OpGen (NASDAQ:OPGN) and Avant Diagnostics (OTCMKTS:AVDX) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, risk, dividends, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and earnings.

Profitability

This table compares OpGen and Avant Diagnostics net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Volatility and Risk

OpGen has a beta of 0.64, suggesting that its stock price is 36% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Avant Diagnostics has a beta of 9.42, suggesting that its stock price is 842% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares OpGen and Avant Diagnostics revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Avant Diagnostics has lower revenue, but higher earnings than OpGen.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of current ratings and target prices for OpGen and Avant Diagnostics, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

OpGen presently has a consensus target price of $7.93, suggesting a potential upside of 405.31%. Given OpGens higher probable upside, equities research analysts plainly believe OpGen is more favorable than Avant Diagnostics.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

0.3% of OpGen shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 0.0% of Avant Diagnostics shares are held by institutional investors. 5.0% of OpGen shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 38.0% of Avant Diagnostics shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

Avant Diagnostics beats OpGen on 7 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

About OpGen

OpGen, Inc., a precision medicine company, engages in developing molecular information products and services to combat infectious diseases in the United States and internationally. The company utilizes molecular diagnostics and informatics to help combat infectious diseases. It also helps clinicians with information about life threatening infections, enhance patient outcomes, and decrease the spread of infections caused by multidrug-resistant microorganisms. The company's products include Acuitas AMR Gene Panel, a vitro diagnostic test for the detection and identification of various bacterial nucleic acids and genetic determinants of antimicrobial resistance in urine specimens or bacterial colonies isolated from urine and other body sites; and QuickFISH and PNA FISH products, which are FDA-cleared and CE-marked diagnostic test designed to detect antimicrobial- resistant pathogens. In addition, it offers Acuitas Lighthouse informatics systems, a cloud-based HIPAA compliant informatics offerings, which combine clinical lab test results with patient and hospital information, and provide analytics and insights to enable manage MDROs in the hospital and patient care environment. The company was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

About Avant Diagnostics

Avant Diagnostics, Inc., a commercial-stage molecular data-generating company, focuses on the development and commercialization of proprietary data-generating assays that provide information for physicians and patients in the areas of cancers. It owns license and distribution right for OvaDx, a noninvasive proteomics diagnostic screening test for the early detection of ovarian cancer. The company was founded in 2009 and is based in Washington, District of Columbia.

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OpGen (NASDAQ:OPGN) and Avant Diagnostics (NASDAQ:AVDX) Head-To-Head Review - Riverton Roll

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Sample Preparation in Genomics, Proteomics, and Epigenomics: Global Markets" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This research report categorizes the market for sample preparation in genomics, proteomics and epigenomics by product segment. The major product segments are instruments, consumables, accessories and sample preparation kits. The instruments segment is subdivided into workstations, liquid handling systems, extraction systems and other instruments. Consumables are divided into columns, filters, tubes, plates and other consumables. Sample preparation kits are segmented into purification kits, isolation kits, extraction kits and others.

The global market for sample preparation is segmented by end user into research centers, academic institutes, and government institutes, hospitals and clinics, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and others. The markets in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and rest of the world are covered. The market is also segmented by application into genomics, proteomics and epigenomics.

The Report Includes:

Key Topics Covered:

Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 2 Summary and Highlights

Chapter 3 Market Overview

Chapter 4 Global Market for Sample Preparation in Genomics, Proteomics and Epigenomics by Product Segment

Chapter 5 Global Market for Sample Preparation in Genomics, Proteomics and Epigenomics by Application Segment

Chapter 6 Global Market for Sample Preparation in Genomics, Proteomics and Epigenomics by End User

Chapter 7 Global Market for Sample Preparation in Genomics, Proteomics and Epigenomics by Region

Chapter 8 Company Profiles

Chapter 9 Competitive Landscape

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/j4pqkx

Excerpt from:

The Global Market for Sample Preparation in Genomics, Proteomics and Epigenomics is Projected to Reach $7.7 Billion by 2021, Growing at a CAGR of 6.5%...

StaffCompanion (AC) in the General Division of the Order of Australia

Professor Bruce Gregory Robinson AM (MBBS 80 MSc 83 MD 91)For eminent service to medical research, and to national healthcare, through policy development and reform, and to tertiary education.

Professor Peter Joseph McCluskeyFor distinguished service to ophthalmology, and to medical education, to eye health organisations, and to the community.

Emeritus Professor Jules Mitchell Guss (BSc 67 PhD 70)For distinguished service to education and scientific research in the field of molecular bioscience, and to professional organisations.

Dr Stephen Bourke For significant service to the international community of Jordan through archaeologicalprojects.

Professor Pierre Henri ChapuisFor significant service to medical education, and to colorectal surgery.

Professor Richard de DearFor significant service to education, particularly the design of the built environment.

Associate Professor Nicholas John EvansFor service to medicine in the fields of gastroenterology and hepatology.

Dr Meng Chong NguFor service to medicine in the fields of gastroenterology and hepatology.

Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Joan Beazley AO QC (LLB 74 LLD 08)For eminent service to the people of New South Wales, particularly through leadership roles in the judiciary, and as a mentor of young women lawyers.

Professor Margaret Elaine Gardner AO (BEc 76 PhD 84)For eminent service to tertiary education through leadership and innovation in teaching and learning, research and financial sustainability.

Ms Ilana Rachel Atlas (LLM 87)For distinguished service to the financial and manufacturing sectors, to education, and to the arts.

Dr John Michael Bennett AM (LLM 64 BA 66 LLB 69 LLD 90 Dlitt 07)For distinguished service to the law through prolific authorship of biographies of eminent members of the legal profession.

Professor Robert Graham Cumming (MD 17)For distinguished service to medical education and research, particularly to ageing and age-related diseases.

Mr Kevin McCann AM (BA 61 LLB 64)For distinguished service to business, to corporate governance, and as an advocate for gender equity.

Professor John Reginald Piggot (BA 70)For distinguished service to education, to population ageing research, and to public finance policy development.

Professor Robert (John) Simes (Bsc (Med) 74 MBBS 76 MD 88)For distinguished service to education, and to medicine, in the field of cancer research and clinical trials.

Dr Robyn Williams AM (DSc 88 D.Sc(Honoris Causa) 88)For distinguished service to science as a journalist, radio presenter and author, and to education.

Mr Anthony Abrahams (BA 56 LLB 59)For significant service to Australia-France relations, and to the law.

Emeritus Professor Thomas (John) Boulton (MMedHum 10)For significant service to medical education, and to paediatric medicine.

Emeritus Professor Richard Laurence Broome (PhD 75)For significant service to education in the field of history, and to historical groups.

The Honourable Dr Meredith Anne Burgmann (BA 69 MA 74)For significant service to the people and Parliament of New South Wales.

Dr Graham John Faichney (MAgr 63)For significant service to science in the fields of animal nutrition and physiology.

Emeritus Professor John Joseph Fitzgerald (BA 80)For significant service to higher education, particularly in the field of Chinese studies.

Dr Robyn Rae Iredale (BA 66 DipEd 67)For significant service to people with an intellectual disability, and to education.

Mr David Harley Jacobs (BEc 74)For significant service to Australia-Japan relations, and to business.

Professor Margaret Anne Jolly (BA 70 PhD 80)For significant service to education, particularly to gender and Pacific studies.

Dr David Ronald Leece PSM RFD ED (BScAgr 64 MAgr 68)For significant service to the environment, and to defence and security studies.

Dr Qazi Ashfaq Ahmad (PhD 76)For service to the Muslim community, and to interfaith relations.

Mrs Diana Joy Alexander (Med 99)For service to education, and to the community of Lockhart.

Dr Ian Melvyn Chung (MBBS 63)For service to the law, to medicine, and to the community.

Mrs Robyn Madelon Claydon (MA 79)For service to education, and to the Anglican Church of Australia.

Dr Phillip Seldon Cocks (MBBS 73)For service to medicine, and to medical associations.

Ms Marie Ann Ficarra (BSc 76)For service to the people and Parliament of New South Wales.

Mr Alan Claude Locke (BE(Mech) 63)For service to the community through charitable organisations.

Mr Robert Peter Selinger (BA 69 Med 75)For service to the community, and to education.

Mr John Stewart Stoddart (BArch 59)For service to the performing arts as a designer.

Dr Mark Tredinnick (BA 84 LLB 86)For service to literature, and to education.

Dr Treve Williams (BVSc 65)For service to veterinary science.

Ms Vicki Telfer (MPA 02 MAdminLawPol 10)For outstanding public service to industrial relations policy and reform in New South Wales.

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Exosome Diagnostics Market Report analysis including industry Overview, Country Analysis, Key Trends, Key Retail Innovations, Competitive Landscape and Sector Analysis for upcoming years.

ReportsnReports added a new report on The Exosome Diagnostics Market Technologies report delivers the clean elaborated structure of the Report comprising each and every business related information of the market at a global level. The complete range of information related to the Exosome Diagnostics Market Technologies is obtained through various sources and this obtained the bulk of the information is arranged, processed, and represented by a group of specialists through the application of different methodological techniques and analytical tools such as SWOT analysis to generate a whole set of trade based study regarding the Exosome Diagnostics Market Technologies.

Download a Free PDF Sample of Exosome Diagnostics Market Technologies Research Report at:

http://www.reportsnreports.com/contactme=1781607

Top Companies mentioned in this report are Capricor Therapeutics Inc, Evox Therapeutics Ltd, ReNeuron Group Plc, Stem Cell Medicine Ltd, Tavec Inc, Codiak Biosciences Inc, Therapeutic Solutions International Inc, ArunA Biomedical Inc, Ciloa 85.

This latest report is on Exosome Diagnostics Market Technologies which explores the application of exosome technologies within the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. Exosomes are small cell-derived vesicles that are abundant in bodily fluids, including blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid as well as in in vitro cell culture.

These vesicles are being used in a variety of therapeutic applications, including as therapeutic biomarkers, drug delivery systems and therapies in their own right. Research within this area remains in the nascent stages, although a number of clinical trials have been registered within the field.

Exosomes have several diverse therapeutic applications, largely centering on stem cell and gene therapy.

