Explained: Process of transporting stem cell from donor to patient for a successful transplant – Firstpost

Patrick PaulDec 17, 2020 15:08:12 IST

A successful stem cell transplant from a matching blood stem cell donor can be lifesaving for patients who suffer from diseases like blood cancer, Thalassemia or Aplastic Anemia. Finding a matching stem cell donor is only half the battle and it is also equally important for the stem cells of the donor to actually reach the patient on time as delays in transplant can be life-threatening for a patient. Blood stem cells are collected from a donor in the same way a blood platelet donation is done.

But what happens to the stem cells after it has been collected from a donor?

Deepika is a donor from DKMS BMST registry who has successfully donated her blood stem cells for a patient suffering from blood cancer. Image credit: DKMS BMST Foundation India

Once a potential donor comes up as a match for a patient, the blood stem cells are collected via peripheral blood stem cell collection method, post which the medical team waits for the stem cell count from the laboratory. The amount of stem cell count which is to be collected from a donor is related to the number of stem cells required by the recipient. The stem cells cannot be released for transport unless the stem cell count has been sent from the lab and clearance has been given from the Collection centre physician.

The stem cells are stored at 2-8 degrees Celsius after the collection. As per the World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA) guidelines, the product must be transported between +1-10 degree Celsius and the viability of the stem cells between said temperatures is 72 hours.

The stem cells are transported in a special package called a Credo Box that is prepped in advance to 4 degrees Celsius. The credo box maintains a temperature of 2-8 degrees Celsius for 100 hours. There are two temperature loggers on this box that records the temperature of the inside of the box every 15 minutes.

The transportation of stem cells is a carefully guided process that takes precision and training by the courier personnel. An interesting fact is that only a human courier can carry the product. The reason for this is that the viability of stem cells is 72 hours, which means that once the patient has been conditioned or their body has been prepped for a transplant, their immunity is very low. They should receive a transplant within that time frame or the consequences can be life-threatening. Therefore, it is extremely critical for the stem cells to be securely transported and delivered to the Transplant Centre within this timeframe.

Blood stem cells are collected from a donor in the same way a blood platelet donation is done. Image credit: Wikipedia

Some guidelines followed while transporting blood stem cells are:

The process differs for domestic and international transplants. If the stem cells is for the international Transplant centre, the Transplant centre decides for the transport of the product. If the product is for a national Transplant centre, the local stem cell registry is responsible for the transport of the product from the Collection Centre to the Transplant Center.

After the product reaches the Transplant centre, it is brought back up to room temperature and infused into the patient. If the donor has consented to cryopreservation, then the product is cryopreserved and infused at the later date. With cryopreservation on -80 degree Celsius on carbon dioxide or -196 degree Celsius on liquid nitrogen blood stem cells can be stored for a long time.

The stem cells are transported in a special package called a Credo Box that is prepped in advance to 4 degrees Celsius and maintains a temperature of 2-8 degrees Celsius for 100 hours. Image credit: Wikipedia

The COVID-19 pandemic created a lot of challenges concerning blood stem cell donations due to the closing of borders, travel restrictions, quarantine guidelines, etc. Stem cell registries like DKMS-BMST came up with a unique solution of transporting the products without courier personnel but via the pilot in the cockpit. The product was handed over to the pilot via a courier at the airport, and the pilot would take the product into the cockpit. This also meant that most of the planes could be utilized, even cargo planes without constraints of flight schedules.

With rising blood cancer cases in India, a successful blood stem cell donation from a matching donor can help blood cancer patients receive a second chance at life. The first step to ensuring this is that people are aware of the process of blood stem cell donation and register as a potential blood stem cell donor!

The author is the CEO of the NGO DKMS BMST Foundation, India

Go here to see the original:
Explained: Process of transporting stem cell from donor to patient for a successful transplant - Firstpost

Research That Saves Lives: Four COVID-19 Therapies Being Tested at UVA – University of Virginia

Regeneron: Preventing Infection Among Households

Regeneron: A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study Assessing the Efficacy and Safety of Anti-Spike SARS-CoV-2 Monoclonal Antibodies in Preventing SARS-Cov-2 Infection in Household Contacts of Individuals Infected with SARS-CoV-2

In this multisite trial, researchers are working to determine if monoclonal antibodies made by the drug company Regeneron Pharmaceuticals can prevent COVID-19 infection among people who have been exposed by someone in their household, but have not yet developed the disease. The trial is testing the same antibody cocktail given to President Donald Trump when he was hospitalized with COVID-19, though with a different use.

In this case, the antibodies are intended to prevent people from getting sick if they have a household member with COVID, Enfield said. So far, UVA has done a good job with recruitment, which is particularly tricky in this case as you have to find people who have been exposed to COVID in their household, but who do not yet have COVID.

UVA is recruiting 40 participants for the study, each of whom will receive four injections of either the antibodies or a placebo. Participants must have been exposed to COVID-19 by someone in their household within the previous 96 hours and continue to live with that person for a month.

Its been a rapid process, and a testament to the multidisciplinary team involved, from infectious disease clinicians and researchers to cell therapy, pulmonary critical care and several other departments, Sturek said. Its been all-hands-on-deck.

