Cell Biology

Study: Gene therapy can restore vision after stroke – EurekAlert

Key research finding

Most strokes happen when an artery in the brain becomes blocked. Blood flow to the neural tissue stops, and those tissues typically die. Because of the locations of the major arteries in the brain, many strokes affect motor function. Some affect vision, however, causing patients to lose their vision or find it compromised or diminished. A research team led by Purdue Universitys Alexander Chubykin, an associate professor of biological sciences in the College of Science, in collaboration with the team led by Gong Chen at Jinan University, China, has discovered a way to use gene therapy to turn glial brain cells into neurons, restoring visual function and offering hope for a way to restore motor function.

Neurons dont regenerate. The brain can sometimes remap its neural pathways enough to restore some visual function after a stroke, but that process is slow, its inefficient, and for some patients, it never happens at all. Stem cell therapy, which can help, relies on finding an immune match and is cumbersome and difficult. This new gene therapy, as demonstrated in a mouse model, is more efficient and much more promising.

We are directly reprogramming the local glial cells into neurons, Chubykin said. We dont have to implant new cells, so theres no immunogenic rejection. This process is easier to do than stem cell therapy, and theres less damage to the brain. We are helping the brain heal itself. We can see the connections between the old neurons and the newly reprogrammed neurons get reestablished. We can watch the mice get their vision back.

Chubykins research is especially important because visual function is easier than motor skills to measure accurately, using techniques including optical imaging in live mice to track the development and maturation of the newly converted neurons over the course of weeks. Perfecting and understanding this technique could lead to a similar technique reestablishing motor function. This research bridges the gap in understanding between the basic interpretation of the neurons and the function of the organs.

Purdue professors expertise

Chubykin is an expert in how neurons respond to visual experiences, as well as conditions including autism and ischemic stroke. He is affiliated with the Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience and the Purdue Autism Research Center.

###

Journal name

Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. The article is available online.

Funding

National Institute of Mental Health grant RF1 MH123401

Brief summary of methods

The team simulated an ischemic stroke affecting the visual centers in the brains of mice, mapping and measuring the extent of the neural and visual damage. Then, they used adeno-associated viruses to deliver NeuroD1 to glial cells in the affected part of the brain. They watched and measured as the glial cells were reprogrammed into neurons and were integrated into the visual cortex. After that, they measured the responses of these cells to visual stimulus and mapped the development of the visual cortex to measure the recovery of visual function.

Writer/Media contact: Brittany Steff, bsteff@purdue.edu

Source: Alexander Chubykin, chubykin@purdue.edu

Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

Experimental study

Animals

Restoration of Visual Function and Cortical Connectivity After Ischemic Injury Through NeuroD1-Mediated Gene Therapy

18-Aug-2021

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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Study: Gene therapy can restore vision after stroke - EurekAlert

Cell Biology

NextCure Announces New Appointments to its Board of Directors – GlobeNewswire

BELTSVILLE, Md., Oct. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NextCure, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXTC), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering and developing novel, first-in-class immunomedicines to treat cancer and other immune-related diseases, today announced the appointments of Ellen G. Feigal, M.D., and Anne Borgman, M.D., to its Board of Directors.

I am thrilled to welcome two new members to NextCures Board of Directors, said Michael Richman, NextCures president and chief executive officer. Both Dr. Feigal and Dr. Borgman bring extensive experience in clinical and biopharmaceutical settings. Their insights will be valuable as NextCure continues to advance multiple clinical programs and investigate and develop new immunomedicines for cancer patients. These appointments follow the resignation of Stella Xu, Ph.D. from the board as previously announced. In addition, we would like to thank Stella Xu for her commitment and support in building NextCure.

