AMES, Iowa, May 22, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NewLink Genetics Corporation (Nasdaq:NLNK - News), today announced that Phase 2 data from its investigational HyperAcute(R) Pancreas immunotherapy clinical trial in surgically resected pancreas cancer patients will be presented at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary. The detailed results will be published in the Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery. HyperAcute(R) Pancreas is currently being evaluated in a multi-institution, randomized, Phase 3 clinical trial under a Special Protocol Assessment with the FDA.

"The primary endpoint of this study was to evaluate disease free survival and this was achieved with an observed twelve month DFS of 62% and median DFS of 14.1 months," commented the primary investigator Dr. Jeffrey M. Hardacre of the University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center and Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH and presenter of the study results. "In addition to successfully achieving the primary endpoint, we were particularly encouraged by both the favorable impact on overall survival and the anecdotal, yet provocative, observation that three patients who had relapsed after Algenpantucel-L treatment and were subsequently treated with a variety of second line therapies then obtained complete radiographic responses. Further, we are excited by the fact that all three of these patients' complete responses have been durable with none recurring over the 6 to 36 months since their observed complete remissions."

"It is gratifying to take another step forward in our mission to bring novel therapeutic alternatives like HyperAcute(R) Pancreas immunotherapy to pancreatic cancer patients, and we are looking forward to updating 2 and 3 year survival data from this study at the upcoming ASCO meeting," commented Dr. Nick Vahanian, Chief Medical Officer of NewLink Genetics. "We are eagerly focused on the progress of our ongoing Phase 3 study of this product candidate based on the positive Phase 2 data," he added.

Key data from the 69 patient Phase 2 Algenpantucel-L trial demonstrated:

The primary endpoint of the study, 12-month disease free survival (DFS), was 62%. The median DFS was 14.1 months. Subgroup analysis showed that patients receiving 300 million cells/dose had a 12-month DFS of 81%, while those receiving 100 million cells/dose had a 12-month DFS of 51% (p=0.02, Fisher's Exact). Prognostic criteria did not significantly differ between the two groups.

Overall 12-month survival was 86%. The predicted 12 month overall survival in our study was 55-63%. Subgroup analysis showed that patients receiving 300 million cells/dose had an overall 12-month survival of 96%, while those receiving 100 million cells/dose had an overall 12-month survival of 79% (p=0.053, Fisher's Exact).

The HyperAcute(R) Pancreas immunotherapy product candidate, also referred to as Algenpantucel-L, demonstrated good tolerability and a favorable safety profile with no grade four adverse events considered attributable to the immunotherapy. The predominant adverse events related to the immunotherapy were grade one or two injection site reactions, all treated with conservative local therapies.

Anecdotally, three patients with cancer recurrence after receiving algenpantucel-L obtained complete radiographic responses with the use of subsequent chemotherapy. As of May 16, 2012, all three patients remain in remission with no evidence of disease for periods ranging from six to 36 months.

About the Phase 2 Study

The multi-institutional, open-label, dose-finding, Phase 2 trial evaluated the use of Algenpantucel-L in addition to chemotherapy with chemoradiotherapy in the adjuvant setting for resected pancreatic cancer. Adjuvant therapy was to start within seven weeks after surgery. The first cycle of treatment consisted of vaccination with either 100 million or 300 million cells per dose given intradermally on days one and eight. One week after the second vaccination, gemcitabine was administered at 1000mg/m2/week for three weeks, on days one, eight, and 15, in conjunction with HyperAcute(R) immunotherapy dosed on days one and 15 of cycle two. Chemoradiotherapy was initiated one to two weeks after the completion of cycle two. Continuous infusion 5-FU was administered at 250 mg/m2/day for the entire duration of radiation therapy. HyperAcute(R) immunotherapy was administered on days one, 15, 29, and 43 of the chemoradiotherapy stage. A total of up to 14 vaccinations were dosed for patients who completed the entire study treatment.

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Data From NewLink Genetics Phase 2 Trial of Its HyperAcute(R) Pancreas (Algenpantucel-L) Immunotherapy to be Presented ...

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists are turning to genetic testing to see if they can prove the existence of the elusive hairy humanoid known across the world as bigfoot, yeti and sasquatch. A joint project between Oxford University and Switzerland's Lausanne Museum of Zoology will examine organic remains that some say belong to the creature that has been spotted in remote areas for decades. "It's an ...

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Scientists deploy genetics in search for bigfoot

SALT LAKE CITY, May 22, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Myriad Genetics, Inc. (Nasdaq:MYGN - News) announced today that the Company is scheduled to present at two upcoming investor conferences:

Both presentations will be available to interested parties via webcast on the investor relations section of Myriad's website at http://www.myriad.com.

About Myriad Genetics

Myriad Genetics, Inc. is a leading molecular diagnostic company dedicated to making a difference in patients' lives through the discovery and commercialization of transformative tests to assess a person's risk of developing disease, guide treatment decisions and assess risk of disease progression and recurrence. Myriad's portfolio of nine molecular diagnostic tests are based on an understanding of the role genes play in human disease and were developed with a focus on improving an individual's decision making process for monitoring and treating disease. Myriad is working on strategic directives, including new product introductions, companion diagnostics, and international expansion, to take advantage of significant growth opportunities. For more information on how Myriad is making a difference, please visit the Company's website: http://www.myriad.com.

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Myriad Genetics to Present at Upcoming Investor Conferences in June

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Posted May 21, 2012

Noted Pathologist PhD in Human Genetics Added to Existing Member Expertise in Stem Cell Maternal Fetal Medicine and Stem Cell Cardiology

CLEARWATER, FL -- Biostem U.S., Corporation, (OTCQB: HAIR) (PINKSHEETS: HAIR) (Biostem, the Company), a fully reporting public company in the stem cell regenerative medicine sciences sector, today announced that Jeanne Ann Lumadue, MD, PhD, MBA, has been appointed to its Scientific and Medical Board of Advisors (SAMBA).

