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Natural immunity from COVID-19 may be weaker in people who’ve had severe disease – Texas Standard

Posted: January 5, 2022 at 2:34 am

From TPR:

Some survivors of severe COVID-19 have hoped their grueling battle might give them some natural protection against getting severe COVID a second time. However, research out of UT Health San Antonio has found that these people may be at higher risk than others of getting sick with COVID again.

Evelien Bunnik, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics at UT Health San Antonio Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. She also runs the Bunnik Lab, where she and her team are studying COVID immunity.

When a person is infected with COVID, Bunnik said, the immune system has a couple of important jobs. The first and most important job is to isolate and eliminate the viral invader, and the second is to learn from that fight.

The immune system remembers all the viruses and all the bacteria, all the pathogens that weve encountered in our lives, so that the next time you see the same virus, you develop a better and faster immune response, Bunnik explained.

However, in some people, the COVID virus confuses their immune system.

The immune system goes haywire and becomes over activated, Bunnik said, And we were wondering what the effect of that was on the formation of immunological memory.

Bunnicks lab decided to look specifically at B cells, which make antibodies to fight a given pathogen the next time it comes around. They have published a paper on what they found.

There are certain markers that we look at to see which are the cells that really give you the best type of memory response, she said, And so we saw more of those good memory B cells in people who had mild disease, and not so much in people had severe disease.

All of the people Bunnik studied had been hospitalized, but some only needed supportive care. Those are the ones she categorized as having mild disease. Others were quite ill, and needed help breathing with mechanical ventilators. That was the severe disease group.

The B cells in people in the severe disease group just didnt seem to learn as well.

What we think this means is that people who have mild disease, their immune system, in general, probably works better, which may in part be the reason they have milder disease in the first place. Bunnik concluded. As a result of that, they also produce a better memory response. We predict that means these people are better protected against the next infection than people who had more severe disease.

So, according to Bunniks research, it doesnt look like severe COVID survivors should rely on natural immunity to protect them from a second bout with COVID.

No, absolutely not, she said. I think it is really important, especially for these people to get vaccinated.

Bunnik stressed, however, that all of the patients in her labs study were infected with earlier variants of the COVID virus and before vaccines were available. Because the virus has evolved, it is essential, she said, for everyone to get vaccinated, not just those are at high risk for or who have had severe COVID-19.

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Immune-Modulating Drug Approved To Treat Myasthenia Gravis – Technology Networks

Posted: January 5, 2022 at 2:34 am

A first-in-kind immune-modulating drug that arose from decades of basic research at UTSouthwestern Medical Center has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a new treatment for adults with a form of myasthenia gravis. This rare and chronic autoimmune disease is characterized by debilitating and potentially life-threatening muscle weakness.

The new drug, efgartigimod alfa-fcab, is an engineered fragment of a human antibody that binds to a cell surface receptor known as the neonatal Fc receptor, or FcRn. Between 1990 and 2015, former UTSW Professor ofImmunologyE. Sally Ward, Ph.D., led work that characterized this receptors role in regulating the levels and persistence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies. In 2005, her laboratory described an approach to lower antibody levels by blocking FcRn activity, and subsequently demonstrated preclinical proof-of-concept to treat antibody-mediated autoimmune disease. The global immunology company argenx has licensed exclusive patent rights related to this drug from UTSW.

The development of this FcRn inhibitor came out of the fundamental work on FcRn biology that my group had worked on during the decades that I was on the UTSW faculty, said Dr. Ward, now a Professor of Molecular Immunology and Director of Translational Immunology at the University of Southampton in England. Working out the molecular and cell biological processes involved in FcRn biology and its regulation and transport of antibody molecules was a major focus of our work at UTSW over more than two decades, starting when I was an assistant professor there.

Clinical trials that led to the recent FDA approval found that 68% percent of patients with anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody positive myasthenia gravis responded to efgartigimod, compared to 30% of those taking a placebo. The company is exploring possible uses for the agent in other conditions mediated by IgG.

Efgartigimod represents Dr. Wards second commercial success based on fundamental research conducted at UTSW. That work also led to technology that can extend the half-life of therapeutic antibodies and currently is used in the FDA-approved drug ravulizumab and two antibody therapies against COVID-19, as well as another antibody in development to treat respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

It is also the second first-in-kind drug developed from basic research at UTSW to be approved by the FDA in the past year. Less than six months ago, belzutifan, aHIF-2 inhibitor, received approval as a treatment for familial kidney cancer.

Considered together, these approvals mark UTSW as one of the major sources of breakthrough medicines for previously untreatable diseases. We are indeed a center for biotechnology, saidMichael Brown, M.D., Professor of Molecular Genetics and Internal Medicine and joint recipient of the 1985 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with research partner UTSW colleagueJoseph Goldstein, M.D.Dr. Brown helped recruit Dr. Ward to UTSW in 1990.

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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Human DNA from 2000-year-old headlice opens a new window into the past – The Indian Express

Posted: January 5, 2022 at 2:33 am

An international team of researchers has successfully extracted human DNA from the cement that headlice use to stick their eggs to human hairs. The DNA was recovered from mummies from Argentina that date back about 1,500 to 2,000 years.

Headlice have accompanied humans throughout their entire existence, so this new method could open the door to a goldmine of information about our ancestors, Dr Alejandra Perotti, one of the authors of the study said in a press statement Perotti is affiliated with the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Section at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, UK.

