Monthly Archives: July 2012

Federal DNA backlog remains clear since September 2010

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MANATEE -- DNA of Delmer Smith, whose murder trial begins with jury selection at 9 a.m. today, was not found in the Terra Ceia home of Kathleen Briles who was allegedly bludgeoned to death Aug. 3, 2009 with an antique sewing machine.

His DNA was, however, found in four Sarasota homes he allegedly robbed, attacking the women who lived there, prior to Briles' death.

The only problem was police could not identify the person behind the attacks because the DNA was not logged in the FBI's database.

Smith's DNA was taken in March 2008 while he was serving time in federal prison for a bank robbery. It was placed with thousands of other DNA samples waiting to be processed by the FBI.

When the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office sent off the DNA found at crime scenes on Feb. 22, March 7, March 14 and May 22, no matches were found.

Smith was first identified as the suspect in more than 10 home invasion robberies in Manatee and Sarasota counties after he got into a bar fight in Venice. Because he was on probation police searched his belongings, finding several items allegedly stolen in the previous home invasions.

Smith's DNA was fast-tracked into the system and matched the samples found at the Sarasota crime scenes.

DNA does not play a role in the Briles' case, but local law enforcement agencies rely on it in many instances.

"We send DNA from crime scenes off for analysis all the time. It makes cases," said Manatee County Sher

iff Brad Steube.

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Federal DNA backlog remains clear since September 2010

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Fruit Flies Light the Way for A*STAR Scientists to Pinpoint Genetic Changes that Spell Cancer

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Singapore, July 30, 2012 - (ACN Newswire) - By studying fruit flies, scientists at A*STAR's Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) have successfully devised a fast and cost-saving way to uncover genetic changes that have a higher potential to cause cancer. With this new approach, researchers will now be able to rapidly distinguish the range of genetic changes that are causally linked to cancer (i.e. "driver" mutations) versus those with limited impact on cancer progression. This research paves the way for doctors to design more targeted treatment against the different cancer types, based on the specific cancer-linked mutations present in the patient. This study published in the prestigious journal Genes & Development could help advance the development of personalised medicinein cancer care and treatment.

The era of genomic sequencing has generated an unparalleled wealth of information on the complexity of genetic changes that occur as cancer develops and progresses. "Many genetic changes arise in cancer cells and changes continue to accumulate during the progression of disease to metastatic cancer[1]. The current challenge is to understand which of the many genetic changes are important drivers of disease progression" said Dr. Stephen Cohen, Principal Investigator at IMCB and team leader of this paper.

Though very different in many ways, fruit flies and humans share similarities in a remarkable two-thirds of their genomes. That is to say, many of the genes found in humans are also present in the flies. Similarly, various signalling pathways involved in tumour formation are also well conserved from fruit flies to humans. In fact, previous studies have shown that about 75 percent of known human disease genes have a recognisable match in the genome offruit flies[2].

Leveraging on their genetic similarities, Dr Hector Herranz, a post-doctorate from the Dr Cohen's team developed an innovative strategy to genetically screen the whole fly genome for "cooperating" cancer genes. On their own, theseare the genes that appear to be harmless and have little or no impact on cancer. But in fact, they cooperate with other cancer genes, so that the combination causes aggressive cancer, which neither would cause alone.

In this study, the team was specifically looking for genes that could cooperate with EGFR[3] "driver" mutation, a genetic change commonly associated with breast and lung cancers in humans. SOCS5, reported in this paper, is one of the several new "cooperating" cancer genes to beidentified through this innovative approach. Most of these new-found genes have yet to be identified as cancer genes in human or mouse models.

Said Mr Xin Hong, a PhD student and the co-first author of this paper, "We were very surprised by our finding because this it the first time that the Socs gene family is found to be linked to cancer. Previously it has only been associated with immunological disorders."

Dr. Cohen added, "Though these studies are in the early stages, they are very promising. Already, there are indications that levels of SOCS5 expression are reduced in breast cancer, and patients with low levels of SOCS5 have poor prognosis."

The IMCB team is preparing to explore the use of SOCS5 as a biomarker in diagnosis forcancer.