As results from these and other clinical trials continue to come in, Sturek also expressed hope that we will see widespread and effective vaccine distribution sooner, rather than later.

There is a lot on the horizon, from news around vaccines to getting the first wave of vaccines to high-risk people like health care workers, he said. Every day we learn something new, and its important to stay humble, to be able to adapt and change on the fly.

Fighting this pandemic has been a huge, multidisciplinary effort, and so many people joined in to help contribute and bring new treatments to our patients, and bring new research to the field. That doesnt get done without a huge team of nurses, clinical research coordinators, pharmacists, respiratory therapists and many, many others. It is impossible to overstate the importance of all of that teamwork.

Link:
Research That Saves Lives: Four COVID-19 Therapies Being Tested at UVA - University of Virginia

Even if You’ve Had COVID-19 You Still Need the Vaccine – Healthline

COVID-19 is currently the leading cause of death in the United States killing more people each day than heart disease or cancer.

To help stem the tide of this life-threatening disease, scientists around the world have been working to develop vaccines.

Last week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the first of these vaccines, developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.

The EUA allows for the distribution of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine across the United States. This vaccine has been developed to prevent COVID-19 in people age 16 years and older.

Getting 2 doses of the vaccine may drastically reduce your chances of developing COVID-19.

Even if youve had COVID-19, getting the vaccine may help prevent reinfection and lower your risk of getting sick again.

Were really happy to have a safe and effective tool [against COVID-19], Dr. Iahn Gonsenhauser, chief quality and patient safety officer at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, told Healthline.

Were encouraging everybody to explore their opportunity to access the COVID vaccine as soon as thats made available to them, he said.

When someone develops COVID-19, their immune system learns to recognize the virus and begins to produce antibodies to fight against it.

If that person recovers from the disease, they may have immunity against reinfection with the virus for a period of time afterwards.

However, questions remain about how long that immunity lasts.

We dont know how long the immunity triggered by infection persists, and someone infected in the spring may no longer be immunologically protected now in December, Dr. David Hirschwerk, an infectious disease specialist at Northwell Health in Manhasset, New York, told Healthline.

It does stand to reason that somebody with COVID-19 infection is likely immune for 3 to 4 months at least, he said, but we dont have firm data to support this yet.

Cases of reinfection with the virus that causes COVID-19 have been reported.

Getting vaccinated may help to strengthen immunity against COVID-19.

In an ongoing clinical trial, Pfizer and BioNTech have studied their vaccine in people with and without a history of exposure to the virus.

Their research to date has found the vaccine is 95 percent effective at preventing COVID-19.

Their findings suggest it may help prevent reinfection in people who have already been exposed to the virus, as well as lowering the risk of infection in people with no history of exposure.

Data from the phase 2/3 trial for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine suggest that the vaccine is safe and likely effective in persons with previous evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, said Dr. Miriam Smith, chief of infectious disease at Long Island Jewish Forest Hills in Queens, New York.

[The] vaccine should be offered to all persons regardless of history of prior symptomatic or asymptomatic infection, she said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently advises that people with a known history of COVID-19 may wait up to nearly 90 days after their prior infection to get vaccinated, if they prefer to do so.

While more research is needed, available evidence suggests that reinfection with this virus is rare within 90 days of initial infection.

If someone currently has active symptoms of COVID-19, the CDC recommends they wait to get vaccinated until theyve recovered and met the criteria for ending isolation.

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine carries some risk of side effects.

However, ongoing research suggests the side effects tend to be mild and short-lived.

The way that we generally approach these questions in healthcare is through risk-benefit analysis, Gonsenhauser said.

In this case, the risk of some adverse response to the vaccine is low, and the benefit of knowing that you have a potentially extended or refreshed immunity to COVID is significant, he said.

With that, were recommending that people get the vaccine, even if theyve already had a COVID exposure and infection, he continued.

The most commonly reported side effect associated with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is pain around the injection site.

Some people who received the vaccine developed other side effects such as fatigue, headache, and muscle aches, which tend to resolve within a day or so.

The risk of severe adverse events following the vaccine appears to be very low. However, some groups of people might face higher risk of adverse reactions than others.

For example, if you have a history of severe allergic reaction to any of the ingredients contained in the vaccine, the FDA recommends that you not receive it.

Talk with your doctor to learn more about the potential benefits and risks of getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

Read more here:
Even if You've Had COVID-19 You Still Need the Vaccine - Healthline

What Patients With Cancer, Survivors Need to Know About the Emergency Use Authorization of COVID-19 Vaccine – Curetoday.com

Following the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)s emergency use authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine on Friday, many patients with cancer who are actively receiving treatment, and those who no longer have signs of active disease, are sure to have questions as to what they should know about the vaccine.

In fact, Dr. Debu Tripathy, chair of Breast Medical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and editor in chief of CURE, said he and his colleagues were getting questions about the distribution of the vaccine prior to its authorization by the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

We have been getting questions more and more frequently; all our patients want to know what the schedule is for when they might get a vaccine, said Tripathy in an interview with CURE.

