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Pulmonary Cell News| Cell Therapy News 17.29 July 25, 2016 | |
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TOP STORY‘Starving’ Immune Cell Discovery Points to Cancer Immunotherapy-Boosting Strategies The microenvironment that supports a cancerous tumor also starves the immune cells that the body sends in to destroy the cancer, scientists revealed in a discovery that holds the potential to significantly boost the performance of breakthrough immunotherapy drugs. [Press release from University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute discussing online prepublication in Immunity] Press Release | Abstract | Graphical Abstract | |
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PUBLICATIONS(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)Phase I Trials Using Sleeping Beauty to Generate CD19-Specific CAR T Cells Investigators evaluated a human application of T cells that were genetically modified using the Sleeping Beauty transposon/transposase system to express a CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). [J Clin Invest] Full Article Researchers showed that primary in vitro stimulation of CD45RA-selected CD4 T cells of stem-cell donors with 10/10 HLA-matched acute myeloid leukemia blasts results in expansion of cytolytic T-lymphocytes that almost all recognize HLA-DPB1 mismatch alleles, which clinically occur in up to 80% of donor-patient pairs. [Leukemia] Abstract Magnetic Nanoparticle-Based Upregulation of B-Cell Lymphoma 2 Enhances Bone Regeneration Scientists describe an “off the shelf” prefabricated scaffold integrated with magnetic nanoparticles used to upregulate B-cell lymphoma 2 expression in implanted adipose-derived stromal cells for bone regeneration. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Abstract Investigators explored the effects of a cell-free system comprising stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) and scaffold plus parathyroid hormone (PTH) systemic application on periodontal tissue regeneration in vivo. [Sci Rep] Full Article Researchers investigated whether gene therapy with indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase is able to attenuate chronic transplant dysfunction. [Gene Ther] Abstract Scientists studied a PLGA/polyethylenimine-mediated microRNAs (miRNA) vector delivery system, validating the method employing colon cancer xenograft model with miR-145 vector encoding for the expression of miR-145. [Gene Ther] Abstract Lentiviral HSV-Tk.007 Mediated Suicide Gene Therapy Is Not Toxic for Normal Brain Cells Investigators tested lentiviral vectors delivering the suicide gene HSV-Tk.007, a highly active mutant of HSV-Tk, to rat brains as a preclinical toxicity study. [J Gene Med] Abstract Scientists analyzed regulatory T cell subpopulations in hematopoietic stem cell harvests from 22 allogeneic (matched unrelated and sibling) donors with flow cytometry by their expression of CD45RA, CD127, CD25, and FoxP3 marker combinations. [Cytometry B Clin Cytom] Abstract | |
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REVIEWSNovel therapies with CAR transduced T cells sparked new hope for patients with relapsed or refractory CD19-positive leukemia or lymphoma even after stem cell therapies. The authors focus on CARs recognizing the B cell antigen CD19. [Hum Gene Ther] Abstract Prospects and Progress in Cell Therapy for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome The authors discuss the use of mesenchymal stromal (stem) cells in pre-clinical experimental models of acute respiratory distress syndrome and in ongoing clinical trials. [Expert Opin Biol Ther] Abstract Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the cell therapy research field. | |
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SCIENCE NEWSRoche launched its presence by featuring several next-generation diagnostic testing platforms and a new virtual reality experience that gives attendees an “under the hood” look at a lab of the future and an innovative concept Roche calls the “Roche connected lab.” [Press release from Roche discussing research presented at the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) 2016 Clinical Lab Expo, Philadelphia] Press Release Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that Alnylam and collaborators presented interim results from the ongoing Phase I clinical trial with fitusiran, an investigational RNAi therapeutic targeting antithrombin for the treatment of hemophilia A and B and rare bleeding disorders. [Press release from Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. discussing research presented at the World Federation of Hemophilia 2016 World Congress, Orlando] Press Release | |