Said Professor Wanjin Hong, Executive Director of IMCB, "This study sheds light on the complexities of cancer genetics and paves the way to accelerate development of personalised medicine in cancer care. It is a fine examples of how powerful genetic approach using the fly model can reveal molecular mechanisms underlying human cancer. More importantly, it shows how fundamental research can have far-reaching applications for potential clinical benefits."

Notes for editor: The research findings described in this media release can be found in the 15 July 2012 issue of Genes & Developmentunder the title, "Oncogenic cooperation between SOCS family proteins and EGFR identified using a Drosophila epithelial transformation model" Hector Herranz[1,5], Xin Hong[1,2,5], Nguyen Thanh Hung[3], P. Mathijs Voorhoeve[3,4] and Stephen M. Cohen[1,2,6].

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Fruit Flies Light the Way for A*STAR Scientists to Pinpoint Genetic Changes that Spell Cancer

Dr. Mao’s Wellness Central: Cool Down With Salads This Summer Season

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Courtesy Photo

The long, hot days of summer dont offer much encouragement for cooking in the kitchen over a hot stove. Instead, why not take advantage of the bounty of local seasonal fruits and veggies and cool yourself down with a fresh salad?

Salads are not only quick and simple to make, but with the right ingredients they can also bring you some serious health benefits. Start by choosing organic, locally-grown produce, which is packed with added nutrients and picked after it has ripened naturally. Studies regularly emerge about the hazardous effects of pesticides and herbicides used on commercial crops: cancer risk, inflammation, and reproductive imbalance, among other dangers. Pick food grown close to home: its better for your health, better for the environment, supports your local farmers, and has an unbeatable taste!

One item to note: Eating raw food all the time requires more energy for digestion and tends to put out the digestive fire, so dont forgo the stove altogether. As you will see below, many of these salads require some cooking as well.

1. Classic Beet Salad

Steam beets and slice into a salad of mixed greens and sliced avocado with a handful of pine nuts and walnuts. If you want to bulk up the salad, add crumbled soft tofu or shredded chicken.

What is this salad doing for you? This is an all-in-one anti-aging salad. Beets contain powerful nutrients that help protect against heart disease, birth defects, and cancer, especially colon cancer. The avocado and pine nuts are healthy fats and walnuts have omega-3 fatty acids, which bring heart health benefits.

2. Cooling Cucumber Salad

Thinly slice cucumbers, removing the peel if you prefer, and toss with red onions. Let this sit for 30 minutes, then top with apple cider vinegar mixed with Dijon mustard.

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Dr. Mao’s Wellness Central: Cool Down With Salads This Summer Season

Anatomy Of An Athlete @ Hunterian Museum

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The Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons (Lincolns Inn Fields) is another museum with a sporty-themed tie-in for the Olympics. The surgical wonderland has a small exhibition devoted to the physiology and anatomy of elite athletes. The show draws on work from theMedical Artists Association to show how medicine, surgery and exercise affect the competitors body. The artists usewatercolour, video and sculpture to represent a various sports and para-sports. A selection of artificial running feet used by paralympians will also be on display.

A series of events support the exhibition. A technology-themed day on 18 August lets you attempt to repair a damaged knee using anarthroscopy training simulator, or check how well youre walking on a gait analyser. On 19 September, a panel of medical experts discuss techniques to speed an athletes recovery from injury.

The Anatomy of an Athlete runs at the Hunterian Museum,35-43 Lincolns Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE until 29 September 2012 (openTuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm). Entrance to exhibition and events is free.

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Anatomy Of An Athlete @ Hunterian Museum

Grey's Anatomy Ex Files

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With Eric Dane the latest cast member to depart, John Byrne looks back on previous Grey's Anatomy stars who - for one reason or another - are no longer part of the Seattle Grace furniture.

Although it hasn't seen as many cast changes as its medical mega-star predecessor ER, Grey's Anatomy lost yet another regular following last Friday's announcement that Eric Dane was quitting his role as Dr Mark 'McSteamy' Sloan ahead of the show's ninth season.

