What are the mechanisms that allow us to adapt to extreme altitude and lack of oxygen? What role do genetics play?

Sherpa Everest is a pioneering project whose goal is to try to find the answers.

A team of scientists from Barcelona traveled to the Himalayas to join the expedition of mountaineer Ferran Latorre, who has just climbed Mount Everest, his 14th and final eight-thousander the name given to the worlds 14 mountain peaks that stand taller than 8,000 metres.

Its been a long and tough journey: This is my temporary home: the tent, here. You try to adapt things to your needs, but, of course, you spend many hours here alone and you miss your home, your house and the people. There are times when you feel a bit down, he says.

Latorre is one of the projects so-called guinea pigs. At a field hospital 5.400 metres high at Everest Base Camp, doctors working on the project take samples from 15 mountaineers from all over the world and 22 sherpas. As electricty is a rare commodity, the blood samples are kept cold in the icefall of the Khumbu glacier.

From there, they are flown by helicopter to Kathmandu. They will arrive in Barcelona in the coming weeks to be analyzed at the Hospital of Santa Creu i Sant Pau.

When we are exposed to extreme environmental situations, be it high altitudes or lack of oxygen, or hypoxia, our DNA sequence doesnt change, Jos Manuel Soria, head of Genomics at the Institute of Research of Sant Pau explains. What does change in these situations is how we regulate those genes, that is, the expression of those genes. And thats what we want to study.

Samples taken in the Himalayas will be compared with those of fifty patients suffering from respiratory conditions like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic oxygen deficiency.

The aim of the project is to study how we adapt to oxygen deficiency at sea level, at Everest Base Camp and after trying to reach the summit, more than 8,000 meters high and then to compare it with people who live at Everest Base Camp year round, in an oxygen-poor environment, explains Oriol Sibila, a pneumologist at Sant Pau Hospital.

So who will benefit from this research?

In addition to people suffering from chronic respiratory disease, its hoped it will help people travelling to high altitudes and mountaineers like Ferran Latorre, who says hes not prepared to hang up his boots yet.

Well, the truth is that after finishing the 14 eight-thousanders, I have other plans like opening up a new route on an eight-thousander, which I have so far failed to do, he tells us. I also want to try climbing Mount Everests northern slope without oxygen. And then I want to climb Cerro Torre, the north face of the Eiger Those are all the things a mountaineer has to do before he can hang up his hiking boots.

Whether the goal is scientific, athletic or personal, its an invitation for everyone to pursue their own Everest.

Read the rest here:
Genetics in the Himalayas | Euronews - euronews

As scientists learn more about how genes affect everything from hair color to sexual orientation and mental health, were faced with moral and political questions about how we allow science to intervene in the genetic code. In this episode, Siddhartha Mukherjee, the author of the book The Gene: An Intimate History , talks with David Remnick about the intimate and global implications of modern genetic science, and speaks frankly about his own family history of mental illness. Plus, we visit the studio of a leading sound-effects artist, and a virtual-reality team struggles to make a V.R. experience that lives up to the hype. This episode originally aired on May 13, 2016.

Welcome to the thoughtsphere. Whats a thoughtsphere?

The physician and Pulitzer Prize-winning author examines the intimate and global implications of genetic science.

Virtual reality used to be the technology of the future. Now its here. How will artists use the young medium to tell stories?

Three weird things you need to check out: a random-film-clip generator, an Internet graveyard, and the Turkish Star Wars.

The sound of a guy getting beaten with a bat in Goodfellas was engineered by an ex-magician with a hideout in Jersey.

Two mothers meet on the playground, and things get weird.

View original post here:
Episode 87: Virtual Reality, and the Politics of Genetics - The New Yorker

Ask people in the research business if they have a wish list, and many will answer in the affirmative.

There are always different things you want to see done, says Jim Reecy, an animal scientist and director of the Office of Biotechnology at Iowa State University.

Much of Reecys work involves genetically changing traits in cattle to better predict performance.

For example, researchers are working to find cattle that offer genetic resistance to respiratory ailments such as bovine respiratory disease (BRD). This trait would be similar to others producers have selected for years, such as birth and weaning weights.

There is a large consortium of universities working on this, and its very exciting, Reecy says. It would work just like any other EPD (expected progeny difference) that producers are already using to select genetics.

Heat tolerance is another trait being looked at under the microscope. Reecy says projects at the University of Missouri and the University of Florida could greatly influence genetic selection.

