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Embryology

Coronavirus: Scotland’s IVF centres given approval to re-open in ‘safe and timely way’ – HeraldScotland

SCOTLANDS four NHS IVF clinics have been given approval to re-open with services set to restart in a safe and timely way.

The HumanFertilisationand Embryology Authority (HFEA) has given the four facilities approval to re-open, the Scottish Government has confirmed.

Earlier at First Ministers Questions, Conservative MSP Ruth Davidson, pressed Nicola Sturgeon again on the issue.

MsDavidson, who has received IVF treatment herself, pointed to the service being restarted in England.

READ MORE:Coronavirus in Scotland: IVF treatment to restart 'as quickly as possible'

She asked the First Minister for a commitment that no women, who have seen their treatment paused who turn 40 will be "penalisedfor crossing that threshold" and see their NHS cycles reduced from three to just one - due to their treatment being postponed.

MsSturgeon that she "will give that assurance".

She added that she does not want any woman to have their chances to starting a family "taken away from them because of this crisis alone".

Earlier this month,MsDavidson raised concerns by one of her constituents who had received a letter saying their IVF cycle hadbeenstoppedbecause ofthepandemic.

MsDavidson said: "That was one letter, out of hundreds.

"It is a decision that is both completely understandable but nonetheless devastating, as for many people IVF is the last or only hope of starting a family."

READ MORE:Coronavirus: Transplants on hold, cancer surgery in limbo, and mental health crises dismissed: the forgotten victims of Covid

Now Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrickhas confirmed that patients will be contacted for their treatment to be restarted.

He said:This is extremely welcoming news and will provide much needed comfort and reassurance to worried patients across Scotland.

The Scottish Government wants to reassure patients that we are working with the four IVFcentres, alongside the leading patient stakeholder group Fertility Network, to ensure all services resume in a safe and timely way.

I also want to reassure those women who are close to the upper age limit for NHS IVF, that they will not be disadvantaged and subject to a clinical assessment, they will still continue to receive treatment.

Scotland has the most generous and fairest NHS IVF treatment in theUKand we want to ensure clinics are able to contact patients as quickly as we can safely do so.

Chief executive of thefertilitynetwork,Gwenda Burns added:This has been an extremely difficult and distressing time forpatientsand we welcome the news that clinics have approval to resume services by the HFEA.

We are working closely with clinics and the Scottish Government to ensure that treatment can start as soon as possible while providing a safe service to patients with all the necessary precautions in place.

Speaking after the news was revealed, Ms Davidson said: "This announcement to re-open all four of Scotland's NHS IVF centres is a welcome one for all patients where treatment was suspended and all those waiting nervously for help to start a family.

"While IVF is a physical procedure, it is utterly consuming both mentally and emotionally and I know from the sheer number of patients who contacted me, just how difficult the uncertainty of this time has been for those whose treatment was interrupted.

"For the patients concerned, I hope today's announcement heralds a post-Covid mini baby boom."

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Coronavirus: Scotland's IVF centres given approval to re-open in 'safe and timely way' - HeraldScotland

Immunology

Innovating in inflammation and immunology – – pharmaphorum

For World Inflammatory Bowel Disease day we spoke to Pfizers Matt Shaulis, president of international developed markets for inflammation and immunology, to hear how the company hopes to harness innovation to address the many unmet needs in these disease areas.

What would you say are the biggest challenges in the area at the moment?

One of the biggest challenges in the area of immune-mediated and inflammatory diseases is the lack of understanding of the true burden of these diseases, which has meant that these patients have historically been underserved.

While significant advances have been made in the treatment of rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS), many patients still experience the daily burdens of living with these diseases.

Whether a patient is unable to reach remission with his or her current treatment or is settling for good enough, uncontrolled disease can lead to irreversible joint damage and may also impact overall wellbeing and daily functioning.

For this reason, different treatment options in addition to timely diagnosis and access to advanced therapies are needed.

As for gastroenterology, chronic inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract can be painful, inconvenient and embarrassing, dramatically affecting how patients live their lives. Many patients have not been able to achieve optimal symptom control with current therapies and lead a life profoundly impacted by ongoing symptoms.

Wearable technologies commonly seen in the fitness field can be employed to measure itching and sleep disturbance in atopic dermatitis

There is also a critical unmet need for diseases such as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a leading cause of liver transplant, for which there are no approved drug therapies.

In dermatology, despite significant recent advances in inflammatory skin diseases, there are still many such as atopic dermatitis (AD), alopecia areata (AA) and vitiligo where new treatments are needed to make a meaningful impact in patients lives.

Are there any particular issues in diagnosis and detection youre hoping to address?

The treatment landscape for immune-mediated diseases has evolved significantly, from broad immunosuppression with steroids to targeted immune modulation through selective agents. However, improved treatment options will only really make a difference to patients lives if they go hand in hand with an increase in awareness among physicians and other healthcare providers.