A lot of the departures have been clouded in controversy - here are the six key ones during the show's sensationally successful eight seasons:

Katherine Heigl (Izzie Stevens)

When she left After spending much of season six working elsewhere, things came to a head when Heigl reportedly failed to show up for Grey's Anatomy on March 11th, 2010. She had apparently come to an agreement with Shonda Rhimes to release her from her contract with immediate effect. Her character had left Seattle after surviving cancer.

Why she left Heigl said that her departure was not about advancing her film career - which was moving along very nicely at the time - but that she wanted to focus more on her family.

How she's doing In January 2012, Heigl stated in an interview that she has asked the producers of Grey's Anatomy if she could return to the show to wrap up Izzie's storyine: "I've told them I want to," she said. "I want to see that girl take some power back." In her personal life, she and husband, inger Josh Kelley, adopted a second child in April 2012.

TR Knight (George O'Malley)

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Grey's Anatomy Ex Files

Merck Serono Announces Creation of First Spin-Off Company From its Entrepreneur Partnership Program

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GENEVA, July 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Merck Serono, a division of Merck, Darmstadt, Germany, announced today the creation of Prexton Therapeutics, the first spin-off company resulting from its Entrepreneur Partnership Program launched in April 2012. Prexton Therapeutics will be formed around Merck Seronos R&D portfolio in the field of Parkinsons disease and will focus on programs that target the metabotropic glutamate receptors mGluR3 and mGluR4.

"We are really proud and satisfied that this first project is now coming to life. Through such initiatives, not only will we be able to maintain jobs in the Geneva area but also unique expertise, " said Franois Naef, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Merck Serono S.A. "The newly founded company will be headed by a highly experienced scientist and entrepreneur, which gives us a lot of confidence in the success of Prexton Therapeutics."

With a team composed of seasoned Merck Serono scientists with long-standing experience in neurology and a significant portfolio of chemical compounds stemming from Merck Seronos pre-clinical research, Prexton Therapeutics will be well positioned in the field of neurodegenerative diseases. The newly founded company will develop the mGluR programs from lead optimization up to clinical Phase I and seek partnership and licensing opportunities for further development. The company will be hosted in the offices and laboratory of Eclosion, a biotech start-up incubator located in Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva, and supported by the Geneva authorities. Merck Serono will invest EUR 2.1 million as seed funding. Merck Serono Ventures will manage the investment and will be represented on the companys board of directors.

"Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR) have been shown recently to be a key target to tackle the onset of Parkinsons disease. Therefore, modulating their response is certainly among the most promising ways to develop future treatments for one of the most severe brain diseases, " said Franois Conquet, founder and CEO of Prexton Therapeutics. "I have long been interested in the potential of mGluR-targeted therapies and now there is a great opportunity to further develop Merck Seronos programs in Parkinsons disease and offer new hopes to patients."

Announced in April 2012 in the framework of the efficiency measures being taken by Merck Serono, the Entrepreneur Partnership Program (EPP) is part of a EUR 30 million commitment to support the creation of spin-off and start-up companies focused on continuing activities and compounds that originated at Merck Serono. This program is aimed at reducing the impact on employment following closure of the Geneva headquarters due to the restructuring.

About Merck Serono

Merck Serono is the biopharmaceutical division of Merck KGaA. With headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Merck Serono offers leading brands in 150 countries to help patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis, infertility, endocrine and metabolic disorders as well as cardiovascular diseases. In the United States and Canada, EMD Serono operates as a separately incorporated subsidiary of Merck Serono.

Merck Serono discovers, develops, manufactures and markets prescription medicines of both chemical and biological origin in specialist indications. We have an enduring commitment to deliver novel therapies in our core focus areas of neurodegenerative diseases, oncology and rheumatology.

About Merck

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Merck Serono Announces Creation of First Spin-Off Company From its Entrepreneur Partnership Program

Parkinson's diagnosis guide created for Canadian MDs

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Patients with symptoms of Parkinson's disease have often been misdiagnosed and told they're merely feeling the physical affects of the aging process. A new guideline developed for Canadian doctors by Parkinson's specialists hopes to reduce the number of misdiagnoses. (iStock)

A specialist with the Ottawa Hospital has helped to develop the first ever national guidelines for diagnosing Parkinson's, an often-misdiagnosed disease with subtle symptoms.

