Daily Archives: March 31, 2021

Q&A: NIH Director Francis Collins on the battle to improve vaccine acceptance | TheHill – The Hill

Posted: March 31, 2021 at 5:04 am

As the coronavirus pandemic begins to come under control in the United States, public health experts are increasingly anxious about the significant number of Americans who express skepticism or hesitancy about getting one of the three FDA-approved vaccines.

Few Americans have greater insight into the history, safety and efficacy of vaccines in general, and the coronavirus vaccines in particular, than Francis Collins, the director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Hill spoke with Collins this week to understand how he and the Biden administration are winning over those who remain skeptical.

The following transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

The Hill:Dr. Collins, thank you so much for taking the time. I know this is an issue that you care about a lot. So I wanted to define the problem here. What are the populations that you see are most likely to be vaccine skeptical right now?

NIH Director Francis Collins:Well, it's good to think about it as not a homogeneous group, they're different populations with different reasons for concern. African Americans with a long history of uncertainty about whether the medical care system has really got their best interests at heart and a history from episodes like Tuskegee where even medical researchers seem to be behaving in unethical ways have their reasons to be somewhat doubtful about whether something that government is putting forward is necessarily well-suited to them, so they're asking those kinds of questions, and I totally understand that.

People of faith, particularly white evangelicals, I think are also concerned about the vaccine on a couple of bases. One is, do they really need to depend on something out of medicine? If they're believers, is God going to take care of them? And of course, God can work through medicine as well, so I would argue thats a separation of trust to suggest you can only trust in either God or medicine. I think you could probably trust in both, but that does trip people up.

There's the fetal tissue issue, where there are concerns amongst pro-life believers, that there may be something about these vaccines that's contaminated by the abortion issue. For the Moderna and the Pfizer vaccines which are mRNA based, there is no use of a fetal cell line to prepare the vaccine. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is grown in a cell line that's been around since 1985, which was derived from an elective termination in Scandinavia. So, [abortion] I think is on the minds of some believers, although the Catholic Church has made it quite clear that they believe submitting to these vaccinations is entirely ethical, even for people who are rigidly pro-life.

Then there's a political perspective. I guess one of the things that's most surprising is to see the rise in resistance, particularly from Republican men, which recent polls suggest as many as 50 percent may be hesitant. And that situation this is clearly all tangled up with the polarization of virtually everything in the United States, and the sense I suppose that the way in which the vaccines were put together was not something that they feel was fully supported by the political system, and maybe there was some agenda there, and now that their party is no longer in power in the White House, they would have less confidence in the messages they're hearing from the government about why this is a good thing even though of course, Donald TrumpDonald TrumpThe Hill's Morning Report - Biden officials brace for worst despite vaccine data Trump launches 'the official website of the 45th President' Judge rules Ohio professor can sue university over not using student's preferred pronoun MORE was himself vaccinated.

In every instance what I've learned is if somebody says they're hesitant, the first thing I want to know is, tell me about that. Tell me what it is that has you troubled. Is it the conspiracy theories you've been hearing? And there's plenty of those out there on social media. Is it your concern about safety issues not having been fully addressed? Is it some other factor that's in there? And there's no single, I think, best response until you've listened to hear what the basis of the hesitancy is and that person.

The Hill:I hear a lot of health experts say that the listening process is crucial, but that takes time. I wonder if theres a balance between taking the time to listen and respond, and the race to get shots in arms.

Collins:Yeah, and that's our current challenge, isn't it? Because we are approaching the point where we will have a sufficient supply of vaccines for everybody in the United States to have the chance to get immunized by the end of May. And so the hesitancy will begin to become the defining factor and whether we reach herd immunity or not. That doesn't give us a lot of time. We're down to a little over two months to try to do the listening and also then the responding.

I think that means this has to be the moment where we really pull into this conversation all of the trustworthy voices. I think that's a big part of what we need to do right now really is to empower those voices who are not necessarily old white guys who work for the federal government, like me. But others who have the trust of communities that are likely to be resistant. So that means the doctors out there in the community. It's interesting when you see that something like 95 percent of doctors are getting vaccinated, that tells you they believe that this is a good thing and the more they can be explicit about that, the more helpful that will be in getting the message across that this really is safe and effective.

I've done a lot of my time in the last few weeks and more today, talking to churches, because there again, I think those are voices that are trusted that don't have an ax to grind, that are going to bring information to people about what is good for them and that is also consistent with their beliefs. So empowering clergy leaders to have the facts, so that they can share those, is another important step we could be taking. And then elected officials, if they have the trust of their community, they can be helpful as well.

We just have to get the word in front of people coming from voices that dont appear to have some conflict. And the government, in many people's minds and our current fracturing situation, will appear to have a conflict of interest. So will industry. So better to have the voices coming from other sources.

The Hill:What messages themselves have you found to be the most impactful in convincing skeptics, whether among the African American community, among the evangelical community, among the Republican right?

Collins:I think it helps to explain how the vaccines were developed, that this concern about them having been rushed can be answered by pointing out how the speed was achieved, which was by basically getting rid of the downtimes that traditionally occur when a vaccine is being developed and results in it taking years. There was no shortcut taken with any of the rigorous steps, and to evaluate these vaccines. The shortcuts were to get rid of the downtime, the bureaucracy, the red tape, the need to go back and try to raise more funds when you ran out. All of that was planned in advance, realizing that this really was a global pandemic and people were dying. So, to reassure people that the speed of preparation should not be seen as a cause of concern about its safety, that's certainly one message.

I think it helps, also, just to help people think through what are they trying to decide between. Between, am I going to get vaccinated? And am I worried about what that might mean as far as any negative effects? Versus, am I going to get COVID-19 and potentially get very sick or even die? And you sort of put those two next to each other. It is harder to make that case compelling for a young person who thinks of themselves as pretty much invincible and if they get sick, it's not going to be so bad.

One of the things that were learning more is about long COVID, and that even young people with mild illness may not get better after this, which is another reason you really don't want to put yourself in harms way.

And then one other thing I think we do have to be clear about is the vaccination, while it is a great benefit to the person, its also a benefit to the rest of the community. By declining vaccination, youre not just declining something for yourself, you're potentially putting other people at risk around you by being that asymptomatic super-spreader that could cause a lot of harms to occur. And you have to think about, am I willing to take on that potential responsibility that I could be really hurting other people? That has to be on the table as people are balancing pros and cons.

And I must say for people who are resistant on the basis of religious belief, this is one I think that people do look at and go, Oh, wow. You mean, is this a love your neighbor moment? Yes it is. And whatever faith you are the golden rule seems to apply, and the golden rule would say, for your neighbor or for your family, for your neighbors down the street who may be vulnerable. This is something you can do for them.

The Hill:You mentioned some of the messengers who have been most effective church leaders and clergy. Who are the other messengers who are most effective in their community? I was talking to the mayor of Kansas City the other day and he said he wanted to see LeBron James get vaccinated.

Collins:I would love to see as many celebrities as possible roll up their sleeves with cameras on them. How much of an impact that has, if you talk to the focus groups, they will say yeah that'd be nice but I'd rather hear it from my doc.

The Hill:That's interesting. Tell me about the focus groups, they seem to be saying they want to hear from their doctors.