To address any questions patients with cancer and survivors may have regarding the vaccine, CURE recently spoke with Drs. Debu Tripathy and Roy Chemaly, chief infection control officer and a professor in the department of infectious diseases, infection control and employee health at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

On Monday, the first of many high-risk health care workers started receiving the vaccine across the United States. Many frontline workers will continue to receive it over the next several weeks, including those who work directly with patients with cancer who are at a high risk for infection.

After those frontline workers, there is a process for which patients will begin to receive the vaccine, according to Tripathy.

Patients with underlying conditions as well as patients with cancer who are considered the most vulnerable for contracting the infection will likely be a top priority to receive the vaccine. Those patients would include someone with a hematologic malignancy who has had a stem cell transplant and/or are immunosuppressed. However, there are still some details that need to be ironed out.

We haven't gotten into the nitty gritty in terms of how we're going to divide (the vaccine) to some extent, said Tripathy. We're going to have the physicians be involved in prioritizing this based on their knowledge because they're the ones who know the patients the best.

Chemaly also noted that the vaccine will likely be administered to patients on a case-by-case basis.

Now for cancer patients who are still under active treatment with chemo or radiation, or early after stem cell transplantation, there is no data on how effective the vaccine is, and should it be used, he said. So we're going to be a little bit more cautious and take it case by case to recommend these vaccines to our cancer patients, as we wait for more data to come out from the general population, then see how safe it is and how effective (it is) in order to really extrapolate to our cancer patients.

If a patient is no longer receiving active treatment and there are no signs of active cancer, Chemaly said, they should have a good response to the vaccine, and it will likely be safe for them to receive it as well.

Now, for other patients who (are) still in the follow-up period, not really called survivors of cancer, we're going to probably provide some guidance, for example, for recipients of a stem cell transplantation. If it's been six months from allogeneic transplantation, they're stable and recovering well from after transplant, then it is probably be safe to give it to these patients, he said. Autologous transplant could be three months from the transplantation if they have no active issues, if they are still in remission and they're stable enough to receive a vaccine.

As with any vaccine, Tripathy said, some people will have reactions, but at least there are data from healthy individuals that can be shared with patients with cancer. When those data are shared with patients with cancer, however, there will be some unknowns. For instance, will patients with cancer be able to generate antibodies and develop the same protection, and might there be unique side effects that this patient population will experience.

These are things that we will have to learn as we go, and we will, Tripathy said. As the cancer centers and practices start immunizing their patients, were going to be tracking outcomes on it.

In fact, just like with any drug that receives FDA approval, there will be a process for reporting any side effects that occur when a patient receives the vaccine.

As for the individuals who developed severe allergic reactions to the vaccine in the United Kingdom, Chemaly noted that those individuals had a history of anaphylaxis, or severe allergic reactions to different antigens. And two out of those three individuals who experienced the severe reactions were already carrying an EpiPen (epinephrine), which helps to combat serious allergic reactions.

And we're prepared to intervene if someone develop(s) this kind of reaction when we give the vaccine, Chemaly said.

Everyone not just patients with cancer should expect to follow all the public health measures from wearing a mask to social distancing and frequent hand hygiene for at least another six months to one year even if vaccinated, according to Chemaly.

We need to create herd immunity (because) without herd immunity, we're not going to eliminate this virus, he said. Second, even if (you) get (a) vaccine, (it) doesn't mean (youre) not going to be exposed to the virus in the community or in your workplace. At that point, you may carry the virus and not getting sick from it or get admitted to the hospital but (you) can still transmit the virus to other people. This why masking is still so important.

Chemaly said hes received questions from patients and employees every day about their worry of receiving the vaccine. And while he said its understandable, he assures the public that the trials have been conducted under a microscope, meaning so many eyes have been watching everything that has happened.

No one is hiding anything, he said. Based on that, I advise my patients, my colleagues (and) other health care workers in the health care setting, that, what we know is (the vaccine is) safe and is effective there is no long-term side effect up to two or three months from receiving the vaccine. I, myself, feel very comfortable taking it, and I'm going to be lining up to get the vaccine as soon as it is available.

I think that we are witnessing an incredible moment in history where we rallied to do something that had never been done, and that is to get a vaccine from scratch in less than one year, Tripathy said. That is a pretty astounding technologic feat that not many people would have believed it was possible when all this started that in this short period of time; we did it.

Now, its up to patients to make an informed decision as to whether to get the vaccine, although the available data point to its potential effectiveness.

Nothing works unless you get the vaccine, he said. If you don't get the vaccine, all of this was for nothing.

However, Tripathy acknowledged why some people may be concerned and reluctant to receive the vaccine.

Things have happened in medical history where that might give some people pause, he said. There's a lot of concern about people that are underserved and minorities because there is a history of them not receiving fair treatment when it comes to medicine and clinical trials. And so, we have to go the extra mile to reassure patients. But we can't pretend that we can reassure people 100%. Just like many other decisions you make in life, you take the best information you have and you make a recommendation for other people or for yourself. All we can do is be truthful, present our recommendations and hope that a majority of people do get vaccinated.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, dont forget tosubscribe to CUREs newsletters here.

