CELL AND GENE THERAPY
BioInvent | December 22, 2020
BioInvent International AB ("BioInvent") (OMXS: BINV), a biotech organization focused in on the discovery and development of novel and first-in-class immune-modulatory antibodies for cancer immunotherapy, and Transgene (Euronext Paris: TNG), a biotech organization that designs and develops infection based for the therapy of cancer, reported they have received administrative endorsement in Belgium for a clinical trial application (CTA) for a Phase l/lla study of the novel oncolytic vaccinia virus BT-001.
BT-001 is a best-in-class oncolytic Vaccinia virus. It has been produced utilizing Transgene's Invir.IO™ stage and its protected large-capacity VVcopTK-RR-oncolytic virus, which has been designed to encode both a Treg- depleting human recombinant anti-CTLA4 antibody response created by BioInvent's proprietary n-CoDeR®/F.I.R.S.T™ stages, and the human GM-CSF cytokine. By specifically focusing on the tumor microenvironment, BT-001 is relied upon to inspire a lot more grounded and more successful antitumoral reaction. Conveying the anti-CTLA4 antibody response straightforwardly to the tumor microenvironment will permit a neighborhood remedial movement and will in this manner enormously increment the security and tolerability profile of the monoclonal immunizer by antibody foundational introduction. BT-001 is being co-created through a 50/50 collaboration among BioInvent and Transgene.
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Sestina Bio | October 17, 2020
Sestina Bio, a new company creating a platform for automated synthetic biology, today announced that it has launched with seed funding from Foresite Capital, General Inception and OMX Ventures. The funds will be used to further the development of its digital cellular engineering and phenotyping platforms and support initial product development. The firm is the first company to launch from incubator Foresite Labs. Practitioners of synthetic biology aim to engineer novel living organisms -- usually yeast and bacteria -- that produce new materials, fine and bulk chemicals, and pharmaceuticals, or which act as sensors that report on their environment. By combining new instruments for single cell genome editing, tools for single cell phenotyping, and closed-loop, machine learning-driven design and control of experiments, Sestina is developing the next generation of the automated synthetic biology toolkit. Sestina will harness these tools to rapidly and deterministically engineer new biological capabilities and produce novel products across several verticals.
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MEDTECH
Outcomes4Me | October 12, 2021
Outcomes4Me Inc., developer of a leading free mobile app and platform to navigate cancer treatment and care, today announced that it has partnered with Invitae Corporation (NYSE: NVTA), a leading medical genetics company, to expand education and access to genetic testing to breast cancer patients and survivors. The collaboration leverages the strengths of Invitae, which supplies clinical grade genetic testing, and Outcomes4Me’s 360-degree, validated and evidence-based cancer support and treatment options via its free and easy-to-use app. Initially and currently available in the United States, patients can now receive genetic counseling through Invitae’s partnership with Genome Medical, get testing, and upload their results within the Outcomes4Me app.There is a misconception that genetic testing is only useful as a preventative tool prior to a cancer diagnosis. According to Outcomes4Me patient data, almost half of users (46 percent) who qualified for testing (based on NCCN Guidelines®) did not receive testing or did not know if they had received testing. However, genetic testing can provide insights that can help inform and refine precision therapy use and clinical treatment trial enrollment. In addition, genetic testing results can be used to help prevent recurrence and reduce incidence of other inherited cancers.
A cancer diagnosis is often overwhelming for patients and their families. Outcomes4Me demystifies cancer by providing the most up-to-date and validated research, support, and treatment options, all grounded in science and data and curated according to the patient’s specific diagnosis. Outcomes4Me partners with the researchers, doctors, and academics that set the rigorous standards of cancer care for all treatment providers, including the National Comprehensive Care Network® (NCCN®), Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). The collaboration with Invitae expands access to genetic testing, a vitally important tool in the patient’s cancer care arsenal.
“Outcomes4Me is an indispensable platform for patients with breast cancer, giving them the personalized knowledge and access to timely new trials and targeted therapies that could lead to better health outcomes. By providing access to our comprehensive genetic testing and counseling services, Outcomes4Me is adding a valuable resource that will empower patients to advance their knowledge, understanding, and therefore, self-advocacy during treatment and survivorship.”
Ed Esplin, M.D., Ph.D., FACMG, FACP, Clinical Geneticist at Invitae
Unlike popular direct-to-consumer genetic testing services, which test for a few specific genetic variants for certain genes, Invitae provides state-of-the-art clinical grade next-generation sequencing-based (NGS) genetic testing that comprehensively analyses more than 80 genes, including all known mutations of the important BRCA1/BRCA2 genes. This comprehensive approach, combined with associated genetic counseling, not only provides insights for cancer patients, but also for family members who may be at risk.
“Our collaboration with Invitae reinforces Outcomes4Me’s mission to give patients back control. Because of this work with Invitae, our valued community now has rare direct access to a much-needed testing service. Outcomes4Me will proudly continue to democratize the best in cancer treatment, research, and support by removing barriers and bias in information flow.”
Maya R. Said, Sc. D., Founder and CEO of Outcomes4Me
About Invitae
Invitae Corporation (NYSE: NVTA) is a leading medical genetics company whose mission is to bring comprehensive genetic information into mainstream medicine to improve healthcare for billions of people. Invitae's goal is to aggregate the world's genetic tests into a single service with higher quality, faster turnaround time, and lower prices.
About Outcomes4Me
Outcomes4Me is on a mission to improve health outcomes by empowering patients with understandable, relevant and evidence-based information. Outcomes4Me has developed a platform for shared decision-making between patients and providers. The platform harnesses regulatory-grade, real-world data and patient experiences generating deeper insights and better outcomes to improve care and accelerate research. The Outcomes4Me mobile app enables cancer patients to make decisions and take control of their care based on information that is personalized to their specific condition, including finding treatment options, matching to clinical trials, and tracking and managing symptoms. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, Outcomes4Me, a woman-led company, comprises seasoned healthcare, oncology, pharmaceutical, consumer and technology veterans.
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