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Genetics

Oxford Genetics licenses CRISPR tech to power synbio push – FierceBiotech

Oxford Genetics has licensed CRISPR gene editing technology from ERS Genomics. The agreement gives the British synthetic biology service provider the right to use CRISPR technology to improve gene therapy viral vectors and develop cell lines.

Oxford, United Kingdom-based Oxford Genetics has secured the nonexclusive rights to the CRISPR intellectual property. Oxford Genetics plans to use the technology to provide genome engineering services and support its cell line development and gene therapy viral vector R&D efforts. The agreement also clears Oxford Genetics to use the CRISPR-edited cells lines in the production of biotherapeutics. And to use CRISPR to develop research tools and reagents for sale.

News of the agreement comes almost exactly three years after Horizon Discovery licensed CRISPR intellectual property from ERS Genomics for use in similar applications. The nonexclusive deal between ERS Genomics and Horizon Discoverywhich is based 70 miles away from Oxford Genetics in Cambridgegave the genomics research business the right to use CRISPR to develop research tools, kits and reagents and in other applications.

ERS Genomics was cofounded by Emmanuelle Charpentier, Ph.D., one of the key players in the story of the discovery of the CRISPR-Cas9 immune system and its role in cleaving DNA. Charpentier set up the organization to facilitate access to the CRISPR-Cas9 intellectual property she holds. The firm is on the same side of the CRISPR patent dispute as CRISPR Therapeutics, Intellia Therapeutics and Caribou Biosciences. Together, the companies are appealing the U.S. patent boards ruling in the Broad Institute case.

The ruling looked at the question of whether the it was obvious to apply CRISPR to eukaryotic cells, such as the CHO and HEK293 cell lines Oxford Genetics uses in its cell line development services. But the uncertainty created by the ongoing patent dispute has not stopped Oxford Genetics from striking a deal to add CRISPR to its arsenal.

Licensing the CRISPR gene editing technology from ERS Genomics is another step on our journey to establishing the most efficient and integrated service portfolio in this sector. We are excited to be adding this technology to our existing portfolio in the synthetic biology space and supporting the rapidly expanding market for products and services that utilise genome engineering technologies, Paul Brooks, Ph.D., chief commercial officer at Oxford Genetics, said in a statement.

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Oxford Genetics licenses CRISPR tech to power synbio push - FierceBiotech

Cell Biology

Thermo Fisher Scientific Furthers the Discussion on Disease Models in New Webinar – PR Web (press release)

David Piper, PhD Director of Research and Development, Cellular Biology, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Mark Kennedy, Ph.D. R&D Scientist at Thermo Fisher Scientific, Cell Biology ADME/Tox group

Yorba Linda, Ca (PRWEB) May 10, 2017

As part of the SyncD3 webinar series and virtual event, Thermo Fisher Scientific will discuss cutting-edge tools and topics in the fields of drug discovery & development. These tolls and topics include HCS/phenotypic assays, functional genomics & drug metabolism, 3D models/organoids, diseased models, CRISPR and stem cells.

In this webinar, attendees will gain a better understanding of where these areas intersect, the impact on drug discovery and development, as well as the future of the industry during a live panel discussion. They will learn from real field scientists and researchers who are working in the ADME/Tox and Drug Discovery fields.

The speakers for this event will be Dr. David Piper, director of research and development of Cellular Biology at Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Dr. Mark Kennedy, Scientist at Thermo Fisher Scientific, serving in the Cell Biology ADME/Tox group.

Dr. Piper earned a doctorate in neuroscience from the University of Utah. He has led teams at Thermo Fisher Scientific for more than 10 years in the development of products and services, and now as an R&D Director for the Cell Biology and Synthetic Biology businesses, he leads teams that provide molecular biology and cellular biology services.

Dr. Kennedy received his Ph.D. from Memorial University. Now in his current role at Thermo Fisher Scientific, Kennedy is part of a team that focuses on the development of new in vitro 3D cell culture models. His ongoing work focusses on the utilization of human embryonic stem cells, iPSCs and primary cells, and their application in spheroids, organoids and co-culture systems.

LabRoots will host the event May 16, 2017, beginning at 9:00 a.m. PDT, 12:00 p.m. EDT. To learn more about this event or to register for free, click here.

ABOUT THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with revenues of $17 billion and more than 50,000 employees in 50 countries. Our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We help our customers accelerate life sciences research, solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient diagnostics and increase laboratory productivity. Through our premier brands Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific and Unity Lab Services we offer an unmatched combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and comprehensive support. For more information, please visit http://www.thermofisher.com

ABOUT LABROOTS LabRoots is the leading scientific social networking website, which provides daily scientific trending news, as well as produces educational virtual events and webinars, on the latest discoveries and advancements in science. Contributing to the advancement of science through content sharing capabilities, LabRoots is a powerful advocate in amplifying global networks and communities. Founded in 2008, LabRoots emphasizes digital innovation in scientific collaboration and learning, and is a primary source for current scientific news, webinars, virtual conferences, and more. LabRoots has grown into the worlds largest series of virtual events within the Life Sciences and Clinical Diagnostics community.

