Longeveron Expands Enrollment Criteria for its Phase 1 RECOVER Trial Evaluating Lomecel-B Infusion to Treat Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome due to…

March 05, 2021 08:30 ET | Source: Longeveron

MIAMI, March 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Longeveron Inc. (NASDAQ: LGVN) ("Longeveron" or "Company"), a clinical stage biotechnology company developing cellular therapies for chronic aging-related and life-threatening conditions, announced today that enrollment criteria for its Phase 1 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) RECOVER trial has been expanded to include mild ARDS, in addition to moderate and severe ARDS. Previously, only ARDS patients intubated with an endotracheal tube for positive pressure ventilation were eligible. The protocol amendment allows for the inclusion of milder cases of ARDS patients who present with the need for supplemental oxygen via high flow nasal cannula, partial or nonrebreathing mask, or non-invasive positive pressure mask.

The RECOVER Trial is a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of up to 3 intravenous administrations of either Lomecel-B (allogeneic bone marrow-derived medicinal signaling cells) or placebo in COVID-19 or Influenza-infected ARDS patients. The primary measures of efficacy are functional lung recovery, recovery from infection, inflammatory status, immune status, and lung imaging.

The goal here is to reduce the inflammatory response and to either prevent the need for mechanical support, or to allow these individuals to come off of the ventilator and leave the ICU, stated Joe G. N. "Skip" Garcia, MD, a world-renowned pulmonologist and professor of medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. ARDS resulting from COVID-19 or Influenza is driven by severe inflammation, called a cytokine storm. This can lead to accumulation of fluid in the lungs and severe tissue damage, and ultimately decreased ability to oxygenate the blood. The most severe cases lead to respiratory failure and the high mortality rate from COVID-19. Longeverons Lomecel-B has the potential to reduce the cytokine storm involved in ARDS and thus the possibility to improve clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients.

The RECOVER Trial received a prestigious TEDCO award from the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund (MSCRF) to help support the Phase 1 study. This is Longeverons third TEDCO Award since 2017.

Participating clinical centers currently include the Miami VA Health System, University of Maryland Medical Center, and Wake Forest University Hospital. The Company is in the process of expanding the number of participating clinical sites. Any clinical sites or investigators interested in learning more about participating in the phase 1 trial should contact: Kevin Ramdas, MD, MPH, Associate Director, Medical Affairs; kramdas@longeveron.com.

About Longeveron Inc.

Longeveron is a clinical stage biotechnology company developing cellular therapies for specific aging-related and life-threatening conditions. The Companys lead investigational product is the LOMECEL-B cell-based therapy product (Lomecel-B), which is derived from culture-expanded medicinal signaling cells (MSCs) that are sourced from bone marrow of young, healthy adult donors. Longeveron believes that by using the same cells that promote tissue repair, organ maintenance, and immune system function, it can develop safe and effective therapies for some of the most difficult disorders associated with the aging process and other medical disorders. Longeveron is currently sponsoring Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials in the following indications: Aging Frailty, Alzheimers disease, the Metabolic Syndrome, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), and hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). The Companys mission is to advance Lomecel-B and other cell-based product candidates into pivotal Phase 3 trials, with the goal of achieving regulatory approvals, subsequent commercialization and broad use by the healthcare community. Additional information about the Company is available at http://www.longeveron.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that reflect management's current expectations, assumptions, and estimates of future performance and economic conditions, and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the statements made herein. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believe," "expects," "may," "looks to," "will," "should," "plan," "intend," "on condition," "target," "see," "potential," "estimates," "preliminary," or "anticipates" or the negative thereof or comparable terminology, or by discussion of strategy or goals or other future events, circumstances, or effects. Moreover, forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements about the ability of our clinical trials to demonstrate safety and efficacy of our product candidates, and other positive results; the timing and focus of our ongoing and future preclinical studies and clinical trials; the size of the market opportunity for our product candidates, the beneficial characteristics, safety, efficacy and therapeutic effects of our product candidates; our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of our product candidates, our plans and ability to obtain or protect intellectual property rights, including extensions of existing patent terms where available and our ability to avoid infringing the intellectual property rights of others. Further information relating to factors that may impact the Company's results and forward-looking statements are disclosed in the Company's filings with the SEC. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation, other than imposed by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Contact: Crescendo Communications, LLC Tel: 212-671-1020 Email: lgvn@crescendo-ir.com

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Longeveron Expands Enrollment Criteria for its Phase 1 RECOVER Trial Evaluating Lomecel-B Infusion to Treat Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome due to...

Be The Match BioTherapies Announces Expansion of Multi-Year Strategic Alliance with Orchard Therapeutics to Support European Commercial Launch of…

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Be The Match BioTherapies, an organization offering solutions for companies developing and commercializing cell and gene therapies, today announced an expansion of their multi-year partnership with Orchard Therapeutics (Nasdaq: ORTX), a global gene therapy leader, to include supply chain services in support of the upcoming commercial launch of Libmeldy (autologous CD34+ cells encoding the ARSA gene), Orchards gene therapy recently approved in Europe for the treatment of early-onset metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD).

Through the expanded partnership, Be The Match BioTherapies will provide comprehensive support across the commercial supply chain for Libmeldy, including support of the onboarding and training of apheresis centers, oversight of the autologous cell collection process and delivery of both harvested cells to the manufacturing site and gene-corrected cells back to the qualified treatment center.

Orchards mission to transform the lives of people living with devastating genetic diseases like MLD is one that closely aligns with our mission at Be The Match, which is to save lives through cellular therapy, said Chris McClain, Senior Vice President, Sales and New Business Development at Be The Match BioTherapies. Leveraging our decades of experience and our far-reaching capabilities across the cell therapy supply chain, including our international network, we are well-positioned to support the commercial launch of this important new gene therapy in Europe.

Be The Match BioTherapies previously supported cell collection for Orchards clinical trials, and, through the expanded partnership, will continue to enable streamlined logistical support across each step of Libmeldys commercial development.