See the original post:
What Patients With Cancer, Survivors Need to Know About the Emergency Use Authorization of COVID-19 Vaccine - Curetoday.com

2020 at the U: The year in review – University of Miami

Take a look at a month-by-month recap of the biggest stories at the University of Miami during the past year.

From a pandemic that forced the migration of spring semester classes to an online environment, to a new dean for the College of Engineering, to a Super Bowl halftime performance by the Band of the Hour, to a record-breaking gift for the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, 2020 proved to be a very unusual year for the University of Miami.

January

The Planet Kreyol student organization and the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs commemorate victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake with dance, song, poetry, and more on January 15.

With evidence mounting that climate change is worsening everything from wildfires to hurricanes, the University of Miamis Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science hosts the three-day Miami Climate Symposium 2020: Predicting and Living with Extremes. The summitheld Jan. 22-24explored how sea level rise, saltwater intrusion, extreme heat waves, and other conditions exacerbate tropical cyclones, storm surge, and coastal flooding, as well as analyzed adaptation policies and strategies.

A professor of jazz trumpet at the Frost School of Music and four alumni of the University of Miami receive Grammy Awards during the 62nd annual ceremony held Jan. 26 in Los Angeles. Brian Lynch, jazz trumpet professor, is honored in the category of Best Large Jazz Ensemble. Cristian Macelaru, B.M. 03; Julio Reyes Copello, M.M. 00; Carlos Fernando Lopez, B.M. 12; and Natalia Ramirez, M.A. 17, also win Grammy Awards.

Miami baseball alumnus Tommy Adams makes the largest gift in support of the baseball program by a former University baseball student-athlete, donating $1 million toward the University of Miamis Baseball Facility Enhancement Campaign.

February

Five months after Hurricane Dorian devastated the Bahamas, students enrolled in the semester-long action project interdisciplinary class offered by the Miami Herbert Business School travel to Freeport for a three-day visit, meeting with Bahamian students and local businesses to share ideas and inspire hope.

Building on the immense resources and expanding the vision of the Center for Computational Science, the University establishes the Miami Institute for Data Science and Computing to catalyze data-intensive research that will solve real-world problems and enhance the understanding of data science among students and the public.

The Lancet, one of the worlds leading medical journals, announces that Felicia Marie Knaul, director of the University of Miami Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas, will lead a new Lancet Commission examining gender-based violence and maltreatment of young people, two areas with a dearth of study and understanding.

Students from the University of Miamis Frost Band of the Hour and the color guard, as well as the Hurricanettes dancers, perform in the Pepsi Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show at Hard Rock Stadium on Feb. 2.

Redshirt senior David Dinsmore wins his fourth straight gold medal in the mens platform on Feb. 21, capturing top honors at the 2020 ACC Swimming and Diving Championships.

At the Dolphins Cancer Challenge, Team Hurricaneswith 1,250 strongjoined thousands of others on Feb. 29 to run, walk, and ride to fight cancer and support the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.

March

For the health and well-being of the campus community, the University extends spring break for students through March 22, announcing that classes will resume on March 23 but strictly in online environments through at least April 4. Shortly thereafter, with COVID-19 cases surging across the nation, the University, in accordance with public health guidance to reduce density on campus, extends online instruction through the remainder of the spring semester and implements partial closing of on-campus housing.

April

An international team of scientists led by Dr. Camillo Ricordi, director of the Diabetes Research Institute and Cell Transplant Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, is granted immediate FDA authorization for a 24-patient clinical trial to test the safety and exploratory efficacy of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells to block the life-threatening lung inflammation that accompanies severe cases of COVID-19.

Joined by the Rapid Defense Network in New York, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and others, the School of Laws Immigration Clinic files a lawsuit on April 13 accusing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities of ignoring COVID-19 guidelines in three Florida detention centers.

Debbie Ajagbe is named the 2020 ACC Indoor Track Scholar-Athlete of the Year on April 17, with five other Miami women joining her on the All-ACC Academic Team for Indoor Track and Field. Earlier in the year, Ajagbe, a mechanical engineering major, earned both ACC Womens Field Performer of the Year and ACC Championship Field MVP honors, winning both the weight throw and shot put at the conference championships.

May

The 180 graduates of the Miller School of Medicines Class of 2020 celebrate their newly minted degrees during a virtual commencement on May 9.

Arva Moore Parks, a prominent historian and preservationist, who served on the University of Miami Board of Trustees for 26 years and wrote several books on Greater Miami, Coral Gables, and University history, passes away on May 10.

Nine University of Miami Athletics programsmens basketball, mens and womens cross country, mens diving, golf, rowing, mens and womens tennis, and womens track and fieldare recognized for perfect single-year scores of 1,000 in the 2018-19 Academic Progress Report released May 19 by the NCAA.

UMTVs first Black show, The Culture, is nominated by the Suncoast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for a student production award in the magazine program category.

Brian Van Belle and Chris McMahon, two of the Miami Hurricanes best pitchers, are named All-Americans by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper on May 26. Both Van Belle and McMahon earned spots on the second team after posting brilliant performances in the abbreviated 2020 season that was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

June

Pratim Biswas, the Lucy and Stanley Lopata Professor in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis and a pioneer in his field recognized for applying aerosol science and engineering to multiple areas, is named dean of the University of Miami College of Engineering.