The project at Missouri is looking at hair coat shedding, and the other in Florida is looking at internal body temperatures, he says. This research would allow producers to select cattle that handle heat better.

At Iowa State, researchers are looking at what traits allow certain cattle to better respond to vaccinations used for respiratory disease.

Something like this will allow producers to cull off cattle that do not respond as well to vaccinations, Reecy says.

The top item on his wish list would be the elimination of communicable diseases like BVD (bovine virus diarrhea).

Something like this would be similar to the gene editing that led to de-horning, Reecy says. Something like that would change the industry.

Much of the work in the hog industry also involves genetics, says Dave Pyburn, a veterinarian and senior vice president for science and technology with the National Pork Board.

The most promising research, he says, comes from the University of Missouri where scientists have isolated the point where the PRRS virus enters a cell.

They have been able to remove that attachment point from the cell, Pyburn says. They also looked at pigs who were not affected. So, through natural selection or gene editing, we could get to the point where we have pigs that are resistant to PRRS.

This disease cost the industry $664 million last year, so this is very significant.

Pyburn says the technology could be available in five to 10 years.

Other areas receiving attention from researchers include biosecurity, animal welfare and pork quality.

We need to take our biosecurity research to the next level, Pyburn says. There are things we need to better understand, such as filtration systems in buildings. The key is to try and prevent the disease, and subsequently reducing the need for antibiotics.

He says animal welfare issues include different euthanasia methods and pain management.

More research is needed on teeth and tail clipping, as well as castration, Pyburn says. We need to look at analgesics that can be passed through the mammary glands to the baby pigs. So far, weve had to use too much analgesic to be effective, but I think we will figure it out.

Continue reading here:
Genetics key to livestock disease relief - Iowa Farmer Today - Iowa Farmer Today

What was more than likely an exciting time for Select Sires employees might have been a bit more of a somber occasion for Accelerated Genetics employees June 13 when it was announced that the boards of directors of the two artificial-insemination cooperatives had reached a decision to join forces.

Under the planned agreement, which will become effective on June 30 if Accelerated Genetics delegates vote in favor of the sale, Select Sires will acquire the assets of Accelerated Genetics, joining forces of the employees and independent sales representatives in each of their geographical member organizations.

Select Sires, Inc., with headquarters in Plain City, Ohio, has about 1,200 employees worldwide, while Accelerated Genetics, headquartered in Baraboo, has 250 employees plus another 180 independent contractors who work for the organization.

Shirley Kaltenbach, Select Sires director of communications, said the decision coincides with an already collaborative business relationship that began in 2001, where the two cooperatives share ownership of World Wide Sires, Ltd. World Wide Sires is the international marketing arm for both co-ops in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Oceania.

Kaltenbach said although some people knew an acquisition might be in the works,there were a lot of people who were surprised by the June 13 announcement.

Over the past few weeks Ive gotten to know quite a few of the (Accelerated Genetics) employees, and they are good people, Kaltenbach said.It was a struggle for them the day they were told what was going on. These are people who might have worked 30 or 40 years and have been totally loyal to Accelerated Genetics.

While its exciting for us (at Select Sires), we needed to take a step back and think about those people and the tough day they were going to have learning that they might be at risk of being terminated or they were going to work with somebody they have competed with for years. Theyre great people and they have a genuine love for this industry.

Angie Lindloff, Accelerated Genetics vice president of marketing and communications, said it was no secret that Accelerated had been struggling financially in recent years.

From our standpoint we needed help, she said. We needed to partner with someone in the industry to make sure our customers will have the products and services they need. Sometimes in order to move forward, you have to join forces and utilize your resources together.

Kaltenbach and Lindloff said they didnt know how many employees might be displaced by the merger.

Lindloff said she hope(s) a lot of (Accelerated Genetics) team members will be offered positions moving forward.

Theyre trying to do the best for the majority of our employees, she said, to either repurpose them or find them a position.

Kaltenbach said Select Sires has nine member organizations including East Central Select Sires in Waupun and NorthStar Cooperative in Lansing, Mich., that together serve Wisconsin and each member organization will retain the number of Accelerated Genetics employees they need to serve their customers.

Short term, everything will stay the same, and (Accelerated Genetics) will operate as they normally do, Kaltenbach said. Itll probably remain like that until we get a long-term strategy in place. It has to evolve. Right now were trying to transition everything.

