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Immunology

DICE Therapeutics Reports First Quarter 2023 Financial Results and … – InvestorsObserver

DICE Therapeutics Reports First Quarter 2023 Financial Results and Recent Highlights

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., May 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DICE Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: DICE) (DICE or the Company), a biopharmaceutical company leveraging its proprietary DELSCAPE technology platform to build a pipeline of novel oral therapeutic candidates to treat chronic diseases in immunology, today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2023, and highlighted recent corporate achievements.

Our oral IL-17 franchise continues to advance on multiple fronts. The first psoriasis patient has been dosed in our global, dose-ranging Phase 2b clinical trial of DC-806, said Kevin Judice, Ph.D., CEO of DICE. We also look forward to topline data in healthy volunteers from our Phase 1 trial with our second oral IL-17 inhibitor, DC-853, expected in the second half of 2023. Additionally, we are excited about the progress of our earlier stage research and development (R&D) programs and continuing to utilize our DELSCAPE platform to accelerate the expansion of our pipeline to other validated targets in immunology.

Recent Highlights & Upcoming Events

First Quarter 2023 Financial Highlights

About the DICE Oral IL-17 Franchise DICE is developing orally-available, small molecule antagonists of the pro-inflammatory signaling molecule IL-17, an immune cell-derived cytokine. Blockade of this pathway has proven to be an effective therapy in a number of auto-immune diseases. The anti-IL-17 injectable biologics have been approved for the treatment of psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis.

The DICE oral IL-17 franchise includes the lead therapeutic candidate, DC-806, the differentiated fast-follower candidate, DC-853, and the novel scaffold program. DICE is developing its lead therapeutic candidate, DC-806, for the treatment of psoriasis and plans to expand development to additional indications in which the marketed anti-IL-17 injectable biologics have proven to be effective. The Company is considering multiple applications for its differentiated fast-follower, DC-853, including potential development in distinct indications from DC-806, such as hidradenitis suppurativa.

About DICE Therapeutics, Inc. DICE Therapeutics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company leveraging its proprietary technology platform to build a pipeline of novel oral therapeutic candidates to treat chronic diseases in immunology and other therapeutic areas. DICE is initially focused on developing oral therapeutics against well-validated targets in immunology, with the goal of achieving comparable potency to their systemic biologic counterparts, which have demonstrated the greatest therapeutic benefit to date in these disease areas. The Companys DELSCAPE platform is designed to discover selective oral small molecules with the potential to modulate protein-protein interactions (PPIs) as effectively as systemic biologics. DICEs lead therapeutic candidates are oral antagonists of the pro-inflammatory signaling molecule, IL-17, which is a validated drug target implicated in a variety of immunology indications. DICE is also developing oral therapeutic candidates targeting the integrin 47 for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect the current beliefs and expectations of management. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements concerning the Companys future plans and prospects, the Companys anticipated runway, any expectations regarding the safety or efficacy of DC-806 and other candidates under development, the ability of DC-806 to treat psoriasis or related indications, the planned timing of the Companys clinical trials, data results and further development of DC-806 and DC-853. In addition, when or if used in this press release, the words may, could, should, anticipate, believe, estimate, expect, intend, plan, predict and similar expressions and their variants, as they relate to the Company may identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned that actual results, levels of activity, safety, performance or events and circumstances could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the Companys forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including risks and uncertainties related to the Companys ability to advance DC-806, DC-853 and its other therapeutic candidates, obtain regulatory approval of and ultimately commercialize the Companys therapeutic candidates, the timing and results of preclinical and clinical trials, the Companys ability to fund development activities and achieve development goals, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Companys business, its ability to protect its intellectual property and other risks and uncertainties described under the heading Risk Factors in the Companys annual report on Form 10-Q filed on May 11, 2023,and its otherSECfilings. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Except as required by applicable law, we do not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein.

DICE THERAPEUTICS, INC. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (unaudited) (In thousands, except share and per share amounts)

DICE THERAPEUTICS, INC. Selected Consolidated Balance Sheet Data (unaudited) (In thousands)

Contacts:

Media: Katie Engleman, 1AB katie@1abmedia.com

Investors: investors@dicetx.com

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DICE Therapeutics Reports First Quarter 2023 Financial Results and ... - InvestorsObserver

Immunology

Cannabis-derived products have flooded US market Two … – Down To Earth Magazine

Products likedelta-8 THC and delta-10 THC arerapidly proliferating;there are many unknowns about their safety and psychoactive properties

These days you see signs for delta-8 THC, delta-10 THC and CBD, or cannabidiol, everywhere at gas stations, convenience stores, vape shops and online. Many people are rightly wondering which of these compounds are legal, whether it is safe to consume them and which of their supposed medicinal benefits hold up to scientific scrutiny.

The rapid proliferation of cannabis products makes clear the need for the public to better understand what these compounds are derived from and what their true benefits and potential risks may be.

We are immunologists who have been studying the effects of marijuana cannabinoids on inflammation and cancer for more than two decades.

We see great promise in these products in medical applications. But we also have concerns about the fact that there are still many unknowns about their safety and their psychoactive properties.

Cannabis sativa, the most common type of cannabis plant, has more than 100 compounds called cannabinoids.