The University of Miami Board of Trustees elects six new members to its ranks with expertise in business, finance, law, technology, and strategic planning. Patricia Menendez-Cambo, Adam E. Carlin, Jose R. Mas, Alice S. Vilma, Carolyn B. Lamm, and Jordan Rhodes were elected to the Board on June 19.

Dr. Judy Schaechter, chair of the Miller School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, is named a 2020-21 Health Policy Fellow by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the National Academy of Medicine. The prestigious one-year fellowship in Washington, D.C., will enable her to expand her longtime involvement in health policy and child policy at the local and state levels to the federal level.

July

The University becomes one of 89 locations around the nation, and one of only six in Florida, to enroll volunteers for the first Phase 3 clinical trial of a COVID-19 vaccine. The trial, part of the National Institutes of Health COVID-19 Prevention Trials Network, tested a vaccine developed by scientists at the NIHs National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and collaborators at biotechnology company Moderna, Inc. Vice President Mike Pence visited the Miller School of Medicine along with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on July 27 to thank the University for its participation in the trial.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration selects the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science to host the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, which will bring together the research and educational resources of 11 partner universities to increase scientific understanding of the Earths oceans and atmosphere within the context of NOAAs mission. The selectionmade through an open, competitive evaluationcomes with an award of up to $310 million over the course of five years, with the potential for renewal for another five years based on successful performance.

Amid ongoing nationwide protests against police brutality sparked by the tragic death of Minneapolis resident George Floyd in May, President Julio Frenk reaffirms his commitment to racial and ethnic equality, outlining in a letter sent to all students, faculty, and staff a 15-point plan the University will implement to support racial equality, inclusion, and justice across the institution and in the greater South Florida community.

Patti Herberta longtime University of Miami alumna and benefactor who, along with her husband Allan, donated millions of dollars to the institution, helping to transform academics and student lifepassed away on Monday, July 27. She was 84.

University of Miami Libraries launches Documenting COVID-19: South Floridas Pandemic Experience. Through community-generated and community-contributed content that will be made available through digital collections and by visiting the library, the initiative will chronicle how local communities are dealing with the crisis.

August

In a move to support a safe learning and working environment for students, faculty, and employees, the Butler Center for Service and Leadership establishes a new team of public health ambassadors to support the Universitys COVID-19 reopening and operating plan. The 75 students who made up the new Public Health Ambassadors Program during the fall semester enforced guidelines on the Coral Gables Campus by offering support and utilizing peer-to-peer influence to encourage members of the campus community to engage in the healthy behaviors of physical distancing, wearing face coverings, and hand washing/sanitizing.

Lakeside Village, a 12-acre facility on the shores of Lake Osceola in the heart of the Coral Gables Campus, officially opens its doors on Aug. 13 to greet the inaugural class of students to the transformative housing complex.

Featuring a mix of virtual and in-person instruction, the first day of fall semester classes begins on Aug. 17. On the Coral Gables Campus, a number of safety protocolsfrom mandatory mask-wearing to social distancinghelp ensure the well-being of students, faculty, and staff.

The Miller School of Medicine Class of 2024 launches the innovative NextGenMD Curriculum, which focuses on health system science and features an enhanced emphasis on mentorships. The students will be significantly better prepared to respond to COVID-19 and to the public health challenges that will follow.

The Miller School of Medicine becomes one of a few medical schools across the nation selected by the National Institutes of Health to test the effectiveness of treating COVID-19 patients with convalescent plasma.

Following a limited opening in April 2020, Canes Central, a new student-centered, service-oriented department, fully opens. It offers both in-person and online undergraduate and graduate students assistance on matters relating to registration and records, billing and payment, financial aid, and Cane Cards.

Legendary Miami Hurricanes baseball coach Jim Morriswho in his 25 seasons at the University of Miami won 1,090 games, made the NCAA postseason 23 straight years, reached the College World Series 13 times, and won national championships in 1999 and 2001is voted into the 2020 induction class of the National College Baseball Hall of Fame.

September

Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine receives a landmark gift of $126 million. The groundbreaking donationthe single largest in the University of Miamis 95-year historywill accelerate breakthrough advances in finding cures for cancer and expand innovative treatment options for cancer patients.

The University of Miami jumps eight spots to No. 49 in U.S. News & World Reports 2021 Best Colleges issue, placing the institution back among the 50 top-tier colleges and universities. This jump in the rankings reflects our commitmenteven in these unprecedented timesto comprehensive excellence and selective preeminence, said President Julio Frenk.

Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Health System, opens the Dwoskin Proton Therapy Center on Sept. 15. The new state-of-the-art facility treats patients with proton therapy, an advanced type of low-dose radiation that is extremely precise and two-thirds the speed of light.

Physician-researchers with the Miller School of Medicine begin a new Phase 3 clinical trial to test another investigational vaccine for COVID-19. Part of a large-scale international trial in partnership with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, the clinical trial to test the Janssen vaccine is the Miller Schools second human study of its kind.

