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A biomedical engineering faculty member has received a $50,000 award to pursue a new line of research into the immune systems role in genome engineering.

Christopher Nelson, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, earned the funding through the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapys Career Development program. Nelson holds the 21stCentury Professorship in Biomedical Engineering.

His research program is adapting genome editing technologies to treat genetic disease. Genetic diseases are caused by a change in the DNA sequence away from the normal sequence. Nelsons research involves modifying DNA by using molecular scissors, known as CRISPR, to make precise genome modifications with a goal of fixing disease-causing mutations.

The ASGCT award adds a new direction to Nelsons research that will explore how the immune system impacts emerging genome engineering therapies.

This line of research is important to the field, as high-profile failures in the past warn that the immune system plays a critical role in the success or failure of biomolecular therapies, Nelson said.

Nelsons previous research in animal models of muscular dystrophy has shown the bodys immune response to CRISPR may provide an additional barrier to translating genome editing therapies to clinical use, he said. That work was published inNature Medicineearlier this year.

The immune response to delivery vehicles or genome editing technologies could prevent successful gene editing or cause a dangerous host response, Nelson said. Full characterization of these risks and strategies to avoid a host response are needed for clinical development.

The project will launch new lines of work in Nelsons lab by providing preliminary data for future research related to immune cell biology and immune tolerance.

Raj Rao, head of the department of biomedical engineering, said the award is an important step for Nelsons research.

I am extremely proud of Chris for receiving the ASGCT Career Development Award and for pursuing this potentially transformative project that seeks to better understand the impact of cutting-edge gene editing technologies on the immune system, he said.

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Biomedical Engineering Researcher to Explore Immune System Impact on Genome Engineering - University of Arkansas Newswire

Su-Mei Liu

OAKLAND, Calif. (PRWEB) November 19, 2019

The Role of the Consciousness Energy Healing Treated Novel Test Formulation on Different Vital Organ Functional Biomarkers" by Su-Mei Liu has been named No. 1 International Best Seller and Hot New Release on Amazon in many categories including Holistic Medicine, Mind-Body Connection, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry in the USA and Canada.

Lius research objective was to investigate the potential of the Consciousness Energy Treated test formulation on vital organs like bones, heart, liver, lungs, and brain using various cell-based assays.

About Biofield Energy TreatmentsThe National Center of Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) has recognized and accepted Biofield Energy Healing Treatments as a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) health care approach in addition to other therapies, medicines, and practices. CAM therapies have been practiced worldwide with reported clinical benefits in different health disease profiles. Human Biofield Energy has subtle energy that has the capacity to work in an effective manner. This energy can be harnessed and transmitted by the gifted into living and non-living things via the process of a Biofield Energy Healing Treatment or Therapy.

About Su-Mei LiuSu-Mei was born in Taiwan. As a young adult, Su-Mei came to the United States where she worked her way through college. After seeking fulfillment in marriage, family, and an I.T. career, Su-Mei was left unfulfilled and suffering from chronic lower back pain. While seeking spiritual guidance, Su-Mei discovered Guruji Mahendra Trivedi. She attended a Trivedi Retreat in 2011. Here she received her first blessing from Guruji that left her back feeling better. As Su-Mei journeyed down the path of Divine Consciousness with Guruji, her back was healed. Su-Mei was inspired to join the Trivedi Healers Master Program, where over time through Guruji's guidance she recognized and developed her innate healing abilities. Since that time, she has embarked on several scientific experiments to prove her ability as a gifted biofield/life force energy healer. Su-Mei coauthored several scientific articles on her research that were published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Su-Mei's mission is to share her Divine healing gift with others to help people reach increased wellness and improved quality of life. http://www.sumeiliu.com

About the Trivedi Effect & Guruji Mahendra Trivedi The Trivedi Effect is an evidence-based phenomenon in which an individual can harness inherently intelligent energy from nature and transmit it to living organisms and non-living materials, anywhere in the world through thought intention, to significantly enhance potency and beneficially alter their characteristics and behaviors through transformation at the atomic, molecular, and cellular levels.

Guruji Mahendra Kumar Trivedi, Founder of the Trivedi Effect, is on a mission to usher in a new era that integrates science, spirituality, and consciousness to vastly improve the human condition and benefit humanity on a global scale. To date, more than 250,000 people worldwide have benefited from the Trivedi Effect. His organization, Trivedi Global, Inc., is collaborating with globally renowned product research and development organizations to bring to market proprietary products and therapies in the areas of nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and more.

Alice Branton, CEO of Trivedi Global, Inc., has spoken on the impact of the Trivedi Effect at the Entrepreneurship Club of the Harvard Business School, Nasdaq, Microsoft, and Coca-Cola. She has also appeared on more than 35 network television news shows including ABC, NBC, FOX, CW and more.

Dahryn Trivedi is a prodigious spiritual leader, young entrepreneur and inspiring speaker. Along with Guruji Mahendra Trivedi she devotes her time to expand and promote awareness about the power and potential of the Trivedi Effect. She has shared her message at NASDAQ and has been featured on ABC, NBC, Fox, CW media in the United States.

Gopal Nayak is one the youngest enlightened spiritual gurus for the new generation in India. He is a pioneer in Biofield Energy Science. Nayak raises awareness about the potential impact of the Trivedi Effect for the beneficial transformation of all living organisms and non-living materials. Nayak is highly sought after by business leaders, politicians and celebrities throughout India and abroad. Nayak has transformed the lives of thousands of individuals from around the world, especially in the USA, Canada and Europe.

The Trivedi Effect has been tested, measured, and validated in more than 6,000 scientific experiments globally, by world-renowned scientists and research institutes using the rigor of internationally accepted models of scientific research with the most sophisticated technologies available. Challenging the known frontiers of science, this research has resulted in over 500 publications in major international peer-reviewed scientific journals with more than 6,500 citations.

These publications are available in over 2,300 universities internationally including the prestigious Ivy League Universities, as well as the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results in future periods to differ materially from stated results. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and, accordingly, are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty of such statements. Statements in this news release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, and orientations regarding the future. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as may, will, should, would, expect, intend, plan, anticipate, believe, estimate, predict, potential, seem, seek, future, continue, appear, or variations of such words including negative variations thereof, and phrases that refer to certain actions, events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved.