HSC gene therapies are personalized medicines that require precision to harvest a patients cells, transfer the cells to a lab for genetic modification and then return the gene-corrected cells back to a qualified treatment center to infuse into the patient, said Braden Parker, chief commercial officer of Orchard. As we move into the launch phase for Libmeldy in Europe, we are pleased to continue our collaboration with Be The Match BioTherapies to help enable us to maintain the efficient, high-quality supply chain necessary to deliver Libmeldy to MLD patients in need.

About Be The Match BioTherapies

Be The Match BioTherapies is the only cell and gene therapy solutions provider with customizable services to support the end-to-end cell therapy supply chain. Backed by the industry-leading experience of the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP)/Be The Match, and a research partnership with the CIBMTR (Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research), the organization designs solutions that advance the development of cell and gene therapies across the globe.

Be The Match BioTherapies is dedicated to accelerating patient access to life-saving cell and gene therapies by providing high-quality cellular source material from the Be The Match Registry, the worlds largest and most diverse registry of more than 22 million potential blood stem cell donors. Through established relationships with apheresis, marrow collection and transplant centers worldwide, the organization develops, onboards, trains and manages expansive collection networks to advance cell therapies. Be The Match BioTherapies uses proven infrastructure consisting of regulatory compliance and managed logistics experts, as well as cell therapy supply chain case managers to successfully transport and deliver regulatory compliant life-saving therapies across the globe. Through the CIBMTR, Be The Match BioTherapies extends services beyond the cell therapy supply chain to include long-term follow-up tracking for the first two FDA-approved CAR-T therapies.

For more information, visit http://www.BeTheMatchBioTherapies.com or follow Be The Match BioTherapies on LinkedIn or Twitter at @BTMBioTherapies.

About MLD and Libmeldy/OTL-200

MLD is a rare and life-threatening inherited disease of the bodys metabolic system occurring in approximately one in every 100,000 live births. MLD is caused by a mutation in the arylsulfatase-A (ARSA) gene that results in the accumulation of sulfatides in the brain and other areas of the body, including the liver, gallbladder, kidneys, and/or spleen. Over time, the nervous system is damaged, leading to neurological problems such as motor, behavioral and cognitive regression, severe spasticity and seizures. Patients with MLD gradually lose the ability to move, talk, swallow, eat and see. In its late infantile form, mortality at five years from onset is estimated at 50% and 44% at 10 years for juvenile patients.1

Libmeldy (autologous CD34+ cell enriched population that contains hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) transduced ex vivo using a lentiviral vector encoding the human ARSA gene), also known as OTL-200, has been approved by the European Commission for the treatment of MLD in eligible early-onset patients characterized by biallelic mutations in the ARSA gene leading to a reduction of the ARSA enzymatic activity in children with i) late infantile or early juvenile forms, without clinical manifestations of the disease, or ii) the early juvenile form, with early clinical manifestations of the disease, who still have the ability to walk independently and before the onset of cognitive decline. Libmeldy is the first therapy approved for eligible patients with early-onset MLD.

The most common adverse reaction attributed to treatment with Libmeldy was the occurrence of anti-ARSA antibodies. In addition to the risks associated with the gene therapy, treatment with Libmeldy is preceded by other medical interventions, namely bone marrow harvest or peripheral blood mobilization and apheresis, followed by myeloablative conditioning, which carry their own risks. During the clinical studies, the safety profiles of these interventions were consistent with their known safety and tolerability.

For more information about Libmeldy, please see the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) available on the European Medicines Agency (EMA) website.

Libmeldy is not approved outside of the European Union, UK, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. OTL-200 is an investigational therapy in the U.S.

Libmeldy was developed in partnership with the San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget) in Milan, Italy.

About Orchard

Orchard Therapeutics is a global gene therapy leader dedicated to transforming the lives of people affected by rare diseases through the development of innovative, potentially curative gene therapies. Our ex vivo autologous gene therapy approach harnesses the power of genetically modified blood stem cells and seeks to correct the underlying cause of disease in a single administration. In 2018, Orchard acquired GSKs rare disease gene therapy portfolio, which originated from a pioneering collaboration between GSK and the San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy in Milan, Italy. Orchard now has one of the deepest and most advanced gene therapy product candidate pipelines in the industry spanning multiple therapeutic areas where the disease burden on children, families and caregivers is immense and current treatment options are limited or do not exist.

Orchard has its global headquarters in London and U.S. headquarters in Boston. For more information, visit http://www.orchard-tx.com, or follow Orchard on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as anticipates, believes, expects, intends, projects, anticipates, and future or similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include express or implied statements relating to, among other things, Orchards business strategy and goals, including its plans and expectations for the commercialization of Libmeldy (OTL-200) in Europe, the therapeutic potential of Libmeldy and Orchards product candidates, and the expected benefits from Orchards partnership with Be The Match BioTherapies. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Orchards control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: risks relating to the Companys inability, or the inability of Be The Match BioTherapies, to support a successful commercial launch of Libmeldy. Orchard undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

Other risks and uncertainties faced by Orchard include those identified under the heading "Risk Factors" in Orchards annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as well as subsequent filings and reports filed with the SEC. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release reflect Orchards views as of the date hereof, and Orchard does not assume and specifically disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

1Mahmood et al. Metachromatic Leukodystrophy: A Case of Triplets with the Late Infantile Variant and a Systematic Review of the Literature. Journal of Child Neurology 2010, DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/0883073809341669

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Autologous Stem Cell and Non-Stem Cell Based Therapies Market 2021: Focuses at the key worldwide companies to Define, Describe and Analyses the sales…

Brandessence Market Research has published a detailed report on the Autologous Stem Cell and Non-Stem Cell Based Therapies market. This market research report was prepared after considering the COVID-19 impacts and monitoring the market for a minimum of five years. The report provides you with growing market opportunities, revenue drivers, challenges, pricing trends & factors, and future market assessments. Our research team has implemented a robust research methodology that includes SWOT analysis, Porters 5 Force analysis, and real-time analysis. Furthermore, they have conducted interviews with the industry experts to offer a report that helps the clients to formulate strategies accordingly.

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U. Cancer Center pilot projects: investigating cancer connections – The Brown Daily Herald

Eight labs who were recipients of the University Cancer Centers funding in December for projects advancing cancer research will use the funds to delve into cancer biology, cancer therapeutics and population science.

