September 2016- Volume 12, Issue 9
September 2016
In this Issue
Clinical Trials
An eye on white blood cells in black patients
An eye on white blood cells in black patients
Georgetown Lombardi begins first clinical trial to test palbociclib on African-American patients
Skin disease solution
Skin disease solution
Abeona engages in partnership for EB gene therapy treatments
Wearable tech for trials
Wearable tech for trials
Medidata, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to use mHealth wearable activity trackers in clinical trials
On to Phase 3 for PLX-PAD
On to Phase 3 for PLX-PAD
Pluristem will be using a recent $8M grant for a pivotal trial in critical limb ischemia
Endpoint met for rare lung disease agent
Endpoint met for rare lung disease agent
Phase 2 results promising for Kamada’s inhaled alpha-1 antitrypsin for treatment of AATD
Research & Development
Biological circuit design gets complex
Biological circuit design gets complex
New approach in cell programming enables scientists to track cell histories
JTX-2011, the driving force
JTX-2011, the driving force
Jounce join hands with Celgene to develop next-generation immuno-oncology therapies
HCV vaccine potential?
HCV vaccine potential?
Stem cell research reveals umbilical cord stem cells can block HCV infection
New nanoscale tech could revolutionize microscopes and study of disease
New nanoscale tech could revolutionize microscopes and study of disease
University of Missouri researchers recently published a study outlining a new, relatively inexpensive imaging platform that enables single-molecule imaging
BC Platforms to partner with Codigo46
BC Platforms to partner with Codigo46
Deal will support the creation of the largest biobank in Latin America
Keeping genetics straight in cancer cells
Keeping genetics straight in cancer cells
Agilent CGH platform helps assure quality of cancer cell lines
Diagnostics
TTP unveils new instrument development service
TTP unveils new instrument development service
Service aimed at moving assays to market-ready products for rapidly delivering ‘sample to answer’
Better outcomes through liquid biopsy
Better outcomes through liquid biopsy
Genomic Health and Epic collaborate to deliver prognostic biomarker for metastatic prostate cancer
Lab-on-a-chip advancement
Lab-on-a-chip advancement
IBM unveils new technology that allows for the sorting of smaller particles than ever
Tox prognostication
Tox prognostication
Crowdsourced scientific challenge supports predictive power of computational biology for toxicology
Boosting breast cancer diagnostics
Boosting breast cancer diagnostics
Study teams up protein biomarkers to increase accuracy of early breast cancer detection
Preclinical
ArQule presents preclinical data for ARQ 531
ArQule presents preclinical data for ARQ 531
Data supports further preclinical and clinical research in BTK-sensitive and ibrutinib-resistant malignancies
MR Solutions offers choice of two preclinical cryogen- free MRI scanner ranges
MR Solutions offers choice of two preclinical cryogen- free MRI scanner ranges
MR Solutions is now offering a choice of two cryogen-free preclinical scanner ranges: the Flexiscan and Powerscan
Anti-malaria drug could make tumors easier to treat
Anti-malaria drug could make tumors easier to treat
A recent study looked at the effect of atovaquone on tumors with low oxygen levels in mice
Getting into the liver with CRISPR
Getting into the liver with CRISPR
Data from Intellia show continued progress in in-vivo gene editing with systemic lipid nanoparticle delivery
Transformative transaction
Transformative transaction
Chronos acquires preclinical programs from Shire to expand pipeline
FibroStatin’s T12 ready to deliver TKO?
FibroStatin’s T12 ready to deliver TKO?
Lead candidate proves effective in fight vs. drug-resistant invasive cancer, organ fibrosis
Contract Services
Recent recognition
Recent recognition
A collection of some CROs lauded within the industry
If you build it, they will come
If you build it, they will come
Vetter to invest $320 million in manufacturing plant
Promising opportunities
Promising opportunities
Private equity fund targets life-sciences and healthcare services, starting with CRO
Feature
Show Preview: CPhI Worldwide--What to expect from CPhI Worldwide this fall
Show Preview: CPhI Worldwide--What to expect from CPhI Worldwide this fall
The pharma community will gather to showcase services, latest research and debate key industry issues in Barcelona, Spain
Show Preview: ASHG 2016--Digging into the genome in Canada
Show Preview: ASHG 2016--Digging into the genome in Canada
The American Society of Human Genetics brings its annual meeting to Vancouver, with plenty new to offer, as well as the familiar and traditional
Special Focus: Recruiting the body in the war against cancer
Special Focus: Recruiting the body in the war against cancer
DDNews checks in on the growing and promising activity around immuno-oncology
Q&A
Q&A: Checking in with the new MilliporeSigma
Q&A: Checking in with the new MilliporeSigma
DDNews discusses with Klaus-Reinhard Bischoff how things are going since Merck KGaA acquired Sigma-Aldrich in 2015 and combined it with EMD Millipore
Editor's Focus
Knowledge gaps and mistakes, and how both can lead to better things
Knowledge gaps and mistakes, and how both can lead to better things
Let's try to cut down on the hyperbole, learn better from our mistakes and accidents and find where we can cut down on unnecessary gaps in our knowledge
Commentary
Out of order: I am not an animal
Out of order: I am not an animal
Companies may need to share preclinical data with investors, the trade press and the like, but perhaps sharing a lot less of that early-stage data with the general public would be a good idea
Guest commentary: Direct-to-consumer genetic testing--Helpful or harmful?
Guest commentary: Direct-to-consumer genetic testing--Helpful or harmful?
Personalized or precision medicine is the future for many complex diseases, but simply giving a patient knowledge of their genetic predisposition to a disease is not enough
Discovery
Cross-country collaboration
Cross-country collaboration
Regeneron links up with Adicet for next-gen immune cell therapeutics
Crowdsourcing lung biology
Crowdsourcing lung biology
A group effort on lung disease leads to new biological network model
A new target for NASH treatment
A new target for NASH treatment
BioLineRx inks deal with Hadasit for immune system approach to treating liver disease
Seres models the gut
Seres models the gut
Company teams with Emulate Inc. on microbiome therapeutics for IBD and other serious conditions
On the cutting edge
On the cutting edge
A roundup of instrumentation, software and other tools and technology news
Business & Government Policy
A first for Fast Track designation
A first for Fast Track designation
Caladrius’ CLBS03 is first experimental therapeutic for type 1 diabetes to get such designation
Going after growth
Going after growth
Agile aiming to expand contraceptive pipeline with new regimen
Mylan draws heat around EpiPen cost
Mylan draws heat around EpiPen cost
Controversy is bringing about a call for potential regulatory changes
Preventing disparities in gene-based therapeutics and diagnostics
Preventing disparities in gene-based therapeutics and diagnostics
For all their promise, genetically based therapeutics and diagnostics still fall short of being representative of—and applicable to—the population as a whole
