Category Archives: Immunology

Jounce Therapeutics Appoints Luisa Salter-Cid, Ph.D., to its Board of Directors – GlobeNewswire

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Jounce Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: JNCE), a clinical-stage company focused on the discovery and development of novel cancer immunotherapies and predictive biomarkers, today announced the appointment of Luisa Salter-Cid, Ph.D., to its board of directors.

We are thrilled to welcome Luisa to our board of directors, said Perry Karsen, chairman of the board of Jounce Therapeutics. Luisa brings over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry, specifically in immunology and immuno-oncology, and we look forward to the unique and valuable perspective that her strategic leadership will bring to Jounce.

Dr. Salter-Cid currently serves as the chief scientific officer of Gossamer Bio, Inc., which she joined in 2018, and has helped to build their portfolio of clinical and new discovery programs. Previously, she held several roles of increasing responsibility over the prior 13 years at Bristol Myers Squibb, leading teams that advanced over 20 compounds into clinical development and chairing the immunoscience target science team. She holds a Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Miami School of Medicine, an M.S. in Biology from Florida International University and a B.S. in Biology from the University of Lisbon, Portugal.

Luisas addition comes at an important time for Jounce, said Richard Murray, Ph.D., chief executive officer and president of Jounce Therapeutics. She will provide invaluable insight as we continue to advance our clinical programs and implement our Translational Science Platform approach to bring new first-in-class discovery programs into the clinic and utilize translational and predictive biomarker analyses of programs during clinical development.

I am very excited to join the Jounce board of directors and to work alongside this impressive leadership team, particularly at this important time for the development of JTX-8064. Jounce has established a track record of innovative science and the ability to bring multiple new and competitive programs to the clinic, said Dr. Salter-Cid, Ph.D. Their differentiated approach to immuno-oncology defines Jounce as a true pioneer within the cancer immunotherapy treatment landscape, and I look forward to contributing to the advancement of Jounces science to patients.

About Jounce TherapeuticsJounce Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage immunotherapy company dedicated to transforming the treatment of cancer by developing therapies that enable the immune system to attack tumors and provide long-lasting benefits to patients through a biomarker-driven approach. Jounce currently has multiple development stage programs ongoing while simultaneously advancing additional early-stage assets from its robust discovery engine based on its Translational Science Platform. Jounces lead macrophage program, JTX-8064, is a LILRB2 (ILT4) receptor antagonist shown to reprogram immune-suppressive tumor associated macrophages to an anti-tumor state in preclinical studies. A Phase 1 clinical trial, named INNATE, for JTX-8064 as a monotherapy and in combination with JTX-4014, Jounces internal PD-1 inhibitor, or pembrolizumab is currently enrolling patients with advanced solid tumors. Jounces most advanced product candidate, vopratelimab, is a monoclonal antibody that binds to and activates ICOS, and is currently being studied in the SELECT Phase 2 trial. JTX-4014 is a PD-1 inhibitor intended for combination use in the INNATE and SELECT trials and with Jounces broader pipeline. Additionally, Jounce exclusively licensed worldwide rights to JTX-1811, a monoclonal antibody targeting CCR8 and designed to selectively deplete T regulatory cells in the tumor microenvironment, to Gilead Sciences, Inc. For more information, please visit http://www.jouncetx.com.

Investor and Media Contacts:Malin DeonJounce Therapeutics, Inc.+1-857-259-3843mdeon@jouncetx.com

Mark YoreJounce Therapeutics, Inc.+1-857-200-1255 myore@jouncetx.com

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Jounce Therapeutics Appoints Luisa Salter-Cid, Ph.D., to its Board of Directors - GlobeNewswire

Sri Lanka : Sri Lanka Ministry of Health says attention on the new COVID variant, public will be made aware of the next steps – Colombo Page

* Sri Lanka Ministry of Health says attention on the new COVID variant, public will be made aware of the next steps Fri, Feb 12, 2021, 10:50 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Feb 12, Colombo: The highly transmissible new variant of the COVID-19 coronavirus found in the UK has been detected in Sri Lanka from whole genome sequencing, Dr. Chandima Jeewandara, the Director of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura said.