We need to work with the medical community to enable a deeper understanding of immunological disease management, triggers, and the importance of treatment adherence. The resulting improvement in patient wellbeing can soften the impact on healthcare systems.

What does innovation mean to you when it comes to inflammation and immunology?

Innovation comes in many forms for the inflammation and immunology (I&I) team. Innovation in research and development is crucial and we are relentlessly pursuing new breakthroughs such as next generation kinase inhibitors, novel biologics, biosimilars and topicals.

But we also strive to innovate in how we run clinical trials both in terms of the technology we use for example employing wearable technologies commonly seen in the fitness field to measure itching and sleep disturbance through to the means to undertake testing in patients homes to obtain true real world evidence.

Finally, we partner with a variety of organisations who are driving innovation in helping patients make informed lifestyle choices, manage treatment adherence and facilitate doctor/patient relationships.

What kind of beyond-the-pill measures are important for patients in these disease areas?

There are improvements that could be proposed at all levels of the healthcare ecosystem to help address immunological and inflammatory diseases, but a critical step is for stakeholders to collaborate and drive meaningful change at the policy level.

This begins with establishing guidelines to ensure standardised treatment paradigms. Further assistance can be provided to patients through holistic patient and family support programmes that integrate disease management with good overall health and wellness practices.

One organisation we are partnering with in this regard is Sidekick Health, which offers technology-based solutions for patients suffering from the two main IBD conditions ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohns disease (CD), and also for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

The platform provides these patients with a rich user experience, where they earn rewards for managing their nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress and medication adherence. They also receive condition-specific education, and a connection to a community of health professionals and patients on a similar health journey.

Finally, expanded general awareness of AD can break the stigma associated with its flare-ups. When patients concerns are met with understanding and support, it can lessen their embarrassment and anxiety. This in turn may make them more likely to seek the help they need to manage their condition successfully.

Whats your overall view on how digital technology fits into I&I research, treatment and care?

There is a lot of interesting work being done in I&I research utilising technologies from the broader health arena. For example, our own Pfizer Innovation Research (PfIRe) lab is looking at solutions such as using wearable devices to help scientists monitor treatment for atopic dermatitis.

The lab equips patients with a device that can monitor sleep disruption caused by scratching. The team assesses that sleep disruption both with treatment and without treatment to determine how effective a particular therapy is for that particular endpoint. This is particularly critical in assessing scratching and sleep disruption in younger patients who would have trouble recalling or indeed articulating these symptoms themselves.

Do you think eczema and other inflammatory skin diseases are overlooked compared to other conditions?

Chronic inflammatory skin diseases can have a devastating impact on a persons mental and emotional wellbeing, although they are often overlooked as being simply cosmetic. This leads to a vast discrepancy in how patients are managed around the globe. Furthermore, the physical and social pressure that this disease creates goes hand in hand with a financial burden as patients pay for various products and treatments in search of symptom relief.

One recent study found that the average AD patient spends an additional 927 per year on health care expenses. Add to this the potential cost of doctors visits and treatments for co-morbidities, and the economic impact of absenteeism and time off work, and we start to get a true picture of the cost this condition imposes on health care systems at large.

We are now seeing an increased focus on developing treatments for chronic inflammatory skin diseases, but there is still a long way to go.

How do you see I&I evolving in the future?

The JAK pathways are believed to play an important role in inflammatory processes as they are involved in signalling for over 50 cytokines and growth factors, many of which drive immune-mediated diseases. JAK inhibition may offer patients with these conditions a potential new advanced treatment option.

Were taking a different R&D approach to that of other companies involved in JAK research instead of studying a single molecule for all its potential uses, where it may not be optimal for some, we purposefully match Pfizers candidates with unique selectivity profiles to the conditions where, if approved, we believe they have the greatest potential to address unmet need.

Ultimately, we are working toward supporting fast, accurate diagnoses, providing effective treatment options and enabling appropriate patient choices which lead to freedom from the burden of immune-mediated and inflammatory diseases.

About the interviewee

Matt Shaulis currently serves as the president of Pfizer inflammation and immunology for international developed markets. He has approximately 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry across several functions including: in-line and global strategic marketing, sales management, strategic customers group, licensing and acquisitions, finance, and compound and indication launches across multiple disease states. He joined Pfizer from Teva Pharmaceuticals, where he was vice president, global CNS, multiple sclerosis.

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Innovating in inflammation and immunology - - pharmaphorum

Immunology

La Jolla Institute for Immunology study: Analysis of immune response to SARS-CoV-2 bodes well for COVID-19 vaccine development – Scientists around the…

La Jolla Institute for Immunology study: Analysis of immune response to SARS-CoV-2 bodes well for COVID-19 vaccine development

San Diego Community News Group

Alba Grifoni, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher in the Sette lab and the study's co-first author, tests the T cell response in blood samples collected from individuals who have recovered from COVID-19.Photo courtesy of La Jolla Institute for Immunology

Scientists around the world are racing to develop a vaccine to protect against COVID-19 infection, and epidemiologists are trying to predict how the coronavirus pandemic will unfold until such a vaccine is available. Yet, both efforts are surrounded by unresolved uncertainty whether the immune system can mount a substantial and lasting response to SARS-CoV-2 and whether exposure to circulating common cold coronaviruses provides any kind of protective immunity.