Dr. Feigal is currently a Partner and Head of the Biologics Practice at NDA Partners LLC, a life sciences consulting and contract development organization, where she leads efforts in designing and executing product development and regulatory strategies in the areas of cell therapies, medical imaging, hematology and oncology. Dr. Feigal is also adjunct faculty at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University, where she teaches FDA drug law and medical research ethics and law. Her career includes over thirty years in clinical drug development, with roles spanning industry and academic medicine, including at the National Cancer Institute, where she served as Acting Director, Division of Cancer Treatment/Diagnosis during her tenure; Senior Vice President of Research and Development at the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, and Executive Medical Director, global development at Amgen. She currently serves as a board member for Xencor. She earned her M.D. from the University of California, Davis, completed an internal medicine residency at Stanford University and a hematology/oncology fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco.

Dr. Borgman is currently Vice President and Global Therapeutic Area Lead, Hematology-Oncology, at Jazz Pharmaceuticals, where she is responsible for global development of the companys oncology and hematology drugs, including four marketed products. Previously, Dr. Borgman was Vice President, Clinical Research & Development, at Exelixis, where she was a Clinical Lead in the global development for cabozantinib in oncology indications including renal cell, hepatocellular and thyroid carcinoma. Earlier she was Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Hana Biosciences (Talon Therapeutics), where she oversaw all aspects of the companys drug development operations. In addition, Dr. Borgman has worked as Associate Chief Medical Officer at KaloBios Pharmaceuticals, and she was formerly a Global Development Head at Abbott Pharmaceuticals (now AbbVie) where she was responsible for the early drug development of the PARP inhibitor, antimitotic, and Bcl-2/Bcl-XL platforms. Dr. Borgman continues clinical involvement, as a Consulting Associate Professor at Stanford University School of Medicines Stem Cell Transplant & Cell Biology program, and as a Clinical Associate at University of Chicagos Department of Pediatric Oncology and Stem Cell Research. Dr. Borgman completed her fellowship in pediatric hematology - oncology and stem cell transplant at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, trained in pediatrics at Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, and earned her M.D. from Loyola University of Chicagos Stritch School of Medicine.

About NextCure, Inc.NextCure is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering and developing novel, first-in-class immunomedicines to treat cancer and other immune-related diseases. Through our proprietary FIND-IO platform, we study various immune cells to discover and understand targets and structural components of immune cells and their functional impact in order to develop immunomedicines. Our initial focus is to bring hope and new treatments to patients who do not respond to current cancer therapies, patients whose cancer progresses despite treatment and patients with cancer types not adequately addressed by available therapies. http://www.nextcure.com

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking StatementsStatements made in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Words such as expects, believes, intends, hope, forward and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements in this press release include, among others, statements about NextCures plans, objectives and intentions with respect to the discovery of immunomedicine targets and the discovery and development of immunomedicines. Forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statement. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others: our limited operating history and no products approved for commercial sale; our history of significant losses; our need to obtain additional financing; risks related to clinical development, marketing approval and commercialization; and the unproven approach to the discovery and development of product candidates based on our FIND-IO platform. More detailed information on these and additional factors that could affect NextCures actual results are described in NextCures filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), including NextCures most recent Form 10-K and subsequent Form 10-Q. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. NextCure assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, even if expectations change.

Investor InquiriesTimothy Mayer, Ph.D.NextCure, Inc.Chief Operating Officer(240) 762-6486IR@nextcure.com

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NextCure Announces New Appointments to its Board of Directors - GlobeNewswire

Cell Biology

Stunning Images Captured Using the Glowing Properties of Plant Cells – SciTechDaily

Formaldehyde fixation improves fluorescence patterns of tissues within maize (Zea mays) leaf cross sections. Treatment with a paraformaldehyde fixative solution revealed distinctive blue/green fluorescence of epidermis, trichomes, xylem, phloem, and bulliform cells resulting from aldehyde-induced fluorescence. By comparison, red autofluorescence of chlorophyll was observed in bundle sheath cells and mesophyll of leaf cross sections. This sample was prepared using a formaldehyde fixation and confocal imaging technique described by Pegg et al. in Algae to Angiosperms: Autofluorescence for rapid visualization of plant anatomy among diverse taxa in this issue. Formaldehyde fixation of Viridiplantae taxa samples such as Zea mays generates useful structural data while requiring no additional histological staining or clearing. In addition, image acquisition requires only minimal specialized equipment in the form of fluorescence-capable microscopes. Credit: Timothy J. Pegg