Exosomes have been identified as endogenous carriers of RNA within the body, allowing for the intracellular transportation of genetic material to target cells.

As such, developers have worked to engineer exosomes for the delivery of therapeutic miRNA and siRNA-based gene therapies. As RNA is highly unstable within the body, a number of different biological vector systems have been developed to enhance their transport within the circulation, including viruses and liposomes.

Similarly, exosomes derived from stem cells have also been identified for their therapeutic applications, particularly in the treatment of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Exosome technologies offer several advantages over existing biologic-based drug delivery systems.

Reasons to buy this Report:

Develop a comprehensive understanding of exosome technologies and their potential for use within the healthcare sector, Analyze the pipeline landscape and gain insight into the key companies investing in exosomes technologies, Identify trends in interventional and observational clinical trials relevant to exosomes.

Get this Report @ http://www.reportsnreports.com/purchasme=1781607

Scope of this Report:

What are the features of the exosome lifecycle?,How are therapeutic exosomes prepared?,How do exosome therapies in development differ in terms of stage of development, molecule type and therapy area?,Which companies are investing in exosome technologies?,How many clinical trials investigate exosomes as biomarkers, therapeutics and vectors?

Table of contents for Exosome Diagnostics Market Technologies:

1 Table of Contents 4

1.1 List of Tables 6

1.2 List of Figures 7

2 Exosomes in Healthcare 8

2.1 Overview of Exosomes 8

2.2 Drug Delivery Systems 9

2.2.1 Modified Release Drug Delivery Systems 9

2.2.2 Targeted Drug Delivery Systems 10

2.2.3 Liposomes 12

2.2.4 Viruses 14

2.2.5 Exosomes 17

2.3 The Exosome Lifecycle 18

2.4 Exosomes in Biology 18

2.5 Exosomes in Medicine 19

2.5.1 Biomarkers 19

2.5.2 Vaccines 20

2.6 Exosomes as a Therapeutic Target 20

2.7 Exosomes as Drug Delivery Vehicles 21

2.8 Therapeutic Preparation of Exosomes 21

2.8.1 Isolation and Purification 22

2.8.2 Drug Loading 22

2.8.3 Characterization 23

2.8.4 Bioengineering 23

2.8.5 Biodistribution and In Vivo Studies 23

2.8.6 Advantages of Exosome Therapies 24

2.8.7 Disadvantages of Exosome Therapies 24

2.9 Exosomes in Therapeutic Research 25

2.9.1 Exosome Gene Therapies 25

2.9.2 Exosome in Stem Cell Therapy 26

2.10 Exosomes in Oncology 27

2.10.1 Immunotherapy 27

2.10.2 Gene Therapy 28

2.10.3 Drug Delivery 29

2.10.4 Biomarkers 30

2.11 Exosomes in CNS Disease 30

2.11.1 Tackling the Blood-Brain Barrier 30

2.11.2 Exosomes in CNS Drug Delivery 31

2.11.3 Gene Therapy 32

2.12 Exosomes in Other Diseases 33

2.12.1 Cardiovascular Disease 33

2.12.2 Metabolic Disease 33

3 Assessment of Pipeline Product Innovation 36

3.1 Overview 36

3.2 Exosome Pipeline by Stage of Development and Molecule Type 36

3.3 Pipeline by Molecular Target 37

3.4 Pipeline by Therapy Area and Indication 38

3.5 Pipeline Product Profiles 38

3.5.1 AB-126 - ArunA Biomedical Inc. 38

3.5.2 ALX-029 and ALX-102 - Alxerion Biotech 39

3.5.3 Biologics for Autism - Stem Cell Medicine Ltd 39

3.5.4 Biologic for Breast Cancer - Exovita Biosciences Inc. 39

3.5.5 Biologics for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis - Regenasome Pty 39

3.5.6 Biologic for Lysosomal Storage Disorder - Exerkine 39

3.5.7 Biologics for Prostate Cancer - Cells for Cells 40

3.5.8 CAP-2003 - Capricor Therapeutics Inc. 40

3.5.9 CAP-1002 - Capricor Therapeutics Inc. 41

3.5.10 CIL-15001 and CIL-15002 - Ciloa 42

3.5.11 ExoPr0 - ReNeuron Group Plc 42

3.5.12 MVAX-001 - MolecuVax Inc. 43

3.5.13 Oligonucleotides to Activate miR124 for Acute Ischemic Stroke - Isfahan University of Medical Sciences 44

3.5.14 Oligonucleotides to Inhibit KRAS for Pancreatic Cancer - Codiak BioSciences Inc. 44

3.5.15 Proteins for Neurology and Proteins for CNS Disorders and Oligonucleotides for Neurology - Evox Therapeutics Ltd 44

3.5.16 TVC-201 and TVC-300 - Tavec Inc. 45

4 Assessment of Clinical Trial Landscape 48

4.1 Interventional Clinical Trials 48

4.1.1 Clinical Trials by Therapy Type 48

4.1.2 Clinical Trials by Therapy Area 49

4.1.3 Clinical Trials by Stage of Development 50

4.1.4 Clinical Trials by Start Date and Status 50

4.2 Observational Clinical Trials 51

4.2.1 Clinical Trials by Therapy Type 51

4.2.2 Clinical Trials by Therapy Area 51

4.2.3 Clinical Trials by Stage of Development 52

4.2.4 Clinical Trials by Start Date and Status 53

4.2.5 List of All Clinical Trials 54

5 Company Analysis and Positioning 67

5.1 Company Profiles 67

5.1.1 Capricor Therapeutics Inc. 67

5.1.2 Evox Therapeutics Ltd 72

5.1.3 ReNeuron Group Plc 73

5.1.4 Stem Cell Medicine Ltd 77

5.1.5 Tavec Inc. 78

5.1.6 Codiak Biosciences Inc. 80

Originally posted here:

Current research: 2020 Latest Report on Exosome Diagnostics Market Report Technologies, Analyze the Pipeline Landscape and Key Companies - WhaTech...

Vizgen leverages validated, proprietary technology to push the boundaries of spatially resolved, single-cell transcriptomics, yielding unprecedented insight into molecular and cellular organization of both heathy and pathological tissues.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Vizgen, a privately-held biotech company developing solutions for next-generation spatially resolved, single-cell transcriptomics, announced the closing of a $14 million Series A financing led by ARCH Venture Partners and Northpond Ventures. The investors have come together to accelerate productization of Vizgen's patented MERFISH (multiplexed error-robust fluorescence in situ hybridization)platform with the goal of empowering and commercializing this technology for research and development and eventual clinical use.

MERFISH is a quantitative and genome-scale multiplexed imaging technology for identifying nucleic acids in their native cellular and tissue environment [1, 2, 3]. MERFISH leverages error-correcting barcoding schemes and combinatorial labeling and imaging for near 100% detection efficiency and low false-positive rates at high throughput and low cost [1, 2, 3,4,5]. Deep profiling of RNAs in single cells in their native context by MERFISH reveals cell type, state, organization, interactions, and function within the tissue [6], providing an unprecedented window into health and disease.

The MERFISH technology was developed in the laboratory of Dr. Xiaowei Zhuang, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and David B. Arnold Professor of Science at Harvard University. Dr. Zhuang was also the inventor of STORM, one of the first and most widely used super-resolution microscopy methods responsible for uncovering numerous novel cellular structures.

In addition to Dr. Zhuang, the co-founders of Vizgen also include David Walt, Ph.D., Core Faculty at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University, Professor of Pathology at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Hansjrg Wyss Professor of Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard Medical School and Dr. Jeffrey Moffitt, Ph.D., Investigator at the Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine at Boston Children's Hospital and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Walt is a pioneer of single-molecule detection and analysis techniques and the scientific founder of Illumina Inc, Quanterix Corp, and several other cutting-edge life science companies. Dr. Walt will serve on Vizgen's Board of Directors. Dr. Moffitt co-invented MERFISH while a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Zhuang and is a leader in the field of spatially resolved single-cell transcriptomics.

"MERFISH is a game-changing technology in single-cell genomics and has broad applications in both fundamental biology and medicine," said Dr. Walt. "Error detection and correction enable researchers to get the right answer. Vizgen's patented technology is critical for powering this unprecedented massively multiplexed single molecule detection capability. We are excited that this funding will help us make the technology broadly accessible to the community, greatly amplifying its impact."

"We are proud to join proven innovators like Drs. Walt and Zhuang in bringing this breakthrough technology to market," said Keith Crandell, Co-founder and Managing Director at ARCH Venture Partners. "The deep information unlocked by MERFISH exposes biology at the network level, driving insights that will help us build the future of human health."

About VizgenVizgen is a privately held biotech company developing the next generation of spatially resolved, single-cell transcriptomics technology and toolbox. The company's patented MERFISH technology enables massively multiplexed, genome-scale nucleic acid imaging with high accuracy and detection efficiency at subcellular resolution. The high throughput and resolution and the low cost per cell achieved by the technology will enable a wide range of tissue-scale basic research and development and will be instrumental to efforts to discover and map cell types and states in a range of tissues and organisms. Tools employing MERFISH will advance data-driven drug discovery and development and enable new insights for clinical pathology and diagnostics. For more information, please visit http://www.vizgen.com.

Story continues

About ARCHARCH Venture Partners is one of the largest early stage technology venture firms in the U.S. ARCH has co-founded and provided initial investments for more than 250 companies organized around innovations from research universities, national laboratories, corporate research groups and entrepreneurs. By focusing on leading scientific innovators, ARCH has been at the forefront of investing in major areas of innovation in the life sciences and physical sciences, and has helped to catalyze revolutionary advances in genomics, nanotechnology, industrial biotechnology and major disease treatments. ARCH has raised ten primary funds with combined committed capital at the time raised of approximately $4.5 billion. For more information please visit http://www.archventure.com.

About NorthpondThe round was co-led by Northpond Ventures,a global venture capital firm dedicated to science and technology.Northpond'sSharon Kedar,the Co-Founder and Partnerat the firm, will join the Vizgen team as a Board member.