Media ContactsSu-Mei Liu650-942-9262Sumei@SumeiLiu.comAlice Branton, Chief Executive Officer Trivedi Global, Inc.(702) 907-8864pr@trivedieffect.com

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Trivedi Global, Inc. Announces that Su-Mei Liu is International No. 1 Amazon Best Seller - PR Web

ST. HELIER, Jersey--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Presentations on Tumor Treating Fields cover a broad and growing range of topics, with nearly 80 percent of presentations prepared by external authors

Novocure (NVCR) today announced 43 presentations on Tumor Treating Fields, including three oral presentations, will be featured at the 24th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuro-Oncology (SNO) on Nov. 20 through Nov. 24 in Phoenix. Presentations on Tumor Treating Fields cover a broad and growing range of topics. External authors prepared 34 of the 43 presentations.

The oral presentations on Tumor Treating Fields include an EF-14 post hoc subgroup analysis on tumor growth rates, and the pilot study results of Tumor Treating Fields combined with radiotherapy and temozolomide for the treatment of newly diagnosed glioblastoma.

Highlights among poster presentations include the combinations of Tumor Treating Fields with other therapies such as radiation and immunotherapies, simulations, health economics and outcomes research, patient advocacy, and research on the mechanism of action.

Year after year, it is amazing to see the continued focus on Tumor Treating Fields at the SNO Annual Meeting, said Novocure CEO Asaf Danziger. From our first presentation at SNO in 2008 to today, more than 250 abstracts on Tumor Treating Fields have been included at one of the most important conferences in neuro-oncology worldwide. I am proud of our team for their relentless focus on innovative research and for their consistent drive in raising awareness of our therapy among the scientific community. We look forward to another productive year at SNO.

(Abstract #: ACTR-46) Tumor Treating Fields combined with radiotherapy and temozolomide for the treatment of newly diagnosed glioblastoma: Final results from a pilot study. R. Grossman. 2:45 to 2:50 p.m. MST Nov. 22.

(Abstract #: RTHP-28) TTFields treatment affects tumor growth rates: A post-hoc analysis of the pivotal phase 3 EF-14 trial. Z. Bomzon. 4:05 to 4:10 p.m. MST Nov. 22.

(Abstract #: QOLP-24) Patients/parents experiences of receiving Optune delivered tumor treatment fields: A Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium Study: PBTC-048. J. Lai. 7:50 to 7:54 p.m. MST Nov. 22.

(Abstract #: RDNA-10) TTFields treatment planning for targeting multiple lesions spread throughout the brain. Z. Bomzon. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. MST Nov. 22. (Radiation Biology and DNA Repair/Basic Science)

(Abstract #: NIMG-20) Evaluation of head segmentation quality for treatment planning of tumor treating fields in brain tumors. Z. Bomzon. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. MST Nov. 22. (Neuro-Imaging/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: HOUT-24) Challenges and successes in the global reimbursement of a breakthrough medical technology for treatment of glioblastoma multiforme. C. Proescholdt. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. MST Nov. 22. (Health Outcome Measures/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: EXTH-02) The blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability is altered by Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) in vivo. E. Schulz. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. MST Nov. 22. (Experimental Therapeutics/Basic Science)

(Abstract #: IMMU-06) TTFields induces immunogenic cell death and STING pathway activation through cytoplasmic double-stranded DNA in glioblastoma cells. D. Chen. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. MST Nov. 22. (Immunology/Basic Science)

(Abstract #: DRES-06) Prostaglandin E Receptor 3 mediates resistance to Tumor Treating Fields in glioblastoma cells. D. Chen. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. MST Nov. 22. (Drug Resistance/Basic Science)

(Abstract #: EXTH-34) In vitro tumor treating fields (TTFields) applied prior to radiation enhances the response to radiation in patient-derived glioblastoma cell lines. S. Mittal. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. MST Nov. 22. (Experimental Therapeutics/Basic Science)

(Abstract #: CSIG-20) Effect of tumor-treating felds (TTFields) on EGFR phosphorylation in GBM cell lines. M. Reinert. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. MST Nov. 22. (Cell Signaling and Signaling Pathways/Basic Science)

(Abstract #: CBMT-14) The dielectric properties of brain tumor tissue. M. Proescholdt. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. MST Nov. 22. (Cell Biology and Metabolism/Basic Science)

(Abstract #: CSIG-26) Is intrinsic apoptosis the signaling pathway activated by tumor-treating fields for glioblastoma. K. Carlson. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. MST Nov. 22. (Cell Signaling and Signaling Pathways/Basic Science)

(Abstract #: ATIM-08) Trial in Progress: CA209-9Y8 phase 2 trial of tumor treating fields (TTFs), nivolumab plus/minus ipilimumab for bevacizumab-nave, recurrent glioblastoma. Y. Odia. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. MST Nov. 22. (Adult Clinical Trials Immunologic/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: ACTR-60) A phase 2, historically controlled study testing the efficacy of TTFields with adjuvant temozolomide in high-risk WHO grade II and III astrocytomas (FORWARD). A. Allen. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. MST Nov. 22. (Adult Clinical Trials - Non-Immunologic/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: TMIC-54) Comparison of cellular features at autopsy in glioblastoma patients with standard treatment of care and tumor treatment fields. A. Lowman. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. MST Nov. 22. (Tumor Microenvironment/Basic Science)

(Abstract #: ACTR-26) Safety and efficacy of bevacizumab plus Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) in patients with recurrent glioblastoma (GBM): data from a phase II clinical trial. J. Fallah. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. MST Nov. 22. (Adult Clinical Trials Non-immunologic/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: RBTT-02) Radiosurgery followed by Tumor Treating Fields for brain metastases (1-10) from NSCLC in the phase 3 METIS trial. V. Gondi. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. MST Nov. 22. (Randomized Brain Tumor Trials in Development/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: INNV-16) Complete response of thalamic IDH wildtype glioblastoma after proton therapy followed by chemotherapy together with Tumor Treating Fields. M. Stein. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. MST Nov. 22. (Innovations in Patient Care/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: INNV-20) A systematic review of tumor treating fields therapy for primary for recurrent and glioblastoma. P. Shah. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. MST Nov. 22. (Innovations in Patient Care/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: STEM-16) Dual Inhibition of Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 5 and Protein Phosphatase 2a Enhances the Anti-tumor Efficacy in Primary Glioblastoma Neurospheres. H. Sur. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. MST Nov. 22. (Stem Cells/Basic Science)

