Syndax and Merck to Collaborate on Immuno-Oncology Study Evaluating Entinostat in Combination with KEYTRUDA® (Pembrolizumab) in Lung Cancer and Melanoma Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Merck announced that they have entered into a clinical trial collaboration to evaluate the safety and efficacy of combining Syndax’s entinostat, an investigational epigenetic therapy, with Merck’s KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab), the first anti-PD-1 therapy approved in the United States. [Merck & Co., Inc.] Press Release Advaxis and RTOG Foundation to Collaborate on Pivotal Phase II/III Clinical Trial of ADXS-HPV in Anal Cancer Advaxis, Inc. announced that it is entering into a clinical trial collaboration agreement with the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) Foundation to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Advaxis’s lead cancer immunotherapy, ADXS-HPV (ADXS11-001), in a pivotal Phase II/III anal cancer trial, which will be run by NRG Oncology. [Advaxis, Inc.] Press Release Novartis Accelerates Cancer Immunotherapy Efforts with Aduro Biotech Alliance and Launch of New Immuno-Oncology Research Group Novartis announced that it is stepping up its efforts to harness the body’s immune system to combat cancer. The company has entered into a major multiyear alliance with Aduro Biotech that is focused on the discovery and development of next generation cancer immunotherapies targeting the stimulator of interferon genes pathway and launched a new immuno-oncology research group. [Novartis AG] Press Release Four Biomedical Research Centers in Barcelona Join Forces to Bridge the Gap between Investigation and Clinical Practice The Centre for Genomic Regulation, the Institute for Research in Biomedicine, the August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute, and the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute have designed a training program called “PhD for Medical Doctors”. This is a pioneering initiative seeking to speed up the transfer of results generated by biomedical research activities in Spain to clinical practice. [Institute for Research in Biomedicine] Press Release Fujifilm Holdings to Acquire Cellular Dynamics International, Inc. FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation and Cellular Dynamics International, Inc. (CDI) announced that the two companies have entered into a definitive agreement whereby Fujifilm will acquire CDI via an all-cash tender offer to be followed by a second step merger. [Cellular Dynamics International, Inc.] Press Release £25.7 Million to Create Research Powerhouse A £25.7 million funding boost will advance biological research and aid the quest for new therapies to treat damaged tissues. The investment by the UK Government will enable the University of Edinburgh to create a new biology complex with world-leading laboratory space for 350 researchers and to establish a new Centre for Tissue Repair. [The University of Edinburgh] Press Release Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc. Awarded SBIR Grant From NIH for Nanoplasmid Peanut Allergy Vaccine Development Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc. announced that the National Institutes of Health has awarded ITI’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant application titled, “Development of Nanoplasmid LAMP-based Peanut Allergy Immunotherapy.” [Immunomic Therapeutics, Inc. (GlobeNewswire, Inc.)] Press Release NIH Funds Study of Fully Personalized Immunotherapy AGS-004 Combined with a Latency Reversing Therapy for the Treatment of HIV Argos Therapeutics, Inc. announced that the NIH Division of AIDS has approved $6.6 million in funding for an investigator-initiated Phase IIa adult eradication study of AGS-004, the company’s investigational fully personalized immunotherapy for HIV. [Argos Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release Neurotech Announces FDA Acceptance of Investigational New Drug Application and Clinical Trial Initiation of Novel Therapy for Wet AMD Neurotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted and communicated Neurotech’s ability to proceed with its Investigational New Drug application to conduct a Phase II clinical study of NT-503 encapsulated cell therapy for the treatment of recurrent subfoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to age related macular degeneration (wet AMD). [Neurotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc.] Press Release Clinical Trial Uses Patients’ Own Cells for Personalized Treatment after Bone Marrow Transplant An innovative clinical trial using the science of “personalized” cellular therapy has begun enrolling children and adults suffering from graft-versus-host-disease (GvHD). By infusing large doses of personalized bone marrow cells into bone marrow transplant recipients, the physician-researchers aim to target sites of inflammation, potentially reducing GvHD in the intestine, liver and skin and limiting long-term organ damage. [Emory University] Press Release |