Contact:Mary ConwayMConway@MKCStrategies.com516-606-6545

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vizgen-launches-with-14m-series-a-financing-led-by-arch-venture-partners-and-northpond-ventures-300996237.html

SOURCE Vizgen

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Vizgen Launches with $14M Series A Financing Led by ARCH Venture Partners and Northpond Ventures - Yahoo Finance

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 30, 2020--

The Molecular Diagnostics Market Share & Global Forecast, By Application, Technology, End User, Regions, Companies report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.coms offering.

Increasing prevalence of Infectious diseases such as Influenza, HPV, Hepatitis, HIV and Tuberculosis despite rise in sanitation practices globally. In the past, antimicrobials medicines were used to fight powerful infectious disease but slowly in todays time antimicrobial agent is not able to give the desired results because the problem of drug resistant occurs in many people across the world.

Nowadays, a new diagnostic procedure is being followed to fight infectious disease like molecular diagnostic test is very effective which is quite fast and precise. The number of cancer patients is increasing very fast, so it is believed that in the coming time the molecular diagnostic test market will be growing at rapid pace. Global Molecular Diagnostics Market is likely to surpass US$ 22.5 Billion by the end of year 2025.

There are various reasons that will propel the market growth in forecast year; rising incidence rate of infectious disease, increasing incidence rate of cancer of all type, increasing people awareness regarding molecular diagnostic, rapid technological growth, widely acceptance of personalized medicine, rising healthcare infrastructure, increasing healthcare per capita expenditure across the developed and developing nation, accuracy of diagnosis, growing population of cardiovascular and neurological disorder etc. In addition, increasing prevalence of genetic disorder will further boost the market in forecast period of time.

The report titled Molecular Diagnostics Market Share & Forecast, By Application (Infectious Diseases, Blood Screening, Oncology, Genetic Testing, HLA (Tissue Typing), Microbiology, Cardiovascular Diseases, Neurological Diseases, Pharmacogenomics and Others), By Technology (PCR, Transcription-Mediated Amplification (TMA), Hybridiazation (In-situ Hybridiazation & FISH), DNA Sequencing & NGS, Microarray and Others), By End User (Hospitals & Academic Laboratories, Clinics and Commercial Laboratories, Others), By Regions [United States, Europe (Expect Russia), India, China, Japan, Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, Russia and ROW], Companies (Roche, Abbott, Myriad Genetics, Qiagen, BioMrieux and Others) provides a complete analysis of Molecular Diagnostics Market.

Market Insight by Application

The report provides comprehensive analysis of molecular diagnostic test market by application into ten parts: Infectious Diseases, Genetic Testing, Blood Screening, Oncology, HLA (Tissue Typing), Microbiology, Neurological Diseases, Pharmacogenomics, Cardiovascular Diseases, and Others. This report also provides key opportunities market and specific factors are given by each application market.

Market Insight by Technology

Here the market is fragmented into six parts; PCR, Transcription-Mediated Amplification (TMA), Hybridiazation (In-situ Hybridiazation & FISH), DNA Sequencing & NGS, Microarray and Others. Besides, many factors are analyzed that influence the growth, challenges and opportunities of market in technological context.

Market Insight by End User

The report provides complete insight of market by End User segments: Hospitals & Academic Laboratories, Clinics & Commercial Laboratories and Others. According to the publisher, Hospitals & Academic Laboratories will hold the largest market in global molecular diagnostic test market in forecast period of time.

Market Insight by Regions

This report covers the complete regional profile by 10 geographical market; United States, Europe, India, China, Japan, Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, Russia and Rest of World (ROW).

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary

2. Global Molecular Diagnostic Market

3. Market Share - Global Molecular Diagnostics

3.1 By Application

3.2 By Technology

3.3 By Countries

3.4 By Companies

4. Application - Molecular Diagnostics Market

4.1 Infectious Diseases

4.1.1 Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI)

4.1.2 HIV / HCV Testing

4.1.3 STD Testing

4.1.4 HPV Testing

4.2 Blood Screening

4.3 Oncology / Cancer

4.3.1 Breast

4.3.2 Colorectal

4.3.3 Prostate

4.3.4 Others

4.4 Genetic Testing

4.5 HLA (Tissue Typing)

4.6 Microbiology

4.7 Cardiovascular Diseases

4.8 Neurological Diseases

4.9 Pharmacogenomics

4.10 Others

5. Technology - Molecular Diagnostics Market

5.1 PCR

5.2 Transcription-Mediated Amplification (TMA)

5.3 Hybridiazation (In-situ Hybridiazation & FISH)

5.4 DNA Sequencing & NGS

5.5 Microarray

5.6 Others

6. Region - Molecular Diagnostics Market

6.1 United States

6.2 Europe

6.3 India

6.4 China

6.5 Japan

6.6 Brazil

6.7 South Korea

6.8 Mexico

6.9 Russia

6.10 Rest of World (ROW)

7. End Users - Molecular Diagnostics Market

7.1 Hospitals & Academic Laboratories

7.2 Clinics and Commercial Laboratories

7.3 Others

8. Roche Diagnostics - Company Analysis

8.1 Merger & Acquisitions

8.2 Sales Analysis

9. Abbott Laboratories - Company Analysis

9.1 Merger & Acquisitions

9.2 Sales Analysis

10. Myriad Genetics - Company Analysis

10.1 Merger & Acquisitions

10.2 Sales Analysis

11. Qiagen - Company Analysis

11.1 Merger & Acquisitions

11.2 Sales Analysis

12. BioMrieuxs Inc - Company Analysis

12.1 Merger & Acquisitions

12.2 Sales Analysis

13. Market Drivers

13.1 Various Developments in the Molecular Diagnostics Landscape

13.2 Integral to Traditional Labs

13.3 Improved Assay / Test Efficiencies

13.4 Targeting Antibiotic Resistance

13.5 Next Generation Ultrasensitive Molecular Diagnostics

13.6 Increasing Investment in Genomics & Proteomics Research

13.7 Technological Advances in Molecular Diagnostics

13.8 Increasing Acceptance of the Personalized Medicine

13.9 Growing Molecular Diagnostics for Food Safety

14. Challenges

14.1 Dearth of Trained Professionals

14.2 Regulatory Issues

14.3 Various Factors Slowing Growth of Molecular Diagnostics

14.4 Reimbursement Capabilities

14.5 Quality Checkpoints, Awareness & Acceptance

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/j3on5s

View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200130005474/en/

CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.com

Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

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Global Molecular Diagnostics Market is Likely to Surpass US$ 22.5 Billion by the End of Year 2025 - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Associated Press

3,200 Life Science and IT Leaders to Unite for Conference and Expo, April 21-23 in Boston

Bio-IT World 2020, the leading conference and expo uniting life science, data, informatics and IT leaders, today announced an expanded focus on the Data Science innovations that are moving precision medicine into new frontiers.

More than 3,200 such experts from pharmaceutical, biotech, healthcare and technology organizations, government and academia will converge for the 19th annual event, taking place April 21-23, 2020 in Boston.

"Data science is foundational to life science companieschanging the competencies required to compete. The opportunities to push our industry to the edge of discovery are thrilling for those organizations that embrace a collaborative, data-driven approach," said Allison Proffitt, Editorial Director, Bio-IT World.

From a plenary keynote presentation on the National Institutes of Healths (NIH) Strategic Vision for Data Science, to a new Data Science and Analytics Technologies track with Bristol-Myers Squibb, Takeda and more, the conference will highlight effective strategies, analytics and tools.

Altogether, 16 conference tracks will cover AI for Drug Discovery, Bioinformatics, Data Storage and Transport, Pharmaceutical R&D Informatics, Cancer Informatics, Genome Informatics, Clinical Research and Translational Informatics, Data and Metadata Management, Data Visualization Tools, Emerging AI Technologies, AI: Business Value Outcomes, Software Applications and Services, Data Security and Compliance, Cloud Computing, and Open Access and Collaborations, in addition to Data Science and Analytics Technologies.

Other highlights include 250+ presentations, 160+ exhibitors, Plenary Keynotes, pre-conference workshops, a Hackathon, awards, poster sessions and networking. See details at bio-itworldexpo.com.

About Cambridge Healthtech InstituteCambridge Healthtech Institute (CHI), a division of Cambridge Innovation Institute, is the preeminent life science network for leading researchers and business experts from top pharmaceutical, biotech, CROs, academia, and niche service providers. CHI is renowned for its vast conference portfolio held worldwide including PepTalk, Molecular Medicine Tri-Conference, SCOPE Summit, Bio-IT World Conference & Expo, PEGS Summit, Drug Discovery Chemistry, Biomarker World Congress, World Pharma Week, The Bioprocessing Summit, Next Generation Dx Summit, Immuno-Oncology Summit, and Discovery on Target. CHI's portfolio of products include Cambridge Healthtech Institute Conferences, Barnett International, Insight Pharma Reports, Bio-IT World, Clinical Research News and Diagnostics World.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200128005512/en/

Contacts

Dawn Ringel781-449-8456 or dawn@ringelpr.com

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Precision Medicine Leaps Ahead with Data Science: Bio-IT World 2020 to Highlight Data-Driven Approaches to Discovery - Yahoo Finance

Giulia Grizzi,1 Michele Ghidini,2 Andrea Botticelli,3,4 Gianluca Tomasello,5 Antonio Ghidini,6 Francesco Grossi,2 Nicola Fusco,7,8 Mary Cabiddu,9 Tommaso Savio,10 Fausto Petrelli9

1Oncology Unit, Oncology Department, ASST of Cremona, Cremona, Italy; 2Oncology Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Fondazione IRCCS Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; 3Medical Oncology Department, SantAndrea Hospital, Rome, Italy; 4Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; 5Oncology Unit, Niguarda Cancer Center, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy; 6Medical Oncology Unit, Casa Di Cura Igea, Milan, Italy; 7Division of Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; 8Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; 9Oncology Unit, Medical Sciences Department, ASST of Bergamo Ovest, Treviglio, Italy; 10Breast Unit, ASST of Bergamo Ovest, Treviglio, Italy

Correspondence: Fausto PetrelliOncology Unit, Medical Sciences Department, ASST of Bergamo Ovest, Piazzale Ospedale 1, Bergamo 24047, Treviglio, ItalyTel +39 03 6342 4420Fax +39 03 6342 4380Email faupe@libero.it

