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Cell Biology

In their own words: Fitch’s Taylor Wolfgang, Bucknell University softball – theday.com

Editor's note: Fitch High School'sTaylor Wolfgang, a junior softballplayerat Bucknell University,saw herseason abruptly end in March when spring sports were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the fifthof a periodical series of essays written by local college student-athletes who suffered similar fates, Wolfgangexpresses her thoughts on the situation.

By Taylor Wolfgang

Being a junior, now rising senior, at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania,I thought I had it all figured out. I had the academic routine down, the understanding of how college softball worked and the feeling of being on my own and taking care of myself was comfortable. And then this virus hit and threw me and everyone else for a loop. Although we are all still trying to adjust to this "new normal" of remote learning and staying inside as much as possible, I cannot wait for this event to pass so I can find myself back on the grounds of Bucknell again.

When I was going about the recruitment process in my junior year of high school, I had been contacted by a handful of schools that wanted me to come play softball for them at the Division I collegiate level. These offers could be daunting and overwhelming at times but I never let that get in the way of where I wanted to end up: a prestigious academic school with wide offerings of science majors and a competitive athletic program.

From the schools I had offers from, I knew Bucknell was ultimately the perfect fit. Being someone who values both their academics and athletics greatly, Bucknell was able to fulfill my needs in both of those areas. Along with these offerings, Bucknell's small student population is greatly filled with athletes that are just like me. I really liked the idea of this, as I knew when I walked around campus I would be able to see familiar faces and know I was surrounded by individuals who are going through the same experiences.

I went into Bucknell declared as a cell biology andbiochemistry major and it has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. The experience and knowledge I am gaining in the classroom and in the laboratories is preparing me for a future job in either the research and development field of pharmaceuticals or in the field of healthcare.

When I am not in the classroom or lab you can find me on the softball field with the rest of my team. The success that I have had so far at Bucknell can be attributed to three main sources. The first is from my time playing for Fitch here in Groton. Those four memorable years taught me lessons both on and off the field that I would be able to carry with me to Bucknell. These included the ability to bounce back from heartbreaking losses and the importance of trust and confidence in every single one of your teammates.

The second is my family. From the start of my athletic journey in t-ball to the end where I will eventually play my final collegiate softball game, my family members have always been my biggest supporters. The confidence and belief they have in me fuels my drive to be as successful as I possibly can for them. Every time I step in between those two chalk lines I play for them.

Lastly, my success at Bucknell would not be possible if it were not for our hitting and catching coach, Matt Burns. Coming in as a freshman I thought I had it all figured out until coach Burns knocked me on my butt and showed me what I was missing. He saw the level of skill I was at and constantly pushed me every single day so that I would eventually reach the full potential he knew I could get to. Through a lot of tears, sweat, yelling, laughs and memorable conversations, coach Burns completely changed the way I look at the world and helped me find a version of myself as an individual and as a softball player I never knew existed. I will be forever grateful that I got to call him my coach.

It was a shame and devastating feeling when the news was broken to us that our 2020 season would be coming to an abrupt end. We were the 42nd Bucknell softball team in program history and it was every player and coach's intention to bring a Patriot League championship home. This was team 42's year.

When the season was cancelled, my heart broke for my teammates, as I knew of all of the hard work we had put in over the summer, fall, and winter to prepare us for this journey. Hugging each individual senior on my team as they cried over their final season being ripped from them will be a moment I will never forget. My heart still hurts for all of the seniors across the country who didn't get to play their final game, throw their final pitch, hit their final ball or experience all of the other finals that come with their sport.

Next season, Bucknell softball team 43 will be more ready than we ever have been and we play for the seniors from this past year. We will play every game as if it is our last because if there is one thing this past season has taught me, it is that you never know when that last one will occur.

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In their own words: Fitch's Taylor Wolfgang, Bucknell University softball - theday.com

Cell Biology

Breakthrough discovery in HIV research opens path to new, better therapies. – Brinkwire

New research on the structure of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has revealed a promising novel drug target for treating HIV infection, which affects more than 1 million Americans and 40 million people worldwide. The findings, published today in Science, show that the viruss genetic code can be read in two different ways by cells the virus has infected. The result is that infected cells make two different forms of the viruss RNA.

