BALTIMORE, Dec. 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Robert C. Gallo, MD, The Homer & Martha Gudelsky Distinguished Professor in Medicine, co-founder and director of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and co-founder and international scientific advisor of the Global Virus Network, was awarded the "VCANBIO Award for Biosciences and Medicine," a significant and authoritative award in the life sciences and medicine field of China. The elite Prize is jointly presented by the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and the VCANBIO CELL & GENE ENGINEERING CORP, LTD to push forward scientific research, technological innovation and continuous development in the life sciences and medicine field of China.

"The Prize also serves to facilitate the industrial development and application of innovative life science achievements,"said George F. Gao, DVM, DPHIL (OXON), Director General of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), Director, CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Professor, Institute of Microbiology, Dean of the Medical School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Director of China's Global Virus Network Center of Excellence. "Dr. Gallo is a pioneer in virus research and most worthy of this Prize. We are pleased to see him recognized by many members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences."

"Hosted by the Medical School of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, this award commends outstanding and innovative Chinese and foreign scientists, who have accomplished innovation achievements and breakthroughs in the life sciences and medicine field,"said Yiming Shao, MD, the Chief Expert on AIDS, China CDC, Director of the Division of Research on Virology and Immunology, National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, China and Member of the GVN SARS-CoV-2 Task Force and China GVN. "I have worked with Dr. Gallo through the decades and admire his intellect and leadership, which have led to discoveries that have broad implications in protecting mankind from viral threats. I am delighted that my Chinese colleagues are recognizing him with this significant honor."

"Prof. Gallo has made a great deal of contribution to promote the Sino-American friendship and collaboration, especially for medical talent training and public health in China,"said Prof. Guanhua Xu, Chairman of the selection committee of the VCANBIO Award for Biosciences and Medicine.

"This is a tremendous and well-deserved honor for Dr. Gallo,"said E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, UM Baltimore, the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor, and Dean, University of Maryland School of Medicine. "Dr. Gallo has dedicated his career to building international collaborations that have produced major scientific discoveries in human virology, including with leading scientists and academic colleagues in China. As a result, the Institute of Human Virology continues to be recognized as the global leader in the fight against chronic viral diseases."

"I am humbled and honored to receive this esteemed Prize from my colleagues in China,"said Dr. Robert Gallo. "I take this opportunity to stress that it is imperative that government and politics not interfere with science, and that my Chinese and American colleagues, who have a long history of collaborating together and contributing scientific breakthroughs to protect humanity from global health threats, continue to have the freedom to do so and to grow these collaborations."

A Distinguished Scientific Career Advancing Global Health

Dr. Robert Gallo has long believed in the necessity of international cooperation and collaboration in medical sciences in general, and infectious diseases in particular, in part to build global friendships and advance humanitarian principles. Though entertainment and sports facilitate such connections he believes the "knots" are tied best through medical sciences. Throughout his 30 years at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and more recently his nearly 25 years at Baltimore's Institute of Human Virology (IHV) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, he has fostered these connections. First, through his pioneering scientific discoveries including his discovery in 1976 of Interleukin-2, the first cytokine, a growth regulating substance now used as immune therapy in some cancers and in autoimmune diseases when suppressive T cells are needed. Then in 1980, the first human retrovirus, HTLV-1, a cause of human leukemia and paralytic neurological diseases as well as severe inflammatory disorders, which is endemic in some regions such as parts of Africa, the Caribbean Islands, Japan, Aboriginal Australians, Iran and South America. Dr. Gallo and his team developed a blood test for HTLV-1 applicable to all countries which protects people receiving blood transfusions that would be contaminated with this virus. Similarly, in 1984, when he and his team co-discovered HIV as the cause of AIDS they also developed the HIV blood test for the world and made their reagents available to all. Dr. Gallo and his team established collaborations in HIV/AIDS research, education, therapy and care for many African countries, particularly in Nigeria and some Caribbean nations. During the current pandemic he quickly became involved in initiating preventive measures against SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 disease through the idea of stimulating innate immunity with "live" virus vaccines such as the oral polio vaccine. Dr. Gallo, abetted by his collaborator, Konstantin Chumakov, PhD, Associate Director for Research for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Office of Vaccines Research and Review and a GVN Center Director and his clinical colleague, Shyam Kottilil, MBBS, PhD, professor of medicine and director of the Clinical Care and Research Division of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and senior advisor at the GVN, are advising on trials in India and in discussion about trials in Mexico, Brazil, Uzbekistan and China. He has also fostered the international nature of his research by hosting students beyond the U.S., including post-doctoral senior scientists from Asia, Middle East, Europe, the Americas and many African nations.

However, nothing demonstrates his concern for medical science cooperation more than when he established the idea for the Global Virus Network (GVN), which he co-founded in 2011 with the late Prof. Reinhard Kurth, MD, formerly Director of the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin, and Prof. William Hall, BSc, PhD, MD, DTMH, of University College Dublin. Now, GVN is headed by its President Christian Brchot, MD, PhD. The GVN was formed to advance medical and zoological science without any government influence, giving members of the GVN maximum freedom to speak freely while encouraging all nations to be involved. China, among several dozen other countries, has an active Center of Excellence within the GVN and was the site of the 7th meeting of the GVN in May 2015 held in Beijing and hosted by the late GVN Center Director, Zeng Yi of Beijing University of Technology. Experts shared information on varying viral threats, including those causing hemorrhagic fevers, hepatitis, HIV, measles, influenza, dengue and chikungunya, to name a few. GVN members also reviewed strategies at the center of the organization including the creation of specialized task forces and the launch of training programs to address growing viral threats.

A History with Chinese-American Collaborations

Dr. Gallo had a deep friendship with Dr. Robert Ting who came to the U.S. as a child refugee from Shanghai during the Japanese invasion. As a student, Dr. Ting worked with the famous Italian molecular biologist, Dr. Salvatore Luria at MIT, who won a Nobel Prize. Dr. Ting then went to Caltech to work with another Italian Nobel Prize winner, Dr. Renato Dulbecco and they were joined by two others who were soon to be Nobel Prize winners, Drs. Howard Temin and David Baltimore. Dr. Ting was not just Dr. Gallo's friend but also his teacher by introducing him to Chinese culture and food, tennis, and the field of virology. Soon after meeting Dr. Ting, another Chinese-born and educated young man, Dr. Alan Wu, came to Dr. Gallo's lab from Toronto bringing with him the knowledge and skills of blood stem cells. There were then several other Chinese post-doctoral fellows culminating with Dr. Flossie Wong-Staal from Canton Province and who played a very major role in advancing molecular biology on Dr. Gallo's team for about 15 years. Dr. Nancy Chang, also Chinese, came as a visiting scientist on a few occasions. On one such time she was key to the development of the second-generation HIV blood test used around the world.

In 2009, with the help of a University of Maryland School of Medicine colleague, Dr. Richard Zhao, born in China and educated in the U.S., the Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences (SAMS) announced the establishment of the Shandong Gallo Institute of Virology (SGIV). The announcement was made simultaneously with a ceremony to establish China's first Molecular Diagnostic Center for Personalized Healthcare (MDCPH), which was a joint venture among the University of Maryland, Baltimore, Roche Diagnostics Asia Pacific and SGIV at the Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences. The mission of the SGIV is to promote the basic science of virology especially in the area of HIV/AIDS and other important and emerging viral diseases and to facilitate translational research and clinical trials for related diseases. SGIV also aims to provide molecular-based testing for disease diagnosis, prognosis and treatment in the area of individualized molecular testing for personalized medicine.

Since the founding of the Institute of Human Virology (IHV), Dr. Gallo notes that several of his key science leaders at the Institute of Human Virology came from China, including: Dr. Wuyuan Lu (recent Director of the Division of Infectious Agents and Cancer), Dr. Yang Liu (recent Director of the Division of Immunotherapy), Dr. Pan Zheng (Division of Immunotherapy), Dr. Lishan Su (current Director of the Division of Virology, Pathogenesis and Cancer), Dr. Man Charurat (current Director of the Division of Epidemiology and Prevention and Ciheb) and Dr. Lai-Xi Wang (formerly at IHV and now at University of Maryland, College Park). With each of these leaders also came labs full of Chinese colleagues, who Dr. Gallo states contributed greatly to advancing America's biomedical research. Further, over the past six decades, Dr. Gallo visited China countless times to discuss potential collaborations with public and private sector entities, mentored rising Chinese scientists and facilitated open scientific discussions to advance the field of human virology, among other important things.

About the Institute of Human Virology

Formed in 1996 as a partnership between the State of Maryland, the City of Baltimore, the University System of Maryland, and the University of Maryland Medical System, the IHV is an institute of the University of Maryland School of Medicine and is home to some of the most globally-recognized and world-renowned experts in all of virology. The IHV combines the disciplines of basic research, epidemiology, and clinical research in a concerted effort to speed the discovery of diagnostics and therapeutics for a wide variety of chronic and deadly viral and immune disorders - most notably, HIV the virus that causes AIDS. For more information, visit http://www.ihv.org and follow us on Twitter @IHVmaryland.