Abstract: Neoadjuvant hormonal therapy (NEO-HT) is a possible treatment option for breast cancer (BC) patient with estrogen receptor positive (ER+) and HER2 negative (HER2-) disease. The absence of solid data on the type of drugs to be used and duration of treatment as well as lack of clear evidence of effectiveness of NEO-HT compared to chemotherapy (CT) reserve its use for patients with old age or frail conditions. However, the low pathologic complete response rate (pCR) obtained with tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors (AIs) alone does not make NEO-HT as a suitable option for the neoadjuvant treatment of HR+ HER2-. The use of the cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK 4/6) inhibitors palbociclib, ribociclib and abemaciclib of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor everolimus and of the phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitor taselisib together with endocrine therapy (ET) has become a standard in advanced breast cancer, showing clinical effectiveness and significantly prolonging median progression-free survival compared to ET only. In the early phase disease, the use of ET together with CDK 4/6, mTOR and PI3K inhibitors is still investigational. Data from recent studies are promising even though less impressive than in metastatic setting. In this context, the use of genomic-transcriptomic tools (such as ONCOTYPE, PAM50) and the identification of novel biomarkers (ESR1, PI3Kca, PDGF-R) on tissue or with liquid biopsy could help to select patient prone to respond to endocrine-combined therapy and able to achieve pCR. With our review, we aimed at evaluating the current state of the art in the treatment of locally advanced breast cancer with NEO-HT.

Keywords: neoadjuvant endocrine therapy, breast cancer, CDK 4/6 inhibitors, mTOR inhibitors, PI3K inhibitors, aromatase inhibitors

This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License.By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.

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Strategies for Increasing the Effectiveness of Aromatase Inhibitors in | CMAR - Dove Medical Press

Autism is associated with brilliance as well as cognitive difficulty, but how either scenario plays out in the brain is not clear. Now a study by University of Toronto researchers has found that a tiny gene fragment impacts the brain in a way that could explain swathes of autism cases that come with mental health challenges.

Researchers led byBenjamin Blencowe, a professor of molecular genetics in the Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research and Faculty of Medicine, andSabine Cordes, a senior investigator at Sinai Health Systems Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute (LTRI), have identified a short gene segment that is crucial for brain development and information processing. Writing in the journalMolecular Cell, the researchersdescribe how an absence of this segment is sufficient to induce altered social behaviour a hallmark of autism in mice, as well as learning and memory deficits, which are seen in a subset of autism cases.

Best known for causing difficulties in social interaction and communication, autism is thought to arise from mishaps in brain wiring during development. It can strike in various ways. Those who experience it can have superior mental ability or need full-time care. Where on the autism spectrum a person falls depends in large part on their genetics, but most cases are idiopathic, or of unknown genetic origin.

Its very important to understand the mechanisms that underlie autism, especially in idiopathic forms where it is not clear what the underlying causes are, saysThomas Gonatopoulos-Pournatzis, a research associate in Blencowes lab and lead author of the study. Not only have we identified a new mechanism that contributes to this disorder, but our work may also offer a more rational development of therapeutic strategies.

Blencowes team had previously uncovered a link between autism and short gene segments, known as microexons, that are predominantly expressed in the brain. Through a process known as alternative splicing, microexons are either spliced in or left out from the final gene transcript before it is translated into a protein. Although small, microexons can have dramatic effects by impacting a proteins ability to bind its partners as required during brain development. However, how individual microexons contribute to autism is not clear.

The team focused on a specific microexon located in a gene known as eIF4G, which is critical for protein synthesis in the cell. They found that this microexon is overwhelmingly excluded from eIF4G gene transcripts in the brains of autistic individuals.

Hippocampal neurons from a normal mouse (above) and a mouse bred to lack the eIF4G microexon (below). The latter contains fewer particles that represent paused protein synthesis machineries. In these mice, higher levels of protein synthesis in neurons lead to disrupted brain waves and autistic-like behaviors as well as cognitive deficits down the line.

To test if the eIF4G microexon is important for brain function, Gonatopoulos-Pournatzis, together with Cordess team, bred mice that lack it. These mice showed social behaviour deficits, such as avoiding social interaction with other mice, establishing a link between the eIFG4 microexon and autistic-like behaviours.

A surprise came when the researchers found that these mice also performed poorly in a learning and memory test, which measures the animals ability to associate an environment with a stimulus.

We could not have imagined that a single microexon would have such an important impact not only on social behaviour but also on learning and memory, says Gonatopoulos-Pournatzis.

Further analysis revealed that the microexon encodes a part of eIF4G that allows it to associate with the Fragile X mental retardation protein, or FMRP, which is missing from people affected with Fragile X syndrome, a type of intellectual disability. About a third of individuals with Fragile X have features of autism but the link between the two remained unclear until now.

FMRPandeIF4G work together to act as a brake to hold off protein synthesis until new experience comes along, as the brake is removed by neural activity, the researchers also found.

Its important to control brain responses to experience, says Gonatopoulos-Pournatzis. This brake in protein synthesis is removed upon experience and we think it allows formation of new memories.

Without the microexon, however, this brake is weakened and what follows is increased protein production. The newly made proteins, identified in experiments performed withAnne-Claude Gingras, a senior investigator at LTRI and a professor in the department of molecular genetics, form ion channels, receptors and other signaling molecules needed to build synapses and for them to function properly.

However, making too many of these proteins is not a good thing because it leads to the disruption of the type of brain waves involved in synaptic plasticity and memory formation. This is revealed by electrode recordings of mouse brain slicesin experiments performed by the teams ofGraham Collingridge, a senior investigator at LTRI and a professor in the department of physiology, andMelanie Woodin, a professor of cell and systems biology at U of T and the dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science.

Moreover, an excess of similar kinds of proteins occurs in the absence of FMRP, suggesting a common molecular mechanism for Fragile X and idiopathic autism.

Researchers believe that their findings could help explain a substantial proportion of autism cases for which no other genetic clues are known. The findings also open the door to the development of new therapeutic approaches. One possibility is to increase the splicing of the eIF4G microexon in affected individuals using small molecules as a way to improve their social and cognitive deficits, Blencowe said.

The study would not have been possible without a close collaboration among multiple teams contributing diverse expertise. Blencowe and Gonatopoulos-Pournatzis also worked closely withJulie Forman-Kay, a professor of biochemistry and program head and senior scientist in the molecular medicine program at the Hospital for Sick Children, andNahum Sonenberg, a professor of biochemistry at McGill University.

The research was made possible by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Simons Foundation and theCanada First Research Excellence Fund Medicine by Design program, among others.

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Gene fragment could explain link between autism and cognitive difficulties: U of T study - News@UofT

Depicted are hippocampal neurons from a normal mouse (above) and a mouse bred to lack the eIF4G microexon (below). In the latter, there are fewer particles representing paused protein synthesis machineries. In these mice, higher levels of protein synthesis in neurons lead to disrupted brain waves and autistic behaviors as well as cognitive deficits down the line. Credit: Thomas Gonatopoulos-Pournatzis

Mouse study identifies a brain mechanism underlying social deficits and mental disability in a finding that could lead to new treatments.

Autism can bestow brilliance as well as cognitive difficulty, but how either scenario plays out in the brain is not clear. Now a study by University of Toronto researchers has found that a tiny gene fragment impacts the brain in a way that could explain swathes of autism cases that come with mental disability.

Researchers led by Benjamin Blencowe, a professor of molecular genetics in theDonnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, and Sabine Cordes, a senior investigator at Sinai Health Systems Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute (LTRI), have identified a short gene segment that is crucial for brain development and information processing.Writing in the journalMolecular Cell, the researchers describe how an absence of this segment is sufficient to induce altered social behavior a hallmark of autism in mice, as well as learning and memory deficits, which are seen in a subset of autism cases.

Best known for difficulties in social interaction and communication, autism is thought to arise from mishaps in brain wiring during development. It can strike in various ways those who suffer from it can have superior mental ability or need full time care. Where on the autism spectrum a person falls depends in large part on their genetics, but most cases are idiopathic, or of unknown genetic origin.

Its very important to understand the mechanisms that underlie autism, especially in idiopathic forms where it is not clear what the underlying causes are, says Thomas Gonatopoulos-Pournatzis, a research associate in Blencowes lab and lead author of the study. Not only have we identified a new mechanism that contributes to this disorder, but our work may also offer a more rational development of therapeutic strategies.

Blencowes team had previously uncovered a link between autism and short gene segments, known as microexons, that are predominantly expressed in the brain. Through a process known as alternative splicing, microexons are either spliced in or left out from the final gene transcript before it is translated into a protein. Although small, microexons can have dramatic effects by impacting a proteins ability to bind its partners as required during brain development. However, how individual microexons contribute to autism is not clear.

The team focused on a specific microexon located in a gene known as eIF4G, which is critical for protein synthesis in the cell. They found that this microexon is overwhelmingly excluded from eIF4G gene transcripts in the brains of autistic individuals.

To test if the eIF4G microexon is important for brain function, Gonatopoulos-Pournatzis together with Cordes team bred mice that lack it. These mice showed social behaviour deficits, such as avoiding social interaction with other mice, establishing a link between the eIFG4 microexon and autistic-like behaviors.

A surprise came when the researchers found that these mice also performed poorly in a learning and memory test, which measures the animals ability to associate an environment with a stimulus.

We could not have imagined that a single microexon would have such an important impact not only on social behavior but also on learning and memory, says Gonatopoulos-Pournatzis.

Further analysis revealed that the microexon encodes a part of eIF4G that allows it to associate with the Fragile X mental retardation protein, or FMRP, which is missing from people affected with Fragile X syndrome, a type of intellectual disability. About a third of individuals with Fragile X have features of autism but the link between the two remained unclear until now.

eIF4G and FMRP associate in a complex that acts as a brake to hold off protein synthesis until new experience comes along, as the break is removed by neural activity, the researchers also found.

Its important to control brain responses to experience, says Gonatopoulos-Pournatzis. This brake in protein synthesis is removed upon experience and we think it allows formation of new memories.