Dr. Lumadue currently is Medical Director at the Mount Nittany Physician Group Laboratory in State College, PA. She also serves as Medical Director of the Central Pennsylvania Blood Bank and is a member of the medical staff of the Mount Nittany Medical Center, all in State College.

Dr. Lumadue stated, "Biostem's international technology development and licensing approach is well planned. Stem cell regenerative medicine is a rapidly expanding field that has the potential to affect every human being in a positive way. I am delighted to be part of this highly promising company."

Biostem CEO Dwight Brunoehler said, "I am thrilled for the opportunity to work with Jeanne again. She is an innovative thinker, a tireless contributor, and a great team player."

Dr. Lumadue received her undergraduate degree magna cum laude from the Pennsylvania State University and her PhD in Genetics from Yale University. She received an MD degree from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, where she also did residency and fellowship training in anatomic and clinical pathology. She has served as Pathologist and Assistant Medical Director of Transfusion Medicine at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, the Medical Director of Laboratory Hematology and Stem Cell Processing at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC, and the Medical Director of Transfusion Services and Stem Cell Processing at the Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Virginia.

She is a member of the American Society of Hematology, the College of American Pathologists, the American Society of Clinical Pathologists and the AABB, for which she serves as a facility assessor.

About Biostem U.S., Corporation

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Biostem U.S., Corporation Adds Jeanne Ann Lumadue, MD, PhD, MBA to Its Scientific and Medical Board of Advisors

NEW YORK, May 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

Global Human Vaccines Industry

http://www.reportlinker.com/p092575/Global-Human-Vaccines-Industry.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Drug_and_

This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Prophylatic Human Vaccines in US$ Million by the following Product Segments: Pediatric Prophylactic Vaccines and Adult Prophylactic Vaccines. The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Latin America. Annual estimates and forecasts are provided for the period 2009 through 2017. Also, a six-year historic analysis is provided for these markets. The report also analyzes the world market for Therapeutic Vaccines for the period 2010 to 2015. The report profiles 162 companies including many key and niche players such as ALK - Abello A/S, Bavarian Nordic A/S, Crucell N.V., CSL Ltd., GlaxoSmithKline PLC, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals S.A, Medimmune, Inc., Merck & Company, Inc., Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics, Inc., Sanofi, Sanofi-Pasteur SA, Sanofi Pasteur, Inc., Shanta Biotechnics Ltd., Vaxin, Inc., and Wyeth. Market data and analytics are derived from primary and secondary research. Company profiles are primarily based upon search engine sources in the public domain.

I. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & PRODUCT DEFINITIONSStudy Reliability and Reporting Limitations I-1Disclaimers I-2Data Interpretation & Reporting Level I-3Quantitative Techniques & Analytics I-3Product Definitions and Scope of Study I-3Prophylactic Vaccines I-3Therapeutic Vaccines I-4

II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. MARKET OVERVIEW & OUTLOOK II-1Human Vaccines Market Remains Resilient to Recession II-1Global Human Vaccines Market: A Snapshot II-1Market Dynamics II-2Vaccine Pricing: The Developed - Developing Divide II-2Growth Drivers in a Capsule II-3Developed World: The Key Markets II-3Looking Ahead II-3Emerging Markets: The Future Growth Area II-4Competitive Scenario II-5World's Leading Producers II-5Table 1: Leading Players in the Worldwide Vaccines Market(2008): Market Share Breakdown by Value Sales forGlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi-Aventis, Merck & Co., Novartis,Wyeth, and Others (includes corresponding Graph/Chart) II-6ALK- The Global Leader in Allergy Vaccines II-6Table 2: Leading Players in the Worldwide Allergy VaccinesMarket (2005 & 2006 - A Historic Perspective): Market ShareBreakdown of Value Sales (*) for ALK- Abello, Stallergenes,Allergopharma, and Others (includes correspondingGraph/Chart) II-7

2. PRODUCT OVERVIEW II-8

Introduction to the Concept of Immunity II-8

Role of Vaccines in Strengthening the Immune System II-8

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Global Human Vaccines Industry

SALT LAKE CITY, May 16, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Myriad Genetics, Inc. (Nasdaq:MYGN - News) announced today the presentation of a study at the American Society of Clinical Oncology(R) (ASCO) Annual Meeting, including the complete results from a study titled, "Use of a proliferation-based mRNA signature to predict outcome in early-stage non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma." The abstract of the presentation (#7023) is available on the ASCO Meeting website, http://www.asco.org.

Researchers at MD Anderson Cancer Center and Myriad Genetics generated a cell cycle progression (CCP) score for 256 patients with stage I and II lung adenocarcinoma by analyzing the level of expression in 46 cell-cycle progression and housekeeping genes. The study then assessed the prognostic value of the CCP score in predicting patient outcomes as well as the correlation between the CCP score and clinical variables including age, stage of disease, gender, smoking status, tumor size and treatment.

The market need for a lung cancer prognostic test stems from the absence of a molecular diagnostic test to accurately predict disease aggressiveness for patients diagnosed with stage I or II lung adenocarcinoma. Myriad's goal is to develop a prognostic lung cancer test that helps patients understand the aggressiveness of their disease.