Accurately diagnosing the degenerative disorder of the central nervous system is confusing for some physicians because many of the symptoms such as tremors or a general slowing down can be brushed off as gradual physical wear-and-tear from old age, said Dr. David Grimes, director of Ottawa Hospital's Parkinson's Disease and Movements Disorders Clinic.

"It's not like having a stroke, where something dramatic happens all of a sudden, and so it's one of those conditions where symptoms creep into the picture and go on for many months, or sometimes years," Grimes said. "They're seeing their family doctor, and they're saying their sore shoulder is from this, or the hand's not moving because they have just a little bit of Arthritis, and so it can take quite a while before they're able to come up with the right diagnosis."

In a bid to help patients get the timely treatment and therapies they need, Grimes worked with other specialists for five years to create a tool for doctors across Canada that would help them more accurately diagnose Parkinson's patients in the early stages, before the disease progresses.

Paul Wing and Nick Kaethler count themselves among those who feel they may have lost time as far as being able to manage the disease due to delayed diagnosis.

Wing, whose doctor told him he was likely suffering from anxiety, didn't find out he actually had Parkinson's for eight months.

"It's really disconcerting. You're thinking, do I have AHLS, do I have MS, am I depressed? Is it cancer? It could be anything," Wing said. "It's hard to fight the good fight. It's hard when you don't have an enemy to fight."

Kaethler said he was told by his doctor, "You're just getting old. Live with it."

It took Kaethler five years to discover his enemy was Parkinson's.

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Parkinson's diagnosis guide created for Canadian MDs

Parkinson’s diagnosis guide created for Canadian MDs

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Patients with symptoms of Parkinson's disease have often been misdiagnosed and told they're merely feeling the physical affects of the aging process. A new guideline developed for Canadian doctors by Parkinson's specialists hopes to reduce the number of misdiagnoses. (iStock)

A specialist with the Ottawa Hospital has helped to develop the first ever national guidelines for diagnosing Parkinson's, an often-misdiagnosed disease with subtle symptoms.

Accurately diagnosing the degenerative disorder of the central nervous system is confusing for some physicians because many of the symptoms such as tremors or a general slowing down can be brushed off as gradual physical wear-and-tear from old age, said Dr. David Grimes, director of Ottawa Hospital's Parkinson's Disease and Movements Disorders Clinic.

"It's not like having a stroke, where something dramatic happens all of a sudden, and so it's one of those conditions where symptoms creep into the picture and go on for many months, or sometimes years," Grimes said. "They're seeing their family doctor, and they're saying their sore shoulder is from this, or the hand's not moving because they have just a little bit of Arthritis, and so it can take quite a while before they're able to come up with the right diagnosis."

In a bid to help patients get the timely treatment and therapies they need, Grimes worked with other specialists for five years to create a tool for doctors across Canada that would help them more accurately diagnose Parkinson's patients in the early stages, before the disease progresses.

Paul Wing and Nick Kaethler count themselves among those who feel they may have lost time as far as being able to manage the disease due to delayed diagnosis.

Wing, whose doctor told him he was likely suffering from anxiety, didn't find out he actually had Parkinson's for eight months.

"It's really disconcerting. You're thinking, do I have AHLS, do I have MS, am I depressed? Is it cancer? It could be anything," Wing said. "It's hard to fight the good fight. It's hard when you don't have an enemy to fight."

Kaethler said he was told by his doctor, "You're just getting old. Live with it."

It took Kaethler five years to discover his enemy was Parkinson's.

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Parkinson's diagnosis guide created for Canadian MDs

Minnesota Twins may add extra autism section games in 2013

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Sunday, July 29, will be Autism Awareness Day at Target Field, with 250 fans watching the series finale against the Indians from a dedicated section in left field. It has been an annual event for the Twins since 2004, but team president Dave St. Peter said it may grow to a handful of games as early as next season.

"As an organization there hasn't been anything decided, but it's definitely a consideration for the future," St. Peter said. "We'll certainly look at the possibility this offseason."