Collins:They are impressed by very visible people taking the time to document their receipt of the vaccine. But if they're worried about safety and efficacy, theyd rather hear this from somebody they assume has access to some of the facts that may not be so readily apparent. Therefore their doctor may be able to tell them more convincingly that this is something you'd want to do than LeBron James could.

The Hill:Has your approach to convincing people not to be skeptical evolved at all? Were there messages that you were using that you're not anymore?

Collins:I think it has. I must say, I initially, I found this [skepticism] sort of hard to understand and probably that response was coming across, that sort of disbelief, which can be translated into, what are you, stupid? And that was not helpful. I've really evolved to the point of recognizing there are plenty of reasons why thoughtful serious people may be having reservations, but they are addressable. But it isn't going to help to hit somebody over the head with a whole bunch of instructions until you've listened to where they're coming from. So I really tried to switch into that mode.

The Hill:How closely are you working with the White House and governors in developing their own messages?

Collins:The White House is very invested in getting these messages out there, and I have been part of that team in terms of making sure that any kind of interaction I'm having on this topic is coordinated with what they're trying to do. There is a lot of efforts now to get public service messages out there. The White House has particularly encouraged me to be a voice to people of faith, because they know that I'm a person of faith and therefore I may be able to resonate a bit with some of those concerns and convince people that I understand the perspectives that they're bringing to the table.

The Hill:At our current pace of vaccinating people, do you think well achieve enough acceptance to reach some kind of herd immunity in the next few months?

Collins:I don't know. It's not a slam dunk, considering what the polls tell you about resistance. So, we only have a couple of months to try to see how that can turn around, so yeah, this is going to be a really critical, couple of months of watching closely to see if some of those trends can be turned around by appropriate messages from trustworthy people.

Read the rest here:

Q&A: NIH Director Francis Collins on the battle to improve vaccine acceptance | TheHill - The Hill

Posted in Golden Rule | Comments Off on Q&A: NIH Director Francis Collins on the battle to improve vaccine acceptance | TheHill – The Hill

Only An Ocean Enters Exclusive Partnership with PetDreamHouse – PetProductNews.com

Posted: at 5:04 am

Only An Ocean LLC (OAO) recently brought in the PetDreamHouse brand through an exclusive partnership. As such, OAO will bring PetDreamHouses full line of interactive slow feeding systems to North America.

The foundation of the Only An Ocean brand is built on working and growing exceptional brands that bring fun, high quality and unique products to our retail partners, said Cheryl Pedersen founding partner of the Charleston, S.C.-based company. The line is the perfect addition to our family of brands. PetDreamHouse opens new categories for OAO, with their vibrant, distinctive products, and we are proud to welcome them to our family of brands.

PetDreamHouse, a United Kingdom-based pet innovation company, that uses its online platform as a product incubator for research and development projects that meet the needs of the professional pet business marketplace.

At PetDreamHouse, our gene is always looking for creative and innovative solutions to problems, said Dr. Wen Liu Director of PetDreamHouse. It is the golden rule of how we design our products. We choose to work with only the best distribution partners because we have learned that every country has its own way of doing business. We believe partnering with the highly professional team at Only An Ocean is perfect because of their extensive knowledge and focus working within the North American marketplace.

For more of PPN's coverage on Only An Ocean, read:

For more of PPN's coverage on distribution partnerships, read:

See the article here:

Only An Ocean Enters Exclusive Partnership with PetDreamHouse - PetProductNews.com

Posted in Golden Rule | Comments Off on Only An Ocean Enters Exclusive Partnership with PetDreamHouse – PetProductNews.com

Marketings Least Loved: the negative – Mumbrella

Posted: at 5:04 am

Ive found myself in a trough of despond recently. Well, thats too dramatic. More of a gentle dip of despond. Either way theres been a bit of despond, and Im pretty sure Im not alone. My dip has proven one thing in glorious technicolour, or more appropriately, in glorious shades of grey:

Marketing hates the negative.

Truth is, thats a shame.

While were improving, weve struggled as an industry to support those with mental health challenges, whether dip, trough or gaping chasm (and if you havent read Brittany Rigbys piece on alcohol in adland, please do). Im not belittling those experiences or suggesting we invite more of them in. Yet the many and insidious ways our industry worships at the altar of the positive is likely to be making those challenges even harder to overcome.

ADVERTISEMENT

Its not like negativity has never been used in advertising. From social impact advertising to brand ads, its a proven avenue work with impact. Marmite is just one example of negative feelings about the product working hard for the brand, through creativity, and to excellent effect.

But what about embracing some constructive negativity in the ways we work, or at least, recognising how empty a continual insistence on the positive can be? Here are three ways to do it.

Ive written and reviewed more client and creative briefs than youve had hot dinners, and here is something I know: the word Positive positively does not belong in the box marked tone of voice. (Neither does authentic, but thats a topic for another day).

If you must insist on positivity as a sentiment, make it clear what brand of positivity youre after. Do you want people to get a sense of joy? Or should they be inspired? Is yours the lovable positivity of a two-month-old puppy or the relentless chirp of Emily in Emily in Paris?

A good tool to check on tonal words is to think about their opposite. If that would be a definite no then the tonal concept you have is not specific or strong enough. Thats why irreverent and candid help and positive does not because no brand wants to be entirely negative either.

Its odd that more negative tonal words rarely get a look-in in briefs, yet humans are so often sad, angry, jealous, disgusted or just plain old bored. Okay, so those might not be the emotions or tone your brand should own, but ignoring them means ignoring what it is to be alive. That wont make for great marketing.

Tell all the truth, Emily Dickinson wrote, but tell it slant, and thats what insight should do. This is bloody hard work. I know I need to do better at jettisoning the dull, vapid representations of real peoples lives that look like they were sourced from a stock art library, as Martin Wiegel puts it, airbrushing out all the contingency and strife. Stock positivity doesnt make for good marketing either.

A few years ago, I spent an afternoon wandering around Bradford with my then four-month old. Soaked by the sort of rain only Yorkshire can provide a reet wetting, as a local would say I took shelter in a museum that happened to be running a photography exhibition on Tony Ray-Jones. He was an ethnographer, too, and along with his wonderful pictures, his notes to self were on display. Scrawled on one page, in block capitals, underlined three times, was his golden rule:

No middle distance

which holds true for marketing as much as it does for photography.

Positivity, at its worst, is a middle-distance concept. It denies both macro reality and individual difficulty. It gives us empty quotes on sunsets that deny truths. Negativity alone would have the same effect; but our positivity fetish is so universal that its expression can often become mediocre, neither grand landscape nor glorious detail, but a middle ground of montage in briefs and in the work itself.

None of this is to say that marketing shouldnt be a positive force and that marketers shouldnt be positive people. Yet an industry finding its future amid the AI and the adtech and the Programmatic needs to be more open to our lesser loved shadowlands: in the work, in how we do the work, and in how we understand those for whom we do it.

Alison Tilling is the chief strategy officer at VMLY&R. Marketings Least Loved is a regular Mumbrella column.

Excerpt from:

Marketings Least Loved: the negative - Mumbrella

Posted in Golden Rule | Comments Off on Marketings Least Loved: the negative – Mumbrella

Dundee Precious Metals Announces Mine Life Extension and Update to Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Estimates for the Chelopech Mine – Yahoo…

Posted: at 5:03 am

Figure 1

Key target areas for Chelopech in-mine extensional and exploration drilling in 2021.