Scientists have come a long way since Antonie van Leeuwenhoek discovered teeming colonies of previously invisible bacteria and protozoa while peering through his custom-made microscopes. The architecture of cells, organelles, proteins, and even molecules has since been illuminated across the tree of life. Yet despite these advances, barriers still remain to comprehensively mapping the microscopic world. Before they can be viewed under a microscope, tissues and cell components must first be stained with dyes and fixatives and subjected to a lengthy preparation process.

In a new study published in the journal Applications in Plant Sciences, scientists obviate the need for specimen staining by tapping into the natural autofluorescence of tissues in species across the plant tree of life.

Our work provides a cost-effective, generalized protocol for plant sample preparation and visualization that is equally applicable to large research institutions and smaller plant science groups, said Dr. Timothy Pegg, a visiting assistant professor at Marietta College and lead author on the study.

When certain tissue types in both plants and animals absorb light, electrons in their atoms get a jolt of energy that bumps them into an excited state. In plant leaves, these electrons become so unstable that they break free from their atoms and are used by the plant to power photosynthesis. In other tissues, the excess energy is re-emitted in the form of low-frequency light bright enough to be detected with specialized microscopes.

Autofluorescence hasnt always been viewed as a good thing. In cases where researchers have to use stains to visualize specific structures, the light-emitting properties of nearby tissues can interfere by decreasing the contrast between different cell types.

But it can also be an indispensable resource for discovery. Autofluorescence has been used to detect early onset cancers, as well as other diseases and pathologies. Its been used to study how insects use their tongues and antennae to taste food, the mechanisms underlying tail regeneration in lizards, and to analyze the diversity of microscopic plankton in marine environments.

Autofluorescence is equally useful in plants, where it shows up in everything from the hard tissues that give woody plants their stability, to the water-wicking residue covering spores and pollen, to the diverse arsenal of toxic compounds plants produce to ward off would-be predators.

Up until now, however, researchers have lacked a one-size-fits-all protocol for detecting autofluorescent light in plants. The lack of a unified, standard approach is understandable, given there are nearly half-a-million living species of land plants and algae, but Pegg and his colleagues remained undeterred. They selected 12 species from several key plant groups separated by more than 500 million years of evolutionary history, including pines, bryophytes, flowering plants, and algae.

Using these representatives, they developed a cost-efficient method of tissue preservation without the need for stains or dyes.

While autofluorescence can often be directly visualized with confocal microscopes, it can also be induced or enhanced with different fixatives, including alcohols, ethanol, and compounds called aldehydes. Pegg and his colleagues chose five of the most effective among these to test their plant specimens. After marinating in fixative for 24 hours, the plants were rinsed, chopped to the width of a human hair, and mounted on a transparent slide for visualization.

When the researchers looked through the microscope, the miniature world of plant cells and organelles was brought into sharp focus. The rigid lines of cell walls stood out in bas-relief from the tightly packed chlorophyll inside. By honing in on particular wavelengths of light emitted by proteins, they could distinguish between the dense features of nuclei and the water- and sugar-conducting tissue snaking their way between cells.

Most fixatives performed well in the representative plants, with striking results, but algae proved to be an exception. Most land plants have thick, buttressing cell walls that help prevent water loss while providing structural support, qualities that algae lack. Due to their flimsier cellular scaffolding, ethanol and alcohol fixatives quickly penetrated the cell walls of algae and the sole liverwort (a plant closely related to mosses) used in the study, causing the organelles to wrinkle and deform. For these specimens, Pegg recommends sticking to aldehyde fixatives or reducing the amount of time used in the specimen preparation stages.