About Myriad Genetics

Myriad Genetics, Inc. is a leading molecular diagnostic company dedicated to making a difference in patients' lives through the discovery and commercialization of transformative tests to assess a person's risk of developing disease, guide treatment decisions and assess risk of disease progression and recurrence. Myriad's portfolio of nine molecular diagnostic tests are based on an understanding of the role genes play in human disease and were developed with a focus on improving an individual's decision making process for monitoring and treating disease. With fiscal year 2011 annual revenue of over $400 million and more than 1,000 employees, Myriad is working on strategic directives, including new product introductions, companion diagnostics, and international expansion, to take advantage of significant growth opportunities. For more information on how Myriad is making a difference, please visit the Company's website: http://www.myriad.com.

Myriad, the Myriad logo, BRACAnalysis, Colaris, Colaris AP, Melaris, TheraGuide, Prezeon, OnDose, Panexia and Prolaris are trademarks or registered trademarks of Myriad Genetics, Inc. in the United States and foreign countries. MYGN-G

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements relating to the Company's presentation of a lung cancer study at the American Society for Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting; the market needs for a lung cancer prognostic test to help patients understand the aggressiveness of their disease; the Company's goal and plans to develop a prognostic lung cancer test; and the Company's strategic directives under the caption "About Myriad Genetics". These "forward-looking statements" are based on management's current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the risk that sales and profit margins of our existing molecular diagnostic tests and companion diagnostic services may decline or will not continue to increase at historical rates; the risk that we may be unable to expand into new markets outside of the United States; the risk that we may be unable to develop or achieve commercial success for additional molecular diagnostic tests and companion diagnostic services in a timely manner, or at all; the risk that we may not successfully develop new markets for our molecular diagnostic tests and companion diagnostic services, including our ability to successfully generate revenue outside the United States; the risk that licenses to the technology underlying our molecular diagnostic tests and companion diagnostic services and any future products are terminated or cannot be maintained on satisfactory terms; risks related to delays or other problems with manufacturing our products or operating our laboratory testing facilities; risks related to public concern over genetic testing in general or our tests in particular; risks related to regulatory requirements or enforcement in the United States and foreign countries and changes in the structure of healthcare payment systems; risks related to our ability to obtain new corporate collaborations and acquire new technologies or businesses on satisfactory terms, if at all; risks related to our ability to successfully integrate and derive benefits from any technologies or businesses that we acquire; the development of competing tests and services; the risk that we or our licensors may be unable to protect the proprietary technologies underlying our tests; the risk of patent-infringement and invalidity claims or challenges of our patents; risks of new, changing and competitive technologies and regulations in the United States and internationally; and other factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" contained in Item 1A in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as any updates to those risk factors filed from time to time in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and Myriad undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law.

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Myriad Genetics Announces Presentation of Lung Cancer Study at American Society for Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting

ScienceDaily (May 16, 2012) What can a fish tell us about human brain development? Researchers at Duke University Medical Center transplanted a set of human genes into a zebrafish and then used it to identify genes responsible for head size at birth.

Researchers at Duke University Medical Center transplanted a set of human genes into a zebrafish and then used it to identify genes responsible for head size at birth.

Head size in human babies is a feature that is related to autism, a condition that recent figures have shown to be more common than previously reported, 1 in 88 children in a March 2012 study. Head size is also a feature of other major neurological disorders, such as schizophrenia.

"In medical research, we need to dissect events in biology so we can understand the precise mechanisms that give rise to neurodevelopmental traits," said senior author Nicholas Katsanis, Ph.D., Jean and George Brumley Jr., MD, Professor of Developmental Biology, and Professor of Pediatrics and Cell Biology. "We need expert scientists to work side by side with clinicians who see such anatomic and other problems in patients, if we are to effectively solve many of our medical problems."

The study was published online in Nature journal on May 16.

Katsanis knew that a region on chromosome 16 was one of the largest genetic contributors to autism and schizophrenia, but a conversation at a European medical meeting pointed him to information that changes within that same region of the genome also were related to changes in a newborn's head size.

The problem was difficult to address because the region had large deletions and duplications in DNA, which are the most common mutational mechanisms in humans. "Interpretation is harrowingly hard," said Katsanis, who is also director of the Duke Center for Human Disease Modeling.

The reason is that a duplication of DNA or missing DNA usually involves several genes. "It is very difficult to go from 'here is a region with many genes, sometimes over 50' to 'these are the genes that are driving this pathology,'" Katsanis said.

"There was a light bulb moment," Katsanis said. "The area of the genome we were exploring gave rise to reciprocal (opposite) defects in terms of brain cell growth, so we realized that overexpressing a gene in question might give one phenotype -- a smaller head, while shutting down the same gene might yield the other, a larger head."

The researchers transplanted a common duplication area of human chromosome 16 known to contain 29 genes into zebrafish embryos and then systematically turned up the activity of each transplanted human gene to find which might cause a small head (microcephaly) in the fish. They then suppressed the same gene set and asked whether any of them caused the reciprocal defect: larger heads (macrocephaly).

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Human genes transplanted into zebrafish: Helps identify genes related to autism, schizophrenia and obesity

BOTHELL, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Seattle Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:SGEN - News) today announced that data from two of its antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) programs, ADCETRIS (brentuximab vedotin) and ASG-5ME, will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2012 Annual Meeting being held June 1-5, 2012 in Chicago, IL. A summary of the companys poster presentations is below and full abstracts can be accessed on the ASCO website at http://www.abstract.asco.org.

ADCETRIS

Retreatment with brentuximab vedotin in CD30-positive hematologic malignancies: a phase II study

CD30 expression in non-lymphomatous malignancies

Brentuximab vedotin for relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma: preliminary results from a phase II study

ASG-5ME

Phase 1 trial of ASG-5ME in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC)

About ADCETRIS

ADCETRIS (brentuximab vedotin) is an ADC comprising an anti-CD30 monoclonal antibody attached by a protease-cleavable linker to a microtubule disrupting agent, monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), utilizing Seattle Genetics proprietary technology. The ADC employs a linker system that is designed to be stable in the bloodstream but to release MMAE upon internalization into CD30-expressing tumor cells.