Key target areas for Chelopech brownfield exploration activities in 2021.

TORONTO, March 30, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dundee Precious Metals Inc. (TSX: DPM) (DPM or the Company) is pleased to announce a mine life extension and updated Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimate for the Chelopech mine in Bulgaria. The Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimates for DPMs Ada Tepe mine in Bulgaria and Timok gold project in Serbia remain unchanged from the estimates previously reported in the news releases dated October 16, 2020 and February 23, 2021, respectively.

Highlights

10% net addition to Mineral Reserves: Successfully added 3.9 million tonnes (Mt) to Mineral Reserves, which more than offset 2020 production depletion of 2.2 Mt for a net addition of 1.7 Mt. Relative to the previous Mineral Reserve estimate, this represents an increase of 10% in tonnage and an increase in metal content of 5% for gold, 13% for silver and 3% for copper;

Mine life extended to 2029: Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves of 1.7 million ounces (Moz.) of gold and 344.4 million pounds (Mlbs.) of copper supports an optimized mine life that extends to 2029 as well as the Companys previously issued three-year outlook for Chelopech;

22% increase to Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources: Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources, exclusive of Mineral Reserves, increased 22%, representing a 3.2 Mt net increase in tonnage and an increase in metal content of 12% for gold and 6% for copper, further adding to the potential to extend mine life, if such Mineral Resources are converted to Mineral Reserves;

Additional potential with in-mine and brownfield exploration: Significant drilling program planned for 2021, including 44,000 metres of in-mine drilling and 38,000 metres of drilling on prospective brownfield targets.

We continued our strong track record of extending mine life at our Chelopech mine in 2020, with net additions to our Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources compared with 2019 estimates, said David Rae, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dundee Precious Metals. With Mineral Reserves that now extend to 2029, an updated Mineral Resource base and increased in-mine and brownfield exploration drilling, we believe there is strong potential for this trend to continue at Chelopech.

Story continues

Updated Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Estimate

The updated Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimate for the Chelopech mine reflects the conversion of Mineral Resources to Mineral Reserves, as well as a strategic mine plan optimization process that was completed in Q3 2020. The strategic optimization process included an analysis of multiple mine schedules at various cut-off values (CoV), with the primary objectives focused on optimizing net present value and the life of mine (LOM). Of the overall increase to Mineral Reserves, approximately 20 to 25% was added as a result of the conversion of new Mineral Resources generated by in-mine drilling activities, with the balance of the increase resulting from the optimization of the CoV and other design parameters.

Total Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves at Chelopech of 1.7 Moz. of gold and 344.4 Mlbs. of copper support an eight-year mine life that extends to 2029, prior to any further conversions from existing Mineral Resources or additional exploration success.

The Mineral Reserves statement is shown below and is effective as of December 31, 2020.

Chelopech Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve Estimate(As at December 31, 2020)

Classification

Tonnes

Gold

Silver

Copper

(Mt)

Grade (g/t)

K oz.

Grade (g/t)

K oz.

Grade (%)

Mlbs.

Proven

7.8

2.71

681

7.23

1,818

0.84

145.5

Probable

10.8

3.03

1,046

8.09

2,797

0.84

198.9

Total

18.6

2.89

1,727

7.73

4,615

0.84

344.4

Footnotes:

The Mineral Reserves disclosed herein have been estimated in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (CIM, 2014)

Mineral Reserves are based on a profitability indicator that considers, among other things, metal price, metallurgical recoveries, treatment charges and market forecast.

Mineral Reserves are based on a cut-off value of $10 per tonne.

Long-term metal price assumed for the evaluation of Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources are $1,400 per ounce for gold, $17.50 per ounce for silver, and $2.75 per pound for copper.

Mineral Reserves account for mining dilution and ore loss.

Mineral Reserves reflect depletion for mining as at December 31, 2020.

Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources, exclusive of Mineral Reserves, increased to 17.4 Mt. Approximately 30 to 35% of the increase is attributable to additions of new Mineral Resources through extensional drilling, with the balance resulting from the optimization of CoV assumptions.

The Mineral Resource statement is shown below and is effective as of December 31, 2020.

Chelopech Mineral Resource Estimate, exclusive of Mineral Reserves(As at December 31, 2020)

Classification

Tonnes

Gold

Silver

Copper

(Mt)

Grade (g/t)

K oz.

Grade (g/t)

K oz.

Grade (%)

Mlbs.

Measured

10.9

2.74

956

8.26

2,887

0.88

210

Indicated

6.5

2.44

512

9.45

1,978

0.73

105

Total Measured & Indicated

17.4

2.63

1,467

8.71

4,864

0.82

315

Inferred

1.7

Read more:

Dundee Precious Metals Announces Mine Life Extension and Update to Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Estimates for the Chelopech Mine - Yahoo...

Posted in Life Extension | Comments Off on Dundee Precious Metals Announces Mine Life Extension and Update to Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Estimates for the Chelopech Mine – Yahoo…

Complix and VIB Publish Pioneering Study on Cell-Penetrating Alphabodies in Science Advances – PRNewswire

Posted: at 5:03 am

HASSELT, Belgium, March 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Complix, a biopharmaceutical company developing a pipeline of transformative Alphabody therapeutics announces the publication in Science Advances of the results from a joint, multidisciplinary study with Belgian life sciences research Institute VIB and Ghent University. The proof-of-concept study demonstrates the potential of Cell-Penetrating Alphabodies (CPABs) to efficiently penetrate the cancer cell membrane, disrupt an intracellular protein-protein interface, and cause an anti-tumor effect upon in vivo administration in relevant xenograft models.

The article by Pannecoucke et al. can be accessed by clicking here

CPABs are a revolutionary class of small proteins that have been designed to overcome the limitations of conventional antibodies and small molecules through combining the specific potency of biologics with the cell-penetrating capacity and stability of small molecules.Data available show that CPABs have the potential to address a wide range of disease targets, particularly intracellular targets, that are difficult for current therapies to reach.

The study, published in Science Advances, demonstrates that CPABs can be designed to efficiently penetrate the cell membrane, disrupt an intracellular protein-protein interface, and carry an albumin-binding moiety to extend their serum half-life to therapeutically relevant levels. The unique combination of these three features in a single protein scaffold is without precedent. In this publication a CPAB was engineered against MCL-1, an intracellular protein target in cancer.

The findings from this study provide strong proof of concept for the use of CPABs against intracellular disease mediators, which, to date, have remained in the realm of small-molecule therapeutics.

Dr. Ignace Lasters, CTO of Complix, commented:

"We are pleased to see the publication of this important study, which is a clear validation of our platform and highlights the potential of CPABs to directly address intracellular drug targets in oncology. Reaching the intracellular space has been a critical limiting factor in broadening the therapeutic potential of current biologicals such as monoclonal antibodies. This proof-of-concept study clearly demonstrates the potential of CPABs as a transformative, "membrane crossing" technology to address a variety of cutting-edge and challenging intracellular disease targets. This holds the promise for the creation of an entirely novel class of therapeutics with applications in oncology and beyond."