I can tell you that each person is valued and important and the goal is to make sound business decisions and take on as many as we can.

Lindloff said the acquisition has been in the works for several months, but only a few employees from each of the co-ops knew of the negotiations.

Its all been very confidential, she said. You have to protect the business and employees and sales representatives from their competitors. You have to keep mergers and acquisitions very quiet to do it correctly.

Lindloff said merging the two companies will give the larger cooperative more genetic strength and a bigger sire offering for our customers.

All of our customers will have access to all the good stuff offered by both companies, including the animal product line that both co-ops sell, she said.

Accelerated Genetics delegates are scheduled to vote on the proposed sale on June 22. If the vote is favorable, the deal will close on June 30.

Accelerated Genetics was formed as Vernon County Breeders in 1941. The cooperative consolidated with Trempealeau County Breeders Cooperative in 1947 and Tri-State Breeders was formed. The name was changed to Accelerated Genetics in January 1995.

The cooperative is led by a 10-member board of directors with dairy and beef farm members in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois.

Select Sires nine member cooperatives cover the U.S. The co-op was formed in 1965 when four farmer-owned co-ops joined forces to offer a wider variety of genetic options to their members and improve efficiencies. Select Sires is the largest artificial insemination organization in North America.

Original post:
Select Sires poised to acquire Accelerated Genetics - Eau Claire Country Today

by Jill Max June 13, 2017

Antonio J. Giraldez, Ph.D., has been appointed chair of the Department of Genetics, effective June 1, 2017. Giraldez is professor of genetics and is affiliated with the Yale Cancer Center and the Yale Stem Cell Center. He was director of graduate studies for the Department of Genetics from 2012 to 2016.

Antonio is an outstanding investigator who has made major advances in our understanding of embryonic development. He is committed to continuing the outstanding academic tradition of the department, said Robert J. Alpern, M.D., dean and Ensign Professor of Medicine.

My goal is to continue our trajectory of basic science discovery and bring the research thats being done in our human genetics core closer to patients, so that we become a destination point for analyzing the genomes of thousands of patients.

Giraldezs research in developmental biology, genetics, genomics, and computational biology delves into deciphering the mechanisms by which a single-cell zygote transforms into a multicellular organism. Using zebrafish as a model system, his major contribution has been to contribute to our understanding of the maternal-to-zygote transitionwhat he terms embryonic pubertythe shift that occurs after the embryo interprets and destroys maternal instructions and activates the code contained in its own genome. He also found that the same stem cell factors that reprogram cells play a key role in activation of the genome after fertilization, a universal step in embryonic development that allows an early embryo to develop into different cell types.

Under his leadership, the Department of Genetics will continue to recruit outstanding faculty as it moves into a more quantitative approach to genetics and developmental biology and seeks to bring new understanding to the function of individual genes, as well as the organization of nuclear architecture into gene function. At the same time, Giraldez is excited about the central role genetics will play in our program in personalized medicine. He is eager to build upon Yales strengths in genomic analysis for clinical diagnosis and to leverage the knowledge gained from clinical data to propel basic science discoveries using model systems.

Last year, Giraldez was named as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Faculty Scholar, an award that recognizes basic researchers who apply innovative approaches to biological problems that are relevant to human health. In 2014, he won the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Biomedical Sciences. He was named as a Pew Scholar in Biomedical Sciences in 2008 and won the John Kendrew Young Investigator Award from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in 2007. He has twice been a finalist for the Blavatnik National Award for Young Scientists.

Giraldez obtained his doctoral degree in developmental genetics from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany and did postdoctoral training in developmental biology at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine at New York University Langone Medical Center and Harvard University.

This article was submitted by John Dent Curtis on June 13, 2017.

The rest is here:
Antonio Giraldez Named Chair of Genetics - Yale News

AMES, Iowa Data is key when it comes to research. And the world is getting to be very good at collecting and analyzing data.

Thats a big bucket research area, says Joe Colletti, senior associate dean in the College of Agriculture at Iowa State University and associate director of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station.

Colletti says that while research is being done in a variety of areas, a couple of types stand out today. One of those is the collection, standardization and use of data by and for farmers.

Another area of great advance is predictive genomics, which has been a hot issue for some time. Phenomics is a big thing in the plant and animal sciences research fields, Colletti says. Scientists are looking at genomes and phenotypes as a way of better predicting what the offspring of any genetic cross will look like, not only one generation down the road but many generations down the road. That type of assessment could help speed and fine tune research for crops and for livestock.