The event is designed to raise awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorders, a set of brain-based disorders that affect a person's behavior, as well as social and communications skills. It also is an opportunity for people with ASD, their families and friends to enjoy a game in a supportive environment.

"Once people realize we have this going on, they're more apt to bring their kids to a game, whereas in the past they may have felt isolated and lonely," said Brad Trahan, executive director for RT Autism Awareness Foundation in Rochester, Minn., which promotes the Twins event each year. "Now we're all together with parents and caregivers."

That social engagement is important for ASD families, who often get out only rarely because of social or economic issues, Trahan said. His foundation, named after his son, Reece, is petitioning Major League Baseball to add an autism awareness weekend to the schedule similar to those dedicated to raising awareness for breast and prostate

The New York Mets announced in June they are thinking of creating a permanent "quiet" autism section. Because many on the autism spectrum can be overwhelmed by even everyday stimuli, the section would drastically lower the volume on the PA announcements, and cut out music and cheerleading. St. Peter said he is familiar with the Mets' plan, and the Twins could do something similar.

"We are able to modify the PA system speakers for certain sections; we can turn them down or off," he said. "It would mainly be the sound piece we focus on. Our challenge is to get out in front of it -- identify the section and the game so that we can deliver on that experience while allowing others to enjoy a typical game-day experience. We've been able to do that with our peanut-free sections. It's on our list of things to consider."

Trahan expects 250 to sit in the autism section on Sunday, 230 of whom got their tickets through the foundation. Tickets were $19, but an anonymous donor bought the last 41 and donated them to ASD families.

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Minnesota Twins may add extra autism section games in 2013

Lexington psychiatrist writes book on parenting kids with autism

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Lexington resident Dr. Blaise Aguirre has seen firsthand the impact an autism spectrum diagnosis can have, not just on the child but on the childs family.

An expert in child, adolescent and adult psychotherapy, Aguirre is the medical director of 3East at McLean Hospital in Belmont and an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard University. His recent book, Parenting Your Child with Autism: Practical Solutions, Strategies, and Advice for Helping Your Family, which he co-wrote with M. Anjali Sastry, PhD, serves as a guidebook for parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Aguirre spoke with the Lexington Minuteman about his new book and the rise in autism diagnoses in children.

What is your book about?

Many parents learn that their child has autism at a time when life is hectic for even the most typical of families. We asked ourselves the question: How can parents educate themselves about what the diagnosis means, navigate the medical and educational systems, and deal with difficult decisions about what to do and what not to do? How do they come to terms with the implications for their families while advocating for their child? This is the book that answers those questions. It is recognizing the parent as central to the process, that parents can become the experts of their particular situation, and that a parent who can take care of themselves is going to be a more effective parent.

Why did you want to write a book for parents?

Parents of children with autism report high levels of stress, but theres evidence that they rebound in the years that follow an initial diagnosis. Our advice to families acknowledges that the way forward may be difficult and that it can also get better. If our book helps people get there any faster, well have reached our goal.

We want to equip caregivers by giving them the tools to choose the right treatments and educational approaches for their child. We want to draw on science and the study of mindfulness, combining parent-tested tips with systematic approaches to making decisions amid limited information and insufficient resources. This is in contrast to what can at times be a reactive, headline-driven approach to parenting.

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Lexington psychiatrist writes book on parenting kids with autism

Utah autism solution continues to frustrate parents

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(Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune) Six-year-old Logan Hilton, who is autistic, plays on his parents' bed while watching a kid's video, Friday July 27, 2012. Logan's mother, Michelle Hilton, qualifies for a new pilot program to treat Logan. The problem is she needs to contribute $6,000 to fully benefit.

Health Families must pay $6,000 per year toward treatment.

The adorable little boy wearing the backpack is 6 years old, but Logan Hilton cant hold a conversation and doesnt understand how to make friends.

A website designed to raise $12,000 for two years of Applied Behavior Analysis autism treatment for him explains that without help, "Logan would require constant costly care for the rest of his life."

Utahs two-year autism treatment pilot, which launched this year, is intended to help kids like Logan. His mom works for the Department of Corrections, and as the child of a public employee, he can now receive up to $30,000 worth of behavioral treatment each year.