Prof. Savvas Savvides, Group leader at VIB Center for Inflammation Research, and Professor of Structural Biology at Ghent University, said:

"Our study clearly extends the currently charted protein-based drug-targeting landscape by targeting the well-known intracellular drug target MCL1, a protein upregulated in multiple tumor types and correlated with therapy resistance. It is very exciting and rewarding to see how our longstanding collaboration with Complix has matured to provide the essential knowledge needed to tackle such a major and important challenge in the design of novel therapeutics."

Scientific publication:

Erwin Pannecoucke, Maaike Van Trimpont, Johan Desmet, Tim Pieters, Lindy Reunes, Lisa Demoen, Marnik Vuylsteke, Stefan Loverix, Karen Vandenbroucke, Philippe Alard, Paula Henderikx, Sabrina Deroo, Franky Baatz, Eric Lorent, Sophie Thiolloy, Klaartje Somers, Yvonne McGrath, Pieter Van Vlierberghe, Ignace Lasters, Savvas N. Savvides. Cell-penetrating Alphabody protein scaffolds for intracellular drug targeting. Science Advances, 26 March 2021: Vol. 7, no. 13.

About Complix

Complix is a biopharmaceutical company using its unique AlphabodyTM platform to develop a pipeline of transformative, "membrane crossing" therapeutics against a number of cutting-edge and challenging disease targets that play an important role in oncology, autoimmunity and viral diseases.

In addition to crossing cellular membranes, Alphabodies have the potential to cross the blood brain barrier to address CNS diseases and to be delivered orally given their ability to cross the gut wall.

Complix is developing Cell Penetrating Alphabodies (CPABs) that can address disease targets present in the cytosol or in the nucleus of human cells. CPABs act with great specificity and high affinity on targets that are considered "intractable" by current drug formats, such as antibodies or small chemicals. CPABs are also equipped with half-life extension motifs, so that they stay in circulation for sufficient time to ensure optimal biodistribution in peripheral tissues to reach the cells where their target is located. As a pioneer in intracellular targeting, Complix aims to develop a collection of first-in-class therapeutics with the potential to cure severe diseases with high unmet medical need.

Alphabodies also provide an ideal scaffold to design potent inhibitors of viral entry. Complix believes that its research could yield broadly cross-reactive anti-viral compounds with both prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 as well as future emerging coronavirus variants or mutants.

Complix has established a strong intellectual property position protecting the Alphabody platform and its emerging product portfolio through the filing of multiple patent applications. The company is led by an experienced management team with a track record of success in the biotech industry and is backed by a syndicate of experienced life sciences investors, through which it has raised close to US$ 40 million to date.

About VIB

VIB is an entrepreneurial research institute in life sciences located in Flanders, Belgium. VIB's basic research leads to new and innovative insights into normal and pathological life processes. It unites the expertise of all its collaborators and research groups in a single institute, firmly based on its close partnership with 5 Flemish universities (Ghent University, KU Leuven, University of Antwerp, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Hasselt University) and supported by a solid funding programme from the Flemish government. VIB has an excellent track record on translating basic scientific results into pharmaceutical, agricultural and industrial applications. Since its foundation in 1996, VIB has created 27 start-up companies, now employing over 900 people. More information: http://www.vib.be

About Ghent University

After more than twenty years of uninterrupted growth, Ghent University is now one of the most important institutions of higher education and research in the Low Countries. Ghent University yearly attracts over 41,000 students, with a foreign student population of over 2,200 EU and non-EU citizens. Ghent University offers a broad range of study programs in all academic and scientific fields. With a view to cooperation in research and community service, numerous research groups, centers and institutes have been founded over the years. For more information http://www.UGent.be

Contacts:

Complix NVDr. Mark Vaeck, Chief Executive Officer+32 9 261 69 40www.complix.com

VIBElisabeth Stes, External relations Manager +32 486 825 902 [emailprotected]

Prof. Savvas Savvides, Leading Scientist+32 472 928 519[emailprotected]

SOURCE Complix

See the rest here:

Complix and VIB Publish Pioneering Study on Cell-Penetrating Alphabodies in Science Advances - PRNewswire

Posted in Life Extension | Comments Off on Complix and VIB Publish Pioneering Study on Cell-Penetrating Alphabodies in Science Advances – PRNewswire

AudioValley Announces the Three-year Extension of Its 5 million Bond Issue With Patronale Life – Business Wire

Posted: at 5:03 am

BRUSSELS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:

AudioValley, an international specialist in B2B digital audio solutions, (Paris:ALAVY) (Brussels:ALAVY) (ISIN code: BE0974334667 / ticker symbol: ALAVY) has negotiated a three-year extension of its 5 million bond issue with insurer Patronale Life.

Issued on December 16, 2019, for an amount of five million euros, at an average annual rate of 8%, this issue had been 100% subscribed by Patronale Life for a period of two years, i.e., a repayment planned for the end of 2021.

The new maturity date has been extended to December 16, 2024.

Sbastien Veldeman, CFO AudioValley: "This is excellent news with respect to our 2021-2023 development plan. We'll be able to focus our financial resources on growing our business. We have also renegotiated a 6% fixed annual rate. We thank Patronale Life for understanding the essentials of our business. Its support will help AudioValley achieve its goals for 2021, including the start-up of the new Jamendo Rights Management business that will manage the music rights of singer/songwriters."

Next event:2020 annual results6 April 2021

Read the rest here:

AudioValley Announces the Three-year Extension of Its 5 million Bond Issue With Patronale Life - Business Wire

Posted in Life Extension | Comments Off on AudioValley Announces the Three-year Extension of Its 5 million Bond Issue With Patronale Life – Business Wire

Magnesium Supplement Market will touch a new level in upcoming years | BioEmblem, Life Extension, Thorne, Nested Naturals The Bisouv Network – The…

Posted: at 5:03 am

LOS ANGELES, United States: QY Research offers an overarching research and analysis-based study on, Global Magnesium Supplement Market Report, History and Forecast 2015-2026, Breakdown Data by Manufacturers, Key Regions, Types and Application. Analysts have used primary and secondary research methodologies to determine the path of the market. The data includes historic and forecast values for a well-rounded understanding.The researchers and analysts who have prepared the report used an advanced research methodology and authentic primary and secondary sources of market information and data. It is a phenomenal compilation of important studies that explore the competitive landscape, segmentation, geographical expansion, and revenue, production, and consumption growth of the global Magnesium Supplement market. Players can use the accurate market facts and figures and statistical studies provided in the report to understand the current and future growth of the global Magnesium Supplement market. The report offers an in-depth assessment of key market dynamics, the competitive landscape, segments, and regions in order to help readers to become better familiar with the global Magnesium Supplement market.

This report includes assessment of various drivers, government policies, technological innovations, upcoming technologies, opportunities, market risks, restrains, market barriers, challenges, trends, competitive landscape, and segments which gives an exact picture of the growth of the global Magnesium Supplement market.

Competitive Landscape

Competitor analysis is one of the best sections of the report that compares the progress of leading players based on crucial parameters, including market share, new developments, global reach, local competition, price, and production. From the nature of competition to future changes in the vendor landscape, the report provides in-depth analysis of the competition in the global Magnesium Supplement market.

