Immunology

Sanofi acquires Tidal Therapeutics, adding innovative mRNA-based research platform with applications in oncology, immunology, and other disease areas…

Sanofi acquires Tidal Therapeutics, adding innovative mRNA-based research platform with applications in oncology, immunology, and other disease areas

PARIS AND CAMBRIDGE, MA April 9, 2021 Sanofi today acquired Tidal Therapeutics, a privately owned, pre-clinical stage biotech company with a novel mRNA-based approach for in vivo reprogramming of immune cells. The new technology platform will expand Sanofis research capabilities in both immuno-oncology and inflammatory diseases, while likely having broad applicability to other disease areas as well. Sanofi acquired Tidal Therapeutics for an upfront payment of $160 million and up to $310 million upon achievement of certain milestones. We anticipate that this next generation, off-the-shelf approach has the potential to bring CAR-T cell therapy to a much broader patient population, said Frank Nestle, Global Head of Research and Chief Scientific Officer at Sanofi. We believe that the underlying mRNA targeting platform will create disruptive therapeutic approaches across a variety of oncology and autoimmune conditions.

Tidal Therapeutics utilizes a novel mRNA-based approach to in vivo reprogramming of immune cells. The technology is based on proprietary nanoparticles that deliver mRNA (messages) to reprogram immune cells inside the body. The technology delivers mRNA cargos selectively to designated types of cells in the body, with initial applications targeting specific types of immune cells. The in vivo approach is designed to provide similar efficacy to current ex vivo (outside the body) approaches where immune cells are genetically modified to enhance their therapeutic properties (such as chimeric antigen receptor [CAR]-expressing T-cells), with the potential for improved safety, outpatient dosing, and repeat dosing. Currently, Tidal Therapeutics has ongoing pre-clinical programs including in vivo re-programming of T cells or other types of immune cells for cancer indications.

Teaming up with Sanofi gives us the opportunity to further develop our unique platform and rapidly apply it to ultimately help patients across a range of diseases, said Ulrik Nielsen, President and CEO, Tidal Therapeutics.

About Tidal TherapeuticsTidal Therapeutics is a preclinical biotech company based at LabCentral in Cambridge, MA. The company is focused on developing nanoparticles that deliver mRNA to reprogram immune cells inside the body with applications in oncology and immune diseases. The company was seeded by Mission BioCapital, and joined by RA Capital, New Enterprise Associates, the Myeloma Investment Fund, the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundations venture philanthropy, MRL Ventures, and AbbVie Ventures.

About Sanofi

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

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

Sanofi, Empowering Life

Investor Relations Contacts ParisEva Schaefer-JansenArnaud Delepine

Investor Relations Contacts North AmericaFelix LauscherFara BerkowitzSuzanne Greco

IR main line:Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 77 45 45investor.relations@sanofi.comhttps://www.sanofi.com/en/investors/contact

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Immunology

Assistant/Associate/Full Professor of Veterinary Microbiology and Immunology job with UNITED ARAB EMIRATES UNIVERSITY | 250949 – Times Higher…

Job Description

The United Arab Emirates University's College of Food & Agriculture invites applications for a faculty position in Microbiology with experience in Immunology and the One Health approach for the Department of Veterinary Medicine. Qualified candidates at all levels will be considered at a rank commensurate with academic accomplishments. Candidates are expected to have an understanding of veterinary education that will enable them to teach and coordinate courses in veterinary microbiology (virology, bacteriology, mycology) and immunology at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels as well as advise and mentor students. They should have a proven track record of demonstrable research capability that will enable the candidate to develop and sustain an internally and/or externally funded research program in his/her area of expertise and publish his/her research findings in international peer-reviewed scientific journals. The candidate will contribute to admissions, examining and assessment as well as academic administration in both the Department and the College, and actively promote the growth of the UAE University engaging in interdisciplinary collaboration with other UAEU colleges, e.g. College of Medicine and Health Sciences, College of Science, under the theme of One Health. The application package should include a cover letter, a detailed resume, a brief description of teaching philosophy and current/future research activities, as well as courses taught. English is the language of instruction and communication. Screening of applications will continue until the position is filled.