(Abstract #: CBMT-13) 3DEP system to test the electrical properties of different cell lines as predictive markers of optimal tumor treating fields (TTFields) frequency and sensitivity. M. Giladi. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23. (Cell Biology and Metabolism/Basic Science)

(Abstract #: EXTH-37) A novel transducer array layout for delivering Tumor Treating Fields to the spine. Z. Bomzon. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23. (Experimental Therapeutics/Basic Science)

(Abstract #: NIMG-41) Rapid and accurate creation of patient-specific computational models for GBM patients receiving Optune therapy with conventional imaging (T1w/PD). Z. Bomzon. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23. (Neuro-Imaging/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: HOUT-17) Utilities of rare cancers like malignant pleural mesothelioma and glioblastoma multiforme - do they compare? C. Proescholdt. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23. (Health Outcome Measures/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: INNV-17) Innovative educational approaches to enhance patient and caregiver understanding of Optune for glioblastoma. M. Shackelford. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23. (Innovations in Patient Care/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: EXTH-05) Therapeutic implications of TTFields induced DNA damage and replication stress in novel combinations for cancer treatment. N. Karanam. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23. (Experimental Therapeutics/Basic Science)

(Abstract #: EXTH-31) Combination of tumor treating fields (TTFields) and paclitaxel produces additive reductions in proliferation and clonogenicity in patient-derived metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. S. Michelhaugh. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23 (Experimental Therapeutics/Basic Science)

(Abstract #: EXTH-53) Tumor Treating Fields leads to changes in membrane permeability and increased penetration by anti-glioma drugs. E. Chang. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23. (Experimental Therapeutics/Basic Science)

(Abstract #: RDNA-01) Tubulin and microtubules as molecular targets for TTField therapy. J. Tuszynski. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23. (Radiation Biology and DNA Repair/Basic Science)

(Abstract #: SURG-01) OptimalTTF-1: Final results of a phase 1 study: First glioblastoma recurrence examining targeted skull remodeling surgery to enhance Tumor Treating Fields strength. A. Korshoej. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23. (Surgical Therapy/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: ATIM-39) Phase 2 open-labeled study of adjuvant temozolomide plus Tumor Treating Fields plus Pembrolizumab in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma (2-THE-TOP). D. Tran. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23. (Adult Clinical Trials Immunologic/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: ACTR-49) Initial experience with scalp preservation and radiation plus concurrent alternating electric tumor-treating fields (SPARE) for glioblastoma patients. A. Song. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23. (Adult Clinical Trials - Non-Immunologic/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: RTHP-25) TTFields dose distribution alters tumor growth patterns: An imaging-based analysis of the randomized phase 3 EF-14 trial. M. Ballo. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23. (Radiation Therapy/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: ACTR-19) Report on the combination of Axitinib and Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) in three patients with recurrent glioblastoma. E. Schulz. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23. (Adult Clinical Trials - Non-Immunologic/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: PATH-47) TTF may apply selective pressure to glioblastoma clones with aneuploidy: a case report. M. Ruff. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23. (Molecular Pathology and Classification Adult and Pediatric/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: RARE-39) Combination of Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) with lomustine (CCNU) and temozolomide (TMZ) in newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM) patients - a bi-centric analysis. L. Lazaridis. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23. (Rare Tumors/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: ACTR-31) The use of TTFields for newly diagnosed GBM patients in Germany in routine clinical care (TIGER:TTFields in Germany in routine clinical care). O. Bahr. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23. (Adult Clinical Trials Non-Immunologic/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: INNV-09) Clinical efficacy of tumor treating fields for newly diagnosed glioblastoma. Y. Liu. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23. (Innovations in Patient Care/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: EXTH-61) Celecoxib Improves Outcome of Patients Treated with Tumor Treating Fields. K. Swanson. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23. (Experimental Therapeutics/Basic Science)

(Abstract #: INNV-23) Glioblastoma and Facebook: An Analysis Of Perceived Etiologies and Treatments. N. Reddy. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23. (Innovations in Patient Care/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: INNV-12) Outcomes in a Real-world Practice For Patients With Primary Glioblastoma: Impact of a Specialized Neuro-oncology Cancer Care Program. N. Banerji. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23. (Innovations in Patient Care/Clinical Research)

(Abstract #: RBTT-11): NRG Oncology NRG-BN006: A Phase II/III Randomized, Open-label Study of Toca 511 and Toca FC With Standard of Care Compared to Standard of Care in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma. M. Ahluwalia. 5 to 7 p.m. MST Nov. 23. (Randomized Brain Tumor Trials Development/Clinical Research)

About Novocure

Novocure is a global oncology company working to extend survival in some of the most aggressive forms of cancer through the development and commercialization of its innovative therapy, Tumor Treating Fields. Tumor Treating Fields is a cancer therapy that uses electric fields tuned to specific frequencies to disrupt solid tumor cancer cell division. Novocures commercialized products are approved for the treatment of adult patients with glioblastoma and malignant pleural mesothelioma. Novocure has ongoing or completed clinical trials investigating Tumor Treating Fields in brain metastases, non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer and liver cancer.

Headquartered in Jersey, Novocure has U.S. operations in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Malvern, Pennsylvania and New York City. Additionally, the company has offices in Germany, Switzerland, Japan and Israel. For additional information about the company, please visit http://www.novocure.com or follow us at http://www.twitter.com/novocure.

Approved Indications

Optune is intended as a treatment for adult patients (22 years of age or older) with histologically-confirmed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

Optune with temozolomide is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed, supratentorial glioblastoma following maximal debulking surgery, and completion of radiation therapy together with concomitant standard of care chemotherapy.