Scientists at the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine and Allergy, Immunology and Cell Biology Unit, University of the Sri Jayewardenepura have launched studies to detect the new COVID-19 Variant B.1.1.7 that is spreading fast in several countries.

Accordingly, the new variant has been found in samples obtained from infected in Colombo, Avissawella, Vavuniya and Biyagama, said.

Two new strains of the corona virus are currently spreading around the world. The variant, B.1.1.7, was identified from England and the other from South Africa. Virologists estimate that the new variant spreads by about 50 percent faster than other Covid-19 strains.

In January 2021, Sri Lanka reported that a new variant of the coronavirus found in the UK had entered Sri Lanka and a person, who had arrived from the UK confirmed to have been infected with this new variant.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Director General of Health Services of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Hemantha Herath stated that the Director General of Health Services has already taken the necessary steps to take action regarding the reporting of a new strain of the virus in Sri Lanka.

Accordingly, the Director General of Health Services has instructed the heads of epidemiology units to inform about the action to be taken regarding the new strain of the virus reported in several parts of the island.

He also said that steps will be taken to make the public aware of the advice as soon as it is received.

The Deputy Director General of Health Services said that until these instructions are issued, the public will be advised to follow health guidelines and stay away from public places as much as possible.

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Sri Lanka : Sri Lanka Ministry of Health says attention on the new COVID variant, public will be made aware of the next steps - Colombo Page

ACAAI Annual Scientific Meeting 2020

After closely monitoring the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its continuing impact on our patients, practices and country, the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology has made the decision to deliver the ACAAI 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting as a 3-day, fully-virtual event, instead of meeting face-to-face in Phoenix this November.

The health and well-being of our conference attendees and faculty members is our top priority, and moving to a virtual platform ensures that we can offer an uncompromised program that is safe and filled with the outstanding content you have come to expect from the College.

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ACAAI Annual Scientific Meeting 2020

Immunology: The neccesary requirements to practice – Study International News

Immunology is an exciting area of biomedical sciences.Over two centuries ago, Edward Jenner, the father of immunology, purposefully infected an eight year-old-boy with a disease that killed almost 10% of Englands population. Many people questioned his actions, but Jenner remained confident in his method. The young boy, James Phipps, did not die. In fact, he exhibited no signs of smallpox whatsoever.The result of this experiment? The worlds very first vaccine.

This life-saving medicine was the product of immunology. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have learned that there will never be such a thing as too many life-saving professionals who specialise in creating these preventive substances.

Immunology, by definition, is the study of the human immune system. It is not just an important branch of biomedical sciences, it is also one of the most complex. These professionals work as scientists or clinicians across different areas of research in diverse clinical specialities, ranging from allergy to cancer. Some might deal with human illnesses, while some also work within veterinary sciences.

Maria Ferreira, 74, is vaccinated by a health worker. Source: Michael Dantas / AFP

Depending on an individuals interest area or the organisation they work for, they often take on various kinds of work. Many teach and conduct research at universities. Others work in laboratories for government health agencies. Some are employed by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, developing new medical products and treatments. Many also work in medical offices, treating patients with autoimmune diseases.

Aspiring immunologists will need the right education and extensive training and an undergraduate degree is only the first step.Clinical positions that involve work with patients requires a medical school background and a doctor of medicine qualification.

Many schools offer pre-med programmes leading up to a bachelor of science. A major in biology is another pathway.Regardless of the path you choose, courses in biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, statistics, and mathematics are extremely crucial in designing your path.

The next step will include passing the Medical College Admissions Test, otherwise known as the MCAT. Once participants obtain a good score, medical school is the next destination.During this time, students spend the first two years in classrooms and laboratories, learning every aspect of human body systems, disease, pharmacology, medical ethics, and skills such as how to properly conduct examinations on patients.