Minimum Qualification

Applicants must have an earned doctorate in Infectious Diseases, Virology, Bacteriology, Mycology, Immunology or similar field. The ability to teach undergraduate courses is a must. Industrial and professional experience is a plus. Good interpersonal and English oral and written communication skills are required, as is the ability to work with others in a diverse collegial team atmosphere.

Preferred Qualification

Candidates with a degree in veterinary medicine or comparable professional degree with documented accomplishments in teaching, research, and service are preferred. Additional qualifications of innovative and dynamic teaching or other professional skills relevant to a faculty role are desirable. Other evidence of working in One Health-related teaching and/or research especially in the Middle East and North Africa region as well as engagement in international-quality research, with publications and other participation in research activities commensurate with stage of career as well as a track record of securing research funding. Experience with AVMA accreditation requirements, and knowledge of innovative curriculum development and implementation is a plus.

Expected Skills/Rank/Experience

Rank and salary commensurate with accomplishments, expertise and experience. English fluency required. One Health-related teaching and/or research experience. Innovative and dynamic teaching or other professional skills. Record of research grantmaking and publications in international peer-reviewed journals.

Special Instructions to Applicant

Informal enquiries may be made to Prof Arve Lee Willingham (Chair, Department Veterinary Medicine) - awillingham@uaeu.ac.ae

Division College of Food & Agriculture-(CFA)Department Veterinary Medicine - (CFA)Job Close Date open until filledJob Category Academic - Faculty

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Assistant/Associate/Full Professor of Veterinary Microbiology and Immunology job with UNITED ARAB EMIRATES UNIVERSITY | 250949 - Times Higher...

Immunology

IM Therapeutics Expands Management Team with David Alleva, Ph.D. as VP, Immunology – Business Wire

WOBURN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IM Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage company developing novel, first-in-class therapies targeting human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) to treat autoimmune diseases, announced today that David Alleva, Ph.D., has joined its management team as Vice President, Immunology. Dr. Alleva is an immunologist with deep experience in R&D in autoimmunity and infectious disease spanning 22 years and across early-stage biotech, foundations, and clinical-stage biopharmaceutical organizations.

IM Therapeutics IMT-HALT platform enables the development of oral small molecule drugs to block HLA gene variants as the earliest triggers of autoimmunity. The Companys lead drug candidate, IMT-002, is in a Phase 1b study in type 1 diabetes (T1D) in patients genetically preselected for HLA-DQ8. HLA-DQ8 significantly increases the risk for T1D and is present in 60% of T1D patients.

I am excited to welcome David to our leadership team and impressed by his work in novel approaches in T1D and the autoimmune spectrum, said Nandan Padukone, Ph.D., CEO of IM Therapeutics. David broadens our expertise at a pivotal time as we advance our lead program in T1D through Phase 1 clinical trials and progress our additional programs. Davids advocacy for new ways to treat T1D and his immunotherapy drug development experience will be tremendous assets to the company as we expand our autoimmune-targeted pipeline.

Dr. Alleva has been in senior R&D management positions, most recently at Akston Biosciences where he led immunotherapy development for T1D and a COVID-19 vaccine program. Previously, he led several R&D programs with ADiTx in T1D, managed portfolio programs at JDRF, and helped advance drug development of small-molecules, biologics, and vaccine therapeutics at Emergent BioSolutions, Hollis-Eden Pharmaceuticals, XOMA, and Neurocrine Biosciences.

Dr. Alleva earned a Ph.D. in immunology from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and performed postdoctoral autoimmune disease research at Boston University Medical Center. He has authored more than 30 peer-reviewed publications, has chaired immunology conferences, and is on the Editorial Board for the Biomedicines MDPI journal.

HLA drug targeting holds great promise and I am very excited by the progress made by IM Therapeutics to tap into this genetically-directed approach for T1D and other autoimmune diseases, said Dr. Alleva. I look forward to joining this dynamic team and bringing forward new personalized medicines to treat the underlying biology of autoimmunity.