This functional diversity is essential for the virus to replicate in the body. The virus has to have a proper balance between the two forms of RNA, says Joshua Brown, the lead author on the study. For decades, the scientific community has known that two different structural forms of HIV RNA existthey just didnt know what controls that balance. Weve discovered that a single nucleotide is having a huge effect, which is a paradigm shift in understanding how HIV works.

Crucially, You can imagine that if you could come up with a drug that would target the genetic code at that one specific spot, and shift it to one form only, then it could prevent further infection, theoretically, says Brown, who earned his Ph.D. from UMBC in 2018 and continues to conduct research there while completing his M.D.

A new trajectory

One of the things were working on now is testing different molecules that could shift the equilibrium between the two forms, so that it could potentially be used as a treatment for HIV, says Issac Chaudry, a junior at UMBC and an author on the paper.

This exciting work comes from a research group led by Michael Summers, Robert E. Meyerhoff Chair for Excellence in Research and Mentoring and Distinguished University Professor at UMBC. Summers has been conducting groundbreaking research on HIV for decades. Typically, the groups focus is on basic science.

Drug discovery isnt the direction that the Summers lab usually goes, but this was such an impactful finding in a very attractive area, we took the initiative to start looking into it, Brown says. But were still in the very early stages.

More effective treatments for more patients

Thanks to significant research on HIV over the last few decades, today AIDS is a manageable disease. Still, therapies can come with side effects, medication regimens can be complex, and treatment options can be limited for patients with other conditions, such as liver or kidney problems.

Many therapies, even if they come in the form of a single pill, contain several drugs targeting different parts of the viruss replication cycle. Thats necessary because the HIV genetic code, which is made of RNA, mutates rapidly. This allows the virus to adapt and become resistant to current HIV therapies. If a drug targets an area that has mutated in a given patient, the drug may no longer work for them. By using several drugs at once, its more likely that the regimen will continue to work for longer.

But the area of the HIV RNA genome that this new research focuses on is highly conserved. This means the rate of mutation is less than other places in the genome, explains Ghazal Becker, a 2019 UMBC alumna and an author on the paper. The result is theres more chance of a drug that targets that region being effective for longer, she says.

It might also mean that one drug would be enough, rather than patients needing several drugs to get the job done. If youre targeting a conserved region, you can potentially come up with a treatment plan that uses only one drug, says Aishwarya Iyer, a 2018 UMBC alumna, current M.D./Ph.D. at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and an author on the paper. It might have fewer side effects and could offer more treatment options to people with different health conditions.

Expanding the research horizon

This new research opens up a range of opportunities for Browns research group and others. Were very interested to see how other labs will interpret our results, expand upon them, and possibly find other applications for this type of RNA function, Brown says.

Those future results and any new therapies they enable could have a major impact. Every time we get a new drug in HIV, we exponentially improve the chances of individuals finding a drug that works for them, where resistance is a little less likely, says Hannah Carter, a 2017 UMBC alumna, current M.D./Ph.D. student at University of Michigan, and an author on the paper. Every time a new drug can get on the scene, thats a significant improvement for the lives of HIV patients.

The research could have effects beyond HIV, too. Some HIV research has laid the groundwork in how we understand coronaviruses, Carter adds. All basic science in HIV ends up having a ripple effect throughout all of virology.

The ripple effect might go even farther. The idea that a single nucleotide difference is changing the structure and function of RNA that is thousands of nucleotides long could open up a whole new aspect of cell biology, Chaudry says. It could be possible that there are mammalian genes that operate in a similar manner, and the entire mechanism might be something thats applicable to other human genes as well. I think that whole paradigm could provide a new perspective for RNA biology.

Provided byUniversity of Maryland Baltimore County

Original post:
Breakthrough discovery in HIV research opens path to new, better therapies. - Brinkwire

Cell Biology

Gilead, Kite and oNKo-innate Announce Research Collaboration to Discover Cancer Immunotherapies Focused on Natural Killer (NK) Cells – Business Wire

FOSTER CITY, Calif. & SANTA MONICA, Calif. & MELBOURNE, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD), Kite, a Gilead Company, and oNKo-innate announced the companies have entered into a three-year cancer immunotherapy research collaboration to support discovery and development of next-generation drug and engineered cell therapies focused on natural killer (NK) cells.