About the Global Virus Network (GVN)

The Global Virus Network (GVN) is essential and critical in the preparedness, defense and first research response to emerging, exiting and unidentified viruses that pose a clear and present threat to public health, working in close coordination with established national and international institutions. It is a coalition comprised of eminent human and animal virologists from 59 Centers of Excellence and 11 Affiliates in 33 countries worldwide, working collaboratively to train the next generation, advance knowledge about how to identify and diagnose pandemic viruses, mitigate and control how such viruses spread and make us sick, as well as develop drugs, vaccines and treatments to combat them. No single institution in the world has expertise in all viral areas other than the GVN, which brings together the finest medical virologists to leverage their individual expertise and coalesce global teams of specialists on the scientific challenges, issues and problems posed by pandemic viruses. The GVN is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, please visit http://www.gvn.org. Follow us on Twitter @GlobalVirusNews

SOURCE Global Virus Network

gvn.org

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Robert Gallo of the UM School of Medicine Institute of Human Virology and Global Virus Network Awarded Top Life Sciences and Medicine Prize from China...

December 21, 2020 | Funding updates around the life sciences including cash for a handheld mass spec device, Series D for oncolytic immunotherapy, a new company launch in allogenic CAR-NK cells, AI-powered cell classification, a 3-D sequencing platform, and more.

$170M: Israeli Digital Health First VC Firm

OTV (formerly Olive Tree Ventures), Israels digital health first venture capital firm, today announced the closing of a fund with a total value of $170M. OTV also announced their new name and the appointment of a new Head of Asia Pacific to spearhead the funds expansion into the regions market. OTV is the only venture capital fund in Israel whose primary focus is digital health, specializing in supporting their portfolio companies reach maturity, refine execution, tackle regulatory hurdles and ensure a global imprint on validated products. Over the course of the past five years, OTV has prioritized investment in digital health companies that develop cutting-edge solutions to todays most pressing healthcare problems. OTVs portfolio includes some of the worlds highest-profile digital health leaders, including TytoCare, Lemonaid Health, Emedgene, Scopio and Donisi Health.

$116M: Handheld, Desktop Mass Spec

908 Devices, which provides mass spectrometry devices for forensic and scientific research, raised the proposed deal size for its upcoming IPO. The Boston, MA-based company now plans to raise $116 million by offering 6.3 million shares at a price range of $18 to $19. The company had previously filed to offer the same number of shares at a range of $15 to $17. At the midpoint of the revised range, 908 Devices will raise 16% more in proceeds than previously anticipated. 908 Devices provides handheld and desktop mass spectrometry devices that are used to interrogate unknown and invisible materials, providing actionable answers to directly address critical problems in life sciences research, bioprocessing, industrial biotech, forensics and adjacent markets. Since its inception, the company has sold more than 1,200 handheld and desktop devices to over 300 customers in 32 countries, including 18 of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies by 2019 revenue, as well as numerous domestic and foreign government agencies and leading academic institutions.

$91M: Series C for Digital, Decentralized Trials

Medable has announced $91 million in Series C funding to accelerate the life sciences industrys shift to digital and decentralized clinical trials. The round was led by Sapphire Ventures, with follow-on investment from existing investors GSR Ventures, PPD, and Streamlined Ventures. The funding brings Medables total capital raised to more than $136 million. Medables flexible and modular software platform enables clinical leaders to shift from clinic-centric to patient-centric research strategies. The platform provides a unified experience for patients and clinicians, enabling recruitment, remote screening, electronic consent, clinical outcomes assessment (eCOA), eSource, telemedicine, and connected devices. Medable has seen rapid eCOA adoption, driving the field forward with enhancements including connected devices and telemedicine. The COVID-19 pandemic has driven demand for remote clinical trial technologies and Medable is enabling complex research protocols to be conducted remotely through its platform. By minimizing the need for in-person site visits, Medable customers have achieved unprecedented results including 3X faster enrollment and over 90% retention rates.

$58M: Series B for Healthcare Ecosystem Platform

H1, a global platform for the healthcare ecosystem, announced today that it has closed a $58 million Series B round of funding. The round was co-led by IVP and Menlo Ventures, which led the Series A round in April 2020. Transformation Capital, Lux Capital, Lead Edge Capital, Novartis dRx and YC also participated. H1 has created the largest healthcare platform to forge connections in the healthcare ecosystem. The H1 team has taken a unique approach to building the platform that combines AI, human powered engineering, third-party data sources, and government partnerships, to create the largest platform of healthcare professionals, currently spanning over 9 million healthcare professions around the globe.

$50M: Series C for Somatic Cancer, Wellness Platform

Congenica has announced the completion of its Series C funding round, raising $50 million. The round was co-led by Tencent and Legal & General and included other new investors Xeraya, Puhua Capital and IDO Investments. Existing investors Parkwalk, Cambridge Innovation Capital and Downing also participated. The funding is aimed at accelerating international market development and driving further expansion of Congenicas product platform into somatic cancer, wellness and through partnerships with pharmaceutical companies. Furthermore, the company will deliver capabilities including the ability to integrate with existing electronic health systems and deliver automated interpretation.

$47M: Series D for Novel Oncolytic Immunotherapies

CG Oncology has closed a $47 million Series D preferred stock financing led by new investor Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., with participation from existing investors ORI Healthcare Fund, Camford Capital and Perseverance Capital Management. The financing will support the advancement of CG Oncologys late-stage clinical programs for its lead oncolytic immunotherapy, CG0070, including an ongoing global Phase 3 trial (BOND3) with CG0070 as a monotherapy for the treatment of BCG-unresponsive, Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (NMIBC), and a combination Phase 2 study (CORE1) of CG0070 with KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) in the same indication. In addition, a Phase 1b study (CORE2) is currently ongoing with CG0070 in combination with OPDIVO (nivolumab) as a neoadjuvant immunotherapy for Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer (MIBC) in cisplatin-ineligible patients.

$42M: Series A for Allogeneic CAR-NK Cell Therapies

Catamaran Bio has launched with $42 million in financing. Sofinnova Partners and Lightstone Ventures co-led the Series A round that is part of the launch financing, with participation by founding investor SV Health Investors, as well as Takeda Ventures and Astellas Venture Management. Proceeds will be used to advance the companys two lead chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-NK cell therapy programs. In addition, funding will expand the companys TAILWIND Platform, an integrated and proprietary suite of technologies for designing, genetically engineering, and manufacturing allogeneic CAR-NK cell therapies.

$34M: Series B for glycoproteomic powered ovarian cancer diagnostic

InterVenn Biosciences has raised $34M in a Series B fundraising. The latest round was led by Anzu Partners with full participation of Genoa Ventures, Amplify Partners, and True Ventures; Xeraya Capital and the Ojjeh Family joined the syndicate as well. Funds will be used to commercialize the companys High-Throughput-Glycoproteomic powered diagnostic for ovarian cancer; to service increasing partnership platform demand; and to accelerate development efforts for the immuno-oncology treatment response and colorectal cancer indications. InterVenn has demonstrated that analysis of protein glycosylation, the most common and most complex form of post-translational protein modification, is a highly effective way of discovering uniquely informative biomarkers. This breakthrough was made possible given the companys development of its AI neural network for high throughput analysis (PiP) and enabling software that powers the proprietary Vista research product for over a dozen different oncology indications.

$24M: Series A for Molecular Cartography

Resolve Biosciences has completed a $24 million Series A financing round and appointed Co-founder Jason T. Gammack as Chief Executive Officer. The Series A financing round was led by PS Capital Management and MasterMind Advisory Services and included participation from Alafi Capital, John Shoffner, and High Tech Grnderfonds. The company will use the proceeds to accelerate product development and drive industry adoption of its Molecular Cartography technology. The company's Molecular Cartography platform is a groundbreaking multi-analyte and highly multiplex spatial analysis technology that enables scientists to resolve the most daunting biological challenges in areas such as oncology, neuroscience, and infectious disease. It produces deep contextual datasets that illuminate molecular interactions at subcellular resolution, while preserving the sample tissue. The initial applications of Resolve's Molecular Cartography platform deliver the highest-resolution view of transcriptomic activity and provide the ability to interrogate hundreds of genes in a single run. Future solutions will add DNA, protein, and metabolomic data layers. Unlike current approaches, Resolve's technology provides the required sensitivity, specificity, and workflow convenience to elucidate the cell's complex transcriptional landscape.

$23M: Series A for Traumatic Brain Injury Test

BRAINBox Solutions announced the initial closing on a $23 million Series A financing to support the clinical development of the company's BRAINBox TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) Test to aid both in the diagnosis and prognosis of mild TBI (concussion). BioVentures Investors led the financing round and was joined by the Tauber Foundation, the Virginia Tech Carilion Innovation and Seed Funds, Genoa VC, Pharmakon Holdings LLC, Astia Angels and additional qualified investors, including Kevin Love, professional basketball player and mental health advocate. BRAINBox TBI is the first test designed to assist in both the diagnosis and prognosis of concussion. The multi-marker and multi-modality test, which can be used in either point-of-care or clinical laboratory settings, includes a panel of blood biomarkers as well as advanced digital neurocognitive testing in partnership with BrainCheck, Inc. Using proprietary AI algorithms, BRAINBox TBI combines the results of the test components and patient reported outcomes to generate a single, objective score for diagnosis up to 96 hours from the time of injury and a prognosis report for likely injury-related symptoms up to three months post-event.