About IMT-002

IMT-002, the lead drug candidate of IM Therapeutics, is the first oral genetically targeted drug candidate to be tested in T1D patients, an incurable autoimmune disorder that affects nearly 1.6 million people in the United States. IMT-002 completed a Phase 1a study in 2020 and is currently completing a Phase 1b study in T1D patients preselected for the HLA-DQ8 gene variant. IMT-002 is designed to block HLA-DQ8 to prevent the immune system from attacking insulin-producing beta cells, thereby preserving function in newly diagnosed patients, and is being investigated as a once- or twice-daily drug candidate. Previous studies of a tool drug, L-methyldopa, which is FDA-approved for treating hypertension, in a Phase 1b study, showed effective inhibition of HLA-DQ8 activity in new onset type 1 diabetes patients who had the HLA-DQ8 gene variant. Several in vivo IND-enabling studies indicate that IMT-002, which unlike the tool drug, is not metabolized physiologically, has more potency to block HLA-DQ8 activity and a favorable safety profile.

About IM Therapeutics

IM Therapeutics is a clinical-stage company pioneering personalized, oral medicines that target human leukocyte antigen (HLA) gene variants to treat the root cause of autoimmune diseases. The Companys IMT-HALT platform enables the development of small molecule drugs using in silico docking of millions of compounds into pockets of an HLA variant where self-antigens may bind to trigger autoimmunity. Selected drug hits are then optimized using proprietary structure-based design and activity screening with cell-based assays for specificity of HLA inhibition. Lead drugs developed against an HLA variant have the ability to block a series of self-antigens and therefore the potential to treat a range of autoimmune diseases related to a selected HLA. The Company is building a broad HLA-targeted pipeline in autoimmune disorders including type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, and lupus. Learn more at http://www.IMTherapeutics.com.

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IM Therapeutics Expands Management Team with David Alleva, Ph.D. as VP, Immunology - Business Wire

Immunology

Considerations for Immunology and Immunotoxicology Endpoints in Early Drug Development, Upcoming Webinar Hosted by Xtalks – PR Web

This talk will outline when to consider different I&I assay services and the regulatory and scientific considerations for these that will influence the appropriate biological interpretation of the immune response.

TORONTO, Ontario (PRWEB) April 06, 2021

There are many considerations for Immunology and Immunotoxicology (I&I) assessments that are needed during the early phase of drug development. This talk will outline when to consider different I&I assay services and the regulatory and scientific considerations for these that will influence the appropriate biological interpretation of the immune response.

Register for this live webinar taking place on Monday, April 19, 2021 at 9am EDT (2pm BST/UK) to hear a talk given by experts from Covance by Labcorp, James Munday, PhD, EU Lead, Immunology & Immunotoxicology; and Chris Cooper, Subject Matter Expert, Manager. They will give an outline of how to perform the appropriate safety assessments to show that there is no adverse immunotoxicology associated with the development of new therapeutic entities.

For more information, or to register for this event, visit Considerations for Immunology and Immunotoxicology Endpoints in Early Drug Development.

ABOUT XTALKS

Xtalks, powered by Honeycomb Worldwide Inc., is a leading provider of educational webinars to the global life science, food and medical device community. Every year, thousands of industry practitioners (from life science, food and medical device companies, private & academic research institutions, healthcare centers, etc.) turn to Xtalks for access to quality content. Xtalks helps Life Science professionals stay current with industry developments, trends and regulations. Xtalks webinars also provide perspectives on key issues from top industry thought leaders and service providers.

To learn more about Xtalks visit http://xtalks.comFor information about hosting a webinar visit http://xtalks.com/why-host-a-webinar/

Contact:Ayesha RashidTel: +1 (416) 977-6555 x 272Email: arashid@xtalks.com

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Considerations for Immunology and Immunotoxicology Endpoints in Early Drug Development, Upcoming Webinar Hosted by Xtalks - PR Web

Immunology

LSU Health Shreveport awarded over $10.5 million for a NIH COBRE research grant focused on better understanding the immune system and how diseases…

LSU Health Shreveport has received a 5-year grant for $10,529,128 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish a new Center of Biomedical Research Excellence or COBRE. The grant has two-five year renewal options.