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Thermo Fisher Scientific Furthers the Discussion on Disease Models in New Webinar - PR Web (press release)

Anatomy

Two companies work to demystify surgical procedures and anatomy … – MobiHealthNews

Even the tiniest view of a surgical procedure can be too much for non-medical professionals, but for actual surgeons, more visibility is a real asset. But there is only so much to be seen with the naked eye, so medical navigation technology and mixed reality company Scopis has launched a new tool to give surgeons enhanced visibility when performing spinal surgery.

By merging the capabilities of Microsoft HoloLens with their surgical navigation platform, Berlin, Germany and Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Scopis has developed the Holographic Navigation Platform. By donning a pair of the HoloLens glasses, surgeons can see a 3D overlay of the pre-planned positioning of screws, allowing the surgeon to interactively align their instruments with the holographic visualization and find the proper location more quickly. Additionally, surgeons can keep their eye on the operative field, and they can also used gestures to place virtual monitors onto their visual field.

Scopis Holographic Navigation Platform is a universal solution that offers specific advantages for spinal surgeries and can also be applied in the many other areas where the highest levels of precision and speed are critical. In neurosurgery, for example, brain tumors could be located faster and with higher accuracy, Scopis CEO and founder Bartosz Kosmecki, said in a statement. The development of this holographic platform further highlights Scopis leading role in medical mixed and augmented reality.

The holographic platform also seeks to work in the place of fluoroscopy devices, which are used today to determine screw placement positioning but have the negative side effect of radiation exposure to the patients and medical professionals.

In other three-dimensional surgical technology news, Dublin-based 3D4Medical, which makes apps for medical education and fitness, unveiled its new suite of the clinical apps for iPhone and iPad collectively called Compete Consultation. The idea is to facilitate conversation and education between doctors and their patients on a range of areas including orthopedics, cardiology, internal medicine and trauma.

Previously, the company launched a version of the app in 2013, but only to the largest and most familiar hospital chains in the United States. Now, orthopedic surgeons and clinics around the world will have access, and the app is free to the general public.

With 3D technology and animations, Complete Consultation is intended to help healthcare professionals more thoroughly educate their patients, allowing them to give visual pointers on anatomy of the part of the body in question, potential pathologies and treatments (including step-by-step animations).

Maurice Neligan, director of Orthopedic Surgery at Irelands Beacon Hospital and associate clinical professor at University College Dublin School of Medicine, pointed to the technology as a significant advancement in engaging patients.

It dispenses with the need for plastic models and scribbled diagrams, replacing them with top-quality illustrations, animations, and information that are personalized to the patients pathology and treatment, Neligan said in a statement. It is well-known that better-engaged patients have better outcomes and the information generated from patient engagement with Complete Ortho allows a more robust consent process for treatment, lowering the risk of malpractice litigation and the process can be seamlessly incorporated into existing practice models with little or no increase in consultation time.

We last heard from 3D4Medical in mid-2015, when the company raised $16.4 million. 3D4Medical's flagship app, calledEssential Anatomy, is a medical reference application that displays male and female models with 11 systems and8,200 anatomical structures. Essential Anatomy also allows medical students to create customized pins with notes that they canplace anywhere on the model, slice through certain structures using a plane tool, create bookmarks, and take interactive quizzes. The company is also an Apple Mobility Partner, and in 2012, AppleCEO Tim Cookhighlighted3D4Medicalina video playedatWorld Wide Developers Conference that showeda few apps that had made an impact in peoples lives. 3D4Medicaloriginally started off as a medical stock image company, but when the iPad came outthe company started to offer educational content.

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Two companies work to demystify surgical procedures and anatomy ... - MobiHealthNews

Anatomy

IPOB: The Anatomy Of A Journey Without Map By Churchill Okonkwo – SaharaReporters.com

In a treacherous Nigerian political terrain, embarking on a journey without a map is akin to a ram going to a head-fight without a skull. Even with a map, you still need to know the contours and other geophysical attributes of your domain in order to navigate the challenges you will encounter in the course of the journey. Ndigbo have a saying that, if a child is not well prepared and mature enough to seek what killed his father, what killed his father may kill him, too.

Some of the consequences of embarking on a journey without a map are that your trails will be lined with thorns rather than roses; your vision will be blurred rather than clear, all of which could make your journey endless. In the case of IPOB, the interesting outcome of attempting to navigate the complex Nigerian political terrain without a map was getting stuck, only to be rescued by your uncles you once characterized as saboteurs. The first lesson for IPOB: a newborn child does not throw his father up and a boisterous show does not imply knowledge.

Talking about noise, it is an irony that Nnamdi Kanu, who is meant to be Odimegwu Ojukwureincarnate, landed in the tummy of FKK, who in an attempt to belittle Ndigbo once claimed to have slept with Ojukwus wife. What a journey, what an embarrassment. I hope that by now, my IPOB brothers would have admitted that they were heading in the wrong direction after watching the IPOB leader run into the arms of the Yoruba tribe they characterized as betrayers. Second lesson: during a famine, you will be forced to eat what you earlier said you disliked.