October

The University of Miami becomes the first college testing site for a quick, easy, and cost-effective Israeli-produced COVID-19 breath analyzer that could revolutionize coronavirus testing if approved by the FDA.

In a Miami Herbert Business School webinar held Oct. 8, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar highlights the administrations effort to restructure the health care system to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and support countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

November

Taking their dedication to fighting cancer to a new level, the Miami Dolphins pledge a transformational $75 million gift to Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, South Floridas only NCI-designated cancer center.

Musicians from the Frost School of Music join Dean Shelly Berg and celebrity musicians to participate in a benefit concert on Thanksgiving Day in support of nurses. The livestreamed Nurse Heroes Live! concert raises funds for the Nurse Heroes Foundation, an initiative working to support and honor nurses.

December

Four extraordinary University of Miami alumniJose R. Mas, Jackie Nespral, Hilarie Bass, and Jaret L. Davisshare their advice with more than 5,000 students at four virtual commencement ceremonies held Dec. 10 and 11.

People and Community

University

Read more here:
2020 at the U: The year in review - University of Miami

Five Mobile County hospitals to get Pfizer vaccine this week – AL.com

Five hospitals in Mobile County will be part of the Alabama launch of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, according to an official with the Mobile County Health Department.

The hospitals will give the initial doses to frontline healthcare workers

Dr. Scott Chavers, an epidemiologist with the Mobile County Health Department, told AL.com on Friday that Mobile Infirmary, University Hospital, USA Childrens and Womens Hospital, Providence Hospital and Springhill Medical Center are on the states initial distribution lists.

He said the first phase of distribution, called Phase 1a, will include 5,800 initial vaccine doses that will be distributed to the Mobile County area and will be specifically given to healthcare workers.

The Alabama Department of Public Health, last week, confirmed the state is expected to receive about 40,000 initial doses overall.

They were chosen because of their capability of storing the vaccine at the ultralow temperatures required for the Pfizer vaccine at a negative 80 degrees Celsius, Chavers said. Storage at that temperature is not commonly used (at hospitals). They are typically used for stem cell and tissue research, and only research institutions have (storage units at that low of a temperature).

Mobile Infirmary is expected to received 1,000 doses this week, and will begin providing them to healthcare workers early Wednesday morning. Infirmary Health, which manages the Mobile hospital, will also provide the vaccine to frontline health care workers at Thomas Hospital in Fairhope and North Baldwin Infirmary in Bay Minette.

Hannah Peterson, spokeswoman with Infirmary Health, said the goal this week is to provide approximately 1,000 vaccines this week to Infirmary Health employees, EMS personnel and other local providers and adopted hospitals.

It was unclear on Monday morning when USA Health would begin providing its initial dosages. CEO Owen Bailey, late last week, said he believe a plan would be finalized after the Food and Drug Administration officially green-lighted the vaccine, which occurred Friday.

Its given folks a lot of hope that weve reached this point, said Bailey, following a ribbon cutting ceremony on a new $20 million trauma center that will be operational by mid-January.

Chavers said the second distribution channel, which is also part of the countys Phase 1a rollout, will include pharmaceutical chains Walgreens and CVS. The companies struck deals with the federal government to vaccinate staff and residents at long-term care facilities around the country. Most states, including Alabama, have put the facilities at the top of the priority list for vaccines.

They are in the first wave so that when the Pfizer vaccine shows up for the hospitals, within a couple of days, it will go through CVS and Walgreens (and be administered at the long-term care facilities), Chavers said.

The Pfizer vaccine requires a second dose 21 days after the initial shot. Chavers said the rollout for the second dose will occur next month and will be similar to what is occurring this week: Hospitals and long-term care providers are the priority.

Related content: First vaccines in Birmingham area slated to reach UAB next week

The next phase of vaccine distribution will include the Moderna vaccine once its given the go-ahead from the FDA. An FDA advisory panel is expected to determine whether to authorize the vaccine later this week. Clinical trials involving 30,000 participants found the Moderna vaccine to be 94.1 percent effective.

Chavers said the Moderna vaccine will not require extreme cold for storage, and will be easier to distribute.

It needs to be held at a negative 10 degrees Celsius so its not as stringent, he said. With (the) Pfizer vaccine, you have six hours to use it whereas the Moderna vaccine, you have 30 days. The Moderna vaccine is much more aligned with traditional vaccine delivery.

Healthcare workers at outlying hospitals across the state will be among those receiving the limited numbers of the Moderna vaccine, said Chavers, as they are not part of the initial distribution of the Pfizer vaccine.

But he said the exact distribution of the Moderna vaccine has not been laid out.

Well have more information (later this week) on how that will be distributed, Chavers said. One of the critical messages is that this will not be a fast process

The general public is likely not going to see vaccines until late spring. Im talking about March or April. You cannot vaccinate everyone on the same day. It will be a months-long process.

Originally posted here:
Five Mobile County hospitals to get Pfizer vaccine this week - AL.com

Donor Stem Cell Transplant Improves Survival in Older Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome – Cancer Health Treatment News

A new clinical trial offers the most compelling evidence to date that a donor stem cell transplant can improve survival rates for older patients with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute investigators report at the virtual 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting.