Current cancer immunotherapy approaches primarily focus on T cell mediated anti-tumor immunity, including checkpoint inhibition and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy. Like T cells, NK cells are a class of lymphocytes (white blood cells) that play a critical surveillance and effector role in the immune system. NK cells and T cells each have the potential to attack cancer cells, but have different mechanisms for tumor cell killing. Thus, appropriately activated and targeted NK cells may represent a differentiated approach that would be potentially complementary and synergistic with T cell mediated anti-tumor strategies.

Gilead is pleased to partner with oNKo-innate as a leader in this new and highly promising area of cancer immunotherapy, said William A. Lee, PhD, Executive Vice President, Research, Gilead Sciences. We have a strategic focus of growing both our expertise and pipeline in immuno-oncology and we believe this exciting collaboration will support each of these objectives as we work to discover and develop novel cancer therapies for patients.

Kite is committed to building upon our leadership in cell therapy as we seek to meet the needs of patients with cancer, said Peter Emtage, PhD, Senior Vice President of Research at Kite. Early clinical data utilizing adoptively transferred NK cells has been encouraging and we are excited by the opportunity to scientifically expand our capabilities in this area and to identify novel NK cell therapies to advance toward clinical development.

With more than 20 years of collective academic expertise in NK cell biology, we have long believed in the potential for NK cells to play a role in cancer immunotherapy, said Jai Rautela, PhD, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of oNKo-innate. We look forward to bringing this NK cell expertise and our unique screening techniques into a collaboration with Gilead and Kite to serve a common goal of discovering new treatments for patients.

Through this research collaboration, oNKo-innate will use genome-wide screening techniques and its proprietary technology platform to discover novel immune cell targets that enhance NK cell anti-tumor immunity and to create NK cell therapies. For Gilead, oNKo-innate will execute screens to identify and validate targets to seed internal Gilead immuno-oncology discovery programs. For Kite, oNKo-innate will create and evaluate NK constructs for Kites development of next-generation cell therapies.

Under the terms of the agreement, oNKo-innate will receive an upfront payment and will be eligible to receive additional payments based on achievement of certain clinical, regulatory and commercial milestones, as well as sales royalties across the immuno-oncology and cell therapy programs.

About oNKo-innate

oNKo-innate is a discovery-stage biotechnology company dedicated to target identification and pre-clinical immuno-oncology drug development. With our deep understanding of NK cells, we aim to be the first to truly therapeutically harness the cancer-fighting abilities of these remarkable white blood cells. For more information on oNKo-innate, visit http://www.onko-innate.com.

About Kite

Kite, a Gilead Company, is a biopharmaceutical company based in Santa Monica, California. Kite is engaged in the development of innovative cancer immunotherapies. The company is focused on chimeric antigen receptor and T cell receptor engineered cell therapies. For more information on Kite, please visit http://www.kitepharma.com.

About Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a research-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need. The company strives to transform and simplify care for people with life-threatening illnesses around the world. Gilead has operations in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California. For more information on Gilead Sciences, please visit the companys website at http://www.gilead.com.

Gilead and Kite Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, including the risk that Gilead and Kite may not realize the potential benefits of this collaboration with oNKo-innate or other investments in immuno-oncology or cell therapies. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those referred to in the forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These and other risks are described in detail in Gileads Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Gilead and Kite, and Gilead and Kite assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements.

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Gilead, Kite and oNKo-innate Announce Research Collaboration to Discover Cancer Immunotherapies Focused on Natural Killer (NK) Cells - Business Wire

Cell Biology

Stem Cells Market Outlook with a Focus on Clinical Therapies 2020-2030: Types of Stem Cells, Route of Administration, Therapeutic Areas, End-users,…

DUBLIN, April 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Stem Cells Market: Focus on Clinical Therapies, 2020-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Stem cell therapies are viable alternatives to conventional treatments with substantial therapeutic potential; market opportunities are huge, as multiple product candidates are expected to be approved over the coming decade.