A collaboration between the labs of Alessandro Sette, Dr. Biol. Sci. and Shane Crotty, Ph.D., at La Jolla Institute for Immunology is starting to fill in the massive knowledge gap with good news for vaccine developers and is providing the first cellular immunology data to help guide social distancing recommendations.

Published in an online edition of Cell, the study documents a robust antiviral immune response to SARS-CoV-2 in a group of 20 adults who had recovered from COVID-19. The findings show that the bodys immune system is able to recognize SARS-CoV-2 in many ways, dispelling fears that the virus may elude ongoing efforts to create an effective vaccine.

If we had seen only marginal immune responses, we would have been concerned, says Sette, a professor in the Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research, and adds, but what we see is a very robust T cell response against the spike protein, which is the target of most ongoing COVID-19 efforts, as well as other viral proteins. These findings are really good news for vaccine development.

All efforts to predict the best vaccine candidates and fine-tune pandemic control measures hinge on understanding the immune response to the virus, says Crotty, also a professor in the Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research. People were really worried that COVID-19 doesnt induce immunity, and reports about people getting re-infected reinforced these concerns, but knowing now that the average person makes a solid immune response should largely put those concerns to rest.

In an earlier study, Sette and his team had used bioinformatics tools to predict which fragments of SARS-CoV-2 are capable of activating human T cells. The scientists then, in this newest research, tested whether T cells isolated from adults who had recovered from COVID-19 without major problems, recognized the predicted protein fragments, or so-called peptides, from the virus itself.

The scientists pooled the peptides into two big groups: The first so-called mega-pool included peptides covering all proteins in the viral genome apart from SARS-CoV-2s spike protein. The second mega-pool specifically focused on the spike protein that dots the surface of the virus, since almost all of the vaccines under development right now target this coronavirus spike protein.

We specifically chose to study people who had a normal disease course and didnt require hospitalization to provide a solid benchmark for what a normal immune response looks like, since the virus can do some very unusual things in some people, says Sette.

The researchers found that all COVID-19 patients had a solid CD4, or helper, T cell response, which helps antibody production. Almost all patients had produced virus-specific CD8, or killer, T cells, which eliminate virus-infected cells. Our data show that the virus induces what you would expect from a typical, successful antiviral response, says Crotty.

And, although these results dont preclude that the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 may be detrimental, they provide an important baseline against which individuals immune responses can be compared; or, as Sette likes to put it, if you can get a picture of something, you can discuss whether you like it or not but if theres no picture theres nothing to discuss.

We have a solid starting foundation to now ask whether theres a difference in the type of immune response in people who have severe outcomes and require hospitalization versus people who can recover at home or are even asymptomatic, adds Sette. But not only that, we now have an important tool to determine whether the immune response in people who have received an experimental vaccine resembles what you would expect to see in a protective immune response to COVID-19, as opposed to an insufficient or detrimental response.

The teams also looked at the T cell response in blood samples that had been collected between 2015 and 2018, before SARS-CoV-2 started circulating. Many of these individuals had significant T cell reactivity against SARS-CoV-2, although they had never been exposed to SARS-CoV-2. But everybody has almost certainly seen at least three of the four common cold coronaviruses, which could explain the observed crossreactivity.

It is still unclear, though, whether the observed crossreactivity provides at least some level of preexisting immunity to SARS-CoV-2 and therefore could explain why some people or geographical locations are hit harder by COVID-19.

Given the severity of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, any degree of cross-reactive coronavirus immunity could have a very substantial impact on the overall course of the pandemic and is a key detail to consider for epidemiologists as they try to scope out how severely COVID-19 will affect communities in the coming months, says Crotty.

The work was funded by the NIH NIAID, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Johnathan and Mary Tu Foundation, and internal LJI institutional funds.

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La Jolla Institute for Immunology study: Analysis of immune response to SARS-CoV-2 bodes well for COVID-19 vaccine development - Scientists around the...

Immunology

Success for Virtual Summit on Cancer and Immunology Research – SelectScience

Science industry comes together online to share knowledge and provide technology solutions for cancer and immunology research

Thousands of scientists and scientific manufacturers from across the globe have come together online at the SelectScienceVirtual Summit on Cancer and Immunology Research, as COVID-19 forces the postponement of key events in the science industry calendar.

The SelectScienceVirtual Summits offer a crucial platform for the science industry to continue to connect, share knowledge and provide technology solutions in order to advance science and health at this critical time.

With more than 9,400 total attendees of live webinar presentations and virtual exhibit booths over 3 days of lastweeks Virtual Summit on Cancer and Immunology Research, the event featured talks by eminent speakers, technology workshops, video interviews, virtual exhibitor booths featuring leading brands, product and application news, as well as live Q&As and the first online Scientists' Choice Awards event.