Like the fictional story of mosquitos encased in amber in the film Jurassic Park, carrying the DNA of the dinosaur host, we have shown that our genetic information can be preserved by the sticky substance produced by headlice on our hair. In addition to genetics, lice biology can provide valuable clues about how people lived and died thousands of years ago, she explained.

The paper published last week in Molecular Biology and Evolution notes that such lice sheaths can be a new source of high-quality ancient DNA not just from humans but also from a variety of other animals where bones and teeth are not available. The team writes that DNA extracted from nit cement contained the same concentration of DNA as from a tooth and double that from bone remains.

Dr Mikkel Winther Pedersen from the GLOBE institute at the University of Copenhagen, and first author, said: it was striking to me that such small amounts could still give us all this information about who these people were, and how the lice related to other lice species but also giving us hints to possible viral diseases. There is a hunt out for alternative sources of ancient human DNA and nit cement might be one of those alternatives. I believe that future studies are needed before we really unravel this potential.

The analysis of the DNA from nit-cement helped confirm the sex of the human hosts and the genetic link between the mummies and humans in Amazonia. The study also found the earliest direct evidence of Merkel cell Polyomavirus.

The team notes that the cause of death was extreme cold temperatures as there was a very small gap between the nits and the mummys scalp. Lice generally rely on the host body heat to keep the eggs warm and lay them close to the scalp in very cold environments.

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Omicron on the rise in Karachi as 11 new cases detected – Geo News

Posted: January 5, 2022 at 2:33 am

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus is rapidly replacing the Delta variant as 11 members of a family in Karachi's District East have been found infected with it, as per a report in The News.

Experts at the Provincial Public Health Laboratory (PPHL) have detected 11 cases of Omicron variant from the samples of a family from Lahore. These samples had been collected by the Sindh Health Department, which sent them to DUHS, where our experts confirmed the presence of Omicron variant through Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), Prof Saeed Quraishy, Vice Chancellor, DUHS, told The News on Thursday.

The Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), Karachi, has acquired the capability of conducting the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) with the help of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the varsitys Provincial Public Health Laboratory (PPHL) is now the designated lab of the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, Prof Quraishy added.

He said they would continue to carry out surveillance for the Omicron variant cases at their lab, adding that they were using the molecular genetics technique for the detection of new variants, which is not available at many other facilities in the country.

Officials of the Sindh Health Department said they had sent the samples of 20 people infected with COVID-19 to the Dow University for confirmation of the Omicron Variant and after analysis, the Dow University confirmed that 11 people of the family, who came in contact with a female member of their family from Lahore, were infected with the Omicron variant.

We are now tracing other contacts of these people and will take their samples for analysis but community transmission of this variant has started in the country and we have started seeing a slight surge in the cases of COVID-19 during the last two days, an official of the Sindh Health Department told The News.

Prof Dr Saeed Khan, an expert of the molecular genetics and pathology at DUHS, also confirmed that they had detected 11 cases of the Omicron variant while a 12th person was also infected but due to less viral load in the sample, they could not declare it a case of the variant with certainty.

Community transmission of Omicron has started in Pakistan and it is now replacing the Delta variant very rapidly. As it is several times more transmissible, it would soon replace the Delta and other variants in our population, Prof. Saeed Khan said and warned that people who were not vaccinated or those who had not received the booster dose were vulnerable to the Omicron variant infection.

Cases of COVID-19 are expected to start rising within a few weeks in Karachi and rest of the country. We may see the peak of fifth wave of COVID-19 by the end of January or first week of February 2022, he warned and urged people to take precautionary measures, wear masks and get vaccinated with booster dose, if required.

Originally published inThe News

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Asuragen to Host Advances in Practical, Broad Coverage CFTR Testing with the AmplideX PCR/CE CFTR Kit*, January 20, 2022 – PR Web

Posted: January 5, 2022 at 2:33 am

Asuragen to Host Advances in Practical, Broad Coverage CFTR Testing with the AmplideX PCR/CE CFTR Kit*, January 20, 2022

AUSTIN, Texas (PRWEB) January 04, 2022

Asuragen to hold Advances in Practical, Broad Coverage CFTR Testing with the AmplideX PCR/CE CFTR Kit* on January 20th 2022, via the Labroots platform.

Here is what to expect at Asuragens Advances in Practical, Broad Coverage CFTR Testing with the AmplideX PCR/CE CFTR Kit* virtual event:

To register for the event, and view the agenda, click here.

About Asuragen, a Bio-Techne BrandAsuragen provides best-in-class molecular diagnostic products to improve the way patients are treated in genetics and oncology. Our diagnostic systems, which include proprietary chemistry and software, are designed for use with widely available instruments to ease adoption and quickly expand lab test menus. Our diagnostic tests and companion diagnostic partnerships address current and emerging clinical needs in reproductive health, cancer diagnosis and monitoring and inherited disease. Asuragen also offers a suite of unique, target-specific molecular controls that have been used in IVD assays for more than 20 years to ensure optimal performance. For more information, visit http://www.asuragen.com.

About LabrootsLabroots is the leading scientific social networking website, and primary source for scientific trending news and premier educational virtual events and webinars and more. Contributing to the advancement of science through content sharing capabilities, Labroots is a powerful advocate in amplifying global networks and communities. Founded in 2008, Labroots emphasizes digital innovation in scientific collaboration and learning. Offering more than articles and webcasts that go beyond the mundane and explore the latest discoveries in the world of science, Labroots users can stay atop their field by gaining continuing education credits from a wide range of topics through their participation in the webinars and virtual events.