Despite being the only current cure for MDS and widely used for younger patients, transplant generally hasnt been offered to older patients because it has not been proven beneficial in that population. The new trial, conducted by the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network, is likely to change that, according to study leaders. Involving 384 patients at 34 medical centers across the U.S., the trial found that transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells from compatible donors nearly doubled the survival rate of patients age 50-75.

Transplantation has been underutilized, historically, in this patient group, said study senior author Corey Cutler, MD, MPH, FRCPC, of Dana-Farber. Based on our findings all patients should at least be referred to a transplant center so that those who are eligible and have a suitable donor can undergo transplant and have better survival. It is important to refer these patients early so the transplant center can work on finding an optimal donor right from the get-go.

MDS encompasses a group of disorders in which blood-forming cells in the bone marrow become abnormal, resulting in the production of defective blood cells. In about one in three patients, MDS can progress to acute myeloid leukemia, a rapidly growing cancer of bone marrow cells.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation replaces a patients abnormal blood-forming stem cells with healthy ones from a compatible donor. Because the procedure hadnt been proven to be helpful for older patients, it hasnt been covered by Medicare for people over age 65 unless done as part of an approved study. Medicare approved the design of the trial and is expected to consider the findings when determining future payment policies.

Participants in the new trial were referred to transplant centers, which searched for suitable stem cell donors. The 260 patients who were matched with a donor within 90 days were assigned to receive a stem cell transplant; the other 124 patients received standard supportive care.

Roughly three years after enrolling in the trial, 47.9% of those slated for transplant were alive, compared to 26.6% of those for whom no donor had been found at the 90-day mark. Survival without a recurrence of leukemia was also higher in those assigned to receive a transplant (35.8%) than in those who were not (20.6%). The researchers observed no significant differences among subgroups and no differences in quality of life between the two study arms.

Cutlerpresented findings on this study at the Whats on the Horizon: Practice-Changing Clinical Trials press briefing on Friday, Dec. 4 at 12:30 p.m. EST. Further details were presented during Session 732, Abstract 75, on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 10:30 a.m. EST.

Cutlers disclosures include a consulting or advisory role for Mesoblast, Generon, Medsenic, Jazz, Kadmon, and Incyte.

Complete details on Dana-Farbers activities at ASH are available online at http://www.dana-farber.org/ash.

This press releasewas originally published on December 4, 2020, by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. It is republished with permission.

Originally posted here:
Donor Stem Cell Transplant Improves Survival in Older Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome - Cancer Health Treatment News

Dr. Kansagra: Quadruplet Therapy for Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma and Combination CAR T-Cell Opportunities – DocWire News

Ankit Kansagra, MD, an assistant professor in theDepartment of Internal Medicineat UT Southwestern Medical Center and assistant director of theOutpatient Stem Cell Transplant Program, talks about the potential for changes to combination therapy for multiple myeloma (MM) with the approval of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell agents and the introduction of quadruplet therapy.

In part three of this interview with Dr. Kansagra, available December 15, he discusses newly approved therapies for MM and highlights drugs in the pipeline.

DocWire News: Do you foresee combination therapy for multiple myeloma changing in the next few years, and how would this impact the treatment paradigm and potentially guideline-directed care?

Dr. Kansagra: Lets talk about patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Right now, we know that for the majority of the country, the standard of care is a combination of three different medicationmay it be bortezomib or [carfilzomib], those are the proteasome inhibitors, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone.

There is a huge debate nationally, or internationally, about adding a fourth agent improves things. There are questions about improving response and the durability of response. Can you get the response, first? And can you sustain that response? Those are two different questions. We know most of the therapies, as of today, including the triplet therapies, are able to get a response; its the durability that is an issue, and can they persist for a longer time or getting the patients into minimal residual disease (MRD), or the lowest disease possible.

Some call it measurable residual disease, some call it minimal residual disease. The point that comes up too is, Are we going to a quadruplet therapy? And the answer to that is yes. I think we are going to a quadruplet therapy, but For who? is going to be a point and For how long? When do you increase the intensity of therapy? When you decrease the intensity of therapy? Would MRD be a guide to deciding how those therapies are done? Those are going to be some of the crucial factors in deciding. So I dont think quadruplet is needed for every single individual with newly diagnosed myeloma. There are subsets who will benefit from it, and there are subsets who probably do not need that aggressive treatment.

For combination with CAR-T cells, I think thats probably a more challenging question. The first question is, scientifically, should we combine something to CAR T-cell therapy to improve its response? As I mentioned earlier, CAR T-cell therapies in lymphoma have shown certainly more impressive responses than what we might have expected in myeloma. Having said that, the diseases are completely different; the biology is completely different. We certainly dont want to compare apples and oranges here. But obviously, there is a challenge in front of us: How are we going to have these CAR T-cells persist to be effective for a longer period of time? Obviously, there has been an ongoing debate and also a lot of clinical trials ongoing, which are thinking of adding medications to the CAR T-cell therapy treatment.

