Posts Tagged ‘first’
Gene Therapy Is Halting Cancer. Can It Work Against Brain Tumors? – UC San Francisco
A type of gene therapy called CAR-T that has extended survival for thousands of patients with leukemia and other blood cancers is being adapted at UC San Francisco to treat people with glioblastoma, the most common and deadly adult brain tumor.
This new more powerful version of CAR-T employs a novel technology developed at UCSF called synthetic notch (synNotch) that both protects healthy tissue from damage and enables the treatment to work more effectively.
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Approximately 12,000 Americans are diagnosed each year, with an average survival of just 15 months.
UCSF opened enrollment this week for a clinical trial that is using the technology for the first time in people. A second trial, also at UCSF, is slated for 2025.
Approximately 12,000 Americans are diagnosed each year with glioblastoma. Patients survive on average for just 15 months after their diagnosis, and new treatments are urgently needed.
This project is a prime example of bench-to-bed translation within UCSF, representing the strengths in basic and clinical science, said Hideho Okada, MD, PhD, a physician-scientist and director of the UCSF Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Center. We have a truly home-grown project here.
Okada has received up to $11 million for the first trial from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), which funds stem cell and gene therapy research for incurable diseases and disorders through all stages of clinical trial development.
Initial funding for the second trial is provided by the National Cancer Institute Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (NCI SPORE).
We hope that the treatment will prolong lives for patients with glioblastoma, said Okada, who is a professor of neurosurgery at UCSF and a member of the Weill Institute for Neurosciences. However, the primary goal of the current phase 1 study is to ensure safety and characterize any toxicities.
When tested in mice, Okada said the therapy provided a robust and long-lasting result that was more remarkable than anything he had encountered during 30 years of brain tumor research.
The CIRM-funded trial will be led by principal investigator Jennifer Clarke, MD, MPH. It is open to patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma, who have completed standard-of-care treatment. Tumors must have a mutation found in approximately 20% of glioblastomas, and that can be identified by the UCSF500 cancer gene panel test.
The second study will be open to glioblastoma patients whether or not they have the mutation.
CAR-T refers to chimeric antigen receptor T-cells, which are cancer-killing immune cells that have been extracted from the patient and genetically modified to recognize and destroy antigens that appear on the surface of cancer cells. These supercharged CAR-T cells are then infused back into the body to attack tumor cells.
For many patients with leukemia and other blood cancers, CAR-T has demonstrated long-term remission, but the approach hasnt worked against brain tumors. Glioblastoma cells are more diverse than blood cancer cells, and they can evade CAR-T. Many of the antigens made by the tumors are also found in healthy tissue, leaving them open to attack.
To overcome these obstacles, Okada drew from the synNotch system developed by Wendell Lim, PhD, director of the UCSF Cell Design Institute and professor in the UCSF Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology.
The technology allowed scientists to program CAR-T cells to target specific antigens on tumor cells, without touching those found in healthy tissue. They also do not succumb to T-cell exhaustion, a common problem with CAR-T therapies, because they are more metabolically stable and use less energy to fight cancer longer.
Weve created a system that is flexible and thorough and addresses the major concerns weve had about using CAR-T cells against solid tumors, Lim said. These cells act like computers: integrating multiple units of information and making complex decisions.
About the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM): AtCIRM, we never forget that we were created by the people of California to accelerate stem cell treatments to patients with unmet medical needs, and act with a sense of urgency to succeed in that mission. To meet this challenge, our team of highly trained and experienced professionals actively partners with both academia and industry in a hands-on, entrepreneurial environment to fast track the development of todays most promising stem cell technologies. With $5.5 billion in funding and more than 150 active stem cell programs in our portfolio,CIRMis one of the worlds largest institutions dedicated to helping people by bringing the future of cellular medicine closer to reality.
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Gene Therapy Is Halting Cancer. Can It Work Against Brain Tumors? - UC San Francisco
SNIPR Biome receives funding from CARB-X to support advancement of CRISPR-medicine SNIPR001 into clinical … – Yahoo Finance
SNIPR Biome
SNIPR Biome receives funding from CARB-X to support advancement of CRISPR-medicine SNIPR001 into clinical trials in haematological cancer patients
Phase 1b/2a trial will evaluate SNIPR001 for the prevention of E.coli infections in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Copenhagen, April 22 2024: SNIPR Biome ApS (SNIPR), the company pioneering the development of precision medicines using CRISPR technology for microbial gene therapy, announces today that it has received $5.48 million from Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) to co-fund a Phase 1b/2a clinical trial in hematological cancer patients.