Most research labs also dont own the high-powered confocal microscopes required to view cellular structures at fine scales, instead paying hourly rates to use the equipment provided by their institution, an issue which Pegg and his colleagues hope their protocol can address.

Our simple sample preparation technique can cut down on the amount of time researchers need to spend visualizing samples on advanced microscopes, said Dr. Robert Baker, assistant professor of biology at Miami University and senior author on the study.

All of the chemicals and reagents used in the study are similarly inexpensive and readily available, meaning that just about anyone at a research institution can use this protocol to study subcellular interactions in plants.

Reference: Algae to angiosperms: Autofluorescence for rapid visualization of plant anatomy among diverse taxa by Timothy J. Pegg, Daniel K. Gladish and Robert L. Baker, 2 July 2021, Applications in Plant Sciences.DOI: 10.1002/aps3.11437

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Stunning Images Captured Using the Glowing Properties of Plant Cells - SciTechDaily

Immunology

Jennifer Anolik Named Interim Division Chief of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology – URMC

Jennifer Anolik, M.D., Ph.D.

Jennifer Anolik, M.D., Ph.D., associate chair of research for the department of Medicine, has been named interim chief of the division of Allergy, Immunology & Rheumatology (AIR).

Anolik started at the University of Rochester as a student, earning her M.D. and Ph.D. in biochemistry as part of the Medical Scientist Training Program. She completed her residency in internal medicine followed by fellowship in rheumatology at URMC. Believing that there isnt a better place than the Medical Center, she stayed on as faculty for the last 20 years, bringing her total time with the University to 33 years.

Dr. Anolik has demonstrated excellence across each of our core missions and is an ideal choice for interim chief, said Ruth ORegan, M.D., chair of the Department of Medicine. Im excited to see her take the reins of the AIR division. I know shell be an outstanding leader.

Anolik succeeds Christopher Ritchlin, M.D., M.P.H., who has been with the University since 1991 as a faculty member, and spent the last eight years as division chief. As he steps down, Ritchlin will remain with the University to focus on teaching and research, with a concentration on psoriatic arthritis. During his tenure as chief, the AIR division has grown in both size and research funding. He was recently honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Psoriasis Foundation.

Anolik has an active research program with a focus on human B cell biology and underlying pathogenic mechanisms of rheumatologic conditions including rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. She is a member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation, has been continually NIH funded throughout her career, and is PI of the Accelerating Medicines Partnership (AMP) Network, focused on developing precision medicine approaches to the treatment of autoimmune disease. On the clinical side, Anolik focuses on lupus and is committed to translating state-of-the-art advances to her patients, as exemplified by her organization of a yearly patient Lupus Education Day for the past 15 years.

One of Anoliks passions is teaching and mentorship. She is the program director of the Physician Scientist Training Program, which offers career development to physician scientists. This ties in with her goals for the AIR division: to support faculty so they can be successful, and to bring diversity and equity to different areas of research. By providing stellar mentorship to students, residents and fellows, Anolik hopes that they will stay on to become faculty as she did.

Anolik also created the K Club, where trainees and junior faculty can present their NIH grant applications to senior faculty for input and feedback. The program is designed to increase their chances of successfully receiving funding.

We have a very talented faculty and division, said Anolik. My goal as chief is to make sure individuals are successful in their endeavors, and to bring even more collaboration to our clinical care and research by breaking down silos with other divisions and departments and finding common themes. Education and mentoring are a high priority of mine, because the future depends on who were training.

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Jennifer Anolik Named Interim Division Chief of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology - URMC

Immunology

The pathophysiology of sepsis-2021 update: Part 1, immunology and coagulopathy leading to endothelial injury – DocWire News

This article was originally published here

Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2021 Oct 4:zxab380. doi: 10.1093/ajhp/zxab380. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

DISCLAIMER: In an effort to expedite the publication of articles related to the COVID-19 pandemic, AJHP is posting these manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time.