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Seattle Genetics to Present ADCETRIS® and ASG-5ME Data at ASCO Annual Meeting

SALT LAKE CITY, May 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Lineagen today announced the Company completed the testing portion of a 9,000-person research study designed to confirm novel copy number genetic variants and novel next-generation sequence variants associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These variants were discovered by Hakon Hakonarson, M.D., Ph.D., and his team at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)'s Center for Applied Genomics and by Mark F. Leppert, Ph.D., and his team at the University of Utah's Department of Human Genetics. In partnership with Affymetrix, Lineagen has incorporated these novel variants into the next generation of its FirstStepDx genetic testing service, which combines highly advanced genetic testing with fully integrated genetic counseling to accelerate and enhance the diagnostic evaluation of individuals with ASD, developmental delay (DD), and intellectual disability (ID), and help physicians better direct clinical management for these individuals. The launch of Lineagen's next generation FirstStepDx is expected to coincide with peer-review publication of the study results as early as the fourth quarter of 2012.

Lineagen was granted an exclusive commercial license to these novel genetic variants as part of separate broad license and research collaborations with CHOP and the University of Utah to improve the understanding of the genetic contributors to ASD. Notably, the exclusively licensed markers from CHOP, published in Nature and PLoS Genetics, were named by TIME magazine as one of the top ten medical breakthroughs of 2009.

Dr. Hakonarson, Director of CHOP's Center for Applied Genomics, commented, "Recent clinical literature has demonstrated that patients with positive findings on chromosomal microarray (CMA) can experience significant changes in clinical management. By incorporating CHOP's genetic variants, which may account for up to 15% of ASD cases, Lineagen has developed a CMA platform to test for these variants, thereby providing clinicians with information that may affect the way patients with ASD, DD, and ID are evaluated and managed clinically."

Dr. Leppert, Distinguished Professor at the University of Utah's Department of Human Genetics, said, "We are very encouraged by the productivity to date of the research program with Lineagen. The ability to replicate in the general population the findings from our collaboration is a major step in understanding the genetic markers associated with ASD. We look forward to the continued success of the program and to the further refinement of Lineagen's FirstStepDx genetic test."

Michael S. Paul, Ph.D., Lineagen's Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We are further refining our product, to incorporate these ground-breaking discoveries into our next-generation high-density array, and these will differentiate FirstStepDx further by increasing the number of genetic variants known the be associated with ASD. If there are positive results from this large study, which we cannot determine until the research is completed, Lineagen's next-generation FirstStepDx will offer the ability to identify more than 100 novel genetic markers associated with ASD."

About FirstStepDx

Lineagen's FirstStepDx and related autism-risk screening services (www.m-chat.org) have been developed with the specific intention of helping physicians, patients, and families navigate the diagnostic evaluation "odyssey" of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related forms of developmental delay more efficiently. FirstStepDx includes personal genetic counseling, the most advanced CMA and Fragile X genetic testing clinically available, analysis by medical experts, and a detailed, personalized report created specifically for each individual's case. FirstStepDx is specifically designed to help parents, physicians, and other healthcare providers significantly shorten the time to clinical action, allowing access to proven clinical management and treatment approaches as early as possible.

The FirstStepDx genetic test now is available as a fast and painless cheek swab (FirstStepDx Buccal), eliminating the need for a blood draw. For more information about FirstStepDx, please call Lineagen at 888-888-OPEN (888-888-6736) or visit http://www.FirstStepDx.com.

About Lineagen

Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Lineagen's mission is to accelerate and enhance the diagnostic evaluation of medical conditions so that the best possible outcomes can be achieved for patients and their families. Our first commercial offering, FirstStepDx, provides physicians with a fully integrated genetic testing, counseling, and developmental screening service to aid in the diagnostic evaluation of individuals with ASD or other forms of developmental delay. In addition to our deep commitment to ASD and developmental delay, we have ongoing scientific programs in the areas of multiple sclerosis (MS) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

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Lineagen Completes 9000-Person Study Focused on Genetic Variants in Individuals Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum ...

WESTMINSTER, Colo., May 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- GeneThera, Inc. (GTHR.PK) announced today that Applied Genetics, GeneThera's majority owned subsidiary, signed a research and test validation agreement with Universidad National Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM). Scope of the agreement is to validate GeneThera proprietary Johne's disease (JD) HerdCheck Field Collection System (FCS) Molecular Assay in Mexico. Dr. Tony Milici, interim president of Applied Genetics and CEO of GeneThera, stated, "This agreement is another major milestone in establishing GeneThera and Applied Genetics' leadership in the field of Johne's disease molecular testing. UNAM's support is of fundamental importance to speed up the validation process of GeneThera's Johne's disease molecular testing, which will lead to JD test approval by the Mexican Government."

Dr. Gilberto Chaves Griz, Professor of Veterinary Pathology, in the Department of Veterinary medicine at UNAM and Director of the Johne's Disease Center, who is one of the world's most renowned expert in the field of Johne's disease declared, "We are very pleased to partner with Applied Genetics and GeneThera to work on this project. It is extremely critical that we can diagnose JD in Mexico using the most advanced technology available. It is also of paramount importance to establish a Johne's disease program at the national level. Mexico has one of the largest cows, goat and sheep populations in Northern and Central America, yet no data exists to the extent of Johne's infection in these animals. It is our firm intention to establish a National Testing Program for Johne's Disease in Mexico with the help of Applied Genetics and GeneThera's state of the art technology." UNAM is the largest University in Mexico. Applied Genetics is a molecular diagnostic company that focuses on commercializing molecular testing for Johne's disease in Mexico.