The most well-studied cannabinoids extracted from the cannabis plant include delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or delta-9 THC, which is psychoactive. A psychoactive compound is one that affects how the brain functions, thereby altering mood, awareness, thoughts, feelings or behavior.

Delta-9 THC is the main cannabinoid responsible for the high associated with marijuana. CBD, in contrast, is non-psychoactive.

Marijuana and hemp are two different varieties of the cannabis plant. In the U.S., federal regulations stipulate that cannabis plants containing greater than 0.3 per cent delta-9 THC should be classified as marijuana, while plants containing less should be classified as hemp.

The marijuana grown today has high levels from 10 per cent to 30 per cent of delta-9 THC, while hemp plants contain 5 per cent to 15 per cent CBD.

In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of CBD extracted from the cannabis plant to treat epilepsy. In addition to being a source of CBD, hemp plants can be used commercially to develop a variety of other products such as textiles, paper, medicine, food, animal feed, biofuel, biodegradable plastic and construction material.

Recognizing the potential broad applications of hemp, when Congress passed the Agriculture Improvement Act, called the Farm Bill, in 2018, it removed hemp from the category of controlled substances. This made it legal to grow hemp.

When hemp-derived CBD saturated the market after passage of the Farm Bill, CBD manufacturers began harnessing their technical prowess to derive other forms of cannabinoids from CBD. This led to the emergence of delta-8 and delta-10 THC.

The chemical difference between delta-8, delta-9 and delta-10 THC is the position of a double bond on the chain of carbon atoms they structurally share. Delta-8 has this double bond on the eighth carbon atom of the chain, delta-9 on the ninth carbon atom, and delta-10 on the 10th carbon atom.

These minor differences cause them to exert different levels of psychoactive effects.

Delta-9 THC was one of the first forms of cannabinoid to be isolated from the cannabis plant in 1964. The highly psychoactive property of delta-9 THC is based on its ability to activate certain cannabinoid receptors, called CB1, in the brain.

The receptor, CB1, is like a lock that can be opened only by a specific key in this case, delta-9 THC allowing the latter to affect certain cell functions.

Delta-9 THC mimics the cannabinoids, called endocannabinoids, that our bodies naturally produce.

Because delta-9 THC emulates the actions of endocannabinoids, it also affects the same brain functions they regulate, such as appetite, learning, memory, anxiety, depression, pain, sleep, mood, body temperature and immune responses.

The FDA approved delta-9 THC in 1985 to treat chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in cancer patients and, in 1992, to stimulate appetite in HIV/AIDS patients.

The National Academy of Sciences has reported that cannabis is effective in alleviating chronic pain in adults and for improving muscle stiffness in patients with multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease.

That report also suggested that cannabis may help sleep outcomes and fibromyalgia, a medical condition in which patients complain of fatigue and pain throughout the body. In fact, a combination of delta-9 THC and CBD has been used to treat muscle stiffness and spasms in multiple sclerosis.

This medicine, called Sativex, is approved in many countries but not yet in the U.S.

Delta-9 THC can also activate another type of cannabinoid receptor, called CB2, which is expressed mainly on immune cells. Studies from our laboratory have shown that delta-9 THC can suppress inflammation through the activation of CB2.

This makes it highly effective in the treatment of autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis and colitis as well as inflammation of the lungs caused by bacterial toxins.

However, delta-9 THC has not been approved by the FDA for ailments such as pain, sleep, sleep disorders, fibromyalgia and autoimmune diseases. This has led people to self-medicate against such ailments for which there are currently no effective pharmacological treatments.

Delta-8 THC is found in very small quantities in the cannabis plant. The delta-8 THC that is widely marketed in the U.S. is a derivative of hemp CBD.

Delta-8 THC binds to CB1 receptors less strongly than delta-9 THC, which is what makes it less psychoactive than delta-9 THC. People who seek delta-8 THC for medicinal benefits seem to prefer it over delta-9 THC because delta-8 THC does not cause them to get very high.

However, delta-8 THC binds to CB2 receptors with a similar strength as delta-9 THC. And because activation of CB2 plays a critical role in suppressing inflammation, delta-8 THC could potentially be preferable over delta-9 THC for treating inflammation, since it is less psychoactive.

There are no published clinical studies thus far on whether delta-8 THC can be used to treat the clinical disorders such as chemotherapy-induced nausea or appetite stimulation in HIV/AIDS that are responsive to delta-9 THC.

However, animal studies from our laboratory have shown that delta-8 THC is also effective in the treatment of multiple sclerosis.

The sale of delta-8 THC, especially in states where marijuana is illegal, has become highly controversial. Federal agencies consider all compounds isolated from marijuana or synthetic forms, similar to THC, Schedule I controlled substances, which means they currently have no accepted medical use and have considerable potential for abuse.

However, hemp manufacturers argue that delta-8 THC should be legal because it is derived from CBD isolated from legally cultivated hemp plants.

Delta-10 THC, another chemical cousin to delta-9 and delta-8, has recently entered the market.

Scientists do not yet know much about this new cannabinoid. Delta-10 THC is also derived from hemp CBD. People have anecdotally reported feeling euphoric and more focused after consuming delta-10 THC. Also, anecdotally, people who consume delta-10 THC say that it causes less of a high than delta-8 THC.

And virtually nothing is known about the medicinal properties of delta-10 THC. Yet it is being marketed in similar ways as the other more well-studied cannabinoids, with claims of an array of health benefits.