The trial will evaluate SNIPR001, the first CRISPR-armed phage therapeutic that specifically targets E. coli in the gut, for the prevention of E. coli bloodstream infections in hematological cancer patients who are undergoing hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) and are colonized with Fluoroquinolone Resistant (FQR) E. coli. Fluoroquinolone is recommended in the US for prophylaxis of bacterial infections and febrile neutropenia in hematological cancer patients at high risk of neutropenia.
Despite the significant advances in hematologic cancer therapy over the past decade, infectious complications, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continue to pose significant threats to patients and clinical outcomes1. Currently, there are no approved therapies for the prevention of bloodstream infections (BSIs) in hematological cancer patients. SNIPR Biome is developing SNIPR001 to address this urgent unmet need to combat infections in hematological cancer patients.
Preclinical data published in Nature Biotechnology described SNIPR001s ability to selectively target and remove antibiotic-resistant E. coli strains in the gut, potentially offering a safe treatment which preserves the rest of the gut microbiome. This was supported by interim Phase 1 data published in 2023, which showed that oral dosing of SNIPR001 over seven days across three dosing levels in 24 healthy individuals was well tolerated. Furthermore, SNIPR001 could be recovered in faeces from treated individuals in a dose-dependent manner, and treatment with SNIPR001 numerically lowered gut E. coli levels.
Anticipated to begin later this year, the randomized, double-blinded Phase 1b/2a trial will investigate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of orally administrated SNIPR001 in 24 patients. It will be conducted at up to 10 sites across Europe and the United States.
CARB-X, a global non-profit partnership dedicated to supporting early-stage antibacterial research and development to address the rising threat of drug-resistant bacteria, has been a long-term collaborator with SNIPR in this field. The funding announced today enables SNIPR to move SNIPR001 into Phase 1b/2a clinical trials and will serve as a cornerstone for a further significant fundraise to enable the Company to continue development of its pipeline of CRISPR-based AMR and gut-directed gene therapies.
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Dr Christian Grndahl, Co-founder and CEO of SNIPR Biome, commented: Antibiotic resistance is one of healthcares biggest problems today, affecting treatment efficacy and survival among patients who are often already very sick. We are using our knowledge of gene editing and synthetic biology to create highly specific, designer bacteria and phage to disrupt, edit or add genes, and deliver these precision medicines in a carefully targeted way. We are pleased to be continuing our partnership with CARB-X who share our commitment to developing therapies for vulnerable patients.
Erin Duffy PhD, Chief of Research & Development, CARB-X, said: Having underscored safety for SNIPR001 in healthy subjects, SNIPR Biome is now focusing on demonstrating proof-of-mechanism for this novel product, with our support.We are keen to establish a link between gut decolonization and prevention of infection as a novel approach to antimicrobial resistance, and SNIPR001 offers the possibility of doing so.
CARB-X funding for this research is supported by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority under agreement number: 75A50122C00028, and by awards from Wellcome (WT224842), and Germanys Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The content of this press release is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of CARB-X or any of its funders.
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About SNIPR001 SNIPR001, a CRISPR-armed phage therapeutic that specifically targets E. coli in the gut, is designed to prevent infections from spreading into the bloodstream and represents a promising advancement against antibiotic-resistant pathogens. The pre-clinical studies of SNIPR001 published in Nature Biotechnology2 demonstrated the products activity against multi-drug resistant strains of E. coli and its specificity towards E. coli with no off-target effects toward any of the tested non-E. coli strains. SNIPR successfully completed a Phase 1 trial in the US, also funded by CARB-X, demonstrating safety of SNIPR001 and target engagement with E. coli in the gut of healthy subjects without disturbing the overall gut microbiome (NCT05277350), supporting its potential as a safe and effective preventative therapy for bloodstream infections in hematological cancer patients. SNIPR001 has been granted a Fast-Track designation for the indication Prophylaxis of bloodstream E. coli infections in patients with hematological malignancy at risk of neutropenia from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). SNIPR001 is also being developed to directly treat active E. coli infections.