With 31presentations, the most popular drew crowds of 450+ live viewers, far more than most physical shows. The event content reached over a further 780,000people online as word quickly spread on social media.

SelectScience Editor-in-Chief and Publisher, Kerry Parker, said: Our new Virtual Summits are designed to support the industry at this difficult time to ensure communication and collaboration continues to flourish. Weve been delighted by the response from across the industry.

Virtual Summit on Cancer and Immunology Research 2020 attendee breakdown by industry

Speakers at the Summit includedDr. Amanda Hummon, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the Ohio State University, Prof. Steve Conlan, professor of molecular and cell biology, University of Swansea, Dr. Bruno Sainz, Ramn y Cajal Investigator, Autnoma University of Madrid, Dr. Marzia Del Re, pharmacogenetics lab associate director, University of Pisa, Greg Poore, MD/PhD Candidate in the lab of Prof. Rob Knight, University of California School of Medicine, Dr. M. Laura Martin, Ex Vivo Models Director, Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, Dr. Herve Tiriac, assistant research scientist, University of California, Dr. Aram Chung, associate professor, Korea University and University of York scientists, Dr. Peter O'Toole, head of imaging and cytometry, Dr. William Brackenbury, senior lecturer in biomedical sciences, and Dr. Nidhi Dey, postdoctoral research associate.

A number of manufacturers also presentedinformation the latest technologies available to the field, including Bio-Rad, BD Biosciences, Fluidigm Corporation, Sony Biotechnology Inc., Nexcelom Bioscience, ForteBio, Sartorius Group, GenScript, Indica Labs, QIAGEN, Analytik Jena AG, Streck Inc., BioAgilytix, MicroGEM, Twist Bioscience, Molecular Devices, PHCbi, INTEGRA Biosciences. All presentations are now availableto view on demand.

Headline themes up for discussion included topics from COVID-19 and CAR T-cell therapy to CRISPR technology, liquid biopsies, and the microbiome.

Great scientific advances come through collaboration and joint effort. Participating in the summit allows us to share our most recent advances in cancer immunotherapy said Prof. Conlan, University of Swansea Interestingly this event will be attended by more people than a physical meeting would, so it expands the opportunity to meet new researchers and businesses, which will only serve to grow global collaboration.

Dr. Peter OToole, head of imaging and cytometry, University of York, said: It was another great opportunity to introduce technologies that we are involved with, and better still we managed to bring William Brackenbury and Nidhi Dey in to talk about how they were applying these technologies to their exciting science. The talks are now available to watch on demand: I can actually share this with my group that couldnt attend at the time. It was so digestible in the short slots that we had; it makes it very approachable, so we are also encouraging others to tune in afterwards, Dr. OToole concluded.

The Virtual Summit also saw the first online Scientists Choice Awards presentation, with scientists and industry leaders joining together to celebrate the most loved life sciences technologies and SelectScience content from the previous year. The winner of Best New Life Sciences Product of 2019, as voted for by scientists worldwide, was the DeNovix CellDrop Cell Counter. The 10 latest products to earn a SelectScience Seal of Quality were also announced during the online event.

Forthcoming SelectScience Virtual Summits include:

Forthcoming event-themed Webinar Seriesinclude:

SelectScience Virtual Summits and Webinar Series available to watch on demand include:

Manufacturers should contactsalesteam@selectscience.nettoday for further information or to book booth space.

All presentations from Virtual Summit on Cancer and Immunology Research 2020 are now available to watch on demand>>

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Success for Virtual Summit on Cancer and Immunology Research - SelectScience

Immunology

Vividion Therapeutics Announces Drug Discovery Collaboration with Roche Focused on Novel E3 Ligases – BioSpace

SAN DIEGO, May 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Vividion Therapeutics, a biotechnology company discovering and developing highly selective small molecule medicines that drug traditionally inaccessible targets, today announced that it has entered into an exclusive worldwide option and license agreement with Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) to leverage its proteomics screening platform and proprietary small molecule library to target novel E3 ligases, as well as a range of oncology and immunology therapeutic targets. Roche has the exclusive right to license resulting compounds at different stages of development.

E3 ligases are an important class of proteins responsible for directing target proteins to the proteasome for degradation. Small molecules directed to novel E3 ligases with potentially differentiated properties, such as tissue-restricted bioactivity or stronger target recognition, have the potential to unlock a wide range of valuable therapeutic applications.

As part of the agreement, Vividion will be responsible for early drug discovery and pre-clinical development for selected programs. For a subset of such programs, Vividion has the right to conduct clinical development up to proof-of-concept with the option to share development costs and split U.S. profits and losses with Roche.

Vividion will receive $135 million in a cash upfront payment from Roche and is eligible to receive several billion dollars in payments based on the achievement of preclinical, development and commercial milestoness, as well as royalties on sales of commercialized products resulting from the collaboration.