Research and clinical trials using marijuana or delta-9 THC to treat many medical conditions have been hampered by their classification as Schedule 1 substances.

In addition, the psychoactive properties of marijuana and delta-9 THC create side effects on brain functions; the high associated with them causes some people to feel sick, or they simply hate the sensation. This limits their usefulness in treating clinical disorders.

In contrast, we feel that delta-8 THC and delta-10 THC, as well as other potential cannabinoids that could be isolated from the cannabis plant or synthesized in the future, hold great promise.

With their strong activity against the CB2 receptors and their lower psychoactive properties, we believe they offer new therapeutic opportunities to treat a variety of medical conditions.

Prakash Nagarkatti, Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina and Mitzi Nagarkatti, Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Cannabis-derived products have flooded US market Two ... - Down To Earth Magazine

Immunology

NYU Langone Health in the NewsFriday, May 12, 2023 – NYU Langone Health

Media Highlights from Dr. Lorna Thorpes Sleep Apnea and Long-COVID Study

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Associated with Increased Risks for Long COVIDNational Institutes of Health May 11-Lorna E. Thorpe, PhD, MPH, professor, Department of Population Health

Sleep Apnea Boosts Odds for Long COVIDThis article was picked up by news websites across the country.HealthDay May 12-Hannah Mandel, senior data scientist, NYU Langone Health

Long COVID Risk Higher in People with Sleep ApneaReuters Health Rounds May 11-Hannah Mandel, senior data scientist, NYU Langone Health*Link is unavailable. Please see full test at end of report.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Associated with Increased Risk for Long COVIDThe Clinical Services Journal May 12-Lorna E. Thorpe, PhD, MPH, professor, Department of Population Health

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Increases Risk of Long COVID in AdultsHCPLive May 11-Lorna E. Thorpe, PhD, MPH, professor, Department of Population Health

At Least 2 Cases of Drug-Resistant Ringworm Infection Found in the U.S., CDC SaysThis article was picked up by news websites across the country.NBC News May 11-Avrom S. Caplan, MD, assistant professor, the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology

Two Cases of Drug-Resistant Ringworm Detected in New York City, CDC Report FindsTODAY May 11-Avrom S. Caplan, MD, assistant professor, the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology

Cases of Drug-Resistant Fungal Ringworm Spotted in New York CityThis article was picked up by news websites across the country.HealthDay May 11-Avrom S. Caplan, MD, assistant professor, the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology-Marc K. Siegel, MD, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine

NYU Researcher Calls Attention to Lack of Health Research on Asian American CommunityNY1 Spectrum News May 11-Stella S. Yi, MPH, PhD, associate professor, Department of Population Health

RSNA Announces Screening Mammography AI Challenge ResultsImaging Technology News May 11-Linda Moy, MD, professor, Department of Radiology, Perlmutter Cancer Center

Community Connections Help Residents Overcome Challenges and Age WellNext Avenue May 11-Marc N. Gourevitch, MD, MPH, the Muriel G. and George W. Singer Professor of Population Health, chair, Department of Population Health, professor, Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry

Adding Exercise to Treatment Programs May Help Reduce Substance Use, Study ShowsHealth May 11-Thea Gallagher, PsyD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Psychiatry

Is It Safe to Take Allergy Medications Every Day?Verywell Health May 11-Purvi S. Parikh, MD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Allergy & Immunology, and Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Allergy and Immunology

Peanut Allergy Skin Patch Shows Promise for ToddlersTODAY May 11-Natalie E. Azar, MD, clinical associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology

Monkeypox: WHO Says No Longer Global Health EmergencyThis article was picked up by news websites across the country.Fox News May 11-Marc K. Siegel, MD, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine

New Recommendations Lower Age for First MammogramNY1 Spectrum News May 11-Francis Arena, MD, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Arena Oncology

Do Over-The-Counter Varicose Vein Treatments Actually Work?This story was picked up by news websites across the country.HuffPost May 12-Richard W. Schutzer, MD, clinical associate professor, Department of Surgery, chief, Division of Vascular Surgery, NYU Langone HospitalBrooklyn

Brooklyn Hospital Bringing Massage Services for Its NursesNews 12 May 11-NYU Langone HospitalBrooklyn

*Reuters Health Rounds, May 11, 2023 Long COVID Risk Higher in People with Sleep Apnea - Obstructive sleep apnea may significantly increase the risk of long COVID in adults, according to a new study. Researchers reviewed information from two National Institutes of Health databases on more than 2 million U.S. adults who tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus between March 2020 and February 2022.In one database tracking 1.7 million people with a high rate of chronic health problems, those with sleep apnea had a 75% higher risk for long COVID - with symptoms such as brain fog and fatigue that can last for months after initial infection - than people without the breathing problem, researchers reported on Thursday in Sleep. In a smaller database, with roughly 300,000 adults, those with sleep apnea had a 12% higher risk for long COVID.The increased long COVID risk in people with sleep apnea persisted, but wasn't as high, after researchers accounted for other factors known to increase the risk for lingering symptoms, such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and hospitalization at the time of their initial COVID infection. In obstructive sleep apnea, the airway intermittently closes during sleep and breathing stops. In North America, approximately 34% of men and 17% of women are affected, according to a 2019 report in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine."People with sleep apnea who get infected with COVID should seek early treatment, pay attention to their symptoms, and keep up with their vaccinations to lower the risk of infection in the first place," study leader Hannah Mandel of NYU Langone Health in New York said in a statement.