Key questions answered in the report:

TOC

1 Magnesium Supplement Market Overview1.1 Magnesium Supplement Product Overview1.2 Magnesium Supplement Market Segment by Type1.2.1 Powder1.2.2 Capsules1.2.3 Gummies1.2.4 Others1.3 Global Magnesium Supplement Market Size by Type (2015-2026)1.3.1 Global Magnesium Supplement Market Size Overview by Type (2015-2026)1.3.2 Global Magnesium Supplement Historic Market Size Review by Type (2015-2020)

1.3.2.1 Global Magnesium Supplement Sales Market Share Breakdown by Type (2015-2020)

1.3.2.2 Global Magnesium Supplement Revenue Market Share Breakdown by Type (2015-2020)

1.3.2.3 Global Magnesium Supplement Average Selling Price (ASP) by Type (2015-2020)1.3.3 Global Magnesium Supplement Market Size Forecast by Type (2021-2026)

1.3.3.1 Global Magnesium Supplement Sales Market Share Breakdown by Type (2021-2026)

1.3.3.2 Global Magnesium Supplement Revenue Market Share Breakdown by Type (2021-2026)

1.3.3.3 Global Magnesium Supplement Average Selling Price (ASP) by Type (2021-2026)1.4 Key Regions Market Size Segment by Type (2015-2020)1.4.1 North America Magnesium Supplement Sales Breakdown by Type (2015-2020)1.4.2 Europe Magnesium Supplement Sales Breakdown by Type (2015-2020)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific Magnesium Supplement Sales Breakdown by Type (2015-2020)1.4.4 Latin America Magnesium Supplement Sales Breakdown by Type (2015-2020)1.4.5 Middle East and Africa Magnesium Supplement Sales Breakdown by Type (2015-2020) 2 Global Magnesium Supplement Market Competition by Company2.1 Global Top Players by Magnesium Supplement Sales (2015-2020)2.2 Global Top Players by Magnesium Supplement Revenue (2015-2020)2.3 Global Top Players Magnesium Supplement Average Selling Price (ASP) (2015-2020)2.4 Global Top Manufacturers Magnesium Supplement Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Type2.5 Magnesium Supplement Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Magnesium Supplement Market Concentration Rate (2015-2020)2.5.2 Global 5 and 10 Largest Manufacturers by Magnesium Supplement Sales and Revenue in 20192.6 Global Top Manufacturers by Company Type (Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3) (based on the Revenue in Magnesium Supplement as of 2019)2.7 Date of Key Manufacturers Enter into Magnesium Supplement Market2.8 Key Manufacturers Magnesium Supplement Product Offered2.9 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion 3 Global Magnesium Supplement by Region (2015-2026)3.1 Global Magnesium Supplement Market Size and CAGR by Region: 2015 VS 2020 VS 20263.2 Global Magnesium Supplement Market Size Market Share by Region (2015-2020)3.2.1 Global Magnesium Supplement Sales Market Share by Region (2015-2020)3.2.2 Global Magnesium Supplement Revenue Market Share by Region (2015-2020)3.2.3 Global Magnesium Supplement Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015-2020)3.3 Global Magnesium Supplement Market Size Market Share by Region (2021-2026)3.3.1 Global Magnesium Supplement Sales Market Share by Region (2021-2026)3.3.2 Global Magnesium Supplement Revenue Market Share by Region (2021-2026)3.3.3 Global Magnesium Supplement Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2021-2026) 4 Global Magnesium Supplement by Application4.1 Magnesium Supplement Segment by Application4.1.1 Retailer4.1.2 Online Shopping4.1.3 Others4.2 Global Magnesium Supplement Sales by Application: 2015 VS 2020 VS 20264.3 Global Magnesium Supplement Historic Sales by Application (2015-2020)4.4 Global Magnesium Supplement Forecasted Sales by Application (2021-2026)4.5 Key Regions Magnesium Supplement Market Size by Application4.5.1 North America Magnesium Supplement by Application4.5.2 Europe Magnesium Supplement by Application4.5.3 Asia-Pacific Magnesium Supplement by Application4.5.4 Latin America Magnesium Supplement by Application4.5.5 Middle East and Africa Magnesium Supplement by Application 5 North America Magnesium Supplement Market Size by Country (2015-2026)5.1 North America Market Size Market Share by Country (2015-2020)5.1.1 North America Magnesium Supplement Sales Market Share by Country (2015-2020)5.1.2 North America Magnesium Supplement Revenue Market Share by Country (2015-2020)5.2 North America Market Size Market Share by Country (2021-2026)5.2.1 North America Magnesium Supplement Sales Market Share by Country (2021-2026)5.2.2 North America Magnesium Supplement Revenue Market Share by Country (2021-2026) 6 Europe Magnesium Supplement Market Size by Country (2015-2026)6.1 Europe Market Size Market Share by Country (2015-2020)6.1.1 Europe Magnesium Supplement Sales Market Share by Country (2015-2020)6.1.2 Europe Magnesium Supplement Revenue Market Share by Country (2015-2020)6.2 Europe Market Size Market Share by Country (2021-2026)6.2.1 Europe Magnesium Supplement Sales Market Share by Country (2021-2026)6.2.2 Europe Magnesium Supplement Revenue Market Share by Country (2021-2026) 7 Asia-Pacific Magnesium Supplement Market Size by Region (2015-2026)7.1 Asia-Pacific Market Size Market Share by Region (2015-2020)7.1.1 Asia-Pacific Magnesium Supplement Sales Market Share by Region (2015-2020)7.1.2 Asia-Pacific Magnesium Supplement Revenue Market Share by Region (2015-2020)7.2 Asia-Pacific Market Size Market Share by Region (2021-2026)7.2.1 Asia-Pacific Magnesium Supplement Sales Market Share by Region (2021-2026)7.2.2 Asia-Pacific Magnesium Supplement Revenue Market Share by Region (2021-2026) 8 Latin America Magnesium Supplement Market Size by Country (2015-2026)8.1 Latin America Market Size Market Share by Country (2015-2020)8.1.1 Latin America Magnesium Supplement Sales Market Share by Country (2015-2020)8.1.2 Latin America Magnesium Supplement Revenue Market Share by Country (2015-2020)8.2 Latin America Market Size Market Share by Country (2021-2026)8.2.1 Latin America Magnesium Supplement Sales Market Share by Country (2021-2026)8.2.2 Latin America Magnesium Supplement Revenue Market Share by Country (2021-2026) 9 Middle East and Africa Magnesium Supplement Market Size by Country (2015-2026)9.1 Middle East and Africa Market Size Market Share by Country (2015-2020)9.1.1 Middle East and Africa Magnesium Supplement Sales Market Share by Country (2015-2020)9.1.2 Middle East and Africa Magnesium Supplement Revenue Market Share by Country (2015-2020)9.2 Middle East and Africa Market Size Market Share by Country (2021-2026)9.2.1 Middle East and Africa Magnesium Supplement Sales Market Share by Country (2021-2026)9.2.2 Middle East and Africa Magnesium Supplement Revenue Market Share by Country (2021-2026) 10 Company Profiles and Key Figures in Magnesium Supplement Business10.1 BioEmblem10.1.1 BioEmblem Corporation Information10.1.2 BioEmblem Description, Business Overview10.1.3 BioEmblem Magnesium Supplement Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)10.1.4 BioEmblem Magnesium Supplement Products Offered10.1.5 BioEmblem Recent Developments10.2 Life Extension10.2.1 Life Extension Corporation Information10.2.2 Life Extension Description, Business Overview10.2.3 Life Extension Magnesium Supplement Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)10.2.4 BioEmblem Magnesium Supplement Products Offered10.2.5 Life Extension Recent Developments10.3 Thorne10.3.1 Thorne Corporation Information10.3.2 Thorne Description, Business Overview10.3.3 Thorne Magnesium Supplement Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)10.3.4 Thorne Magnesium Supplement Products Offered10.3.5 Thorne Recent Developments10.4 Nested Naturals10.4.1 Nested Naturals Corporation Information10.4.2 Nested Naturals Description, Business Overview10.4.3 Nested Naturals Magnesium Supplement Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)10.4.4 Nested Naturals Magnesium Supplement Products Offered10.4.5 Nested Naturals Recent Developments10.5 Mega Food10.5.1 Mega Food Corporation Information10.5.2 Mega Food Description, Business Overview10.5.3 Mega Food Magnesium Supplement Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)10.5.4 Mega Food Magnesium Supplement Products Offered10.5.5 Mega Food Recent Developments10.6 Douglas10.6.1 Douglas Corporation Information10.6.2 Douglas Description, Business Overview10.6.3 Douglas Magnesium Supplement Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)10.6.4 Douglas Magnesium Supplement Products Offered10.6.5 Douglas Recent Developments10.7 Now Foods10.7.1 Now Foods Corporation Information10.7.2 Now Foods Description, Business Overview10.7.3 Now Foods Magnesium Supplement Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)10.7.4 Now Foods Magnesium Supplement Products Offered10.7.5 Now Foods Recent Developments10.8 Pure Encapsulations10.8.1 Pure Encapsulations Corporation Information10.8.2 Pure Encapsulations Description, Business Overview10.8.3 Pure Encapsulations Magnesium Supplement Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)10.8.4 Pure Encapsulations Magnesium Supplement Products Offered10.8.5 Pure Encapsulations Recent Developments10.9 FarmHaven10.9.1 FarmHaven Corporation Information10.9.2 FarmHaven Description, Business Overview10.9.3 FarmHaven Magnesium Supplement Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)10.9.4 FarmHaven Magnesium Supplement Products Offered10.9.5 FarmHaven Recent Developments10.10 Trace Minerals10.10.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors10.10.2 Magnesium Supplement Product Category, Application and Specification10.10.3 Trace Minerals Magnesium Supplement Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015-2020)10.10.4 Main Business Overview10.10.5 Trace Minerals Recent Developments10.11 Natures Life10.11.1 Natures Life Corporation Information10.11.2 Natures Life Description, Business Overview10.11.3 Natures Life Magnesium Supplement Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)10.11.4 Natures Life Magnesium Supplement Products Offered10.11.5 Natures Life Recent Developments10.12 GNC10.12.1 GNC Corporation Information10.12.2 GNC Description, Business Overview10.12.3 GNC Magnesium Supplement Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)10.12.4 GNC Magnesium Supplement Products Offered10.12.5 GNC Recent Developments 11 Magnesium Supplement Upstream, Opportunities, Challenges, Risks and Influences Factors Analysis11.1 Magnesium Supplement Key Raw Materials11.1.1 Key Raw Materials11.1.2 Key Raw Materials Price11.1.3 Raw Materials Key Suppliers11.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure11.2.1 Raw Materials11.2.2 Labor Cost11.2.3 Manufacturing Expenses11.3 Magnesium Supplement Industrial Chain Analysis11.4 Market Opportunities, Challenges, Risks and Influences Factors Analysis11.4.1 Magnesium Supplement Industry Trends11.4.2 Magnesium Supplement Market Drivers11.4.3 Magnesium Supplement Market Challenges11.4.4 Porters Five Forces Analysis 12 Market Strategy Analysis, Distributors12.1 Sales Channel12.2 Distributors12.3 Downstream Customers 13 Research Findings and Conclusion 14 Appendix14.1 Methodology/Research Approach14.1.1 Research Programs/Design14.1.2 Market Size Estimation14.1.3 Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation14.2 Data Source14.2.1 Secondary Sources14.2.2 Primary Sources14.3 Author Details14.4 Disclaimer