$23M: Series B for Digital, Computational Pathology Solutions

Proscia has secured $23 million in Series B funding led by Scale Venture Partners, with participation from Hitachi Ventures, the strategic corporate venture capital arm of Hitachi, Ltd., bringing its funding total to $35 million. The company will use the investment to accelerate its global growth and strengthen its position of leadership in transforming cancer research and diagnosis at a time when demand for modernizing pathology is higher than ever. With its Concentriq software platform, Proscia is accelerating the transformation to digital pathology, which centers around high-resolution images of tissue biopsies, as the new standard of care. Concentriq combines enterprise scalability with powerful AI applications to help laboratories, health systems, and life sciences companies unlock new insights, accelerate breakthroughs, and improve patient outcomes.

$21.5M: Series B for Software, Data Products for Biomarker Discovery

Ovation.io has raised $21.5 million in Series B funding led by SignalFire with participation from Madrona Venture Group, Borealis Ventures, StageDotO Ventures and industry veteran David Shaw. Ovations suite of software and data products make it easier for molecular diagnostic labs to bring innovative tests to the patients that need them. Developed by scientists to help laboratories accelerate adoption of molecular diagnostics, Ovation is a turn-key, cloud-based platform with configurable, out-of-the-box workflows for molecular tests and seamless integrations to support the needs of a rapidly growing lab. With this latest round of funding, Ovation will work with its network of participating labs to develop insights that can help life-science companies reduce the time and cost associated with biomarker discovery.

$20M: Series A for AI-Powered Cell Classification

Deepcell has closed its Series A round of financing with $20 million, led by Bow Capital and joined by Andreessen Horowitz, which led its $5 million seed round. The new funding will allow Deepcell to develop its microfluidics-based technology, continue building a cell morphology atlas of more than 400 million cells, and drive a hypothesis-free approach to cell classification and sorting. Spun out of Stanford University in 2017, Deepcell is using deep learning and big data to classify and isolate individual cells from a sample. The technology combines advances in AI, cell capture, and single-cell analysis to sort cells based on detailed visual features, delivering novel insights through an unprecedented view of cell biology. The Deepcell platform maintains cell viability for downstream single-cell analysis and can be used to isolate virtually any type of cell even those occurring at frequencies as low as one in a billion to offer access to rare cells and atypical cell states that will help advance precision medicine research.

$20M: Series B for Spatial Omics

Rebus Biosystems has closed a $20 million Series B financing round, led by Illumina Ventures and joined by Lifecore Partners, Ncore Ventures, Xolon Invest, CTK Investments, Ray Co., Ltd., Seegene Medical Foundation, LabGenomics Co., Ltd., and Timefolio Asset Management. At the heart of the Rebus Biosystems spatial omics solution is the companys patented Synthetic Aperture Optics (SAO) system, which provides the resolution and sensitivity of a 100X oil lens, but with the breadth and depth of a 20X air lens. Data is captured 100 times faster than with other imaging based spatial omics methods that rely on 100x lenses and z-stacking. Speed and ease of use of the system is further improved by integration with custom microfluidics and image processing.

$14.8M: Scaled Up Production of Portable PCR Diagnostic Device

QuantuMDx Group Limited, a UK-based life sciences company, is investing over 11 million to scale up production to mass manufacture its flagship diagnostic device, Q-POC and disposable test cassette. QuantuMDx accelerated development, scale-up and manufacture of Q-POCits rapid point-of-care testing systemearlier this year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.Q-POC is a portable, PCR device offering rapid, sample-to-answer, molecular diagnostic testing at the point of care, with results in approximately 30 minutes. The Q-POC system comprises a sample collection kit, single-use test cassette and analyzer. The companys first commercial assay for Q-POC will detect SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID- 19, and Flu A & B, providing a powerful rapid PCR diagnostics and surveillance tool for clinicians and public health officials.QuantuMDx has worked with British development partner Cambridge Design Partnership to undertake pilot manufacturing of Q-POCTM, and is now working with Cogent Technology, as the company scales for volume manufacturing.

$14M: Novel Treatment for Ischemic Stroke

BrainsGate has secured $14 million in a new investment round at a pre-money valuation of $147 million. New investor, BNP Joint Capital Fund, and the Impact investment and consulting firm SPERO led the round alongside existing investors, Elron, Medtronic, Agate, Pitango, and Cipio. The new investment is expected to fund BrainsGate through its pre-market approval (PMA) and enable it to achieve volume production readiness and apply for coverage from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for its Ischemic Stroke System (ISS). BrainsGates therapy involves a less than 5 minutes procedure in which a neurostimulator implant is injected into an existing canal. The implant stimulates a nerve center that augments collateral blood flow to improve stroke patients outcomes in a 24-hour window. In May 2020, BrainsGate received marketing approval in Europe (CE marking) of its ISS product. BrainsGates PMA application was filed with the US FDA in February 2020. The company plans to initiate commercialization activities subject to the PMA being approved.

$10.6M: UK Investment Firm for Life Sciences

Intuitive Investments Group, a closed-end investment company focused on the life sciences sector, has raised 7.85 million (before expenses) in its AIM float by placing 39,250,000 new Ordinary Shares at 20p. The net proceeds of the Placing will be used by the Company to invest in fast growing and/or high potential Life Sciences businesses, based predominantly in the UK, wider Europe and the US, chosen from an identified pipeline of investment opportunities. Investments will be focused on diagnostics and healthcare, medical devices, tools and technologies and bio-therapeutics and pharmaceuticals

$7.4M: BARDA Extension For Point-of-Care Infection Diagnostics

Inflammatix has announced a contract extension of $7.4 million from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to further develop its point-of-care test and system to diagnose infection by reading the immune system. The contract is part of a BARDA contract worth up to $72 million, if all options are exercised. The new funding will support continued development and commercialization of Inflammatixs sample-to-answer, point-of-care Myrna test system, which is designed to read RNA using machine learning and produce results in under 30 minutes, as well as continued development of the ViraBac EZ test (formerly known as HostDx Fever), which reads gene expression patterns in the immune system to identify whether a suspected infection is bacterial or viral, enabling physicians to quickly and accurately determine when to prescribe antibiotics. The test will use a fingerstick collection and capillary blood sample, and is designed for use in primary care, urgent care and other outpatient clinical settings.

$6.6M: Series A for Robotics, Machine Learning in Biology

Trailhead Biosystems announced its $6.6 million Series A financing. The company has developed a proprietary platform to perform systems-level interrogation of complex biological problems, ranging from the generation of industrially-scalable manufacturing conditions for specialized human cells to combinatorial drug discovery in cancer and anti-viral therapies. Trailhead robotically conducts the largest dimensioned experiments in biology, using machine learning to discover critical process parameters and combinatorial inputs that explain biological responses. Trailhead aims to rapidly develop the capability of creating specialized human cell types at high purity for regenerative medicine and therapeutic purposes at an industrial scale, addressing current industry needs for highly specialized cells used in drug discovery and modeling of human diseases. Through strategic partnerships, the cells provided by the company will be used to address multiple areas of clinical need. The company currently develops products that target type I diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and blood disorders, among others.

$6.1M: 3-D Sequencing Platform

DNA sequencing instigator Single Technologies announced the completion of a heavily oversubscribed 5 million share issue to existing and new shareholders. Among the new investors are Jens von Bahr, Rothesay Ltd, Carl-Henric Svanberg funded Cygnus Montanus Trust, Professor Ulf Landegren and Andreas Ehn. The funds will be used to accelerate development of the companys 3-D sequencing platform. Stockholm Corporate Finance acted as financial advisor. The new funding will enable the company to finalize automating its 3-D sequencing process, make it more robust and improve quality for both Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) and transcriptomics applications. The ambition is to open the first data sequencing production site in Stockholm by 2022.

$5M: Gates Grant for At-Home COVID-19 Test

Sherlock Biosciences has received a $5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to continue to advance INSPECTR, its instrument-free, synthetic biology-based molecular diagnostics platform. In addition to advancing the INSPECTR platform development to be as sensitive as gold-standard PCR tests, the funding will support the development of an over-the-counter disposable product, similar to an at-home pregnancy test, that can be used to detect SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Pending approval, the company says they will launch this product in mid-2021. INSPECTR, which stands for Internal Splint-Pairing Expression Cassette Translation Reaction, uses synthetic biology to enable the creation of instrument-free diagnostic tests that can be conducted at home, at room temperature. INSPECTR can be adapted to work on a simple paper strip test or to provide an electrochemical readout that can be read with a mobile phone. It can also be adapted for use in laboratory or point-of-care settings.