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NYU Langone Health in the NewsFriday, May 12, 2023 - NYU Langone Health

Immunology

UNION therapeutics to present at 4th Annual Dermatology Drug … – InvestorsObserver

HELLERUP, Denmark , May 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- UNION therapeutics A/S (UNION), a privately held, multi-asset, clinical stage, pharmaceutical development company focused on immunology and infectious disease, today announced that Dr. Kim D. Kjller, CEO of UNION therapeutics will present at the seminar on hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) at the 4 th Annual Dermatology Drug Development Summit Europe on May 22-24, 2023 , in Berlin, Germany . Dr. Kjller will discuss the current HS landscape incl. learnings on new ways to develop better treatments across dermatology and immunology.

Dr. Kjller will also be moderating a pre-conference workshop on "Dermatological Development Strategies: Setting yourself up for success and reducing time to market" on Monday May 22, 2023 , at 1-4pm CEST .

4 th Annual Dermatology Drug Development Summit Europe

Seminar: What's next for hidradenitis suppurativa, new opportunities, new endpoints, new beginnings

Presenter: Dr. Kim D. Kjller, CEO, UNION therapeutics

Date and time: Wednesday May 24, 2023, at 1:00pm CEST .

Contacts

Morten Boesen , Chief Financial Officer, UNION therapeutics A/S +45 2381 5487 morten.boesen@uniontherapeutics.com

Sarah Toft-Jrgensen, Director of Communications and IR, UNION therapeutics A/S +45 5385 3044 stj@uniontherapeutics.com

About UNION therapeutics

UNION therapeutics is a privately held, mid- to late-stage, pharmaceutical development company advancing novel treatment options within immunology and infectious diseases, two large and fast-growing therapeutic areas. UNION is headquartered in Hellerup, Denmark , and led by an international team combining biotech entrepreneurs and seasoned pharma executives, with a track record of developing and launching more than fifteen marketed drugs. Read more at http://www.uniontherapeutics.com

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UNION therapeutics to present at 4th Annual Dermatology Drug ... - InvestorsObserver

Immunology

Russell Investments Decreases Stake in Argenx SE by 20% in Q4 … – Best Stocks

Russell Investments Group Ltd., a prominent investment management firm, has decreased its stake in argenx SE (NASDAQ:ARGX) by 20.0% during the 4th quarter, according to the companys latest 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm now owns 32,603 shares of argenx stock after selling 8,150 shares during the quarter. This has reduced Russell Investments Group Ltd.s ownership of argenx from 0.08% to 0.06%. At current market rates, this 20% decrease corresponds to $12,351,000 in value.

This recent move by Russell Investments shows a shift in their investment strategy towards minimizing risks and increasing profitability for their investors. The sale of stocks indicates that Russell Investments no longer perceives argenx as profitable or anticipates a decline in its market performance.

Argenx SE is a biotechnology company that specializes in developing antibody-based medications for autoimmune diseases and cancer treatments. Its research focuses on understanding immunology and identifying new targets for treatment options.

Currently traded at $406.85 on NASDAQ, argenxs market capitalization stands at $22.65 billion with a P/E ratio of -43.79 and a beta of 0.75. As per its fifty-two week chart analysis, argenxs high was $407.93 while its low was recorded to be $281.65 indicating significant growth potential over the preceding year.

Investors can assess changes made by other hedge funds to consolidate their own portfolios using HoldingsChannel.com which provides comprehensive information about insider trades and the latest SEC filings for all publicly traded companies.

In conclusion, this reduction in ownership of argenx could spearhead possible volatility according to financial experts since hedge funds actions often drive significant price movements in publicly traded stocks such as that owned by arnex SE (NASDAQ:ARGX). The long-term implications of this move by Russell Investments Group Ltd. will undoubtedly dictate the future outlook for argenx and investors will surely be keeping a close eye on any developments moving forward.

Argenx SE, a global immunology company that focuses on improving the lives of people suffering from severe autoimmune diseases, has seen an increase in hedge fund and institutional investor activity in the stock. Many funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company, including JPMorgan Chase & Co., which grew its position by 143% in the first quarter. Hedge funds and institutional investors now own more than half of Argenxs stock.

Despite this surge of activity, Argenx has received mixed reviews from analysts. Truist Financial boosted its target price on shares of Argenx to $440.00, while JMP Securities reduced its target price from $448.00 to $445.00. Bank of America raised its price target to $446.00, and 888 maintained a maintains rating on shares of Argenx.

In March, Argenx reported earnings per share (EPS) of ($0.70) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($3.08) by $2.38. The business had revenue of $182.12 million for the quarter and is expected to post -8.77 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Argenx operates globally with offices in Belgium, France, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the United States of America. Through its Immunology Innovation Program (IIP), argenx aims to translate breakthroughs in immunology into novel antibody-based medicines to help people suffering from autoimmune diseases worldwide.

Overall, while hedge funds and institutional investors seem bullish on Argenxs potential growth opportunities in immunology research and development space, there remains uncertainty surrounding how this translates into financial performance indicators for shareholders going forward as mixed reports suggest varying levels of confidence regarding this stocks future performance prospects amidst stiff competition within a rapidly evolving industry landscape characterized by ongoing innovation and technological disruption trends among key healthcare players globally seeking to maintain their competitive edge.