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Asuragen to Host Advances in Practical, Broad Coverage CFTR Testing with the AmplideX PCR/CE CFTR Kit*, January 20, 2022 - PR Web

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Top IPOs of 2021 – Investment U

Posted: January 5, 2022 at 2:33 am

Looking for the top IPOs of 2021? Weve compiled a list of the top five IPOs for each month. It provides the ticker symbols, information about the companies, and financial data. Youll also find links to each companys preliminary prospectus.

Sidus Space is a provider of satellite and space services and defense manufacturing. It focuses on commercial satellite design, manufacture, launch and data collection. As part of its vision, the company plans to demonstrate space operations for new technologies and provide data and predictive analytics.

For the nine months ended September 2020, Sidus Space reported $1.4 million in cash. The companys revenue declined more than 70% to $413,000 for the same period in 2021. Sidus Spaces net losses increased from $1.2 million in September 2020 to $1.3 million in September 2021. The companys operating expenses were $1.2 for the nine months ended September 2020. For the same period in 2021, operating expenses rose to $1.7 million.

The company filed November 23 and priced on December 13. It issued 3 million shares under the ticker symbol SIDU. The company priced at the midpoint of its $4 to $6 range at $5 per share. A $15 million profit came from the offering. The companys market cap is $170.1 million.

You can look at Sidus Spaces prospectus here.

First Day Return: 143.8%

Bionomics is an Australian clinical-stage biotech company. Its developing allosteric ion channel modulators for central nervous system disorders. Bionomics lead product candidate, BNC210, is an oral proprietary selective NAM of the 7 receptor. The drug candidate is for acute treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) and chronic treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Bionomics recorded cash is $21.4 million as of June 2021. For the 2020 fiscal year, Bionomics recorded $5.1 million in losses. For the same period in 2021, the companys recorded losses rose to $6.3 million. Bionomics net assets rose from $9.1 million in fiscal 2020 to $34.3 million in fiscal 2021.

Bionomics filed on November 22 and priced on December 15. Shares listed under the ticker BNOX on the Nasdaq exchange. The company priced at $12.35 per share. The company offered 1.6 million shares of common stock for a $20 million offering. Bionomics has a $91.2 million market cap.

You can look at Bionomics prospectus here.

First Day Return: 19.3%

Nu Holdings is a digital banking service. Its the largest fintech bank in Latin America. It has over 48 million customers across Brazil, Mexico and Colombia as of September 30, 2021. The company offers a variety of banking services. This includes a free digital bank account, credit and debit cards and personal loans. It also offers peer-to-peer money transfers, life insurance and business banking.

As of September 2021, Nu Holdings recorded nearly $2 billion in cash. The company recorded $10.2 billion in total assets as of December 2020. In nine months, the companys total assets skyrocketed to $15 billion. Total liabilities were reported at $9.7 billion as of December 2020 and rose to $13 billion by September 2021.

Nu Holdings filed on November 1 and priced on December 8. Shares listed under the ticker NU on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The offering consisted of 289 million shares. The company priced at the top end of its expected $8 to $9 range for a $2.6 billion deal. The Nu Holdings IPO gave the company a market cap of almost $46 billion.

You can look at Nu Holdings prospectus here. Check out more information about the Nu Holdings IPO.

First Day Return: 14.8%

Samsara is a developer of end-to-end Internet of Things solutions for businesses. The company provides fleet monitoring and management software to vehicle operators. The company provides a cloud-based platform to provide software solutions that improve safety and efficiency. Samsara offers sensors and cameras to generate data into actionable insights on operational assets like delivery vehicles, fleets of construction trucks and physical locations.

Samaras revenue for the nine months ended October 2020 and October 2021 was $174.0 million and $302.6 million representing year-over-year growth of 74%. Net losses were $174 million and $102.3 million for the nine months ended October 2020 and October 2021. The company recorded $201.1 million in cash in February 2020. A year later, cash grew to $400 million.

Samsara filed on November 19 and set its terms on December 6. Shares listed under the ticker IOT on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The offering consisted of 35 million shares priced at $23 per share of common stock. This was at the top end of the companys proposed $20 to $23 price range. The company raised $805 million in its initial public offering. Samsara has a market cap of $13.7 billion.

You can look at Samsaras prospectus here. Check out more information about the Samsara IPO.

First Day Return: 7.4%

HashiCorp develops cloud infrastructure management software. The company offers solutions that provide a consistent cloud operating model that can build, secure, connect and deploy any infrastructure for any application. The company is a leading provider of multi-cloud infrastructure automation. It helps developers manage their cloud infrastructure across major public clouds. This includes Amazon, Microsoft and Google.

For the 2019 fiscal year, HashiCorp recorded $121.3 million in total revenue. In 2020, total revenue grew to $211.9 million. The company recorded $53.4 million and $83.5 million for the 2019 and 2020 fiscal years. HashiCorp recorded $270.8 million in cash in January 2021. However, as of October 2021, cash decreased to $218.2 million.

HashiCorp filed on November 4 and priced on December 8. Shares listed under the ticker HCP on the Nasdaq exchange. Shares priced above the expected $68 to $72 range at $80 per share of common stock. The company offered $15.3 million shares for a $1.2 billion offering. HashiCorp has a market cap of $15.1 billion.