That fits into the work of the commodity organizations. Rod Williamson, director of research and development for the Iowa Corn Growers Association, says that his organization is looking at research in several basic areas.

The ICGA emphasis is on non-food industrial products. One example is bioplastics which are already being made using other biological products but which could be made using corn. Right now, he says, plastic water bottles are often made using sugar cane from South America.

The process includes a number of steps. If researchers can reduce the number of steps involved and can do so using corn, it could open up new markets. If corn captured just 3 percent of that market it could mean use for 100 million bushels of corn.

Williamson says other research supported by the corn growers includes work on higher blends of ethanol in fuel. On the production side, he says nitrogen efficiency by plants through better genetics is a priority. And he says the genomic efforts cited by Colletti are also a priority.

Other commodity organizations are also emphasizing research. Scott Nelson, director of the on-farm network for the Iowa Soybean Association, cites several research priorities.

He says crop inoculants are one area of interest. Another is better weed control, especially of waterhemp and Palmer amaranth. Soybean cyst nematode remains a priority, as does corn rootworm. And variable rate technology and multiple-variety planting technology are also items he sees developing.

But one of the most exciting topics of discussion for many researchers is CRISPR/Cas9 technology. CRISPR/Cas9 is an RNA-guided genome editing tool that allows researchers to knock out genes or insert genes more easily into a cell line.

Colletti says the technology isnt aimed at adding genes from other plants or animals, but instead, works toward more exact advances in a crop or animals existing genes.

This is a technique that is being improved daily, hourly, he says. It is moving us in the right direction.

That more specific genetic work on the plant, combined with better data gathering and analysis due to improved computer technology, will lead plant genetic work forward at a faster pace than was possible in the past.

Nelson agrees, saying the technology will help companies to develop better plant varieties.

It could be revolutionary, he says.

Meanwhile, Colletti says soil is also getting more and more attention from researchers.

The work on cover crops and an increased emphasis on erosion control, water and soil quality will influence research. Scientists are starting to look at how cover crops and larger yields lead to changes in plant biomass. That in turn can influence planting and harvest conditions, as well as soil quality and weed and bug pressure.

It is now easier to gather mass amounts of data in the lab and in the field through unmanned aircraft systems imagery, aerial photography and analysis, as well as through other means. That massive increase in the volume, variety, velocity, voracity and value of data that can be gathered and the increased speed at which it can be analyzed will lead to more flexibility for farmers to make decisions quickly in the field.

This can lead to more just-in-time nutrient applications or weed and pest control, for example. It will lead to better crop genetics. And it will lead to more informed management decisions and achievement of private and public goals in the future, Colletti says.

Visit link:
Genetics, data affect direction of ag research - Iowa Farmer Today

NewLink Genetics (NASDAQ:NLNK) lost 40% of its value in a single day, as it surprisingly announced that Roche ([[OTCQX:RHHBY]], [[OTCQX:RHHBF]])/Genentech would return the rights on Navoximod, an IDO inhibitor, to the company. In this article, I will discuss what the reasons for this decision were and importantly why I believe that NewLink Genetics is highly undervalued at the current, all-time low, share price of $6.46 (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Common stock chart for NLNK. Source: Yahoo Finance

NewLink Genetics pipeline concentrates on the development of IDO (indoleamine-2, 3-dioxygenase) pathway inhibitors. IDO inhibitors, in general, are expected to boost the body's immune system to fight against cancer, similar to PD-1 and CTLA-4 pathway inhibitors.

NewLink was focused on two distinct IDO pathway inhibitors:

One is the already mentioned Navoximod, a direct inhibitor of IDO, which works very similar to Incyte's (NASDAQ: INCY) Epacadostat and Bristol-Myers Squibb's (NYSE: BMY) BMS-986205. Their most advanced drug is Indoximod, which is no direct blocker of IDO but rather mimics the effect of IDO inhibition.

Navoximod

In 2016 Roche/Genentech licensed all worldwide commercialization rights for Navoximod and paid NewLink Genetics $150 million upfront, with eligibility to $1 billion more if certain milestones are met.

Navoximod is currently tested in phase 1 trials in several solid cancers including non-small-cell lung cancer ("NSCLC"), renal cell cancer ("RCC"), urothelial bladder cancer ("UBC"), triple-negative breast cancer ("TNBC") in combination with Atezolizumab (the PD-L1 inhibitor from Genentech/Roche). In all these cohorts combined (separated data is not available yet) Navoximod + Atezolizumab showed a partial response in only 9% (4/45) of patients [1].