The problem is that families covered by the Public Employees Health Program still need to contribute $6,000 annually to take advantage of the maximum state benefit.

"Im grateful for it, but at the same time its not enough," said his mom, Michelle Hilton. "They havent made it affordable enough."

The Eagle Mountain mom believes more families would have participated if the requirements paying 20 percent of the cost, and open only to children from age 2 to 6 had been more flexible.

Only 25 children are signed up for the 50 autism pilot slots in the PEHP portion.

"I think because of that age limit we dont capture all of the autistic kids in our population," said Toan Lam, the PEHP medical director.

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Utah autism solution continues to frustrate parents

CIRM awards $151 million in stem cell grants to 8 projects statewide

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File photo: Close up of cancer cells in the cervix. CIRM awarded UCLA $20 million for the university's study on the reprogramming of cancer cells.

This week, Californias public stem-cell agency awarded more than $150 million to advance research into eight diseases now under study by researchers at several California universities, one L.A. hospital and a biotech company.

The University of California Davis received the largest share of stem cell research grants from the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine.

The voter-approved agency, also known as CIRM, awarded nearly $50 million to three UC Davis research teams studying treatments for the bone disease osteoperosis, for the genetic brain disorder known as Huntingtons Disease and for Critical Limb Ischemia, a painful condition caused by severe blockage of arteries.

CIRM gave $20 million to a UCLA study on the reprogramming of cancer cells. And the agency awarded UC-Irvine and the biotech firm, StemCells, Inc. of Newark, California $20 million for their joint study into treatments for cervical spinal injuries.

Cedar Sinai Medical Center also made the list with an $18 million grant to speed their research into possible treatments for Lou Gehrigs disease, a neuromuscular condition that leads to paralysis and death.

And Stanford University won two awards of $20 million each to study cardiovascular disease at metastatic melanoma.

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CIRM awards $151 million in stem cell grants to 8 projects statewide

journal biotechnology – OMICS Publishing Group

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Posted on Saturday, July 28, 2012

Biotechnology refers to the use of living organisms, or their products, to modify human health and the human environment. Biotechnology is an interdisciplinary field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine. The Journal of Biotechnology & Biomaterials provides a collaborative open access platform to the scientists throughout the world in the field of Biotechnology and biomaterials. Journal of Biotechnology & Biomaterials is an Open Access scientific journal which is peer-reviewed. It publishes the most exciting researches with respect to the subjects of Biomaterial development and their diagnostic applications. This is freely available online journal which will be soon available as a print.

Biotechnology (sometimes shortened to "biotech") is the use of living systems and organisms to develop or make useful products, and it is usually seen in agriculture, food production and medicine production. Modern use of similar terms includes genetic engineering as well as cell and tissue culture technologies.

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journal biotechnology - OMICS Publishing Group

DGAP-News: Cytos Biotechnology Ltd Reports Second Quarter 2012 Financial Results, Recent Development and Outlook

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Cytos Biotechnology Ltd Reports Second Quarter 2012 Financial Results, Recent Development and Outlook

- Cytos Biotechnology Ltd substantially increases its cash by raising CHF 33.58 million through equity and debt

- Board of Directors further strengthened by the nomination of Dr. Christian Itin, former President and CEO of Micromet Inc., as a Non-Executive Director

- Large global Phase IIb program with CYT003 in allergic asthma planned to start in 2H12

Schlieren (Zurich), Switzerland, July 30, 2012 - Cytos Biotechnology Ltd (Cytos or the Company) announced today financial results and business highlights for the quarter ended June 30, 2012.

Highlights During the first half of 2012 the Company raised CHF 33.58 million through equity and debt whereas CHF 23.75 million was provided as equity and CHF 6.625 million was provided in the form of convertible loan notes - both from an international syndicate of investors which include venBio, Abingworth, Aisling Capital and Amgen. Furthermore, CHF 3.20 million in the form of equity was raised through a rights offering to existing shareholders. Cytos intends to use the proceeds primarily to conduct a large global phase IIb study in allergic asthma with CYT003.