PURPOSE: To provide an overview of current literature on the pathophysiology of sepsis, with a focus on mediators of endothelial injury and organ dysfunction.

SUMMARY: Sepsis is a dysregulated response to infection that triggers cascades of interconnected systems. Sepsis has been a significant cause of mortality worldwide, and the recent viral pandemic that may produce severe sepsis and septic shock has been a major contributor to sepsis-related mortality. Understanding of the pathophysiology of sepsis has changed dramatically over the last several decades. Significant insight into the components of the inflammatory response that contribute to endothelial injury and trigger coagulation pathways has been achieved. Similarly, characterization of anti-inflammatory pathways that may lead to secondary infections and poor outcome has illustrated opportunities for improved therapies. Description of an increasing number of important mediators and pathways has occurred and may point the way to novel therapies to address immune dysregulation. Pharmacists will need a fundamental understanding of the overlapping pathways of the immune response to fully prepare for use of novel treatment options. While pharmacists typically understand coagulation cascade how to utilize anticoagulants, the issues in sepsis related coagulopathy and role of mediators such as cytokines and complement and role of activated platelets and neutrophils require a different perspective.

CONCLUSION: Pharmacists can benefit from understanding both the cellular and organ system issues in sepsis to facilitate assessment of potential therapies for risk and benefit.

PMID:34605875 | DOI:10.1093/ajhp/zxab380

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The pathophysiology of sepsis-2021 update: Part 1, immunology and coagulopathy leading to endothelial injury - DocWire News

Immunology

Enlivex Announces the Peer-Reviewed Publication in Frontiers in Immunology of Clinical Data … – The Baytown Sun

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Enlivex Announces the Peer-Reviewed Publication in Frontiers in Immunology of Clinical Data ... - The Baytown Sun

Immunology

OncoNano Medicine to Present at The American Association for Cancer Research Virtual Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy – Business Wire

SOUTHLAKE, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--OncoNano Medicine, Inc. today announced a poster presentation at The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Virtual Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy to be held on October 5-6, 2021.

Full details of the presentation are listed below:

TITLE: ONM-501 A Synthetic Polyvalent STING Agonist for Cancer Immunotherapy

PRESENTER: Qintai Su, Ph.D.DATE: October 5-6, 2021LOCATION: Virtual

The development of ONM-501 represents a new concept in STING activation that could overcome the challenges observed with earlier STING agonists. ONM-501 encapsulates the endogenous STING agonist cGAMP with a proprietary micelle that induces polyvalent STING condensation and prolongs innate immune activation to offer dual burst and sustained STING activation for a potential highly effective immunotherapy against cancer.

About OncoNano Medicine

OncoNano Medicine is developing a new class of products that utilize principles of molecular cooperativity in their design to exploit pH as a biomarker to diagnose and treat cancer with high specificity. Our product candidates and interventions are designed to help patients across the continuum of cancer care and include solid tumor therapeutics, agents for real-time image-guided surgery and a platform of immune-oncology therapeutics that activate and guide the bodys immune system to target cancer.

OncoNanos lead development candidate is pegsitacianine, a novel fluorescent nanoprobe, that is currently under study in Phase 2 clinical trials as a real-time surgical imaging agent for use in multiple cancer surgeries. ONM-501, OncoNanos second development program, is a next generation STING (STimulator of INterferon Genes) agonist that is advancing towards a first in human trial in the first half of 2023. Pegsitacianine and ONM-501 have been supported by grants received from the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas. Learn more at http://www.OncoNano.com.

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OncoNano Medicine to Present at The American Association for Cancer Research Virtual Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy - Business Wire

Immunology

U of T research may help explain children’s immune response to COVID-19 – News@UofT

Researchers at the University of Toronto have found that immune cells from the upper respiratory tracts of children, taken years before the pandemic began, react with the virus that causes COVID-19.

The findings hint at a possible reason why children with COVID-19 are often asymptomatic or have mild symptoms, while many adults experience severe disease and even death.