This report features an extensive study of the current market landscape, offering an informed opinion on the likely adoption of these therapeutics over the next decade. The report features an in-depth analysis, highlighting the capabilities of various stakeholders engaged in this domain.

One of the key objectives of the report was to estimate the existing market size and identify the future opportunity for stem cell therapies over the next decade. The research, analyses and insights presented in this report are based on revenue generation trends based on the sales of approved stem cell therapies.

The report also features the likely distribution of the current and forecasted opportunity within stem cell therapies market across:

According to the WHO, in 2020, nearly 75% of fatalities that are estimated to be reported across the globe, are likely to be caused due to diseases, such as chronic stroke disease, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and certain mental health conditions. In addition, as per a report published by the Center for Managing Chronic Disease, University of Michigan, more than 50% of the global population was estimated to be living with some form of chronic illness.

The rising prevalence of these clinical conditions has resulted in dire need for the identification of effective therapeutic options. Despite advances in healthcare, there is an evident lack of permanent treatment solutions for many aforementioned diseases. Majority of the currently available treatment options focus on palliative care and are incapable of addressing the root cause of disease, therefore, are unable to improve quality of life of patients.

Since the first bone marrow transplant in 1950s, these regenerative cellular therapies have garnered significant attention within the biopharmaceutical industry. Over the years, advances in the field of cell biology and regenerative medicine have led to the development of a number of stem cell therapies, which are believed to possess the potential to address several unmet needs related to the treatment of a wide range of disease conditions. Stem cell-based treatments are known for their ability to replace damaged cells and tissues, thereby, curing affiliated disease symptoms.

In fact, such interventions have also been shown to enable cell regeneration, restoring normal functioning capabilities in affected organs. Till date, nearly 25 stem cell-based therapies have been approved; popular examples include EYE-01M (2019), Alofisel (2018), MACI (2016), Stempeucel (2016) and Strimvelis (2016). Further, several such therapies are presently being evaluated across 540 active clinical trials worldwide. This emerging field of research has received significant capital investments from several big pharma companies and venture capital funds / investors.

Despite the associated optimism, the growth of this market is stunted by a number of development and manufacturing related challenges, primarily revolving around the limited availability of the required expertise and infrastructure to produce such products. However, the availability of innovative technology platforms, large target patient population, encouraging clinical trial results, and extensive government support, the stem cell therapies market is poised to grow in the long-term.

In addition to other elements, the study includes:

To account for the uncertainties associated with the manufacturing of stem cell therapies and to add robustness to our model, we have provided three forecast scenarios, portraying the conservative, base and optimistic tracks of the market's evolution.

The opinions and insights presented in the report were influenced by discussions held with senior stakeholders in the industry.

The report features detailed transcripts of interviews held with the following industry stakeholders:

Key Topics Covered

1. PREFACE

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

3. INTRODUCTION 3.1. Chapter Overview3.2. Overview of Stem Cell Therapies3.3. Regulatory Guidelines for Stem Cell Therapies3.4. Prevalent Trends Related to Stem Cell Therapies3.5. Growth Drivers and Roadblocks

4. MARKET LANDSCAPE4.1. Chapter Overview4.2. Stem Cell Therapies: Marketed and Development Pipeline4.3. Stem Cell Therapies: Additional Information4.4. Stem Cell Therapies: List of Technology Platforms4.5. Stem Cell Therapies: List of Therapy Developers4.6. Heptagon Representation: Analysis by Phase of Development and Key Therapeutic Area4.7. Grid Representation: Analysis by Phase of Development, Source of Stem Cell and Therapeutic Area4.8. Tree Map Representation: Analysis by Therapeutic Area and Size of the Company4.9. World Map Representation: Analysis of Regional Activity

5. COMPANY PROFILES5.1. Chapter Overview5.2. Anterogen5.2.1. Company Overview5.2.2. Product Portfolio: Clinical-Stage Stem Cell Therapies5.2.3. Recent Developments and Future Outlook5.3. Athersys5.4. CHA Biotech5.5. Cytopeutics5.6. Hope Biosciences5.7. Mesoblast5.8. Pluristem Therapeutics5.9. Takeda Pharmaceutical5.10. TICEBA

