Immunotherapy trials on cancer presented to leaders of key opinion

Immunotherapy trials on cancer presented to leaders of key opinion -

Immodulon recently met some of the most renowned oncologists in the world to present their upcoming trials for treatment immunotherapy, IMM-101. Their comments were extremely positive and allows Immodulon to go ahead with planning a pivotal trial for the launch next year, and additional exploratory surveys IMM-101 in combination with other treatments for begin later this year.

IMM-101 is a natural medical treatment that helps the body's immune system to recognize and fight against cancer. It works in combination with other anti-cancer treatments to improve the overall outcome for the patient, and does not correspond to toxicity levels in the body. Clinical studies indicate that IMM-101 has a potentially transformational impact on survival rates for cancer.

Immodulon presented the following experts at ESMO in Barcelona, ​​who all indicated they support the testing and Immodulon to work in research of immunotherapy

• Professor David Cunningham, Royal Marsden Hospital, London
• Professor Michel Ducreux, Institut Gustave Roussy, Paris
• Professor Jean-Yves Blay, Claude Bernard University, Lyon
• Professor Eileen O O'Reilly, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York
• Professor Margaret Tempero, University of California, San Francisco
• Dr Harpreet Wasan, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London
• Hospitals, London Dr Andrew Gaya, Guy and St Thomas
• Dr Aurelien Marabelle, Institut Gustave Roussy, Paris
• Dr Anna-Mary Young, St George's hospital, London
• Dr. Noreen Starling, Royal Marsden Hospital, London

Professor David Cunningham, Consultant medical oncologist at the Royal Marsden said, "Immodulon is breaking new ground in the treatment of cancer immunotherapy. I am very pleased to have accepted the role of the lead investigator in their next test in this exciting new field. "

Immodulon President Charles Akle said." We are extremely proud to have had such positive feedback on our study designs of some of the brightest minds in oncology Immodulon use this approval to move to Phase III trials and make IMM-101 on the market in the most efficient and affordable manner. "

Recurrence of breast cancer cut by ½ in overweight women who regularly used NSAIDs

Recurrence of breast cancer cut by ½ in overweight women who regularly used NSAIDs -

aspirin recurrence of breast cancer related to hormone was reduced half of women overweight and obese people who regularly used or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), according to data published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

"Our studies suggest that limiting the inflammatory signaling may be an effective, less toxic approach to change the effects favoring obesity cancer and improving the patient's response to hormone therapy "said Linda A. deGraffenried, PhD, associate professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Texas at Austin.

The study found that women with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 and had estrogen receptor alpha (ERa) the -positive breast cancer had a rate of 52 percent less recurrence and a 28-month delay in time to relapse if they took aspirin or other NSAIDs.

"These results suggest that NSAIDs may enhance the response to hormonal treatment, allowing more women to remain on hormone therapy rather than having to change to chemotherapy and to treat complications and associated side effects" , deGraffenried said. "However, these results are preliminary and patients should never start treatment without consulting their doctor."

experiments using blood of obese patients, deGraffenried and colleagues conducted in the laboratory to recreate an environment containing tumor cancer cells, fat cells and immune cells that promote inflammation. They found that the factors associated with obesity initiate a signaling network within the tumor environment to promote the growth and resistance to therapy.

"These studies show that the benefit of aspirin [and other NSAIDs] will be in those with a disease caused by inflammation, not only obesity," said DeGraffenried.

researchers used data from 440 women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, ER positive and treated at the University of Texas Health Science Center and the Center for Clinical Cancer START, both in San Antonio Texas between 1987 and 2011.

of the women studied, 58.5 percent were obese and 25.8 percent were overweight. About 81 percent took aspirin and the remainder took other NSAIDs. About 42 percent and 25 percent took statins and omega-3 fatty acids, respectively.

There was an indication of the protection of aspirin and other NSAIDs, even after controlling statins and omega-3 fatty acid utilization, which also have anti-effects inflammatory.

Intestinal microbiota may influence the likelihood of developing a human colon cancer

Intestinal microbiota may influence the likelihood of developing a human colon cancer -

The microscopic organisms that live in our intestines do more than help us digest food. A new rat study reinforces a growing body of evidence that the complex mixture of microorganisms found in the intestine, known as gut microbiota, may influence the likelihood of developing cancer of the colon of a person.