The following two years are spent completing clinical rotations. Here, students apply their knowledge, diagnosing and treating patients under the supervision of a licensed physician. Upon completion, medical school graduates are required to complete a residency, oftentimes conducting extensive lab work to gain experience with immunological testing methods.

A fellowship will usually last three years. Once training and studies are completed, aspiring immunologists will be able to obtain a license from their states health board or a similar governing body.In the US, immunologists must be certified by the American Board of Paediatrics (ABP) or the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) as a prerequisite for being certified by the American Board of Allergy and Immunology (ABAI).

Once all the educational steps are complete, graduates will finally be able to begin their careers. With immunologists being highly trained and respected, these professionals reap rewards that go beyond saving lives.

As of 2019, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that allergists and immunologists earned a median annual salary of US$206,500. The BLS also indicates that these physicians would see a job growth rate of 3 to 4% or higher from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations.

Apart from the demand and the benefits that come with it, there are many reasons why immunology can offer long-term job stability. Overall, it is an excellent career path for anyone passionate about utilising science to solve global challenges.

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Immunology: The neccesary requirements to practice - Study International News

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Eric VIVIER and Bernard MALISSEN, team leaders at the Marseille-Luminy Immunology Center, are on the 2020 list of the most cited researchers in the world for the fourth time, as in previous editions 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.Published annually by the prestigious Clarivate Analytics Company, previously Thomson Reuters, this ranking recognizes authors of the most frequently cited publications in the scientific community.A recognition mark that rewards the value of their discoveries and the exceptional research influence in their scientific field.

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Initial translational analysis, EXPLORE, showed overexpression of C5a/C5aR pathway in patients with severe COVID-19The primary objective of this investigator-sponsored trial, named FORCE, is to improve the proportion of COVID-19 patients with severe pneumonia who no longer need to be hospitalized, and to reduce the need for and duration of mechanical ventilation in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Through the translational data analysis in COVID-19 patients, we observed high levels of circulating C5a and over-activation of the C5a-dependent myeloid cell pathway, which is believed to contribute to inflammation in the lungs. Avdoralimab is a monoclonal antibody that blocks C5aR and has the potential to reduce the inflammatory response in the lungs, said Pr. Eric Vivier, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at Innate Pharma and Professor at AP-HM (Marseille Public University Hospitals), Aix-Marseille University and Centre dImmunologie de Marseille-Luminy, CNRS, Inserm and AMU.More information

A Franco-German research team led by Prof. Michael Sieweke, from the Center for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden (CRTD) and the Center of Immunology of Marseille Luminy (CNRS, INSERM, Aix-Marseille University), today uncovered a surprising property of blood stem cells: not only do they ensure the continuous renewal of blood cells and contribute to the immune response triggered by an infection, but they can also remember previous infectious encounters to drive a more rapid and more efficient immune response in the future. These findings should have a significant impact on future vaccination strategies and pave the way for new treatments of an underperforming or over-reacting immune system. The results of this research are published in Cell Stem Cell on March 12, 2020. More information

C/EBP-Dependent Epigenetic Memory Induces Trained Immunity in Hematopoietic Stem Cellsde Laval B., Maurizio J., Kandalla P K., Brisou G., Simonnet L., Huber C., Gimenez G., Matcovitch-Natan O., Reinhardt S., David E., Mildner A., Leutz A., Nadel B., Bordi C., Amit I., Sarrazin S.*,., Sieweke M H.*,. Cell Stem Cell, 2020 , pii: S1934-5909(20)30017-5, PMID: 32169166

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Does Prior Exposure to Coronaviruses Protect You? | In the Pipeline – Science Magazine

Theres a new paper out that clears up some of our thinking about the current pandemic and what protection people might have had before the latest coronavirus showed up. As so many people know by now, there are a lot of coronaviruses running around out there, and they are responsible for a small-but-real fraction of common cold type illnesses every year. Heres the CDC page on that topic, and here (from Wikipedia) is the phylogenetic tree of coronaviruses in general.