You can look at HashiCorps prospectus here. Check out more information about the HashiCorp IPO.

First Day Return: 6.5%

AeroClean provides air purification technology for interior spaces. The company is focused on commercializing its sterilization and disinfection products to eliminate harmful airborne pathogens, including COVID-19. The company treats hospital and non-hospital healthcare facilities. This includes outpatient chemotherapy centers, senior living centers and nursing homes, schools and universities, commercial properties and other indoor spaces.

AeroClean recorded $153,000 in losses for the year 2019. The companys losses skyrocketed to $3.3 million for 2020. In 2019, AeroClean recorded just $796 in total assets. In 2020, total assets rose to $3.2 million. AeroClean reported $231,400 in total liabilities in 2019. In 2020, the companys recorded liabilities rose to $655,300.

The company filed September 21 and priced on November 23. It issued 2.5 million shares under the ticker symbol AERC. The company priced at the bottom of its $10 to $12 range at $10 per share. A $25 million profit came from the offering. The companys market cap is $255 million.

You can look at AeroClean Technologies prospectus here.

First Day Return: 689.4%

Society Pass acquires and operates e-commerce platforms in South Asia. Society Pass is headquartered in Singapore. The company markets to both consumers and merchants in Vietnam. The company operates in two segments: a consumer facing segment and a merchant facing segment. The consumer-facing segment includes SoPa food & beverage Loyalty App, SoPa.asia Loyalty Marketplace, Leflair App and the Leflair Lifestyle Marketplace website. The merchant facing segment includes #HOTTAB Biz App, #HOTTAB POS App and Hottab.net.

Society Pass recorded revenue was $10,400 in 2019. In 2020, revenue skyrocketed to $52,500. The company narrowed its losses in 2020. Net losses stood at $7.3 million for 2019 and lowered to $3.8 million in 2020. Society Pass recorded $8.7 million in total assets in 2019 and $7.9 million in 2020. Total liabilities increased from $2.3 million in 2019 to $3 million in 2020.

Society Pass filed on July 20 and priced on November 8. Shares listed under the ticker SOPA on the Nasdaq exchange. The company priced at the midpoint of its $8 to $10 price range at $9 per share. The company offered 2.9 million shares of common stock for a $26 million offering. Society Pass has a $149.9 million market cap.

You can look at Society Pass prospectus here.

First Day Return: 436.7%

Sono Group is a German-based developer of solar powered vehicles. It is on a mission to provide a net-zero-emission vehicle solution for the mass market. The company specializes in solar electric vehicles (SEVs) that use solar energy to generate an extra charge. Sono Group is currently developing the Sion, the worlds first solar electric vehicle.

Sono Group has not recorded any revenue and reported consistent losses. The company reported losses of 56 million ($63.4 million) in the year 2020. Sono Group recorded 5.7 million ($6.4 million) in total assets as of 2019. Total assets stand at 38.6 million ($43.7 million) as of June 30, 2021. In 2019, The company recorded 24.3 million ($27.5 million) in total liabilities. Liabilities grew to 66.8 million ($75.6 million) as of June 30.

Sono Group filed on October 22 and priced on November 16. Shares listed under the ticker SEV on the Nasdaq exchange. The offering consisted of 10 million shares. The company priced at the midpoint of its expected $14 to $16 range for a $150 million deal. The IPO gave the company a post valuation of $963.7 million.

You can look at Sono Groups prospectus here.

First Day Return: 154.7%

Mainz Biomed is a molecular genetics cancer diagnostic company. The companys portfolio consists of

Mainz Biomed recorded $281,400 in revenue in 2019 and $493,600 in 2020. For the year ended 2019, the company reported $1 million in losses. By 2020, the company net losses narrowed to $600,000. As of June 2021, Mainz Biomed has $730,000 in total assets and $3.1 million in total liabilities. The company has $2.1 million in long-term debt as of June 2021.

Mainz Biomed filed on October 12 and priced on November 4. Shares listed under the ticker MYNZ on the Nasdaq exchange. The offering consisted of 2 million shares priced at $5 per share of common stock. This was at the midpoint of the companys proposed $4 to $6 price range. The company raised $10 million in its initial public offering. It has a market cap of $103.6 million.

You can look at Mainz Biomeds prospectus here.

First Day Return: 99.8%

Allbirds is a global lifestyle brand that makes footwear using naturally derived materials. The company uses resources like wool, trees, crab shells, eucalyptus and sugarcane. Allbirds footwear has a 30% lower carbon footprint than a regular pair of trainers. The global lifestyle brands supply chain has been carbon neutral since 2019.

Allbirds has faced losses since inception. The company recorded $193.7 million in net revenue for the 2019 fiscal year. In 2020, Allbirds reported over $219.3 million for the year. It recorded a gross profit of $98.8 million for 2019 and $112.7 million in 2020. As of December 2020, Allbirds has over $244 million in total assets and $65.5 million in total liabilities.

Allbirds filed on August 31 and priced on November 2. Shares listed under the ticker BIRD on the Nasdaq exchange. Shares priced above the expected $12 to $14 range at $15 per share of common stock. The company offered $20.2 million shares for a $303 million offering. Allbirds has a market cap of $2.3 billion.

You can look at Allbirds prospectus here.