Earlier studies in humans have shown that cancer is associated with changes in the gut microbiota. In the new study, researchers from the University of Missouri at Columbia used rats to further explore the possible relationship between cancer and the bacteria in the gut. They implanted embryos from a strain of genetically modified rats to develop colon cancer in the wombs of three other rat strains, each with distinct intestinal microbiota: F344 / NHSD (F344), LEW / SsNHsd (LEW) and Crl: SD (SD).

1.5 months, the microbiota of the pups, which usually develop tumors of 2 to 4 months of age, like that of their surrogate mothers. The researchers studied tumor when the pups reached 6 months and found that rats with LEW microbiota developed significantly fewer tumors than the other strains. In fact, two rats with LEW strain gut microbiota do not develop colon tumors at all. The researchers also discovered more tumors in rats with intestinal microbiota F344 who had higher levels of Peptococcaceae and Akkermansia muciniphila bacteria in their guts. Overall, the results of this study provide new insight into the role of the intestinal microbiota as a modulator and a predictor of cancer in this rat model.

Researches create mini-brain model of idiopathic ASD characterized by early neuronal proliferation

Researches create mini-brain model of idiopathic ASD characterized by early neuronal proliferation -

The vast majority of cases of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are idiopathic - the cause is unknown. In an article published this month in the journal Molecular Psychiatry , researchers at the University of California at San Diego School of Medicine, with colleagues across the country and around the world, created a model of "mini-brain", derived from people with a particular form of idiopathic ASD characterized by oversized brains, revealing a molecular pathway defective in brain development resulting in early neuronal proliferation and dysfunctional cortical networks.

"The key is that we can now effectively idiopathic ASD model using a cohort of individuals selected by a clear endophenotype. in this case, the volume of the brain, "said lead author Alysson R. Muotri, PhD, associate professor at UC San Diego School of Medicine Departments of Pediatrics and Cellular and Molecular Medicine. "And brain development early expansion can be explained through molecular and cellular dysregulation underlying, leading to cortical neuronal networks altered."

The characteristics and causes of ASD are diverse and not fully known - facts that made it difficult to fully discover the genetic, pathological and relevant cell that could be widely shared. A separate pathophysiology or a messy process is the appearance of macrencephaly in some children with ASD, which is characterized by the early neuronal proliferation and brain abnormally dilated. Macrencephaly occurs during the first three years of life and before the first clinical signs of ASD. About 20 percent of people with autism have macrencephaly.

The researchers reasoned that autistic people macrencephaly probably shared an underlying molecular and cellular pathology. They created neural progenitor cells programmed from induced pluripotent stem cells from children with ASD.

"By sequencing the genome, we realized that some, but not all were clear changes in the Wnt way, which is a molecular pathway previously implicated in cancer," says Muotri. "the defects in the cell cycle control were also evident of gene expression on these cells. As a result, neural progenitor cells derived from children proliferate faster than controls, which explains the large phenotype of the brain. "

Next, the researchers differentiated progenitor cells in cortical neural networks, main type of functional cell of the brain cortex (gray matter).

"We have shown that ASD networks fail to produce inhibitory neurons and found that several receptors and GABA-related neurotransmitters (a amino acid that acts as a neurotransmitter) are misregulated on these neurons. We have also shown that the number of excitatory synapses is reduced, which leads to malfunctions when we analyzed the maturation of neural networks in time. in fact, we detected a lack of synchronization burst (when multiple neurons simultaneously draw).

Finally, the research team tested a drug already in clinical trials (IGF-1) in a cohort of study participants, saying it caused a reversal of neuronal damage, although that the degree of response varied ASD individual.

Muotri said the results show that it is possible to stratify autism more effectively for clinical trials by identifying individuals who are likely to be more sensitive to specific therapies using their "mini -brains "in a dish.

Loyola dermatopathologist ASCP recognized for his achievements in the field of medical laboratory

Loyola dermatopathologist ASCP recognized for his achievements in the field of medical laboratory -

dermatopathologist Jodi J. Speiser MD, Assistant Professor of Pathology, Loyola University School of Stritch medicine, was named one of the American Society for clinical pathology (ASCP's) "40 Under 40" for his achievements in the medical laboratory field.

top 40 under 40 program recognizes 40 pathologists, residents of pathology and laboratory professionals under 40 ASCP who have made significant contributions to the profession and to stand out as the future of the laboratory management.

"l era pathologists behind their microscopes is deprecated "Speiser wrote in his essay scholarship application. "It is becoming increasingly important for pathologists to not only be effective communication with, but also serve as opinion leaders and consultants for their clinicians."

