Monthly Archives: February 2017

Stanford researchers aim to create global conversations about long, healthy living – Stanford University News

Posted: February 7, 2017 at 7:45 am

Over the last century, Americans have added an unprecedented 30 years to their life spans. But most people still rarely think about or plan for the possibility of living until 80, 90, 100 years and beyond.

The Sightlines project at the Center for Longevity is designed to encourage research and discussion into how to optimize well-being as we live longer lives. (Image credit: kali9 / Getty Images)

The Stanford Center on Longevity hopes to ignite a cultural shift in the ways people think about and design longer lives to optimize well-being throughout all stages of a persons life.

This week, the center released the Sightlines project website as part of its goal to stir conversation about what leads to long, healthy living and to encourage more policymakers, entrepreneurs and members of the public to think about ways of redesigning the human life.

Our aim is to help people have a long-term view of their life, said Laura Carstensen, a professor of psychology and director of the Stanford Center on Longevity. Were trying to help people think about living lives as older people much earlier in their lives.

The Sightlines project launched a year ago with a study the center conducted to understand how well Americans are prepared for longer lives. Since then the project has become a flagship of the center.

As part of the study, researchers worked together to identify prevalent indicators of longevity spanning three domains: healthy living, financial security and social engagement. To paint a portrait of Americans standing in these domains, the team compiled data from eight nationally representative surveys and analyzed trends across six age groups in the U.S. population in recent years and among previous cohorts ranging from 10 to 20 years earlier.

The research showed that the biggest negative change over time has been the declining percentage of Americans who are doing well financially. Financial security is less common among Americans in 2014 compared with 2000, especially among the least educated population. In addition, the average debt the Millennials, ages 25 to 34, are facing is five times higher than the debt the same age group carried 15 years ago, according to the research.

Another finding showed that the baby boom generation is less socially engaged than 55- to 64-year-olds in 1995. Baby boomers tend to have weaker ties to family, friends and neighbors, are less likely to be married and are less likely to participate in religious or community activities compared with the same age group of 20 years ago.

When it comes to health, data revealed that more Americans are exercising regularly for the first time in decades. Risky behaviors, like smoking, have also been on a steady decline across every age group.

But the 2016 study was just the starting point for the researchers vision. Over the past year, the team has designed an interactive website showcasing the comprehensive sets of findings from the 2016 study as well as relevant work being done by faculty at Stanford and around the country.

Our hope for developing the website is not just to present our thinking about this topic, but to engage and iterate with people beyond our center as part of an ongoing, evolving discussion focused on preparing Americans for long-lived lives, said Tamara Sims, a research scientist at the Stanford Center on Longevity.

The Sightlines team created interactive data visualizations to provide a deeper look at changes within the American population, not just by age group, but also by gender, ethnicity, education, income, marital status and geographical region where data are available.

The results allow researchers, including Sims, to identify new patterns in the data.

We are offering unique kinds of comparisons, Carstensen said.

For example, recent analyses show that although home ownership has declined for younger generations from 2000 to 2014, young Asian Americans showed no decline in contrast to other ethnic minorities.

Another finding showed that more educated people, who tend to be doing well across most indicators of well-being, are more likely to sit for long stretches of time, which recently emerged as an independent risk factor for health.

The biggest lesson from this next phase of the Sightlines project is that we cant make sweeping generalizations about different generations of Americans or about different domains of well-being, for that matter, Sims said. There are always caveats that need to be considered and further explored.

Carstensen and her team intend for the project to become a connection point for experts around the world who are interested in enhancing human longevity.

In addition to stimulating conversations and informing decisions among influencers and leaders in private and public industry, the projects website can also serve as a research tool by providing scientists with findings and metrics most relevant for designing comparative studies and developing and assessing the effectiveness of interventions.

Carstensen and her team plan on updating their 2016 research in about five years as new survey data is released. The team used data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Census Bureau; the University of Michigan and the National Institute on Aging; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the Federal Reserve System; and the University of Wisconsin and the National Institute on Aging.

But analyzing existing data limits researchers because some areas that are important to longevity, such as social engagement, are understudied.