We isolated B cells from tonsil tissues collected from children over five years ago, and found that some are reactive to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, saidGoetz Ehrhardt, principal investigator on the study and an associate professor ofimmunologyat U of TsTemerty Faculty of Medicine.

We found that antibodies generated from these B cells have neutralizing potential against the virus in lab experiments, reducing the ability of the spike protein to bind to its target protein on the cell surface.

The study,published in theJournal of Immunology, is one of just a few to examine the role of the mucosal immune system in COVID-19. Other studies have looked at immune components in the bloodoften after infection has taken hold or during recovery.

Mucosal surfaces comprise one of the largest components of the immune systemand include the gut, urogenital tract and respiratory system all of which teem with microbiota including bacteria, viruses and fungi.

The researchers at first assumed the B cells reacted to SARS-CoV-2 because they had encountered similar coronaviruses in the past, perhaps through common colds and other infections.

But the antibodies did not react to those coronaviruses in further testing, although they did share genetic sequence characteristics linked to other triggers.

Taken together, Ehrhardt said, the results suggest cross-reactivity in the B-cell antibodies. The immune system makes these antibodies toward certain agents or pathogensand as a by-product the antibodies react to SARS-CoV-2, he said. It will be interesting to find out what causes that reaction.

A better understanding of the antibody reaction could shed light on the mystery of COVID-19 susceptibility in children and adultsand inform clinical and public health decisions as well as therapeutic approaches.

Whatever the cause of the reaction, it is likely due to a common element in the childhood environment sinceall samples the researchers tested had the SARS-CoV-2-reactive B cells many of which were observed also in the immune systems naive or newly generated B cells that had not encountered any pathogen.

One explanation is that some of these B cells react to triggers in the microbiome, saidYanling Liu, lead author on the paper and a senior research associate in Ehrhardts lab.

Or it could still be that antibodies are reacting to endemic coronavirusesand we just didnt see that, Liu said. We dont really know, but one implication of our work is that it suggests children should respond to vaccines very well since they have those naive B cells ready to recognize vaccine in their lymphoid tissue.

Several other researchers were key to the study, Liu and Ehrhardt said, includingJames Rini, a professor ofbiochemistryandmolecular geneticsat U of T who provided purified spike proteins from viral samples.

Amin Ziaused computational biology to scan large databases and predict which antibodies would react to the virus. Zia was a post-doctoral researcherin the lab ofAlan Moses, a professor in U of Ts departments ofcell and systems biology,ecology and evolutionary biologyandcomputer science in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

About half the antibodies we generated were based on computer-generated predictions, said Ehrhardt. That was first for us, and it wont be a last.

Researchers atthe Hospital for Sick Children, with whom Ehrhardts lab has collaborated for years, supplied the tonsil tissue samples.

Mucosae are no doubt a very important interface for the immune systems response to a great variety of pathogens, but availability of samples has been a major impediment, said Ehrhardt. Research in this area is gathering steam, and it will be interesting to see where that takes us.

The research was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

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U of T research may help explain children's immune response to COVID-19 - News@UofT

Immunology

Mogrify Strengthens Executive Leadership Team with the Appointment of Louise Modis as Chief Scientific Officer – StreetInsider.com

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CAMBRIDGE, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mogrify Limited (Mogrify), a biopharmaceutical company pioneering the development of a new class of in vivo reprogramming therapies and transforming the development of ex vivo cell therapies, today announced the appointment of Dr. Louise Modis as Chief Scientific Officer, following the recent completion of a $33 million USD Series A funding. Louise is an accomplished scientific leader in therapeutic discovery and development, and holds considerable experience in the progression of pre-clinical and clinical-stage assets, across various modalities and therapeutic areas. In her new role, Louise will lead the advancement of the Companys internal programs to help address high unmet clinical need in ophthalmology, immuno-oncology and other disease areas.