Without the microexon, however, this brake is weakened and what follows is increased protein production. The newly made proteins, identified in experiments performed with Anne-Claude Gingras, Senior Investigator at LTRI, form ion channels, receptors and other signaling molecules needed to build synapses and for them to function properly.

But, making too many of these proteins is not a good thing because this leads to the disruption of the type of brain waves involved in synaptic plasticity and memory formation, as revealed by electrode recordings of mouse brain slices, in experiments performed with the teams of Graham Collingridge, Senior Investigator at LTRI, and Melanie Woodin, a professor of cell and systems biology at U of T.

Moreover, an excess of similar kinds of proteins occurs in the absence of FMRP, suggesting a common molecular mechanism for Fragile X and idiopathic autism.

Researchers believe that their findings could help explain a substantial proportion of autism cases for which no other genetic clues are known. The findings also open the door to the development of new therapeutic approaches. One possibility is to increase the splicing of the eIF4G microexon in affected individuals using small molecules as a way to improve their social and cognitive deficits, Blencowe said.

The study would not have been possible without a close collaboration among multiple teams contributing diverse expertise. Blencowe and Gonatopoulos-Pournatzis also worked closely with Julie Forman-Kay, a professor of biochemistry and Program Head and Senior Scientist in the Molecular Medicine Program at the Hospital for Sick Children, and Nahum Sonenberg, a professor of biochemistry at McGill University.

Read this article:

Link Between Autism and Cognitive Impairment Identified May Lead to New Treatments - SciTechDaily

SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Myriad Genetics, Inc. (MYGN), a leader in molecular diagnostics and precision medicine, announced that it will hold its fiscal second-quarter 2020 sales and earnings conference call with investors and analysts at 4:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 6, 2020. During the call, Mark C. Capone, president and CEO, and Bryan Riggsbee, CFO, will provide an overview of Myriads financial performance for the fiscal second-quarter and provide a business update.

To listen to the earnings call, interested parties in the United States may dial 800-757-5680 or +1 212-231-2938 for international callers. All callers will be asked to reference reservation number 21950986. The conference call also will be available through a live webcast and a slide presentation pertaining to the earnings call also will be available under the investor section of our website at http://www.myriad.com. A replay of the call will be available two hours after the end of the call for seven days and may be accessed by dialing 800-633-8284 within the United States or +1 402-977-9140 for international callers and entering reservation number 21950986.

About Myriad GeneticsMyriad Genetics Inc., is a leading molecular diagnostic and precision medicine company dedicated to being a trusted advisor transforming patient lives worldwide with pioneering molecular diagnostics. Myriad discovers and commercializes molecular diagnostic tests that: determine the risk of developing disease, accurately diagnose disease, assess the risk of disease progression, and guide treatment decisions across six major medical specialties where molecular diagnostics can significantly improve patient care and lower healthcare costs. Myriad is focused on five strategic imperatives: building upon a solid hereditary cancer foundation, growing new product volume, expanding reimbursement coverage for new products, increasing RNA kit revenue internationally and improving profitability with Elevate 2020. For more information on how Myriad is making a difference, please visit the Company's website: http://www.myriad.com

Myriad, the Myriad logo, BART, BRACAnalysis, Colaris, Colaris AP, myPath, myRisk, Myriad myRisk, myRisk Hereditary Cancer, myChoice, myPlan, BRACAnalysis CDx, Tumor BRACAnalysis CDx, myChoice HRD, EndoPredict, Vectra, GeneSight, riskScore, Prolaris, Foresight and Prequel are trademarks or registered trademarks of Myriad Genetics, Inc. or its wholly owned subsidiaries in the United States and foreign countries. MYGN-F, MYGN-G.

Continued here:

Myriad to Announce Fiscal Second-Quarter 2020 Financial Results on February 6, 2020 - Yahoo Finance

NantHealth (NASDAQ:NH) was downgraded by analysts at ValuEngine from a sell rating to a strong sell rating in a report issued on Tuesday, January 14th, ValuEngine reports.

Separately, Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of NantHealth from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, December 19th.

Shares of NantHealth stock opened at $1.83 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $204.65 million, a P/E ratio of -2.01 and a beta of 1.52. NantHealth has a twelve month low of $0.45 and a twelve month high of $2.75. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $1.17 and its 200-day simple moving average is $0.83.

NantHealth (NASDAQ:NH) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 7th. The company reported ($0.15) EPS for the quarter, missing the Zacks consensus estimate of ($0.07) by ($0.08). The firm had revenue of $22.36 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $23.40 million. NantHealth had a negative net margin of 105.82% and a negative return on equity of 10,106.10%. Sell-side analysts predict that NantHealth will post -0.46 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Paloma Partners Management Co grew its holdings in NantHealth by 436.1% during the second quarter. Paloma Partners Management Co now owns 91,100 shares of the companys stock valued at $48,000 after purchasing an additional 74,108 shares during the period. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC grew its holdings in NantHealth by 778.8% during the third quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 45,988 shares of the companys stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 40,755 shares during the period. Finally, Paragon Wealth Strategies LLC acquired a new position in NantHealth during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $38,000. 2.81% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About NantHealth

NantHealth, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a healthcare technology company in the United States and internationally. The company engages in converging science and technology through an integrated clinical platform to provide health information at the point of care. It develops NantHealth solutions, including molecular profiling solutions, software, and hardware systems infrastructure, which integrates patient data management, bioinformatics, and molecular medicine to enable value-based care and evidence-based clinical practice.

Read More: What does cost of debt say about a companys financial health?

To view ValuEngines full report, visit ValuEngines official website.

Receive News & Ratings for NantHealth Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NantHealth and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

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NantHealth (NASDAQ:NH) Stock Rating Lowered by ValuEngine - Riverton Roll

Meet Lea Starita, a Seattle-based genome scientist who is working to understand how our individual genes impact our health. Here, she answers some questions about her work.

What do you do? I am a research assistant professor of genome sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine, and I co-direct the advanced technology lab at the Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine (or the BAT-lab).

One of the main goals for precision medicine is to be able to practice genome-guided medicine. However, as a field, we are really good at reading DNA sequences of people, but we are really bad at understanding the health risks or benefits associated with any given DNA change. At the BAT-lab, we are developing production-scale molecular-profiling technologies that we hope will accelerate our understanding of the impact of genetic variation on human development and human health, and in treating disease.

The BAT-lab team also helped to build the worlds premier respiratory pathogen surveillance platform as part of the Seattle Flu Study.

How did you get started in this specialty?Ive been on this trajectory since I took an awesome molecular biology lab class in college. They handed us the New England Biolabs catalog to use instead of a textbook. To this day, that catalog contains nearly any enzyme you could need for cutting and pasting pieces of DNA together. I fell in love with the puzzle posed by molecular biology.

Whats a typical day like?I am lucky enough to get to spend the day with my colleagues, collaborators, staff and trainees, who are all brilliant and creative scientists. My favorite times are when someone is at the white board drawing up a new idea or an improvement on an old idea. On the best days, I actually get in the lab to do some molecular biology myself. I love to play with DNA.

Whats the best part of the job?Dreaming up new technologies to answer tough biological questions with students, staff and collaborators. We try to answer questions like these: What is unique about each of the cell types in a human or animal? How do we understand the effect of a small change in a human or viral genome on health and disease? Although, I even find small process improvements exciting.

What surprises people about what you do? They are surprised when we talk about how important creativity and communication are in being successful as a scientist. I think people think we are these nerdy automatons, and that is totally not true. Well, the automaton part isnt true, anyway.

Do you have a cool job or know someone in the Seattle area who does? Email Michelle Archer with your recommendations for people to feature in Cool Job.

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Seattle-based genome scientist gets to play with DNA - Seattle Times

Karachi - Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, Director of International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi has said that precaution is the only weapon to fight against the emerging threat of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). There is no pathological laboratory performing a diagnostic test in Pakistan for the confirmation of coronavirus infections, he lamented.

He was speaking at a meeting held at the National Institute of Virology, which works under the Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), University of Karachi, on Tuesday. The meeting was also attended by Dr. Muhammad Rashid, senior research officer of the institute of virology, and other scientists.

Prof. Iqbal Choudhary expressed serious concerns over the media reports of the cases of corona viruses in Pakistan, pointing out that a recent cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan province of China was caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus.

He said that there was a need to monitor and control all immigrants and visitors, livestock and goods at entry points. People at all international airports should be scanned for temperature and suspected individuals should be examined in isolation, he said.

He said that the National Institute of Virology was working to produce quality researches and researchers who could play their due role in the area of research and development in the country.

Dr. Rashid, in the meeting, said that there were only seven coronaviruses known to infect human, the well-known examples of human coronaviruses were SARS and MERS both viral outbreak had caused significant life losses at their time of outbreaks.

Coronaviruses are group of viruses that generally exist and maintain their life cycle in animals like camels, bats, cats, snakes and other wild animals, he said, adding that. SARS has caused 774 deaths in southern China in 2002-3 and MERS was first identified in 2012 in Saudi Arabia has caused 858 deaths. The newly emerged coronavirus named as 2019-nCoV is the third highly-virulent entry into the humans, has already caused more than 100 deaths and the death toll rises every hour in China, he said.

The 2019-nCoV infection may cause mild to severe respiratory disease, initial clinically presentation include fever, dry cough, myalgia (muscle pain) and fatigue and gradually progress into sever productive cough (a cough that produces phlegm), episodes of headache, hemoptysis (coughing up blood) and occasional diarrhea, he said.

He said that in case of suspected invasion the person should be kept in isolation and treated within the confined premises. The nCoV is highly infectious it usually infects through mouth and nose, the use of a surgical mask can minimize the risk, he maintained.

He said that there was no vaccine available against nCoV neither any anti-viral drug found effective to fight against the viral infection.