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Russell Investments Decreases Stake in Argenx SE by 20% in Q4 ... - Best Stocks

Immunology

How my training helps me to address health disparities in multiple … – Nature.com

Irene Ghobrial (front, centre, blue dress) leads a multidisciplinary team that addresses health disparities in multiple myeloma at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.Credit: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Irene Ghobrial leads the Stand Up To Cancers Multiple Myeloma Dream Team, part of the research charity that investigates conditions that could lead to this type of bone marrow cancer, which kills 106,000 people annually. Ghobrial, a medical oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, both in Boston, Massachusetts, describes her journey as an immigrant woman of colour to the United States. She explains why translational research is key to advancing personalized treatments and how her team addresses health disparities.

I graduated in medicine from Cairo University in 1999 and moved to Detroit, Michigan, for training opportunities that were inaccessible to me in Egypt. I faced many challenges and mistreatment, sometimes driven by discrimination towards me as a woman and an immigrant. The chances of getting into elite training programmes when you belong to a minority group are slim. Sometimes, I was oblivious to these barriers, and not knowing about them helped me to persevere and persist.

Outlook: Multiple myeloma

I couldnt have dreamt of this life when I was younger. Sometimes, I pinch myself and say, Im living the American dream, right? as an Egyptian immigrant and woman of colour who is now an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. But, as the saying goes, it took a village. My parents and mentors inspired me to dream big. And despite barriers to success faced by minority groups, the US system still allows people to thrive regardless of where they came from and who they are.

In 2000, I worked in an immunology laboratory run by Karen Hedin at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, looking at chemokine receptor signalling in immune cells. Ive been in love with research ever since. As a clinician-researcher, you can take samples from your patients, do whole-genome sequencing, get the answers you need and use them to personalize treatment. This back-and-forth is gratifying and exciting.

Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells, white blood cells that make antibodies. In myeloma, these cells grow uncontrollably in the bones and produce an overabundance of abnormal immunoglobulin proteins.

Collection: Co-production of research

Myeloma develops in about 160,000 people every year worldwide. Although rare, it is the most common blood cancer in African Americans, who are twice as likely to have it as white Americans. Theyre also likely to develop it at a younger age.

Myeloma might cause no symptoms in its early stages, but people with more-advanced forms of the disease can have bone pain, fractures, recurring infections, hypercalcaemia (higher-than-normal calcium levels) and anaemia.

The condition is not yet curable. But there are treatments to prevent and manage symptoms, slow disease progression and improve a persons quality of life. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and other cancer-fighting drugs, as well as steroids, bone-modifying medications and bone-marrow transplants.

Confronting racism in Black maternal health care in the United States

I trained at Mayo with Robert (Bob) Kyle, whom I call the grandfather of myeloma, who influenced my interest in multiple myeloma. He named two of the precursor conditions that cause no symptoms but might develop into myeloma: monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and smouldering multiple myeloma (SMM).

Unlike many of his peers in the 1970s, Bob didnt dismiss these conditions simply because they seemed benign. Instead, he focused on understanding what causes them to develop into myeloma, and he emphasized that people with precursor conditions should be monitored closely.

Our patients need our research to answer their health concerns, not in the next 10 or 15 years, but now. If we can diagnose and treat myeloma early, we can make a difference.

My team works fast and hard to sequence and do mass spectrometry to analyse patient samples and get the data back to them. Working this way takes a lot of effort but its also a lot of fun.

My team is multidisciplinary and includes people with MDs or PhDs, as well as students. They work in biology, chemistry, bioinformatics, epidemiology, medicine and statistics. Every person on the team is complementary to the others.

Our team received a US$10 million award and began work in April 2018. Our study, called PROMISE, focuses on understanding these precursor conditions to predict the risk of developing myeloma. We will screen 30,000 individuals at risk of myeloma, including African Americans, people of African descent and people with first-degree family members who have had blood cancer.

How I fused passions for art and medicine into a medical illustration career

To help potential participants gain trust and confidence in our research, we educate them about multiple myeloma and its prevalence in African Americans, and explain that screening for precursor conditions can improve survival outcomes.

In July 2022, we screened 200 African American people at a health-fair event in Indianapolis. One woman was scared because she had a relative with myeloma. After convincing her, she took the test. Her results showed that she might have gone on to develop myeloma with kidney failure in a few weeks. We therefore referred her for standard myeloma therapy that week, which should protect her from developing myeloma and kidney damage.

We published results1 for the first 7,600 patients screened by mass spectrometry for monoclonal gammopathies, the abnormal immunoglobulins in the blood. We were surprised that 13% of the participants had MGUS, a high proportion compared with the 35% prevalence expected in the general population.

We also found that another 20% of participants had very low levels of these abnormal proteins, and we named this new precursor condition monoclonal gammopathy of indeterminate potential, or MGIP. Now, were trying to understand what MGIP is. So far, our findings suggest that it might be a sign of early B-cell malignancies such as chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. If so, its possible that MGIP could be treated and cured in some people, before it progresses to later stages of blood cancers. Its exciting that we have the potential of understanding MGIP better, to help prevent the progression of blood cancers.