So Carstensen, Sims and the Sightlines team intend to work with experts to develop better ways of assessing well-being across the life span and collect more data.

For example, experts have been debating about how to best measure the diet of Americans. Currently, the national benchmark for a healthy diet is measured as eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

Is there a gold standard of measuring diet that we should use going forward? Sims said. We are working with faculty affiliates and other experts to tackle such questions.

A next step for the Sightlines project is to develop a comprehensive survey to assess all domains among the same group of people over time and to find answers to questions raised by the original report. Researchers plan to make the survey available online sometime later this year.

Excerpt from:
Stanford researchers aim to create global conversations about long, healthy living - Stanford University News

Posted in Human Longevity | Comments Off

Below the Surface: Study Finds Eczema Damages Confidence – Yahoo Finance

Posted: at 7:45 am

PISCATAWAY, N.J., Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Eczema in childhoodis a critical issue, with as many as one out of every three kids suffering from this chronic skin condition. Beyond the constant itching, irritation and distraction caused by this silent skin disease, many children also endure bullying, teasing and a major hit to their self-esteem due to the inflamed, rough patches.

In a new video, PuraCap Pharmaceutical explores the effects of childhood eczema and how parents and kids can find relief.

Fundamental to the disease is impairment to the skin barrier, the protective function that is responsible for the integrity of the skin and the regulation of water loss. Eczema can be triggered especially this time of year by dry, heated indoor environments.

When left untreated, eczema, which may begin during infancy, continues on into the child's teenage years and often lasts into adulthood. In fact, according to a survey by PuraCap Pharmaceutical, six in 10 adults report lower confidence as a result of eczema.

In order to effectively manage eczema symptoms, dermatologists agree that repairing the skin barrier is key to successful treatment; however, 50 percent of consumers are not familiar with skin barrier repair products. In fact, the number one treatment used to combat eczema is over-the-counter moisturizers, which may grant temporary relief, but don't provide lasting hydration or any repair.

EpiCeram Controlled Release Skin Barrier Emulsion can help restore skin to its natural healthy condition. The FDA-approved cream contains all of the essentials for total skin barrier repair to help relieve itching, dryness and redness. Formulated to help keep the skin at a healthy pH of 5, EpiCeram works to repair the skin's barrier and improve the protective properties of the skin.

"Eczema-afflicted skin has fundamental issues with the protective skin barrier," shares Dr. Jessie Cheung, Board-certified Dermatologist in Illinois. "EpiCeram replenishes the lost lipids in the skin with a unique blend of ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids to help rebuild the skin barrier and bind moisture in the skin while keeping irritants out."

With a unique controlled-release technology, EpiCeram delivers 24-hour barrier repair benefits with just twice-daily application.

EpiCeram is only available by prescription. Please consult your physician to find out how it can help manage your eczema.

For more informationor full prescribing information go tohttp://epiceram-us.com

About PuraCap Pharmaceutical LLCPuraCap Pharmaceutical LLC is an emerging, fully integrated pharmaceutical company with expertise in product development, manufacturing and distribution bringing,high quality products & services to their customers. PuraCap's corporate structure supports a two-pronged approach for global growth in the areas of prescription brands and OTC and private label brands (PuraCap Pharmaceutical LLC) as well as prescription generics (PuraCap Laboratories LLC). Go to http://www.puracap.com for more information.

ContactKELZ PR Sheila - 144832@email4pr.com Melissa - 144832@email4pr.com 646.450.5359

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/below-the-surface-study-finds-eczema-damages-confidence-300402081.html

Continue reading here:
Below the Surface: Study Finds Eczema Damages Confidence - Yahoo Finance

Posted in Eczema | Comments Off

My Life with Plaque Psoriasis and How I’m taking Control – The Killeen Daily Herald

Posted: at 7:45 am

(BPT) - Whitney was only 19 years old, home from college freshman year, when her mother noticed spots on her arms and elbows. As any parent would be, Whitneys mother was concerned and suggested her daughter see a dermatologist. That visit revealed her diagnosis of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Little did Whitney know, this would be a lifelong battle that would impact all aspects of her life.