A lot of people have had one or more of the coronaviruses that are listed on the CDC page (229E, NL63, OC43, HKU1). But none of these are in the exact same family as the current beast the first two are alpha-coronaviruses and are fairly closely related to each other. The second two are in another genus, beta-coronaviruses, and are also pretty closely related to each other, but theyre off in a different lineage inside the beta-coronaviridae compared to the SARS-type coronaviruses like the current one. All of these things have spike proteins decorating them, but the spikes themselves vary in sequence, enough so that some of them have found completely different surface proteins to use for viral entry, as opposed to the SARS ones going for the ACE2 protein.

Still, immunology being what it is, the question has been open whether the B-cell and T-cell memory of past infections with these other coronviruses might give a person some protection against the current one. Ive wondered about that here on the blog myself. Its not at all a crazy idea, because what we have seen is that there are people out there who with cross-reactive antibodies that can bind to the pandemic coronavirus, some of these in blood samples from well before the current one started going through the human population. but (until now) weve lacked enough hard data to say.

Heres the MedrXiv version of the paper under discussion, and heres the version coming out now in Cell. The authors looked at 431 pre-pandemic blood samples, and compared them to 251 samples from people who have been infected in the current outbreak and recovered, as well as analyzing antibody profiles in people who are currently hospitalized. What theyve found is first, that most people have indeed been infected with one or more of the garden-variety coronaviruses. The pre-pandemic samples show plenty of antibody responses to these. Second, about 20% of these patients raised antibodies that do cross-reaction with the Spike or nucleocapsid proteins of the current pandemic coronavirus. And whats more, levels of such antibodies are elevated when a person in this group gets infected with SARS-Cov2: the immune system memory (as present in these patients B cells) responds by increasing production of the antibodies to the previous coronaviruses.

But heres the key part: cross-react does not mean neutralize and it does not mean provide protection from. These antibodies may or may not have been neutralizing against the other coronaviruses, but they dont seem to have any such effect on the current one. And in keeping with that, having such cross-reactive antibodies seems to provide no protection against catching SARS-Cov2 or against being hospitalized with it if you do. Theres no difference in the infection/hospitalization rates of the people who had cross-reactive coronavirus serum antibodies ready to go versus those who didnt. Theyre basically useless.

Now, you can still make an argument that the T cell component of immunity might provide some protection after a previous coronavirus infection. The current study didnt address this directly, but after these results, its at least less likely that thats happening. The authors make a note of this, and also note that pre-existing mucosal antibodies might exert a protective effect (which this study didnt examine, either). But prior circulating human coronavirus antibodies, even ones that can bind to the current one those it looks like we can rule out. Which is too bad.

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Does Prior Exposure to Coronaviruses Protect You? | In the Pipeline - Science Magazine

Eurofins’ US Transplant Diagnostics and Cleveland Clinic Sign a Licensing Agreement to Expand Access to an Innovative, Novel Biomarker for Detecting…

LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo., Feb. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Eurofins Viracor, a leading infectious disease, immunology, and allergy diagnostics company focused on advancing diagnostic tests for transplant patients, announced today that it has entered into a license agreement with Cleveland Clinic for exclusive rights to an innovative urine biomarker test for detecting rejection in kidney transplant patients.

Detecting transplant rejection before damage to the transplanted kidney occurs remains a major unmet need. Additionally, diagnosing clinical acute rejection (cAR) without a biopsy and distinguishing cAR from other non-rejection causes of dysfunction remains a challenge for the transplant community.

The number of kidney transplants steadily rises each year in the United States1 with nearly 20 percent of transplants failing within three years2. This highlights the critical need for solutions that will address patient impact and the growing cost of medical treatment associated with kidney transplant complications.

Through years of basic and clinical research, Robert Fairchild, Ph.D., Cleveland Clinic in collaboration with Roslyn Mannon, MD, University of Alabama, have identified a number of RNA molecules in urine that are highly accurate for the diagnosis of rejection and elevated risk of rejection in kidney transplant patients. As a specimen type, urine is a readily available, non-invasive, and convenient sample for patients.