First Day Return: 92.6%

Volcon is an all-electric, off-road powersports vehicle company. It develops and builds electric motorcycles and utility terrain vehicles (UTVs). In October 2020, the company began building and testing prototypes for two off-road motorcycles the Grunt and the Runt. Volcon is accepting orders for motorcycles on its website.

Volcon was founded in 2020. From February to December 2020, the company reported $1.4 million in losses. The companys net losses rose more than 600% to $19.5 million for the six months ending in June 2021. Volcons cash is $6 million and total assets are $12.1 million as of June 30.

The company filed September 10 and priced on October 5. It issued 3 million shares under the ticker symbol VLCN. The company priced at the top of its $4.50 to $5.50 range at $5.50 per share. A $17 million profit came from the offering. The companys market cap is $152.5 million.

You can look at Volcons prospectus here.

First Day Return: 97.5%

Stronghold Digital Mining is a bitcoin mining company. The company owns and operates using environmentally-beneficial coal refuse power. It claims to be one of the first vertically integrated crypto asset mining companies with a focus on environmentally-beneficial operations.

Stronghold Digital Minings recorded operating revenue was $4.1 million for the year 2020. For the six months ended June 2021, Stronghold Digital Mining recorded $7.9 million in operating revenue. For the year 2020, the companys recorded long-term debt was $1.8 million. As of June 30, the companys long-term debt rose to $18.9 million.

Stronghold Digital Mining filed on July 27 and priced on October 19. Shares listed under the ticker SDIG on the Nasdaq exchange. The company priced above its $16 to $18 price range at $19 per share. The company offered 6.7 million shares of common stock for a $127 million offering. Stronghold Digital Mining has a $558.5 million market cap.

You can look at Stronghold Digital Minings prospectus here.

First Day Return: 52.1%

Portillos is a fast-food restaurant chain known for its Chicago-style hot dogs. The company started in 1963 and has grown to a nationwide following. It offers a diverse menu featuring all-American favorites. This includes Chicago-style hot dogs and sausages, Italian sandwiches, chopped salads, burgers, french fries, homemade chocolate cake and milkshakes.

Portillos recorded $479.4 million in revenue for the year 2019 and $455.5 million for 2020. In 2019, Portillos recorded $5.6 million in net income. In 2020, net income rose to $12.3 million. As of June 2021, Portillos has $54.2 million in cash. Portillos has $924 million in total assets and $568.3 million in total liabilities as of June.

Portillos filed on September 27 and priced on October 20. Shares listed under the ticker PTLO on the Nasdaq exchange. The offering consisted of 20.3 million shares. The company priced at the top end of its expected $17 to $20 range for a $405 million deal. The IPO gave the company a post valuation of about $1.6 billion.

You can look at Portillos prospectus here.

First Day Return: 45.5%

AirSculpt Technologies is a leading provider of body contouring procedures in the U.S. The company offers body contouring procedures in 16 centers across 13 states as of October 5, 2021. In 2020, it performed over 5,800 body contouring procedures in 2020. The company offers minimally invasive procedures that dont involve a needle, scalpel, stitches or general anesthesia.

AirSculpt Technologies recorded $41.2 million in revenue in 2019 and $62.8 million in 2020. For the year ended 2019, the company reported $2.2 million in losses. By 2020, the company reported $7.6 million in income. In 2020, AirSculpt Technologies had $179.6 million in total assets and $55.9 million in total liabilities.

AirSculpt Technologies filed on October 5 and priced on October 28. Shares listed under the ticker AIRS on the Nasdaq exchange. The offering consisted of seven million shares priced at $11 per share of common stock. This was at the low end of the companys proposed $11 to $12 price range. The company raised $77 million in its initial public offering. It has a market cap of $807.9 million.

You can look at AirSculpt Technologies prospectus here.

First Day Return: 44.5%

GitLab provides software development and collaboration tools for programmers. The company believes in an innovative world powered by software. To achieve its vision, GitLab pioneered The DevOps Platform. Its a single application that brings together development, operations, IT, security and business teams to deliver desired business outcomes. It consists of a single codebase and interface with a unified data model.

The company has increased its revenue since 2020. For that fiscal year, revenue was $81.2 million. GitLabs revenue rose in 2021 to $152.2 million. The company reported $71.9 million in gross profit for fiscal 2020 and $133.7 million in 2021. GitLab recorded $130.7 million in net losses for fiscal 2020 and $192.2 million for fiscal 2021.

GitLab filed on September 17 and priced on October 13. Shares listed under the ticker GTLB on the Nasdaq exchange. Shares priced above the expected $66 to $69 range at $77 per share of common stock. The company offered $10.4 million shares for an $801 million offering. GitLab has a market cap of $17 billion.

You can look at GitLabs prospectus here.

First Day Return: 34.9%

Dice Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company based in San Francisco, California. It works to develop innovative therapies in immunology for patients with chronic diseases. The company aims to develop convenient oral alternatives to medicines that are currently limited to injectable forms.

For 2019, DICE Therapeutics reported $8.5 million in cash. The companys cash rose more than 600% to 59.7 million for 2020. DICE Therapeutics total assets were $31.2 million in December 2019. By the end of 2020, the companys total assets more than doubled to $63.9 million. The firms total liabilities rose from $5.1 million in 2019 to $63.9 million in 2020.

The company filed August 25 and priced on September 14. It issued 12 million shares under the ticker symbol DICE. The company priced at the top of its $15 to $17 range at $17 per share. A $204 million profit came from the offering. The companys market cap is $1.2 billion.