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Precaution only weapon to fight against emerging threat of coronavirus - The Nation

SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Predictive Technology Group (OTC PINK: PRED) and Atrin Pharmaceuticals LLC are entering into a collaboration agreement to develop molecular diagnostic tools to facilitate improved selection of cancer patients who would most benefit from treatment with DNA Damage and Response (DDR) inhibitors, including Atrins and other small molecule ATR inhibitors. Atrin and Predictive will jointly utilize Predictive Laboratories state-of-the-art sequencing capabilities and genomics expertise to identify cancer patients with specific molecular markers that predict the level of clinical response to Atrins, and other, targeted therapies. This is intended to improve patient outcomes as well as improve Atrins ability to successfully progress its product pipeline, and upon commercialization, improve on the treatments for women with cancer.

We are very pleased to work with Atrin Pharmaceuticals, a recognized leader in the development of anti-cancer therapeutics targeting DDR, said Bradley Robinson, president and chief executive officer of Predictive Technology Group. We see an opportunity to develop a precision medicine approach to address unmet medical needs by combining our state-of-the-art sequencing capabilities, genomics expertise and companion diagnostics with Atrins targeted therapeutics. This collaboration is consistent with our vision of building a leading womens health platform, and we look forward to working together on this important initiative.

Oren Gilad, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Atrin Pharmaceuticals, noted: Following a successful due diligence process, we concluded that Predictive, with its proprietary list of already identified genes and state-of-the-art sequencing capabilities, is the ideal molecular diagnostic partner to help us successfully advance our therapeutic pipeline through clinical development. We believe that this collaboration may become a game changer in oncology, as treatment continues to progress towards individualized precision medicine. As we advance multiple Investigational New Drug (IND) applications and progress our lead product candidate ATRN-119 into a first-in-human clinical study this year, Predictives portfolio of genomic tests will help us better identify cancer patient populations whose genetic profiles will likely have an optimal clinical response to our proprietary anti-cancer therapeutics.

The collaboration will help optimize the safety and clinical efficacy of Atrins targeted cancer therapeutics and other DDR drug candidates. Atrin will have access to Predictives proprietary GenDB databases and womens health biobank to better understand the clinical spectrum of germline mutations in DDR pathways. The companies will also study common gynecologic disorders, such as endometriosis, associated with the development of cancers in affected patients. The goal of this collaboration is to develop actionable predictive molecular and companion diagnostics and therapeutics for these common disorders and related cancers.

CLSACapital Markets Limited, a CITIC Securities Company, under its mandate with Predictive Technology Group, will continue to introduce potential strategic partners and provide relevant regulatory guidance to Predictive Technology Group.

About DNA Damage and Response (DDR)

Cells are continuously exposed to endogenous and exogenous stress that can lead to DNA damage. To counter this lethal threat, cells have several mechanisms to detect DNA damage, activate the appropriate repair pathway or, if irreparable, induce cell cycle arrest or apoptosis. These DDR processes are vital for cell survival. Many human diseases, including cancer, and cancer-predisposition syndromes, have been linked to mutations in DDR genes.

About Atrin Pharmaceuticals

Atrin Pharmaceuticals is a private biotech company focused on discovering and developing proprietary therapeutics targeting inhibition of DNA Damage and Response (DDR) proteins for first-line treatment of cancers. Atrins technologies and DDR product pipeline represent a new drug development approach for treating solid and other cancers that currently have limited or ineffective therapies by targeting inhibition of specific proteins that are active in cancer cells and relatively inactive in healthy tissue. For more information, visit http://www.atrinpharma.com.

Story continues

About Predictive Technology Group, Inc.

Predictive Technology Group aims to revolutionize and personalize precision patient care. The Company and its affiliates harness gene-based analytics to develop genetic and molecular diagnostic tests, as well as companion therapeutics, in order to support a patient from diagnosis through treatment. Predictives tests and products enable clinicians to provide their patients with the highest level of care. Predictives subsidiaries include Predictive Laboratories, Predictive Biotech and Predictive Therapeutics. For more information, visit http://www.predtechgroup.com.

About CLSA

CLSA is Asias leading capital markets and investment group, providing global investors with insights, liquidity and capital to drive their investment strategies. Award-winning research, an extensive Asia footprint, direct links to China and highly experienced finance professionals differentiate our innovative products and services in asset management, corporate finance, capital and debt markets, securities and wealth management. As the international platform of CITIC Securities (SSE: 600030, SEHK: 6030), Chinas largest investment bank, CLSA is uniquely positioned to facilitate cross-border capital flows and connect China with the world and the world to China. Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Hong Kong, CLSAs global network spans 20 locations across Asia, Australia, Europe and the United States. For more information, visit http://www.clsa.com.

Forward-Looking Statements:

To the extent any statements made in this release contain information that is not historical, these statements are essentially forward-looking and are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the difficulty of predicting FDA approvals, acceptance and demand for human cell and tissue products and other pharmaceutical products, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new product development and launch, reliance on key strategic alliances, availability of raw materials, availability of additional intellectual property rights, availability of future financing sources, the regulatory environment, and other risks the Company may identify from time to time in the future.

Contacts:

For more information, visit http://www.predtechgroup.com or contact:

Media ContactPatrick BurseyLifeSci Communicationspbursey@lifescicomms.com 646-876-4932

Investor ContactJeremy FefferLifeSci Advisorsjeremy@lifesciadvisors.com 212-915-2568

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Predictive Technology Group and Atrin Pharmaceuticals Announce Molecular Diagnostic Oncology Development Collaboration - Yahoo Finance

Vienna, Austria, Holzgerlingen, Germany, and Shenzhen, China, January 30, 2020, 08:00 am CET - Ares Genetics GmbH, a Curetis Group company, and the Chinese genomics company BGI Group today announced that the companies will collaborate in making molecular testing for the new coronavirus 2019-nCoV available in Europe.

2019-nCoV is a new coronavirus variant that has not been previously identified in humans but is responsible for the outbreak originating in the Chinese city of Wuhan and currently rapidly spreading globally with first cases identified and confirmed in Europe already. In response to this situation, and immediately after the occurrence of unexplained pneumonia in Wuhan, BGI sequenced the genome of the new 2019-nCoV virus and successfullydeveloped a Real-Time (RT) Fluorescent PCR (polymerase chain reaction) kit for detecting 2019-nCoV, which can provide results in a few hours and has already obtained approval by the Chinese National Medical Products Administration.

In addition to the rapid detection kit based on RT-PCR technology, the DNBSEQ-T7 sequencing platform developed by the BGI Group company MGI passed the emergency approval procedure of the National Medical Products Administration, becoming the first officially approved testing products in China for surveillance, discovery and identification of unknown infectious diseases.

In Europe, BGI and MGI will work with their long-term strategic partner Ares Genetics to make its 2019-nCoV testing portfolio available to public health institutions and hospitals for outbreak monitoring, infection control, and epidemiology. Ares Genetics expects to provide next-generation sequencing services for 2019-nCoV out of its NGS laboratory in Vienna Austria for infection control and tracking of pathogen evolution from February 2020 onwards based on MGIs DNBSEQ sequencing platform. Further, Ares Genetics and the Curetis Group will support BGI Group in the distribution of its PCR and NGS reagent kits to molecular testing laboratories in Europe that have the capability for 2019-nCoV testing with reagent kits initially being marketed for research use only prior to regulatory approval in Europe.

Ares Genetics is a digital diagnostics company utilizing artificial intelligence-powered molecular diagnostics to advance the field of infectious disease testing. Ares Genetics recently launched ARESupa Universal Pathogenome Assay for the broad identification of bacterial pathogens and the accurate prediction of antibiotic susceptibility. The ARESupa test is based on the sequencing of bacterial DNA, combined with data analysis and interpretation powered by ARESdb, Ares Genetics unique, proprietary reference database on genetic antimicrobial resistance markers. The first generation of ARESupa is currently offered for non-diagnostic applications in epidemiology, infection control, and outbreak analysis for customers in the public health sector and the pharmaceutical industry. A laboratory-developed test (LDT) for human diagnostic use is under development.

The ability to rapidly test for 2019-nCoV with PCR as well as track its evolution by next-generation sequencing is key to contain this global outbreak. While Ares Genetics specializes in molecular detection of bacterial pathogens and antibiotic susceptibility prediction, we are responding to the global coronavirus health threat via our specialized molecular service laboratory and making 2019-nCoV testing broadly available in Europe under our strategic partnership with BGI. commented Dr. Andreas Posch, Managing Director and CEO of Ares Genetics, Longer-term, we anticipate that adding viruses to the scope for ARESupa will also significantly augment its utility as an aid in the differential diagnosis of viral and bacterial infections.

###

About ARESupa Universal Pathogenome Assay

Information on antibiotic susceptibility of pathogens is of utmost importance for clinical practice, epidemiology and public health purposes as well as for the development of pharmaceutical products in the infectious disease sector. Ares Genetics therefore has developed a molecular Antibiotic Susceptibility Test (AST) that is marketed under the brand name ARESupa Universal Pathogenome Assay and is capable of accurately identifying microbial pathogens as well as predicting antibiotic susceptibility via artificial intelligence-powered interpretation of high-throughput DNA sequencing data obtained by next-generation sequencing technologies.

ARESupa is based on whole-genome sequencing of bacterial strains isolated from clinical specimens, combined with data analysis and interpretation powered by ARESdb, Ares Genetics unique, proprietary reference database on genetic antimicrobial resistance markers. ARESdb covers genomes of about 40,000 bacterial strains and associated susceptibility data for more than 100 different antibiotics.

ARESupa already today accurately detects antibiotic susceptibility broadly across drug/pathogen combinations with prediction algorithms for further drug/pathogen combinations in development.

The test is initially offered for non-diagnostic applications in epidemiology, infection control, and outbreak analysis for customers in the public health sector and the pharmaceutical industry. A laboratory-developed test (LDT) on native patient samples for human diagnostic use in indications in which current culture-based diagnostic practice is inherently challenging is planned. Furthermore, Ares Genetics has recently entered into a multi-phase strategic partnership with an undisclosed leading global in vitro diagnostics corporation to jointly develop diagnostic solutions for infectious disease testing based on the ARESupa.