Epacadostat is tested in many different solid cancers in partnership with Merck's (NYSE: MRK) Keytruda. If the same patient cohorts of Epacadostat and Keytruda are pooled they achieve 27% (40/146 pooled; stratified in cancer types: 14/40 NSLC, 13/37 UBC, 9/30 RCC, 4/39 TNBC) [2][3]. Based on this data Roche/Genentech decided to return the rights for Navoximod to NewLink Genetics.

I think one of the reasons why Navoximod doesn't perform as well as Epacadostat could be rooted in their differential efficacies to inhibit IDO. This is read out by measuring the kynurenine levels in the blood (kynurenine is the product of an active IDO enzyme, so the greater the drop in kynurenine levels the better inhibited is IDO). Navoximod brings down blood kynurenine to 70% of the pre-treatment level. In comparison to that, Epacadostat achieves a 50% reduction and even better is BMS-986205, which manages to drop the kynurenine level to about 40% of pre-treatment levels [4][5]. This indicates that Navoximod is not such a potent IDO inhibitor than the ones of the competitors and thus might explain why Navoximod has less efficacy than Epacadostat.

Based on the disappointing preliminary results and especially with a competitor that is, first, much further in the development (multiple clinical phase 3 trials of Epacadostat + Keytruda will be started in 2017) and second, shows better efficacy, it is understandable that Roche/Genentech decided to not further develop Navoximod. I personally think it is unlikely that NewLink will continue to develop Navoximod unless they see potential in any of the single cancer types. My feeling is that in neither of the single cancer types Navoximod performed comparable to Epacadostat, otherwise Roche/Genentech wouldn't have returned the rights to the drug.

Indoximod

Indoximod is tested in combination with several different agents in phase 2 studies in melanoma, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and glioblastoma.

Melanoma

Beginning of April 2017, NLNK released preliminary results of Indoximod in combination with Keytruda in advanced melanoma. The combination achieved a 59% objective response rate and 80% disease control rate (Table 1) [6]. Including patients with ocular melanoma, a very hard to treat patient population, the ORR is 52% and the DCR is 73%.

Treatment

Objective response rate

Disease control rate

Grade 3 adverse events

Epacadostat / Keytruda

n = 19

58%

74%

19%

Indoximod / Keytruda

n = 51

59%

80%

Nivolumab / Ipilimumab

n = 314

58%

71%

55%

Table 1. Objective response rates and adverse events in melanoma. For Indoximod/Keytruda only data from non-ocular patients are included. *Only incomplete data available

This news was followed by a 33% drop in NLNK's stock price, due to disappointment that the Indoximod/Keytruda combination was not much better than the 58% ORR and 74% DCR achieved with Epacadostat/Keytruda in treatment-naive advanced melanoma [7]. Another reason for the disappointment is the complete response rate of 26% for Epacadostat/Keytruda, compared to only 12% for Indoximod/Keytruda. Here it should be taken into account, however, that the presented data for Epacadostat consist of only 19 patients, whereas the data for Indoximod include 51 patients. So it is possible that the complete response rates of Epacadostat will drop once more patients are added.

I was positively surprised by how similar the two drugs performed, given that the mechanism of action differ quite significantly between Indoximod and Epacadostat and would rate it as a good sign that in melanoma Indoximod is able to perform similarly than Epacadostat.

The current, best-in-class, treatment option for metastatic melanoma is the combination of Nivolumab with Ipilimumab (PD-1 and CTLA-4 inhibitors from BMY), which achieves 58% ORR and 71% DCR (Table 1) [8].

The phase 3 trials of Indoximod and Epacadostat in melanoma will likely be benchmarked against this combination. The IDO inhibitor combinations seem to be unable to surpass anti-PD-1/CTLA-4 inhibition in terms of ORR or DCR. But then the rate of serious adverse events will come into play. Epacadostat/Keytruda has 19% of Grade 3 adverse events and although no concrete numbers are available for Indoximod/Keytruda, they are not higher than with Keytruda alone.

This means that both IDO inhibitors are exceptionally well tolerated and well below the 55% of Grade 3 adverse events observed with the anti-PD-1/CTLA-4 treatment. Therefore, there is a good chance that the IDO inhibitors will be approved based on the more manageable safety profile.