You can look at DICE Therapeutics prospectus here.

First Day Return: 117%

PROCEPT BioRobotics is a surgical robotics company based in California. The company aims to enable better patient care by developing transformative urology solutions. Its initial focus on benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) enabled the company to develop the first FDA-cleared Aquablation therapy.

PROCEPT BioRobotics recorded cash is $159.2 million as of June 30. For the year ended December 2019, PROCEPT BioRobotics recorded $6.2 million in total revenue. For the same period in 2020, the companys recorded revenue rose to $7.7 million. As of June 30, the company has $190.6 in total assets.

PROCEPT BioRobotics filed on August 18 and priced on September 14. Shares listed under the ticker PRCT on the Nasdaq exchange. The company priced above its $22 to $24 price range at $25 per share. The company offered 6.6 million shares of common stock for a $164 million offering. PROCEPT BioRobotics has a $1.65 billion market cap.

You can look at PROCEPT BioRobotics prospectus here.

First Day Return: 67.8%

Tyra Biosciences is a precision oncology company that develops therapies to overcome tumor resistance and improve outcomes for cancer patients. The company aims to develop solutions to overcome acquired drug resistance. It uses its SNP platform to generate next-generation product candidates that are designed to address acquired drug resistance and provide alternative treatments.

As of June 30, Tyra Biosciences recorded $135.2 million in cash. Tyra Biosciences recorded $528 thousand in total assets for the 2019 year. In a year, the companys total assets skyrocketed to $16 million. Total liabilities were reported at $5.3 million for 2019 and lowered to $2 million for 2020.

Tyra Biosciences filed on August 20 and priced on September 14. Shares listed under the ticker TYRA on the Nasdaq exchange.The offering consisted of 10.8 million shares. The company priced at the top end of its expected $14 to $16 range for a $173 million deal. The Tyra Biosciences IPO gave the company a post valuation of about $627.4 million.

You can look at Tyra Biosciences prospectus here.

First Day Return: 62.5%

Definitive Healthcare is a leading provider of healthcare commercial intelligence. The company uses SaaS solutions to reduce complexity and streamline insights that help clients grow their business. The companys vision is to create new paths to commercial success in the healthcare market.

Definitive Healthcare recorded $38.4 million in cash as of June 30. For the year ended December 2020, the company reported $118.3 in revenue and $87.8 million in gross profit. For the six months ended June 30, 2020, the company recorded $76.8 million in revenue and $57.5 million in gross profit.

Definitive Healthcare filed on August 20 and priced on September 14. Shares listed under the ticker DH on the Nasdaq exchange. The offering consisted of 115.6 million shares priced at $27 per share of common stock. This was above the companys proposed $24 to $26 price range. The company raised $420 million in its initial public offering.

You can look at Definitive Healthcares prospectus here.

First Day Return: 60.3%

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Stem cell timeline: The history of a medical sensation …

Posted: January 5, 2022 at 2:31 am

By Andy Coghlan

Stem cells are the cellular putty from which all tissues of the body are made. Ever since human embryonic stem cells were first grown in the lab, researchers have dreamed of using them to repair damaged tissue or create new organs, but such medical uses have also attracted controversy. Yesterday, the potential of stem cells to revolutionise medicine got a huge boost with news of an ultra-versatile kind of stem cell from adult mouse cells using a remarkably simple method. This timeline takes you through the ups and downs of the stem cell rollercoaster.

1981, Mouse beginningsMartin Evans of Cardiff University, UK, then at the University of Cambridge, is first to identify embryonic stem cells in mice.

1997, Dolly the sheepIan Wilmut and his colleagues at the Roslin Institute, Edinburgh unveil Dolly the sheep, the first artificial animal clone. The process involves fusing a sheep egg with an udder cell and implanting the resulting hybrids into a surrogate mother sheep. Researchers speculate that similar hybrids made by fusing human embryonic stem cells with adult cells from a particular person could be used to create genetically matched tissue and organs.

1998, Stem cells go humanJames Thomson of the University of Wisconsin in Madison and John Gearhart of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, respectively, isolate human embryonic stem cells and grow them in the lab.

2001, Bush controversyUS president George W. Bush limits federal funding of research on human embryonic stem cells because a human embryo is destroyed in the process. But Bush does allow continued research on human embryonic stem cells lines that were created before the restrictions were announced.

2005, Fraudulent clonesWoo Suk Hwang of Seoul National University in South Korea reports that his team has used therapeutic cloning a technique inspired by the one used to create Dolly to create human embryonic stem cells genetically matched to specific people. Later that year, his claims turn out to be false.

2006, Cells reprogrammedShinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University in Japan reveals a way of making embryonic-like cells from adult cells avoiding the need to destroy an embryo. His team reprograms ordinary adult cells by inserting four key genes forming induced pluripotent stem cells.

2007, Nobel prizeEvans shares the Nobel prize for medicine with Mario Capecchi and Oliver Smithies for work on genetics and embryonic stem cells.

2009, Obama-powerPresident Barack Obama lifts 2001 restrictions on federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research.

2010, Spinal injuryA person with spinal injury becomes the first to receive a medical treatment derived from human embryonic stem cells as part of a trial by Geron of Menlo Park, California, a pioneering company for human embryonic stem cell therapies.

2012, Blindness treatedHuman embryonic stem cells show medical promise in a treatment that eases blindness.