$4M: Prostate Health Center at Mount Sinai

Mount Sinai has received a $4 million donation from Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch to support prostate health and the Milton and Carroll Petrie Department of Urology at Mount Sinai. The prostate program will be named The Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Center for Prostate Health. The medical services provided at the Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Center for Prostate Center include state-of-the-art prostate cancer screening and imaging technologies, precision urology, focal therapy, targeted biopsies, robotics for prostate cancer surgery, prostate cancer fusion biopsy, and active surveillance. Additionally, prostate cancer experts such as Dr. Tewari; Avinash Reddy, MD; Sujit Nair, PhD; Robert Valenzuela; MD; Michael Palese, MD; and Steven Kaplan, MD, are available to see patients at the newly named Center.

$2.9M: NIH Grant for Human Placental Stem Cells

Human placental stem cells may have the potential to regenerate heart tissue after a heart attack, according to Mount Sinai researchers who have received a $2.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study them. Their findings could lead to new therapies for repairing the heart and other organs. Hina W. Chaudhry, MD, Director of Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, is the Principal Investigator for this four-year award. Dr. Chaudhry and a team of investigators previously discovered that mouse placental stem cells can help the hearts of mice recover from injury that could otherwise lead to heart failure. They identified a specific type of placental stem cells, called Cdx2 cells, as the most effective in making heart cells regenerate.

$2M: Cryo Solutions for Cell, Gene Therapy

GlycoNet has secured a $2-million USD equity investment for PanTHERA CryoSolutions (PanTHERA), a Canadian biotechnology start-up. The investment came from US-based investor Casdin Capital and bioproduction tools supplier BioLife Solutions Inc. In addition to an up-front investment, subject to closing conditions, BioLife will provide an additional $2 million to support product development over the next 24 months in exchange for exclusive, worldwide marketing and distribution rights to the technology for use in cell and gene therapy applications. The core technology from PanTHERA was created out of an academic research collaboration between the University of Ottawa and the University of Alberta. During cryopreservation of biological materials, the uncontrolled growth of ice causes cell injury and death. PanTHERA's solution is to develop ice recrystallization inhibitors (IRIs) to control the growth of ice and prevent this damage from occurring, ultimately resulting in superior cellular products after thawing.

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Follow the Money: Spatial Omics, CAR-NK Cells, AI-Powered Biology - Bio-IT World

ROCKVILLE, Md., Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Synthetic Biologics, Inc.(NYSE American: SYN),a diversified clinical-stage company leveraging the microbiome to develop therapeutics designed to prevent and treat gastrointestinal (GI) diseases in areas of high unmet need,today announced it has received approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis (Washington University), to commence the Phase 1b/2a clinical trial of SYN-004 (ribaxamase) in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients. As a result, the Company expects to commence patient enrollment for the Phase 1b/2a clinical trial in the first quarter of 2021.

The IRB-approved Phase 1b/2a clinical program will be conducted by Washington University and comprise a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial of oral SYN-004in up to 36 evaluable adult allogeneic HCT recipients. The goal of this study is to evaluate the safety, tolerability and potential absorption into the systemic circulation (if any) of 150 mg oral SYN-004 administered to allogeneic HCT recipients who receive an IV beta-lactam antibiotic to treat fever. Study participants will be enrolled into three sequential cohorts, with each receiving a different study-assigned IV beta-lactam antibiotic. Eight participants in each cohort will receive SYN-004 and four will receive placebo.

Safety and pharmacokinetic data for each cohort will be reviewed by an independent Data and Safety Monitoring Committee that will make a recommendation on whether to proceed to the next IV beta-lactam antibiotic. The study will also evaluate potential protective effects of SYN-004 on the gut microbiome as well as generate preliminary information on potential therapeutic benefits and patient outcomes of SYN-004 in allogeneic HCT recipients. Enrollment is expected to begin during the first quarter of 2021, pandemic conditions permitting.

"Approval of the Phase 1b/2a clinical protocol by Washington University's IRB is an important step in pursuing a potentially more cost-effective development strategy for SYN-004, targeting a highly specialized patient population," stated Steven A. Shallcross, Chief Executive and Financial Officer of Synthetic Biologics. "Broad spectrum IV beta-lactam antibiotics used to treat infection following conditioning chemotherapy for allogeneic HCT patients is a necessary and oftentimes lifesaving intervention. However, this may have the unintended consequence of causing dysbiosis of the microbiome which may lead to infection by opportunistic pathogens such as C. difficile (CDI) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). In previously completed clinical trials, SYN-004 demonstrated a significant reduction in the incidence of CDI and VRE in treated patients versus placebo and has the potential to significantly improve outcomes for allogenic HCT recipients. We expect to commence enrollment of patients in the first quarter of 2021 and look forward to providing further updates as we advance this exciting program."

The Washington University IRB is a committee established to review and approve research involving human subjects. The purpose of the IRB is to ensure that all human subject research is conducted in accordance with all federal, institutional, and ethical guidelines. The primary goal of an IRB is to safeguard the rights, safety and welfare of participants in research studies.

About SYN-004 (ribaxamase)

SYN-004 (ribaxamase) is an oral prophylactic therapy designed to degrade certain IV beta-lactam antibiotics within the GI tract and maintain the natural balance of the gut microbiome for the prevention of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), overgrowth of pathogenic organisms, the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and acute graft-versus-host-disease (aGVHD) in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients. Allogeneic HCT recipients routinely receive long courses of IV beta-lactam antibiotics to treat infection. Antibiotic-mediated damage of the gut microbiome in allogeneic HCT recipients has been strongly associated with adverse outcomes including CDI, vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) colonization and potentially fatal bacteremia and aGVHD. A previously completed placebo-controlled Phase 2b clinical trial of 412 patients demonstrated SYN-004 protected the gut microbiome from antibiotic-mediated dysbiosis. Patients receiving SYN-004 also demonstrated significantly better maintenance and recovery of the gut microbiome as well as lower incidences of new colonization by opportunistic and potentially pathogenic microorganisms such as VRE.

About Synthetic Biologics, Inc.

Synthetic Biologics, Inc. (NYSE American: SYN) is a diversified clinical-stage company leveraging the microbiome to develop therapeutics designed to prevent and treat gastrointestinal (GI) diseases in areas of high unmet need. The Company's lead candidates are: (1) SYN-004 (ribaxamase) which is designed to degrade certain commonly used intravenous (IV) beta-lactam antibiotics within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to prevent (a) microbiome damage, (b) Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), (c) overgrowth of pathogenic organisms, (d) the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and (e) acute graft-versus-host-disease (aGVHD) in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients, and (2) SYN-020, a recombinant oral formulation of the enzyme intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) produced under cGMP conditions and intended to treat both local GI and systemic diseases. For more information, please visit Synthetic Biologics' website at http://www.syntheticbiologics.com.

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "should," "potential," "continue," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," and similar expressions, and includes statements regarding the Company commencing patient enrollment for the Phase 1b/2a clinical trial in the first quarter of 2021, the potential of SYN-004 to significantly improve outcomes for allogenic HCT recipientand the intended benefits to be derived from SYN-004 and SYN-020. These forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations and assumptions from those set forth or implied by any forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among others, Synthetic Biologics' ability to commence patient enrollment for thePhase 1b/2a clinical trial in the first quarter of 2021, the ability to continue to comply with continued listing requirements of the NYSE American, the ability of its product candidates to demonstrate safety and effectiveness, as well as results that are consistent with prior results, Synthetic Biologics' clinical trials continuing and/or beginning enrollment as expected, a failure to receive the necessary regulatory approvals for commencement of clinical trials and commercialization of Synthetic Biologics' therapeutics, including approval of proposed trial designs, a failure of Synthetic Biologics' clinical trials, and those conducted by investigators, for SYN-004 and SYN-020 to be commenced or completed on time or to achieve desired results and benefits, a failure of Synthetic Biologics' clinical trials to continue enrollment as expected or receive anticipated funding, a failure of Synthetic Biologics to successfully develop, market or sell its products, Synthetic Biologics' inability to maintain its material licensing agreements, or a failure by Synthetic Biologics or its strategic partners to successfully commercialize products, Synthetic Biologics' ability to achieve acceptance of its product candidates in the marketplace and the successful development, marketing or sale of Synthetic Biologics' products by competitors that render Synthetic Biologics' products obsolete or non-competitive, the continued maintenance and growth of Synthetic Biologics' patent estate, Synthetic Biologics becoming and remaining profitable, Synthetic Biologics' ability to obtain or maintain the capital or grants necessary to fund its research and development activities, a loss of any of Synthetic Biologics' key scientists or management personnel and other factors described in Synthetic Biologics' Form 10-K and 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2019 and its other filings with the SEC, including subsequent periodic reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. The information in this release is provided only as of the date of this release, and Synthetic Biologics undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release on account of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE Synthetic Biologics, Inc.

http://www.syntheticbiologics.com

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Synthetic Biologics Announces Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis IRB Approval of the SYN-004 (ribaxamase) Phase 1b/2a Clinical...

DUBLIN, Dec. 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global CAR T-Cell Therapy Market: Focus on Product, Mechanism, Application, Target Antigen, Country Data (14 Countries), and Competitive Landscape - Analysis and Forecast, 2020-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The scientific community has been pursuing research for the development of CAR T-cell therapy for over a century. Immunotherapy has emerged as an innovative treatment option over decades, as it harnesses the patient's immune system to attack cancer. The global market for CAR T-cell therapy is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 44.79% over the forecast period 2020-2030. The market is driven by certain factors, which include increasing global geriatric population, increasing number of lymphoma and leukemia cases, rising number of relapsed or refractory cancer cases showing response failure to alternative treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, focus on research and development of novel immunotherapies, and strong product pipeline of global CAR T-cell therapy.