Acute myeloid leukemia

In acute myeloid leukemia, Indoximod is tested in combination with 7+3 chemotherapy. This combination leads to a complete remission in 83% of tumors (5 of 6 patients) with no evidence of minimal residual disease [9]. With 7+3 chemotherapy alone in young adults, complete remission can also be achieved in up to 75% of patients [10]. The big problem rather is that the relapse rate is very high and thus it will be critical for Indoximod to show prolonged relapse-free survival and overall survival.

Pancreatic cancer

In pancreatic cancer, the combination of Indoximod with chemotherapy achieved an ORR of 45% (14/31) vs. 23% for chemotherapy alone [11]. Pancreatic cancer is a notoriously hard to treat cancer type and many drugs failed to get approved. NewLink, for instance, also tried to get a drug approved for pancreatic cancer, called Algenpantucel-L. After promising objective response rates in a phase 2 study, the drug failed to enhance overall survival in a phase 3 trial. So I think that also for Indoximod it is important to remain patient and to wait whether the convincing ORR in pancreatic cancer can be transformed into a survival benefit.

Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

Indoximod is combined with PROVENGE (a vaccine already approved for prostate cancer) for patients with mCRPC. The combination was able to enhance radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) from 4.1 months in the placebo arm to 10.3 months in the treatment arm [12]. This compares to the rPFS of Enzalutamide, an androgen receptor inhibitor, which is 8.3 months [13]. In general, rPFS is highly associated with overall survival in mCRPC and so it is likely that Indoximod/PROVENGE will also enhance overall survival [14].

Glioblastoma

In addition to these trials, Indoximod is also tested in glioblastoma also in combination with chemotherapy and a 6-month progression free survival in 25% of patients compared to a historical rate of 15% [15].

Breast cancer

Recently a statement was released, that Indoximod plus chemotherapy failed to meet the primary end points of statistically different progression-free survival and overall survival in metastatic breast cancer [16].

The use of IDO inhibitors in breast cancer thus continues to disappoint, as also the combination of Epacadostat and Keytruda only achieved a 10% objective response rate in triple negative breast cancer [17].

Valuation and Conclusion

NewLink Genetics has a current market capitalization of $ 189 million. If cash of $ 75 million, expected at the end of 2017 and debt plus royalty obligations of $ 6.5 million are taking into account, the whole company is currently valued at $ 120.5 million.

Their most promising and also furthest developed indication for Indoximod is in melanoma. I think it was very important for NewLink to show comparable objective response rates, which, since they have a different mechanism of action, was far from certain. As estimated by Bhavneesh Sharma in his article, the current, risk-adjusted, peak revenue of Indoximod in melanoma alone is $ 106 million in 2024. This means the company is currently valued at little above the peak revenue of a single indication. They furthermore have promising first results in other indications as well, importantly in cancer types that Incyte is currently not pursuing or lagging behind.

Given the general high valuation of companies developing novel immunotherapies, NewLink Genetics market capitalization is extremely low. This was majorly caused by disappointment that Indoximod didn't surpass Epacadostat's objective response and complete response rates in melanoma and of course by Roche/Genentech returning their rights on Navoximod to the company.

At this price, NewLink Genetics to me seems to be an attractive takeover candidate for companies who want to quickly spice up their immune-oncology portfolio but are not willing to pay a high premium for it. Bristol-Myers Squibb, for instance, paid $ 800 million upfront (total deal volume is $ 1.25 billion) for Flexus Therapeutics, which developed a preclinical IDO inhibitor of in 2015 [18].

If NewLink Genetics is not bought up or they continue to develop Indoximod unpartnered, they will need to raise additional capital at some point until the end of 2018. Other risks include the failure of clinical trials or that their drugs do not get approved by the regulatory agencies.

Summing this up, I believe the current valuation of NewLink Genetics is very cheap and I fully expect their stock price to rise again, once investors have digested the disappointments of the last months and regain their faith in the company again.

Disclosure: I am/we are long NLNK.

I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

See more here:
NewLink Genetics Is Still Undervalued, Despite The Disappointment From Navoximod - Seeking Alpha

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.

A special conference is being held this Sunday at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque to help the public learn more about their health care options.

The conference is being held from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets will cost $25 and include lunch.

Speakers will talk about BRCA-related cancers, genetic conditions and DNA testing.

The JCC is located at 5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE.