So, what should you do when you realize that you are facing the wrong direction in the course of a journey? Keep wallowing in the wilderness? Turnaround? Ask for direction? I guess the Chinese proverb to know the road ahead, you need to ask those who are coming back, is a good start. Where will IPOB find those that are coming back? In history books, oral and written.

The Pan-Africanist writer and historian, Prof. John Henrik Clarke, wrote that even though history is not everything, it is a starting point. He referred to history as a clock that people use to tell their political and cultural time of day. This history, he stated, is a compass we should use to find ourselves on the map of human geography.

Using a compass to navigate your way to a destination is not a dumb luck. It is paying attention to a wonderful tool of science. If the brains behind IPOP had paid attention to the history of Biafran Civil War or the history of the last two independent countries in Africa, Eretria, and South Sudan, they would have realized the folly in a headless ram initiating a head-fight. As such, they should have started by drawing a map, even if it is a sketch.

Without a clear map, one will certainly not know where he or she is. To think that an Independent State of Biafra is in the best interest of Ndigbo in Nigeria is still puzzling to me. To imagine that an independent country could be realized by going to an International Court of no consequence even to countries that obey laws was an illusion. It is also laughable and an act of lazy analysis to compare the EU or Scottish referendum to the realization of Biafra. Without any political backing, therefore, it is a big joke to be calling for a referendum on social media.

Here is a fact: no matter how long one travels in the wrong direction, getting to the right destination will remain elusive. The navigation to any destination should truly begin in the hearts of the voyager. This is the most important map of all. Where is the heart of Ndigbo? If we generate a heat map of Ndigbo, what will be the spread of our data matrix on the map of Nigeria?

If those behind this journey without map had measured the footprint of Ndigbo in Nigeria, they would have realized that the fastest way to get to the top of the mountain is to climb down. Because more than 60% of the heat map of the heartbeat of Ndigbo in Nigeria are outside the domain of the enclave of Igbo states, any map of our domain should be boundless.

IPOB should make a heat map of Ndigbo in Nigeria and distribute it to all their followers and sympathizers. The intent is for them to stare at the spatial distribution of the heartbeat of our brothers and sisters anytime they get that strange feeling of destroying the zoo. By so doing, they will realize that destruction of the zoo is like committing suicide.

The struggle to ensure an equitable Nigeria, essential to the vibrancy of Ndigbo should not be about changing the map of Nigeria. Rather, what is needed is mapping a change of the way we assert ourselves in our domains irrespective of whether it is in Lagos or Kano. My duty is to bring Ndigbo out of this lethargy of always seeing themselves as poor victims that are being trampled by every other tribe in Nigeria. Not everyone is trampling on us. We are champs.

This botched journey should be a lesson that an old woman that provokes a fight but is not pushed to the ground, will provoke again. It is hoped that the voyagers have discovered that Biafra is not and should never be all about them. From here, it is hoped that they will learn to be who they are meant to be in the first place - ordinary mortals with no superior powers. When a black ant bites the buttocks, it learns common sense.

Before IPOB, there was MOSSOB. Like Uwazurike, like Nnamdi Kanu? Time will tell. After this distraction from what the focus of Ndigbo should be in Nigeria, there is currently a pause, a space. In that space lies our freedom to choose how to respond. How should Ndigbo respond? Push for restructuring of Nigeria state? Look inwards and develop the Igbo States? Or Both?

I am happy to hear that Ohaneze will attempt to convince Nnamdi Kanu of the need to push for a restructuring of Nigeria rather than acting like a turtle that geared up beside a river that swallowed an elephant as if it will fly over it. To succeed, however, Ohaneze should let the experience from IPOBs journey without map shape their approach in agitating for restructuring.

As the call for restructuring garner momentum, Ohaneze, just like IPOB, should know that some renegades in the zoo that made the most out of the captivity of Nnamdi Kanu, will be key players. They should know that it will take the cooperation of the dissatisfied ethnic nationalities and different interest groups in Nigeria to make headway with restructuring. As such, Ohaneze should be careful in their actions, not to destroy the bridges that will be crucial in crossing the shark infested rivers of a restructuring. A word is enough for the wise.

In the final analysis, the need to have a map before embarking on any checkered political journey in Nigeria, including restructuring is very crucial. The concept of ebule ji isi eje ogu (A ram goes to fight with its head), without a strategy, even with courage, is outdated and folly.

You can email Churchill at[emailprotected] or follow him on Twitter @churchillnnobi.

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IPOB: The Anatomy Of A Journey Without Map By Churchill Okonkwo - SaharaReporters.com

Immunology

RCSI scientist wins l’Oreal award for immunology expertise – Siliconrepublic.com

Dr Annie Curtis, a scientist at RCSI, is one of five LOral For Women In Science winners.

Securing 15,000 to help further research into their chosen field, five scientists have receivedhigh-profile fellowships in the UK and Ireland.

Now into its tenth run, the LOral-UNESCO For Women in Science fellowship initiative named Dr Annie Curtis (of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) as one of this years winners, alongside UK-based Drs Radha Boya, Manju Kurian, Bethan Psaila and Priya Subramanian.