Four of the eight projects are investigating immunotherapy for gastrointestinal cancers, the tumor environments impact on cancer cell growth, the potential application of an FDA-approved Parkinsons drug to treat glioma brain tumors and the ability of a novel drug to target cancer cells that exhibit heightened aggressiveness following immunotherapy, The Herald previously reported.

The Herald spoke with three of the four other principal investigators that received grants.

Assistant Professor of Medicine Hina Khans pilot project will study the effects of blocking the antibody for chitinase 3-like-1, or CHI3L1, in advanced non-small cell lung cancer. CHI3L1 is a protein that plays an important role in tissue repair, and elevated levels of the protein indicate poor outcomes in advanced stage cancer patients. The researchers will test whether blocking the antibody a molecule that binds CHI3L1 will prevent cell resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors in this type of lung cancer.

Assistant Professor of Medicine Olin Liang is interested in exploring womens ability to fight off leukemia and other blood diseases later in life relative to men. While the effect of aging on blood cancer development has been well-studied, not much research has gone into studying sex differences, Liang said.

Past work from the Liang lab has shown that the bone marrow environment remains healthier longer in women, leading to better blood cell production and immune response. By transplanting bone marrow stem cells from young male mice into middle-aged male and female mice, the researchers were able to compare the expression of these cells amongst the two sexes. They found higher expression in female middle-aged mice, which is indicative of a healthier bone marrow environment. This observation was due to receptors molecules that can interact with hormones to produce a response in a cell on the surface of bone marrow stem cells that were uniquely responsive to sex hormones predominantly found in women.

We have narrowed it down to two sex hormone receptors that may play a role, Liang said, referring to the receptors for follicle-timulating hormone and androgen hormone. The lab plans to use the Cancer Center pilot project funds to further study the importance of these receptors.

Using gene editing technology, the researchers plan on removing genes that code for these hormone receptors from model organisms. This step will allow them to test the effect that the loss of one or both of the receptors has on female stem cell expression levels. If the elimination of the sex hormone receptor diminishes stem cell expression, that may indicate that the receptor plays a regulatory role.

The Liang lab believes that results from these experiments will not only offer greater insight to the development of blood cancers, but also help in the formulation of sex-specific treatments. Liang hopes this research leads to treatments that enhance the male (blood cell producing) system to reduce risk of age-related blood cancer, or even other diseases.

Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry Mamiko Yajima studies the expression of germline molecules, which are normally only expressed during development, and how they contribute to plasticity, or the cells adaptability. Her pilot project will focus on the specific germline factor DEAD-Box Helicase 4 (DDX4), which has been found to be abnormally expressed in the tumors of certain cancers, such as small cell lung cancer and melanoma.

Yajimas lab has previously studied the expression of DDX4 in cells and organisms like sea urchins and mice. She plans to test if (DDX4) actually contributes to plasticity in the context of cancer. Yajima believes that as a germline factor, DDX4 may increase cancer cells adaptability, allowing them to develop drug resistance and migrate throughout the body more frequently.

The Yajima lab plans on using the Cancer Center funding to partner with Director of Thoracic Oncology at Rhode Island Hospital Christopher G. Azzoli and Associate Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Maria L. Garcia-Moliner to analyze DDX4 expression in cancer patient samples.

I applied for this funding with the specific goal to have access to clinical samples, Yajima said. This next stage of the project will facilitate collaboration between me, a basic biologist, and physician scientists that have the expertise to help me answer the question I want to study in a clinical setting.

To identify whether DDX4 expression correlates with patient survival, the lab will also use the funds to conduct clinical data mining of patient gene expression using the Universitys supercomputer.

Associate Professor of Dermatology and Epidemiology Eunyoung Cho studies the role of dietary factors in the development of chronic diseases. Previous work from Chos lab found that eating foods containing high levels of citrus, such as grapefruits, oranges and figs, is associated with an increased risk of skin cancer. The Cho lab plans to use the Cancer Center pilot project funds to determine the component of citrus fruit responsible for the increased risk of melanoma, the most fatal type of skin cancer.

Cho believes that furanocoumarins, a class of compounds present in high levels in citrus fruits, are what lead to the higher rates of skin cancer. These compounds can absorb ultraviolet radiation from sunlight and become activated, damaging DNA and causing mutations that can result in cancer.

To test this hypothesis, Cho has partnered with Associate Professor of Medical Science Elena Oancea, who specializes in melanoma research at the molecular level. They plan on measuring whether melanin-forming skin cells show increased levels of DNA damage when exposed to furanocoumarins and UV light.

If their data supports that furanocoumarins increase risk of cancer, this could open the door to population-based studies. Cho described one potential future direction as assessing whether furanocoumarin levels in human urine samples are indicative of melanoma risk.

Its very interesting to think about citrus fruit is something you eat all the time, Cho said. People dont understand that when you eat grapefruit (and) then go into the sunlight, you may actually increase your chance of (getting) skin cancer.

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Editing Reproduction: CRISPR and preventing heritable diseases, With Dr. Dietrich Egli and Dr. Sam Sternberg – Columbia University Irving Medical…

PhD, Molecular Biology, University of Zurich, Maimonides Assistant Professor of Developmental Cell Biology, Columbia University BA, Biochemistry, Columbia University; PhD, Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University Host: Dr. Frances Onyimba, PS '12 Assistant Professor at University of Maryland School of Medicine

The genome we are endowed with at conception determines much of our health as an adult. Most human diseases have a heritable component and thus it may be possible to prevent them through heritable genome editing.Preventing disease from the beginning of life, and before irreversible damage occurs is just one of the many transformative opportunities of CRISPR/Cas systems.The ability to target an enzymatic activity to a precise location of the genome is already transforming science and is also poised to change medicine in many ways.

Please join us as our special panel explores the state of the field and distinguish science from science fiction.Dr. Sternberg will explain CRISPR and its origins, its ability to recruit enzymatic activities to the genome in a targeted manner, and how it has evolved into a powerful precision gene-editing tool. Then Dr. Egli Dieter will present pioneering research at Columbia and elsewhere on CRISPR's application in Reproduction, and its therapeutic potential in the adult population.