For the treatment of recurrent GBM, Optune is indicated following histologically- or radiologically-confirmed recurrence in the supratentorial region of the brain after receiving chemotherapy. The device is intended to be used as a monotherapy, and is intended as an alternative to standard medical therapy for GBM after surgical and radiation options have been exhausted.

The NovoTTF-100L System is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic, malignant mesothelioma (MPM) to be used concurrently with pemetrexed and platinum-based chemotherapy.

Important Safety Information

Contraindications

Do not use Optune in patients with GBM with an implanted medical device, a skull defect (such as, missing bone with no replacement), or bullet fragments. Use of Optune together with skull defects or bullet fragments has not been tested and may possibly lead to tissue damage or render Optune ineffective. Do not use the NovoTTF-100L System in patients with MPM with implantable electronic medical devices such as pacemakers or implantable automatic defibrillators, etc.

Use of Optune for GBM or the NovoTTF-100L System for MPM together with implanted electronic devices has not been tested and may lead to malfunctioning of the implanted device.

Do not use Optune for GBM or the NovoTTF-100L System for MPM in patients known to be sensitive to conductive hydrogels. Skin contact with the gel used with Optune and the NovoTTF-100L System may commonly cause increased redness and itching, and may rarely lead to severe allergic reactions such as shock and respiratory failure.

Warnings and Precautions

Optune and the NovoTTF-100L System can only be prescribed by a healthcare provider that has completed the required certification training provided by Novocure.

The most common (10%) adverse events involving Optune in combination with chemotherapy in patients with GBM were thrombocytopenia, nausea, constipation, vomiting, fatigue, convulsions, and depression.

The most common (10%) adverse events related to Optune treatment alone in patients with GBM were medical device site reaction and headache. Other less common adverse reactions were malaise, muscle twitching, and falls related to carrying the device.

The most common (10%) adverse events involving the NovoTTF-100L System in combination with chemotherapy in patients with MPM were anemia, constipation, nausea, asthenia, chest pain, fatigue, device skin reaction, pruritus, and cough.

Other potential adverse effects associated with the use of the NovoTTF-100L System include: treatment related skin toxicity, allergic reaction to the plaster or to the gel, electrode overheating leading to pain and/or local skin burns, infections at sites of electrode contact with the skin, local warmth and tingling sensation beneath the electrodes, muscle twitching, medical site reaction and skin breakdown/skin ulcer.

If the patient has an underlying serious skin condition on the treated area, evaluate whether this may prevent or temporarily interfere with Optune and the NovoTTF-100L System treatment.

Do not prescribe Optune or the NovoTTF-100L System for patients that are pregnant, you think might be pregnant or are trying to get pregnant, as the safety and effectiveness of Optune and the NovoTTF-100L System in these populations have not been established.

Forward-Looking Statements

In addition to historical facts or statements of current condition, this press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements provide Novocures current expectations or forecasts of future events. These may include statements regarding anticipated scientific progress on its research programs, clinical trial progress, development of potential products, interpretation of clinical results, prospects for regulatory approval, manufacturing development and capabilities, market prospects for its products, coverage, collections from third-party payers and other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts. You may identify some of these forward-looking statements by the use of words in the statements such as anticipate, estimate, expect, project, intend, plan, believe or other words and terms of similar meaning. Novocures performance and financial results could differ materially from those reflected in these forward-looking statements due to general financial, economic, regulatory and political conditions as well as more specific risks and uncertainties facing Novocure such as those set forth in its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on July 25, 2019, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Given these risks and uncertainties, any or all of these forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Therefore, you should not rely on any such factors or forward-looking statements. Furthermore, Novocure does not intend to update publicly any forward-looking statement, except as required by law. Any forward-looking statements herein speak only as of the date hereof. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits this discussion.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191120005453/en/

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Novocure Announces 43 Presentations on Tumor Treating Fields at 24th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuro-Oncology - Yahoo Finance

Stanley Hazen, M.D., Ph.D.

The National Institutes of Health has awarded more than $12 million to Cleveland Clinic researchers to study the critical link between gut microbial pathways and the development of cardiometabolic diseases.

The team is led by Stanley Hazen, M.D., Ph.D, director of Cleveland Clinics Center for Microbiome & Human Health.

Cardiometabolic diseases encompasses cardiovascular conditions like heart attack, stroke, hypertension and heart failure and metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Dr. Hazen and his collaborators on the projects J. Mark Brown, Ph.D.; Zeneng Wang, Ph.D.; Lynn Hajjar, Ph.D.; and Joe DiDonato, Ph.D. will explore the concept that gut microbes act as a key endocrine organ that converts digested nutrients into chemical signals that function like hormones, creating physiological changes in the person. The researchers will focus on specific novel pathways linked to atherosclerosis, thrombosis and obesity, as well as the participation of specific gut microbe-driven pathways in increased susceptibility to cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

The new research program is one of the first Program Project grants funded by NIH focused on the gut microbiome, a rapidly growing field that shows numerous links to human health and disease. The award is from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the NIH.

The program will consist of three specialized projects and four supporting cores. The projects will:

The three projects will be led by Drs. Hazen and Brown, both of Cleveland Clinics Lerner Research Institute, and Dr. Michael Fischbach, of Stanford University. The four supporting cores will be led by Drs. Hazen, Brown, Wang and Hajjar, all from the Lerner Research Institute.

Heart disease is the leading killer in the United States and we are only now beginning to understand this critical area of research, said Dr. Hazen. We are grateful to the NIH for this funding and excited about the potential this research has to open up new avenues for improving health and combating cardiovascular disease.

In addition to his role at the Center for Microbiome & Human Health, Dr. Hazen chairs the Lerner Research Institute Department of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Sciences and is co-section head of Preventive Cardiology & Rehabilitation in the Miller Heart & Vascular Institute of Cleveland Clinic. He also holds the Jan Bleeksma Chair in Vascular Cell Biology and Atherosclerosis.