Johne's disease is a global devastating and incurable disease of dairy cows, sheep and goats caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium Paratuberculosis sub. Avium, (MAP). Dairy products, contaminated with MAP, are the vehicles by which the infection spreads in the human intestine triggering the onset of Crohn's disease. Applied Genetics employs the use of GeneThera HerdCheck to test and control the spread of Johne's disease in Mexico. HerdCheck is a proprietary molecular diagnostic system based on the use of high throughput robotics and Real time PCR.

About GeneThera, Inc.

GeneThera, Inc. is a molecular biotechnology company located in Westminster, Colorado. The Company's proprietary diagnostic solution is based on a genetic expression system (GES) and Johne's disease management system, HERDCHECK, designed to function on a highly automated Fluorogenic PCR platform. This platform enables GeneThera to offer tests that are presently not available from other technologies. The GES and HERDCHECK systems are designed for a host of individual diseases, the current priority being Johne's disease. For more information, contact Dr. Tony Milici at 720 439-3011.

This press release contains forward-looking statements, which are made pursuant to the Safe-Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "intends," "believes," and similar expressions reflecting something other than historical fact are intended to identify forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including the timely development and market acceptance of products and technologies, the ability to secure additional sources of finance, the ability to reduce operating expenses, and other factors described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The actual results that the Company achieves may differ materially from any forward-looking statement due to such risks and uncertainties. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.

http://www.genethera.net

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Applied Genetics Signs Agreement With The National University Of Mexico (UNAM)

The American Society of Human Genetics recently elected Dr. Jeffrey C. Murray, professor of pediatrics, epidemiology, nursing and biological sciences at the University of Iowa, to serve as the society’s president in 2013.

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Career moves

Ive written before about ancient diseases of the ice age, but this time Im going even further back in time, to diseases that were present in the first human-like hominids. Although many human infections only developed after human settlements and animal domistication, early human ancestors would still have been fighting off bacteria and other nasty diseases. Some of these diseases are still around today.

So how do you start exploring the age of bacteria, and trying to discover when they developed as a human-infecting species? One way to look for the age and relatedness of strains is by looking at the bacterial DNA and examining the rate of mutations that cause very small differences between bacterial strains (single nucleotide polymorphism shown in the image below). It is also possible to identify pseudogenes within the bacteria little bits of viral DNA or bacterial genes that became redundant due to a change in the bacterial lifestyle (for example genes for extracellular lifestyle that started decaying and mutating once the bacteria became fully intracellular). These can be dated using the molecular clock which assumes a steady rate of background mutation and can provide approximations of the age of genes.

Image by David Hall (Gringer). Created using Inkscape v0.45.1. Taken from wikimedia commons, credit link above.

The disease leprosy, caused by Mycobacteria leprae, has recently undergone this analysis and raised some interesting questions about its origins and spread. Although first recorded in humans around 600BC in India, the molecular evidence point to it being far older, possibly originating in Africa during thePaleolithic period. The lack of genetic variation between leprosy strains also points to a genetic bottleneck in the past. This is likely to have been caused by the bacterias low rate of infection. Despite the huge amount of social stigma associated with it leprosy is not highly infectious and could easily have been almost completely lost among early human societies.

Another bacteria to have gone through the genetic analysis is Bordetella pertussis, the bacteria responsible for whooping cough. Originally thought to have passed to humans via a similar species found in domestic animals, the molecular evidence once again suggests that it has been around since before animals were first domesticated. Instead it may have evolved from the bacteria B. bronchiseptica which was present around 2.5 million years ago with a preference for infecting hominids. This makes a rather neat little story of a bacteria adapting to fit the changing hominids as they became human and evolving specifically to fit the human niche (image below by Nathan Reading)

A rather beautiful picture of B. pertussis colonies growing on agar supplemented with charcoal (to provide extra carbon)

Although this research produces some exciting outcomes, it shouldnt be taken as the last word on bacterial origins as it does sometimes come up with some questionable results. Trying to combine SNP analysis results with the molecular clock dating of pseudogenes creates some interesting paradoxes, such as pseudogenes within M. leprae that arose over 9 billion years ago, when modern humans have only existed since approximately250,000 years ago! What is clear however is that not all diseases can be blamed on cities and animal domestication, and that some bacteria were infecting humans back when Homo sapiens was still an exciting new species to be. Deeper genome sequencing analysis andfurtherwork on dating the pseudogenes could give a fascinating look into the development of human diseases from the times of ourearliestancestors.

Ref 1: Trueba G, & Dunthorn M (2012). Many neglected tropical diseases may have originated in the Paleolithic or before: new insights from genetics. PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 6 (3) PMID: 22479653

Ref 2: Monot, M., Honor, N., Garnier, T., Zidane, N., Sherafi, D., Paniz-Mondolfi, A., Matsuoka, M., Taylor, G., Donoghue, H., Bouwman, A., Mays, S., Watson, C., Lockwood, D., Khamispour, A., Dowlati, Y., Jianping, S., Rea, T., Vera-Cabrera, L., Stefani, M., Banu, S., Macdonald, M., Sapkota, B., Spencer, J., Thomas, J., Harshman, K., Singh, P., Busso, P., Gattiker, A., Rougemont, J., Brennan, P., & Cole, S. (2009). Comparative genomic and phylogeographic analysis of Mycobacterium leprae Nature Genetics, 41 (12), 1282-1289 DOI: 10.1038/ng.477

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Ancient Diseases of Human Ancestors

Certain DNA variants associated with microbial types

Web edition : Friday, May 11th, 2012

COLD SPRING HARBOR, N.Y. Microbes arent completely the boss of their human hosts. Peoples genes may have a say in which microbes come to live in and on the human body, a new study suggests.