Time will be allocated for Q&A.

Dr. Dietrich Egli,grew up in Switzerland, and received his Ph.D. in molecular biology in 2003 from the University of Zurich with the mentorship of Prof. Walter Schaffner. He then joined the laboratory of Prof. Kevin Eggan at Harvard University as a postdoctoral fellow where he studied somatic cell reprogramming. Joining the New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute as one of the founding members in 2008, first as a postdoctoral fellow and from 2011 as an independent group leader, his group made numerous advances in somatic cell nuclear transfer and mitochondrial replacement. He is both a NYSCF Druckenmiller Alumn as well as a NYSCF Robertson Fellow Alumn, and is now the Maimonides Assistant Professor of Developmental Cell Biology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Areas of research in his group include human embryonic development, somatic cell reprogramming, modeling of metabolic disease using pluripotent stem cells, cell cycle regulation and double strand break repair, and preventing the transmission of disease-causing mutations in human reproduction.

Samuel H. Sternberg, PhD, runs a research laboratory at Columbia University, where he is an assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics. He received his B.A. in Biochemistry from Columbia University in 2007, graduating summa cum laude, and his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley in 2014, under the mentorship of Dr. Jennifer Doudna. He earned graduate student fellowships from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense, and received the Scaringe Award and the Harold Weintraub Graduate Student Award. Sam's research focuses on the mechanism of DNA targeting by RNA-guided bacterial immune systems (CRISPR-Cas) and on the development of these systems for genome engineering applications. He is the recent recipient of the NIH Directors New Innovator Award, and is a Sloan Fellow and Pew Biomedical Scholar. In addition to publishing his work in leading scientific journals, he co-authored a popular science book with Jennifer Doudna, entitled A Crack in Creation, about the discovery, development, and applications of CRISPR gene-editing technology.

Frances OnyimbaMD is a gastroenterologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center with a focus in esophageal diseases and GI motility disorders. She completed medical school at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons prior to completing her internal medicine residency and a fellowship in GI motility and Neurogastroenterology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. She subsequently completed her general GI fellowship at University of California San Diego, where she served as a chief fellow. In 2019, she was selected into the Young Physician Leadership Scholars Program by the American College of Gastroenterology for leadership development and physician advocacy. Her interests include health communications and innovative programs and practices within healthcare.

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COVID-19 can kill heart muscle cells, interfere with contraction Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis – Washington University School…

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Study reveals details of how coronavirus infects heart; models of tissue damage may help develop potential therapies

A study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis provides evidence that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can invade and replicate inside heart muscle cells, causing cell death and interfering with heart muscle contraction. The image of engineered heart tissue shows human heart muscle cells (red) infected with SARS-CoV-2 (green).

Since early in the pandemic, COVID-19 has been associated with heart problems, including reduced ability to pump blood and abnormal heart rhythms. But its been an open question whether these problems are caused by the virus infecting the heart, or an inflammatory response to viral infection elsewhere in the body. Such details have implications for understanding how best to treat coronavirus infections that affect the heart.

A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis provides evidence that COVID-19 patients heart damage is caused by the virus invading and replicating inside heart muscle cells, leading to cell death and interfering with heart muscle contraction. The researchers used stem cells to engineer heart tissue that models the human infection and could help in studying the disease and developing possible therapies.

The study is published Feb. 26 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Basic to Translational Science.

Early on in the pandemic, we had evidence that this coronavirus can cause heart failure or cardiac injury in generally healthy people, which was alarming to the cardiology community, said senior author Kory J. Lavine, MD, PhD, an associate professor of medicine. Even some college athletes who had been cleared to go back to competitive athletics after COVID-19 infection later showed scarring in the heart. There has been debate over whether this is due to direct infection of the heart or due to a systemic inflammatory response that occurs because of the lung infection.

Our study is unique because it definitively shows that, in patients with COVID-19 who developed heart failure, the virus infects the heart, specifically heart muscle cells.

Lavine and his colleagues including collaborators Michael S. Diamond, MD, PhD, the Herbert S. Gasser Professor of Medicine, and Michael J. Greenberg, PhD, an assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics also used stem cells to engineer tissue that models how human heart tissue contracts. Studying these heart tissue models, they determined that viral infection not only kills heart muscle cells but destroys the muscle fiber units responsible for heart muscle contraction.

They also showed that this cell death and loss of heart muscle fibers can happen even in the absence of inflammation.

Inflammation can be a second hit on top of damage caused by the virus, but the inflammation itself is not the initial cause of the heart injury, Lavine said.

Other viral infections have long been associated with heart damage, but Lavine said SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is unique in the effect it has on the heart, especially in the immune cells that respond to the infection. In COVID-19, immune cells called macrophages, monocytes and dendritic cells dominate the immune response. For most other viruses that affect the heart, the immune systems T cells and B cells are on the scene.

COVID-19 is causing a different immune response in the heart compared with other viruses, and we dont know what that means yet, Lavine said. In general, the immune cells seen responding to other viruses tend to be associated with a relatively short disease that resolves with supportive care. But the immune cells we see in COVID-19 heart patients tend to be associated with a chronic condition that can have long-term consequences. These are associations, so we will need more research to understand what is happening.

Part of the reason these questions of causation in heart damage have been hard to answer is the difficulty in studying heart tissue from COVID-19 patients. The researchers were able to validate their findings by studying tissue from four COVID-19 patients who had heart injury associated with the infection, but more research is needed.

To that end, Lavine and Diamond, are working to develop a mouse model of the heart injury. To emphasize the urgency of the work, Lavine pointed to the insidious nature of the heart damage COVID-19 can cause.

Even young people who had very mild symptoms can develop heart problems later on that limit their exercise capacity, Lavine said. We want to understand whats happening so we can prevent it or treat it. In the meantime, we want everyone to take this virus seriously and do their best to take precautions and stop the spread, so we dont have an even larger epidemic of preventable heart disease in the future.