Funding from the COBRE grant will be utilized to create the Center for Applied Immunology and Pathological Processes (CAIPP). Dr. Andrew D. Yurochko, Professor and Carroll Feist Endowed Chair of Viral Oncology; Vice-Chair of Microbiology and Immunology, and Director of the Center of Excellence for Emerging Viral Threats is the principal investigator for the grant and will be the director of the new center. Serving as senior faculty members and directors or chairs of the key COBRE cores of this new Center for Applied Immunology and Pathological Processes (CAIPP) are:

Dr. Rona S. Scott, Associate Professor and Mingyu Ding Professor of Microbiology and Immunology (will serve as Director of the Bioinformatics/Modeling Core),

Dr. Matthew D. Woolard, Associate Professor and OCallaghan Family Endowed Professor in Microbiology (will serve as Director of the Immunophenotyping Core), and

Dr. Martin J. Sapp, Department Chair and Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and Willis Knighton Chair of Molecular Biology (will Chair the Junior Faculty Mentoring Committee).

Serving as the first of the key junior research faculty for the CAIPP are:

Dr. Xiaohong Lu, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Neuroscience,

Dr. Ana Dragoi, Assistant Professor of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, and

Dr. Monica Cartelle Gestal, Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology.

This third COBRE at LSU Health Shreveport will provide an interactive training and research environment for young investigators in the field of immunology, as well as allow them to receive the mentorship and guidance needed to increase their competitiveness for national funding. The goal of all COBRE grants is to grow, recruit and retain new talent; expand existing research; and develop robust infrastructure that encourages statewide collaboration.

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LSU Health Shreveport awarded over $10.5 million for a NIH COBRE research grant focused on better understanding the immune system and how diseases...

Immunology

Board grants faculty appointments, promotions, tenure | The Source | Washington University in St. Louis – Washington University in St. Louis Newsroom

At the Washington University in St. Louis Board of Trustees meeting March 5, numerous faculty members were appointed or promoted with tenure or granted tenure, effective July 1 unless otherwise indicated.

Ruopeng An to associate professor at the Brown School;

Arpita Bose to associate professor of biology in Arts & Sciences;

Hong Chen to associate professor of biomedical engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering;Francesco Di Plinio to associate professor of mathematics in Arts & Sciences;

Ali Hassan Ellebedy to associate professor of pathology and immunology at the School of Medicine;

Daniel S. Epps to professor of law at the School of Law;

Vanessa Duffy Fabbre to associate professor at the Brown School;

Roman M. Garnett to associate professor of computer science and engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering;

Joseph P. Gaut to professor of pathology and immunology at the School of Medicine;

Jonathan Hanahan to associate professor of art at the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts;

Erik A. Henriksen to associate professor of physics in Arts & Sciences;

Brendan A. Juba to associate professor of computer science and engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering;

I-Ting Angelina Lee to associate professor of computer science and engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering;

Diane Wei Lewis to associate professor of film and media studies in Arts & Sciences;

Ta-Chiang Liu, MD, PhD, to associate professor of pathology and immunology at the School of Medicine (tenure effective March 5);

Sojung Park to associate professor at the Brown School;

Rachel E. Sachs to professor of law at the School of Law;

Keith E. Schnakenberg to associate professor of political science in Arts & Sciences;

Elijah J. Thimsen to associate professor of energy, environmental and chemical engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering;

Daniel Lyndon Jaffe Thorek to associate professor of radiology at the School of Medicine (tenure effective March 5); and

Xuan Zhang to associate professor of electrical and systems engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering.

Peter Brunner as associate professor of neurological surgery at the School of Medicine (tenure effective March 5);

Claudia Swan as professor of art history in Arts & Sciences (tenure effective March 5); and

Jon T. Willie, MD, PhD, as associate professor of neurological surgery at the School of Medicine (tenure effective March 5).

Jeremy Bertomeu as associate professor of accounting (tenure effective March 5).