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How my training helps me to address health disparities in multiple ... - Nature.com

Immunology

Positive trial results for RSV infant treatment: Sanofi – Medical Xpress

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The virus is the most common cause of bronchiolitis, which in some cases can make infants seriously ill.

French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi announced trial results on Friday that showed its preventative treatment for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) reduced the rate of babies being hospitalized by more than 80 percent.

The virus infects around nine out of 10 children by the age of two and is the most common cause of bronchiolitis, a respiratory infection that is normally mild but in some cases can make infants seriously ill.

Sanofi and British-Swedish firm AstraZeneca, which jointly developed the drug nirsevimab, marketed as Beyfortus, say it is the first treatment to prevent severe illness from RSV in infants.

The phase three trial used real-world data from the 2022-2023 RSV season and involved more than 8,000 infants under 12 months across France, Germany and the UK, Sanofi said in a statement.

The results showed an 83 percent reduction in hospitalizations for infants with RSV-related illnesses who received a single dose of nirsevimab, compared to a control group who did not receive the treatment.

The results suggest that "the overall burden on healthcare systems could be reduced significantly if all infants receive nirsevimab," Sanofi said.

Global medical costs worldwide were estimated to be 4.8 billion euros ($5.2 billion) in 2017, it added.

While not a vaccine, nirsevimab is a monoclonal antibody treatment that has a similar aim: to give protection against RSV with a single injection.

More attention has been paid to RSV since a combination of the virus, Covid-19 and influenza dubbed a "tripledemic" put pressure on hospitals in several countries during the Northern Hemisphere's last winter.

Peter Openshaw, a specialist in lung immunology at Imperial College London, pointed out that the trial data was collected when RSV was rebounding after a dip in cases during Covid lockdowns.

The data "adds to the evidence that use of long-acting monoclonal antibody may prevent moderate to severe RSV disease after a convenient single dose," he said, adding that further studies were needed for older children.

"The cost of nirsevimab will be a critical determinant of how widespread its use can be," Openshaw said.

The drug has already been approved in the European Union, the UK and Canada, and an application in the United States is under review.

Several major pharmaceutical firms have developed vaccines for RSV in adults, and are currently racing to get them approved.

Last week, the US became the first country to approve an RSV vaccine, giving the greenlight to GSK's Arexvy for adults aged 60 or older.

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Immunology

How Can You Find Out If You’re Allergic to a Medication Before You … – Verywell Health

Key Takeaways

Starting a new medication can be nerve-wracking, especially if youre worried about side effects or even having an allergic reaction to a drug youve never taken.

While its not possible to find out if you have a medication allergy before you start taking it, there are a few ways you can work with your prescribing provider to mitigate your risk of a reaction.

If you have a history of drug allergies or have had reactions to medications in the past, tell your healthcare provider. They can start you with a small test dose of a medication to see how you react.

Most drug allergy symptoms come on within hours of taking a medication, but reactions can be delayed for up to two weeks later.

The key is to keep in mind that an allergy to a medication is rare, Maya R. Jerath, MD, PhD, clinical director of the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Washington University in Saint Louis, told Verywell. Adverse side effects or intolerances certainly happen more often, but these are not true allergies.

Heres how the two are different:

Many people believe that having a family history of a drug allergy will also make them develop the same allergybut Jerath said thats not necessarily true.

People do not inherit medication allergies, said Jerath. The tendency to be an allergic person is inherited, but specific allergies are not.

While family history alone does not play a major role in the development of drug allergies, other factors can make a drug allergy more likely.

Jyothi Tirumalasetty, MD, clinical assistant professor at Stanford University with a focus on allergy and immunology, told Verywell that certain genetic factors and chronic health conditions can make drug allergies more likely.

Some risk factors for medication allergies include:

ADRs are fairly common, affecting up to 25% of people taking certain medications. However, only 5%10% of ADRs are true allergies. Women are more likely to develop a drug allergy than men.

Diagnosing a drug allergy can be tricky, but allergists typically start with a complete medical history that includes:

Always tell your provider about any reactions youve had to any medications. Experts recommend drug allergy testing for people who have had adverse drug reactions in the past, as well as when there is not a safe alternative to the drug prescribed.

All drugs carry the risk of an allergic reaction, but there are certain classes of medications that are more common for people to be allergic to, including:

These drugs are frequently used to treat many acute and chronic conditions, so patients may run into situations where they are allergic to a medication thats being recommended for them.

Jerath said that while this happens often, there are desensitization procedures that allow providers to work around it.

For example, if a patient is allergic to penicillin and has an infection that requires penicillin, Jerath said that there is a certain way of administering the medicine in a graded incremental fashion that makes your immune system not react.

While this method does not cure an allergy, it does allow a patient to get the needed medication in an emergency.

If your provider prescribes a new medication for you, talk to them about side effects and the possibility of an adverse reaction. While you cant know for sure if youll react before you start a medication, there are some clues you can be on the lookout for.

The signs and symptoms of ADR and allergic reactions are different. Allergic reactions start on the skin, while ADR usually comes on as gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea.

Signs that you might be having a reaction to a medication include:

Its less common but some people develop a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to a drug. If symptoms like trouble breathing, itching, dizziness, confusion, and swelling in your lips or face come on suddenly after you take a medication, call 911.