"We are thrilled to partner with Roche, marking the second major collaboration for Vividion focused on developing small molecule drugs against promising, untapped therapeutic targets," stated Dr. Diego Miralles, Chief Executive Officer of Vividion. "This collaboration with Roche will further expand a new pillar of our pipeline focused on leveraging distinct E3 ligases to bring cutting-edge treatments to patients in need."

"Our proprietary platform has demonstrated the ability to identify molecules that can drug challenging protein classes, such as transcription factors, adaptor proteins, and E3 ligases," stated Dr. Fred Aslan, President and Chief Business Officer of Vividion. "We look forward to discovering new therapies with Roche while simultaneously advancing our wholly owned pipeline."

"Partnering is a cornerstone of Roche's research strategy to transform novel ideas into medicines. We are excited about Vividion's approach to small molecule discovery and are looking forward to working with their team to discover potential new medicines for patients with cancer and immunological diseases," said James Sabry, Global Head of Roche Pharma Partnering.

About Vividion Vividion Therapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on transforming the future of human health through the creation of highly selective small molecule medicines that drug traditionally inaccessible targets. The company is advancing a broad, diversified pipeline of multiple, selective small molecule therapeutics for highly sought-after disease-causing target proteins in oncology and immunology. The company's cutting-edge platform was spun out of the labs of Vividion's scientific founders, a team of experts in chemical biology and synthetic chemistry from The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA. For more information, please visit http://www.vividion.com.

Contact:Nick Veomettmedia@vividion.com (858) 257-1535

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SOURCE Vividion Therapeutics

Company Codes: OTC-PINK:RHHBY, Swiss:RO, Swiss:ROG, OTC-QX:RHHBY

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Vividion Therapeutics Announces Drug Discovery Collaboration with Roche Focused on Novel E3 Ligases - BioSpace

Immunology

Asthma linked to longer intubation time in younger COVID-19 patients – News-Medical.Net

Reviewed by Emily Henderson, B.Sc.May 18 2020

New data suggest that asthma is associated with longer time on ventilators for hospitalized younger patients with COVID-19.

Patients with COVID-19 between the ages of 20 and 59 years old who also had asthma needed a ventilator to assist with breathing for five days more on average than non-asthmatic patients with COVID-19, according to researchers at Rush University Medical Center, who published their findings today in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice.

Among the patients who developed severe respiratory symptoms requiring intubation (the use of a ventilator), asthma was associated with a significantly longer intubation time in the younger group of patients who would seemingly have a better disease course than patients over the age of 65."

Dr. Mahboobeh Mahdavinia, Chief of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center

"Our findings suggest that younger individuals with asthma may require extra attention, as they could develop a sustained pulmonary failure with COVID-19 infection, leading to prolonged mechanical ventilation."

Some signs and symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to worsening of asthma, which can lead to a late diagnosis of COVID-19 in asthmatics. "Therefore, we looked at a large group of patients to understand the impact of preexisting asthma on the outcome of patients with COVID-19," Mahdavinia said.

"We found that asthma and obesity are connected in COVID-19 patients, which means that obesity coupled with asthma puts a patient at a significantly higher risk. This is the first report, to our knowledge, to study the role of asthma on the outcome of COVID-19 patients."

Mahdavinia's team of physician-scientists, medical residents, basic scientists, and students used an electronic medical record algorithm created by the information services team at Rush to identify patients with asthma and COVID-19 who were either hospitalized or tested for COVID-19 at Rush between the dates of March 12 and April 3.

IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows was used for the analysis of COVID-19 outcomes in association with asthma and was adjusted for demographic variables and body mass index (BMI).

Initially, data emerged for 1,003 patients who tested positive for COVID-19. Complete data on demographic variables, asthma, and COVID-19 management was available in 935 patients, who were used for analysis. Overall, 241 were found to have an established diagnosis of asthma, which was broken into three groups by age range.

Asthma was significantly associated with longer intubation time in patients between 18 and 49 years of age and between 50 and 64 years of age, but not in the age group 65 years of age and older.

The duration of hospitalization was longer among patients with a history of asthma compared to those without this history in patients aged 50 to 64 years, but not in the younger or older age groups.

The patients aged 50 to 64 on average spent two more days in the hospital than the non-asthmatics in this age group.

Asthma was not associated with a higher rate of death or with acute respiratory distress syndrome among COVID-19 patients.

"In other studies, both obesity and gender have been shown to affect COVID-19 hospitalization," said Mahdavinia. "In our study, asthma was also associated with female gender and higher BMI."

The analysis, which was adjusted for both obesity and gender, indicates that asthma is independently linked to the number of times patients needed to be on ventilators.

"We were able to confirm asthma in prior clinical documentation among 73% of patients, but some cases were self-reported upon screening. We think that patients with a history of asthma may have sought out COVID-19 testing more than others due to concern and overlapping symptoms," Mahdavinia said.