About SNIPR BIOME SNIPR Biome is a Danish clinical-stage biotech company pioneering the development of precision medicines using CRISPR technology for microbial gene therapy. We are pioneering a novel use of CRISPR/Cas technology to better treat and prevent human diseases through precision killing of bacteria or gene modification. SNIPR Biome was the first company to orally dose humans with a CRISPR therapeutic and the first company to have been granted US and European patents for the use of CRISPR for targeting microbiomes. SNIPR technology is used in collaborations with Novo Nordisk A/S, CARB-X, SPRIN-D, and MD Anderson Cancer Center. For more information, visit http://www.sniprbiome.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X.
About CARB-X
CARB-X (Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator) is a global non-profit partnership dedicated to supporting early-stage antibacterial research and development to address the rising threat of drug-resistant bacteria. CARB-X supports innovative therapeutics, preventatives and rapid diagnostics. CARB-X is led by Boston University and funded by a consortium of governments and foundations. CARB-X funds only projects that target drug-resistant bacteria highlighted on the CDCs Antibiotic Resistant Threats list, or the Priority Bacterial Pathogens list published by the WHO, with a priority on those pathogens deemed Serious or Urgent on the CDC list or Critical or High on the WHO list. https://carb-x.org/ | X (formerly Twitter) @CARB_X
Contact ICR Consilium Tracy Cheung, Chris Welsh, Davide Salvi SNIPR@consilium-comms.com
SNIPR Biome Dr Christian Grndahl, Co-founder and CEO contact@sniprbiome.com http://www.sniprbiome.com
1 So M. Determining the Optimal Use of Antibiotics in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Jun 1;6(6):e2317101 2 Gencay, Y.E., Jasinskyt, D., Robert, C. et al. Engineered phage with antibacterial CRISPRCas selectively reduce E. coli burden in mice. Nat Biotechnol (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-023-01759-y
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SNIPR Biome receives funding from CARB-X to support advancement of CRISPR-medicine SNIPR001 into clinical ... - Yahoo Finance
Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products CDMO Industry is Rising Rapidly – BioSpace
According to latest study, the global advanced therapy medicinal products CDMO Market size was valued at USD 6.10 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 34.53 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 18.93% from 2024 to 2033.
Key Takeaways:
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owing to risingclinical trialsfor advanced therapy medicinal products and the increasing awareness among researchers about the benefits of advanced therapies, driving the advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMP) CDMO market growth. Tissue engineering has greatly benefited in recent years from technological development. The damaged tissues and organ function are replaced or restored using this technique. Similarly, gene and cell therapy are attracting a lot of patients for the treatment of rare diseases, whose incidence is rising globally.
With rising demand for robust disease treatment therapies, key players have focused their efforts to ramp up research and development for effective gene therapies that target the cause of disorder at a genomic level. According to ASGCT, the number of cell and gene therapies in the U.S. pipeline programs (phase I-III trials) increased from 483 in 2021 to 529 in 2022. Furthermore, the FDA delivers constant support for innovations in the gene therapy field via a number of policies with regard to product manufacturing. In January 2020, the agency released six final guidelines on the manufacturing and clinical development of safe & efficient gene therapy products.
Moreover, awareness about ATMP treatment options is being driven by initiatives aimed at informing the public about the benefits of these products, which, in turn, is leading to increased adoption of advanced therapies and fueling market growth for CDMOs. For instance, Alliance for Regenerative Medicine Foundation for Cell and Gene Medicine prioritizes activities for increasing public awareness through educational programs, underlining the clinical & societal benefits of regenerative medicine.
Increasing clinical trial activity along with new product launches generates growth opportunities for the market. As of 2022, there are 1451 ATMPs in preclinical stages and 535 are being studied in Phase 1 to 3 studies. Since August 2020, EMA has approved six of these additional ATMPs, and five more will be approved by 2023. In the UK, there were approximately 168 advanced therapy medicinal product trials underway in 2021, up from the 154 studies reported the year before, which is a 9% increase. 2021 saw a 32% increase in phase 1 trials, indicating a significant shift from experimental medicines to first-in-human studies.