The market is favored by the development of CAR T-cell therapy for several clinical areas such as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), multiple myeloma (MM), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), follicular lymphoma (FL), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), and other cancers or indications. The increase in the geriatric population and the increasing number of lymphoma and leukemia cases across the globe are expected to translate into significantly higher demand for the CAR T-cell therapy market.

Furthermore, the companies are investing huge amounts in research and development of CAR T-cell therapy either as a monotherapy or as combination therapy. The clinical trial landscape of various hematologic cancers has been on the rise in recent years, and this will fuel the CAR T-cell therapy market in the future.

Within the research report, the market is segmented based on application, target antigen, and region. Each of these segments covers the snapshot of the market over the projected years, the inclination of the market revenue, underlying patterns, and trends by using analytics on the primary and secondary data obtained.

Competitive Landscape

The exponential rise in the application of precision medicine on a global level has created a buzz among companies to invest in the development of novel CAR T-cell therapy. Due to the diverse product portfolio and intense market penetration, Novartis AG. has been a pioneer in this field and has been a significant competitor in this market.

The pharmaceutical leading manufacturer, Kite Pharma, Inc. (a Gilead Company), has launched its CAR T-cell therapies into the market such as Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel), and Tecartus (brexucabtagene autoleucel) to compete with Novartis AG's Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel) therapy market dominance.

Based on region, North America holds the largest share of the CAR T-cell therapy market due to improved healthcare infrastructure, rise in per capita income, early availability of approved therapies, and availability of state-of-the-art research laboratories and institutions in the region. Apart from this, the Asia-Pacific region is anticipated to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period.

Growth Drivers

Market Challenges

Market Opportunities

Key Questions Answered in this Report:

Key Topics Covered:

1 Technology Definition

2 Research Scope

3 Research Methodology

4 Market Overview4.1 Timeline of CAR T-Cell Therapy Development4.2 CAR T-Cell Therapy Market and Growth Potential, 2019-20304.3 CAR T-Cell Therapy and Clinical Trials Landscape4.3.1 Overview4.3.2 Clinical Trials in China4.3.3 Clinical Trials in Rest-of-the-World

5 Global CAR T-Cell Therapy Market, $Million, 2019-20305.1 Commercialized Therapeutics5.1.1 Tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah)5.1.2 Axicabtagene Ciloleucel (Yescarta)5.1.3 Brexucabtagene Autoleucel (Tecartus)5.2 Pipeline Therapeutics5.2.1 BB2121 (Idecaptagene Cicleucel)5.2.2 JCAR017 (Lisocabtagene Maraleucel)5.2.3 KTE-C19 (Axicabtagene Ciloleucel)5.2.4 CTL019 (Tisagenlecleucel)5.2.5 JNJ-682845285.3 Impact of COVID-19 - CAR T-Cell Therapy5.3.1 Impact of COVID-19 on Global CAR T-Cell Therapy Market Growth Rate5.3.2 Clinical Trial Disruptions and Resumptions5.3.3 COVID-19 Impact on Supply Chain of CAR T-Cell Therapy Market5.3.4 Reduced Diagnosis of Cancer5.3.5 Impact on Commercial Operations

6 CAR T-Cell Therapy Patent Landscape

7 Epidemiology of CAR T-Cell Therapy7.1 Overview7.2 CAR T-Cell Therapy Side-Effects7.2.1 Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS)7.2.2 CAR T-Cell-Related Encephalopathy Syndrome (CRES)7.2.3 Immune Effector Cell-Associated Neurotoxicity Syndrome (ICANS)7.3 Management of CAR T-Cell Therapy Side-Effects

8 Industry Insights8.1 Overview8.2 Regulatory Scenario of CAR T-Cell Therapy8.3 Legal Requirements and Frameworks in U.S.8.3.1 Clinical Trial Authorization8.3.2 Marketing Authorization8.3.3 USFDA Guidelines for BLA Submission8.3.4 Post-Authorization Regulations8.4 Legal Requirements and Frameworks in Europe8.4.1 EMA Biologics License Application Process8.4.2 Centralized Procedure8.4.3 Decentralized Procedure8.4.4 Mutual-Recognition Procedure8.4.5 National Procedure8.5 Legal Requirements and Frameworks in Asia-Pacific8.5.1 Regulation of Cell Immunotherapy in China8.5.2 Legal Requirements and Frameworks in Japan8.6 Expedited Regulatory Designations Around the World8.7 Pricing of CAR T-Cell Therapy8.8 Reimbursement of CAR T-Cell Therapy

9 CAR T-Cell Therapy Development and Manufacturing9.1 Overview9.2 Challenges in CAR T-Cell Therapy9.2.1 Therapy Approval9.2.2 Manufacture Quality Control9.2.3 Efficacy and Quality-Adjusted Life-Year (QALY) Assessment9.2.4 Safety Assessment9.2.5 Pricing and Patient Access9.2.6 Reimbursement

10 Market Dynamics10.1 Impact Analysis10.2 Market Drivers10.2.1 Rising Number of Patients with Hematologic Cancers10.2.2 Dramatic Rise in Global CAR T-Cell Trials10.2.3 Landmark Approvals of CAR T-Cell Therapies by USFDA and EMA10.3 Market Restraints10.3.1 High Treatment Cost of CAR T-Cell Therapy10.3.2 Side-Effects of CAR T-Cell Therapy10.4 Market Opportunities10.4.1 Opportunities for Immunotherapy

11 Global CAR T-Cell Therapy Market (by Application)11.1 Overview11.2 Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL)11.3 Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)11.4 Multiple Myeloma (MM)11.5 Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)11.6 Follicular Lymphoma (FL)11.7 Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL)11.8 Others

12 Global CAR T-Cell Therapy Market (by Target Antigen)12.1 Overview12.2 CD19/CD2212.3 BCMA (B-Cell Maturation Antigen)12.4 Other Antigens

13 Global CAR T-Cell Therapy Market (by Region)13.1 Introduction13.2 North America13.2.1 U.S.13.2.1.1 U.S. CAR T-Cell Therapy Market (by Application), 2019-203013.2.2 Canada13.2.2.1 Canada CAR T-Cell Therapy Market (by Application), 2019-203013.3 Europe13.3.1 Germany13.3.1.1 Germany CAR T-Cell Therapy Market (by Application), 2019-203013.3.2 U.K.13.3.2.1 U.K. CAR T-Cell Therapy Market (by Application), 2019-203013.3.3 France13.3.3.1 France CAR T-Cell Therapy Market (by Application), 2019-203013.3.4 Italy13.3.4.1 Italy CAR T-Cell Therapy Market (by Application), 2019-203013.3.5 Spain13.3.5.1 Spain CAR T-Cell Therapy Market (by Application), 2019-203013.3.6 Rest-of-Europe13.3.6.1 Rest-of-Europe CAR T-Cell Therapy Market (by Application), 2019-203013.4 Asia-Pacific13.4.1 China13.4.2 Japan13.4.2.1 Japan CAR T-Cell Therapy Market (by Application), 2019-203013.4.3 India13.4.4 South Korea13.4.5 Australia13.4.5.1 Australia CAR T-Cell Therapy Market (by Application), 2019-203013.4.6 Rest-of-APAC13.4.6.1 Rest-of-APAC CAR T-Cell Therapy Market (by Application), 2019-203013.5 Latin America13.5.1 Brazil13.5.2 Mexico13.5.3 Rest-of-Latin America13.6 Rest-of-the-World

14 Competitive Landscape14.1 Key Developments and Strategies14.1.1 Overview14.1.1.1 Regulatory and Legal Developments14.1.1.2 Partnerships, Alliances, and Business Expansions14.1.1.3 M&A Activities14.1.1.4 Funding Activities14.2 Market Share Analysis

15 Company Profiles15.1 Overview15.2 Amgen, Inc.15.2.1 Company Overview15.2.2 Role of Amgen, Inc. in Global CAR T-Cell Therapy Market15.2.3 Financials15.2.4 R&D Expenditure, 2017-201915.2.5 SWOT Analysis15.3 Autolus Therapeutics plc15.4 Bellicum Pharmaceuticals, Inc.15.5 Bluebird Bio Inc15.6 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company15.7 CARsgen Therapeutics, Ltd.15.8 Cartesian Therapeutics, Inc.15.9 Cellectis S.A.15.1 Celyad Oncology SA15.11 Fortress Biotech, Inc15.12 Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.15.13 Kite Pharma, Inc (A Gilead Company)15.14 Legend Biotech Corporation15.15 Novartis AG15.16 Pfizer Inc.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/sywmmz

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [emailprotected]

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Worldwide CAR T-Cell Therapy Industry to 2030 - Players Include Legend Biotech, Novartis & Pfizer Among Others - PRNewswire

By Sophie Holman-Jones, Third Year, Biomedical Sciences

Researchers at the University of Bristol have successfully manipulated cell-like micro-bots in the form of synthetic protocells to generate nitric oxide (NO) gas in blood vessels of rabbits. Developing micro-bots capable of integration within human cells could give rise to many possibilities with clinical benefits in the near future.