6. KEY THERAPEUTIC AREAS6.1. Chapter Overview6.2. Autoimmune / Inflammatory Disorders6.3. Cardiovascular Disorders6.4. Dermatological Disorders6.5. Metabolic Disorders6.6. Oncological Disorders6.7. Neurological Disorders

7. ANSOFF MATRIX EVALUATION7.1. Chapter Overview7.2. Established Therapeutic Areas in Established Regions7.2.1. Competition7.2.2. Growth Opportunities7.3. Established Therapeutic Areas in Emerging Regions7.4. Emerging Therapeutic Areas in Established Regions7.5. Emerging Therapeutic Areas in Emerging Regions

8. ACADEMIC GRANTS ANALYSIS8.1. Chapter Overview8.2. Scope and Methodology8.3. Stem Cell Therapies: Analysis of Grants Awarded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)8.4. Grant Attractiveness Analysis

9. CLINICAL TRIAL ANALYSIS9.1. Chapter Overview9.2. Scope and Methodology9.3. Stem Cell Therapies: Clinical Trial Analysis

10. STEM CELL MANUFACTURING MARKET LANDSCAPE AND KPIs FOR EVALUATING CONTRACT SERVICES PARTNERS10.1. Chapter Overview10.2. Stem Cell Therapy Manufacturing10.3. Stem Cell Therapy Manufacturing: KPI Analysis10.4. Concluding Remarks

11. STEM CELL THERAPY DEVELOPERS AND CMOs: OPPORTUNITY ASSESSMENT11.1. Chapter Overview11.2. Therapy Developers and CMOs in North America11.3. Therapy Developers and CMOs in Europe11.4. Therapy Developers and CMOs in Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World11.5. Concluding Remarks

12. KEY COMMERCIALIZATION STRATEGIES12.1. Chapter Overview12.2. Successful Drug Launch Strategy: ROOTS Framework12.3. Successful Drug Launch Strategy: Product Differentiation12.4. Commonly Adopted Commercialization Strategies based on Stage of Product Development12.5. Key Approved Stem Cell Therapies: Profiles12.5.1. CARTISTEM12.5.2. HiQCell12.5.3. Prochymal12.5.4. Strimvelis12.6. Key Commercialization Strategies Adopted by Stem Cell Therapy Developers12.6.1. Strategies Adopted before Therapy Approval12.6.2. Strategies Adopted Post Therapy Approval12.7. Opportunities and Challenges with Unapproved Therapies12.8. Concluding Remarks

13. MARKET FORECAST13.1. Chapter Overview13.2. Scope and Limitations13.3. Forecast Methodology and Key Assumptions13.4. Overall Stem Cell Therapies Market, 2020-203013.5. Concluding Remarks

14. CONCLUSION

15. EXECUTIVE INSIGHTS15.1. Chapter Overview15.2. Seraxis15.3. Xcelthera15.4. Kadimastem15.5. Heartseed15.6. University of Rostock15.7. Bio Elpida15.8. Roslin Cell Therapies15.9. University of Minnesota15.10. Waisman Biomanufacturing15.11. YposKesi

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/r95p7c

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

Media Contact:

Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [emailprotected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

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Stem Cells Market Outlook with a Focus on Clinical Therapies 2020-2030: Types of Stem Cells, Route of Administration, Therapeutic Areas, End-users,...

Cell Biology

NHS staff should be tested WEEKLY for coronavirus even if they dont have symptoms, top experts say – The Sun

NHS staff should be tested weekly for coronavirus even if they don't have symptoms, top experts say.

Currently, the Governments testing strategy involves testing NHS workers only if they have developed signs of the deadly virus, including a fever and a new, continuous cough.

1

However, a new Imperial College London study has recommended testing all healthcare employees regularly, particularly those most exposed to the virus, to prevent transmission of the bug.

And the researchers, who used a mathematical model, revealed that this could slash transmission between NHS staff by as much as a third.