Dr. Hazen and his team have made pioneering discoveries in atherosclerosis and inflammatory disease research, including the seminal discovery linking gut microbial pathways to cardiovascular disease and metabolic diseases, including atherosclerosis, thrombosis, heart failure and chronic kidney disease. His team showed that TMAO (trimethylamine N-oxide) a gut bacteria byproduct formed during digestion contributes to the development of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes.

High levels of TMAO in the blood have been shown to be a powerful tool for predicting future heart attack, stroke and death risks, according to previous research initially spearheaded by Dr. Hazen and his team, and subsequently replicated around the world. TMAO testing is now widely available and in clinical use as a result.

Dr. Hazen was elected to the prestigious National Academy of Medicinein 2016 and was named by the American Heart Association (AHA) as a Distinguished Scientist for 2017.

Dr. Hazen is named as co-inventor on pending and issued patents held by the Cleveland Clinic relating to cardiovascular diagnostics and therapeutics, and has the right to receive royalty payment for inventions or discoveries related to cardiovascular diagnostics or therapeutics. Dr. Hazen also reports having been paid as a consultant for P&G, and receiving research funds from P&G.

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NIH Awards Cleveland Clinic $12 Million to Study Link Between Gut Microbes, Heart Disease - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

Mila Makovec has high pigtails in her dark hair and a cloth doll tucked under her arm as she wakes up in a hospital bed, where shes just been injected with a one-of-a-kind drug intended to save her life.

The drug works for only one person in the world this 9-year-old girl from Boulder.

In a spectacular example of what the future might hold for precision medicine, the drug was made only for her in a quest to save Mila from a neurological disease that is destroying her brain. Her DNA is in the formula. The 22-letter genome sequence in the drugs recipe matches the one in Milas cells that is broken.

It is the first time the FDA has approved a drug for a single person.

The drug appropriately called milasen might not have come soon enough to save Mila, as it can only slow the process of degeneration, not replace the brain cells that have already died.

But this story is no longer just about Mila; it never actually was.

This is not for my daughter anymore, said Julia Vitarello, who took to social media to fundraise and find a researcher and drug manufacturer who would help her. This is for something much bigger.

Milas case catapulted specialized drug development at least a decade into the future, her doctors say, opening a new path for other children with rare genetic diseases that have no cure.

Childrens Hospital Colorado, where Mila was diagnosed three years ago and now receives her treatment, and Boston Childrens, where her drug was designed, are leading the way in creating a model in which academic researchers could help perhaps a handful of children each year by crafting one-of-a-kind medicines. Next year, Childrens Colorado will begin whole-genome sequencing with a new machine called a Novaseq, a major step in the process of finding mutations in DNA.

The whole concept raises ethical questions for sure: How safe is it to initiate a clinical trial for a single child? Who makes sure the children who could benefit most not just those whose families have money or the ability to raise money get the specialized treatment?

Vitarello, who created Milas Miracle Foundation and raised $3 million while trying to save her daughter, wants to establish funding for children who need drugs tailored to their own cellular biology. She suggests an admissions process where the researchers deciding whether to help a child do not know that childs name, face or ability to pay.

There are going to be parents who are going to do anything for their kid, Vitarello said. They are going to come with money. Thats totally fine, no judgment. I would do the same thing. But in an ideal world, there would be patients coming through a funnel with no names or faces or money attached. Whoever is at the table makes the best decision.

The path forward is likely in the academic, nonprofit space, Vitraello said. She is initiating talks with the National Institutes of Health, the largest public funder of biomedical research, as well as research institutions, the FDA and the pharmaceutical industry. An estimated 1.3 million people with rare genetic diseases could potentially benefit from a treatment like Milas, she said.

There are 1.3 million kids that are dying that have no other treatment, no pharma company is going to help them, there is nothing that we can do, and now suddenly, weve opened up a pathway for that, she said Tuesday at the hospital in Aurora, as Mila rested following her injection. The only way to get it is to have more academic institutions treat more kids one, two, five, 10. Open it up.

The goal is that kids with flaws in their DNA could receive precision medicine sooner, halting neurological diseases before they steal the ability to walk, talk, eat or see.

Mila was a perfectly healthy child the first three years of her life. She was learning to ski, went hiking with her parents and had a vocabulary advanced beyond her years.

Her mom noticed the subtle changes before anyone the way she pulled books close to her face because she couldnt see, how her feet turned inward, that she began bumping into things and fell for no reason, how she stuttered sometimes but it wasnt like typical stuttering.

Vitarello brought her to 100 doctors and therapists from the East Coast to the West and in Canada, many of whom told her to calm down and that her daughter seemed fine. I had doctors tell me I was pretty much crazy. Very top level doctors told me to chill out, she said. Well, I wasnt going to chill out. I just kept going.

By age 7, Mila was having trouble walking and eating and was going blind. Her body was wracked with multiple seizures each day.

I spent three years trying to figure out what was wrong with her, Vitarello said. I basically gave up and brought her to the ER at Childrens Colorado.

Mila was admitted and her case assigned to Dr. Austin Larson, a geneticist whose main job at the hospital is to figure out whats wrong with patients who have an undiagnosed disease. An MRI found that the part of Milas brain that is responsible for balance, the cerebellum, was smaller than expected. But it was a genetic test that for the first time gave Vitarello a name for Milas illness: Batten disease, and a specific type of Batten that is so rare, just 25 people in the world are known to have it.

The disease occurs when both of a childs two CNL7 genes are mutated one mutation from each parent.

Larson was able to identify the defective gene from Milas father, but could not find one from her mother. At the time, Childrens Colorado along with most places didnt have the technology to search that deeply into Milas DNA through whole-genome sequencing, and Larson warned Milas family that it was likely impossible to find a clinical lab that could. She would need a researcher.

Vitarello turned to Facebook, begging for help for Mila but also so she could find out if her son, who was 2 at the time and completely healthy, had the same devastating disease that was taking away her daughter.

I was going to get nowhere with Mila unless I just opened up my story fully, to everyone, her mom said.

Dr. Larson had given her enough information and the right words to make a plea. A Boston physician saw her message and connected her with Dr. Timothy Yu, a neurogeneticist at Boston Childrens.