Speiser's research interests include cells regulatory T in the autoimmune skin disease, teledermatopathology and high risk of squamous cell carcinoma. "I even occasionally examine the patients myself, to order to understand the clinical results and correlate with histologic differential diagnosis," said Speiser. "pathologists must leave behind their microscopes and take an active role in patient care."

scholarship candidates submitted a resume and an essay responding to their interest in medicine laboratory, the role of laboratory medicine in a changing landscape health, or the importance of the laboratory in the clinical care team.

"We are inspired by these young professionals who are passionate about the industry, led to improving the delivery of health care, and do extraordinary work for their institutions and beyond," Dr. said E. Blair Holladay, executive vice president of ASCP.

is a pathology at Loyola University Health System department of intensive research with renowned national and international scientists conducting basic science research in the mechanisms of disease. Anatomic pathologists and clinical, as Dr. Speiser, conduct research to bring new technologies to the market applied.

the 40 winners will each have the opportunity to share their knowledge on topics relevant to the pathology and laboratory medicine with a personal blog.

cancer researcher UC Santa Cruz receives $ 350,000 to develop new drugs for breast cancer

cancer researcher UC Santa Cruz receives $ 350,000 to develop new drugs for breast cancer -

UC Santa Cruz researcher Seth Rubin cancer received a grant of $ 350,000 to fund its work towards the development of a new class of drugs for breast cancer treatment. The grant is a Cancer Research Award program in breakthrough medical research programs led by the Congress of the US Department of Defense.

Rubin, an associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, will use the grant to build on recent discoveries regarding a key protein tumor suppressor that is inactivated in most breast cancer cells. The retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein (Rb) helps regulate the cycle of cell growth and division, putting the brakes on cell proliferation when it is active. In normal cells, Rb coordinates cell growth signals, turn on and off to ensure that the cells divide at the right time. The genetic changes in cancer cells disrupt this regulation and allow cells to multiply out of control.

Rubin's research revealed important details of the molecular mechanisms involved in the Rb transformation on and off. These results suggest the possibility of a new class of therapeutic molecules that target the retinoblastoma protein directly. Most attempts to target the path of retinoblastoma with drugs have focused on blocking the action of other proteins which inactivate Rb.

"A common analogy is to think of cancer cells as being like a car with a stuck accelerator and broken brakes, so the cells can not stop the proliferation. Most drugs target the accelerator stuck and down proteins that are active too. We want to target the broken brakes and restore tumor suppressor activity, "said Rubin.

This new approach promises to have fewer side effects toxic and less susceptible to acquired drug resistance than other therapies. drug discovery efforts Traditional focus on finding molecules that block the activity of a target protein. Little attention has been given to help small molecules to activate a tumor suppressor directly. the search Rubin could open a new class of targets for drug discovery efforts.

Rubin laboratory has developed a test Rb activity to use in large-scale testing procedures to identify small molecules that can stabilize the activated form of Rb. Identify molecules with the desired activity is the first step in the drug development process and requires very large number of screening compounds.

Rubin used a small grant from the Group Santa Cruz Cancer Benefit (SCCBG), a charitable cancer supporting local research and patient care, to test the Rb dosage of his group in a pilot study in UCSC chemical screening center. Their driver screen about 20,000 compounds showed that the test works well in a high throughput screening procedure.

The new grant will fund a collaboration with the Centre Conrad Prebys Chemical Genomics at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute in La Jolla. The center will use the Rubin test to screen a library of approximately 320,000 compounds. Tracking studies to further evaluate compounds identified in large-scale screening tests will be carried out by the laboratory in collaboration with Rubin Julien Sage, a cancer biologist at the Stanford School of Medicine.

Rubin's lab also will investigate the molecular details of how lead compounds interact with the retinoblastoma protein. These studies provide a basis for future work needed to develop promising compounds in medically useful drugs for breast cancer treatment.

Salk scientists propose new molecular criteria to generate stem cells naive

Salk scientists propose new molecular criteria to generate stem cells naive -

Salk scientists and colleagues proposed new molecular criteria to judge how close to all stem cell line generated in the laboratory is to mimic embryonic cells observed in the early stages of human development, called naive stem cells. The tests revealed that no existing protocols lead stem cells to really naive, but guidelines can help researchers achieve this by indicating where each current method does not respond. Generation naive stem cells would be a boon to both basic research and medical applications of stem cells, such as tissue growing for organ replacement.

