MD Anderson Cancer Center

Rice Biotech Launch Pad adds pharmaceuticals pioneer Robert Ruffolo to external advisory board

Retrieved on: 
Monday, January 8, 2024
Eli Lilly and Company, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Pfizer, Faculty, Book, Launch pad, Argonne National Laboratory, Goldman Sachs, Integration, Drug development, CTMC, Research, Neuroscience, Harris Health System, Jefferies, Rice University, Ohio State University, Texas Medical Center, Doctor of Philosophy, Pharmacology, Bill, Patient, College of Engineering (KNUST), Rice, Pharmaceutical industry

HOUSTON, Jan. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rice University today announced the addition of Robert Ruffolo Jr. to its external advisory board for the Rice Biotech Launch Pad , a Houston-based accelerator focused on expediting the translation of the university's health and medical technology discoveries into cures.

Key Points: 
  • HOUSTON, Jan. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rice University today announced the addition of Robert Ruffolo Jr. to its external advisory board for the Rice Biotech Launch Pad , a Houston-based accelerator focused on expediting the translation of the university's health and medical technology discoveries into cures.
  • "Dr. Ruffolo brings immense value to the Rice Biotech Launch Pad as an adviser to drive drug development," said Omid Veiseh , associate professor of bioengineering at Rice and faculty director of the Launch Pad.
  • "The Rice Biotech Launch Pad is one of the most forward-looking and technologically innovative teams in the drug development space right now," Ruffolo said.
  • Ruffolo is the 13th member of the Launch Pad's external advisory board.

ADC Therapeutics Provides Business Updates

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, January 4, 2024
ALT, MTD, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Lung cancer, Aes, DLBCL, DLT, PSMA, Sarcoma, Progression-free survival, Fatigue, KAAG1, Neutropenia, Hyperglycemia, Society, Therapy, Follicular lymphoma, Clinical trial, AXL, ASH, University, Rituximab, Skin infection, Pancreatic cancer, Periodic breathing, Patient, PFS, ADC, CD22, NSCLC, Security (finance), Pharmaceutical industry

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Jan. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ADC Therapeutics SA (NYSE: ADCT) today provided business updates.

Key Points: 
  • ZYNLONTA®1 4Q 2023 net sales expected to be ~$16.5 million, a double-digit percentage increase as compared to 3Q 2023
    ADCT-601 (targeting AXL): Reached MTD and currently in dose optimization; Early signs of antitumor activity in both monotherapy and in combination
    LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Jan. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ADC Therapeutics SA (NYSE: ADCT) today provided business updates.
  • “During 2023, we took a number of decisive actions to help position the Company for success in 2024 and beyond.
  • We prioritized our pipeline, strengthened our organization and implemented a disciplined capital allocation model to generate cost efficiencies,” said Ameet Mallik, Chief Executive Officer of ADC Therapeutics.
  • The Company ended the fourth quarter of 2023 with cash and cash equivalents of ~$278.5 million.

Investigator-initiated Phase 1/2 Clinical Trial Using Salarius Pharmaceuticals’ Seclidemstat in Combination with Azacitidine to Treat Hematologic Cancers Resumes Patient Enrollment

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 3, 2024
DCR, LSD1, SUSAR, Database, Canaccord Genuity, Food, Survival, Learning, Cyclophosphamide, Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, Probability, Bone marrow, FDA, TC, Progression-free survival, Myelodysplastic syndrome, CMML, MD, MDS, Clinical trial, Monroe Dunaway Anderson, University, Azacitidine, Effectiveness, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Sarcoma, Patient, Ewing sarcoma, Pharmaceutical industry

While these efforts are ongoing, the Company continues to support the continuation of its clinical programs, as appropriate.

Key Points: 
  • While these efforts are ongoing, the Company continues to support the continuation of its clinical programs, as appropriate.
  • In October 2022, the FDA placed the MDACC investigator-initiated trial under a partial clinical hold following a suspected unexpected serious adverse reaction (SUSAR) in the FET-rearranged arm of Salarius’ Phase 1/2 trial with seclidemstat in sarcomas.
  • In addition to the MDACC investigator-initiated clinical trial, seclidemstat has been studied in a company-sponsored Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating its use in combination with TC for the treatment of relapsed/refractory Ewing sarcoma.
  • The Company-sponsored Ewing sarcoma clinical trial focuses on seclidemstat in combination with TC as a treatment for relapsed and refractory Ewing sarcoma.