2012, Another NobelYamanaka wins a Nobel prize for creating induced pluripotent stem cells, which he shares with John Gurdon of the University of Cambridge.

2013, Therapeutic cloningShoukhrat Mitalipov at the Oregon National Primate Research Center in Beaverton and his colleagues produce human embryonic stem cells from fetal cells using therapeutic cloning the breakthrough falsely claimed in 2005.

2014, Pre-embryonic stateCharles Vacanti of Harvard Medical School together with Haruko Obokata at the Riken Center for Developmental Biology in Kobe, Japan, and colleagues announced a revolutionary discovery that any cell can potentially be rewound to a pre-embryonic state using a simple, 30-minute technique.

2014, Therapeutic cloning with adult cellsTeams led by Dieter Egli of the New York Stem Cell Foundation and Young Gie Chung from CHA University in Seoul, South Korea, independently produce human embryonic stem cells from adult cells, using therapeutic cloning. Eglis team use skin cells from a woman with diabetes and demonstrate that the resulting stem cells can be turned into insulin-producing beta cells. In theory, the cells could be used to replace those lost to the disease.

2014, Human trialsMasayo Takahashi at the same Riken centre is due to select patients for what promises to be the worlds first trial of a therapy based on induced pluripotent stem cells, to treat a form of age-related blindness.

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Gene Therapy for Hearing Loss on the Horizon : The Hearing Journal – LWW Journals

Posted: January 5, 2022 at 2:31 am

Turn up your hearing aid, will ya?

http://www.Shutterstock.com. Gene therapy, hearing loss.

As lewd and crude and rude as it sounds, it is the general response for the person on the street, even if muttered underneath his or her breath, when dealing with someonefriend, family, co-worker, etc.who suffers from mild to moderate hearing loss.

Aside from some surgical procedures that are not as commonly known, hearing deviceswhile being constantly upgraded in the digital agehave been the traditional source of help.

But there is one other ray of hope burgeoning on the horizon: Gene therapy.

From the Ivy League to the University of Miami to the University of Michigan to Oregon State to Tel Aviv, experts are on the verge of cracking the case.

Although not yet available, inner ear gene therapy for monogenic hearing loss is an emerging technology, explained Jeffrey R. Holt, PhD, a professor of Otolaryngology & Neurology at Harvard Medical School and of Boston Childrens -Hospital. There is growing interest from scientists, funding agencies, industry and patients, all spurred on by recent proof-of-concept studies showing recovery of auditory function in animal models of human hearing loss.

Holt added that genetic treatments for hearing loss sit on the horizon and the significance of this new therapeutic strategy for patients and families is high.

Nonetheless, he cautioned that the most common forms of genetic hearing loss, the result of mutations in GJB2, may be difficult to treat using gene therapy. Other rare forms of genetic hearing loss, due to mutations in OTOF, TMC1, or Usher syndrome, may be those first in line, but others will like follow.

Fan-Gang Zeng, PhD, the director of the Center of Hearing Research at the University of California-Irvine School of Medicine, explained that gene therapy addresses hearing loss biologically by repairing or restoring damaged cells, which hearing aids or cochlear implants do not accomplish.

Gene therapy is the future, but we dont know when the future will come, he said. While gene therapy is still in infancy, genetic screening of hearing loss is relatively matured. Concurrent screening with traditional audiological measures (OAE and ABR) and genetic testing can improve both the accuracy and prognosis of hearing loss while helping patients and doctors predict its course of development and management on an individual basis.

Yehoash Raphael, PhD, is a professor of Otolaryngology at the University of Michigans Kresge Research Institute. He has been recognized around the globe for his research, the interests of which include inner ear biology, protection and regeneration, gene therapy, genetic deafness, CHARGE Syndrome and stem cell therapy.

Raphael believes gene therapy should be advanced for several clinical conditions, both environmental and genetic.

At the cellular level, the goals would be related to repair and regeneration of cells that are injured or lost, he said. At present, amplification or cochlear implants provide an acceptable solution for many patients.

He cautioned, however, the biological therapy that restores function may work better, but is not currently available.

Ideally, we would like gene therapy to improve so it can be used for treating genetic deafness and sensorineural hearing loss caused by hair cell loss due to overstimulation, aminoglycosides, or infections, he said. As such, gene therapy presents an exciting prospect for future hearing restoration therapies.

At Michigan, Raphael and his colleagues are using combinatorial gene transfer methods to enhance the efficiency of new hair cells and are planning to enhance this approach and include other genes.

We are working on two mouse models for genetic inner ear disease, trying to better understand the biology of the mutation and also to design therapies, he said, adding that the research on therapies has met with mixed results.

Holts lab has focused on development of gene therapy for patients with mutations in TMC1 and for Usher syndrome patients.

We have remarkable data showing full recovery auditory function in some cases, he said. We are working with industry partners to bring these therapies into the clinic.

Meanwhile, in the private sector, companies such as Decibel Therapeutics are also seeking solutions.

According to Laurence Reid, PhD, it is simply a case of seeing the need and seeking to answer it.

The impact of significant hearing loss and balance disorders on individuals is profound and disrupts their connectivity with their human and physical environment, said Reid, the CEO of Decibel. We believe the inner ear represents an exciting new frontier for gene therapy, which will result in a pipeline of transformative medicines.