For further information and quotes, please register on the Ares Genetics cloud platform:

https://ares-genetics.cloud/

or contact

Ares Genetics GmbHKarl-Farkas-Gasse 18A-1030 WienAustriaEmail: services@ares-genetics.com

About Curetis and Ares Genetics

Curetis N.V.s (Euronext: CURE) goal is to become a leading provider of innovative solutions for molecular microbiology diagnostics designed to address the global challenge of detecting severe infectious diseases and identifying antibiotic resistances in hospitalized patients.

Curetis Unyvero System is a versatile, fast and highly automated molecular diagnostic platform for easy-to-use, cartridge-based solutions for the comprehensive and rapid detection of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance markers in a range of severe infectious disease indications. Results are available within hours, a process that can take days or even weeks if performed with standard diagnostic procedures, thereby facilitating improved patient outcomes, stringent antibiotic stewardship and health-economic benefits. Unyvero in vitro diagnostic (IVD) products are marketed in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the U.S.

Curetis wholly owned subsidiary Ares Genetics GmbH is developing next-generation solutions for infectious disease diagnostics and therapeutics. The ARES Technology Platform combines the presumably most comprehensive database worldwide on the genetics of antimicrobial resistances, ARESdb, with advanced bioinformatics and artificial intelligence.

For further information, please visit http://www.curetis.com and http://www.ares-genetics.com.

About BGI Group

Founded in 1999, BGI is one of the world's leading life science and genomics organizations. BGIs mission is to use genomics to benefit mankind and to be a leader in the era of life sciences. BGI follows a genomics development model of research, production and application. With businesses inmore than 100 countries and regions around the world, BGI has established cooperation and partnerships with thousands of different organizations across multi-disciplinary research areas including medical health, resource conservation and judicial services. At the same time, BGI provides equipment, technical support and solutions for the needs of national economies and people's livelihoods, such as precision medicine and precision health. BGI is committed to applying its genetic and technological achievements to real world settings in order to realize the dream of trans-omics for a better life.

About MGI

MGI Tech Co., Ltd. (referred to as MGI) is committed to building core tools and technology to lead life science through intelligent innovation. MGI focuses on R&D, production and sales of DNA sequencing instruments, reagents, and related products to support life science research, agriculture, precision medicine and healthcare. MGI is a leading producer of clinical high-throughput gene sequencers, and its multi-omics platforms include genetic sequencing, mass spectrometry, medical imaging, and laboratory automation.

Founded in 2016, MGI has more than 1,000 employees, nearly half of whom are R&D personnel. MGI operates in 26 countries and regions and has established multiple research and production bases around the world. Providing real-time, comprehensive, life-long solutions, its vision is to enable effective and affordable healthcare solutions for all.

Legal Disclaimer

This document constitutes neither an offer to buy nor to subscribe securities and neither this document nor any part of it should form the basis of any investment decision in Curetis.

The information contained in this press release has been carefully prepared. However, Curetis bears and assumes no liability of whatever kind for the correctness and completeness of the information provided herein. Curetis does not assume an obligation of whatever kind to update or correct information contained in this press release whether as a result of new information, future events or for other reasons.

This press release includes statements that are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms believes, estimates, anticipates, expects, intends, may, will, or should, and include statements Curetis makes concerning the intended results of its strategy. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Curetis actual results may differ materially from those predicted by the forward-looking statements. Curetis undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law.

Curetis Group Contact Details

Curetis GmbHMax-Eyth-Str. 4271088 Holzgerlingen, GermanyTel. +49 7031 49195-10pr@curetis.com or ir@curetis.comwww.curetis.com

Ares Genetics GmbHKarl-Farkas-Gasse 18A-1030 WienAustriaTel. +43 1 361 8880 10contact@ares-genetics.com http://www.ares-genetics.com

Curetis Group International Media & Investor Inquiries

akampionDr. Ludger Wess / Ines-Regina ButhManaging Partnersinfo@akampion.comTel. +49 40 88 16 59 64Tel. +49 30 23 63 27 68

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Curetis Group Company Ares Genetics and BGI Group Collaborate to Offer Next-Generation Sequencing and PCR-based Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Testing in...

HC Wainwright restated their buy rating on shares of HTG Molecular Diagnostics (NASDAQ:HTGM) in a research report released on Tuesday, January 21st, AnalystRatings.com reports. They currently have a $2.00 price target on the medical research companys stock.

Several other research firms also recently weighed in on HTGM. Canaccord Genuity set a $1.50 price target on shares of HTG Molecular Diagnostics and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, September 26th. Craig Hallum set a $3.00 price objective on shares of HTG Molecular Diagnostics and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, September 27th. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an overweight rating on shares of HTG Molecular Diagnostics in a report on Friday, October 18th. Finally, ValuEngine raised shares of HTG Molecular Diagnostics from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 3rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. The stock has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $3.13.

Shares of HTG Molecular Diagnostics stock opened at $0.57 on Tuesday. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $0.70 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $0.87. HTG Molecular Diagnostics has a 12 month low of $0.55 and a 12 month high of $3.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a current ratio of 5.21 and a quick ratio of 5.07. The stock has a market capitalization of $33.29 million, a P/E ratio of -0.98 and a beta of 1.56.

HTG Molecular Diagnostics (NASDAQ:HTGM) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 12th. The medical research company reported ($0.15) earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of ($0.16) by $0.01. HTG Molecular Diagnostics had a negative return on equity of 88.60% and a negative net margin of 76.97%. The company had revenue of $5.41 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.63 million. As a group, research analysts anticipate that HTG Molecular Diagnostics will post -0.56 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in HTG Molecular Diagnostics by 20.0% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 1,453,160 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $2,413,000 after buying an additional 242,497 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. increased its position in shares of HTG Molecular Diagnostics by 504.3% during the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 405,837 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $673,000 after acquiring an additional 338,681 shares during the period. Perkins Capital Management Inc. increased its position in shares of HTG Molecular Diagnostics by 297.1% during the third quarter. Perkins Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,353,153 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $1,564,000 after acquiring an additional 1,760,533 shares during the period. Finally, Citadel Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of HTG Molecular Diagnostics by 153.9% in the second quarter. Citadel Advisors LLC now owns 38,525 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $64,000 after acquiring an additional 23,351 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 38.94% of the companys stock.

HTG Molecular Diagnostics Company Profile

HTG Molecular Diagnostics, Inc a commercial stage life sciences company, focuses on the precision medicine. The company offers instrumentation (or platforms); consumables comprising assay kits; and software analytics that automate sample processing and profiles various molecular targets. Its platforms generate a molecular profiling library for detection using next-generation sequencing.

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HTG Molecular Diagnostics (HTGM) Buy Rating Reaffirmed at HC Wainwright - Riverton Roll

Life and death with an autoimmune disease

There are now more than 100 autoimmune diseases, in which the immune system that would normally help a person fight off disease instead mistakenly attacks healthy tissue and does damage to the body.

According to the National Institutes of Health, up to 23.5 million Americans suffer from an autoimmune disease, and the incidence of many of the conditions is rising for reasons that aren't entirely clear. And the list of potentially fatal autoimmune diseases, or those that can shorten life span, is long. These conditions include everything from rheumatoid arthritis, which causes pain and swelling in the joints and raises the risk for life-threatening cardiovascular disease, to lupus, a chronic disease that can cause inflammation in any part of the body.

"Almost all autoimmune diseases decrease life expectancy," says Dr. Betty Diamond, director of the Institute of Molecular Medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health in Manhasset, New York. One notable exception is hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid, she says.

Treatment advancements mean many with autoimmune diseases now live longer.

While disease severity varies, improvements in treatment have greatly bolstered life expectancy and improved quality of life for many with autoimmune conditions. Therapeutic advances include biologic drugs that suppress the immune system activity -- or overactivity -- that cause myriad health problems for those with autoimmune diseases such as lupus and multiple sclerosis.

Frequently, as with other disease prevention and management, a combination of lifestyle improvements -- like eating well, exercising regularly and getting adequate sleep -- and medical management are recommended. "The most important thing is to find a physician who's knowledgeable and experienced and with whom you work well, and together work out a treatment regimen that works for you," Diamond says.

Autoimmune myocarditis

Story continues

Autoimmune diseases may impact mortality in a couple ways: First, more common autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and Type 1 diabetes can have an impact on the lives of a greater number of people. And second, "There are autoimmune diseases that have a very high rate of mortality but are very rare," says Dr. Virginia Pascual, director of the Gale and Ira Drukier Institute for Children's Health at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City. One example of that, she notes, is autoimmune myocarditis, a rare autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation of the heart muscle.

Myocarditis is often diagnosed in people their 20s to 40s, and symptoms like abnormal heart beat, chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue and fever can come on suddenly and without warning. The condition is underdiagnosed and may cause sudden death.

So with possible heart attack symptoms, it's important to seek medical attention immediately for possible symptoms of the disease. When it is diagnosed, drugs that suppress the immune system may be used to treat autoimmune myocardititis.

Multiple sclerosis

Nearly 1 million people in the U.S. are living with multiple sclerosis, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. This autoimmune disorder affecting the brain and spinal cord results from the immune system attacking a protective layer around the nerves called the myelin sheath, which can cause a range of problems. These include difficulty with coordination and balance to thinking and memory issues.

Treatment improvements continue to inch life expectancy for those with MS closer to what's typical for people without the neurologic disorder. However, research published in the journal Neurology suggests people with MS live seven years less, on average; those with MS had a median age of survival of about age 76 compared to 83 for a matched general population, according to the 2015 study.

Among other treatment options, drugs therapies targeting B cells -- a type of white blood cells, cells used by body's immune system -- have shown promise. "B cell depletion therapy has been phenomenal for many patients with multiple sclerosis, and is now standard of care, which it certainly wasn't some years ago," Diamond says.

Lupus

In addition to treating the autoimmune disorders, clinicians have to be mindful of treating other health problems caused by or related to the autoimmune disorders. For example, the most common type of lupus, systemic lupus erythematosus, causes widespread inflammation and impacts organs like the kidneys (a form called lupus nephritis). So improved treatment of kidney disease, including the availability of kidneys for transplant, has helped improve the outlook for many with lupus.

Therapies that suppress the immune system also put patients at a higher risk of infection, a cause of death in some patients with lupus. So improved treatment of infections -- including, as Diamond notes, having better antibiotics for some of infectious complications of treating lupus -- has also positively impacted survival rates for people with lupus.