Plaque psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune skin disease that speeds up the growth cycle of skin cells, causing patches of thick red skin and silvery scales affecting approximately 6 million Americans.1

When I was younger and my psoriasis was flaring, it was very embarrassing and shameful, Whitney said. People didnt understand that I was not contagious. I can remember being turned away by hair stylists who didnt want to cut my hair and being refused a pedicure. My friends and boyfriends didnt understand what was going on with me and I could feel them pulling away at times.

After talking with her doctor about her symptoms, she prescribed a biologic treatment called STELARA (ustekinumab).

I went through some very challenging times with my psoriasis symptoms. Starting treatment with STELARA helped me to take control of my disease and start to create new memories with my family and friends, said Whitney. With clearer skin, I was able to walk down the aisle in a strapless wedding dress, and it was amazing!

Eventually, Whitney would also be diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, an inflammatory arthritis causing joint pain, stiffness and swelling that affects approximately 30 percent of people with psoriasis.2 STELARA (ustekinumab) also is approved to treat psoriatic arthritis and, over time, Whitneys joint pain and swelling have diminished significantly.

Visit http://www.STELARAINFO.com to learn more about STELARA

WHAT IS STELARA?

STELARA is a prescription medicine approved to treat adults 18 years and older with moderate or severe plaque psoriasis that involves large areas or many areas of their body, who may benefit from taking injections or pills (systemic therapy) or phototherapy (treatment using ultraviolet light alone or with pills).

STELARA is a prescription medicine approved to treat adults 18 years and older with active psoriatic arthritis, either alone or with methotrexate.

STELARA (ustekinumab) works by targeting an underlying cause of plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis an overactive immune system. It blocks two proteins called IL-12 and IL-23 that may play a role in plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

STELARA (ustekinumab) is a prescription medicine that affects your immune system. STELARA can increase your chance of having serious side effects including:

Serious Infections

STELARA may lower your ability to fight infections and may increase your risk of infections. While taking STELARA, some people have serious infections, which may require hospitalization, including tuberculosis (TB), and infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses.

Your doctor should check you for TB before starting STELARA and watch you closely for signs and symptoms of TB during treatment with STELARA.

If your doctor feels that you are at risk for TB, you may be treated for TB before and during treatment with STELARA.

You should not start taking STELARA if you have any kind of infection unless your doctor says it is okay.

Before starting STELARA, tell your doctor if you:

think you have an infection or have symptoms of an infection such as:

After starting STELARA, call your doctor right away if you have any symptoms of an infection (see above).

STELARA can make you more likely to get infections or make an infection that you have worse. People who have a genetic problem where the body does not make any of the proteins interleukin 12 (IL-12) and interleukin 23 (IL-23) are at a higher risk for certain serious infections that can spread throughout the body and cause death. People who take STELARA may also be more likely to get these infections.

Cancers

STELARA may decrease the activity of your immune system and increase your risk for certain types of cancer. Tell your doctor if you have ever had any type of cancer. Some people who had risk factors for skin cancer developed certain types of skin cancers while receiving STELARA. Tell your doctor if you have any new skin growths.

Reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome (RPLS)

RPLS is a rare condition that affects the brain and can cause death. The cause of RPLS is not known. If RPLS is found early and treated, most people recover. Tell your doctor right away if you have any new or worsening medical problems including: headache, seizures, confusion, and vision problems.

Serious Allergic Reactions

Serious allergic reactions can occur. Stop using STELARA and get medical help right away if you have any symptoms such as: feeling faint, swelling of your face, eyelids, tongue, or throat, chest tightness, or skin rash.