Eurofins Viracor laboratory and Dr. Fairchild will work collaboratively to begin the critical process of sharing expertise and methods developed at Cleveland Clinic with the long-term goal of validating the novel, innovative diagnostic assay for use in patient testing.

With the combined transplant diagnosticsportfolio of Eurofins Viracorlaboratory and Transplant Genomics, Inc.innovative, non-invasive testing for subclinical rejection,this strategic collaboration marks another critical step in Eurofins' US Transplant Diagnostics' mission in improving graft and transplant outcomes, prolonging the life of a kidney, and addressing additional unmet needs across the continuum of transplant patient care.

About Viracor

With over 30 years of specialised expertise in infectious disease, immunology and allergy testing for immunocompromised and critical patients, Viracor Eurofins is committed to delivering results to medical professionals, transplant teams, reference laboratories and biopharmaceutical companies faster, when it matters most. Eurofins Viracor is passionate about delivering value to its clients by providing timely, actionable information, never losing sight of the connection between the testing it performs and the patients it ultimately serves.

Eurofins Viracor is a subsidiary of Eurofins Scientific (EUFI.PA), a global leader in bio-analytical testing, and one of the world leaders in genomic services. For more information, please visit https://www.eurofins.com/ and https://www.viracor-eurofins.com/ .

About Eurofins the global leader in bio-analysis

Eurofins is Testing for Life. Eurofins is a global leader in food, environment, pharmaceutical and cosmetic product testing and in agroscience Contract Research Organisation services. Eurofins is one of the market leaders in certain testing and laboratory services for genomics, discovery pharmacology, forensics, advanced material sciences and in the support of clinical studies, as well as having an emerging global presence in Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisations. The Group also has a rapidly developing presence in highly specialised and molecular clinical diagnostic testing and in-vitro diagnostic products.

With over 50,000 staff across a decentralised and entrepreneurial network of more than 800 laboratories in over 50 countries, Eurofins offers a portfolio of over 200,000 analytical methods to evaluate the safety, identity, composition, authenticity, origin, traceability and purity of a wide range of products, as well as providing innovative clinical diagnostic testing services and in-vitro diagnostic products.

The Group's objective is to provide its customers with high-quality services, innovative solutions and accurate results on time. Eurofins is ideally positioned to support its clients' increasingly stringent quality and safety standards and the increasing demands of regulatory authorities as well as the requirements of healthcare practitioners around the world.

In 2020, Eurofins reacted quickly to meet the global challenge of COVID-19, by creating the capacity for over 10 million patient tests per month to support efforts to identify and suppress the virus. The Group has established widespread PCR testing capabilities and has carried out over 10 million tests in its own laboratories, is supporting the development of a number of vaccines and has established its SAFER@WORK testing, monitoring and consulting programmes to help ensure safer environments during COVID-19.

Eurofins has grown very strongly since its inception and its strategy is to continue expanding its technology portfolio and its geographic reach. Through R&D and acquisitions, the Group draws on the latest developments in the field of biotechnology and analytical chemistry to offer its clients unique analytical solutions.

Shares in Eurofins Scientific are listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN FR0014000MR3, Reuters EUFI.PA, Bloomberg ERF FP).

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SOURCE Eurofins Viracor, Inc.

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Eurofins' US Transplant Diagnostics and Cleveland Clinic Sign a Licensing Agreement to Expand Access to an Innovative, Novel Biomarker for Detecting...

Military Metaphors in Health Care Are Harmful — Especially During the… – Truthout

As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to sweep through the U.S., many have noticed the coupling of military and health. Theres been an ongoing conversation amongst oncologists for years about the use of war metaphors in cancer research and treatment. In fact, many public health concerns are framed in these terms war on drugs or war on poverty, for example. Its argued the use of these metaphors help make it easier for our society to better understand health. But herein lies a follow-up question: why?