Curtis is an immunologist who focuseson our internal body clock, a process regulating our sleep patterns as well as our daily energy use.

With some research linking this clock to a similar activity within cells, Curtiss work is investigating how this could be harnessed to control inflammation a key target in a wide range of diseases.

A further study could help explain why we are more prone to inflammation at certain times of the day, and why disruptions to our body clock cause increased risk of disease.

As documented by Science Foundation Ireland, Curtiss work has also changed our understanding of chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and neurodegeneration.

In 2015, Irish cancer biology researcher Dr Trona N Chonghaile was named as one of the five fellowship winners for her work developing a novel HDAC6 inhibitor that can kill chemo-resistant breast cancers.

Prof Dame Carol Robinson, head of the judging panel at the event, said the competition is now so well known that scientists are fiercely competitive when it comes to securing the fellowships.

Each of our finalists is working on innovative and groundbreaking research, so selecting the winners was a tough task for the judges, but we are delighted they can now benefit from this support at a crucial stage in their careers, and we look forward to seeing the fruits of their research in the future, she said.

Boya, based at the University of Manchester, is a nanoscientist aiming to produce atomically thin channels through layers of two-dimensional materials such as graphene.

Kurian is a geneticist atUCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health who is researching the genetic causes of cerebral palsy.

University of Oxford-based Psaila is a haematologist examining the role of blood cells in the bone marrow known as megakaryocytes in a fatal disease called myelofibrosis.

Subramanian, a mathematician at the University of Leeds, is researching mathematical recipes for never-repeating quasicrystals.

Women still face significant barriers to STEM careers, from a shortage of female role models for young children to a lack of support once on their chosen career path, said Dr Steve Shiel, scientific director at LOral UK and Ireland.

Science needs women and, as a company founded on science, we are committed to ensuring more women are able to enjoy long and successful careers in science.

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RCSI scientist wins l'Oreal award for immunology expertise - Siliconrepublic.com

Immunology

Cancer Immunology and Oncolytic Virology: Technologies and Global Markets – PR Newswire (press release)

LONDON, May 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Highlights The global cancer immunotherapy market should reach $96.5 billion by 2021 from $73.0 billion in 2016 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.7%, from 2016 to 2021. The US region of the global cancer immunotherapy market is the largest market. The market is expected to grow from

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$38.8 billion in 2016 to $50.6 billion in 2021 at a CAGR of 5.4% for the period 2016-2021. The Japan region of the global cancer immunotherapy market is expected to grow from $6.4 billion in 2016 to $10.1 billion in 2021 at a CAGR of 9.6% for the period 2016-2021.

Goals and Objectives This report, PHM129B Cancer Immunology and Oncolytic Virology: Technologies and Global Markets, provides an overview of the current and potential global market for cancer immunotherapy and oncolytic virology. This report provides information on most clinically significant types of cancers, with supportive information on historical incidence and mortality trends. It underlines the importance of more effective and personalized treatment options for these diseases.

The objective of this report is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the current state and the future direction of cancer immunotherapy. Additionally, the report also provides information on the current developments in oncolytic virology and introduces the promising products in clinical trials. The conventional treatment paradigms, trends in each market segment, and clinical trials and outcomes are provided along with sales figures and forecasts for cancer immunotherapy and virotherapy products from 2015 through 2021.

In this report, the critical evaluation of the products and markets is based on extensive primary and secondary research from industry sources. The evaluation takes into account regulatory policies as well as demographic and epidemiological factors that strongly influence the oncology market.

Reasons for Doing This Study The aim of this report is to provide detailed information on the new areas of cancer immunology and immunotherapy. Considering the shortcomings of the current treatment paradigms, immunotherapy has provided ground-breaking improvements in the treatment of different types of cancers. Growing clinical information stresses the importance of immunotherapy in cancer treatment. Immunotherapy addresses the need for more efficacious and flexible treatment strategies for managing the global burden of cancer.

This report focuses on the new and latest types of treatment based on immunology. It also features oncolytic virology, a field that is still in its latency, with budding treatment options that promise clinical value for the treatment and management of cancer.

Intended Audience This report is a comprehensive study of the global market for immunotherapy and oncolytic virology. It includes statistical analysis of industry-oriented information on available and pipeline drugs; discussion of technological trends; and analysis of market landscape and structure in terms of market size, market segments, and geographical market regions.

This report provides crucial information about market growth in cancer immunotherapy and oncolytic virology as indicated for the most common types of cancers. The in-detail analysis and forecasts of the market will be of interest to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, as well as to healthcare providers and clinical and scientific research institutions. Additional audiences may include investment firms in this sector.

Scope of The Study The scope of this report covers current cancer immunotherapy markets for most common cancers. The market segments included in this report are therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (with special focus on checkpoint inhibitors), synthetic interleukins, interferons, and colony-stimulating factors; small kinase inhibitors of cancer-related targets; protective and therapeutic cancer vaccines; and adoptive cell therapies.

This report also covers treatments that are in development for late-stage and early-stage oncolytic viruses. Detailed epidemiological information, discussion of incidence and mortality trends, overview of regulatory landscapes, and analysis of market shares for leading products and companies are also included in this report.