At the same time, the FDA had just approved a new drug called Spinraza, the first drug to treat a separate genetic condition called spinal muscular atrophy. The drug, injected into the fluid around the spinal cord, helped babies in clinical trials improve head control, sitting and standing.

The way Spinraza was designed was a game-changer for medicine and key in helping Mila. Yu and his team in Boston wondered if they could make a similar drug for the Colorado girl.

The Boston team spent days staring at screens of Milas DNA sequences until they discovered the other piece of the genetic puzzle in addition to the gene mutation from her father, Mila had inherited extra genetic material from her mother. The combination meant that, in the most basic terms, Mila had a sequence of broken DNA in her cells.

The drug created only for Mila contains little pieces of synthetic genetic material that search for a specific 22-letter sequence and cover it up so that her cells cannot read it. We are taking a Band-Aid and sticking it onto that part, said Dr. Scott Demarest, a pediatric neurologist at Childrens Colorado and a specialist in rare genetic epilepsies. That is literally what is happening. It is sticking to that spot so that the cell skips over that and goes to the next part that is correct.

The only difference between Spinraza and milasen is the genetic sequence inside the drugs send Band-Aids to different addresses.

After discovering the genetic flaw, Yu in Boston and Larson in Colorado called Milas mom together to give her the news. Her son did not have either of the recessive genes, and her daughter had both.

It was a huge mix of extreme happiness and, within the same second, just extreme falling-to-the-floor sadness for Mila, Vitarello recalled. My daughter had gotten both of the bad mutations and my son had gotten both of the good ones.

Next, Vitarello had to persuade a drugmaker to make a drug for one, and the FDA to allow doctors to inject it in her daughters spinal fluid.

The stars aligned, she says, still in disbelief.

Milas team made it happen by emphasizing that although this drug had the potential to work only on one person, the process could become a blueprint for other patients. Only the DNA sequence in the medicine would change.

They persuaded a drug manufacturer in California, TriLink Biotechnologies, to make Milas drug. And the FDA agreed to speed up the clinical trial process by allowing Yu to test the drug on rats at the same time Mila was receiving her first dose. The doctor had first tested it on Milas skin cells.

Milasen is technically now in clinical trial a trial of one patient involving two childrens hospitals.

The night before Milas first injection in January 2018, as Vitarello went for a run in subzero Boston, she told herself she was OK with whatever happened. Mila was out of time. Vitarello had seen the descriptions online and knew where Mila was headed.

My daughters trajectory of not treating her was so black and white, Vitarello said. Everyone always wonders what is going to happen to your life. When you have a rare disease, you can see exactly what is going to happen to your child ahead of time and its not a good thing.

I figured the worst-case scenario was not her dying, it was her being in pain. And I told the FDA that as well. I said, If my daughter dies on the spot, Im OK with that.

Instead, the injections that first year seemed to stop the diseases progression. Mila quit eating through a g-tube and started eating her moms pureed food again. She could hold up her head and her upper body, and her walking improved. Her seizures decreased from 30 a day to two or three.

Quality of life, those are huge, Vitarello said.

Now in the second year of treatment, Mila has started to decline, but not as steeply as other children with her disease. Milas team has upped her doses and started injecting them every two months instead of every three, but they have no precedent to follow.

They could find out years from now that they were giving Mila 1,000 times too little, her mother said.

I honestly dont know if it was in time for Mila, Vitarello said. She was really progressed when she received her treatment. There is still hope.

The key to saving more children from rare genetic diseases is diagnosing them earlier ideally at birth.

What if we found this three years sooner? Larson asked. I think about that a lot. What would it have taken to have found this the first time that (Vitarello) took Mila to a physician and said, I am concerned about the subtle difference in the way she walks?

The answer is it takes having a very broad test and being very good at interpreting that very broad swath of information.

Science is a ways off from being able to detect diseases as rare as Milas in newborns. But breakthroughs are coming for other genetic diseases.

Starting in January, spinal muscular atrophy will become one of 38 genetic diseases newborn babies are screened for via blood tests, said Raphe Schwartz, chief strategy officer for Childrens.

Childrens intends to take what it has learned through Milas case, partner with other institutions and use it to help more children, Schwartz said. What we learn reveals the roadmap for the future, he said. The future ones we do are more effective and less expensive over time.

There is a sense of urgency, but also caution.

We want to make sure we are doing it right, we are doing it safely, we are doing it for kids who are going to benefit the most, Demarest said. There are ethical challenges around it. We need to be very thoughtful and careful that we are doing this the right way, but were also doing it in a way that allows this to be a reality for kids as soon as possible and for as many as possible.

For now, Vitarello is grateful that Mila can receive her treatments in Colorado. Until September, they were traveling to Boston every other month for 10 days, but now they can leave home after breakfast on treatment days and return by dinner.

On Tuesday, Vitarello recited Goldilocks and the Three Bears and sang camp songs while Mila, bundled in blankets, received the 10-minute injection in her lower back, which Vitarello said doesnt seem to hurt Mila. They celebrated Milas 9th birthday last week, and her little brother, now 5, picked out a squishy toy and a sequined mermaid for her birthday presents.

Im faced with a huge amount of sadness around this, but at the same time, its making such a huge difference that it gives a lot of purpose to her life and it gives a lot of purpose to my life, Vitarello said. And it just makes me able to get through it. I can see this making a big impact.

This reporting is made possible by our members. You can directly support independent watchdog journalism in Colorado for as little as $5 a month. Start here: coloradosun.com/join

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This miracle drug was designed and manufactured for just one person a 9-year-old Boulder girl - The Colorado Sun

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Immune-Onc Therapeutics, Inc. (Immune-Onc), a privately held cancer immunotherapy company, announced today the addition of several industry veterans to its executive team and advisory boards and the promotion of An Song, Ph.D. to Chief Scientific Officer from Senior Vice President of Development Sciences. Dr. Paul Woodard joins Immune-Onc from Bellicum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. where he most recently served as Senior Vice President, Clinical and Medical Affairs.