Source:

Journal reference:

Mahdavinia, M., et al (2020) Asthma prolongs intubation in COVID-19. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. doi.org/10.1016/j.jaip.2020.05.006.

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Asthma linked to longer intubation time in younger COVID-19 patients - News-Medical.Net

Immunology

Ex-Northwestern professor charged in sex killing again cites immunology expertise in bid to leave jail and fig – Chicago Tribune

Prosecutors have alleged that Lathem lured his boyfriend to his high-rise apartment in Chicagos Near North neighborhood. Early on the morning of July 27, 2017, Warren stood in the doorway to the bedroom with his cellphone in hand as Lathem repeatedly stabbed Cornell-Duranleau as he slept, according to prosecutors. Lathem had asked Warren to video-record the killing, prosecutors said, but he never did.

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Ex-Northwestern professor charged in sex killing again cites immunology expertise in bid to leave jail and fig - Chicago Tribune

Immunology

BetterLife Pharma Announces Appointment of Dr. Eleanor Fish, a leading expert on interferon activity – PharmiWeb.com

VANCOUVER, May 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -BetterLife Pharma Inc. ("BetterLife" or the "Company") (CSE: BETR / OTCQB: PVOTF / FRA: NPAT) today announced that it has appointed Dr. Eleanor Fish to the Company's Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Fish is an accomplished scientist with focus on interferon activity against variety of viruses including Covid-19, SARA, Ebola and Zika.

During the 2003 outbreak of SARS in Toronto, Dr. Fish initiated studies to investigate the therapeutic potential of interferon in SARS patients. Encouraging results have directed her group's efforts toward examining interferon activity against a number of emerging infectious diseases.

Dr. Fish is a Professor, Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Associate Chair, International Initiatives & Collaborations, University of Toronto and Emerita Scientist, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network. She received a B.Sc. from the University of Manchester, U.K., an M.Phil. from King's College, University of London, U.K. and a Ph.D. from the Institute of Medical Sciences at the University of Toronto, Canada. Dr. Fish is a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiologists and a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences. Dr. Fish has received many international awards acknowledging her scientific achievements and has published more than 170 peer reviewed scientific papers in international journals.

She is the principle author of the most recent paper published on Friday May 15, 2020 in Frontiers of Immunology titled "Interferon-2b Treatment for COVID-19".

In the study, the authors examined the course of disease in a cohort of 77 individuals with con-firmed COVID-19 admitted to Union Hospital, Tongii Medical College, Wuhan, China, between January 16 and February 20, 2020. To the knowledge of the authors the findings presented in the study were the first to suggest therapeutic efficacy of IFN-a2b in Covid-19 disease.

The authors concluded that a Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT) is warranted in moderate cases of Covid-19 disease (not severely ill patients) and "treatment with IFN-a2b may also benefit public health measures aimed at slowing the tide of this pandemic, in that duration of viral shedding appears shortened."

Ahmad Doroudian, Chief Executive Officer of BetterLife, commented "We are excited to have Dr. Eleanor Fish on our Scientific Advisory Board. She brings valuable, up to date and the most relevant scientific and clinical experience in the study of interferon activity against Covid-19. Her group's most recent exploratory study of 77 patients conducted in Wuhan, China clearly indicated the potential effectiveness of Interferon-2b in treatment of patients with early signs of Covid-19."

Dr. Fish commented "Based on the results of our preliminary study in Wuhan, China, and emerging data from around the globe, I would argue that the 2 leading candidates for the treatment of mild moderate COVID-19 are IFN-alpha2b and remdesivir. I have joined the scientific advisory board of BLife Therapeutics to advise them on the proposed upcoming randomized clinical trials planned to start in July."

BetterLife also announced today that its Board of Directors has initiated a process to evaluate a range of strategic alternatives available to the Company (the "Strategic Review").

Subject to completion of its announced transaction with Altum Pharmaceuticals Inc. ("Altum"), the Company intends to focus its business on the treatment of Covid-19 and is looking at opportunities to maximize the value of its other existing business.

The Company has not established a definitive timeline to complete the Strategic Review and no decisions related to any strategic alternative have been reached at this time. There is no assurance that any strategic transaction or transactions will result from the Strategic Review. The Company does not intend to comment further with respect to the Strategic Review unless and until it determines that additional disclosure is appropriate in the circumstances and in accordance with the requirements of applicable securities laws.

About BLife Therapeutics Inc.

BLife Therapeutics is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BetterLife Pharma Inc. focused on the prevention of severe COVID-19 disease.

BetterLife has an agreement with Altum pursuant to which BLife Therapeutics will acquire worldwide rights (other than in Greater China, Japan and ASEAN countries) to commercialize and sell Altum's AP-003, a potential COVID-19 treatment. The completion of the transaction is subject to certain conditions precedent. See the Company's press release dated May 7, 2020 for further information.

About BetterLife Pharma Inc.