True drug allergies are rare but they can happen. If youre starting a new medication and youre nervous about side effects or adverse reactions, talk to your provider. While you cant know for sure if youre allergic until you take the drug, your provider can start you on a lower dose and watch for symptoms or recommend an alternative.

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. Medications and drug allergic reactions.

Wheatley LM, Plaut M, Schwaninger JM, et al. Report from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases workshop on drug allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2015;136(2):262-271.e2. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2015.05.027

De Martinis M, Sirufo MM, Suppa M, Di Silvestre D, Ginaldi L. Sex and gender aspects for patient stratification in allergy prevention and treatment. Int J Mol Sci. 2020;21(4):1535. doi:10.3390/ijms21041535

American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. Drug allergies.

By Amy Isler, RN, MSN, CSNAmy Isler, RN, MSN, CSN, is a registered nurse with over six years of patient experience. She is a credentialed school nurse in California.

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Immunology

HUTCHMED Announces Appointment of Independent Non … – GlobeNewswire

HONG KONG and SHANGHAI, China and FLORHAM PARK, N.J., May 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HUTCHMED (China) Limited (HUTCHMED or the Company) (Nasdaq/AIM:HCM, HKEX:13) today announces that Professor Solange Peters is appointed as an Independent Non-executive Director, member of the Technical Committee and member of the Audit Committee of the Company with effect from the conclusion of the annual general meeting of the Company to be held on May 12, 2023. Professor Peters is a renowned scientist and educator who possesses expertise and extensive experience in oncology and immunology. The Board of HUTCHMED is of the view that Professor Peters will make significant contributions to the Company.

Mr Simon To, Chairman of HUTCHMED said On behalf of the Board, I would like to extend a warm welcome to Professor Peters to the Company. We believe that her expertise in biopharmaceutical research in oncology and immunology would be of immense value to the Company and she would be instrumental in assisting the Company in achieving its goals.

Professor Peters, aged 50, is the chair of medical oncology and thoracic malignancies in the Department of Oncology at the University Hospital of Lausanne in Lausanne, Switzerland. After completing her clinical education in medical oncology and molecular biology in Switzerland and Italy, she specialized in thoracic tumors, lung cancer, and pleural tumors. Professor Peters was the youngest president of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) for an extended period of three years from 2020 to 2022, and she is active in the educational programmes of ESMO, where she created the Women for Oncology Committee. Professor Peters was also a member of the board of directors of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) from 2013 to 2017.

Professor Peters is currently in charge of teaching and patient care in thoracic malignancies at Lausanne University, where she is building a translational programme in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and the Ludwig Institute. Her main fields of interest are new biomarker discovery and validation in preclinical and clinical settings, multimodality strategies for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), as well as cancer immunotherapy. Her current research projects are mainly focused on innovative immunotherapy combinations and new immuno-modulating treatments across thoracic malignancies. She acts as the local principal investigator (PI) for lung trials opened at Lausanne Cancer Centre and is a co-PI of several other trials.

Professor Peters acts as the scientific committee chair and foundation council member of the ETOP IBCSG Partners Foundation. She was recently nominated as the strategic advisory board president of the Paris Saclay Cancer Cluster and is part of the board of directors of the Swiss National Cancer League. She is also the president of International Cancer Foundation. Professor Peters is also an independent director of Galenica AG, which is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange.

Professor Peters has authored more than 500 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters, acts as Associate Editor of the Annals of Oncology, Deputy Editor of Lung Cancer, and serves on the editorial board of several other oncology journals. She was the deputy editor of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology for ten years. She received both her doctorate in medicine and PhD from the University Hospital of Lausanne.

Save for the appointments listed above, Professor Peters has held no other directorships or partnerships during the period of five years prior to her appointment as a director of HUTCHMED. She does not have any relationship with any Directors, senior management or substantial or controlling shareholders of HUTCHMED. Professor Peters does not have any interest in the ordinary shares of HUTCHMED within the meaning of Part XV of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap.571 of the Laws of Hong Kong). The initial term of the appointment of Professor Peters as an Independent Non-executive Director of the Company shall end at the next general meeting of the Company, subject to retirement in accordance with the Articles of Association of the Company and applicable legal and regulatory requirements. The initial term shall be automatically renewed for successive 12-month periods, unless she is not re-elected at the next general meeting or her appointment is otherwise terminated earlier by either party in writing. The directors fees of Professor Peters as an Independent Non-executive Director, member of the Technical Committee and member of the Audit Committee of the Company under her appointment letter are US$76,000, US$8,000 and US$13,500 per annum respectively. Such fees are subject to review from time to time and proration for any incomplete year of service.

Save for the information disclosed above, there is no other information in relation to Professor Peters that is required to be disclosed pursuant to Rule 17 and Schedule 2(g) of the AM Rules for Companies or Rule 13.51(2) of the HK Listing Rules and there are no other matters concerning the appointment of Professor Peters that are required to be brought to the attention of the shareholders of HUTCHMED.