Information Sources for the Technology Assessment Both primary and secondary research were conducted and used in preparing this study. The author of the report conducted a comprehensive literature search from public, private, and government sources, which included company publications, industrial and market reports available in physical or electronic format, academic journals, and other professionally written dedicated sources, as well as company and product literature and industrial databases. Data were obtained through interviews and correspondence with clinical-stage pharmaceutical companies and technical experts in cancer immunology and oncolytic virology.

Cancer immunotherapies were assessed according to preclinical, clinical, and post-marketing data in order to evaluate efficacy, safety, competitive edge, and utilization in the market. The market and the pipeline products were stratified according to product category (based on mechanism of action), indication, and geographical region. These products were then comparatively assessed and interrelated.

The selected regions include the U.S., major markets of Europe (Germany, France, the U.K., Spain, and Italy), and Japan. Other international territories such as the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Central and South America, and Southeast Asia were categorized as a single region (rest of the world). Major markets such as Canada, Mexico, China, India, Australia, and New Zealand were included under this rest of the world (ROW) category.

Forecasting Methodology For forecasting, initially the affected populations who have access to diagnosis and treatment in each regional market were estimated using epidemiological and demographic data. Each population was then stratified according to obtained prescription rates for market products.

For each drug, an average annual consumption coefficient was calculated. Finally, the values for the selected population, the average annual drug consumption coefficient, and the unit price of the selected drug were multiplied. Individual trends; generic competition; patent expirations; in-out licensing; co-marketing and codevelopment agreements; merger and acquisitions; and other market dynamics were taken into consideration during forecasting.

Geographic Breakdown In this report, the geographic regions considered for market analysis include, and only include: U.S. Europe Japan Rest of the World

Summary and Highlights Cancer is a disease with global implications. There are many different types of cancer, of which the most common types include lung, breast, colon and rectal, stomach, head and neck, prostate, cervical, melanoma, and ovarian cancer, as well as leukemia. Cancer is a genetic disease that is conventionally treated by surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and immunotherapy.

Surgery is the mainstay treatment for all cancers. Usually surgery is complimented with radiation or chemotherapy to ensure the clearance of all residual cancer. Despite the advances in treatment, cancer has great plasticity; therefore, after a certain time the effects of treatment fade and cancer returns with acquired resistance. Combination therapy, using multiple modalities including surgery and pharmaceutical or radiation therapy, improves response to treatment.

Radiation and chemotherapy have many side effects. Biological treatment options provide less impactful treatment of cancer. Immunotherapy is a type of biological therapy and it incorporates elements of the immune system in cancer treatment. The immune system has various types of cells and proteins that detect and act upon signs of a disease or infection by harmful and foreign substances such as microbes, bacteria and viruses. The immune system differentiates the body's own cells and tissues through an evolutionary bar-coding system. This system helps the immune system understand encountered foreign substances as "nonself." Cancer cells are recognized as nonself as well. The immune system monitors the body for cancer and destroys when it detects a malignancy. Cancer cells can avoid being recognized by the immune system and develop resistance through numerous methods.

Since the early 1900s, the connection between cancer and the immune system has caught the attention of various scientists and medical practitioners. Although the early studies were bluntly done without current technological and scientific tools, they nonetheless shed insights leading to the development of the first monoclonal antibodies and to the use of biologically derived synthetic interleukins and interferons. After many decades of research, immunotherapy finally emerged as a fully functional clinical area in the 1990s. Since then, the cancer therapeutics landscape has changed dramatically.

With the stream of product approvals in recent years, the global immunotherapy market has reached its current value. In 2015, the global cancer immunotherapy market hit $65 billion. The current immunotherapy market contains several blockbuster products reaching their end-of-market exclusivities; however, the market is mostly comprised of newly introduced and expensive therapies. In 2016, the market expanded by more than 10% over the previous year, reaching $73 billion. During the period of 2016 through 2021, the global cancer immunotherapy market is forecast to grow by a 5.7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), reaching $96.5 billion in 2021.

The strongest growth is expected to occur in checkpoint-inhibitor drugs with a 19.4% CAGR during the forecast period. Immunomodulators are anticipated to show the second-highest growth rates among immunotherapy products, with an 8.4% CAGR during the same period. The combined sales from both segments are expected to make up for nearly one-third of the market, with a combined sales value of $28 billion in 2021. Checkpoint inhibitors are virtually comprised of monoclonal antibodies; however, they are assessed separately due to their immense commercial and clinical significance. Sales from other therapeutic antibodies accrued to $28 billion in 2016, and this value is expected to remain relatively constant through 2021, due to several patent expiries, pressure from anticipated generic entries, and newly introduced classes of drugs expected by 2021.

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Cancer Immunology and Oncolytic Virology: Technologies and Global Markets - PR Newswire (press release)

Human Behavior

Google Docs Phishing Scam Takes Advantage of Human Behavior – IT Business Edge (blog)

Last week, I wrote a bit about the dangers of passwords and the relationship with the Google Docs phishing scam that recently broke. Today, Im going back to the Google Docs issue, but to look at it from a different angle: how scammers continue to use social engineering so successfully.