BetterLife Pharma Inc. is a science-based innovative medical wellness company aspiring to offer high-quality preventive and self-care products to its customers. For further information please visit abetterlifepharma.com

Cautionary Note

The Company is not making any express or implied claims that Altum's AP-003 or any other product has the ability to eliminate, cure or contain the Covid-19 (or SARS-2 Coronavirus) at this time. Further, the safety and efficacy of Altum's AP-003 are under investigation and market authorization has not yet been obtained.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Except for historical information, the matters set forth above may be forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, such as the failure to complete the transaction with Altum or to meet obligations under the agreement with Altum, the failure of Altum to complete clinical trials or to have success in such trials, the failure of Altum to secure and/or enforce patent protection for AP-003, the failure of Altum to secure exclusive rights from third parties, the failure of the Company to secure financing needed to carry out the plans set out herein, the failure to meet the conditions imposed by the CSE or other securities regulators, the level of business and consumer spending, the amount of sales of BetterLife's products, statements with respect to internal expectations, the competitive environment within the industry, the ability of BetterLife to commence and expand its operations, the level of costs incurred in connection with BetterLife's operational efforts, economic conditions in the industry, pandemics, and the financial strength of BetterLife's future customers and suppliers. Reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, as they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the anticipated future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forward in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: our ability to obtain, on satisfactory terms or at all, the capital required for research, product development, operations and marketing; general economic, business and market conditions; our ability to successfully and timely complete clinical studies; product development delays and other uncertainties related to new product development; our ability to attract and retain business partners and key personnel; the risk of our inability to profitably commercialize our proposed products; the risk that our proposed clinical trials will not be launched in a timely manner (or at all) or if launched yield positive results or that we will not obtain regulatory market approvals for our products; the extent of any future losses; the risk of our inability to establish or manage manufacturing, development or marketing collaborations; the risk of delay of, or failure to obtain, necessary regulatory approvals and, ultimately, product launches; dependence on third parties for successful commercialization of our products; inability to obtain product and raw materials in sufficient quantity or at standards acceptable to health regulatory authorities to commence and complete clinical trials or to meet commercial demand; the risk of the termination or conversion of our license with Altum or our inability to enforce our rights under our license with Altum; our ability to obtain patent protection and protect our intellectual property rights; commercialization limitations imposed by intellectual property rights owned or controlled by third parties; uncertainty related to intellectual property liability rights and liability claims asserted against us; the impact of competitive products and pricing; and future levels of government funding; additional risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control.

Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/betterlife-pharma-announces-appointment-of-dr-eleanor-fish-a-leading-expert-on-interferon-activity-against-covid-19-to-its-advisory-board-301061242.html

SOURCE BetterLife Pharma Inc.

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BetterLife Pharma Announces Appointment of Dr. Eleanor Fish, a leading expert on interferon activity - PharmiWeb.com

Immunology

MatriSys Bioscience is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. James Mackay to its Board of Directors – GlobeNewswire

SAN DIEGO, May 19, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MatriSys Bioscience, Inc., a leader in the field of microbiome-based therapeutics for the treatment of skin conditions, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. James Mackay to its Board of Directors. Dr. Mackay joins the Board of Directors of MatriSys Bioscience with over 30 years of experience in the development of pharmaceuticals, and a strong record of bringing multiple drugs to market and patients. Dr. Mackay is founder, president, and CEO of Aristea Therapeutics, an immunology company focused on developing treatments for orphan diseases. Prior to founding Aristea Therapeutics, Dr. Mackay led the successful $1.2B acquisition and transition of Ardea Biosciences into AstraZeneca. He was President & CEO of Ardea Biosciences from 2013 to 2018. He set up an innovative model for Ardea that retained the biotechs independence and accountability for the development of the gout franchise while developing a collaborative relationship with the parent company, AstraZeneca.

Prior to Ardea Biosciences, Dr. Mackay was Global Product Vice President for Diabetes franchise at AstraZeneca where he played a critical role in the successful development of the AstraZeneca/Bristol-Myers Squibb diabetes alliance. He held a number of senior roles in AstraZenecas Clinical Development Function including portfolio management of all AstraZeneca Clinical resources and budget worldwide and management of AstraZenecas strategic partnerships with drug development CROs.

In addition to being a seasoned business leader, James is an experienced board member who has played a pivotal role in the San Diego biotechnology community. He currently sits on the Board and Executive Committee of CONNECT, is Vice-Chair of CONNECT and sits on the Board of Governors of BIOCOM. James is also a former Board member of the San Diego Economic Development Corporation (EDC).

On behalf of MatriSys Bioscience and the Board of Directors, I welcome James as we look forward to drawing upon his strategic, operational and clinical judgment, said Magda Marquet PhD, Chairwoman of MatriSys Bioscience. We are thrilled to team up with him at a critical time in our evolution as we advance our lead program through Phase 2. His significant insights and experience running large pharmaceutical and small biotechnology businesses will be essential while we continue to strengthen the development of our skin microbiome technology assets.