This work was supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), grant numbers R01HL141086, R01 HL138466, R01 HL139714, 75N93019C00062 and R01 AI127828; the Burroughs Welcome Fund, grant number 1014782; the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, grant number HR001117S0019; the March of Dimes Foundation, grant number FY18-BOC-430198; The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital, grant number 8038-88; and the Childrens Discovery Institute of Washington University and St. Louis Childrens Hospital, grant numbers CH-II-2017628 and PM-LI-2019-829. Imaging was performed in the Washington University Center for Cellular Imaging (WUCCI), which is funded in part by the Childrens Discovery Institute of Washington University and St. Louis Childrens Hospital, grant numbers CDI-CORE-2015-505 and CDI-CORE-2019-813; and The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital, grant number 3770. The authors thank Dr. Cynthia Goldsmith for help interpreting electron microscopy micrographs and the McDonnell Genome Institute (MGI) at Washington University School of Medicine for assistance in performing sequencing and analysis.

Bailey AL, et al. SARS-CoV-2 infects human engineered heart tissues and models COVID-19 myocarditis. Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Basic to Translational Science. Feb. 26, 2021.

Washington University School of Medicines 1,500 faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Childrens hospitals. The School of Medicine is a leader in medical research, teaching and patient care, ranking among the top 10 medical schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Through its affiliations with Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Childrens hospitals, the School of Medicine is linked to BJC HealthCare.

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COVID-19 can kill heart muscle cells, interfere with contraction Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis - Washington University School...

Vaccinating by age groups is unfair, particularly to minorities, advisory panel tells CDC – USA TODAY

Four million doses will be released on March 2 with a total of 20 million to be released by the end of March. USA TODAY

Many states prioritized COVID-19 vaccines for people over 75, then moved to thoseover 65, but they shouldn't keep stepping down by age, an advisory committee to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday.

The approachis inherently unfair to minorities, committee members said, because they have a lower life-expectancyand because people of color are dying of COVID-19 at younger ages than white Americans even in their 30s, 40s and 50s.

"I'm not in favor of any part of an age eligibility bracket under 65," saidDr. Jos Romero, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences inLittle Rock and chairman of theAdvisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

The committee disagreed with plans in some states to require people to show proof that they have two medical conditions on a pre-specified list before being allowed to be vaccinated.

As of Feb. 25, CVS will offer the COVID vaccine in 17 states by appointment.(Photo: Scott Eisen/CVS Health via AP Images)

People with two medical conditions that are well-controlled might be at lower risk of serious COVID-19 than those with one out-of-control condition or with a less common disease that wasn't frequent enough make the list.

For example, although Type 2 diabetes is considered a highest-risk condition,Type 1 isn't always, even though people with thisless common, autoimmune version are at the same risk, notedDr. Katherine Poehling, a professor of pediatrics at Wake Forest School of Medicine inWinston-Salem, North Carolina.

Yes, there will be some people who lie about their medical conditions, admitted Dr. Helen Talbot, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. "There's always someone who finds a way to cheat."

But it's better to let in a few cheaters than to deny vaccine to people who really need it, she said.

The other category of people who should be prioritized, committee members said, are those who care for others who may not be able to be vaccinated.

Dr. Grace Lee, a professor of pediatric infectious diseases atthe Lucile Packard Childrens Hospital and Stanford University School of Medicine inStanford, California, cited the parents of children who received stem cell transplants.

"Being able to protect those individuals in the absence of any high-risk medical condition, I think in and of itself, is important, in part because we can't vaccinate young kids at this time," she said.

Every state makes its own vaccination allotment plan, so there's a lot of mixed messages about who should be prioritized in the next few monthsas vaccine supply remains tight, committee members said.

For that reason, committee members said the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, authorized over the weekend, should be added to the general pool of available vaccines, rather than targeted to any particular group or population.

The Director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning Americans to remain vigilant against the coronavirus as the 3rd vaccine is rolled out. (March 1) AP Domestic

Theyreemphasized their commitment to equitable distribution of vaccines, even as they are distributed to as many people as possible.

"I feel very challenged by ensuring that we continue to keep equity as a focus for implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination program," Lee said.

Many vaccine distribution facilities are so worried about getting precisely the right people vaccinated that they're turning too many away, she continued.

"Since our intent is to vaccinate everyone anyway, other than the most egregious of situations, whether or not I get high-risk condition A versus Bcorrect, I think, is less important than just making sure that we are providing access," she said.

About50 million Americans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Bythe end of this month, Pfizer-BioNTech will have provided a total of 120 million doses of its vaccine, enough to vaccinate 60 million people; Moderna will have provided 100 million doses to vaccinate 50 million people; and J&J will provide 20 million doses of its single-shot vaccine.That's enough to cover more than half of the 210 million adults in the USA.

In its second four-hour meeting in two days, the committeeconsidered whether to extend the recommended period between the two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Modernavaccines.

Some suggested a delay would allow more vaccine to be distributed, but committee members said they did not feel there was enough data to justify delaying the second dose of either vaccine.

There were more mixed opinions on whether people who had symptomatic COVID-19 would need both doses of the two-dose vaccines.

Basic immunology suggests that the illness would act as a primary dose and the first shot as a booster, Talbot said. "I don't need any more data. We've all taken immunology," she said.

Others raised questions about whether the risks of vaccination for people who have had COVID-19 would outweigh the benefits, particularly of a second shot.CDC officials said there is not enough information to answer that question.

Implementing such a policy would be challenging, because it's not clear how long protection lasts and how sick someone has to be to develop adequate natural protection.

Contact Karen Weintraub at kweintraub@usatoday.

Health and patient safety coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation and Competition in Healthcare. The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial input.

Without masks and a vaccine, we could reach Herd Immunity from COVID-19, but deaths would skyrocket. We break down the science of it. USA TODAY

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Vaccinating by age groups is unfair, particularly to minorities, advisory panel tells CDC - USA TODAY

Winter Weather Impacting Blood and Platelet Donations – Milwaukee Community Journal

Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin calling on donors to help as supplies drop;

blood types O-negative, O-positive most needed

Milwaukee Feb. 16, 2021 With winter storm warnings and advisories in place across much of the Midwest, Versiti Blood Centers is grappling with low and quickly dwindling supplies of blood and platelet donations.