Reid added that the inner ear is an organ that is exquisitely suited to gene therapy. As such, the therapy can be delivered directly to the relevant cells, which are non-dividing and offer a durable potential for gene therapy. Lastly, the ear has a degree of immune privilege, which will moderate immune response against the therapy.

Said Reid, We are developing technologies that enable precision gene therapy, which will enable us to control the expression of the transgene in the gene therapy and limit the resulting pharmacology to precise cell types in which we intend to elicit a biological response.

Programs are in development to address both hearing loss and balance disorders and our therapies will comprise treatments for genetic forms of hearing loss, together with regenerative medicines, to treat acquired forms of hearing and balance disorders.

Looking ahead at the future of gene therapy as related to hearing loss, Raphael explained that the current technology for gene transfer for inner ear therapy needs to be improved in several cardinal and critical aspects to become a clinical reality.

He added that some of the parameters that need to be optimized include high cell-specificity, control of duration and extent of gene expression (how long and how much), acceptable route for delivering the vectors into the target site, and lack of toxicity and other side effects.

All these parameters are being addressed but still far from being accomplished, he said. Lack of accurate and reliable diagnostic tools, especially related to hair cell loss, also complicate the implementation of gene transfer technology.

Better technology would include upgraded batteries of tests that can predict the condition of the auditory epithelium, auditory nerve and other structures that are needed for biological hearing.

The promise of hearing restoration would become more realistic with these parameters resolved, he said.

Holt also cautioned against expected results tomorrow or the next day.

While hopes are high that this may soon be a therapeutic option for some patients with genetic hearing loss, it is important to keep in mind that a careful and systematic approach will be required to fully understand both the safety and efficacy of this treatment modality, he said. There are at least 100 forms of genetic hearing loss and each will need to be evaluated before use in patients can commence.

Reid further explained the importance of expanding access to genetic testing so families can understand the roots of their childs congenital hearing loss and seek out relevant clinical trials and ultimately tailored therapies.

Noting that accurate diagnosis of infant hearing loss is crucial to developing new treatments and providing clinical care, Reid added that Decibel hasin collaboration with Invitaelaunched Amplify, a sponsored testing program in the U.S. and Australia.

This program provides genetic testing at no charge for children with auditory neuropathy and aims to drive awareness of genetic testing and gain physician interest, as well as support enrollment into future clinical trials, he said.

What does all this mean for audiology professionals?

Holt predicts that audiologists will be an important part of the hearing health care team as this new wave of therapeutic options enters clinical trials, eventually wins approval, and becomes more broadly available.

He added that evaluation of auditory function before and after gene therapy treatments will be critical for understanding the efficacy, durability, and therapeutic window for hearing preservation and restoration.

In preparation for the coming wave, audiologists can understand basic genetics, familiarize themselves with the various genes associated with genetic hearing loss, and be prepared to field patient questions, he said. I suspect that as soon as the first inner ear gene therapies enter clinical trials, there will be an explosion of patient interest and inquiries. However, inner ear gene therapies will not be a magic bullet cure-all. Rather, a precision medicine approach will be required, as these therapies will need to be tailored to each patients specific genetic diagnosis.

Zeng had a similar view and explained that future audiologists will need to learn and understand the genetic component of hearing loss, which contributes half or more to the prevalence of hearing loss.

Dont expect gene therapy to be a silver bullet that can solve all the problems, said Zeng. There are a lot of things that gene therapy cannot solve (i.e., hearing loss related to mental issues).

Raphael made the distinction between audiologists doing research and clinicians, advising those in research to consider joining the research efforts to design diagnostic means that will determine presence/absence of hair cells and/or neurons, and if hair cells are absent, where in the cochlea this condition exists and what state the supporting cells are in.

He added: Are they differentiated or flat? The condition of supporting cells is an important factor in planning the set of genes that will be used to generate new hair cells.

Raphael explained that audiologists in the clinics need to be aware that there are currently no therapies based on gene transfer being offered. In some cases of genetic hearing loss, when the diagnosis is clear and the gene involved is not a very large gene, there is a chance that gene therapy could be offered in the relatively near future.

He added that this is especially true for mutations that affect hair cell, and where the hair cells survive but do not function properly.

I have a feeling that many of the patients asking about gene therapy options are those experiencing age-related hearing loss, which most of us are likely to develop at different speeds of progression, he said. Because many of these cases have long-term loss of hair cells and likely at least some neuronal regression or degeneration, the application of gene therapy would be very complex and challenging.

Reid added that, over the next several years, Decibel hopes that a range of pharmaceutical interventions will become available to people with hearing loss and their caregivers.

Audiologists will thus have therapeutic options in addition to the existing devices, which assist hearing improvement, he said. Diagnosis of particular forms of hearing loss will expand to include broader consideration of genetic mutations responsible for hearing loss.

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Caladrius Biosciences Announces Participation in Upcoming Conferences in January 2022

Posted: January 5, 2022 at 2:30 am

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Jan. 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Caladrius Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: CLBS) (“Caladrius” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of innovative therapies designed to treat or reverse disease, today announced its participation in several industry and investor events. All presentations are pre-recorded and available on-demand through the online conference platforms.

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Annexon Biosciences Reports Promising Interim Phase 2 Data Showing Improvement in Clinical Measures with ANX005 in Huntington’s Disease Following…

Posted: January 5, 2022 at 2:30 am

ANX005 Has Been Generally Well-Tolerated and Has Shown Full Target Engagement of C1q in the CSF

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