Click here for more details.

Here is the original post:
Second annual Jewish Genetics/DNA Conference - KOAT Albuquerque

(Story being updated)

SALEM, Ohio Two of the nations largest genetic companies for dairy and beef breeders have announced plans to merge.

The board of directors for Select Sires, based in Plain City, Ohio, and Accelerated Genetics, based in Baraboo Wisconsin, have both reached a unanimous decision to unite the two cooperatives.

According to the agreement, Select Sires will acquire the assets of Accelerated Genetics, joining employees and independent sales representatives.

The two entities have been working closely together since 2001, when a collaborative agreement made them both owners of World Wide Sires the international marketing arm for both companies in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Oceania.

Shirley Kaltenbach, director of communications for Select Sires, said both organizations have the same goals and both have the same cooperative business structure and business principals.

She said both entities will continue to operate under the same names until a long-term strategy is reached. Accelerated Genetics still needs the approval at its June 22 delegate meeting, but she said the outcome is looking positive.

Accelerated Genetics has about 250 employees and works with an additional 180 independent sales representatives, said Angie Lindloff, vice president of marketing and communications.

She said the merger provides more opportunity for both customers and employees.

Joining forces gives us huge opportunity for our genetic lineup, Lindloff said. It helps everybody and it will allow us to serve our customers better.

Lindloff expects the current Accelerated Genetics facilities will remain operational, including the bull facility and main office.

Kaltenbach said Select Sires will continue to be located in Plain City. She said the goal will be to retain as many employees from both organizations as possible, but positions will be evaluated.

This impending endeavor will create a well-rounded genetics program and solutions-based animal health care product line that will fit the needs of dairy and beef producers worldwide, according to the release.

Select Sires bills itself as North Americas largest artificial insemination organization and is comprised of nine farmer-owned and controlled cooperatives.

Accelerated Genetics is a producer-owned cooperative, with solutions focussed on genetics and value-added products, programs and services for dairy and beef customers worldwide.

Up-to-date agriculture news in your inbox!

See the article here:
Select Sires to acquire Accelerated Genetics - Farm and Dairy

ATLANTA - You could call 23andMe a test for the genetically-curious.

For $199, you can find out what your genes reveal about not just your ancestry and your traits, but your health.

Dr. Jeffrey Pollard, Director of Medical Affairs for 23andMe says 2 million people have already taken the test.

"I think it's exciting to learn something about yourself," Dr. Pollard says. "Everyone likes learning new things about themselves."

The process is pretty simple.

You order the kit, collect a sample of your saliva and send it off to 23andMe.

A few weeks later, through an online portal, you can read you genetic health risk test results, and find out if you might be at higher risk of developing certain diseases like late-onset Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease.

But genetics testing in relatively new, says Pollard, and there are limits to what 23andMe can reveal.

"We are not a diagnostic test," Pollard cautions. "So, we aren't telling anyone the have a certain condition. We're really presenting them with an element of their genetic risk, if you will."

Kimberly King-Spohn, Director of the WellStar Center for Genetics, says at least a third of her patients have mentioned 23andMe since April, when the US Food and Drug Administration cleared the direct-to-consumer genetic testing company to offer health risk information to consumers for 10 disease and conditions.

King-Spohn has some concerns.

"It's confusing," she says. "They get a very long report with a lot of information, and patients have had a difficult time interpreting what that means for their health."

Dr. Pollard says 23andMe provides a lot of context, to help customers make sense of their findings.

But, King-Spohn argues patients may not want to know they're at higher genetic risk of developing diseases they can't really do anything about.

"We don't have a treatment or intervention for Alzheimer's disease," she says. "So, what would you do with that information?"

Pollard says the information 23andMe offers is just a piece of a much larger puzzle.

"We like to highlight the fact that your genetic risk is just one element in play," he says.

Because, Pollard says, there are a lot of factors you can control, when it comes to your health.

"You might be able to change certain other things that you do in your life, whether it's exercise, or your activity level, your diet, whether or not you smoke," he says.

Both Pollard and King-Spohn agree it's important to read the fine print, before you get screened, to make sure you understand what 23andMe can and cannot tell you.

It's a lot to absorb, they both say.

"But it's also empowering" Dr. Pollard says. "And, we hear that our customers are taking this information and doing something with it in their lives. So, that, I think, is a very powerful beginning."

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At-home genetic test reveals secrets about your health - FOX 5 Atlanta