The unrelenting winter weather is taking its toll on the blood supply across the Midwest, said Dr. Dan Waxman, vice president of transfusion medicine and senior medical director at Versiti. Supplies of some blood types, including O-negative and O-positive, are reaching critically low levels, with less than a days supply of life-saving blood on shelves to supply Versitis hospital partners across Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio. We simply do not have the three-day supply of blood that we need.

The winter weather advisories and warnings are adding to the ongoing blood collection challenges that centers have been facing during COVID due to remote work and schooling. In the past year, Versiti has experienced a 47% decrease in mobile drive collections at business and schools.

Platelets which are used to help cancer patients, trauma survivors and premature babies are only viable for five to seven days outside the body, creating a constant and ongoing need for donations. Like blood, platelets cant be manufactured, so Versiti needs volunteer donors to roll up their sleeves.

We are asking the community to step forward and help, said Dr. Waxman. Unfortunately, we cant wait a week until a cold snap subsides to provide these life-saving gifts. For these patients who rely on us, they need our help today, regardless of the weather forecast.

O-negative and O-positive blood donors are most needed now. O-negative and O-positive blood is the universal blood type, meaning donations can be transfused to all patients, including trauma victims, cancer patients and those undergoing surgery.

Badgers are needed to extend the generous gift of life to neighbors who need help and to donate blood at a Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin donor center nearest them:

Wisconsin residents can also make an appointment to donate at a local community blood drive in their area. Times, dates and locations of upcoming local drives can be found online https://donate.wisconsin.versiti.org. Interested donors should click the Schedule to Donate tab to find the nearest drive to them.

To help ensure donor safety, everyone entering Versiti facilities must wear a mask and have their temperature taken. All Versiti donation locations are practicing social distancing and closely adhering to CDC recommendations and cleaning protocols.

Donating blood takes about an hour with the actual donation taking 10-15 minutes. Anyone age 17 or older in good health who meets eligibility requirements is encouraged to give. Parental consent is required for donors age 16 to donate blood. Donors should bring a photo ID that includes their birth date.

Appointments are encouraged at any of Versitis Wisconsin donor centers or at any local community blood drive. Walk-ins are always welcome. To schedule an appointment to donate blood, call 1-877-BE-A-HERO or visit Versiti online at versiti.org/Wisconsin.

# # #

About Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin

Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin is a not-for-profit organization headquartered in Milwaukee that specializes in blood services, esoteric diagnostic testing, organ, tissue and stem cell

donation, medical services and leading-edge research. We advance patient care by delivering life-saving products and services. For more information, visit versiti.org/Wisconsin.

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Winter Weather Impacting Blood and Platelet Donations - Milwaukee Community Journal

Joshua Shirk continues to fight the odds; mom says God placed people where they needed to be to help him – Keyser Mineral Daily News Tribune

Mineral Daily News-Tribune

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By Barbara High

bhigh@newstribune.info

Tribune Staff Writer

KEYSER - Monica Shirk is still holding fast to her faith - a faith that has helped see her and her family through many obstacles over what will soon be a year.

May 17, 2020, started out as any other day for the Shirks; the sun was shining and their family was together. But it would soon become the day that would forever change their lives with an event that would touch and bring together a community.

The family was out on the river in their kayaks that day. Monicas 8-year-old son Joshua was in his own kayak and was tethered to a family member. When they came upon a felled tree with a large root system in the river, however, Joshua was swept under,, becoming entangled by his life jacket in the roots. Two paramedics happened to be fishing nearby, and came to the familys aid. Approximately five to ten minutes later, Joshua was pulled from the river with no pulse. After 40 minutes of lifesaving efforts, however, Joshua once again had a pulse. Monica says she believes everything was laid out in a grand design, from those with them who pulled Joshua from the river, to the paramedics fishing nearby who werent even supposed to be on the river that day.

For Monica it was simple, God had put the right people in Joshuas path that day and has continued to do so every day since. She said that was the reason that Joshua, the boy who spent 40 minutes without life, was able to leave the hospital 30 days after entering. She also says that God continues to do so with everyone who has helped treat Joshua in the last ten months. Treatments that she says have made all the difference in Joshuas recovery.

Joshua left Ruby Memorial just 30 days after being admitted, and then spent a short time in a rehabilitation center until the Shirks were finally able to return home. That time home was short lived, however, because the path for recovery for Joshua was just beginning.

Joshua was released from the rehab center on Sept. 16, and two days later we were on our way to New Orleans, said Monica. There, they would stay for nine weeks as Joshua underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Joshua would complete 41 dives in a chamber over the next nine weeks. The dives cost $12,000 for 40.

Monica said Joshua was able to have his dad in the chambers with him during the dives, when Joshua would be put in a pressurized chamber and be given different doses of pressurized air and oxygen.

The dives are designed to infiltrate the body with pure oxygenated air. Once put into the body, the air finds areas of inflammation and delivers oxygen-enriched blood, allowing the area to heal itself. For Joshua, those areas would include his brain, which had suffered swelling after the incident and is still inflamed.

Joshua will need to complete many more dives in the future. The family recently purchased a chamber for Joshua to use at home at a cost of $26,000, which was only made possible by donations they had received from a lot of wonderful people.

Monica said the cost of the dives, plus lodging and food in New Orleans, was more than the family could handle. To rent a place for a month was over $4,000 and the dives were $12,000, and that didnt include food, she said. With purchasing their own chamber, Joshua will be able to continue his dives without delay.

Joshuas doctor, Dr. Harch, will fly to the family to set up Joshuas chamber and train his family and then will oversee his care from New Orleans.

During their time in New Orleans the family was also steered towards exosmoes infusions, and with the help of his doctor, that would be the next course for the youngster.

We met other families of non-fatal drowning victims and spoke to them and they had done them, so with research and talking to the doctor, we decided to go that route, she said.

Also while in New Orleans, the family learned they would have to make the trip again.

Exosmose infusions, or Red Bull for stem cells, as his dad calls them, do kind of the same thing as his previous treatment. Joshua was injected with a tiny valve of exosmose, and although it was small, it contained about 40 billion healthy exosmoses. Once introduced to the body, they too travel to the areas of inflammation and empower them with super foods enriched with nutrients to wake up cells and tell them to work again.