International Consortium Publishes Comprehensive Roadmap for the Clinical Implementation of OGM in Hematological Malignancy Applications

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 3, 2024
Consortium, OGM, SVS, Radboud University Medical Center, Workflow, University, Bone marrow, Quality control, Blood, University of Oulu, SAN, Columbia University, Laboratory, LDT, UZ Leuven, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Biomarker, University of Toronto, University Health Network, Algorithm, Medical device

The authors believe that a proactive approach to the development of standards would be beneficial for global laboratories’ understanding of how best to use an OGM workflow.

Key Points: 
  • The authors believe that a proactive approach to the development of standards would be beneficial for global laboratories’ understanding of how best to use an OGM workflow.
  • Consortium members collaboratively outlined a consensus framework designed to provide guidance to laboratories interested in the adoption and implementation of OGM.
  • The authors covered considerations that need to be addressed when incorporating OGM into a laboratory, including assessment of clinical utility, proof of principle study, method validation, clinical validation, and implementation.
  • The framework addresses these considerations with specific recommendations in three areas: validation, quality control, and analysis and interpretation of variants.

Establishment Labs Announces First U.S. Commercial Procedure with Motiva Flora Tissue Expander

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 2, 2024
Surgery, Medical Devices, Women, Health Technology, Biotechnology, Health, Consumer, General Health, Oncology, Rabbit, MRI, Motiva, ESTA, FDA, Magnet, Mouse, MD, Human, Inflammation, University, Establishment, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Radiation, RFID, Patient, Plastic surgery, Medical imaging

The recent FDA clearance and first procedure mark significant developments in the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery.

Key Points: 
  • The recent FDA clearance and first procedure mark significant developments in the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery.
  • "This Flora device is a new resource in our toolkit for breast cancer reconstruction,” Dr. Clemens noted.
  • The Flora® Tissue Expander includes several proprietary innovations, including Establishment Labs’ patented SmoothSilk® surface technology and an RFID-enabled, non-magnetic port, labeled as MR Conditional by the FDA.
  • By being magnet-free, Flora avoids the interference that magnets cause during MRI and may improve the precision of radiation oncology treatment.

Replay and its engineered NK cell therapy company Syena announce exclusive licensing agreement with National Institutes of Health for TCRs targeting cancer neoantigens

Retrieved on: 
Monday, December 18, 2023
Biology, NY-ESO-1, T cell, Lead, Immunotherapy, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual property, Neoplasm, PRAME, Collection, TCR, Haematopoietic system, Bone marrow, MD Anderson Cancer Center, MAGE, DNA, Research, Heart, Monroe Dunaway Anderson, University, Writing, Cancer, Bangladesh Technical Education Board, Genome, NIH, Patient, Safety, NCI, NK, HPV16

These will be developed by Replay’s oncology-focused product company, Syena, to expand its pipeline of engineered T-Cell Receptor-Natural Killer (TCR-NK) cell therapies.

Key Points: 
  • These will be developed by Replay’s oncology-focused product company, Syena, to expand its pipeline of engineered T-Cell Receptor-Natural Killer (TCR-NK) cell therapies.
  • The TCRs, targeting validated cancer neoantigens KRAS, p53, HPV16 and MAGE, were discovered by Steven Rosenberg, M.D., Ph.D., Chief of the Surgery Branch at the NIH National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Center for Cancer Research and a pioneer of immunotherapies and gene therapies for advanced cancers.
  • Preclinical development of the new TCR-NK programs will advance alongside the clinical development of Syena’s lead engineered TCR-NK cell therapy candidate targeting NY-ESO-1, and the PRAME program announced today.
  • Adrian Woolfson, Executive Chairman, President, and Co-Founder of Replay, said: “The TCRs licensed from NIH address several cancer neoantigens of medical importance and will significantly expand our first-in-class, engineered TCR-NK therapy operations.

Treadwell Therapeutics Announces a Presentation at the 2023 ASH Annual Meeting and Advisory Board Meeting

Retrieved on: 
Friday, December 15, 2023
Cellular, Transplant, Division, TP53, Disease, MD Anderson Cancer Center, MD, SAN, Society, Therapy, Cancer, Acute myeloid leukemia, PD, ASH, Poster, Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, University, AML, Myelodysplastic syndrome, PLK4, Pharmaceutical industry

TORONTO and SAN MATEO, Calif., Dec. 15, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Treadwell Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel first-in-class medicines for unmet needs in cancer, today announced a presentation for the Company's lead program, CFI-400945, a first-in-class inhibitor of Polo-like Kinase 4 (PLK4) being advanced in relapsed/refractory AML, at the 65th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition being held from December 9-12, 2023. Treadwell also conducted a clinical advisory board meeting on December 10th at ASH with experienced experts in the treatment of AML and in clinical trials of novel agents, which included current investigators and thought leaders new to the program.