About Us:

QYResearch always pursuits high product quality with the belief that quality is the soul of business. Through years of effort and supports from huge number of customer supports, QYResearch consulting group has accumulated creative design methods on many high-quality markets investigation and research team with rich experience. Today, QYResearch has become the brand of quality assurance in consulting industry.

Link:

Magnesium Supplement Market will touch a new level in upcoming years | BioEmblem, Life Extension, Thorne, Nested Naturals The Bisouv Network - The...

Posted in Life Extension | Comments Off on Magnesium Supplement Market will touch a new level in upcoming years | BioEmblem, Life Extension, Thorne, Nested Naturals The Bisouv Network – The…

US nuclear weapons are aging quickly. With few spare parts, how long can they last? – War Is Boring

Posted: at 5:03 am

Tara Copp

McClatchy Washington Bureau

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. When hundreds of land-based nuclear armed ballistic missiles were first lowered into underground cement silos spread across the vast cornfields here in 1970, the weapons were only intended to last a decade before a newer system came in.

Fifty years later, these missiles called the Minuteman III are still on alert, manned by members of the U.S. Air Force in teams of two who spend 24 hours straight below ground in front of analog terminals from the 1980s, decoding messages and running tests on the missiles systems to check if they could still launch if needed.

But its not the age of weapons or the decades-old technology that troubles their operators. Its that the original manufacturers who supplied the gears, tubes and other materials to fix those systems are long gone.

Several years ago, the motor on one of the industrial-sized caged elevators that slowly descends 100 feet below ground to the launch control center broke, an airman with the bases 791st Maintenance Squadron told McClatchy. A fix was not available for months.

Instead, maintainers resorted to rigging a pulley to lower supplies down for the crews, the airman said, who spoke on the condition they not be named.

Were severely constrained with spares, the airman said. The technology does its job. The challenge is sustaining it.

To make repairs, airmen are often forced to take parts from another machine. Two of the airmen at Minot told McClatchy the facilitys missile guidance system often needs parts or attention because of constant wear and tear.

You can only do that so many times until the system fails, said Lt. Col. Steve Bonin, commander of the 91st Operations Support Squadron at Minot.

Next month Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Mark Milley and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will seek billions to keep the 50-year-old land based missiles running while a debate begins on whether they should be replaced.

Its a difficult ask: At the same time, the Pentagon is also in the middle of the most expensive nuclear modernization effort in its history.

All three legs of the nuclear triad air, land and sea defenses launched from silos, overhead strategic bombers or nuclear submarines are getting replaced with newer weapons systems, simultaneously.

The next-generation replacement bombers, missiles and submarines now under development have a price tag topping $400 billion and are expected to be a primary topic of questioning during hearings next month as lawmakers debate whether modernizing all three legs is necessary.

In my humble opinion, were building more weapons than we need, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., said during a Center for Strategic and International Studies discussion in December. We need to look at ways to have a robust deterrent in a more cost-effective manner. And thats what were going to work towards.

Due to the high cost of developing brand-new weapons, the default for the military has often been keeping the existing nuclear missiles running for a few additional years.

All of the repair and life extension work for nuclear missiles or bombs is handled at just a few offsite locations across the U.S. All of the non-nuclear parts of any of the warheads rely on just one place, the Department of Energys Kansas City National Security Campus.