As with other autoimmune conditions, various factors impact life expectancy for people with lupus, including, for reasons not fully understood, ethnicity. "Lupus mortality is increased in this country in African-Americans, in Hispanic populations, in Asians and is decreased in Caucasians," Pascual says.

Type 1 diabetes

Commonly diagnosed in kids, Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the pancreas so that it can't make the insulin needed to properly control blood sugar.

Those with diabetes that's well-controlled can live long, full lives and have good quality of life. However, particularly if it isn't well-managed, Type 1 and other forms of diabetes (which aren't autoimmune diseases) can cause a variety of serious complications. Those can include kidney and heart disease, eye disease, or diabetic retinopathy, and nerve problems.

Type 1 diabetes is managed with insulin -- to keep blood sugar within a healthy range -- rather than suppressing the immune system. Exemplifying the impact of lifestyle, proper management of Type 1 diabetes means also carefully considering diet, as well as exercising regularly. That includes controlling carbohydrate consumption and evenly spreading carbs across the day with meals and snacks.

Vasculitis

Vasculitis -- inflammation of the blood vessels, which is often caused by autoimmune disorders -- also decreases life expectancy, notes Dr. Ignacio Sanz, chief of the division of rheumatology at Emory University School of Medicine, and director of the Lowance Center for Human Immunology at Emory University and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

Treatment involves using medications like corticosteroids to control inflammation as well as addressing any underlying disease. Biologic therapies may be used to deal with immune system issues that contribute to the condition.

To prevent infections that can occur when immunosuppressive treatments are used for any autoimmune disorder, patients are encouraged to stay up to date on vaccinations. That includes getting vaccinated to prevent the flu, shingles and pneumonia, as recommended by a doctor. Vaccination should be part of the standard of care with autoimmune diseases, Sanz says.

Rheumatoid arthritis

The joint disease -- which affects up to 1% of the population, predominantly women -- can raise the risk for heart disease and lung disease. Based on research to date, having RA may decrease life expectancy by a decade or more.

RA is one of a number of autoimmune disorders called rheumatic diseases, or musculoskeletal conditions marked by inflammation. Most rheumatic diseases have a decreased life expectancy and increased mortality, Sanz says. "That is very well-documented for rheumatoid arthritis, it's well-documented for lupus (and) it's clear for vasculitis."

However, as with other autoimmune diseases, life span varies greatly with RA by the individual, and proper management of the disease can improve a person's outlook. Treatment often includes the use of immunosuppressive anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and self-care for arthritis symptoms such as using a heating pad and pain relievers to ease joint discomfort.

Psoriasis

Just as rheumatoid arthritis can impact health well beyond inflaming joints, psoriasis is more than a skin disease. The autoimmune disorder is also associated with other serious issues, including an increased risk of diabetes, depression and heart disease.

As a result, depending on the severity of psoriasis, it may affect life expectancy and raise mortality risk. For that reason, experts say, patients and their doctors should discuss not only topical treatment to address scaly patches of skin, but if and when immunosuppressive therapy might be warranted.

Some autoimmune conditions that may affect life expectancy:

-- Autoimmune myocarditis.

-- Multiple sclerosis.

-- Lupus.

-- Type 1 diabetes.

-- Vasculitis.

-- Rheumatoid arthrtis.

-- Psoriasis.

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Autoimmune Diseases That Can Be Fatal - Yahoo News

LB-301 is a recombinant AAV vector with a UGT1A1 gene leveraging GeneRidegenome editing platform for the treatment of Crigler-Najjar syndrome

The collaboration agreement grants Takeda an exclusive option to negotiate an exclusive, worldwide license to LogicBios LB-301 program

Crigler-Najjar syndrome is the second indication to be pursued using GeneRideplatform

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LogicBio Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:LOGC), a genome editing company focused on developing medicines to durably treat rare diseases in pediatric patients today announced a research collaboration with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda) to further develop LB-301, an investigational therapy using LogicBios proprietary, promoterless, nuclease-free genome editing technology, GeneRide, for the treatment of Crigler-Najjar syndrome. LB-301 is a recombinant adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector with a uridine disphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase-1 (UGT1A1) gene. The collaboration will bring together LogicBios propriety platform for genome editing and Takedas expertise in researching and developing gene therapies.

LogicBios innovative, site-specific, genome editing platform has the potential to overcome the limitations that make it challenging to apply conventional gene editing and gene transfer in pediatric patients, said Dan Curran, Head, Rare Diseases Therapeutic Area Unit at Takeda. We see GeneRide as a promising approach to explore as part of our aspiration to develop transformative or even potentially curative therapies to patients living with rare diseases.

We are thrilled to be working with Takeda to advance our GeneRide platform in a second indication, said Fred Chereau, CEO of LogicBio. Their insights and expertise in rare diseases drug development is expected to significantly accelerate the development of a much-needed therapy for this devastating pediatric disease. This collaboration recognizes GeneRide as a promising approach for bringing the transformational power of genome editing to children with an array of relentless, progressive pediatric diseases.

Under the agreement, LogicBio and Takeda will collaborate to further research and develop LB-301. Takeda will provide funding for the research program under the collaboration agreement and will have an exclusive option to negotiate an exclusive, worldwide license to LogicBios LB-301 program.

CriglerNajjar syndrome is a rare monogenic pediatric disease caused by a deficiency in the liverspecific UGT1A1 gene, resulting in severely high levels of unconjugated bilirubin in the blood starting at birth, with lifelong risk of permanent neurological damage and death. Current clinical practice consists of daily, intense phototherapy treatment for approximately 12 hours, but this treatment becomes less effective with age, ultimately leaving liver transplantation as the only therapeutic option for survival.

LogicBio has demonstrated that a murine GeneRide construct of LB-301 can correct the gene deficiency in an animal model of Crigler-Najjar syndrome. The introduction of a UGT1A1 gene into the albumin locus in mouse liver cells resulted in normalization of bilirubin levels and long-term survival of mice deficient in UGT1A1 from fewer than 20 days to at least one year. The results from this research were published in EMBO Molecular Medicine (Porro et al., 2017).

About LB-301LB-301 is an investigational pediatric genome editing therapy based on LogicBios GeneRide technology. GeneRide enables site-specific integration and lifelong expression of therapeutic transgenes, without the use of exogenous promoters or nucleases. LB-301 is designed to incorporate a functioning version of the faulty uridine disphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase-1 (UGT1A1) gene into the genome of Crigler-Najjar patients. LogicBio has demonstrated preclinical proof-of-concept of GeneRide in multiple animal models of the disease, improving survival and reversing disease pathology.

About LogicBio TherapeuticsLogicBio Therapeutics is a genome editing company focused on developing medicines to durably treat rare diseases in pediatric patients with significant unmet medical needs using GeneRide, its proprietary technology platform. GeneRide enables the site-specific integration of a therapeutic transgene in a nuclease-free andpromoterlessapproach by relying on the native process of homologous recombination to drive potential lifelong expression. Headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., LogicBio is committed to developing medicines that will transform the lives of pediatric patients and their families.

For more information, please visitwww.logicbio.com.

Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These are not statements of historical facts and are based on managements beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available. They are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results and the implementation of the Companys plans to vary materially, including the risks associated with the initiation, cost, timing, progress and results of the Companys current and future research and development activities and preclinical studies and potential future clinical trials. These risks are discussed in the Companys filings with theU.S. Securities and Exchange Commission(SEC), including, without limitation, the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K filed onApril 1, 2019with theSEC, and the Companys subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with theSEC. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, even if new information becomes available in the future.

LogicBio Contacts:

Brian LuqueAssociate Director, Investor Relationsbluque@logicbio.com951-206-1200

Stephanie SimonTen Bridge Communicationsstephanie@tenbridgecommunications.com617-581-9333

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LogicBio Therapeutics Announces Collaboration with Takeda to Develop New Genome Editing Candidate LB-301 for the Treatment of Crigler-Najjar Syndrome...

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 10, 2020)Researchers at the University of Kentuckys College of Medicine have found that a class of antibiotics called aminoglycosides could be a promising treatment for frontotemporal dementia.

Results of their proof of concept study, which was a collaborative effort between UKs Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry and the University of California San Franciscos Department of Pathology, were recently published in the journal,Human Molecular Genetics.

Frontotemporal dementia is the second-most common dementia after Alzheimers disease and the most common type of early onset dementia. It typically begins between ages 40 and 65 and affects the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, which leads to behavior changes, difficulty speaking and writing, andmemory deterioration.

A subgroup of patients with frontotemporal dementia have a specific genetic mutation that prevents brain cells from making a protein called progranulin. Although progranulin is not widely understood, its absence is linked to the disease.

A group led by Haining Zhu, a professor in UKs Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, discovered that after aminoglycoside antibiotics were added to neuronal cells with this mutation, the cells started making the full-length progranulin protein by skipping the mutation.

These patients brain cells have a mutation that prevents progranulin from being made. The team found that by adding a small antibiotic molecule to the cells, they could trick the cellular machinery into making it, said Matthew Gentry, a co-author of the study and the Antonio S. Turco Endowed Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry.

The researchers found two specific aminoglycoside antibiotics - Gentamicin and G418 - were both effective in fixing the mutation and making the functional progranulin protein. After adding Gentamicin or G418 molecules to the affected cells, the progranulin protein level was recovered up to about 50 to 60%.

These results could be promising to drug development. Currently, there are no effective therapies for any type of dementia.

After this preclinical proof of concept study, the next step is to study the antibiotics effects on mice with the mutation that causes frontotemporal dementia, Zhu says. Another focus is to possibly develop new compounds from Gentamicin and G418 that could be safer and more effective. Although Gentamicin is an FDA-approved medication, its clinical usage is limited as it is associated with a number of adverse side effects.

If we can get the right resources and physician to work with, we could potentially repurpose this drug. This is an early stage of the study, but it provides an important proof of concept that these aminoglycoside antibiotics or their derivatives can be a therapeutic avenue for frontotemporal dementia, said Zhu.

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Antibiotics Could Be Promising Treatment for Form of Dementia - UKNow