"Naive state potentially has a greater capacity to generate different types of tissue and may have many uses for regenerative medicine," says senior author Joseph Ecker, professor and director of the laboratory of . genomic analysis of Salk and researcher Howard Hughes Medical Institute the work was published online July 14, 2016 cell stem cell

While stem cells -. cells that have the potential to differentiate into other cell types - exist in adult humans, the most useful stem cells are those found in embryos, which are pluripotent, capable of becoming almost all body cells researchers have developed. cocktails of molecules that turn back the clock on adult cells to make them act like stem cells (called induced pluripotent stem cells or iPS cells), and also have culture lines of stem cells derived directly from embryos (THESE). New methods are being developed to coax "primed" CES - which look more like cells from post-implantation embryos - even in time to resemble naive stem cells, those found in pre-implantation embryo only days after conception. Naive The stem cells are blank slates that form the basis not only for all body cells, but the cells that make up the placenta to support embryo so.

"In our view, most of the published protocols to generate so-called naive stem cells are not convincing because they produce cells that are very much like the starting cell - no much difference in gene expression, "says co-senior author Rudolf Jaenisch of the Whitehead Institute and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Ecker, working closely with Jaenisch and other employees of Whitehead and the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne, wanted to see if these new techniques to induce the state of naive stem cells really did that. They conducted a series of molecular tests on cells "primed" CES and who had been exposed to factors thought to induce naive. They felt that the statements of two CES comparing their molecular properties and cells from various stages of embryonic development from previous studies.

Three main tests, they found, were more representative of the difference between the naive stem cells and other stem cells, allowing them to place each line cES correctly along the time line. First, they measured levels of transposons, sequences of DNA that can jump into the genome expression. The expression of some transposons, they have discovered, is indicative naive stem cells. Then, they discovered that the genomes of naive embryonic stem cells have less methylation - the addition of methyl chemical groups as well as DNA. They then studied the state of the X chromosomes in female embryos naive cells, "each of which contains two active X chromosomes, unlike more mature embryonic cells that have silenced an X.

Together, three tests include tens of thousands of genetic biomarkers to characterize the stem cell stage of development, explains co-author Didier Trono of the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne. "This type of analysis is likely to become a gold standard for stem cell quality control, including induced pluripotent stem cells, if they must be used exclusively for research or intended for clinical applications," says -he.

When the current methods to generate naive stem cells in the laboratory were found using the three tests, each below mimic naive embryonic cells in different ways. A new technique, for example , led to cells with two active X chromosomes, but do not match the exact desired methylation patterns.

"It was really a comparison of existing methods, applying the same criteria for each method and see where each state of the cell, "said Ecker. "Some of these cells ended up being in the States earlier in the development and others later in development."

Thorold Theunissen, a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory and co-first author of the study Jaenisch, said "Our work provides a rigorous set of criteria for comparing naive human stem cells with their counterparts in the human embryo. previous studies relied primarily on comparisons with mouse stem cells, which are very different from humans. "

scientists hope that further research teams adopt their criteria for judging their own methods and cell lines. "the profiles and methylation of transposons are pretty standard in terms of technique and protocol so it is quite easy for other laboratories to repeat the experience, for example, the naive cells a new method, "says He Yupeng, a graduate student in the laboratory Ecker who helped direct the work.

New web-based program to determine the lethal form of brain cancer

New web-based program to determine the lethal form of brain cancer -

A new web-based program developed by the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer researchers Center will provide a simple, free way for health care providers to determine which brain tumor cases require testing for a genetic mutation

gliomas -. a type of tumor that starts in the brain or spine - are the most common and deadly form of brain cancer in adults, representing approximately 80 percent of cases of malignant brain cancer. In some of these cases, patients have a mutation in a specific gene, called a IDH1 mutation - and patients who have this tendency to survive years longer than those who do not carry the mutation

The program ( http:. //www.kcr.uky.edu/webapps/IDH/app.html), developed by British researchers Chen Li, Eric Durbin and Craig Horbinski, uses a statistical model to accurately predict the likelihood that a patient carries the IDH1 mutation and requires screening. Healthcare providers should answer four questions in the application.

Gliomas are often tested for IDH1 mutation after surgery to remove the tumor, but undergoing this type of testing often requires strict insurance pre-approvals due to rising health care costs, Horbinski said.