In conjunction with the capital raise, Joseph Anderson (Abingworth), John Berriman (Deputy Chairman of Algeta), Paul Brooke (venBio), Kurt von Emster (venBio) and Arthur Krieg (CEO of RaNA Therapeutics), who were nominated and elected to the board of directors on April 20, 2012, started their term of office on May 14, 2012. The new directors bring significant additional life science experience to the Company.

In May 2012, the Company announced the nomination of Dr. Christian Itin to its Board as a Non-executive Director. The Board of Directors will propose to the Companys shareholders the election of Dr. Itin as member of the Board at the next general meeting. Dr. Itin is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Micromet Inc., a formerly Nasdaq listed biopharmaceutical company which was acquired in March 2012 by Amgen, Inc. for USD 1.16 billion in cash. He spent 13 years with Micromet in a number of senior management roles, becoming CEO in 2004.

The detailed Q2 Financial Report can be downloaded at http://www.cytos.com/userfiles/file/Cytos_Q2_2012_E.pdf

For further information please contact: Cytos Biotechnology Ltd Harry Welten Chief Financial Officer Tel.: +41 44 733 46 46 e-Mail: harry.welten@cytos.com Website: http://www.cytos.com

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DGAP-News: Cytos Biotechnology Ltd Reports Second Quarter 2012 Financial Results, Recent Development and Outlook

Cytos Biotechnology Ltd Reports Second Quarter 2012 Financial Results, Recent Development and Outlook

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SCHLIEREN, Switzerland, July 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Cytos Biotechnology Ltd ("Cytos" or the "Company") announced today financial results and business highlights for the quarter ended June 30, 2012.

Highlights

During the first half of 2012 the Company raised CHF 33.58 million through equity and debt whereas CHF 23.75 million was provided as equity and CHF 6.625 million was provided in the form of convertible loan notes - both from an international syndicate of investors which include venBio, Abingworth, Aisling Capital and Amgen. Furthermore, CHF 3.20 million in the form of equity was raised through a rights offering to existing shareholders. Cytos intends to use the proceeds primarily to conduct a large global phase IIb study in allergic asthma with CYT003.

In conjunction with the capital raise, Joseph Anderson (Abingworth), John Berriman (Deputy Chairman of Algeta), Paul Brooke (venBio), Kurt von Emster (venBio) and Arthur Krieg (CEO of RaNA Therapeutics), who were nominated and elected to the board of directors on April 20, 2012, started their term of office on May 14, 2012. The new directors bring significant additional life science experience to the Company.

In May 2012, the Company announced the nomination of Dr. Christian Itin to its Board as a Non-executive Director. The Board of Directors will propose to the Company's shareholders the election of Dr. Itin as member of the Board at the next general meeting. Dr.Itin is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Micromet Inc., a formerly Nasdaq listed biopharmaceutical company which was acquired in March 2012 by Amgen, Inc. for USD 1.16 billion in cash. He spent 13 years with Micromet in a number of senior management roles, becoming CEO in 2004.

The detailed Q2 Financial Report can be downloaded at http://www.cytos.com/userfiles/file/Cytos_Q2_2012_E.pdf

About Cytos Biotechnology Ltd

Cytos Biotechnology Ltd is a Swiss public biotechnology company that specializes in the development and commercialization of a new class of biopharmaceutical products - the Immunodrugs. Immunodrugs are intended for use in the treatment and prevention of common chronic diseases, which afflict millions of people worldwide. Immunodrugs are designed to instruct the patient's immune system to produce the desired therapeutic antibody or T cell responses that modulate chronic disease processes. Cytos' Immunodrug candidates are being developed both in-house and together with Novartis, Pfizer and Pfizer Animal Health. Founded in 1995 as a spinoff from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich, the Company is located in Schlieren (Zurich). Cytos Biotechnology Ltd is listed according to the Main Standard on the SIX Swiss Exchange Ltd under the symbol CYTN.

This foregoing press release may contain forward-looking statements that include words or phrases such as "are intended for", "are designed to", or other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of significant uncertainties, including scientific, business, economic and financial factors, and therefore actual results may differ significantly from those presented. There can be no assurance that any further therapeutic entities will enter clinical trials, that clinical trial results will be predictive for future results, that therapeutic entities will be the subject of filings for regulatory approval, that any drug candidates will receive marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or equivalent regulatory authorities, or that drugs will be marketed successfully. Against the background of these uncertainties readers should not rely on forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no responsibility to update forward-looking statements or adapt them to future events or developments.

