January 2019- Volume 15, Issue 1
In this Issue
Research & Development
An updated portfolio for uniQure
An updated portfolio for uniQure
Gene therapy company showcases new therapies and its gene silencing platform
Count Me In seeks to speed progress against cancer
Count Me In seeks to speed progress against cancer
A new model of patient-partnered research is at the core of recently launched nonprofit organization
East meets West in new therapeutics quest
East meets West in new therapeutics quest
Partners launch multitarget development alliance worth up to $310M
Scripps researchers unlock heart disease key
Scripps researchers unlock heart disease key
9p21.3 haplotype identified as a major player in cardiovascular disease risk
Diagnostics
Progentec Diagnostics brings in LupusCorner
Progentec Diagnostics brings in LupusCorner
New funding brings lupus-detection tools closer to commercialization; acquisition of LupusCorner marks another step forward
Collaboration speeds access to cancer drugs
Collaboration speeds access to cancer drugs
QIAGEN and NeoGenomics seek to explore potential of changes in FDA’s approach to advanced diagnostics and NGS tests
Nanoscale technique set to springboard cancer discoveries
Nanoscale technique set to springboard cancer discoveries
University of Manchester researchers able to get more data from blood of cancer patients than previously possible
Newly published data support PancraGEN
Newly published data support PancraGEN
Peer-reviewed journal article highlights important role of Interpace Diagnostics’ test for pancreatic cysts
Clinical Trials
Verrica announces positive top-line results from Phase 3 trials of VP-102
Verrica announces positive top-line results from Phase 3 trials of VP-102
CAMP-1 and CAMP-2 trials for molluscum contagiosum both achieve statistical significance for the primary endpoint with p-values less than 0.0001
Breakthrough: WP1066 inhibits PD-L1 as well as STAT3
Breakthrough: WP1066 inhibits PD-L1 as well as STAT3
Moleculin’s drug, which recently began a trial for aggressive brain tumors, counteracts resistance to checkpoint blockades
Neurocrine reevaluates Tourette program
Neurocrine reevaluates Tourette program
Valbenazine fails to meet the primary endpoint in Phase 2b trial in pediatric patients
Relieving rhinitis
Relieving rhinitis
ASIT begins confirmatory trial of grass pollen allergy injection
Preclinical
ALG.APV-527 activates and enhances T cells and NK cells
ALG.APV-527 activates and enhances T cells and NK cells
Alligator Bioscience and Aptevo Therapeutics presented on potential therapeutic at SITC annual meeting
Nexien collaboration to focus on preclinical cannabinoid studies
Nexien collaboration to focus on preclinical cannabinoid studies
Partnership will investigate advanced parenteral formulations for acute treatment of convulsive disorders
A link between sugar and cancer
A link between sugar and cancer
U.K.-based researchers find that mannose can impede tumors
A new twist on immunotherapy
A new twist on immunotherapy
Research team reports on a method for altering B cells to create a new anticancer weapon
Spray away tumors?
Spray away tumors?
Gel developed at UCLA could help body fight off cancer after surgery
Contract Services
PPD expands lab capabilities in Athlone
PPD expands lab capabilities in Athlone
Company enhances gene and cell therapy lab services in Europe and North America
Admescope launches new services
Admescope launches new services
Company looks to serve growing biologics market
New PDAC research
New PDAC research
Findings published in Journal of Visualized Experiments
Business & Government Policy
China-bound for Merus and Promega
China-bound for Merus and Promega
A license deal and innovation designation, respectively, give both companies a toe in Chinese pharma waters
On the cutting edge
On the cutting edge
A roundup of instrumentation, software and other tools and technology news
MyoKardia and Sanofi part ways in collaboration
MyoKardia and Sanofi part ways in collaboration
MyoKardia regains global rights to mavacamten and MYK-491 programs
A ray of hope in patenting “products of nature” perhaps?
A ray of hope in patenting “products of nature” perhaps?
In a recent decision by the Federal Circuit, Roche Molecular Inc. v. Cepheid, the court raised for the first time a question regarding whether it may have over-interpreted the scope of the Supreme Court’s proscription regarding patenting compositions arising from products produced in nature in AMP v. Myriad Genetics
Paying out for PARP
Paying out for PARP
GSK acquires TESARO—and its PARP inhibitor Zejula—for $5.1 billion
Discovery
A technology to predict biochemical reactions
A technology to predict biochemical reactions
Fujitsu platform could help clarify the mechanisms of genetic disorders and advance drug discovery
Going after glioblastoma
Going after glioblastoma
1ST Biotherapeutics and twoXAR Form co-development collaboration to discover and develop new brain cancer treatments
Lilly, Dicerna to embark on RNAi research collaboration
Lilly, Dicerna to embark on RNAi research collaboration
Companies will focus on gene-silencing targets in the areas of cardio-metabolic disease, neurodegeneration and pain
Feature
SLAS 2019 Show Preview: A capital time for collaboration in the SLAS community
SLAS 2019 Show Preview: A capital time for collaboration in the SLAS community
Washington, D.C., welcomes 2019’s annual meeting of the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening
Commentary
Out of order: Removing blinders
Out of order: Removing blinders
We may try to separate the mind from the rest of the body in science a lot of the time, but it turns out the microbiome might extend there as well
Market insight: AI and causal machine learning are accelerating discovery and more
Market insight: AI and causal machine learning are accelerating discovery and more
The power of causal machine learning allows us to apply sophisticated algorithms directly to massive and complex data and accelerate the discovery of cause-and-effect relationships
Editor's Focus
Editor’s focus: A ‘Q’ for ‘quality’ in Q1?
Editor’s focus: A ‘Q’ for ‘quality’ in Q1?
Let's take a look at the special features in store for you at DDNews in the first quarter of 2019
Special Reports
Special Report on Microbiomics: Army of One
Special Report on Microbiomics: Army of One
Finding alliances between microbes and immune cells