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Board grants faculty appointments, promotions, tenure | The Source | Washington University in St. Louis - Washington University in St. Louis Newsroom

Immunology

Chronic Itching: The Crossroads of the Nervous and Immune Systems – Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News

While many of us get that dry, itchy skin in the wintertime, those that suffer from eczemaatopic dermatitis (AD) as it is clinically knownhave chronic skin itching that is on a whole different level. Approximately 9.6 million children and 16.5 million adults in the U.S. have AD, which can have a serious effect on the quality of life for patients. AD has often been called the itch that rashes. Often, the itch begins before the rash appears, and, in many cases, the itchiness of the skin condition never really goes away. Now, a new study from investigators at Brigham and Womens Hospital and Harvard Medical School (HMS) published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, offers new clues about the underlying mechanisms of itch. The new findings suggest a key molecular player known as cysteine leukotriene receptor 2 (CysLT2R) that may be a new target for intractable chronic itch.

In atopic dermatitis, the itching can be horrific, and it can aggravate disease, said co-corresponding author K. Frank Austen, MD, a senior physician in the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the Brigham. Austen is also the AstraZeneca Professor of Respiratory and Inflammatory Diseases, Emeritus, at Harvard Medical School. We began collaborating for two reasons: one is an interest in scienceI wandered into the study of what is now the cysteine leukotriene pathway decades ago, and Ive been pursuing it ever since. The second reason is itchunderstanding its cause and connections to neurons.

Austen and his lab, which focuses on the molecular components that contribute to allergic inflammation, collaborated with Isaac Chiu, PhD, an assistant professor of Immunology at Harvard Medical School. The team also included researchers at the Center for Immunology & Inflammatory Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital and at the University of Texas at Dallas.

As a neuro-immunologist, Im interested in how the nervous system and immune system cross-talk, said Chiu, co-corresponding author of the study. Itch arises from a subset of neurons, and acute itch may be a protective response to help us remove something thats irritating the skin. However, chronic itch is not protective and can be pathological. The underlying mechanism that activates neurons and causes chronic itch is not well understood and new treatment is needed.

Chiu, Austen, and colleagues set out to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that may trigger chronic itch. To do so, they looked for gene activity in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons linked to itch in mice. They found a striking level of CysLT2R, which was uniquely and highly expressed in these specific neurons. They also found expression of this receptor in human DRG neurons. This led the researchers to focus their analysis on the receptors role in itch signaling. Additional studies showed that activating this receptor-induced itching in a mouse model of AD, but not in other mouse models. Mice that lacked CysLT2R showed decrease itching. Collectively, their findings pointed to the receptors key role in causing itch and potentially contributing to AD.

Lead author Tiphaine Voisin, PhD, carried out many of the preclinical experiments in mouse models of AD during her time in the Chiu lab at HMS.

The last ten years or so of research in the field of chronic itch have shown the importance and the complexity of the interactions between the immune system and the nervous system, said Voisin. It was very exciting to explore the contribution of cysteine leukotrienes in these neuro-immune cross-talks leading to itch, including in a mouse model of AD.

Leukotrienes are a class of lipid molecules that originate from white blood cells, such as mast cells, which are involved in allergy and inflammation. Today, the leukotriene inhibitor montelukast, which targets CysLT1R, is used to treat asthma but does not provide relief from itch. No clinically approved inhibitors of CysLT2R currently exist and, while the researchers have seen evidence of the receptors in humans until an inhibitor is developed and trialed in humans, it will remain an open question as to whether the new target can lead to a therapy for patients.

While Chiu and Austen are eager to see their findings prompt treatment improvements, Austen, who has been pursuing leukotrienes since the 1970s, also notes the importance of making new discoveries and unexpected connections through research.

I do believe that science is bottom-up, not top-down, said Austen. The joy of research is doing it for the pleasure of finding out something you didnt know. The immune system is far more complex than we give it credit for. Understanding the involvement of nerves is an immense step forwardits been a missing piece in the study of inflammation. In my view, this is immensely important to connect neuroscience with those of us committed to studying inflammation.

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Chronic Itching: The Crossroads of the Nervous and Immune Systems - Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News

Immunology

ImmuneID Appoints Annalisa D’Andrea as President and Chief Scientific Officer – Business Wire

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ImmuneID, Inc., a precision immunology company employing a proprietary platform to identify and therapeutically target antibody interactions that drive immune diseases, today announced that Annalisa DAndrea, Ph.D., has been appointed President and Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. DAndrea brings more than 25 years of experience in translational research in immunology to ImmuneID.