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INDUSTRY NEWSRegeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Adicet Bio, Inc. announced a collaboration and licensing agreement to develop next-generation engineered immune cell therapeutics. The companies plan to engineer immune cells with fully human chimeric antigen receptors and T-cell receptors directed to disease-specific cell surface antigens in order to enable the precise engagement and killing of tumor cells. [Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.] Press Release Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. announced that it has entered into a binding term sheet to create a joint venture with CHA Biotech Co., LTD (CBT), of South Korea to develop and commercialize proprietary chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) modified cellular therapies based on CBT’s activated killer cell technology and five of Sorrento’s CARs for all disease conditions, including oncology and infectious diseases. [Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release Amgen and Advaxis Enter Global Cancer Immunotherapies Collaboration Amgen and Advaxis, Inc. announced a global agreement for the development and commercialization of Advaxis’ ADXS-NEO, a novel, preclinical investigational cancer immunotherapy treatment that is designed to activate a patient’s immune system to respond against the unique mutations, or neoepitopes, contained in and identified from each individual patient’s tumor. [Amgen] Press Release Pfizer Aims to Become Industry Leader in Gene Therapy with Acquisition of Bamboo Therapeutics, Inc. Pfizer Inc. announced that it has acquired Bamboo Therapeutics, Inc. This acquisition significantly expands Pfizer’s expertise in gene therapy by providing Pfizer with a clinical and several pre-clinical assets that complement the company’s rare disease portfolio, an advanced recombinant adeno-associated virus vector design and production technology, and a fully functional Phase I/II gene therapy manufacturing facility that Bamboo acquired from the University of North Carolina earlier this year. [Pfizer Inc.] Press Release AstraZeneca Files First Clinical Trial Application in Moderna Messenger RNA Collaboration AstraZeneca announced that it has filed a Clinical Trial Application with the Paul Ehrlich Institute and the German Federal Ministry of Health to initiate a Phase I clinical trial of AZD8601. The program is part of a collaboration between AstraZeneca and Moderna to discover, develop and commercialize messenger RNA Therapeutics to treat serious cardiovascular, metabolic and renal diseases as well as cancer. [AstraZeneca] Press Release VM BioPharma announced that the company has obtained Investigational New Drug approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in Korea for a Phase II clinical trial of the investigational gene therapy drug, VM202, for ischemic heart disease. [VM BioPharma (PR Newsire Association LLC)] Press Release Gamida Cell announced that the first patient with sickle cell disease has been transplanted with CordIn™. The transplant took place at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland. Mark Walters, MD, Director of the Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program is the Principal Investigator. [Gamida Cell] Press Release Inovio Will Independently Develop Hepatitis B Immunotherapy Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced the company will continue to develop its hepatitis B DNA immunotherapy (INO-1800) independently following Roche’s notice that it will discontinue its collaboration with Inovio and its development of INO-1800. [Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc.] Press Release DNAtrix Awarded FDA Orphan Products Development Grant for DNX-2401 DNAtrix announced the award of a $2 million research grant from the FDA’s Office of Orphan Products Development to support its Phase II clinical trial evaluating DNX-2401 with the checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab for patients with recurrent glioblastoma. [DNAtrix (PR Newswire Association LLC)] Press Release Bellicum Announces BPX-501 European Regulatory Updates Bellicum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the European Commission has granted orphan drug designations for both its lead T-cell therapy product candidate BPX-501 for treatment in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and for activator agent rimiducid for the treatment of graft vs. host disease. [Bellicum Pharmaceuticals, Inc.] Press Release Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc announced that it has received notice from the U.S. Food and Drug administration that a partial clinical hold has been placed on its planned pivotal study of NY-ESO SPEAR® T-cell therapy in myxoid round cell liposarcoma. [Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc] Press Release Bristol-Myers Squibb Company announced that CheckMate-026, a trial investigating the use of Opdivo (nivolumab) as monotherapy, did not meet its primary endpoint of progression-free survival in patients with previously untreated advanced non-small cell lung cancer whose tumors expressed PD-L1 at = 5%. [Bristol-Myers Squibb Company] Press Release | |