Key Points: 
  • Treadwell also conducted a clinical advisory board meeting on December 10th at ASH with experienced experts in the treatment of AML and in clinical trials of novel agents, which included current investigators and thought leaders new to the program.
  • "CFI-400945 is demonstrating complete remissions as a single agent and in combination with azacitadine in relapsed, adverse risk AML, including those with TP53 mutant disease.
  • Three of 6 evaluable patients with AML achieved a response (MLFS=2, CRi=1 with MRD+) at the 96mg dose​.
  • PK characteristics support daily dosing of CFI-400945 and PD studies are ongoing​.

Bio-Path Holdings Successfully Completes First Dose Cohort of Phase 1/1b Clinical Trial of BP1002 in Refractory/Relapsed Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, December 14, 2023
RNA interference, Weill Cornell Medicine, Hospital, D.O, Hope, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Cornell University, Holding, University, Scripps Health, Toxicity, Acute myeloid leukemia, Patient, Safety, Clinical, Medicine, AML, Pharmaceutical industry

The first dose cohort consisted of a starting dose of 20 mg/m2, and there were no dose limiting toxicities.

Key Points: 
  • The first dose cohort consisted of a starting dose of 20 mg/m2, and there were no dose limiting toxicities.
  • The approved treatment cycle is two doses per week over four weeks for a total of eight doses administered over twenty-eight days.
  • The Phase 1b portion of the study is expected to commence after completion of BP1002 monotherapy cohorts and will assess the safety and efficacy of BP1002 in combination with decitabine in refractory/relapsed AML patients.
  • Gail J. Roboz, M.D., is the National Principal Investigator for the Phase 1/1b trial.

SELLAS to Host Corporate Update Webinar on January 3, 2024 at 8:30 am ET

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, December 13, 2023
School, Doctor of Science, GPS, MD Anderson Cancer Center, MD, SLS, Patient, Acute myeloid leukemia, University, Medical school, Pharmaceutical industry

NEW YORK, Dec. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SELLAS Life Sciences Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SLS) (“SELLAS’’ or the “Company”), a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies for a broad range of cancer indications, today announced that it will host a corporate update webinar on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

Key Points: 
  • NEW YORK, Dec. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SELLAS Life Sciences Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SLS) (“SELLAS’’ or the “Company”), a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies for a broad range of cancer indications, today announced that it will host a corporate update webinar on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
  • Angelos Stergiou, MD, ScD h.c., President and Chief Executive Officer of SELLAS, will discuss the Company’s achievements in 2023 and provide an outlook for 2024.
  • Dr. Stergiou will be joined by two key opinion leaders and principal investigators who will discuss the Phase 3 registrational REGAL clinical trial of galinpepimut-S (GPS) in patients with acute myeloid leukemia and the clinical program for SLS009, the Company’s CDK9 inhibitor:
    Dr. Panagiotis Tsirigotis, Professor of Hematology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
    Dr. Tapan Kadia, Professor in the Department of Leukemia at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
    To access the webinar, please use the following information:

Affimed Announces Updated Phase 1/2 Data from Acimtamig in Combination with Allogeneic NK in Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients Who Failed Prior Chemotherapy and Are Double-Refractory to Brentuximab Vedotin (BV) and Checkpoint Inhibitors (CPIs)

Retrieved on: 
Monday, December 11, 2023
Patient, EST, Haematopoietic system, Dor, EFS, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Graft-versus-host disease, Society, Cancer, ASH, HL, CRS, PST, Webcast, Safety, University, BV, Pharmaceutical industry

Affimed will host a webcast following the presentation to review the data and provide a strategic update on acimtamig’s future development.

Key Points: 
  • Affimed will host a webcast following the presentation to review the data and provide a strategic update on acimtamig’s future development.
  • A total of 42 patients were enrolled in the study with 36 patients treated at the RP2D.
  • 32 of the 36 patients treated at the RP2D were HL patients.
  • For the HL patients treated at the RP2D, median EFS was 9.8 months - with 84% patients alive at 12 months.