The addition of Annalisa as President and CSO is an important milestone for ImmuneID, as the company applies its platform to identify promising immunological therapeutic targets, said Stephen Elledge, Ph.D., ImmuneID co-founder and Chair of ImmuneID SAB, Lasker Award winner, and The Gregor Mendel Professor of Genetics and Medicine, Harvard Medical School. Annalisas experience advancing drug candidates to the clinic will be extremely valuable and I look forward to working with her.

Annalisa brings significant drug development experience that will be extremely valuable as the company works to develop therapeutic candidates to treat patients in a range of disease areas, such as oncology, autoimmune diseases, severe allergies, and infectious diseases, said Longwood Funds Christoph Westphal, M.D., Ph.D., ImmuneID co-founder and Executive Chair.

The announcement of Dr. DAndrea as President and CSO follows the launch of the company last year with a $22M seed financing led by founding investor Longwood Fund. Participants in the financing included Arch Venture Partners, Pitango HealthTech, Alta Partners, In-Q-Tel, Xfund, and others. ImmuneID plans to use this funding to develop therapeutic programs in areas including severe allergy, autoimmunity, oncology, and infectious disease.

ImmuneIDs platform enables rapid and accurate scanning of a patients immunological history and holds significant promise to generate information that will elucidate disease patterns and patient responses. This information will guide us in the discovery and development of new therapeutics related to immune diseases, DAndrea said. I am thrilled to join ImmuneID at this stage as we build a talented scientific team and lead the companys scientific growth.

In addition to her appointment at ImmuneID, Dr. DAndrea joins the Longwood Fund as a Venture Partner.

Previously, Dr. DAndrea was Chief Scientific Officer of Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals. Before joining Kiniksa, DAndrea was Vice President and Global Head of Discovery for Immunology and Inflammation at Roche, where she was responsible for discovering and advancing multiple drug candidates to the clinic. Prior to Roche, she was Executive Director and Section Head of Discovery Biology at SRI International, where she was responsible for developing strategies to advance drugs through discovery and into development. Dr. DAndrea received a Bachelor of Sciences, summa cum laude, from the University of Siena in Italy and a doctoral degree from the University of Florence while training at the Wistar Institute at the University of Pennsylvania.

About ImmuneID

ImmuneID is a precision immunology company using its proprietary platform to simultaneously identify and therapeutically target millions of antibody interactions that drive immune diseases. Based on technology developed by scientific founders Stephen Elledge (Harvard), Ben Larman (Johns Hopkins), and Tomasz Kula (Harvard), we are employing our massively parallel, multiplexed, and unbiased systems to develop therapeutics for autoimmunity, severe allergy, oncology and infectious disease. ImmuneID was founded in 2020 by Longwood Fund and is headquartered in Cambridge, MA.

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ImmuneID Appoints Annalisa D'Andrea as President and Chief Scientific Officer - Business Wire

Immunology

Chronic Viral Infections Can Have Profound Lasting Effects on Human Immunity, Similar to Aging – SciTechDaily

Network topology analysis of immune system function representing dozens of integrated cellular responses that are rewired during removal of the hepatitis C virus in humans. Different communities (functional clusters, colored) are determined by the signaling pathways that are being interrogated. For example, the black community observed during active HCV infection is largely configured by MAPK activity; shrinks with the decrease in viremia, and disappears after complete viral clearance. A nascent blue population mid-treatment configured by proliferation/survival/differentiation (P/S/D)/STAT1 signaling activities (largely anti-viral) expands post sofosbuvir treatment. Credit: Dr. David Furman

Researchers identify signatures of immune dysfunction that are shared in aging and chronic viral infections of HIV and Hepatitis C.

Research from the Buck Institute and Stanford University suggests that chronic viral infections have a profound and lasting impact on the human immune system in ways that are similar to those seen during aging. Results are published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Using systems immunology and artificial intelligence, researchers profiled and compared immune responses in a cohort of aging individuals, people with HIV on long-term anti-retroviral therapy, and people infected with hepatitis C (HCV) before and after the virus was treated with a drug that has up to a 97% cure rate. Shared alterations in the immune system include T cell memory inflation, upregulation of intracellular signaling pathways of inflammation, and diminished sensitivity to cytokines in lymphocytes and myeloid cells.