We are thrilled to add such seasoned and strategic individuals to the executive and advisory teams guiding Immune-Onc through its next phase of growth as a clinical stage company, said Charlene Liao, Ph.D., Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Immune-Onc. As our Chief Medical Officer, Paul brings the right combination of deep expertise in oncology paired with proven strategic leadership and experience building teams and functions in a startup environment. The appointment of An to Chief Scientific Officer is a reflection of the contributions she has already made to the company in her current role and a recognition of the value that her experience will bring in guiding the translation of our science into development.

I cant imagine a more exciting time to join Immune-Onc, said Dr. Woodard. I was first drawn to the novel science underlying the portfolio. As I learned more about Immune-Onc and their authentic passion for improving patient lives, it became clear to me that this was a company that I wanted to contribute to in a meaningful way with the goal of bringing much needed new treatment options to people with hard-to-treat cancers like acute myeloid leukemia.

About Paul Woodard, M.D.

As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Woodard will be responsible for clinical leadership and medical oversight of the Immune-Onc portfolio. These activities will include review and input of IND submissions, clinical protocol development and medical oversight of Immune-Onc trials, and oversight of internal and external clinical development, biometrics, safety, and regulatory functions and compliance.

Dr. Woodard has an extensive hematology and oncology background gained in academia and industry. His academic experience focused on pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and hematologic disorders at world-renowned institutions, including St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, and Childrens Hospital, Los Angeles. In addition to patient care, at St. Jude, Dr. Woodard was responsible for Phase 1/2 trials in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for malignant and non-malignant disorders.

Prior to joining Immune-Onc, Dr. Woodard worked on a wide range of drug development projects in solid tumors, hematologic malignancies, and non-malignant hematologic disorders. At Exelixis, Dr. Woodard worked on small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors for solid tumors. At Amgen, Dr. Woodard was the global development leader for Nplate (romiplostim) in immune thrombocytopenia and myelodysplastic syndromes. At Genentech, Dr. Woodard was the global development team leader for Tecentriq (atezolizumab) in hematologic malignancies and was an integral team member for the development of Tecentriq combinations in solid tumors (including triple negative breast cancer) and hematologic malignancies. At Bellicum, Dr. Woodard was the Senior Vice President of Clinical and Medical Affairs, with oversight of the companys cellular therapy portfolio and clinical trials in hematologic malignancies and solid tumors.

Dr. Woodard earned his medical degree at the University of North Carolina and completed his residency at the University of Virginia and fellowships in pediatric hematology-oncology at the University of North Carolina and in pediatric blood and marrow transplantation at the University of Minnesota.

About An Song, Ph.D.

Dr. Song joined Immune-Onc in July 2018 as Senior Vice President of Development Sciences. In the newly created role of Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Song will have overall accountability for translational development of Immune-Oncs portfolio and strategic oversight of research and antibody engineering.

Dr. Song is a translational scientist with 22 years of experience across basic research and drug development in oncology, autoimmunity, metabolic, infectious, and neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Song joins Immune-Onc from Genentech where, as a Senior Director in BioAnalytical Sciences, she led the Assay Development and Technology group for the companys large molecule portfolio globally and was a member of numerous scientific review bodies within the Genentech Research and Early Development (gRED) organization. During her 16-year tenure at Genentech, Dr. Song contributed to, and oversaw 40+ IND/CTA and BLA/MAA regulatory filings for products including Rituxan, Avastin, Herceptin, Lucentis, Kadcyla and Tecentriq. In addition, Dr. Song played a significant role in the development and approval of Ocrevus.

Dr. Song received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology from Indiana University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in immunology, followed by a faculty position as Assistant Professor (Research) at Stanford University. As an active member of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS), Dr. Song has served as an executive member of the Biotech Section and chair of the Therapeutic Product Immunogenicity (TPI) Focus Group/Community.

BOARD APPOINTMENTS

In addition, Immune-Onc bolstered its cadre of advisors with the appointment of Zhengbin (Bing) Yao, Ph.D. to its Board of Directors and Gregory Cosma, Ph.D. to its Scientific Advisory Board. Both Bing and Greg bring significant experience in helping early-stage companies navigate the complexity of drug development, commented Dr. Liao. Bing and Gregs perspectives are invaluable in supporting Immune-Onc in our mission to deliver transformative therapies to cancer patients.

About Zhengbin (Bing) Yao, Ph.D.

Dr. Yao has more than 20 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, with a proven track record of successfully leading the discovery and development of multiple biotherapeutics. Dr. Yao is currently Chairman of the Board and CEO of Viela Bio. Prior to this role, he was Senior Vice President, Head of Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmune iMED at MedImmune/AstraZeneca. During his tenure at MedImmune, he played key leadership roles in the development and approval of three novel biologics for autoimmune, respiratory, and immune-oncology indications. Previously, Dr. Yao also served as Senior Vice President, Head of Immuno-Oncology Franchise, AstraZeneca, as well as CEO for WuXi-MedImmune Joint Venture. Dr. Yao joined MedImmune in 2010 from Genentech, where he was the Head of Project Team Leaders for Immunology, Infectious Diseases, Neuroscience, and Metabolic Disease. He was Vice President and Head of Research for Tanox, before the company was acquired by Genentech in 2007. Dr. Yao also held several positions of increasing responsibility at Aventis and Amgen and currently serves on the Board of Directors for NexImmune. Dr. Yao received his Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Iowa, followed by postdoctoral work at Immunex.

About Gregory Cosma, Ph.D.

As a former executive at Genentech and Bristol-Myers Squibb, Dr. Cosma has a long track record of success leading companies in translating science into approved therapies. As Vice President of Research and Early Development at Genentech from 2010-2019, Dr. Cosma led the Safety Assessment organization comprising Toxicology, Pathology, Product Quality and Occupational Toxicology and Nonclinical Operations. He also chaired the Genentech Development Review Committee (DRC), overseeing nonclinical development of the Genentech pipeline from Research to First-in-Human studies. While at Bristol-Myers Squibb from 2003-2010, Dr. Cosma held roles as the Executive Director for Drug Safety Evaluation and as the Therapeutic Area Head for Metabolic Diseases. Prior to these roles, Dr. Cosma was a Research Fellow at Pharmacia-Pfizer and an assistant professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University. Dr. Cosma earned his doctorate in Pharmacology/Toxicology at the University of Kansas.