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POLICY NEWSScientists Seek Influence on ‘Brexit Ministry’ Worried at the prospect of losing access to EU funding and collaborations, scientific societies have fired off numerous letters asking the government to keep their country in the EU’s research system, and warning of damage already caused by Brexit. [Nature News] Editorial Brain Implants and Gene-Editing Enhancements Worry US Public Most people in the United States are more worried than enthusiastic about the prospect of scientific advances such as gene editing and brain-chip implants, a survey of thousands suggests. [Nature News] Editorial | Poll Major Review Calls Time on ‘Gaming’ in UK Research Assessment The United Kingdom’s mammoth periodic audit of its research is set for a shake-up that could change the way universities hire academics – and might also encourage scientists to spend more time on public engagement. [Nature News] Editorial Antibiotics Funding Splurge Gets Mixed Reception Antibiotics researchers are set to receive hundreds of millions of dollars from a new funding stream — but not everyone thinks the cash is being directed to the right place. [Nature News] Editorial Young Blood Antiaging Trial Raises Questions A startup company has launched the first clinical trial in the United States to test the antiaging benefits of young blood in relatively healthy people. But there’s a big caveat: It’s a pay-to-participate trial, a type that has raised ethical concerns before, most recently in the stem cell field. [ScienceInsider] Editorial Dispute over President’s Age Tears Pasteur Institute Apart Is 65 too old to stay at the helm of a major research center? That question is sowing division at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, Science has learned, and has plunged the 128-year-old institute, home to 1200 scientists and the place where HIV was first isolated, into a leadership crisis. [ScienceInsider] Editorial U.S. Mental Health Institute Puts Champion of Basic Science at the Helm Up to now, Joshua Gordon has split his career between working with patients with mental illness and mice designed to mimic that illness. But this fall, the neuroscientist and psychiatrist will take control of the $1.5 billion U.S. National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland. [ScienceInsider] Editorial | Press Release Pan-European Pension Fund for Scientists Leaves the Station A pan-European pension fund for researchers, called RESAVER, was set up by a consortium of employers to stimulate researcher mobility. [ScienceInsider] Editorial Russian Scientists Bracing for Massive Job Losses Russia’s scientific community is reeling from news that the government plans to fire about 10,000 researchers over the next three years. [ScienceInsider] Editorial Australian Government Orders Science Agency to Pull Back on Climate Job Cuts Australia’s government has ordered its national science agency to re-prioritize basic climate research — six months after the organization unveiled controversial plans to slash jobs in the sector. But the intervention may have come too late to salvage damage already caused, researchers say. [Nature News] Editorial The FDA Is Prohibited from Going Germline A potentially renewable provision of the Consolidated Appropriation Act of 2016 forestalling the prospect of human germline modification was signed into law on December 18th, 2015. The provision has since been incorporated again into the House and Senate appropriation bills for the fiscal year. [ScienceInsider] Editorial US Agency Lifts Ban on Funding Human–Animal Hybrids Researchers in the United States will soon be able to resume creating chimaera-based projects. [Nature News] Editorial
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REGULATORYFDACellular, Tissue, and Gene Therapies Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting (FR Doc. No:2016-18560) Notice Determining Donor Eligibility for Autologous Donors of Blood and Blood Components Intended Solely for Autologous Use-Compliance Policy; Guidance for Industry; Availability (FR Doc. No:2016-18183) Notice NIHRequest for Public Comment on the Proposed Changes to the NIH Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research and the Proposed Scope of an NIH Steering Committee’s Consideration of Certain Human-Animal Chimera Research (FR Doc. No:2016-18601) Notice National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences; Notice of Meetings (FR Doc. No:2016-18291) Notice
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EVENTSNEW Changing the Face of Modern Medicine: Stem Cells & Gene Therapy NEW 21st Annual Congress of Asia Pacific Blood and Marrow Transplantation Group 2016 (APBMT 2016) NEW Cell Therapy Manufacturing & Gene Therapy Congress Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.
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JOB OPPORTUNITIESNEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Tumor Immunology and Head and Neck Cancer (University of Lausanne) NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Tumor Immunology and T Cell Differentiation (University of Lausanne) NEW Scientist/Sr. Scientist – Nanoparticle Research, Delivery Innovation (Moderna Therapeutics) Research Fellow – Hematology and Epigenetics (University of Edinburgh) Research Fellow – Hematology (Mayo Clinic) Postdoctoral Fellow – Pluripotent Stem Cell Technology (University of California Davis) Associate Member – Stem Cell and Gene Therapy (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center) Faculty Position – Cancer Immunology (University of New Mexico) Postdoctoral Fellow – Oxidative Lung Injury (Temple University) Postdoctoral Fellow – Hematology/Oncology (Boston Children’s Hospital) Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.
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Home Cell Therapy News Volume 17.29 | Aug 8 2016
