more than just a number in breast cancer
Age more than just a number in breast cancer
Screening for breast cancer needs to consider age, suggests new study
Promise of personalized medicine
Promise of personalized medicine
Invivoscribe-Thermo collaboration seeks to help diagnose blood malignancies
New findings on fungal asthma
New findings on fungal asthma
A multi-organization team identifies 19 genetic variants related to susceptibility and damage risk
CTE diagnostic test studied in NFL players
CTE diagnostic test studied in NFL players
Recent developments may allow for chronic traumatic encephalopathy to be tested in live humans
Business & Government Policy
On the cutting edge
On the cutting edge
A roundup of instrumentation, software and other tools and technology news
For your approval
For your approval
A collection of recent regulatory approvals and other actions globally
A ‘Blueprint’ for success for cancer immunotherapy
A ‘Blueprint’ for success for cancer immunotherapy
Roche and Blueprint Medicines collaborate to combine former’s cancer immunotherapy expertise with latter’s drug discovery platform and immunokinase expertise
Spark Therapeutics acquires Genable Technologies
Spark Therapeutics acquires Genable Technologies
Spark adds new program for leading cause of inherited retinal disease
Clinical Trials
Fighting degenerative disease
Fighting degenerative disease
Mesoblast develops portfolio of mesenchymal cells to target multiple medical needs
1 DNA Way paves way to FDA
1 DNA Way paves way to FDA
The Lancet publishes Genentech study on Actemra for remission in patients with giant cell arteritis
A different kind of toolkit
A different kind of toolkit
MRCT team develops Ethics Tool Kit as guidelines for clinical research protocols
ALZ-801 poised for next step against Alzheimer’s
ALZ-801 poised for next step against Alzheimer’s
Alzheon announces efficacy analyses of prior tramiprosate Phase 3 studies on key clinical endpoints in Alzheimer’s disease
ViiV announces Phase 2 results for injectable regimen for HIV-1 treatment
ViiV announces Phase 2 results for injectable regimen for HIV-1 treatment
32-week maintenance data at Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections showed comparable viral suppression between injectable regimen and three drug oral regimen
Editor's Focus
Gene genie dilemma?
Gene genie dilemma?
We don’t need to put genomics ‘back in the bottle,’ but we may need to bottle up expectations
Commentary
Phenotype beats genotype; measurements beat guessing
Phenotype beats genotype; measurements beat guessing
Have we entered into such a love affair with the promise of genetic data that we've unfairly and unwisely begun to neglect things like basic chemistry?
Guest Commentary: New frontiers for target ID in oncology--Where will the next generation of targets come from?
Guest Commentary: New frontiers for target ID in oncology--Where will the next generation of targets come from?
Cancer therapy is fast approaching a clinical crossroads: to treat a cancer patient with an approach based on stimulating an immune response or to target the cancer cells directly with cytotoxic or a targeted therapy?
Special Reports
Special Report on Neuroscience: Ease the pain
Special Report on Neuroscience: Ease the pain
Analgesia remains a chronic challenge
Feature
Show Preview: Immunology 2016--Immunologically speaking
Show Preview: Immunology 2016--Immunologically speaking
Immunology 2016: Immunologically speaking