ABOUT IMMUNE-ONC THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Immune-Onc Therapeutics, Inc. (Immune-Onc) is a privately held cancer immunotherapy company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel biologic treatments for cancer patients. The company aims to translate unique scientific insights in myeloid cell biology and immune inhibitory receptors to discover and develop first-in-class biotherapeutics that disarm immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment. Immune-Onc has a promising pipeline built upon strategic collaborations and cutting-edge research from The University of Texas, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Its lead program, an antibody targeting LILRB4, is being developed to treat acute myeloid leukemia and other cancers. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Immune-Onc has assembled a diverse team with deep expertise in drug development and proven track records of success at leading biotechnology companies. For more information, please visit http://www.immune-onc.com.

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Immune-Onc Therapeutics Prepares for its Next Phase of Growth with New Leadership Appointments and Key Board Member Additions - Business Wire

Artists concept of meteors impacting ancient Earth. Some scientists think such impacts may have delivered water and other molecules useful to emerging life on Earth. Credit: NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab

An international team has found sugars essential to life in meteorites. The new discovery adds to the growing list of biologically important compounds that have been found in meteorites, supporting the hypothesis that chemical reactions in asteroids the parent bodies of many meteorites can make some of lifes ingredients. If correct, meteorite bombardment on ancient Earth may have assisted the origin of life with a supply of lifes building blocks.

The team discovered ribose and other bio-essential sugars including arabinose and xylose in two different meteorites that are rich in carbon, NWA 801 (type CR2) and Murchison (type CM2). Ribose is a crucial component of RNA (ribonucleic acid). In much of modern life, RNA serves as a messenger molecule, copying genetic instructions from the DNA molecule (deoxyribonucleic acid) and delivering them to molecular factories within the cell called ribosomes that read the RNA to build specific proteins needed to carry out life processes.

Other important building blocks of life have been found in meteorites previously, including amino acids (components of proteins) and nucleobases (components of DNA and RNA), but sugars have been a missing piece among the major building blocks of life, said Yoshihiro Furukawa of Tohoku University, Japan, lead author of the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on November 18, 2019. The research provides the first direct evidence of ribose in space and the delivery of the sugar to Earth. The extraterrestrial sugar might have contributed to the formation of RNA on the prebiotic Earth which possibly led to the origin of life.

This is a mosaic image of asteroid Bennu, from NASAs OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. The discovery of sugars in meteorites supports the hypothesis that chemical reactions in asteroids the parent bodies of many meteorites can make some of lifes ingredients. Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona

It is remarkable that a molecule as fragile as ribose could be detected in such ancient material,said Jason Dworkin, a co-author of the study at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. These results will help guide our analyses of pristine samples from primitive asteroids Ryugu and Bennu, to be returned by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agencys Hayabusa2 and NASAs OSIRIS-REx spacecraft.

An enduring mystery regarding the origin of life is how biology could have arisen from non-biological chemical processes. DNA is the template for life, carrying the instructions for how to build and operate a living organism. However, RNA also carries information, and many researchers think it evolved first and was later replaced by DNA. This is because RNA molecules have capabilities that DNA lacks. RNA can make copies of itself without help from other molecules, and it can also initiate or speed up chemical reactions as a catalyst. The new work gives some evidence to support the possibility that RNA coordinated the machinery of life before DNA.

The sugar in DNA (2-deoxyribose) was not detected in any of the meteorites analyzed in this study, said Danny Glavin, a co-author of the study at NASA Goddard. This is important since there could have been a delivery bias of extraterrestrial ribose to the early Earth which is consistent with the hypothesis that RNA evolved first.

This is a model of the molecular structure of ribose and an image of the Murchison meteorite. Ribose and other sugars were found in this meteorite. Credit: Yoshihiro Furukawa

The team discovered the sugars by analyzing powdered samples of the meteorites using gas chromatography mass spectrometry, which sorts and identifies molecules by their mass and electric charge. They found that the abundances of ribose and the other sugars ranged from 2.3 to 11 parts per billion in NWA 801 and from 6.7 to 180 parts per billion in Murchison.

Since Earth is awash with life, the team had to consider the possibility that the sugars in the meteorites simply came from contamination by terrestrial life. Multiple lines of evidence indicate contamination is unlikely, including isotope analysis. Isotopes are versions of an element with different mass due to the number of neutrons in the atomic nucleus. For example, life on Earth prefers to use the lighter variety of carbon (12C) over the heavier version (13C). However, the carbon in the meteorite sugars was significantly enriched in the heavy 13C, beyond the amount seen in terrestrial biology, supporting the conclusion that it came from space.

The team plans to analyze more meteorites to get a better idea of the abundance of the extraterrestrial sugars. They also plan to see if the extraterrestrial sugar molecules have a left-handed or right-handed bias. Some molecules come in two varieties that are mirror images of each other, like your hands. On Earth, life uses left-handed amino acids and right-handed sugars. Since its possible that the opposite would work fine right-handed amino acids and left-handed sugars scientists want to know where this preference came from. If some process in asteroids favors the production of one variety over the other, then maybe the supply from space via meteorite impacts made that variety more abundant on ancient Earth, which made it more likely that life would end up using it.

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Reference: Extraterrestrial ribose and other sugars in primitive meteorites by Yoshihiro Furukawa, Yoshito Chikaraishi, Naohiko Ohkouchi, Nanako O. Ogawa, Daniel P. Glavin, Jason P. Dworkin, Chiaki Abe and Tomoki Nakamura, 18 November 2019, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1907169116

The research was funded by a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI (science grant), the National Institutes of Natural Sciences Astrobiology Center, Japan, the Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, the Simons Foundation, and the NASA Astrobiology Institute, Goddard Center for Astrobiology. Jason Dworkin and Danny Glavin are members of the Goddard Center for Astrobiology team.

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New Clues to Origin of Life on Earth From Meteorite Discovery - SciTechDaily