Recent research has shown that the mix of microbes living in and on the human body is associated with some diseases. But exactly what determines which microbes settle a particular human host has been a mystery. Diet and geography are partially responsible, but the part human genetics plays in determining the microbial mix on the body has been unclear.

We know there is a genetic component, says Ran Blekhman, a geneticist at Cornell University. Were just not sure how big it is.

To find out, Blekhman and his colleagues turned to data collected by the Human Microbiome Project, an effort to genetically catalog the microbes living in and on the human body. Though the project looks for bacterial DNA in swabs of skin, mouths, feces and other sources, some human genetic material is shed in the samples too. The researchers combed the bacterial DNA data for traces of human DNA contamination, and found enough to reconstruct genetic profiles of 100 people.

Comparing the human and bacterial data revealed 51 different human genetic variants that are associated with the relative abundance of certain bacteria living in or on 15 body sites. Some of those genetic variants and the microbes they were associated with have also been linked to diseases. People with a genetic variant near the PCSK2 gene, which is involved in producing insulin, have more Bacteroides bacteria in their intestines, Blekhman reported May 9 at the Biology of Genomes meeting. That same genetic variant has been linked to type 2 diabetes. So has an overabundance of Bacteroides.

People who have a version of the CXCL12 gene previously associated with inflammatory diseases also carry more Granulicatella bacteria on their skin. Those bacteria have previously been linked to skin inflammation.

The findings present a chicken-versus-egg problem, Blekhman says. Still undetermined is if the bacteria are triggering disease in people who carry certain genetic variants, or if the diseases caused by genetic variants lead to more growth of some types of bacteria.

Doctors might be able to use bacterial mixes as markers that patients are at risk of getting certain diseases, says Benjamin Voight, a geneticist at the University of Pennsylvania. But first the researchers will need to establish a convincing statistical argument that genes, diseases and microbes are linked. There are arrows pointing in the right direction, Voight says. Its an interesting observation.

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Genes may influence body's bacteria

08-05-2012 15:27 The several generations alive today have had and will continue to have divergent experiences regarding human genetic and reproductive technologies. What are the key generational differences regarding encounters with and perspectives on these technologies - and technology in general? How do these differences inform ideas about families, identities, privacy and regulation? How do other issues, including environmental protection, economic well-being, global peace, reproductive rights and human rights, intersect with various generations' concerns about human biotechnologies? And what values and concerns are held in common regardless of generational differences? Panelists Magdalina Gugucheva (Council for Responisble Genetics), Sujatha Jesudason (Generations Ahead), Jesse Reynolds (Center for Genetics and Society) and Joe Stramondo (Michigan State University) discuss these topics at the 2010 Tarrytown Meeting. The discussion is moderated by Ruha Benjamin (Assistant Professor of Sociology and African American Studies at Boston University), and Introduced by Judy Norsigian (Executive Director of Our Bodies Ourselves). The Tarrytown Meetings bring together people working to ensure that human biotechnologies and related emerging technologies support rather than undermine social justice, equality, human rights, ecological integrity and the common good. Find out more about the Tarrytown Meetings here: To find more videos, check out the Tarrytown YouTube ...

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Intergenerational Challenges

08-05-2012 18:14 Environmental activist and author Bill McKibben talks about why he wrote Enough: Staying Human in an Engineered Age (2003), how it was received, and what this experience might tell us about communicating and organizing in support of practices and policies addressing human biotechnology, both domestically and internationally. Bill also shares his thoughts about ways in which the issues of climate change and human biotech can be understood as facets of a single dynamic involving the technological manipulation and transformation of the natural world, including plants, animals, humans and ecosystems. Bill is interviewed by Center for Genetics and Society associate executive director Marcy Darnovsky. Talking Biopolitics is a series of live web-based conversations and webinar presentations with distinguished thought leaders. We ask questions - and take yours - about how we can put our vision of a new biopolitics on the public radar. The series is organized by the Center for Genetics and Society to accompany the Tarrytown Meetings. The Center for Genetics and Society is a nonprofit information and public affairs organization working to encourage responsible uses and effective societal governance of the new human genetic and reproductive technologies. We work with a growing network of scientists, health professionals, civil society leaders, and others. Find out more about the Center for Genetics and Society here: The Tarrytown Meetings bring together ...

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Interview with Bill McKibben: Talking Biopolitics - Video

JERUSALEM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NASDAQ: TEVA - News) today announced that Dr. Michael R. Hayden, will join the company as the President of Global Research and Development and Chief Scientific Officer, based in Israel. In this new role, Dr. Hayden will lead all research and development for Teva, thus combining the efforts of two world-class teams focused on the development of both brand and generic medicines.

Dr. Hayden is currently Killam Professor of Medical Genetics at the University of British Columbia, and Canada Research Chair in Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine. He is also the founder and Director/Senior Scientist of the Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the University of British Columbia. He is a preeminent expert in genetics and personalized medicine and is one of the worlds leading experts on Huntingtons disease. Dr. Hayden has extensive experience in all aspects of drug development from target identification, to all stages of clinical development through to drug submission to the various regulatory agencies around the world.

Dr. Jeremy Levin, Tevas incoming President and Chief Executive Officer stated, We are delighted to have Michael join us as our Chief Scientific Officer. He brings to Teva world-renowned experience and knowledge in scientific and clinical research coupled with deep knowledge of discovery and development of medicines. His deeply innovative approach and very strong leadership capabilities make him a true asset for Teva, our customers and the patients we serve.