Before receiving STELARA, tell your doctor if you:

have any of the conditions or symptoms listed above for serious infections, cancers, or RPLS.

ever had an allergic reaction to STELARA or any of its ingredients. Ask your doctor if you are not sure.

are allergic to latex. The needle cover on the prefilled syringe contains latex.

have recently received or are scheduled to receive an immunization (vaccine). People who take STELARA should not receive live vaccines. Tell your doctor if anyone in your house needs a vaccine. The viruses used in some types of vaccines can spread to people with a weakened immune system, and can cause serious problems. You should not receive the BCG vaccine during the one year before taking STELARA or one year after you stop taking STELARA.

have any new or changing lesions within psoriasis areas or on normal skin.

are receiving or have received allergy shots, especially for serious allergic reactions.

receive or have received phototherapy for your psoriasis.

have any other medical conditions.

are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if STELARA will harm your unborn baby. You and your doctor should decide if you will take STELARA.

are breast-feeding or plan to breast-feed. It is thought that STELARA passes into your breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you take STELARA.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them to show your doctor and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

When prescribed STELARA:

Use STELARA exactly as prescribed by your doctor.

If your doctor decides that you or a caregiver may give your injections of STELARA at home, you should receive training on the right way to prepare and inject STELARA. Do not try to inject STELARA yourself until you or your caregiver has been shown how to inject STELARA by your doctor or nurse.

Common side effects of STELARA include: upper respiratory infections, headache, and tiredness in psoriasis patients; joint pain and nausea in psoriatic arthritis patients; and upper respiratory infections, redness at the injection site, vaginal yeast infections, itching, urinary tract infections, and vomiting in Crohns disease patients. These are not all of the possible side effects with STELARA. Tell your doctor about any side effect that you experience. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Please read the full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for STELARA and discuss any questions you have with your doctor.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.

Visit http://www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

061408-161010

References

1. About the National Psoriasis Foundation. (n.d.) https://www.psoriasis.org/about-us. Accessed July 24, 2016.

2. National Psoriasis Foundation. About Psoriatic Arthritis. https://www.psoriasis.org/psoriatic-arthritis. Accessed November 3, 2016.

Originally posted here:
My Life with Plaque Psoriasis and How I'm taking Control - The Killeen Daily Herald

Posted in Psoriasis | Comments Off

LeAnn Rimes: Psoriasis is ‘one of my biggest insecurities’ – Today.com

Posted: at 7:45 am

LeAnn Rimes is a country music superstar who's been making hit records since she was only 13 years old. The powerhouse vocalist reflects on growing up in the spotlight and how she's been able to embrace her insecurities and own them with confidence!

One of my biggest insecurities is my skin. I've had psoriasis since I was 2 and was 80 percent covered by the time I was 6, so I was constantly in a state of covering up everything as a kid and feeling really uncomfortable.

RELATED: LeAnn Rimes shares adorable throwback photo from her first cassette tape

I didn't realize how much it had impacted my self-confidence and just really kind of feeling like a woman.

LeAnn Rimes isn't afraid to bare her skin after managing her psoriasis.

So there's been a ton of bikini photos of me in the past several years; it's because I would go naked if I could because I'm clear and it's all good!

I think music really was what gave me confidence.

RELATED: Ashley Graham: What I tell myself in the mirror to feel confident

I think I was very disconnected from my body so that was the one way I could really connect. So I think music has been a very, very healing thing for me.

"Music ... was a place for me to be able to escape in a way but also kind of come out of my shell."

I never thought I could get to the place where I could really be grateful for every single thing that's happened in my life ... but I am now and it feels really good.

RELATED: 'Forever Country' brings singers from past and present together for epic video

As I get older, I've learned how to accept the things that bother me about myself and really start to love those things. They're what make me, me.

My advice to others is to own it. Own who you are, because it feels really good when you do.

As told to TODAY's Jordan Muto.

Originally posted here:
LeAnn Rimes: Psoriasis is 'one of my biggest insecurities' - Today.com

Posted in Psoriasis | Comments Off

Local effects of adipose tissue in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis – Dove Medical Press

Posted: at 7:45 am

Back to Browse Journals Psoriasis: Targets and Therapy Volume 7

Ilja L Kruglikov,1 Uwe Wollina2

1Scientific Department, Wellcomet GmbH, Karlsruhe, 2Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Hospital Dresden-Friedrichstadt Academic Teaching Hospital of the Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany

Abstract: The structure and physiological state of the local white adipose tissue (WAT) located underneath the lesional psoriatic skin and inside of the joints affected by psoriatic arthritis play an important role in the pathophysiology of these diseases. WAT pads associated with inflammatory sites in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are, correspondingly, dermal WAT and articular adipose tissue; these pads demonstrate inflammatory phenotypes in both diseases. Such local WAT inflammation could be the primary effect in the pathophysiology of psoriasis leading to the modification of the local expression of adipokines, a change in the structure of the basement membrane and the release of keratinocytes with consequent epidermal hyperproliferation during psoriasis. Similar articular adipose tissue inflammation can lead to the induction of structural modifications and synovial inflammation in the joints of patients with psoriatic arthritis.

Keywords: psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, pathophysiology, adipose tissue, dermal adipocytes, articular adipose tissue

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.

The rest is here:
Local effects of adipose tissue in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis - Dove Medical Press

Posted in Psoriasis | Comments Off

My Life with Plaque Psoriasis and How I’m taking Control – Bloomer … – Bloomer Advance (subscription)

Posted: at 7:45 am

Plaque psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune skin disease that speeds up the growth cycle of skin cells, causing patches of thick red skin and silvery scales affecting approximately 6 million Americans.1

After talking with her doctor about her symptoms, she prescribed a biologic treatment called STELARA (ustekinumab).

Visit http://www.STELARAINFO.com to learn more about STELARA

WHAT IS STELARA?

STELARA is a prescription medicine approved to treat adults 18 years and older with active psoriatic arthritis, either alone or with methotrexate.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

STELARA (ustekinumab) is a prescription medicine that affects your immune system. STELARA can increase your chance of having serious side effects including:

Serious Infections

Your doctor should check you for TB before starting STELARA and watch you closely for signs and symptoms of TB during treatment with STELARA.

If your doctor feels that you are at risk for TB, you may be treated for TB before and during treatment with STELARA.

You should not start taking STELARA if you have any kind of infection unless your doctor says it is okay.

Before starting STELARA, tell your doctor if you:

think you have an infection or have symptoms of an infection such as:

After starting STELARA, call your doctor right away if you have any symptoms of an infection (see above).

Cancers

Reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome (RPLS)

Serious Allergic Reactions

Before receiving STELARA, tell your doctor if you:

have any of the conditions or symptoms listed above for serious infections, cancers, or RPLS.

ever had an allergic reaction to STELARA or any of its ingredients. Ask your doctor if you are not sure.

are allergic to latex. The needle cover on the prefilled syringe contains latex.

have any new or changing lesions within psoriasis areas or on normal skin.

are receiving or have received allergy shots, especially for serious allergic reactions.

receive or have received phototherapy for your psoriasis.

have any other medical conditions.

are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if STELARA will harm your unborn baby. You and your doctor should decide if you will take STELARA.

are breast-feeding or plan to breast-feed. It is thought that STELARA passes into your breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you take STELARA.

When prescribed STELARA:

Use STELARA exactly as prescribed by your doctor.

Please read the full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for STELARA and discuss any questions you have with your doctor.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.

Visit http://www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

061408-161010

References

1. About the National Psoriasis Foundation. (n.d.) https://www.psoriasis.org/about-us. Accessed July 24, 2016.

2. National Psoriasis Foundation. About Psoriatic Arthritis. https://www.psoriasis.org/psoriatic-arthritis. Accessed November 3, 2016.

See the original post:
My Life with Plaque Psoriasis and How I'm taking Control - Bloomer ... - Bloomer Advance (subscription)

Posted in Psoriasis | Comments Off

Gene therapy allows deaf mice to hear: study – Yahoo News

Posted: at 7:44 am

Gene therapy delivered by a benign virus enabled deaf lab mice to hear for the first time, researchers said Monday, offering hope for people with genetic hearing impairments.

The breakthrough could pave the way for gene-based treatments, they reported in two studies, published in Nature Biotechnology.

"With more than 100 genes already known to cause deafness in humans, there are many patients who may eventually benefit from this technology," said Konstantina Stankovic, a professor at Harvard Medical School.