An eSecurity Planet article touched on this:

Fidelis Cybersecurity threat research manager John Bambenek said by email that the attack is a stark reminder that criminals and nation states are targeting the one thing technology can't fix -- the user. "If you can trick the user into compromising themselves, you have no need for a zero-day," he said. "Security awareness and vigilance of end users are the key to the security of any system."

This echoes what Nathan Wenzler, chief security strategist at AsTech, told me in an email message. Hackers are using attacks such as ransomware and honed spearphishing campaigns to go after the weakest link: people, adding:

These attacks take advantage of social and emotional constructs to either fool the user into clicking on a link or a file that is malicious, or in the case of ransomware, appeal to the user's sense of ownership of their data and the desire to gain access to files which are important to them and may not be available anywhere else.

Someone recently asked what excites me about cybersecurity right now, and I said behavior analytics and how hackers use human behavior to manipulate their attacks, but also how security professionals can turn to behavior to better prevent attacks. In the Google Docs phish, the hackers not only turned to behavior to gain an edge, they also used the legitimate functionality within Google's infrastructure to provide a proper user login. They counted on the phishing recipients to simply react without thinking. And we should expect hackers to build on this type of attack vector, according to Simon Taylor, vice president of products at Glasswall, who told me in an email comment:

Cyber criminals know that productivity suites like O365 and Google, as well as dynamic documents and other types of shared files are the lifeblood of todays internet users. This includes consumers and employees of massive corporations, and oftentimes, theyre one and the same. While the threat has reportedly been mitigated by Google, this will not stop the ever-expanding theme of clever phishing tactics by malicious actors.

What can you do to help your employees avoid phishing scams that are using the tools they use every day to conduct ordinary job duties? You know Im going to say its time for security awareness training, specifically about this type of attack, and to always verify everything before clicking, especially if the request is out of the ordinary. In addition to that, Wenzler suggested that users should understand exactly how the software works:

Under normal conditions, Google Docs won't ask a user to provide access to Google Docs. It already has it, essentially, as that's the nature of signing up for the service. Users who know that something called "Google Docs" won't ask for access like this attack did would know that something is amiss and could stop before providing that access. Always take a moment to understand what your web-based applications are supposed to do, and if you see something abnormal, err on the side of caution and do not proceed.

Sue Marquette Poremba has been writing about network security since 2008. In addition to her coverage of security issues for IT Business Edge, her security articles have been published at various sites such as Forbes, Midsize Insider and Tom's Guide. You can reach Sue via Twitter: @sueporemba

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Google Docs Phishing Scam Takes Advantage of Human Behavior - IT Business Edge (blog)

Genetics

Myriad Genetics Makes A Strong Case For Its Prolaris Test – Seeking Alpha

Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ:MYGN) is a developer of diagnostic medical products, with a focus on cancer testing to help identify patients who are most at risk due to their genetics.

Diagnostics are perhaps not quite as sexy as the exciting rollercoaster ride that is drug development. But MYGN has some exciting things brewing in the pot. Today, I want to take a look with you regarding their recent performance, and then I want to share some thoughts on where their growing platform for prostate cancer assessment is going.

First, some financial considerations

The company's portfolio and ongoing development of therapies and diagnostic tools are supported by the successful launch and commercialization of its hereditary cancer platform.

In fact, according to the latest quarterly filings from the company, this suite of products brought in $140 million in Q1 2017. Overall, the company remains in the black with operating income of roughly $13 million in the first quarter.

While it's not bad to be in the black, this is a further decline in total net income from the same period in 2016, which saw over $40 million in net operating income. This is due in large part to an ever-expanding field of competitors in the diagnostic space.

Thus, MYGN needs to have success in other areas if they are to continue growing. And its field of cancer-specific diagnostic tests seems to be an important area of growth for the company.

Myriad bringing it in force at the Urologic Meeting

To date, MYGN's Prolaris platform, which helps to assess risk of relapse in men with prostate cancer, has not fundamentally changed the bottom line for the company. Since its launch in 2010, Prolaris revenue now stands on the order of millions of dollars per quarter, with the most recent filing showing $3.4 million in sales for Q1 2017.

Compare that to Genomic Health's Oncotype DX, which raked in over $10 million in Q1 2016, for something approaching a similar comparison.

The feasibility of growing the Prolaris numbers hinges on being able to firmly establish a benefit for the test. As such, it is with much gusto that MYGN has announced four studies being presented at the American Urological Association 2017 meeting.

They include the following abstracts:

Let's consider each of these, one by one:

Evaluating the Prognostic Utility of the CCP Score for Predicting Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness in African American Men

While Prolaris has shown benefit for predicting prostate cancer outcomes in a number of settings, there's not much information specifically relating to outcomes for African American men. Thus, MYGN undertook a more focused analysis to confirm the utility in this minority population.

The study looked at a cohort of 694 men, 38% of whom were African American. It showed that the Prolaris score distribution did not differ significantly based on race. Furthermore, whereas race did not accurately predict the risk of the development of metastasis, the Prolaris score did in a multivariate analysis.

