November 2017- Volume 13, Issue 11
In this Issue
Q&A
Q&A: Rare oncology--which types qualify?
Q&A: Rare oncology--which types qualify?
Orphan diseases are seeing increased attention in recent years due to the appeal of markets with low competition, but rare oncology types are another beast entirely
Business & Government Policy
Patent Docs: Allergan avoids PTAB review by assigning patents to Mohawk Nation
Patent Docs: Allergan avoids PTAB review by assigning patents to Mohawk Nation
While a creative solution to avoid patent challenges, this is a move that will likely gain at least some attention from Congress to possibly curb similar actions in the future
New cancer answer
New cancer answer
NanOlogy platform takes chemo directly to the tumor
On the cutting edge
On the cutting edge
A roundup of instrumentation, software and other tools and technology news
Making a PACT with NIH
Making a PACT with NIH
Five-year public-private R&D program established as part of Cancer Moonshot
Clinical Trials
Change of direction for Prothena
Change of direction for Prothena
Disappointing Phase 1b results cause company to halt PRX003 program in psoriasis
Out of the starting gate
Out of the starting gate
A roundup of clinical trial startups and initial breakthroughs
Just a drop away from relief?
Just a drop away from relief?
SciFluor announces positive results of Phase 1/2 study on eye drops for diabetic macular edema
Personalized biologics for rare skin disease
Personalized biologics for rare skin disease
Fibrocell technology treats patients with cells derived from their own tissue
VARI scores twice with SU2C Catalyst
VARI scores twice with SU2C Catalyst
Total of 10 grant awards given out for clinical trials on various cancers
Preclinical
All about ADCs
All about ADCs
Eisai’s antibody-drug conjugate shows target selectivity and antitumor effects
‘Granting’ a heart’s desire
‘Granting’ a heart’s desire
NIH award for CMCs is one of University of Louisville’s largest-ever federal grants for medical research
Could dMAb shake up infection and cancer treatment?
Could dMAb shake up infection and cancer treatment?
Inovio’s DNA-based product shows promise combating Ebola and prostate tumors
Nonclinical cardio safety combo
Nonclinical cardio safety combo
ApconiX Alliance and PhysioStim address drug development failure rate
Contract Services
More room for growth
More room for growth
ADC Bio commits $11M for new clinical, commercial drug manufacturing plant
CPhI report highlights unpredictability in CDMO growth
CPhI report highlights unpredictability in CDMO growth
Flow chemistry, oncology, other aspects to grow, but the rate of change remains unclear
Contract tech roundup
Contract tech roundup
Some recent news of technology at contract research organizations
Research & Development
Making a successful HIV vaccine
Making a successful HIV vaccine
Sugar molecules on HIV envelope are likely target, according to TSRI
OSE and Inserm team up on immuno-oncology
OSE and Inserm team up on immuno-oncology
Research to focus on targeting a new suppressive myeloid cell receptor
A pair of NIH awards for JAX
A pair of NIH awards for JAX
The Jackson Laboratory gets $12.8 million in grants to research chronic fatigue and eye disease
‘Broader’ support for tech advancement
‘Broader’ support for tech advancement
New commitment received at Broad will establish Merkin Institute for Transformative Technologies in Healthcare
Discovery
Selective memory
Selective memory
New Alzheimer’s disease candidate selectively targets toxic AβO
Quality is key in ribosome assembly
Quality is key in ribosome assembly
‘Quality control’ step, when skipped, can cause defects that can lead to cancer and other disease
Making the right choice
Making the right choice
Salk researchers says decisions in DNA repair are aided by a microprotein
Diagnostics
A new angle on two cancers
A new angle on two cancers
ANGLE and QIAGEN form collaboration aimed at liquid biopsies for breast and prostate cancer
Diagnostics tag team
Diagnostics tag team
IDG leverages PerkinElmer’s sequencing services to provide whole-genome sequencing to neurology patients
Rosetta offloads PDx for $2.875M
Rosetta offloads PDx for $2.875M
Sale proceeds will be used to support commercial advancement of Reveal assay
Agilent expands usage for cancer diagnostic
Agilent expands usage for cancer diagnostic
Dako PD-L1 IHC 28-8 pharmDx approved for two new indications
Editor's Focus
Blood will tell: Hematology in review
Blood will tell: Hematology in review
Combing through my inbox, it seems news of therapeutics for (and research into) blood-related diseases, from hemophilia to leukemia, has picked up a little recently...so we thought we'd share some of that news with you
Commentary
Out of order: Art and science
Out of order: Art and science
We want to believe that science is rational and predictable but more often than not, this is only true in hindsight, once we finally “understand” what we are looking at, having viewed it from multiple angles and tested it under a variety of conditions. And even then, the seemingly chaotic nature of science surprises us, and not always in a good way.
A life-sciences columnist with a twist: Getting to know Randy
A life-sciences columnist with a twist: Getting to know Randy
Though he's been with us for more than a decade, we thought we'd introduce (or, for many of you, re-introduce) one of our two regular columnists
Special Reports
Special Report on Sequencing: Qualifying statements
Special Report on Sequencing: Qualifying statements
Are expanding applications pushing next-gen sequencing beyond its limits?
Feature
2017 ASCB-EMBO Show Preview: Showing love for cells in Philly
2017 ASCB-EMBO Show Preview: Showing love for cells in Philly
For the first joint outing of ASCB and EMBO in annual meeting form, the ‘City of Brotherly Love’ will play host