Louise has over 20 years experience in pre-clinical and clinical therapeutic research. Formerly Vice President of Immunology Research at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), she led the generation and advancement of a pipeline of assets from target identification through to clinical proof-of-concept studies. Her roles at GSK included sponsorship of the Immunology Network, hosting external collaborators at GSK on sabbatical to nucleate and develop novel therapeutic concepts, championing in-licensing of assets, and representing GSK on the board of Sitryx. Prior to GSK, Louise led research teams at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, and Millennium Pharmaceuticals (now Takeda), where she progressed therapeutic candidates targeted at immunology, oncology, and cardiovascular indications with unmet need. Dr. Modis holds a BSc (Biotechnology) from the National University of Ireland, Galway, earned her PhD (Developmental Hematology) at EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University, Boston.

Dr. Darrin M. Disley, OBE, CEO, Mogrify, said: We are delighted to welcome Louise to the Mogrify Executive Team following a global search that considered drug discovery specialists from across Europe and the United States. Louises domain expertise, intellectual curiosity and passion for developing novel modalities capable of transforming clinical outcomes for patients suffering with degenerative diseases, make her an ideal fit to lead our internal programs through to first-in-human studies.

Dr. Louise Modis, Chief Scientific Officer, Mogrify, added: I am very excited to join Mogrify and to be able to deploy its powerful cell reprogramming platform to address the most immediate challenges of developing cost-effective ex vivo cell therapies in immuno-oncology. I am particularly enthused by the Companys development of novel in vivo therapeutic modalities and the opportunity to progress a number of in vivo reprogramming therapies rapidly through development into the clinic.

For further information about Mogrifys team, please visit:

https://mogrify.co.uk/team/leadership-team/

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Immunology

Cue Biopharma Announces Upcoming Scientific Presentations at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancers (SITC) 36th Anniversary Annual Meeting – Yahoo…

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cue Biopharma, Inc. (NASDAQ: CUE), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company engineering a novel class of injectable biologics to selectively engage and modulate targeted T cells directly within the patients body, announced today three poster presentations at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer's 36th Anniversary Annual Meeting (SITC 2021), to be held both in Washington, D.C. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and virtually November 10-14, 2021.

Presentation Details:Title: A phase 1 trial of CUE-101, a novel HPV16 E7-pHLA-IL2-Fc fusion protein, alone and in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with recurrent/metastatic HPV16+ head and neck cancer Poster #: 438Presenter: Dr. Sara I. Pai, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of surgery, Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery; Director, Translational Research in Head and Neck Cancer Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MADate: Saturday, November 13, 2021, Poster Hall (Hall E) 7 a.m.8:30 p.m. EST

Title: CUE-102 selectively activates and expands WT1-specific T cells for the treatment of patients with WT1+ malignancies Poster #: 720Presenter: Dr. Christie Zhang, Ph.D., senior scientist, discovery and translational immunology, Cue Biopharma Date: Saturday, November 13, 2021, Poster Hall (Hall E) 7 a.m.8:30 p.m. EST

Title: Targeting engineered interleukin-2 (IL-2) to antigen specific T cells via novel biologic platformsPoster #: 793Presenter: Raymond J. Moniz, associate director, discovery and translational immunology, Cue BiopharmaDate: Friday, November 12, 2021, Poster Hall (Hall E) 7 a.m.8:30 p.m. EST

ePosters will be on display on the SITC 2021 virtual meeting platform from 7 a.m. EST on Friday, Nov. 12, 2021 until the virtual meeting platform is closed on Jan. 9, 2022.

We look forward to presenting additional preclinical and clinical data that continues to validate the therapeutic potential of our IL-2 based CUE-100 series Immuno-STAT platforms and biologics, said Anish Suri, Ph.D., president and chief scientific officer of Cue Biopharma. We believe the data demonstrated in these posters show great promise in selective and specific tumor targeting for the treatment of multiple cancers and other life-threatening diseases.