This suggests that the use of Prolaris can help make more informed decisions without relying on clinicopathologic information.

Prognostic Utility of Biopsy-Derived Cell Cycle Progression Score in Patients with NCCN Low-Risk Prostate Cancer Undergoing Radical Prostatectomy: Implications for Treatment

Information regarding the prognostic value of Prolaris in low-risk disease is also sparse, so MYGN looked at patients who met the national guideline classification for low-risk disease to see the risk of biochemical relapse, as stratified by Prolaris scoring criteria.

Interestingly, three risk groups according to Prolaris results (low, intermediate, high) had five-year BCR-free survival of 89.2%, 80.4%, and 64.7%, respectively, representing a significant predictive power.

These findings suggest that the Prolaris test can provide substantial fine-tuning of the risk classification for patients with prostate cancer who are defined as low risk. It remains to be seen, of course, how doctors would make use of these results, but it will be interesting to see later how predicting the risk of biochemical relapse translates into overall outcome for these patients.

The Impact of Clinical CCP Testing in Men with Localized Prostate Cancer for Expanding the Population of Men Eligible for Active Surveillance

"Active surveillance," the treatment strategy of "wait as long as you can before treating" can be very effective for helping men with prostate cancer avoid treatment-related toxicity while maintaining disease control. However, it is tricky to accurately point out which patients should take this approach.

In this study, samples from over 17,000 men were analyzed and correlated with outcome, defining a population who can forego treatment based on Prolaris score.

The most interesting finding in the study was that a certain proportion of patients who would be classified as "high risk" based on clinical variables had a low enough score that they would be candidates for active surveillance. In the "AUA" high-risk group, 14.1% of men would be good candidates.

This is important for helping to preserve patient quality of life and cost of treatment. If you can safely forego therapy for some extended period of time, that's less treatment burden on the patient. So this could prove to be a useful tool as it gains more validation.

Patient NCCN Risk Classification Based on Combined Clinical Cell Cycle Risk Score

In case it hasn't become clear, using clinical variables (such as Gleason score and NCCN risk criteria) can be a pretty blunt way to assess risk of treatment failure. One of the big goals of molecular diagnostics in numerous fields of treatment is to develop cleaner tools for analysis, especially in these tumors where patients can often expect to live for decades after diagnosis.

In this study, clinicopathologic features were measured against the Prolaris score to assess the risk of death by ten years post diagnosis. A large portion of men in the traditional risk subgroups were reclassified. For example, 25% of the "low-risk" cohort were actually in higher risk of relapse. 47% of those in the "intermediate-risk" population were reclassified, as well.

What this tells us is that, for a strong minority of patients, clinical features alone will give misleading information to doctors as they attempt to formulate an effective treatment plan. Incorporation of Prolaris score into the process can help fine-tune the stratification of risk. While the conclusions for treatment selection are not quite clear, the implication is that doctors will be able to use this information in the future when selecting treatment.

For example, if you're clinically low risk, but your Prolaris score says you might be at higher risk, then the doctor could select a more aggressive treatment strategy for you.

Conclusions

The studies presented at AUA 2017 add more fuel to the engine that MYGN is building up. It remains to be seen whether this will affect uptake of the Prolaris platform in the clinic, but with over 160,000 diagnoses of prostate cancer in the US alone, there is a deep potential market for this diagnostic platform.

If MYGN can continue to demonstrate the benefit of Prolaris in these patients, they should see growth in the platform. The big coups to come will be studies that correlate treatment outcomes with Prolaris score, since this information gives concrete guidance for doctors when selecting treatment. For this reason, the "active surveillance" study might be the most important for the bottom line, as it provides useful information that affects treatment decisions.

Prolaris will be one product to keep an eye on as part of your due diligence for MYGN.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. If you are interested in getting my assessment of recent news, please consider becoming a follower of mine on Seeking Alpha. This will let you get real-time updates of when I publish new articles, including my daily digest of biotechnology findings and news called "3 Things in Biotech You Should Learn Today."

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Myriad Genetics Makes A Strong Case For Its Prolaris Test - Seeking Alpha

Embryology

Center Elementary School students watch chicks hatch – Freeport Journal-Standard

Jane Lethlean Correspondent

FREEPORT Center Elementary Schoolsecond-grader Brennan Endsley looked through the window of an incubator filled with chicks and hatching eggs.

I check on them every day, and I was so excited when some of them hatched, and now we get to watch them grow," she said. "They are so cute, and I learned about unfertilized and fertilized eggs.

Chicks began hatching in the incubator in Jeanine Shumakers class on Tuesday. On April 10, 18 eggs and the incubator were delivered to the classroom by Brittani DeVries, education coordinator for the Conservation and Agriculture Partners for the Ag in the Classroom unit on embryology studies.

Twelves area schools are participating in the embryology unit, DeVries said. The chicks and incubators were donated by Pearl Valley Farms and the Stephenson County Farm Bureau. All educational supplies for the unit are also donated to the schools.