The latest report was headed-up by Professor Neil Ferguson, the epidemiologist whose modelling has helped inform the Governments coronavirus strategy.

His study recommends that as the UKs testing capacity increases towards the Governments target of 100,000 per day by the end of April, NHS staff continue to be prioritised above community testing, which targets members of the public.

The reports authors said community testing was unlikely to help reduce transmission since individuals with suspected Covid-19 are already advised to self-isolate.

Matt Hancock yesterday announced that seven million of England's key workers and their families can now get coronavirus tests.

The Health Secretary expanded testing for Covid-19 to make sure millions more people more can get them - under radical plans to get the country moving again.

The news means that anyone working in key industries - such as teachers, bankers or supermarket workers - can now get tested if they develop symptoms.

However, thehome tests for key workers ran out this morning - as 5,000 kits were snapped up in two minutes before drive-through slots were also fully booked up.

The Imperial College London report suggests that it should be NHS staff alone, not all essential workers, who are tested often for the virus.

The report revealed that testing healthcare workers at the end of their shifts and processing the results overnight could reduce transmission between NHS staff by between 25 and 33 per cent.

The 35,000 intensive care staff in the UK could each be tested once a week and only use 5,000 tests per day - just five per cent of the Governments daily capacity target.

Some UK hospitals are already trialling regular routine testing.

On Wednesday, just 23,560 tests were carried out, with eight days to go until the Government's deadline to reach 100,000.

The Government have been pinning their hopes on antibody testing- which would tell patients through a finger-prick blood test if they have already had the virus and recovered.

However, Mr Ferguson and his team said that it is has not been validated - meaning the testing is not reliable enough.

And the researchers also said immunity Passports, which would prove the holder has had coronavirus and no longer does, were not likely to be effective.

They raised concerns that the economic and personal benefits of an immunity passport to the general population would lead to fraud, and implementation of such a scheme is likely to face serious legal and ethical challenges related to discrimination based on immune status.

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The report concludes that while testing will play a critical role in informing the risk of lifting various components of social distancing interventions, it should be limited to people who are at high risk of infection.

Reacting to the research, Dr Rupert Beale at the Francis Crick Institutes Cell Biology of Infection Laboratory told The Telegraph: The Imperial team have made a valuable contribution to the case for rigorous healthcare worker screening.

We should have imposed robust mechanisms for this already. The case for preventing transmission within hospitals and care homes is overwhelmingly strong.

The case for preventing transmission within hospitals and care homes is overwhelmingly strong

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for increased testing in countries with major Covid-19 outbreaks.

Currently, the UK lags behind France, Germany, Spain and Italy in the number of tests it carries out weekly, but all countries face global shortages of testing kits and the cotton swabs.

It was revealed yesterday that up to 300,000 Brits will be offered coronavirus home-testing to help track the spread of the outbreak.

Officials will contact 20,000 households in England to take part in a pioneering year-long study.

Participants will be tested for the killer bug every week for a month by a trained nurse.

They will then provide a monthly swab for the rest of the trial.

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Comment

ANDREW BAILEYWith measures to keep people in work & cheaper loans, the bank has your back

As well as checking Brits for current infection, around 2,000 adults will also provide a blood sample to screen for antibodies against the disease.

The tests will help reveal the true scale and spread of the outbreak with the first results expected in early May.

Scientists said the trial will help transform our understanding of the infection.

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NHS staff should be tested WEEKLY for coronavirus even if they dont have symptoms, top experts say - The Sun

Embryology

Coronavirus: IVF services shutdown in UK leaves thousands of women fearing they will be unable have children – inews

NewsHealthHuman Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has stopped all fertility treatment at NHS and private clinics due to lockdown measures

Thursday, 23rd April 2020, 4:46 pm

Thousands of women are increasingly fearful they will miss their last chance of becoming a mother due to the ongoing shutdown of fertility services across the UK amid the pandemic.

Last week, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) decided to stop NHS and private clinics providing treatment and leaving patients with no idea when their IVF treatment is likely to resume. Women who had already begun a cycle of treatment, which includes being injected with a fertility hormone which increases the number of eggs your ovaries produce, were also told they could not continue.