About HUTCHMED

HUTCHMED (Nasdaq/AIM:HCM; HKEX:13) is an innovative, commercial-stage, biopharmaceutical company. It is committed to the discovery and global development and commercialization of targeted therapies and immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer and immunological diseases. It has approximately 5,000 personnel across all its companies, at the center of which is a team of about 1,800 in oncology/immunology. Since inception it has focused on bringing cancer drug candidates from in-house discovery to patients around the world, with its first three oncology drugs now approved and marketed in China. For more information, please visit: http://www.hutch-med.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect HUTCHMEDs current expectations regarding future events. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Such risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the risk that current or future appointees to HUTCHMEDs board of directors are not eective in their respective positions, the diiculty in locating and recruiting suitable candidates for its board of directors and the management diiculties which may arise from changes in HUTCHMEDs board of directors. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. For further discussion of these and other risks, see HUTCHMEDs filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, on AM and with The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. HUTCHMED undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this announcement, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise.

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HUTCHMED Announces Appointment of Independent Non ... - GlobeNewswire

Immunology

The Wistar Institute, Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center and Baruch S. Blumberg Institute Forge Strategic Collaboration to Support Regional Biotech…

Newswise PHILADELPHIA (MAY 9, 2023) The Wistar Institute has formed a new strategic collaboration with the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center (PABC) and the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute to accelerate the advancement of bench to bedside biomedical research discoveries in the tri-state region by collectively supporting the seeding, launching and maturation of life science startups.

The Wistar Institute is a Philadelphia-based world leader in discovery science in the areas of cancer, immunology and infectious disease. The PABC is a highly successful nonprofit incubator promoting regional economic development and fostering the development of startup companies in the life sciences. The Blumberg Institute, which manages the PABC, is a nonprofit organization focused on translation research in the life sciences. The two organizations share a campus with their sister institution, the Hepatitis B Foundation, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.

The PABC and Blumberg Institute will leverage the institutes scientists and the PABCs member companies and collaborative entrepreneurial ecosystem with Wistars growing pipeline of technologies including NK and T-Cell engaging antibodies, multivalent biologics, small-molecule oncology and immunooncology therapies, cell and gene therapies, and vaccine and diagnostic assets.

As Wistars SVP of Business Development and Executive Director of Technology Transfer Heather A. Steinman, Ph.D., MBA, explained, Through this important collaboration, we see the opportunity to leverage Wistars pre-clinical assets in both oncology and infectious diseases with PABC/BSBIs access to capital, infrastructure and life science sector talent pool to further enhance the innovation ecosystem in the region.

This collaboration will involve use of Blabs at Cira Centre, a state-of-the-art incubator in University City, which is managed by the PABC and was conceived, designed and built by Brandywine Realty Trust. Jerry Sweeney, President & CEO of Brandywine Realty Trust, said he is pleased to be furthering the advancement of Philadelphias life sciences community.

This is a welcome reminder of the powerful possibilities that collaborations like this can generate, Sweeney said. Were delighted to provide the physical platform to support the promising startups at B+labs at Cira Centre and look forward to seeing their missions become realized through this dynamic ecosystem.

Louis P. Kassa III, MPA, Chief Executive Officer of the Hepatitis Foundation, Blumberg Institute and PABC foresees this collaborative model as a prototype to attract talent, new capital and support startups more broadly throughout the Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware life sciences cluster.

This agreement represents a major new chapter in the PABCs progress and the evolution of the Blumberg Institute, Kassa said. Were thrilled to be collaborating with The Wistar Institute and we see our relationship growing significantly in the years and months ahead.

Through their new collaboration, The Wistar Institute and the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center are planning to co-host a new translational science seminar series, as well as an early-stage life sciences startup how-to seminar series for supporting trainees and entrepreneurial scientists to advance basic research discoveries to clinical therapies.

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The Wistar InstituteThe Wistar Institute, the first independent, nonprofit biomedical research institute in the United States, marshals the talents of an international team of outstanding scientists through a culture of biomedical collaboration and innovation. Wistar scientists are focused on solving some of the worlds most challenging and important problems in the field of cancer, infectious disease, and immunology. Wistar has been producing groundbreaking advances in world health for more than a century. Consistent with its legacy of leadership in biomedical research and a track record of life-saving contributions in immunology and cell biology, Wistar scientists early-stage discoveries shorten the path from bench to bedside. wistar.org.

The Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center (PABC)The PABC uses a highly successful services-based approach to nurture and guide its member companies to success, advance biotechnology, maximize synergies among nonprofit scientists and their commercial colleagues, and launch new ideas and discoveries that will make a positive impact. The PABC has nearly 100 member companies and organizations, mostly small to mid-size science, research and pharmaceutical companies. Nearly 50 of those companies operate on the Doylestown campus, which is home to the Hepatitis B Foundation and the Blumberg Institute. The PABC also manages B+labs a Cira Centre, a new incubator in Philadelphia, in partnership with Brandywine Realty Trust. PABC companies have produced numerous FDA-approved drugs and medical devices, and a recent study found that the PABCs economic impact exceeded $7.3 billion and created more than 1,100 new jobs during 2016-2021.

The Baruch S. Blumberg InstituteAn independent, nonprofit research organization, the Blumberg Institute was launched in 2003 by the Hepatitis B Foundation to advance its research mission. Today, the Institute is one of the nations leading centers for translational research in hepatitis B and liver cancer. The Institute supports drug discovery, biomarker discovery and translational biotechnology around common research themes such as chronic hepatitis, liver disease and liver cancer in an environment conducive to interaction, collaboration and focus.

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The Wistar Institute, Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center and Baruch S. Blumberg Institute Forge Strategic Collaboration to Support Regional Biotech...