Chronic inflammation stemming from immune system dysfunction is associated with many of the diseases of aging, says David Furman, PhD, Buck Institute associate professor and senior author of the paper. Whether chronic viral infection contributes to age-associated immune dysfunction is still an open question, but studies of this type provide a way to start getting answers. At this point its clear that both aging and chronic viral infections leave profound and indelible marks on immunity.

In acute viral infections the body is usually able to clear the offending agent and the immune system (in the best-case scenario) produces antibodies that protect against similar infections think of common colds and seasonal flus. But there are viruses, in addition to HIV and HCV, which can remain alive, setting up host-parasite housekeeping in the body, in some cases without people being aware of them. Furman says depending on geographic location, 70 to 90% of the population is infected with cytomegalovirus, which is harmless in healthy individuals and is only problematic for pregnant women or those with compromised immune systems. Various herpes viruses (which cause genital herpes, cold sores, chicken pox/shingles, and mononucleosis) can also lead to chronic infections.

Each of us has our own virome; its the collection of the viral infections you have during your lifespan, Furman says. You probably have been infected by 12 or 15, or even more viruses that you never knew you had. Fortunately technology now exists that allows us to profile these infections in the human population; it is helping us move these types of inquiries forward. Furman says this study is the first to fully incorporate the concept of systems immunology and holistically analyze the immune system using the same technological platforms across different cohorts of patients.

The study showed that in patients with HIV, immune system dysregulations were evident despite having been treated with virus-suppressing drugs for over ten years. But clearance of the HCV virus (via the drug sofosbuvir) partially restored cellular sensitivity to interferon-a, which inhibits viral replication. This plasticity means there is room for intervention in both chronic viral infections and in aging, says Furman. Its just a matter of identifying and understanding the molecular pathways and networks involved. This paper identified changes in STAT1, the primary transcription factor activated by interferons. STAT1 plays a major role in normal immune responses, particularly to viral, mycobacterial and fungal pathogens.

Furman says we are in the midst of an ongoing living experiment in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic. He says future studies are needed to determine whether the functional imprinting of the immune system is hardwired to only involve the chronic nature of specific infections, or whether relatively short-lived but vigorous inflammations such as COVID-19 also leave a long-lasting footprint on the immune system. Has the immune system of those infected with the coronavirus taken a big hit? Thats a theory, but we dont know what will happen, says Furman, who is collaborating with Stanford University and the University of California, San Francisco on projects involving COVID-19 and immunity.

Reference: Signatures of immune dysfunction in HIV and HCV infection share features with chronic inflammation in aging and persist after viral reduction or elimination by Cesar J. Lopez Angel, Edward A. Pham, Huixun Du, Francesco Vallania, Benjamin J. Fram, Kevin Perez, Thai Nguyen, Yael Rosenberg-Hasson, Aijaz Ahmed, Cornelia L. Dekker, Philip M. Grant, Purvesh Khatri, Holden T. Maecker, Jeffrey S. Glenn, Mark M. Davis and David Furman, 2 April 2021, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2022928118

Other Buck Institute collaborators include Huixan Du and Kevin Perez. Additional co-authors include Cesar J. Lopez Angel, Edward A. Pham, Benjamin J. Fram, Thai Nguyen, Yael Rosenberg-Hassan, Holden T. Maecker, Jeffrey S. Glenn, and Mark M. Davis, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA; Francesco Vallania, Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection, Stanford University School of Medicine; Aijaz Ahmed, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University School of Medicine; Purvesh Khatri, Stanford Center for Biomedical Informatics Research, Stanford University School of Medicine; Cornelia L. Dekker, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, Stanford University School of Medicine; and Philip M. Grant, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine.