These metaphors are not as unconscious as wed think. Anthropologists have studied the ways immunological functioning is encased in war imagery. Emily Martin powerfully illustrates how our categorical and systemic understanding of immunology represents a police state. Invasions of foreign bodies and immunological cells coming to the defense mimic the kind of warfare we might see on TV. Here, scientific empiricism becomes a mere farce, and it is apparent many concepts are actually influenced by the larger socio-political sphere. Thus, the endless metaphorical wars begin to make more sense.

In a post-colonial world, militaries help secure borders and the interests of the global ruling class. Although always present, after September 11, there was a noted increase in the militarization of U.S. society as we moved to normalize the further militarization of police forces, the creation of new war technology and surveillance structures, justified under the guise of national security. The ongoing normalization of these frameworks has seeped into many facets of society, including health care. This past year, the co-option of military jargon to name health care workers as frontline soldiers thrusted them on a pedestal of heroism and honor. Moreover, National Guard soldiers were also deployed to assist with COVID-19 testing in predominantly working-class communities across several states when infection rates reached new heights in 2020.

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While this conflation appears benign, its contradictions are relentless. For one, it functions to obfuscate a dire reality, presenting a facade of order and control. Where language tells us health care workers were frontline soldiers, reality tells us individuals were scapegoated and thrust into battles with little help or support from the ones handing out proverbial medals. Where language tells us vaccine rollouts combatively coined Operation Warp Speed will bring an end to our viral misery, reality also illustrates a patchy distribution scheme and a lack of political will displayed by our state to enact the structural change we actually need to remedy the larger socio-political issues that led to the spread of COVID-19.

The marriage of health and military is also an ironic endeavor. While the National Guard was deployed to help with COVID-19 testing across the nation, it was simultaneously deployed on behalf of the state to support local police forces in quelling Black Lives Matter protests. National Guard members stood protecting government property, intimidating members of the public with large guns in their hands, while local police tear-gassed the protesting crowds. Its important to note many experts, including the American Thoracic Society, denounced the use of tear gas, specifically because of the increased ability for COVID-19 transmission with its use.

Furthermore, consider the countless images and videos circulated this past year of law enforcement gathering and handling crowds sans face masks, functioning in direct contradiction to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and local state mandates. In addition, the rampant spread of COVID-19 in jails and prisons across the country was also linked to local authorities intransigence on offering prisoners proper protections and the inherent racism of our carceral system. Even budding concerns around safety protocols for those detained at Guantnamo Bay were inadvertently silenced by the state.

We must also consider the militarys hand in the surveillance of communities of color. From policies like Countering Violent Extremism programs, the Patriot Act and the monitoring of undocumented people by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the consequences of these programs remain dire for communities of color across the country. We cannot ignore the harm potentially authorized by placing the responsibility of health care in the same institutions that rely on these dehumanizing structures.

Why are we so apt to allow the same institutions that harm and police our communities the room to conduct work that might serve to heal them? While the situation maintains complexity, there is no denying our compliance with this framework stems from societys inability to imagine a world without violence, even in terms of health and healing. From the staunch hierarchies fostered by these frameworks that warrant health care workers and generationally marginalized members of our society disposable for the supposed greater good, to the larger contradictions present on a global scale, its evident the normalization of this framework confirms our desensitization to the cost of human life.

If we are to begin reimagining a new world, it must include the undoing of these frameworks. At a time where we need deep healing, it becomes evident the marriage of military and health serves more to protect the interests of the state and less of our communities. We must begin critically engaging with how we teach about health and illness and who we are deeming as the authority on these initiatives. The collision of warfare and health blurs the lines between humanity and violence; it dehumanizes and distorts. An institution designed to police and destroy will never be our salve. We must reimagine new systems of health and healing for ourselves and our future generations ones that steer the structural change we need and dont require endless human sacrifice nor offer our oppressors the title of humanitarian.