There are no backup places, said Lisa Gordon-Hagerty, the former head of the Department of Energys National Nuclear Security Administration, which is responsible for maintaining the nations nuclear stockpile. That means there isnt a way to quickly obtain spares in an emergency, she added.

The non-nuclear parts of the weapons are tightly controlled in Kansas City because of the high cost if a counterfeit part slips through.

Even for a simple part like wiring, a counterfeit that is set to degrade faster could effectively disable a missile without aircrews realizing the damage, Gordon-Hagerty said.

The non-nuclear components that are produced at the Kansas City facility include items as basic as wiring or bolts, and as complex as the weapons firing system. They make up more than 80% of each weapon, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

As the missiles have aged, theyve needed more work.

Last year, the GAO reported that the Kansas site would need to expand to meet the levels of repair now needed.

The workload of the Kansas City site has increased and is currently at the highest level since the end of the Cold War, the GAO said.

The agency cautioned that supply chain issues and a lack of floor space at the Kansas City site could hamper future plans to swap out parts and extend the life of the weapons.

Navy Adm. Charles Richard, the head of U.S. Strategic Command, wonders how many life extensions are left for the missiles.

When I say heroics, Im talking about where people are doing some very innovative things to reverse engineer and creatively replace parts and things like that, Richards said.

He added that another service life extension is certainly past the point of being cost-effective and approaching the point where you cant do it at all.

To prepare for upcoming congressional hearings on the defense budget, Milley went to Minot.

He climbed inside a B-52 Stratofortress thats been flying since 1960 to talk to the crew and ask them what upgrades would help their missions. The UH-1N Huey that carried him to the missile silo has been in service since 1969. The wall deep underground at the launch control center that he signed as he departed was built around 1962.

Were moving into a period where the engineering lifespan of these systems is nearing its end, Milley said. Nuclear deterrence, strategic deterrence, I think, has been effective in preventing great power war for seven decades, since the end of World War II. And until, unless we have something better come along, I think we need to update and modernize the one we have.

As he departed the launch facility, Milley took a marker to write a message to the missileers. Its a place near the exit where crews who have completed their tours and visiting defense leaders have also scribbled notes.

Every day there is no nuke war you won, Milley wrote.

2021 McClatchy Washington Bureau. Visit atmcclatchydc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

See the original post here:

US nuclear weapons are aging quickly. With few spare parts, how long can they last? - War Is Boring

Posted in Life Extension | Comments Off on US nuclear weapons are aging quickly. With few spare parts, how long can they last? – War Is Boring

Cullinan Oncology Reports Full Year 2020 Financial Results and Business Highlights – BioSpace

Posted: at 5:03 am

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 30, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cullinan Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq: CGEM) (Cullinan), an oncology company seeking to drive shareholder returns by focusing on the patient, today announced its financial results for the full year ended December 31, 2020 and reported on recent business highlights.

We are proud of the significant progress across many facets of our business in 2020 and intend to maintain that momentum in 2021, stated Owen Hughes, Chief Executive Officer of Cullinan. We remain laser focused on delivering results for our various stakeholders through disciplined capital allocation, decisive action, prudent risk taking and creative business development. We look forward to sharing additional clinical and pre-clinical updates as the year unfolds.

2020 and Recent Portfolio Highlights:

CLN-081 is an orally available, irreversible EGFR inhibitor that is designed to selectively target cells expressing mutant EGFR variants while sparing cells expressing wild type EGFR. Cullinan is evaluating various doses of CLN-081 in a Phase 1/2a trial in patients with NSCLC harboring EGFRex20ins mutations that have progressed post chemotherapy. As of the November 10, 2020 data cut-off, among 25 evaluable patients across all dose cohorts, we observed a best overall response of partial response in 10 patients (confirmed and unconfirmed), stable disease in 14 patients and disease progression in one patient. Cullinan recently initiated Phase 2a dose expansion at the 100 mg BID dosing level, which will enable enrollment of up to 36 patients at this dose level, inclusive of 13 previously enrolled patients. Cullinan is contemplating additional expansion cohorts and intends to provide updated safety and efficacy data in mid-2021.

CLN-619 is a MICA/B-targeted, humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody that Cullinan intends to develop in patients with advanced solid tumors. MICA/B are stress-induced ligands expressed on tumor cells and recognized by the activating NKG2D receptor present on innate and adaptive immune cells. To evade potential cytotoxic destruction by NK cells and T cells, tumors shed MICA/B from the cell surface. CLN-619 is designed to promote an antitumor response through multiple mechanisms of action, including preventing the proteolytic cleavage of MICA/B from cancer cells.

CLN-049 is a humanized bispecific antibody targeting FLT3 on target leukemic cells and CD3 on T cells, triggering cancer cell lysis via T cell cytolytic mechanisms. FLT3 is expressed frequently on AML cells and leukemic blasts but minimally on healthy blood cells, unlike other tumor surface antigens such as CD33 and CD123. Cullinan submitted an IND to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its first-in-human clinical trial evaluating CLN-049 in relapsed or refractory AML patients in January 2021. After receiving FDA feedback, Cullinan is updating the clinical protocol and intends to resubmit its IND in mid-2021.

Cullinan Ambers lead program, CLN-617, is a fusion protein uniquely combining in a single agent two potent antitumor cytokines, IL-2 and IL-12, with a collagen-binding domain for the treatment of solid tumors. The collagen-binding domain engineered into CLN-617 is designed to retain cytokines in the tumor microenvironment following intratumoral administration, thereby minimizing systemic dissemination and associated toxicities while prolonging immunostimulatory antitumor activity. In preclinical studies, murine surrogates of CLN-617 demonstrated robust single agent antitumor activity in both injected and non-injected contralateral tumors without inducing systemic toxicity. Cullinan expects to submit an IND for CLN-617 in 2022.

CLN-978 is a half-life extended, humanized, single-chain T cell engager designed to simultaneously engage CD19 on target cancer cells and CD3 on T cells, triggering redirected T cells to lyse the target cancer cells. In addition to CD19 and CD3 binding domains, CLN-978 has a human serum albumin binding domain, which is designed to prolong half-life. Several design components of CLN-978, including its high affinity binder to CD19, its serum half-life extension component and its overall stability, are intended to address limitations related to blinatumomab, the only CD19-targeting bispecific T cell engager approved for the treatment of relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or ALL. Cullinan expects to submit an IND for CLN-978 in 2022.

