| TOP STORY | Better RNA Interference, Inspired by Nature Inspired by tiny particles that carry cholesterol through the body, chemical engineers have designed nanoparticles that can deliver snippets of genetic material that turn off disease-causing genes. The new particles, which encase short strands of RNA within a sphere of fatty molecules and proteins, silence target genes in the liver more efficiently than any previous delivery system, the researchers found in a study of mice. [Press release from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology discussing online prepublication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA] Press Release | Abstract | |
| POLICY | Myriad Wins First Round in Cancer Gene Testing Battle After the U.S. Supreme Court last year invalidated human gene patents held by Utah-based Myriad Genetics, the firm’s competitors launched an array of products aimed at cracking Myriad’s stranglehold on the breast cancer gene testing market. Myriad, however, promptly filed a bevy of lawsuits against its challengers, arguing that the high court decision didn’t apply to related patents it held on testing for the BRCA gene mutations linked to cancer risk. Last week, a company called Gene by Gene retreated from its Myriad challenge, agreeing to stop selling test kits in North America. [ScienceInsider] Editorial AAAS Announces Open-Access Journal Joining a herd of other scientific societies, AAAS announced that it will launch the organization’s first online, fully open-access journal early next year. The new journal, called Science Advances, will give authors another outlet for papers that they are willing to pay to make immediately free to the public. [ScienceInsider] Editorial EmailAddress&u=http://www.stemcell.com/en/Technical-Resources/228ae/29331-The-CFC-Assay-For-Cord-Blood.aspx?utm_source=ctn%26utm_medium=link%26utm_campaign=ON218-CordBloodTechBull_645x110&t=(Archive)CTN15.06iiitext” style=”text-decoration: none”>From our sponsor: View immunology lectures, protocols and other resources on the Human Immunology Portal. |
| BUSINESS | Cynata Partners with Leading Biologic Product Manufacturer Cynata Therapeutics Ltd announced that it has signed a manufacturing agreement with Waisman Biomanufacturing under which Waisman will undertake manufacturing process development, scale-up and clinical-grade manufacture of Cynata’s proprietary Cymerus™ off-the-shelf stem cell product. [Cynata Therapeutics Ltd] Press Release California Stem Cell Partners on CIRM Grant to Develop Transplantable 3D Retinas California Stem Cell, Inc. announced the initiation of a collaborative study with the University of California, Irvine aimed to create transplantable three-dimensional (3D) retinal tissue. The study, funded by a $4.5 million grant from the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) will investigate the potential of improving a patient’s visual function by transplanting human stem cell-derived 3D retinal tissue into their retina. [California Stem Cell, Inc.] Press Release DiaVacs Announces a Strategic Collaboration with Profil Institute to Conduct Phase Ib/IIa Randomized Clinical Trial of New Cell-Based Therapy for Type 1 Diabetes DiaVacs, Inc. and Profil® Institute for Clinical Research, Inc. announced a strategic collaboration to conduct DiaVacs’ Phase Ib/IIa clinical trial. This clinical trial will study the safety and preliminary efficacy of DiaVacs’ novel dendritic cell therapy for treatment of type 1 diabetes in patients who are newly diagnosed. [Profil® Institute for Clinical Research, Inc.] Press Release Aurigene Discovery Technologies Limited and Pierre Fabre Announce a Licensing Agreement for a New Cancer Therapeutic in Immuno-Oncology: AUNP12, an Immune Checkpoint Modulator Targeting the PD-1 Pathway Pierre Fabre and Aurigene announced that the two companies have entered into a collaborative license, development and commercialization agreement granting Pierre Fabre global Worldwide rights (excluding India) to a new immune checkpoint modulator, AUNP-12. [Aurigene Discovery Technologies Limited] Press Release Third Rock Ventures Launches Voyager Therapeutics with $45 Million Series A to Develop Life-Changing Gene Therapies for CNS Disorders Third Rock Ventures, LLC announced the formation of Voyager Therapeutics, a gene therapy company developing treatments for fatal and debilitating diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), with a $45 million Series A financing. [Business Wire] Press Release StemCells, Inc. Announces Completion of the First of Two Cohorts in Its Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration Trial StemCells, Inc. announced that it has completed enrollment of the first of two planned patient cohorts in the company’s clinical trial of its proprietary HuCNS-SC® product candidate (purified human neural stem cells) for dry age-related macular degeneration. [StemCells, Inc.] Press Release CardioCel® Cleared for Sale in US Admedus announced it has received FDA clearance to market CardioCel® in the US. CardioCel® is the group’s lead regenerative tissue product to repair and treat a range of cardiovascular and vascular defects. [Admedus Ltd.] Press Release Parcell Laboratories Promotes Colin White, Ph.D., to Chief Scientific Officer Parcell Laboratories, Inc., developer of novel therapeutics based on its patented adult stem cell platform technology, the ELA® cell, has promoted Colin White, Ph.D., to the newly-created position of chief scientific officer. [Marketwire L.P.] Press Release |
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