I am delighted to have the opportunity to join the MatriSys Bioscience Board of Directors at such a critical time for the company as we enter Phase 2 clinical development. The microbiome technology that underpins MatriSys is ground-breaking and I look forward to working with the management team to develop the MatriSys products through to approved drugs being prescribed to patients, said Dr Mackay.

Dr. Mackay has a BSc in Genetics and obtained a PhD in Medical Genetics from Aberdeen University, Scotland.

About MSB-01

MatriSys Bioscience is currently developing MSB-01 which is a commercially viable room-temperature stable topical formulation of freeze-driedS.hominis StrainA9 bacteria for application to the lesional skin of atopic dermatitis patients.

About MatriSys Bioscience

MatriSys Bioscienceis a clinical stage Specialty Biopharmaceutical Company focused on developing and commercializing rational microbiome therapies for the top five dermatology and skin care conditions. Our foundational microbiome therapeutics platform is based on the pioneering work of Richard L. Gallo MD PhD, Distinguished Professor and Founding Chair, Department of Dermatology at the University of California, San Diego and thehttp://gallolab.ucsd.edu/. For more information, please visithttp://www.matrisysbio.com/.

info@matrisysbio.com858.456.3919

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MatriSys Bioscience is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. James Mackay to its Board of Directors - GlobeNewswire

Immunology

Liver cancer: Awareness of hepatitis D must be raised – Science Codex

Of all the hepatitis viruses, D is the most poorly known. This small virus, which can only infect people already infected with HepatitisB, has so far been little studied. HepatitisD is one of the most dangerous forms of chronic viral hepatitis because of its possible progression to irreversible liver diseases (cancer and cirrhosis, in particular). Scientists from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) have studied the most serious consequence of chronic hepatitis: hepatocellular carcinoma, a particularly aggressive and often fatal liver cancer. By conducting a systematic review of the literature and a meta-analysis of all available data, they demonstrated that people infected with HepatitisD have up to three times the risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma compared to those infected only with HepatitisB. These results, to be read in the Journal of Hepatology, plead for systematic screening of HepatitisD in patients with HepatitisB in order, on the one hand, to better manage patients and, on the other hand, to better understand the real prevalence of the disease.

There are five types of hepatitis viruses, with very different manifestations and consequences. Hepatitis A and E cause acute infections that can be severe but transient. HepatitisB, C and D, however, can become chronic and cause liver dysfunction months or even years after infection. Although HepatitisC is now well treated, HepatitisB and especially D are still difficult to control. "The most serious consequence of HepatitisB and D is hepatocellular carcinoma, explains Francesco Negro, Professor at the Department of Pathology and Immunology of UNIGE Faculty of Medicine and Head of the HUG Viropathology Unit. It was already known that co-infection of HepatitisB and D accelerates the progression of cirrhosis. However, to what extent co-infection of HepatitisB and D accelerates the progression towards this particularly aggressive liver cancer? This remained to be evaluated."

"To find out whether HepatitisD is even more dangerous than B, we carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of all epidemiological studies, explains Dulce Alfaiate, a researcher at the Department of Pathology and Immunology of UNIGE Faculty of Medicine and first author of this work. To do this, we re-examined the data presented in 93 studies, representing a total of more than 100,000 patients. Although not all these studies are of similar quality, the analysis of the best of them is very clear: patients with HepatitisD have an almost threefold risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma compared to those with HepatitisB alone. That's huge!"

At least 15 million people infected worldwide

According to World Health Organization figures, hundreds of millions of people are infected with the HepatitisB virus. In some regions, such as Polynesia and some African countries, more than 6% of the adult population is infected and the virus is largely transmitted from mother to child. Moreover, children infected at birth almost always develop the chronic form of the disease.

The HepatitisD virus in turn infects a significant proportion of HepatitisB carriers, but the extent of the problem is unknown. "Some estimates suggest that at least 15 to 20 million people are infected with HepatitisD, whereas other estimates may reach 60 million, almost double the number of people living with HIV worldwide, says Dulce Alfaiate. In the absence of systematic testing, however, it is extremely difficult to be precise." In Switzerland, an estimated 25,000 people live with HepatitisB, among whom 1,500 with HepatitisD. And this in spite of an available and effective HepatitisB vaccine.

A call for research

Apart from interferon, an antiviral and an immuno-modulator with limited effectiveness but with deleterious side effects, there is currently no treatment for HepatitisD. "In our view, the evolution towards liver cancer is grossly underestimated, Francesco Negro points out. And yet, this disease affects young patients who suffer from cirrhosis as early as the age of 25-30 years."Several ways of controlling the disease are currently being explored: Francesco Negro's laboratory is studying the epigenetic changes induced by the virus and the mechanism of giving rise to liver tumours. The authors conclude: "Our work underlines the need to improve HepatitisD screening in HepatitisB patients and the urgent need for effective antiviral therapies, such as the one against HepatitisC, which has saved the lives of millions of people since 2011."

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Liver cancer: Awareness of hepatitis D must be raised - Science Codex