When biomedical engineering was in its infancy, the possibility of the use of artificial models (bots) to regulate disease management would have seemed impossible. This month, thanks to a team from the University of Bristol, we took a step closer to making this a reality. The ground-breaking research was headed by Professor Stephen Mann and Dr Mei Li, from the Department of Chemistry, in collaboration with colleagues from Hunan University and Central South University in China.

The team innovatively managed to develop bots (which they refer to as protocells) by deriving fragments of red-blood cells from sheep blood and manipulating them to assemble themselves around tiny droplets of an enzyme known as glucose oxidase. After assembly, the protocells were injected into rabbits, which is where a series of chemical reactions was observed.

In the presence of glucose, which occurs naturally in the blood, the enzyme glucose oxidase produces the chemical compound hydrogen peroxide. Red blood cells also contain a protein called haemoglobin, which mainly functions to transport oxygen around the body. In this case, haemoglobin recruits the hydrogen peroxide in order to aid the break-down of hydroxyurea (an oral drug commonly prescribed for certain cancers) into NO. The production of NO via this series of reactions is extremely rapid and was shown to increase twenty-one-fold in ten minutes.

NO is naturally produced in the body in order to relax smooth muscle and thus stimulate blood vessel dilation. The profound effect of protocell injection on NO production in sheep caused a 1.2-fold increase in blood vessel diameter compared to an unrelaxed vessel.

Manns team also noted a significant reduction in heart rate and blood pressure. The effect of blood vessel size can be thought of similarly to drinking through a straw; the smaller the diameter of the straw, the harder you need to suck to drink through it. Likewise, the wider the vessel diameter, the less force needs to be generated by the heart to pump the blood around the body.

High blood pressure is associated with a plethora of health complications, including heart attacks, strokes and heart failure. According to the World Health Organisation cardiovascular disease is the single biggest killer globally and costs the NHS 7 billion each year. The reduction in blood pressure seen by Manns team in rabbits means that a similar effect could potentially be replicable in humans. This method could have real therapeutic potential, in terms of preventing health problems associated with high blood pressure and relieving some of the financial burden on our health systems.

Even more exciting are the many other potential applications this pioneering work could have in the wider clinical field, which have not yet been elucidated. For example, it could allow for drugs to circulate in the body for extended periods of time or be administered to specific therapeutic targets that are otherwise difficult to reach via conventional methods. Medical drugs could also be designed to be more compatible with the patient to ensure they are more tolerable by the body.

In short, micro-bots could be an invaluable tool to manage cardiovascular disease and many other related illnesses. Using bots in this way is still in its early stages and should be corroborated by other studies before extensive clinical use. Nevertheless, this is still an exciting prospect and certainly one to watch for in the field of biologics.

Featured Image: Flickr / Mike Goad

Which new promising clinical therapies have you heard about? Can protocells be an answer to many critical illnesses?

Read more here:
Bristol University's micro-bots could change the face of medicine - Epigram

-- Initiate Phase 1b randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of novel chemoprotective agent ALRN-6924 in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving first-line carboplatin doublet chemotherapy in second quarter 2021, advancing ALRN-6924 clinical development into a large cancer indication-- Report initial results from Phase 1b NSCLC clinical trial in fourth quarter 2021-- Report additional results from ongoing Phase 1b proof-of-concept clinical trial of ALRN-6924 in patients with small cell lung cancer receiving topotecan in first quarter 2021

WATERTOWN, Mass., Dec. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --Aileron Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ALRN) today provided a business update and outlined its strategic priorities for 2021, including announcing more details about the design and conduct of a Phase 1b randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of ALRN-6924 in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoing treatment with first-line carboplatin doublet chemotherapy (with or without immune checkpoint inhibitors), planned to begin enrolling in the second quarter of 2021. Aileron is developing ALRN-6924 as a novel medicine to selectively protect healthy cells in patients with cancers that harbor p53 mutations to reduce or eliminate chemotherapy-induced side effects while preserving chemotherapys activity on cancer cells, a concept known as chemoprotection.

2020 has been a year of important progress for Aileron, most notably achieving clinical proof-of-concept for ALRN-6924 as a chemoprotective agent in patients with p53-mutated small cell lung cancer (SCLC) undergoing treatment with topotecan, said Manuel Aivado, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Aileron. In 2021, we aim to make further strides in our clinical development efforts by initiating a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of ALRN-6924 in patients with advanced NSCLC. This trial represents a key step toward advancing our vision to bring chemoprotection to all patients with p53-mutant cancer regardless of cancer type or chemotherapy. We believe chemoprotection has the potential to transform chemotherapy similar to the way anesthesia transformed surgery.

Dr. Aivado further commented, February 2021 will mark a critical milestone for the emerging chemoprotection field the first PDUFA date of a chemoprotective agent. While that therapeutics focus is myelopreservation, or the concept of protecting bone marrow cells from chemotherapy-induced toxicities, we view chemoprotections potential through a broader lens. We believe that, due to its mechanism of action, ALRN-6924 may have the potential not only to protect bone marrow cells from chemotherapy but also to protect other cell types, such as hair follicle cells and cells lining the oral cavity, among others. Currently there are no therapies to prevent hair loss or the painful mouth sores that patients undergoing chemotherapy often experience due to chemotherapys destruction of healthy cells.

Aileron Strategic Priorities and Anticipated Key Value Drivers in 2021

Initiate Phase 1b Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial in First-Line NSCLC and Report Initial Data

Today, Aileron announced additional details about its planned Phase 1b clinical trial of ALRN-6924 in patients with advanced NSCLC. The company plans to begin patient enrollment in the second quarter of 2021, subject to obtaining funding for the trial, and expects that the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will be part of a registration program designed to ultimately support approval for ALRN-6924 in NSCLC. Aileron anticipates enrolling approximately 40 patients with stage IV NSCLC undergoing treatment with first-line carboplatin doublet chemotherapy with or without an immune checkpoint inhibitor. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to receive either 0.3 mg/kg of ALRN-6924 or placebo. Endpoints will include the effect of ALRN-6924 to limit chemotherapy-induced bone marrow toxicities. Aileron anticipates reporting initial results from the trial late in the fourth quarter of 2021 and full results mid-2022.

In the U.S. alone, there are nearly 200,000 new cases of NSCLC diagnosed each year, and an estimated 50% or more of patients with NSCLC have p53-mutated cancer.1,2 Across all cancer types, there are an estimated 1.8 million patients in the U.S. diagnosed each year, and an estimated 50% of all cancer patients have p53-mutated cancer.1,3

Report Data Readouts from Ongoing Phase 1b Clinical Trial of ALRN-6924 in SCLC and Ongoing Healthy Volunteer Study

In 2021, Aileron plans to report additional results from its ongoing Phase 1b clinical trial in patients with SCLC. In October 2020, Aileron presented positive clinical data from the trial demonstrating clinical proof-of-concept that treatment with ALRN-6924 resulted in a protective effect against severe anemia, thrombocytopenia and neutropenia in patients with p53-mutated SCLC treated with topotecan. The data set from this trial, which Aileron plans to announce in the first quarter of 2021, will include results across all dose levels evaluating ALRN-6924 administered 24 hours prior to topotecan administration (24-hr schedule), including an exploratory 0.2 mg/kg dose level, as well as results from a cohort evaluating 0.3 mg/kg ALRN-6924 administered six hours prior to topotecan administration (6-hr schedule), which has now completed enrollment, with a total of six patients. In addition, Aileron initiated a healthy volunteer study in November 2020 to characterize the time to onset, and magnitude and duration of cell cycle arrest in human bone marrow relative to ALRN-6924 administration. Due to COVID-19-related delays, Aileron is updating its guidance on the readout of the healthy volunteer study from the second quarter of 2021 to mid-2021.

We expect that, taken together, these additional results from the Phase 1b clinical trial of ALRN-6924 in patients with small cell lung cancer and the results from the healthy volunteer study, will further inform and support future randomized, controlled trials of ALRN-6924 when given prior to various chemotherapies, said Dr. Aivado.

How ALRN-6924 Is Designed to Protect Healthy Cells from Chemotherapy

ALRN-6924 is being developed by Aileron as a novel chemoprotective medicine to selectively protect healthy cells in patients with cancers that harbor p53 mutations to reduce or eliminate chemotherapy-induced side effects.

Chemotherapy preferentially acts on cells that are cycling or undergoing the process of cell division. In cancer cells, the cell cycle is unchecked, which leads to uncontrolled cell proliferation, a hallmark of cancer. Certain types of healthy cells also naturally need to cycle, such as bone marrow cells, hair follicle cells, skin cells, and cells lining the oral cavity and the gastrointestinal tract. As a result, chemotherapy preferentially targets and kills both cycling healthy cells and cycling cancer cells. This, in turn, can lead to a spectrum of chemotherapy-induced side effects, from unpleasant to life-threatening and fatal.