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Capital Markets Day 2021: Sanofi progresses on its strategy to drive growth across its businesses and innovation with emerging leadership in…

Capital Markets Day 2021: Sanofi progresses on its strategy to drive growth across its businesses and innovation with emerging leadership in immunology

PARIS February 5, 2021 Today, Sanofi holds a virtual investor event with key members of the Sanofi leadership team to share and discuss the overall progress in implementing the strategy in core parts of the business as well as the transformation of R&D. Capital Markets Day 2021 provides a comprehensive update on Sanofis General Medicines and Consumer Healthcare strategies as well as Dupixent (dupilumab) and multiple new immunology assets.

Since announcing our new strategic framework in December 2019, we have been relentlessly driving forward our actions to accelerate R&D efforts, building one of the industrys most differentiated pipelines in Specialty Care, including our work in immunology which has the potential to transform patient care across this therapeutic area, said Paul Hudson, Chief Executive Officer, Sanofi. We are tracking ahead of schedule on our plans for growth, efficiencies, and cutting edge science in our pipeline. The reshaping of our General Medicines and Consumer Healthcare business units will enable both to become even more significant contributors to Sanofis growth and profitability.

Key highlights to be presented at Capital Markets Day 2021

Financial Update: Sanofi confirms its target to expand its business operating income (BOI) margin to 30% by 2022, with the ambition for its BOI margin to exceed 32% by 2025. The company is tracking toward its 2022 target as planned, with the BOI margin up 120 basis points in 2020. Sanofi plans to announce today its expectation that Dupixent will become accretive to BOI margin by end of 2022.In 2020, Sanofi achieved around 1.7 billion of savings almost 85% of the 2022 target announced at Capital Markets Day 2019. Today, Sanofi is increasing its cost savings target by 500m to 2.5bn by 2022, to be derived from continued operational excellence. These extra 500m savings are intended to be fully reinvested to further drive top line growth and fund the pipeline.

General Medicines Update: Sanofi has prioritized core medicines with differentiated and/or established profiles that have significant opportunity for growth in key markets. Some of these well-established medicines are the standard-of-care for patients living with diabetes or cardiovascular disease.

We are focusing on our differentiated core brands in key markets to fully realize their volume potential, compensating for price erosion, and aimed at generating todays level of sales in 2025.1 This objective will be supported by the ongoing implementation of our innovative go-to-market model, while we continue to streamline the tail of the portfolio to improve profitability, said Olivier Charmeil, Executive Vice President, General Medicines.

Consumer Healthcare Update: Sanofi has advanced on its plan to establish a standalone business to unlock the value of brand equity and outperform the global market.

With the ongoing implementation of our fully integrated standalone model, we look forward to being more agile and reducing the complexity of our portfolio to drive growth with our consumer-centric, data-driven marketing approach, said Julie Van Ongevalle, Executive Vice President, Consumer Healthcare. We continue to make progress in bringing two potential over-the-counter switches to the market in the coming years that could lead to a blockbuster opportunity in combined sales.

Transformational Culture: Sanofi is engaging its workforce in a cultural shift towards Play to Win behaviors, including accountability, productivity, and increased focus. Sanofis 2025 People Ambitions are based on four key pillars and put patient lives at the center of the companys business purpose.

Our teams have embraced our Play to Win strategy and are confident to leave our old ways of working behind, said Natalie Bickford, Executive Vice President, Chief People Officer. A topic that is close to my heart is establishing a culture of diversity and an inclusive environment that reflects different patient populations. This includes better representing the diversity of our patients in clinical trials and involving all local leadership teams in their community projects.

R&D Update: Sanofi has taken a unique approach to transforming its R&D efforts and expanding its capabilities based on three pillars pathways, patients, and platforms. In 2020, 12 Specialty Care projects in the R&D pipeline entered Phase 3, demonstrating significant progress in moving forward a pipeline of potentially innovative medicines to address unmet patient needs.