Commenting on his appointment, Dr. Hayden said: I am thrilled to be leading Tevas world-renowned R&D organization and to be working under Dr. Jeremy Levin's leadership. We have a tremendous opportunity to redefine the way we traditionally develop medicines by focusing on research and development as a whole, and not by how the product will be commercialized.

Dr. Hayden has founded three biotechnology companies: NeuroVir; Aspreva Pharmaceuticals; and Xenon Genetics Inc. He has received numerous prestigious awards, including the Killam Prize and the Canada Gairdner Wightman award in 2011; the Order of Canada in 2010; Order of British Columbia in 2009; Canada's Health Researcher of the Year in 2008 and the Distinguished Scientist Award of the Canadian Society of Clinical Investigation in 1998.

About Teva

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NASDAQ: TEVA - News) is a leading global pharmaceutical company, committed to increasing access to high-quality healthcare by developing, producing and marketing affordable generic drugs as well as innovative and specialty pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Headquartered in Israel, Teva is the world's leading generic drug maker, with a global product portfolio of more than 1,300 molecules and a direct presence in about 60 countries. Teva's branded businesses focus on CNS, oncology, pain, respiratory and women's health therapeutic areas as well as biologics. Teva currently employs approximately 46,000 people around the world and reached $18.3 billion in net revenues in 2011.

Tevas Safe Harbor Statement under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:

This release contains forward-looking statements, which express the current beliefs and expectations of management. Such statements are based on managements current beliefs and expectations and involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause our future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include risks relating to: our ability to develop and commercialize additional pharmaceutical products, competition for our innovative products, especially Copaxone (including competition from innovative orally-administered alternatives, as well as from potential generic equivalents), competition for our generic products (including from other pharmaceutical companies and as a result of increased governmental pricing pressures), competition for our specialty pharmaceutical businesses, our ability to achieve expected results through our innovative R&D efforts, the effectiveness of our patents and other protections for innovative products, decreasing opportunities to obtain U.S. market exclusivity for significant new generic products, our ability to identify, consummate and successfully integrate acquisitions (including the acquisition of Cephalon), the effects of increased leverage as a result of the acquisition of Cephalon, the extent to which any manufacturing or quality control problems damage our reputation for high quality production and require costly remediation, our potential exposure to product liability claims to the extent not covered by insurance, increased government scrutiny in both the U.S. and Europe of our agreements with brand companies, potential liability for sales of generic products prior to a final resolution of outstanding patent litigation, including that relating to the generic version of Protonix, our exposure to currency fluctuations and restrictions as well as credit risks, the effects of reforms in healthcare regulation and pharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement, any failures to comply with complex Medicare and Medicaid reporting and payment obligations, governmental investigations into sales and marketing practices (particularly for our specialty pharmaceutical products), uncertainties surrounding the legislative and regulatory pathway for the registration and approval of biotechnology-based products, adverse effects of political or economical instability, major hostilities or acts of terrorism on our significant worldwide operations, interruptions in our supply chain or problems with our information technology systems that adversely affect our complex manufacturing processes, any failure to retain key personnel (including Cephalon employees) or to attract additional executive and managerial talent, the impact of continuing consolidation of our distributors and customers, variations in patent laws that may adversely affect our ability to manufacture our products in the most efficient manner, potentially significant impairments of intangible assets and goodwill, potential increases in tax liabilities, the termination or expiration of governmental programs or tax benefits, environmental risks and other factors that are discussed in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2011 and in our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

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Teva Appoints Michael Hayden as President of Global Research and Development and Chief Scientific Officer

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: TEVA; TASE: TEVA) CEO Dr. Jeremy Levin, who took up his post today, has wasted no time in making a top appointment.

Yesterday Teva announced that Dr. Michael Hayden is joining the company as president of global R&D and chief scientific officer, based in Israel. In this new role, Dr. Hayden will lead all Teva's R&D.

Dr. Hayden is currently Killam Professor of Medical Genetics at the University of British Columbia, and Canada Research Chair in Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine. He is also the founder and Director/Senior Scientist of the Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the University of British Columbia. He is a preeminent expert in genetics and personalized medicine and is one of the worlds leading experts on Huntingtons disease. Dr. Hayden has extensive experience in all aspects of drug development from target identification, to all stages of clinical development through to drug submission to the various regulatory agencies around the world.

Dr Levin said, "We are delighted to have Michael join us as our chief scientific officer. He brings to Teva world-renowned experience and knowledge in scientific and clinical research coupled with deep knowledge of discovery and development of medicines. His deeply innovative approach and very strong leadership capabilities make him a true asset for Teva, our customers and the patients we serve.

Dr. Hayden said: I am thrilled to be leading Tevas world-renowned R&D organization and to be working under Dr. Jeremy Levin's leadership. We have a tremendous opportunity to redefine the way we traditionally develop medicines by focusing on R&D as a whole, and not by how the product will be commercialized.

Dr. Hayden has founded three biotechnology companies: NeuroVir; Aspreva Pharmaceuticals; and Xenon Genetics Inc. He has received numerous prestigious awards, including the Killam Prize and the Canada Gairdner Wightman award in 2011; the Order of Canada in 2010; Order of British Columbia in 2009; Canada's Health Researcher of the Year in 2008 and the Distinguished Scientist Award of the Canadian Society of Clinical Investigation in 1998.

Dr. Levin replaced CEO Shlomo Yanai today. Yanai stepped down after five years in the job. Two senior executives announced their departure yesterday, corporate VP global branded products Kevin Buchi and senior VP R&D Lesley Russell. When Dr. Levin was appointed it was expected that he would attempt to strengthen Teva's R&D and prepare the company for the day after Copaxone's patent expires.