ALRN-6924, an investigational first-in-class MDM2/MDMX dual inhibitor, is administered prior to chemotherapy to patients with p53-mutant cancers. ALRN-6924 is designed to activate normal p53 protein in patients healthy cells, temporarily and reversibly pausing cell cycling to selectively shield the patients healthy cells from chemotherapy. The protection is limited to healthy cells, as ALRN-6924 cannot work in p53-mutated cancer cells given that p53 has lost its function in those cells. Therefore, cancer cells continue to cycle uninterrupted and remain fully susceptible to destruction by chemotherapy.

About Aileron Therapeutics

At Aileron, we are focused on transforming the experience of chemotherapy for cancer patients, enabling them to fight cancer without the fear or burden of chemotherapy-induced side effects. ALRN-6924, our first-in-class MDM2/MDMX dual inhibitor activating p53, is the only reported chemoprotective agent in clinical development to employ a biomarker strategy, in which we exclusively focus on treating patients with p53-mutated cancers. With this unique, targeted strategy, ALRN-6924 is designed to protect multiple healthy cell types throughout the body from chemotherapy while chemotherapy continues to destroy cancer cells.

In addition to potentially reducing or eliminating multiple side effects, ALRN-6924 may also improve patients quality of life and help them better tolerate chemotherapy, potentially allowing patients to complete their treatment without dose reductions or delays. Our vision is to bring chemoprotection to patients with p53-mutated cancers approximately 50% of cancer patients regardless of cancer type or chemotherapy. Visit us at aileronrx.com to learn more.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release about Aileron's future expectations, plans and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the Companys strategy and clinical development plans. The words anticipate, believe, continue, could, estimate, expect, intend, may, plan, potential, predict, project, should, target, would and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including whether Ailerons cash resources will be sufficient to fund its continuing operations for the periods anticipated; whether the Company will obtain sufficient cash resources to conduct its planned clinical trials; whether initial results of clinical trials will be indicative of final results of those trials or results obtained in future clinical trials; whether Ailerons product candidates will advance through the clinical trial process on a timely basis, or at all; whether the results of such trials will be accepted by and warrant submission for approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies; whether Aileron's product candidates will receive approval from regulatory agencies on a timely basis or at all; whether, if product candidates obtain approval, they will be successfully distributed and marketed; what impact the coronavirus pandemic may have on the timing of our clinical development, clinical supply and our operations; and other factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of Aileron's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2020, filed on November 12, 2020, and risks described in other filings that Aileron may make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and Aileron specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise.

Investor Contacts: Media Contact:Richard Wanstall, SVP Chief Financial Officer Liz MeloneAileron Therapeutics 617-256-6622617-995-0900 lmelone@aileronrx.comrwanstall@aileronrx.com

Hans C. VitzthumLifeSci Advisors, LLC.617-430-7578hans@lifesciadvisors.com

___________________________________________

1 American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2020. Atlanta: American Cancer Society.2 The AACR Project GENIE Consortium. AACR Project GENIE: powering precision medicine through an international consortium. Cancer Discovery. 2017;7(8):818-831.3 Hoe, K., Verma, C., and Lane, D.P., Drugging the p53 pathway: understanding the route toclinical efficacy. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery. 2014;13:218-236.

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Aileron Therapeutics Provides Business Update and Outlines 2021 Strategic Priorities - BioSpace

Hui Wang, Shaoxia Du, Jun Cai, Juan Wang, Xiaohong Shen

School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, Peoples Republic of China

Correspondence: Xiaohong ShenSchool of Medicine, Nankai University, Nankai District, Tianjin 300071, Peoples Republic of ChinaTel +86-22-23501649Email zebial2014@163.com

Background: Apolipoprotein E2 (ApoE2) is reported to be essential for cell metastasis and proliferation and has been considered a potential diagnostic marker in many cancers. However, the function of ApoE2 in the metastasis of pancreatic cancer, as well as the underlying mechanism, remain unclear.Purpose: In this study, we explored the effect of ApoE2 on the migration and invasion abilities of pancreatic cancer cells and explored the underlying molecular mechanism.Methods and Results: Wound healing and Matrigel Transwell assays were used to investigate the role of ApoE2 in cell migration and invasion. Western blotting analysis showed that ApoE2 was overexpressed in pancreatic cancer tissues. Additionally, the overexpression of ApoE2 promoted the process of epithelialmesenchymal transition (EMT) and enhanced the expression of MMP-2/9 in pancreatic cancer cells. Mechanistically, we found that inhibition of ERK1/2 signaling with PD98059 impaired the ApoE2-mediated promotion of cell migration, invasion and EMT.Conclusion: This study demonstrated that ApoE2/ERK1/2 signaling promoted the migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. ApoE2 might be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of pancreatic cancer metastasis.

Keywords: apolipoprotein E2, ERK1/2, migration, invasion, pancreatic cancer

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OSLO, Norway--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ultimovacs ASA ("Ultimovacs", ticker ULTI), today announced the initiation of FOCUS, a Phase II randomized clinical trial that will evaluate the Companys proprietary universal cancer vaccine, UV1, in 75 patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer who will be treated with standard of care therapy pembrolizumab. The trial will be conducted at 10 sites across Germany and led by principal investigator Prof. Mascha Binder, M.D., Medical Director and Head of the Immunological Tumor Group at University Medicine Halle, Germany, who is a renowned oncology clinician and researcher specializing in the analysis of immuno-oncology treatments and their interaction with tumor tissues. The FOCUS trial is Ultimovacs fourth Phase II clinical trial with UV1 and comes in addition to the collaboration Phase II trial announced in May 2020.

We continue to strategically expand our clinical development program for our proprietary cancer vaccine, not only by testing UV1 in additional cancer indications with critical need, such as head and neck cancer, but also by collaborating with clinicians like Professor Binder who can provide us with unique insights, stated Jens Bjrheim, Chief Medical Officer at Ultimovacs. Professor Binder and her team are well-recognized experts who will increase our understanding of UV1s mechanism of action and contribute data on anti-tumor activity induced by UV1 vaccination.

The FOCUS (First-line metastatic Or recurrent HNSCC/Checkpoint inhibitor UV1 Study) Phase II trial is an investigator-sponsored, randomized Phase II clinical trial that will recruit patients with recurrent or metastatic PD-L1 positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma across 10 clinical sites in Germany. The trial will evaluate the addition of UV1 to a standard of care treatment with PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab as compared to pembrolizumab monotherapy. A total of 75 patients indicated for treatment with pembrolizumab will be enrolled in the FOCUS study, randomized 2-to-1 so that 50 patients will receive UV1 and pembrolizumab and 25 patients will receive pembrolizumab alone. The primary endpoint of the study is the progression-free survival rate at 6 months, and planned readout of topline results is expected in 2023. The FOCUS Phase II trial is partially supported through an innovation grant of up to NOK 16 million from the Norwegian Research Council and will not require Ultimovacs to secure additional financing at this stage.

This clinical trial is the extension of an earlier collaboration with Ultimovacs that introduced me to the therapeutic potential of the UV1 approach, commented Professor Mascha Binder, M.D., Medical Director and Head of the Immunological Tumor Group at University Medicine Halle. I am excited to apply my own insights as well as my teams expertise to this trial with the goal of potentially providing head and neck cancer patients with better treatment options.

We have continued to build momentum in our broad clinical development program with the start of the FOCUS study, representing the important opportunity to test UV1 in combination with pembrolizumab in a randomized setting for the first time, said Carlos de Sousa, Chief Executive Officer at Ultimovacs. We welcome the funding provided by the Norwegian Research Council, which supports our ability as a small biotechnology company to conduct four Phase II trials in parallel and evaluate UV1 in different indications with more than 450 patients and as part of various treatment combinations.

Dr. de Sousa added: Although we have signed our agreement with the lead investigator for our previously announced third Phase II clinical trial, we will need to wait for the investigator and the pharmaceutical partner to finalize the signature process for their agreement before we can provide full details, which we expect to do before year end.

About UV1UV1 is a peptide-based vaccine inducing a specific T cell response against the universal cancer antigen telomerase. UV1 is being developed as a therapeutic cancer vaccine which may serve as a platform for use in combination with other immunotherapy which requires an ongoing T cell response for their mode of action. To date, UV1 has been tested in four phase I clinical trials in a total of 82 patients and maintained a positive safety and tolerability profile as well as encouraging signals of efficacy.

About UV1 Clinical ProgramsAs a universal cancer vaccine, UV1s unique mechanism of action has the potential to be applicable across most cancer types. The clinical development of the UV1 vaccine includes four randomized, multinational, Phase II combination trials recruiting more than 450 patients in total. The INITIUM trial is an Ultimovacs-sponsored clinical trial recruiting 154 patients with metastatic malignant melanoma to evaluate UV1 in combination with ipilimumab and nivolumab as first-line treatment. The NIPU study is testing UV1 in combination with checkpoint inhibitors ipilimumab and nivolumab as second-line treatment in 118 patients with advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma, a rare lung cancer. The study is sponsored by Oslo University Hospital and Bristol-Myers Squibb is providing the checkpoint inhibitors for this study. Ultimovacs anticipates announcing data on the primary endpoints for the NIPU and INITIUM studies in 2022. A third Phase II clinical trial will evaluate UV1 in a new cancer indication in combination with indication-specific standard of care cancer therapies different from those to be tested in INITIUM and NIPU. In this new collaboration, Ultimovacs will supply UV1 and a big pharma company will supply its proprietary cancer treatment to the clinical trial group, which will sponsor the trial. The fourth trial, FOCUS, is an investigator-sponsored, randomized clinical trial, enrolling 75 patients with metastatic head and neck cancer receiving pembrolizumab as standard of care, to evaluate the impact of adding UV1 to this regimen.