Joshua also recently traveled to Arizona to undertake some stem cell therapy. There, doctors extract some fat from him after numbing him really good, in a similar procedure as liposuction. They put the specimen under a slide to check if they are rich in cells. Joshuas fat had so many healthy cells that the computer couldnt count the number and they had to wipe off the slide and put another sample back on it, said Monica.

After the fat sample is taken, it is skinned so they can separate the cells. The stem cells are then given back to Joshua. Part of the cells are given to him nasally as a mist. By doing this, the stem cells are able to cross the blood brain barrier and immediately start to work. The remainder of the stem cells are then injected at the top of the tail bone at the base of the spinal cord. There they form a sack and the excess will release from the sack and travel up the spinal column into the brain.They also begin to break off and reproduce. They stimulate the areas of inflammation and damage, which helps to get them to fire again.

Monica said the results of this treatment will become apparent after six months.

You hear people say the brain dies during times of lack of oxygen, said Monica. God in fact puts in a safeguard switch that flips to hibernation, or shuts down, if you will. Everything were doing is to shock his brain in a way to wake it back up and turn it on; to tell it to wake up and do its job.

Besides the special treatments, Joshua is also doing regular physical therapy, preparing to start occupational therapy, and speech. He is doing acupuncture as well, to help release the energy to allow the body to heal itself.The micro trauma that the needles cause sends a message of damage to the body and it releases healing properties to that area.

Everything we have done so far is using his own body to try and heal itself, said Monica. Everything we have used has been his, with the exception of the exosmose.

As far as improvements in Joshua, his mom said those have been great. Its the difference between night and day, she says. It was harder for me to see the subtle changes. I am with him 24 hours a day, but when I see the old videos, it is like, wow!

Monica says you can see the difference in her sons eyes, His pupillary responses are better and he can track better, she said. She also says his tone is better and he is so close to being able to hold his own head up.

He can retract his legs now, where before he could only extend. Plus she says there is improvement in his response time. Before, when you gave him a command, there was a larger delay in the time between when you told him to kick his legs and when he would kick his legs, she explained. That delay has gotten shorter as his brain is beginning to send messages faster.

He has also begun to do a gait trainer, which is like a walker.

Yet those are not even his biggest improvements.

Joshua started talking, Monica said. He was recently heard saying on a Facebook video while having muscle spasms, It hurts.

Hearing Joshuas voice again was music to his mothers ears. I posted the video of him talking and within hours it had 3,700 views. She sent it to her husband and told him 3,000 was other people rejoicing, and 700 was how many times she had probably watched it.

I watched it over and over again, she said. Joshua tries to talk more and more; he is always making sounds, according to his mom.

His mom says she is able to hold strong for her son because of her faith. I am doing good, she said. It was hard after coming home for the first time since the accident and having to leave just two days later. When we got home, it was also difficult to see all the reminders of Joshua from before the accident, like his medals and stuff from sports, cause he was such an athlete. I saw all this stuff of the used to be, she said.

For his mom though, it is all a matter of time. I know he will get better, this is just what is for now, this is not what is forever, she said.

Monica sees this as a marathon, not a sprint. He is not a writer, he is a fighter and doesnt give up.

My faith is stronger than ever, I think it grows a little more each day.

She isnt going to lie; there are days that are hard. Im a mother who hurts to see her child hurting, but I dont doubt my son or my God!, she says.

I knew enough medically in the beginning to know that some things were impossible medically for him, but it had to be impossible for man not for God, and to give God the glory.

Monica says that things they didnt t think could be done are now being done for Joshua through God.

The human in her sometimes says he doesnt deserve this, then she remembers that Jesus didnt deserve what happened to him. Yet he took it and all my sins, she said.

Monica says she often puts herself into Marys shoes as a mother. She watched her son get crucified for the weight of the world and I realize that is one person hears Joshuas story and comes to Christ, then its worth it. Jjust one.

As far as the future, Monica say she does see a full recovery coming. Not that I have ever doubted Joshua or God, but I had my low point in the beginning. We were at one of his doctors visits in Morgantown in the beginning, and Joshua was just laying there like he did right after the accident. He wasnt moving or anything and I told God, I need you, she recalls.

She asked God to giver her a sign. If you are going to heal my son on this earth before you return, I need a big movement. Before the doctor comes in, I need a movement, she said. As she sat staring at her son in the moment, he had been laying there staring at the wall with his face away from her. While she asked God for that sign, Joshua turned his face and looked directly at her.

I immediately asked God, If that was you, I need another sign, and Joshua, who had turned back to the wall once again, turned back to look at me.

As the doctor knocked on the door to come in, Monica said Joshua began to kick and show off his movements.

Monica says that she doesnt believe in the word normal anymore, and she is fully believing that God will give Joshua a full recovery.

His baseline I believe is going to be bigger than normal, because he is going to be whole and telling people his story, she says. He will let people know that there is hope for whatever youre going through.

Monica says there was a prayer they use to say when Joshua would go and wrestle, When times get tough, we get tougher and never give up.

He has lived that out the whole time, she says.

Joshua will continue his physical therapy, acupuncture, and occupational therapy. He also has the goal of doing blocks of 40 dives in his chamber and then rest 30 days before repeating - all of which is made possible by donations to Joshuas trust fund. The community has come together to support Joshua during this horrendous time. There had been different fundraisers for him as well, and all of this is another example of how God has put people into Joshuas life at the perfect time.

Brain and spinal injured people are written off by insurances; they only want to medicate them, Monica says. We can only afford the thing we have by donations, she added. We are so very thankful for those who have helped.

If you would like to donate for medical care for Joshua or if you would like to follow his story, you can visit Facebook at Hes fighting, Were believing.

It is the hope of Joshuas family that everyone will see the strength of God, and witness first hand what happens when God shows up!