What makes the embryology unit fun is the students get to experience life and farming first-hand, DeVries said. Not all students are farm kids, but what this unit is more about is science and being able to watch an embryo develop.

DeVries said most schools that participate in the program find homes for the chicks, but otherwise they go to a farm in Orangeville.

Shumaker said she applied to be part of the unit last year and was happy she was able to bring the unit to her second-grade class this year. Of the 18 eggs brought to the classroom, 10 hatched, two didnt survive and six didnt come to fruition.

All 10 surviving chicks are thriving. Shumaker plans to take one chick home to be with her flock and the rest will be taken home by another teacher.

I have wanted to do a unit on embryology for a long time, Shumaker said. I have chickens at home, and I wanted the students to learn about life cycles and how the environment affects animals.

Shumaker said the students read books and did their research on the different types of chicken breeds. The students partnered up to study colors and feathers of the chickens, but the excitement began when the incubator arrived in the classroom.

Each day, the students used a method called candling, which involves looking inside the egg by shining a bright light into it to watch the development of the chick. Its used to test whether an egg is good to go into the incubator and whether the embryo develops as it should.

They came to us in an egg carton, and then we placed them in the incubator, Shumaker said. This has the students have hands-on experience, and their response is they wanted to learn more. The more exposure to life they have, the greater respect they will have. To experience it, you learn more and doing things like this helps them remember what they did in school.

Grace Lewis said she checked out books from her library to learn more about chickens.

I got to read about chickens, and then I got to see them born, Lewis said. We had to let them dry before we could hold them, and its exciting to watch them eat. They are so cute.

Jane Lethlean: jlethlean1210@gmail.com; @DOGWMN2

The rest is here:
Center Elementary School students watch chicks hatch - Freeport Journal-Standard

Cell Biology

The Q&A: Xiang Zhang – Texas Tribune

With each issue, Trib+Health brings you an interview with experts on issues related to health care. Here is this weeks subject:

Dr. Xiang Zhang is associate professor of molecular and cellular biology at the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center at Baylor College of Medicine. He recently led research on a study that developed a new lab technique to test the effectiveness of treatments for breast cancer metastases in bones.

Editors note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Trib+Health: Can you expand on the study you led that developed a new lab technique to rapidly test the effectiveness of treatments for breast cancer metastases in bones?

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Xiang Zhang: Most preliminary clinical studies these days use primary tumors as models. In the clinic, what were already trying to cure are metastases, which kill around 90 percent of breast cancer patients. There hasnt been a great model, though.We are trying to put the cancer cells into the bone environment, and we actually invented a platform to have many specimens at once so we can perform multiple parallels to pass the efficacy of different drugs. We are hoping to accelerate the pre-clinical studies looking for effective drugs to treat cancer-related bone metastases.

So what we recently published is basically the methodology of how to perform such experiments using mice as a model. We found that the approach is actually pretty effective, because it allows us to very quickly check over 100 drugs most of which are already FDA-approved to treat other diseases.

We tested over 100 drugs and found a couple that exhibited extraordinary efficacies when they are in the bone microenvironment specifically, but they are not as effective or they have different efficacies with the cancer cell by themselves. But these drugs become more effective in the bone microenvironment. That raised the possibility that we could try these drugs in a clinic to treat patients with high risk of bone metastases or are already diagnosed with bone metastases.

Trib+Health: What were some of the more unexpected aspects of the study?

Zhang: There is also some surprise because some of the newly developed drugs that are currently in clinical trials and are supposed to act against cancer actually promote cancer in our model. That was very unexpected, and we are looking into the mechanisms, but that really alarmed us to use caution when we try new drugs because they can sometimes have unexpected or adverse effects. And that really raised the question to us that were going to need to test these drugs with the right model before we go to clinical trials.

Trib+Health:What are the next steps in your research following this study?

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Zhang: We are looking into the molecular reasons behind this unexpected efficacy. Our surprise finding doesnt necessarily mean those drugs cannot or should not be used, it just means we dont understand the entire system and need to go deeper. We already have some clues why that is the case, but this involves very complicated molecular mechanisms. That actually leads us to other discoveries, which are in process.

For the drugs that work extraordinarily well, we are also looking into the possibility to use them in the clinic as quickly as possible to make some clinical impact.

Trib+Health: Do you have a projected timeline for when those drugs may be used in a clinic for trials?

Zhang: I cant give you an exact timeline because I need to collaborate with the clinicians first. But Im very active in the discussion with my clinical colleagues here. Some of them are very excited about this, and were hoping we can move this forward as quickly as we can.The bright side is, as I said, some of these drugs are already FDA approved, or theyre in an advanced stage of the clinical pipeline for other diseases.

Trib+Health:Is there anything youd like to add to todays conversation?

Zhang: I would like to emphasize the importance of combining basic research with clinical studies. Right now, theres a significant gap between them. Clinicians and scientists need to work together. Scientists need to understand the real clinical need from patients, but clinicians also need to collaborate more closely to understand the basic mechanisms and design clinical trials in a more informed manner.I hope our study will further the collaboration between the two sides.

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The Q&A: Xiang Zhang - Texas Tribune