Since I took on the leadership of Sanofi R&D, we have transformed our approach to the discovery and development of medicines with a focus on deep understanding of disease pathways informed by patient insights, while leveraging our expanding repertoire of unique research platforms, said John Reed, M.D., Ph.D., Global Head of Research & Development at Sanofi. Today, I look forward to sharing the breadth and depth of Sanofis rich immunology pipeline, which positions us to bring practice-changing innovation to patients.

Due to the current virtual environment, Sanofi intends to keep the investor community updated on its ongoing progress through brief and comprehensive events throughout 2021.

Capital Markets Day 2021 event details

Capital Markets Day 2021 will be held today from2:30-5:00 p.m. CET / 8:30-11:00 a.m. EDT, following the fourth quarter and 2020 full year results analyst call. For background slides and webcast (audio only) please refer to the following link: https://www.sanofi.com/en/investors/financial-results-and-events/investor-presentations/capital-markets-day-2021.

About Sanofi

Sanofi is dedicated to supporting people through their health challenges. We are a global biopharmaceutical company focused on human health. We prevent illness with vaccines, provide innovative treatments to fight pain and ease suffering. We stand by the few who suffer from rare diseases and the millions with long-term chronic conditions.

With more than 100,000 people in 100 countries, Sanofi is transforming scientific innovation into healthcare solutions around the globe.

Sanofi, Empowering Life

Quentin VivantTel.: +33 (0)1 53 77 46 46mr@sanofi.com

Sanofi Investor Relations Contacts North AmericaFelix LauscherFara BerkowitzSuzanne Greco

IR main line:Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 77 45 45investor.relations@sanofi.com

1 Excludes Industrial Affairs third party sales.

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Capital Markets Day 2021: Sanofi progresses on its strategy to drive growth across its businesses and innovation with emerging leadership in...

Infant Diet, Eczema and Caesarean Section Birth All Impact the Gut Bacteria of Children – PR Web

Since there is a relationship between the type of bacteria in the gut and the development of eczema, we now need to find ways to manipulate the gut bacteria in early life to reduce the likelihood of eczema in babies predisposed to develop it.

MILWAUKEE (PRWEB) February 04, 2021

According to research published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI) that examined the interactions between gut bacteria, diet and atopic disease, gut bacteria is impacted not only by eczema and infant dietbut also caesarean section birth.

The Enquiring About Tolerance (EAT) study examined 1,303 exclusively breastfed infants from three months of age. Stool samples were collected at baseline and additional sampling was done during month six and 12. Baseline samples that were obtained demonstrated that gut microbiota varied even before differences in diets. Researchers continued to examine each participant for eczema and food allergies up until they reached age three.

Infants at three months and one year of age who had eczema had a higher number of bacteria called Clostridium sensu stricto than infants who did not have eczema. Infants introduced early to allergenic foods such as cows milk, egg, and peanut starting at three months of age developed a larger variety of gut bacteria at a faster pace than infants exclusively breastfeeding. On the other end of the spectrum, infants born via caesarean section showed less diverse gut bacteria compared to infants born with a more traditional birth.

The study was funded by the British Skin Foundation and led by a group of researchers from Kings College London and Guys and St. Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, along with collaborators from the National Institute of Health (USA), St, Georges London, and the University of Manchester.

Professor Carsten Flohr, PhD, the papers first author, commented on the study results. Our study has found a higher risk of eczema in infants with a higher abundance of Clostridium sensu stricto in their gut, and weaning from three months of age alongside breastfeeding speeds up the maturation of the gut flora. Since there is a relationship between the type of bacteria in the gut and the development of eczema, we now need to find ways to manipulate the gut bacteria in early life to reduce the likelihood of eczema in babies predisposed to develop it."

You can learn more about food allergy and eczema on the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology website, aaaai.org.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) represents allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists, allied health professionals and others with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic and immunologic diseases. Established in 1943, the AAAAI has more than 7,100 members in the United States, Canada and 72 other countries. The AAAAIs Find an Allergist/Immunologist service is a trusted resource to help you find a specialist close to home.

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Infant Diet, Eczema and Caesarean Section Birth All Impact the Gut Bacteria of Children - PR Web