About UltimovacsUltimovacs UV1 universal cancer vaccine candidate leverages the high prevalence of the human telomerase (hTERT) to be effective across the dynamic stages of the tumors growth and its microenvironment. By directing the immune system to hTERT antigens that are present in over 80% of all cancers, UV1 drives CD4 helper T cells to the tumor with the goal of activating an immune system cascade to increase anti-tumor responses. Ultimovacs strategy is to clinically demonstrate UV1s impact in a range of cancers and in several immunotherapy combinations while expanding our pipeline of cancer vaccine therapies, convinced that a universal approach may be the key to achieving better outcomes for patients.

For further information, please see http://www.ultimovacs.com

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Ultimovacs ASA Initiates FOCUS Phase II Trial for Universal Cancer Vaccine, UV1, in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Receiving Pembrolizumab - Business...

Immunai, a company specializing in comprehensive mapping of the human immune system, is joining forces with 10x Genomics. The latter will leverage its single-cell technologies to map hundreds of cell types and states. By applying its artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms, Immunai supports biomarker discovery and insight generation to help power new therapeutic discoveries and accelerate drug development.

Outsourcing-Pharma (OSP) discussed the partnership with Luis Voloch (LV), CTO and co-founder of Immunai, and how the map generated through the collaborative effort stands to benefit drug developers.

OSP: Please tell us a bit about Immunai.

LV: Immunai is comprehensively mapping the immune system to power new therapeutic discoveries, accelerate drug development, and improve patient outcomes. Leveraging single-cell technologies to profile cells and machine learning to map incoming data to hundreds of cell types and states, Immunai supports biomarker discovery and insight generation to better detect, diagnose, and treat disease.

The immune system is an incredibly complex, distributed system that researchers have been trying to understand with limited success for years. Immunai is the first company to fully map the immune system, generating the largest proprietary database for immunology.

Were disrupting legacy companies by analyzing 10,000 times more data from each cell than they are. No one is doing exactly what were doing.

OSP: How did you come to partner with 10x Genomics?

LV: There is an undeniable fit between the goals and capabilities of our two companies. At Immunai, we want to use AI to identify and understand novel elements within hundreds of different cell types to inform drug development, and we have been leveraging 10xs products to do that at a granular level from the start.

Through our initial work together, we identified even more mutually beneficial applications of our technologies for pharma companies and academic institutions alike. So we most recently applied to 10xs Certified Service Provider Program to give 10xs customers access to our advanced immune profiling solutions.

OSP: What does each of you bring to the table in this partnership, and how will the collaboration work?

LV: With this collaboration, we will pair our immune cell atlas with the phenotypic clinical data that hospitals, biopharma, and biotech companies derive from 10xs technology. With Immunais end-to-end computational AI pipeline customized for single-cell methods, researchers at pharmaceutical and cell therapy companies can better understand how immune cells operate with both granularity and scale. In turn, we will help 10xs customers answer clinical and translational questions related to the immune response to therapies.

OSP: Could you please talk a bit about the evolution of AI and how drug discovery professionals have made use of it to date?

LV: An analysis published earlier this year in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the median cost of R&D for a new drug in the years between 2009 and 2018 was $985 million. This ever-increasing cost forces pharma companies to search for innovative means to create efficiencies in drug development.

Pharma companies are catching on to what Immunai already knows: AI can maximize our ability to layer data points, uncover deep insights, and advance research.

We envision AIin conjunction with human intelligenceas the major component to understanding and curing cancer. AI will increasingly have a tremendous impact on pharma. Pharma has traditionally had to experiment by testing out different compounds in a dish or in animals.

With more biological data available, AI provides a partial alternative to this that allows us to predict (without actual experiments) the impact of compounds in different biological systems. This ability has increased the speed in which we can profile and improve compounds.

OSP: What is particularly novel and noteworthy about this projectwhat do you hope to accomplish that hasnt been accomplished before?

LV: Until now, no one has been able to uncover the complexities of the immune system in the way that Immunai has. Current single-cell approaches generally operate at the scale of small academic studies because they suffer from the problem of batch effects, where noise from variation in biological samples quickly washes out any real biological signal as scale grows.

Immunais end-to-end platform is designed to manage batch effects through both proprietary lab methods and advanced AI, allowing us to build a large multi-omic single-cell database that we pair with clinical context. We train our proprietary neural network models on this data to surface insights about immune responses and facilitate the development of better therapies.

This lack of understanding of the immune system contributes to inefficiencies in drug R&D. Developing immunotherapies based on information provided by only two cells doesnt give researchers a view of the entire picture.

We believe that this collaboration will help to drastically improve the development of therapies and answer some of the biggest questions about cancer.

OSP: Is there anything youd like to add that we didnt touch upon?

LV: Our work with 10x is the second official collaboration weve announced over the past few months. In November, we announced a collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine to drive forward the development of novel NKT cell therapies. As our database continues to grow with these partnerships, we can apply learnings around immune response across different diseases from cancer to autoimmune disorders to cardiovascular diseases as well.

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Collaboration to chart AI-generated map of the immune system - OutSourcing-Pharma.com

By Frances D'Emilio, The Associated Press on December 21, 2020.

VATICAN CITY The Vatican on Monday declared that it is morally acceptable for Roman Catholics to receive COVID-19 vaccines based on research that used cells derived from aborted fetuses, guidance that came after some churchmen in the United States argued that such products were immoral.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vaticans watchdog office for doctrinal orthodoxy, said it had received several requests for guidance during recent months. The doctrinal office pointed out that bishops, Catholic groups and experts have offered diverse and sometimes conflicting pronouncements on the matter.

Drawing on Vatican pronouncements in past years about developing vaccines prepared from cells derived from aborted fetuses, the watchdog offices statement was examined by Pope Francis, who ordered it to be made public.

The Catholic Churchs teaching says that abortion is a grave sin.

The Vatican concluded that it is morally acceptable to receive COVID-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses in the research and production process when ethically irreproachable vaccines arent available to the public. But it stressed that the licit uses of such vaccines does not and should not in any way imply that there is a moral endorsement of the use of cell lines proceeding from aborted fetuses.

The Vatican didnt name any of the COVID-19 vaccines already being given to people in some countries or authorized to be used soon.

In its statement, the Vatican explained that obtaining vaccines that do not pose an ethical dilemma is not always possible. It cited circumstances in countries where vaccines without ethical problems are not made available to physicians and patients or where special storage or transport conditions make their distribution more difficult.

Much of the Vaticans pronouncement had echoes in a statement last week by officials of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The U.S. conference officials said that in view of the gravity of the current pandemic and the lack of availability of alternative vaccines, receiving the vaccines being distributed in the United States is justified despite their remote connection to morally compromised cell lines.

Getting vaccinated against the coronavirus ought to be understood as an act of charity toward the other members of our community, the U.S. bishops conference officials said.

Weeks earlier, two U.S. bishops, one in Texas and one in California, had denounced vaccines using cell lines from the tissue of aborted fetuses as immorally produced. One of the bishops said he refused to receive such a vaccine and encouraged rank-and-file Catholics to follow his lead.

The Vatican, in reassuring faithful Catholics that getting a COVID-19 vaccine would not violate the churchs moral teaching, noted that health authorities do not allow citizens to choose the vaccine with which to be inoculated. Given such circumstances, it is morally acceptable to receive vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses, the Vatican said.

The Vatican said the COVID-19 vaccines that are getting rolled out or are expected to be soon used cell lines drawn from tissue obtained from two abortions that occurred in the last century.

The Vatican hasnt said if and when Francis would be vaccinated against the coronavirus. The 84-year-old pontiff has a pilgrimage to Iraq planned for early March, and its widely expected that he and the aides accompanying him would get vaccinated ahead of travel abroad.

The Roman Catholic churchs doctrinal orthodoxy office said vaccination is not, as a rule, a moral obligation and must be voluntary. Still, it said, from an ethical point of view, the morality of vaccination depends not only on the duty to protect ones own health but also on the duty to pursue the common good.

Those for reasons of conscience opting not to receive vaccinations produced by cell lines from aborted fetuses, must do their utmost to avoid, by appropriate behaviour and preventive means, becoming vehicles for transmission, the congregation said.

In any case, there is also a moral imperative for the pharmaceutical industry, governments and international organizations to ensure that safe, effective and ethically acceptable vaccines are accessible to the poorest countries and not too costly for them, the Vaticans doctrinal office said.

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Vatican: OK to get virus vaccines using abortion cell lines - Medicine Hat News