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Chronic Viral Infections Can Have Profound Lasting Effects on Human Immunity, Similar to Aging - SciTechDaily

Immunology

Cetirizine Hydrochloride Market Is Projected to Be Around US$ 1.4 Billion With Healthy CAGR of 3.2% – PharmiWeb.com

SEATTLE, April 09, 2021, (PHARMIWEB) Cetirizine hydrochloride belongs to the antihistamine drug class which reduces the natural chemical, histamine, in the body. Histamine induces symptoms such as sneezing, watery eyes, and runny nose. Cetirizine hydrochloride is used for treating cold, allergy symptoms, itching and swelling caused by hives. It is available on prescription, however, it is also available over-the-counter in pharmacies and supermarkets.

The global cetirizine hydrochloride market size was valued at US$ 1,100 million in 2017, and is expected to exhibit a robust CAGR of 3.2% over the forecast period (2018 2026).

The global cetirizine hydrochloride market growth is expected to be driven by increasing incidence of allergic conditions such as allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, and eczema.

*The Download PDF brochure only consist of Table of Content, Research Framework, and Research Methodology.

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Figure 1. Global Cetirizine Hydrochloride Market Value (US$ Mn), by Region, 2017

Source: Coherent Market Insights Analysis (2018)

Increasing incidence of allergic rhinitis is expected to drive growth of the market

High prevalence of allergic conditions such as allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, is expected to propel growth of the cetirizine hydrochloride market. According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, 2015, allergic rhinitis affects around 10 to 30% of the population worldwide. Moreover, according to the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC), 2016, the prevalence of pollen allergy or hay fever in children between the age group of 12-14 years was 22.1% worldwide, registering the highest rate of 33.3% in North America.

North America holds a dominant position in the global cetirizine hydrochloride market, owing to the high prevalence of hay fever and allergic conjunctivitis in the U.S. According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, around 7.8% of the U.S. population aged 18 and above suffers from hay fever. The National Health Interview survey of 2016 further stated that around 6.5% (or 16.0 million) adults and 7.5% (or 5.5 million) children under 18 years of age were diagnosed with hay fever in 2015.

Moreover, the cetirizine hydrochloride market in North America is expected to witness significant growth owing to the increasing economic burden caused due to allergic diseases on the affected population. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, in 2018, allergies were the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the U.S., with over 50 million people suffering from allergies annually, which accounted for an expenditure of US$ 18 billion.

However, the drug can induce severe to moderate side effects which include insomnia, hyperactivity, uneven heartbeat, nausea, constipation, and headache, which is expected to limit the adoption of the drug and hamper the market growth.

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Figure 2. Global Cetirizine Hydrochloride Market Share (%), by Dosage Form, 2018 and 2026

Source: Coherent Market Insights Analysis (2018)

Increasing incidence of allergic eye symptoms and eczema is expected to propel the market growth

The growing risk of developing allergic eye conditions with the onset of allergic rhinitis or hay fever is also a major factor driving the market growth. According to a survey conducted by the Virtual Medical Center, around 97% children diagnosed with allergic rhinitis or hay fever also have allergic eye symptoms. Moreover, the survey stated that around 56% children with asthma experience allergic eye symptoms, whereas 33% of children with eczema have allergic eye symptoms. The signs and symptoms include redness of eyes, excessive watering, itchy burning eyes, discharge, blurred vision and increased sensitivity to light. Furthermore, according to a study published in Clinical Review and Education Journal in 2013, around 40% of the global population suffered from allergic conjunctivitis.

According to the Nutrition and Health Department, in 2015, atopic dermatitis (AD) or atopic eczema, is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease affecting 15-20% of children and 1-3% of adults worldwide. Thus, the increasing prevalence of allergic conjunctivitis and eczema is a major factor driving the market growth.

Key players in the market are focused on new product launches to enhance the market share. For instance, in 2014, McNeil Consumer Healthcare a Johnson and Johnson Company launched a convenient oral, dissolvable tablet to the Zyrtec portfolio of allergy-relief products.

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Major players operating in the global cetirizine hydrochloride market include, Johnson and Johnson, Mylan, Inc., Nicox S.A., Strides Shasun, Apotex, Inc., Teva UK Limited, Aurobindo Pharma Limited, Jubilant Life Sciences, Tris Pharma, Inc., and Cipla Ltd.

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Cetirizine Hydrochloride Market Is Projected to Be Around US$ 1.4 Billion With Healthy CAGR of 3.2% - PharmiWeb.com