"Currently, there are no universally accepted guidelines for when gliomas should be tested for this mutation," said Horbinski. "Obtaining pre-approval for the insurance molecular test extra is increasingly common, and this program will help health care providers with a justification based on evidence when the IDH1 screening is needed. "

in addition, Horbinski notes that the program will contribute to conservation by helping researchers on brain cancer research funds shrink down that older specific gliomas in tumor banks - previously withdrawn within a time before IDH1 test was routine -. must be tested as data for research projects

Horbinski research on the program was published in the May issue of Neuro-oncology . the work was funded by a grant from the National Institute cancer, Peter Buck and Carmen Lucia training Program in Translational Clinical Oncology and the University of Kentucky College of Medicine Physician Scientist Program.

Investigational drug focuses on slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease

Investigational drug focuses on slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease -

Patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease currently have no treatment option to slow down the brain cell deterioration. Researchers from Nantes Houston National Alzheimer Center Methodist studying an experimental drug that aims to do.

T-817MA focuses on preventing the loss of brain cells and slows progression of the disease, while current treatment options, including donepezil (Aricept), Rivastigmine (Exelon ) and memantine (Namenda ™) only treat the symptoms of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Researchers want to know if the experimental treatment using T-817MA may prevent brain cell loss, slowing the progression of the disease in a more fundamental way.

Houston Methodist is the only place to study in Texas to offer this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled. About two-thirds of the study participants will receive active drug to study, but neither the patient nor the study staff will know whether patients received the drug or placebo the active study to participation patients in the study is complete. This is a phase II clinical trial, a first study assessing the efficacy of a drug that has been tested on a relatively few number of research subjects.

"Previous studies in mice have shown that this experimental drug may work by protecting brain cells, which result in better memory and cognition," said Joseph C. Masdeu, MD, Ph.D. .D., principal investigator of the study at Methodist Houston and director of NNAC. "As someone who sees the devastating effects of this disease on patients and their families, our goal is to know whether this drug is a viable option for our patients. "

Of the more than five million Americans living with Alzheimer's disease, nearly two-thirds are women. American women are twice as likely to die from Alzheimer's disease as they are with breast cancer. According to the Alzheimer's Association, someone develops every 67 seconds Alzheimer. In 2013, 15.5 million caregivers provided about 17.7 billion hours of unpaid care valued at more than $ 220 billion.

People already diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer's may be eligible for this study if they are women or men aged 55 -85 years; they took donepezil (Aricept), treatment for at least six months; live in the community, not in a nursing home or assisted-living facility; and have a study partner who is in regular contact with the patient (at least 10 hours per week) and can participate in study visits.

Novel high-resolution method allows the study of genes that are active in the tissue

Novel high-resolution method allows the study of genes that are active in the tissue -

Scientists at Karolinska Institutet and the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) have developed a new high resolution method for the study of genes that are active in tissue. The method can be used on all types of fabrics and it is useful for both the diagnosis of cancer and pre-clinical research. The results are published in the journal Science.

The disease modifies the expression of RNA molecules and proteins in the tissue. Microscopic studies of tissue samples are regularly carried out in laboratories and hospitals in the interests of the advancement of knowledge and diagnosis, but to date only the location of a small number of RNA molecules has been can be established simultaneously.

Collaboration between teachers Jonas Frisén (KI) and Joakim Lundeberg (KTH) in SciLifeLab resulted in a new method for analyzing the amount of all RNA molecules and provides information space from the microscope.

"by placing tissue sections on a glass slide on which we have placed DNA strands with built in address labels, we were able to label RNA molecules formed by active genes, "says Professor Frisén. "When we analyze the presence of RNA molecules in the sample, the address labels to show where in the section of the molecules have been and we can obtain high resolution information on where different genes are active . "

the results are also valuable for more accurate diagnosis. the current practice is to take a tissue sample, grind down and analyze the mixture of cells, but the risk is that some cancer cells become so diluted by the signals from all other sample cells and are therefore ignored.

"with our method, we can capture the tumor signal because it is not diluted," he continues. "Because different parts of the tissue sample have their specific address labels, we can identify a small number of tumor cells."

The method can be used on all types of fabrics and diseases. It can also provide information on the heterogeneity of the disease in the diagnosis of cancer, as demonstrated in the breast cancer study.

What do you hope your method will lead to?

"It can study the genes that are active in tissues with greater resolution and accuracy than ever before, which is valuable for basic research and diagnostics," says Professor Frisén.