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Cytos Biotechnology Ltd Reports Second Quarter 2012 Financial Results, Recent Development and Outlook

Human Energy Could Power Portable Electronics

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Published on: 30th Jul 2012

Technology created by researchers from The Auckland Bioengineering Institute (ABI), which makes it possible to convert human movement into battery power, could in the future enable people to charge their electronic devices while they walk.

This is because artificial muscle generator technology developed by the ABI's Biomimetics Lab can scavenge latent energy from human motion to directly power devices and put power where it's needed.

Dr Tom McKay, Dr Ben O'Brien, Dr Todd Gisby, Associate Professor Iain Anderson and other researchers from the Lab, have been working on the artificial muscle generator technology for the past six years.

Artificial muscle, the main component of the generator, is made of a rubbery material that has mechanical properties similar to human muscle and is capable of generating electricity when stretched.

Dr O'Brien says: "The advantage that we have over our competitors is in the small and soft circuitry that we have developed which controls the artificial muscle. Previously, artificial muscle generators were seen as unpractical to power portable electronic devices because they required bulky, rigid and expensive external electronics."

Our artificial muscle generators because of their circuitry are lightweight, inexpensive and compact so in the future they could easily be incorporated into clothing where they could harvest energy from the wearer's movement, he says.

"It means that people would not have to worry about the batteries on their portable devices dying out and because it would reduce the number and size of batteries required, it would mean less batteries ending up in our landfills."

Several international companies are interested in the Biomimetic Lab's artificial muscle generator technology and in March this year the research was named runner-up in the Excellence in the Field of Environmental Technology Research category at Monaco's CleanEquity investment conference.

The CleanEquity Monaco 2012 conference, sponsored by Prince Albert II, was conceived to accelerate cleantech innovation and implementation and provide expert intelligence on emerging clean technologies.

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Human Energy Could Power Portable Electronics

Stem cells used to treat sibling's cerebral palsy

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Mumbai, July 30 -- On Saturday, city doctors injected stem cells derived from the cord blood of a baby girl into the blood stream of her elder sister, who suffers from cerebral palsy./Sarah Burnerwala, 9, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when she was five months old. Her parents, Shabbir and Shammin Burnerwala, visited many hospitals to get her treated before they learnt about stem cell therapy ...

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Stem cells used to treat sibling's cerebral palsy

NASA is designing its first new spacesuit in twenty years

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With NASA looking to reinvent itself for possible missions to the Moon and Mars, work has begun on bringing the equipment in its aging inventory into the modern era to help facilitate those lofty goals.

A case in point is the new spacesuit that is being developed to replace the twenty-year old model that was first pressed into service back in 1992. Originally only meant for astronauts on the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station, the spacesuit that the world over is used to seeing is both outdated and ill-suited for upcoming missions. Scientists and engineers at NASA have been hard at work developing a new prototype called the Z-1, which is undergoing heavy testing right now.

The z-1 Prototype Spacesuit and Portable Life Support System is a drastically different beast than the spacesuit it will replace. For starters, the z-1 has its own airlock. Called a rear-entry suit, the new design has an astronaut crawling into the suit from the back, near the top. This is done through a small, airtight hatch that has the ability to latch on to a docking terminal or other vehicle such as a smaller spacecraft or rover unit.

This entry method is said to be much more efficient since the suit itself will operate at the same pressures found in the larger space-borne habitats, cutting down on the amount of oxygen an astronaut will need to use to during EVA missions.

Along with the major changes mentioned above, the Z-1 is said to be much more flexible, something that every astronaut will jump for joy about. Working in zero-gravity is challenge enough, but having to deal with a bulky suit at the same time makes it a real challenge.

Of course, with NASA having no concrete plans regarding sending humans back to the Moon or further afield to the Red Planet, theres no word on when or if ever this suit will be pressed into service.

Read more at Gizmag

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NASA is designing its first new spacesuit in twenty years