June 2015- Volume 11, Issue 6
June 2015
In this Issue
Preclinical
Eyes on the (glaucoma) prize
Eyes on the (glaucoma) prize
Isarna Therapeutics demonstrates capability of antisense oligonucleotide to treat glaucoma
Some ocular help from man’s best friend
Some ocular help from man’s best friend
Novel gene-based therapy for achromatopsia demonstrates functional rescue of cone cells
Novel pancreatic cancer drug may also combat malignant ascites
Novel pancreatic cancer drug may also combat malignant ascites
Treatment being studied involves a combo of low-dose cancer prodrug ifosfamide and Cell-in-a-Box capsules
Bald but beautiful
Bald but beautiful
Huntingdon Life Sciences and Harlan Laboratories announce the launch of the SHrN novel hairless NOD.SCID model at AACR 2015
Peering into the preclinical realm
Peering into the preclinical realm
Here’s a brief roundup of some additional news items related to preclinical research that you might find of interest.
Research & Development
Skin as good as the real thing?
Skin as good as the real thing?
Synthetic membrane from Millipore reportedly works as well as real skin in transdermal diffusion studies
Popping the Cork on a microbiome alliance
Popping the Cork on a microbiome alliance
Janssen Biotech, APC Microbiome Institute unite to investigate microbiome’s potential in IBD
Speeding single-cell genomics
Speeding single-cell genomics
WaferGen and Genentech to explore SmartChip platform in sequencing applications
Pulling the genomic puppetmaster’s strings
Pulling the genomic puppetmaster’s strings
Ability to modify epigenome very specifically prevents ‘scorched earth’ approach
Labguru embraces ChemAxon’s Marvin JS
Labguru embraces ChemAxon’s Marvin JS
Integration of web-based electronic lab notebook with chemistry software tool seeks to enhance functionality for chemists
Discovery
TSRI scientists link GIRK3 to binge drinking
TSRI scientists link GIRK3 to binge drinking
Study reveals molecular mechanisms of binge drinking and may reveal avenues for treating substance abuse
Cystic fibrosis deal focused on ‘adding tomorrows’
Cystic fibrosis deal focused on ‘adding tomorrows’
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics announces $14-million research expansion agreement with Genzyme
First and PhoreMost
First and PhoreMost
Newly founded company will apply Site-Seeker platform to identify drug targets considered ‘undruggable’
Two for FSHD
Two for FSHD
Facio partners with Evotec to initiate a FSHD drug discovery program
Clinical Trials
Envisioning a better future for wet AMD patients
Envisioning a better future for wet AMD patients
Ohr Pharmaceutical to launch Phase 3 study of OHR-102 eye drop therapy to treat wet AMD
Merger boosts development of Sanfilippo treatment
Merger boosts development of Sanfilippo treatment
Following acquisition of Abeona, PlasmaTech plans to push company’s pipeline forward with two Phase 1/2 clinical trials in 2015
In pursuit of predictive biomarkers
In pursuit of predictive biomarkers
NanoString, CITN to seek out biomarkers to predict outcomes for cancer immunotherapies
AbbVie shares data on Humira in non-infectious uveitis
AbbVie shares data on Humira in non-infectious uveitis
Results of VISUAL-I show Humira meets primary endpoint of prolonging time to treatment failure
Diagnostics
IBM’s Watson takes on cancer
IBM’s Watson takes on cancer
More than a dozen cancer institutes set to join computing giant to accelerate personalized medicine
Best in blood
Best in blood
Amarantus’ blood-based version of MSPrecise could become a gold standard
Capnia gets NIH grant for sickle cell anemia screening
Capnia gets NIH grant for sickle cell anemia screening
The SBIR grant totals approximately $220,000
Cruising along with companion diagnostics
Cruising along with companion diagnostics
Myriad expands two CDx partnerships and presents Prolaris data
Business & Government Policy
Kidney capabilities
Kidney capabilities
Pfizer gets minority interest with option to acquire AM-Pharma
A $250-million foundation
A $250-million foundation
FMI and Roche complete strategic transaction to advance molecular information and precision medicine in oncology
On the cutting edge
On the cutting edge
A roundup of instrumentation, software and other tools and technology news
Sweet on Sobi?
Sweet on Sobi?
Not-so-mystery bidder Pfizer expresses interest in acquiring Swedish rare-disease company
Rallying around rare diseases
Rallying around rare diseases
Alexion bets billions on Synageva and its drug candidate Kanuma
Nabbing a leukemia portfolio for $900M
Nabbing a leukemia portfolio for $900M
Baxter BioScience seeks to expand global oncology footprint with acquisition of Oncaspar
Commentary
Commentary: Encouraging advances now underway in cancer research
Commentary: Encouraging advances now underway in cancer research
The field of cancer genomics is rapidly advancing both in knowledge and in relevance to the treatment of cancer, as detailed genetic profiling of human cancers has now become possible. Mass spec imaging is helping to take that farther.
The Internet of medical things
The Internet of medical things
It isn't that mobile health devices and other, similar technologies aren't a potential boon for things like clinical trial data handling. It's just that we aren't quite at the point where we can realize their true worth or even use them properly in most cases.
Q&A
Q&A: A ‘Trojan Horse’ to fight cancer
Q&A: A ‘Trojan Horse’ to fight cancer
Smuggling in an army to help the immune system unwittingly destroy tumors
Special Reports
Cancer Special Report: Body, heal thyself
Cancer Special Report: Body, heal thyself
To attack cancer, researchers are tapping evolution’s weapon of choice: the immune system
Editor's Focus
We need to ‘C’ the big picture
We need to ‘C’ the big picture
What drives this editor nuts faster than almost anything else? Conspiracy theories about pharma and biotech, particularly the ones that insist that companies are sitting on the cure for cancer so that they can get ever richer on non-curative therapies for the disease.