Those affected say they have been left in limbo. One woman, Sian, who was about to start her second cycle of IVF before it was halted said: "My clinic, although I'm NHS funded, is a private clinic, and they do have the resources and the staff to be able to afford treatments in some cases.

"I do worry if this goes on for longer that it will be too late for me. We have been trying for a baby for a long, long time, and the effect it's having on my mental health, as well as my husband's, is enormous at times. While you do try to keep positive, ultimately I've sacrificed much of my 30s trying to achieve a pregnancy that just hasn't happened.

"I feel especially sorry for those women who have already had their injections because unless you've been through this process, you don't understand the toll fertility treatment has on you."

Unable to guarantee safe service

Sally Cheshire, chair of the HFEA, said one of the reasons why clinics closed was because they could not guarantee a safe service due to NHS staff being moved elsewhere to help with the coronavirus outbreak.

"A lot of equipment in embryology labs is now being used for coronavirus testing as well, so it's a mix of factors," she said. "We have huge sympathy for the thousands of patients who are not able to continue their treatment. In our 30 years of existence this is the most difficult decision the HFEA has had to take."

Exit strategy

The HFEA said in a statement: "We understand what a difficult and emotional time this is for fertility patients with fertility treatment ceasing from 15 April 2020 in line with other NHS and private healthcare.

"Any decision to allow fertility clinics to re-open will consider the views of the UK professional fertility societies and the impact that resuming treatment would have on NHS services. We also need to be assured that clinics are able to provide a safe service to patients and a safe working environment for clinic staff.

"We recognise the distress this closure is causing any patients awaiting fertility treatment and hope that those relying on NHS funding will be allowed to continue their treatment as they expected. We want to reassure patients and clinics that we are actively working on an exit strategy to enable fertility treatment to resume when Government restrictions on social contact and travel are lifted."

Dr Marta Jansa Perez, director of embryology at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, said: We would advise that patients to contact their local Clinical Commissioning Groups as soon as possible to ask for written confirmation that funding will be maintained for treatment in the future, as we know this is a huge cause of concern for many. Individual IVF services should be able to provide their patients with up-to-date information about their current position, and also professional counselling."

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Coronavirus: IVF services shutdown in UK leaves thousands of women fearing they will be unable have children - inews

Genetics

Genetic variants linked with onset, progression of POAG – Ophthalmology Times

Genetic variants that are unrelated to the IOP are associated with a family history of glaucoma and play a role in the onset of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Genetic variants that are related to the IOP are associated with the age at which glaucoma is diagnosed and are associated with disease progression.

What is known about POAG, the most prevalent form of glaucoma, is that increased IOP and myopia are risk factors for damage to the optic nerve in POAG.

Related: Stent offers IOP stability more than three years after surgery

A family history of glaucoma is a major risk factor for development of POAG, in light of which, therefore, genetic factors are thought to be important in the disease pathogenesis and a few genes mutations have been identified as causing POAG, according to Fumihiko Mabuchi, MD, PhD, professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Kofu, Japan.

Myopia has been shown to be a risk factor for POAG in several studies. However, it can be difficult to diagnose true POAG in myopic patients and controversy exists over whether it is real risk factor.

Myopic optic discs are notoriously difficult to assess, and myopic patients may have visual field defects unrelated to any glaucomatous process.

The prevalence of POAG increases with age, even after compensating for the association between age and IOP.

Related: Preservative-free tafluprost/timolol lowers IOP well, glaucoma study shows

Part of the storyDr. Mabuchi and his and colleagues, recounted that these factors are only part of the story.

According to Dr. Mabuchi and his colleagues, cases of POAG caused by these gene mutations account for several percent of all POAG cases, and most POAG is presumed to be a polygenic disease.

Recent genetic analyses, the investigators explained, have reported genetic variants that predispose patients to development of POAG and the additive effect of these variants on POAG, which are classified as two types.

The first genetics variants are associated with IOP elevation.

Related: Sustained-release implant offers long-term IOP control, preserved visual function

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Genetic variants linked with onset, progression of POAG - Ophthalmology Times

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