2020 and Recent Corporate Highlights:

Financial Results for Full Year 2020

About Cullinan Oncology

Cullinan Oncology is a biopharmaceutical company that seeks to drive shareholder returns by focusing on the patient. The Companys strategy is to build a diversified pipeline of targeted and immuno-oncology therapeutic candidates that are uncorrelated across multiple dimensions, with a focus on assets that it believes have novel technology, employ differentiated mechanisms, are in a more advanced stage of development than competing candidates, or have a combination of these attributes. Learn more about Cullinan at http://www.cullinanoncology.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements of Cullinan Oncology, Inc. (Cullinan, we or our) within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, express or implied statements regarding Cullinans beliefs and expectations regarding our preclinical and clinical development plans, clinical trial designs, clinical and therapeutic potential, and strategy of our product candidates, including but not limited to: the timing and success of our planned preclinical and clinical development of our programs, and the timing and success of any such continued preclinical and clinical development and planned regulatory submissions, including for CLN-081, CLN-619, CLN-049 and CLN-617; our plans to submit INDs for CLN-619 and CLN-617 in the second quarter of 2021 and in 2022, respectively; our plans to update our clinical protocol and planned resubmission of the IND for CLN-049 in mid-2021; our expectations and beliefs around the safety and activity of CLN-081 in our Phase 1/2a trial in patients with NSCLC harboring EGFRex20ins mutations that have had at least one prior treatment; our ability to evaluate strategic opportunities to accelerate development timelines; our plans to advance and complete preclinical studies for our programs; the presentation of additional data at upcoming scientific conferences in 2021; our ability to optimize the impact of our collaborations and license agreements with external parties, including but not limited to Zai Lab, the German Cancer Research Center and the University of Tbingen; ability to continue its growth and realize the anticipated contribution of the members of its board of directors and executives to its operations and programs; and our expectations regarding our use of capital and other financial results during 2021.

Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management's current expectations and beliefs of future events, and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks include, but are not limited to, the following: uncertainty regarding the timing and results of regulatory submissions; success of our clinical trials and preclinical studies; risks related to our ability to protect and maintain our intellectual property position; risks related to manufacturing, supply, and distribution of our therapeutic candidates; risks related to the impact of COVID-19 affecting countries or regions in which we have operations or do business, including potential negative impacts on our employees, customers, supply chain and production as well as global economies and financial markets; the risk that any one or more of our product candidates, including those that are co-developed, will not be successfully developed and commercialized; the risk that the results of preclinical studies or clinical studies will not be predictive of future results in connection with future studies; and success of any collaboration, partnership, license or similar agreements. These and other important risks and uncertainties discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, including under the caption Risk Factors in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings with the SEC, could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Moreover, except as required by law, neither Cullinan nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the forward-looking statements included in this press release. Any forward-looking statement included in this press release speaks only as of the date on which it was made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Contacts:

Investor Relationsinvestors@cullinanoncology.com

Jeff Trigilio+1 617.410.4650jtrigilio@cullinanoncology.com

View original post here:

Cullinan Oncology Reports Full Year 2020 Financial Results and Business Highlights - BioSpace

Posted in Life Extension | Comments Off on Cullinan Oncology Reports Full Year 2020 Financial Results and Business Highlights – BioSpace

Pfizer’s Ibrance, under threat from Novartis and Lilly, leans on real-world data in breast cancer – FiercePharma

Posted: at 5:03 am

Pfizers breast cancer drug Ibrance is under increased pressure from rival CDK4/6 inhibitors from Novartis and Eli Lilly thanks to a couple of big clinical slips. And in the wake of those misses, Pfizer has turned to real-world data for support.

A retrospective observational analysis showed that adding Ibrance to Novartis hormone therapy Femara could cut the risk of death by 34% and the risk of disease progression by 42% in women with HR-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer.

After about two years of median follow-up, patients on solo Femara lived a median 43.1 months, while the median overall survival number for the Ibrance combo group was not reached, meaning more than half of patients who got the pairing were still alive at the data cutoff. The results were published in the journal Breast Cancer Research.

For Ibrance, the key message lies in the 34% death reduction rate. Questions over the magnitude of Ibrances life extension benefit inHR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer have been growing after several clinical trial flops.

Notably, data unveiled in 2018 from the phase 3 Paloma-3 trial showed a pairing of Ibrance and another widely usedhormone therapy, AstraZenecas Faslodex, failed to significantly outdo solo Faslodex at prolonging previously treated patients lives. The risk reduction of 19% didnt meet the prespecified statistical significance bar.

RELATED:Pfizer's Ibrance misses shot at big new market with early breast cancer failure

Still, physicians have been giving Ibrance the benefit of the doubt, partly thanks to its tolerability profile and because the miss was narrow; the median overall survival benefit of nearly 7 months is still considered clinically meaningful,as Paloma-3 senior investigator Massimo Cristofanilli, M.D., put it. In 2020, Ibrance sales still registered 9% growth, climbingto $5.39billion.

With more than six years of patient experience, a positive benefit-risk profile, strong clinical data and robust real-world data, the totality of evidence solidifies the role of Ibrance plus endocrine therapy as a treatment for patients with HR+, HER2- metastatic breast cancer, Chris Boshoff, M.D., Ph.D., Pfizers oncology chief development officer, said in a statement Thursday.

Before the Paloma-3 flop, Ibrance, in tandem with Femara, got its front-line FDA nod based on tumor progression results from the Paloma-2 trial. In that study, the Ibrance-Femara combo cut the risk of disease progression or death by 42%.

RELATED:SABCS: Novartis touts Kisqali's 5-year breast cancer survival, advantage over Pfizer's Ibrance

For now, life extension data from Paloma-2 isnt mature. Pfizers hope is that the same progression-free survival showing could eventually translate into an overall survival advantage in Paloma-2 thats similar to that seen in the current real-world analysis. But Pfizer pointed out that real-world studies have inherent limitations, such as lack of randomization and lack of uniform timing of clinical assessments.

Thatprospect doesnt look great for Ibrance. Data published last year from the phase 2 Paloma-1 trial again confirmed that the Ibrance-Femara combo could stall disease worsening, reducing risks by 51%. But that benefitled to just a 10% numeric reduction in patients' death risk.

Rival CDK4/6 inhibitors, meanwhilenamely Novartis Kisqali and Lillys Verzeniohave both posted overall survival wins in metastatic disease. In the Monarch 2 trial, the combination of Verzenio and Faslodex extended the lives of pretreated women by a median 9.4 months, translating into a 25% death risk reduction. As for Kisqali, its use alongside endocrine therapy conferred a 29% reduction in the risk of death in premenopausal women in the Monaleesa-7 trial, and its own Faslodex combo pared down that risk by 28% in postmenopausal women in Monaleesa-3.

RELATED:ESMO: Lilly's Verzenio pressures Pfizer with practice-changing win in early breast cancer

But a major threat for Ibrance is coming from the monarchE trial, which showed Verzenio could be used after surgery to prevent cancer from returning in patients with high-risk HR-positive, HER2-negative early breast cancer, according to data unveiled at last years ESMO event in September. In contrast, Ibrance failed in a similar phase 3 trial dubbed Pallas in the so-called adjuvant setting.

So far, first-to-market Ibrance still maintains a leading position in the CDK4/6 class with about 86% to 87% stable share in total scripts and about 80% in new script share, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said at this years J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in January.

I feel quite comfortable not only based on the belief of our product but also now backed up with the reaction of the market, he said, suggesting Lillys adjuvant win hasnt affected Ibrance's place in the metastatic setting.

But in an investor note at the time, SVB Leerink analyst Geoffrey Porges said he saw little room for Ibrance growth from here on out as the CDK class is slated to shift to early adjuvant use. He projects Ibrance sales of $5.8 billion in 2027 before its patent expiration.

Link:

Pfizer's Ibrance, under threat from Novartis and Lilly, leans on real-world data in breast cancer - FiercePharma

Posted in Life Extension | Comments Off on Pfizer’s Ibrance, under threat from Novartis and Lilly, leans on real-world data in breast cancer – FiercePharma