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About the CUE-100 SeriesThe CUE-100 series consists of Fc-fusion biologics that incorporate peptide-MHC (pMHC) molecules along with rationally engineered IL-2 molecules. This singular biologic is anticipated to selectively target, activate and expand a robust repertoire of tumor-specific T cells directly in the patient. The binding affinity of IL-2 for its receptor has been deliberately attenuated to achieve preferential selective activation of tumor-specific effector T cells while reducing potential for effects on regulatory T cells (Tregs) or broad systemic activation, potentially mitigating the dose-limiting toxicities associated with current IL-2-based therapies.

About SITCThe Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) is the worlds leading member-driven organization specifically dedicated to improving cancer patient outcomes by advancing the science and application of cancer immunotherapy.

SITC is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit medical professional society of influential research scientists, physician scientists, clinicians, patients, patient advocates, government representatives and industry leaders dedicated to improving cancer patient outcomes by advancing the science and application of cancer immunotherapy. Through educational programs that foster scientific exchange and collaboration, SITC aims to one day make the word cure a reality for cancer patients everywhere.

Currently, SITC has more than 4,650 members who represent over 35 medical specialties in 63 countries around the world.

Through emphasis on high-caliber scientific meetings; dedication to education and outreach activities; focus on initiatives of major importance in the field; and commitment to collaborations with like-minded domestic and international organizations, government and regulatory agencies, associations and patient advocacy groups, SITC brings together all aspects of the cancer immunology and immunotherapy community.

About Cue BiopharmaCue Biopharma, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, is engineering a novel class of injectable biologics to selectively engage and modulate targeted T cells directly within the patients body to transform the treatment of cancer, infectious disease and autoimmune disease. The companys proprietary Immuno-STAT (Selective Targeting and Alteration of T cells) platform, is designed to harness the bodys intrinsic immune system without the need for ex vivo manipulation.

Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the company is led by an experienced management team and independent Board of Directors with deep expertise in immunology and immuno-oncology as well as the design and clinical development of protein biologics.

For more information, visit https://www.cuebiopharma.com and follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/CueBiopharma.

Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created by those sections. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those regarding: the companys estimate of the period in which it expects to have cash to fund its operations; the companys belief that the Immuno-STAT platform stimulates targeted immune modulation through the selective engagement of disease-relevant T cells; and the companys business strategies, plans and prospects. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe the companys future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as believe, expect, may, will, should, would, could, seek, intend, plan, goal, project, estimate, anticipate, strategy, future, likely or other comparable terms, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release regarding the companys strategies, prospects, financial condition, operations, costs, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause the companys actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the companys limited operating history, limited cash and a history of losses; the companys ability to achieve profitability; potential setbacks in the companys research and development efforts including negative or inconclusive results from its preclinical studies, its ability to secure required U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or other governmental approvals for its product candidates and the breadth of any approved indication; adverse effects caused by public health pandemics, including COVID-19, including possible effects on the companys trials; negative or inconclusive results from the companys clinical trials or preclinical studies or serious and unexpected drug-related side effects or other safety issues experienced by participants in clinical trials; delays and changes in regulatory requirements, policy and guidelines including potential delays in submitting required regulatory applications to the FDA; the companys reliance on licensors, collaborators, contract research organizations, suppliers and other business partners; the companys ability to obtain adequate financing to fund its business operations in the future; operations and clinical the companys ability to maintain and enforce necessary patent and other intellectual property protection; competitive factors; general economic and market conditions and the other risks and uncertainties described in the Risk Factors and in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations sections of the companys most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequently filed Quarterly Report(s) on Form 10-Q. Any forward-looking statement made by the company in this press release is based only on information currently available to the company and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Investor ContactGeorge B. Zavoico, Ph.D.VP, Investor Relations & Corporate Development Cue Biopharma, Inc. gzavoico@cuebio.com

Media ContactDarren Opland, Ph.D.LifeSci Communicationsdarren@lifescicomms.com

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Cue Biopharma Announces Upcoming Scientific Presentations at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancers (SITC) 36th Anniversary Annual Meeting - Yahoo...