Genetic hearing disorders affect some 125 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

An expert not involved in the research welcomed the findings as "very encouraging", but cautioned the technique has yet to be proven safe, and that human trials are likely years away.

In the first study, Stankovic and colleagues used a harmless virus to transport -- deep into the mouse ear -- a gene that can fix a specific form of hereditary deafness.

Previous attempts had failed, but this time the viral package was delivered to the right address: the so-called outer hair cells that "tune" the inner ear to sound waves.

"Outer hair cells amplify sound, allowing inner hair cells to send a stronger signal to the brain," explained Gwenaelle Geleoc, a researcher at the F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center at Boston Children's Hospital.

The technique bestowed hearing and balance "to a level that's never been achieved before," she said in a statement.

"Now you can whisper, and the mice can hear you."

In the second study, a team led by Geleoc used the same viral courier to treat mice with a mutated gene responsible for Usher syndrome, a rare childhood genetic disease that causes deafness, loss of balance, and in some cases blindness.

The virus carried a normal version of the same gene to damaged ear hair cells soon after the mice were born.

- Narrow time window -

The results far exceeded anything to date: 19 of 25 treated mice heard sounds quieter than 80 decibels. Normal human conversation is about 70 decibels.

A few of the mice could hear sounds as soft as 25 to 30 decibels -- roughly equivalent to whispering.

According to Margaret Kenna, a specialist in genetic hearing loss at Boston Children's Hospital not involved in the studies, "cochlear implants are great, but your own hearing is better."

Electronic implants work by bypassing damaged hair cells in the ear to send sound signals directly to the brain.

"Anything that could stabilise or improve native hearing at an early age would give a huge boost to a child's ability to learn and use spoken language," she said.

The need for early intervention, however, could be a problem in itself, other experts pointed out.

In humans, such an intervention would ideally have to happen before a child is born, said Jonathan Ashmore, a professor at University College London's Ear Institute.

Alan Boyd, president of Britain's Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine hailed "a very encouraging result".

"But it is only a mouse model," he cautioned, noting that it is still unknown how the human immune system might react.

Any gene deafness treatment is "at least three years away, if not more," Boyd conjectured.

Follow this link:
Gene therapy allows deaf mice to hear: study - Yahoo News

Posted in Gene Medicine | Comments Off

Severe newborn jaundice could be preventable, mouse study shows – Science Daily

Posted: at 7:44 am

Severe newborn jaundice could be preventable, mouse study shows
Science Daily
To better understand UGT1A1's role in human newborns, Tukey's collaborator and senior author Shujuan Chen, PhD, assistant professor of pharmacology at UC San Diego School of Medicine, replaced the native UGT1A1 gene in mice with the human ...

and more »

Read more from the original source:
Severe newborn jaundice could be preventable, mouse study shows - Science Daily

Posted in Gene Medicine | Comments Off

A US First: Gene Edited Off-the-Shelf CAR T-Cell Product Candidate – Pharmaceutical Processing

Posted: at 7:44 am

FDA grants Cellectis IND approval to proceed with the clinical development of UCART123, the first gene edited off-the-shelf CAR T-Cell product candidate developed in the U.S.

Cellectis, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing immunotherapies based on gene edited CAR T-cells (UCART), has received an Investigational New Drug (IND) approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct Phase 1 clinical trials with UCART123, the companys most advanced, wholly owned Talengene-edited product candidate, in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN).

This marks the first allogeneic, off-the-shelf gene-edited CAR T-cell product candidate that the FDA has approved for clinical trials. Cellectis intends to initiate Phase 1 trials in the first half of 2017.

UCART123 is a gene-edited T-cell investigational drug that targets CD123, an antigen expressed at the surface of leukemic cells in AML, tumoral cells in BPDCN. The clinical research for AML will be led, at Weill Cornell, by principal investigator Dr. Gail J. Roboz, Director of the Clinical and Translational Leukemia Programs and Professor of Medicine. The UCART123 clinical program for BPDCN will be led, at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, by Dr. Naveen Pemmaraju, M.D., assistant professor, and Professor Hagop Kantarjian, M.D., department chair, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine.