On the other hand, key players are undertaking various strategic initiatives to introduce novel products, which is expected to propel market growth. For instance, in March 2021, CureVac N.V. signed a partnership agreement with Celonic Group, engaged in the manufacture of CVnCoV, CureVacs mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate. CureVac's COVID-19 vaccine candidate is manufactured at Celonic's commercial manufacturing unit for ATMPs and biologics in Heidelberg, Germany. Under the terms of the commercial supply agreement, the Celonic facility could produce over 100 million doses of CVnCoV.
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Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products CDMO Market Trends
Segments Insights:
Product Insights
The gene therapy segment held the largest share of over 49.11% in 2023. Increase in financial support and rise in number of clinical trials for gene therapies are driving demand for gene therapy segment. In 2020, in the first three quarters, gene therapies attracted financing of over USD 12 billion globally, with around 370 clinical trials underway. Additionally, in mid-2022, approximately 2,000 gene therapies were in development, targeting several therapeutic areas, such as neurological, cancer, cardiovascular, blood, and infectious diseases.
The cell therapy segment is expected to show lucrative growth over the forecast period. The field of cellular therapeutics is constantly advancing with inclusion of new cell types, which, in turn, provides ample opportunities for companies to enhance their market positions. Furthermore, the market is attracting new entrants due to high unmet demand for cell therapy manufacturing, the recent approval of advanced therapies, and proven effectiveness of these products.
Indication Insights
The oncology segment accounted for the largest revenue share in 2023. The segments dominance is attributed to disease burden, strategic initiatives undertaken by key players, and availability of advanced therapies used for treating various cancer indications. In January 2021, around 18,000 to 19,000 patients and 124,000 patients were estimated to be potential patients for treating cancer using cell & gene therapy products Kymriah (Novartis AG) and Yescarta (Gilead Sciences, Inc.), respectively. Furthermore, a publication on PubMed reports that as of the conclusion of the first quarter of 2023, there have been over 100 distinct gene, cell, and RNA therapies approved globally, along with an additional 3,700-plus in various stages of clinical and preclinical development.
The cardiology segment is estimated to register the fastest CAGR over the forecast period. This is attributed to the increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and research collaboration for development of advanced therapies. For instance, in October 2023, Cleveland Clinic administered a novel gene therapy to the first patient globally as part of a clinical trial, aiming to deliver a functional gene to combat the primary cause of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Similarly, in February 2021, Trizell GmbH entered into partnership with Catalent, Inc. for development of phase 1 cell therapy to treat micro- and macroangiopathy. Trizell's medication is an Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (ATMP) that employs regulatory macrophagesa platform technology developed in Germany.
Phase Insights
The phase I segment dominated the market in 2023 due to growing R&D activities and increasing number of human trials for advanced therapies. Phase 1 helps ensure the safety levels of a drug at different doses and dosage forms administered to a small number of patients. This phase is mainly conducted to determine the highest dose a patient can take without any adverse effects. Around 70% of drugs in phase 1 move to the next phase.
The phase II segment has been anticipated to show lucrative growth over the forecast period. Phase II clinical studies comprise the largest number of developing ATMPs, due to the high clearance rate of phase I clinical studies. According to data published by Alliance for Regenerative Medicine, as of June 2022, more than 2,093 clinical trials are ongoing globally, out of which 1,117 are under phase II clinical trials accounting for 53%. Thus, the increase in number of products in phase II is driving the segment.
Regional Insights
North America dominated the overall market share of 49.11% in 2023. This can be attributed to increasing outsourcing activities and rising awareness about advanced therapy. North America has consistently been a leader in R&D for advanced treatments, and it is anticipated that it will keep this position during the forecast period. Recent approvals of products such as Kymriah and Yescarta have propelled investments in the regional market. Moreover, in March 2021, the U.S. FDA approved Abecma, the first approval of CAR-T cells to fight against cancer. Similarly, in December 2023, Casgevy and Lyfgenia, the initial cell-based gene therapies for sickle cell disease (SCD) in patients aged 12 and above, received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, marking a significant milestone.
The U.S. accounted for the largest share of the global market in the North America region in 2023. The U.S. maintains dominance in this sector due to the presence of a robust and highly advanced biopharmaceutical industry with a considerable focus on research and development. Additionally, the continuous presence of numerous pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, along with academic and research institutions, generates a sustained demand for rigorous safety testing, further reinforcing the country's leadership in the field.