Published by Globes, Israel business news - http://www.globes-online.com - on May 9, 2012

Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2012

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Teva appoints Canadian genetics expert to head R&D

President Shirley Tilghman and biology professor David Botstein recounted tales of their involvement as young scientists in the Human Genome Project and gave their opinions on hot topics in molecular biology in a talk Tuesday afternoon.

The talk, titled Speaking of Genetics ... Five Years Later was led by author Jane Gitschier, a professor at the Institute of Human Genetics at the University of California San Francisco, who first interviewed Tilghman and Botstein separately in 2006 for the journal PLoS Genetics. Gitschier also incorporated interviews with them into her own book published in 2010 called Speaking of Genetics: A Collection of Interviews.

Tilghman and Botstein said in the interview that they first met in Phillip Leders laboratory at the National Institutes of Health in Washington, D.C., in the mid- 1970s. At the time, Tilghman was working as a postdoctoral student with molecular biology professor Lynn Enquist on cloning a single gene from the mouse genome coding for a piece of the hemoglobin protein, which transports oxygen in red blood cells.

Botstein and Tilghman met again as the youngest members of the Alberts Committee, a committee of scientists arranged by the National Academy of Sciences and Bruce Alberts to weigh the pros and cons of sequencing the human genome. Both recalled initial concerns about moving forward with the Human Genome Project, which completed sequencing in 2006.

What many of us who worked with model organisms were concerned about was going ahead and focusing on only sequencing the human genome, Tilghman said. My concern in the beginning was the narrow thinking about the project, she added.

Tilghman explained that at the time of the committee, the difficulty of sequencing DNA by hand led to concerns about not addressing the genomes of model

organisms such as E. coli and C. elegans, which are commonly used in biological research.

One of the amusing things about [the Human Genome Project report] is that I ended up writing the sequencing chapter. As it turned out, I was the only one who actually knew how to sequence DNA. The others hadnt got their hands dirty in years, Tilghman said.

Botstein also noted the difficulty of sequencing DNA and the funding problems that the project encountered.

My concern was that [sequencing the human genome] would do to biology the same thing the space shuttle did to planetary astronomy, which would be to eat up all the funds and siphon money away from other projects, Botstein said.

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Tilghman reflects on DNA study

HUDDERSFIELD, England, May 8 (UPI) -- DNA analysis has provided new insights into how human beings repopulated Europe as the Ice Age relaxed its grip and retreated, researchers say.

Writing in the American Journal of Human Genetics, scientists said research shows the Near East was a major source of replenishment when huge areas of European territory became habitable again about 19,000 years ago.

Previously, it had been thought humans survived in two areas when the Ice Age, or Last Glacial Maximum, descended on Europe about 26,000 years ago: an area roughly coinciding with northern Spain/southern France, and a region of the Ukrainian plains.

In a study, researches at the University of Huddersfield in Britain analyzed mitochondrial DNA from Europeans who belong to two major lineages known to have originated in the Middle East and thought to have migrated to Europe in the Neolithic age, about 9,000 years ago.

But the analysis showed humans belonging to those genetic groups actually migrated to Europe much earlier than previously believed, as the Ice Age drew to a close.

"The end of the Last Glacial Maximum allowed people to recolonize the parts of Europe that had been deserted and this expansion allowed increase of human populations," archaeo-genetics research Maria Pala said.

Archaeo-genetics -- which combines archaeology with genetics to learn about the early history of humans and how they colonized the planet -- has important lessons to teach humanity, she said.

"It helps us to reevaluate the perception of our identity," she said. "We are highly focused on identifying ourselves as Italians, British or whatever, but by analyzing DNA we discover that originally, not such a long time ago, we came from a common source."

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Ancient migrations tracked through DNA

ScienceDaily (May 8, 2012) Scientists have used DNA analysis to gain important new insights into how human beings repopulated Europe as the Ice Age relaxed its grip.

Dr Maria Pala, who is based at the University of Huddersfield -- now a key centre for archaeo-genetics research -- is the lead author of an article in the latest issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics which shows how the Near East was a major source of replenishment when huge areas of European territory became habitable again, up to 19,000 years ago.

Until the new findings, it was thought that there were two principal safe havens for humans as the Ice Age, or Last Glacial Maximum, descended, approximately 26,000 years ago. They were a "Franco-Cantabrian" area roughly coinciding with northern Spain/southern France, and a "Periglacial province" on the Ukrainian plains.

Now Dr Pala and her colleagues have greatly added to this picture by analyzing large quantities of mitochondrial DNA from Europeans who belong to two major lineages -- who share a common genetic ancestor -- named J and T. It is known that these haplo-groups originated in the Middle East and until the latest research it was thought that they migrated to Europe in the Neolithic age, approximately 9,000 years ago.

The research project outlined in the American Journal of Human Genetics presents evidence that humans belonging to the J and T haplo-groups actually migrated to Europe much earlier than previously believed, as the Ice Age drew to a close.

"The end of the Last Glacial Maximum allowed people to recolonize the parts of Europe that had been deserted and this expansion allowed increase of human populations," says Sardinian-born Dr Pala, who begun research into the topic while at the University of Pavia in Italy.

She later relocated to the UK and is now a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Huddersfield, where archaeo-genetics research -- in newly equipped laboratories -- is headed by

Professor Martin Richards, a leader in a field of science which combines archaeology with genetics to learn about the early history of humans and how they colonized the planet.

In addition to purely scientific challenges and discoveries, Dr Pala believes that archaeo-genetics has important lessons to teach humanity.

"It helps us to reevaluate the perception of our identity. We are highly focused on identifying ourselves as Italians, British or whatever, but by analyzing DNA we discover that originally, not such a long time ago, we came from a common source."

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Refugees from the Ice Age: How was Europe repopulated?