AML is a devastating clonal hematopoietic stem cell neoplasm that is characterized by uncontrolled proliferation and accumulation of leukemic blasts in bone marrow, peripheral blood and, occasionally, in other tissues. These cells disrupt normal hematopoiesis and rapidly cause bone marrow failure and death. In the U.S. alone, there are an estimated 19,950 new AML cases per year, with 10,430 estimated deaths per year.

BPDCN is a very rare and aggressive hematological malignancy that is derived from plasmacytoid dendritic cell precursors. BPDCN is a disease of bone marrow and blood cells but also often affects skin and lymph nodes.

The FDAs approval of Cellectis UCART123 the first off-the-shelf CAR T-cell product candidate to enter clinical trials in the U.S. is a major milestone not only for the company but also for the medical community, global biotech and pharmaceutical industries at large, said Dr. Loan Hoang-Sayag, Cellectis chief medical officer. Cellectis allogeneic UCART products have the potential to create an important shift with regard to availability, and cost-effectiveness, to make these therapies widely accessible to patient population across the world.

After the National Institutes of Health's Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (RAC)s unanimous approval of two Phase 1 study protocols for Cellectis UCART123 in December 2016, the FDAs approval of Cellectis IND is a new major regulatory milestone achieved, for having UCART123 proceed into clinical development and reaching cancer patients in need, added Stephan Reynier, chief regulatory and compliance officer, Cellectis.

Information about ongoing clinical trials are publically available on dedicated websites such as: http://www.clinicaltrials.govin the U.S. http://www.clinicaltrialsregister.euin Europe.

(Source: Business Wire)

Continued here:
A US First: Gene Edited Off-the-Shelf CAR T-Cell Product Candidate - Pharmaceutical Processing

Posted in Gene Medicine | Comments Off

Lawrence Modisett: Need for political correctness still holds true – The Providence Journal

Posted: at 7:44 am

I am writing in response to Thomas Dentons Feb. 2 letter, Politically incorrect crowd doesnt grasp the new rules. Mr. Denton suggests that outside of the Northeast and California, political correctness has taken on a new meaning. He concludes by asking, in a rather mocking tone, How do you like being politically correct now?

Here is my answer. The phrase politically correct may invite ridicule, but the intent behind it should never be a subject for mockery, particularly in our country. Simply stated, the intent is to encourage respect for the feelings of others. It means trying to avoid words and actions that imply that someone who is different in some way is therefore less valued as a human being. Put another way, it means following what Christians refer to as the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. This principle has its counterpart in every major religion.

Contrary to what Mr. Denton implies, I believe the majority of Americans still value this rule, including the majority of those who voted for Mr. Trump.

In todays turbulent political environment, it is more critical than ever to hold true to this sacred principle and defend it whenever it comes under attack.

Lawrence Modisett

Portsmouth

More:
Lawrence Modisett: Need for political correctness still holds true - The Providence Journal

Posted in Politically Incorrect | Comments Off

Monthly Archives: February 2017

Stanford researchers aim to create global conversations about long, healthy living – Stanford University News

Below the Surface: Study Finds Eczema Damages Confidence – Yahoo Finance

My Life with Plaque Psoriasis and How I’m taking Control – The Killeen Daily Herald

LeAnn Rimes: Psoriasis is ‘one of my biggest insecurities’ – Today.com

Local effects of adipose tissue in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis – Dove Medical Press

My Life with Plaque Psoriasis and How I’m taking Control – Bloomer … – Bloomer Advance (subscription)

Gene therapy allows deaf mice to hear: study – Yahoo News

Severe newborn jaundice could be preventable, mouse study shows – Science Daily

A US First: Gene Edited Off-the-Shelf CAR T-Cell Product Candidate – Pharmaceutical Processing

Lawrence Modisett: Need for political correctness still holds true – The Providence Journal

The Prometheus League

Breaking News and Updates

Prometheism

Forbidden Fruit

The Evolutionary Perspective

Transtopia Menu

Library Updates

Library Books

Future Euvolution

Lucid Dreams from Childhood

Genetic Revolution

Speciation + Self-Directed Evolution