The Asia Pacific region is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period due to the increasing demand for novel ATMPs and rising R&D activities to develop novel therapies. Moreover, the market growth is driven by continuously expanding CDMO Cell Therapy in the country, a number of domestic players have collaborated with biotech companies from other countries involved in mesenchymal stem cell research and therapy development. In addition, in September 2022 Takara Bio, Inc. launched CDMO Cell Therapy for gene therapy products using siTCR technology for its genetically modified T-cell therapy products.
China accounted for the largest share of the global market in the Asia Pacific region in 2023 due to its strategic focus on advancing research and development capabilities, particularly in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. Additionally, with a rapidly growing biopharmaceutical industry and supportive government initiatives, China has become a key market for advanced therapy medicinal products (CDMO) market.
Recent Developments
Key Companies & Market Share Insights
Some of the key players operating in the market include AGC Biologics,WuXi Advanced Therapies and Celonic
Minaris Regenerative Medicine and BlueReg are some of the emerging market players in the global market.
Key Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products CDMO Companies:
Segments Covered in the Report
This report forecasts revenue growth at country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2021 to 2033. For this study, Nova one advisor, Inc. has segmented the Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products CDMO market.
By Product
By Phase
By Indication
By Region
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Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products CDMO Industry is Rising Rapidly - BioSpace
The First Cryonic Preservation Took Place Fifty Years Ago Today
The cryonics industry and those who support cryonics refer to those who undergo the procedure after death as "cryonauts." ValentynVolkov /iStockPhoto
To some, its the possibility of another life for themselves or a loved one. To others, its science fiction.
Whatever it is, cryonicsdefined by the Alcor Life Extension Foundation as the science of using ultra-cold temperatures to preserve human life with the intent of restoring good health when technology becomes available to do so has now been around for 60 years, since the death of retired psychology professor James H. Bedford. Alcor, the company that still has his body in a frozen chamber, calls him the first cryonaut. (Cryonics is sometimes incorrectly referred to as cryogenics.)
Bedford was frozen long before Alcor was formed in 1976, but today thats where he rests with 148 others, in the Patient Care Bay in Scottsdale, Arizona. After his death, aged 73, of kidney cancer, his body was put on ice, The New York Times Magazine wrote in 1997. Then his body was processed by experts from the Cryonics Society of California, the Times wrote.
Sam Shaw of This American Life got a little more detail on what happened when the first cryonaut was frozen. He interviewed Bob Nelson, a TV repairman who became president of the society, a nonprofit consisting mostly of people who wanted to be cryonically preserved. What he discovered: like Nelson, most of the societys members were amateurs, and the scientists they had persuaded to work on the theoretical question of cryonics were skeptical. They wanted to take things slow, conduct research, publish papers, Shaw says. Then James Beford asked to be frozen, and they decided to go for it in spite of the fact that theyd lose the scientific communitys support.
When Dr. Bedford died on January 12, 1967, they were all caught off guard. Dr. Bedfords nurse had to run up and down the block collecting ice from the home freezers of neighbours. Cryonics was still just a theory, and the proceedings had the slightly manic quality of a local theater production, forced to open a couple of weeks early.
Bedford has been frozen ever since, although both his container and the place where he rests have changed. After his body was preserved, Alcor writes, he was handed over to family. His very devoted son stored him at a succession of locations over some two decades before transferring both his care and custody to Alcor, the foundation writes. According to the Times, his body was kept at a warehouse in Anaheim, a cryonics facility in Emeryville, somewhere else undisclosed and Fullerton before coming to Alcor. The reason for so many moves: fifty years ago, there was no cryonics industry and it was a fringe idea at best.
Around Bedfords body, the landscape of cryonics has also transformed dramatically, but despite Alcors strict protocols, theres no proof that its method of cryopreservation is actually working, writes George Dvorsky for Gizmodo. For all we know, every single person at the facility is a goner. Cryonics is still only the hope of a future for those preserved, even, as Dvorsky writes, when theyre terminally ill children.
If Bedford is ever re-animated, he will be in some strange company, writes Stacy Conradt for Mental Floss: mathematician Thomas K. Donaldson, a man who changed his name to FM-2030, Alcor vice president Jerry Leaf and both baseball player Ted Williams and his son John-Henry Williams are on ice at Alcor.
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The First Cryonic Preservation Took Place Fifty Years Ago Today