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Joshua Shirk continues to fight the odds; mom says God placed people where they needed to be to help him - Keyser Mineral Daily News Tribune

Evotec and Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf Enter Partnership to Develop iPSC-Based Tissue Therapy for Heart Failure – GuruFocus.com

HAMBURG, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / February 4, 2021 / Evotec SE (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, MDAX/TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809) today announced that the Company has entered into a multi-year partnership with the Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf ("UKE") for the development of a highly innovative first-in-class cell therapy approach for the treatment of heart failure.

Under the terms of the partnership, Evotec and UKE will leverage their complementary strengths for the development of a new cell therapy approach using Engineered Heart Tissue for the treatment of heart failure. Heart failure is frequently associated with ischemic heart disease and often comes with a poor prognosis. Mortality is comparable to that of the most common cancers, with <50% 4-year survival. Treatment of patients suffering from heart failure is expected to deliver significant patient benefit through improved heart function, ultimately leading to an improved prognosis.

Evotec leverages its industry-leading human induced pluripotent stem cells ("hiPSCs") platform to establish GMP-compatible process development and upscaling for large-scale generation of clinical-grade heart muscle cells known as cardiomyocytes. Evotec will also contribute genetically modified GMP iPSC lines, which contain alterations preventing rejection of the cardiomyocyte-containing product by patient immune systems ("cloaking"), and include additional safety mechanisms to control unwanted proliferation of graft cells. By using these GMP-grade iPSC lines, the project will deliver off-the-shelf products, which can be implanted in broad patient populations with little to no immunosuppression. UKE applies its proprietary Giga Patch Method for the generation of fully functional heart tissue suitable for cardiac transplantation. Further in vivo validation and development activities will be shared jointly between the partners. Evotec will be responsible for GMP and pre-clinical activities as well as for any subsequent partnering of the programme.

Dr Cord Dohrmann, Chief Scientific Officer of Evotec, commented: "We are very excited about this collaboration with the UKE. Both Evotec and UKE have developed and refined their respective technology platforms over a number of years and have now decided to jointly drive this cardiac cell therapy programme towards clinical development. We are confident that this partnership will deliver a new therapeutic option for patients who suffer from heart failure."

Prof. Dr Thomas Eschenhagen, Director of the Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology at UKE, added: "We are excited about the new opportunities the partnership with Evotec will create. After having worked on means to repair injured heart by 3-dimensional heart muscle patches for over two decades, joining forces with Evotec and its industrialized hiPSC platform and new cell lines, will bring this development to a new stage. We are aiming at the most efficient and safest therapy in the field."

"We are very happy to see a scientific success story advance to a feat of technology transfer. Translation of scientific insights into therapeutic options is a key mission of our University Medical Center", says Prof. Dr Blanche Schwappach-Pignataro, the Dean of Faculty of Medicine of the UKE.

No financial terms of the agreement were disclosed.

About heart failure Heart failure is a severe global health burden with more than 26 million people suffering with the condition worldwide, disproportionately affecting elderly people. While there are options to treat heart failure both medicinally and with devices, there is currently no treatment that targets the cause of the disease or significantly slows down its progression.

About Evotec and iPSC Induced pluripotent stem cells (also known as iPS cells or iPSCs) are a type of pluripotent stem cell that can be generated directly from adult cells. Pluripotent stem cells hold great promise in the field of regenerative medicine. Because they can propagate indefinitely, as well as give rise to every other cell type in the body (such as neurons, heart, pancreatic and liver cells), they represent a single source of cells that could be used to replace those lost to damage or disease.

Evotec has built an industrialised iPSC infrastructure that represents one of the largest and most sophisticated iPSC platforms in the industry. Evotec's iPSC platform has been developed over the last years with the goal to industrialise iPSC-based drug screening in terms of throughput, reproducibility and robustness to reach the highest industrial standards, and to use iPSC-based cells in cell therapy approaches via the Company's proprietary EVOcells platform.

ABOUT THE MEDICAL CENTER HAMBURG-EPPENDORF (UKE) Since its foundation in 1889, the Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) has been one of the leading clinics in Europe. With about 13,600 employees, the UKE is one of the largest employers in Hamburg. Each year, the UKE treats around 511,000 patients, 106,000 of whom are inpatients and 405,000 outpatients. The emphasis in UKE's research are the neurosciences, cardiovascular research, care research, oncology, as well as infections and inflammations. Other potential areas of the UKE are molecular imaging and skeletal biology research. The UKE trains about 3,400 medical specialists and dentists. Knowledge, Research, Healing through Shared Competence: The UKE | http://www.uke.de

ABOUT EVOTEC SE Evotec is a drug discovery alliance and development partnership company focused on rapidly progressing innovative product approaches with leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academics, patient advocacy groups and venture capitalists. We operate worldwide and our more than 3,500 employees provide the highest quality stand-alone and integrated drug discovery and development solutions. We cover all activities from target-to-clinic to meet the industry's need for innovation and efficiency in drug discovery and development (EVT Execute). The Company has established a unique position by assembling top-class scientific experts and integrating state-of-the-art technologies as well as substantial experience and expertise in key therapeutic areas including neuronal diseases, diabetes and complications of diabetes, pain and inflammation, oncology, infectious diseases, respiratory diseases, fibrosis, rare diseases and women's health. On this basis, Evotec has built a broad and deep pipeline of more than 100 co-owned product opportunities at clinical, pre-clinical and discovery stages (EVT Innovate). Evotec has established multiple long-term alliances with partners including Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, CHDI, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Sanofi, Takeda, UCB and others. For additional information please go to http://www.evotec.com and follow us on Twitter @Evotec.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Information set forth in this press release contains forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained herein represent the judgement of Evotec as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

Media Contact Evotec SE: Gabriele Hansen, SVP Head of Global Corporate Communications & Marketing, Phone: +49.(0)40.56081-255, [emailprotected]

IR Contact Evotec SE: Volker Braun, SVP Head of Global Investor Relations & ESG, Phone: +49.(0)40.56081-775, [emailprotected]

SOURCE: Evotec AG

View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/627865/Evotec-and-Medical-Center-Hamburg-Eppendorf-Enter-Partnership-to-Develop-iPSC-Based-Tissue-Therapy-for-Heart-Failure

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Evotec and Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf Enter Partnership to Develop iPSC-Based Tissue Therapy for Heart Failure - GuruFocus.com