And that may be medications like immunomodulatory drugs or proteasome inhibitors. IMiDs or [lenalidomide] or [pomalidomide], those are certainly key targets here to think of. Even checkpoint inhibitors have been used in some clinical trials, like PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors in some clinical trials. I think those are another avenue of interest.

The more important question, to me, is what combination to use rather than what are the potential mechanisms of relapse? Why is CAR-T not working for individual A compared to B compared to C? Is it because the cells are not persisting? Is it because they are losing the BCMA expression? Is it because the CAR-Ts are not expanding at all? And the intervention for each bucket is potentially going to be a different intervention. Some might need a BCMA-targeted ongoing therapy after a CAR T-cell therapy. That might be a strategy in one population, whereas other might need just augmentation with an IMiD. Maybe there is a third, who does not need any intervention at all.

Scientifically speaking, as a physician-scientist, I would think an important thing for us to understand is what are these different categories of patients where we would intervene differently and appropriately. If Im talking to my patient as a physician, as a clinician, sitting in the patients room and thinking of the challenges in the healthcare system, we loved CAR T-cell therapy that we dont have to combine with anything. The initial two years, we loved it, that you get CAR T-cell therapy. My patients tell me, Hey doc, I feel like I dont have myeloma at all.

Thats the comment I get very often from my patients who have received CAR T-cell therapy. The majority of these guys have got stem cell transplant before and have been on maintenance therapies and some ongoing treatment. When it comes to us doing some combination along with CAR T-cell therapy, that is certainly a bummer from them saying, Hey, this was kind of one of those hopes, where we would have done a one-time thing and it would work forever.

From the patients perspective, from a healthcare cost perspective, from a physician sitting in front of them and trying to think what is the easiest in their patient-reported outcome standpoint, Im not too excited about combining things, but I suppose that it is going toward that way to get the best efficacy. So I think rather than saying, Everybody should get a maintenance therapy, like we do for transplant for a big chunk of our patients or pretty much everybody in the United States, I think we will have to think of a much more scientifically-driven answer about who benefits from it.

Watch part 1 of the interview with Dr. Kansagra where he discusses CAR T-cells in development for MM.

More:
Dr. Kansagra: Quadruplet Therapy for Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma and Combination CAR T-Cell Opportunities - DocWire News

Positive Phase 2 Proof-of-Concept Data for Viralym-M and Burden of Disease Data Presented in Oral Presentations at the 62nd American Society of…

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AlloVir (Nasdaq: ALVR), a late clinical-stage cell therapy company, today announced that results from the Phase 2, proof-of-concept CHARMS study demonstrated that an allogeneic, off-the-shelf, multi-virus specific T cell therapy, Viralym-M (ALVR105), achieved a 93% clinical response and was generally well-tolerated in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) patients with at least one drug refractory infection. The findings were highlighted during an oral presentation at the 62nd American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting (ASH). In a second oral presentation, a health outcomes analysis showed the high economic and clinical burden of virus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis (V-HC) in patients following allo-HSCT.

There is an urgent need for new therapies that improve the treatment and prevention of viral infections which have significantly impacted immunocompromised patients as well as burdened the healthcare system, said Agustin Melian, MD, Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Medical Sciences of AlloVir. The data presented at ASH highlight the potential of Viralym-M in treating immunocompromised patients who are at a greater risk of viral infection.

Oral Presentation: Treatment of Severe, Drug-Refractory Viral Infections with Allogeneic, Off-the-Shelf, Multi-virus Specific T Cell Therapy in Patients Following HSCT: Results from a Phase 2 Study Presenter: Bilal Omer, MD, Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX

Efficacy and safety data of Viralym-M in allo-HSCT recipients with at least one treatment-refractory infection (BKV, CMV, AdV, EBV, HHV-6, and/or JCV) were evaluated in the CHARMS study, a Phase 2 proof-of-concept clinical trial. Allo-HSCT patients who had either failed antiviral therapy or were unable to tolerate standard antivirals were enrolled and received a single infusion of Viralym-M. If a partial response was achieved, patients could receive up to four additional doses after four weeks, at two-week intervals.

Ninety-three percent (93%) of the patients achieved a complete (viral load returning to normal range and resolution of clinical signs/symptoms) or partial (a 50% decrease in viral load and/or 50% improvement of clinical signs/symptoms) response by six weeks post-infusion. One hundred percent (100%) of patients who had two or more viral infections (11 of 11) responded to Viralym-M with 19 of the 23 viral infections across these 11 patients responding to treatment. Treatment with Viralym-M was generally well tolerated.

Patients receiving an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant are at increased risk for multiple viral infections and diseases, which ultimately put them at risk for serious and life-threatening outcomes, said Bilal Omer, MD, Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston Methodist Hospital and presenting author. Currently there is a lack of effective treatments and those that are available have significant toxicities. Data from the CHARMS study suggest that Viralym-M has the potential to safely and effectively treat the most common viral infections in patients following allogeneic HSCT and may address a critical unmet need in this patient population.

Oral Presentation: Economic and Clinical Burden of Virus-Associated Hemorrhagic Cystitis in Patients Following Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Presenter: Joseph P. McGuirk, DO, the University of Kansas Cancer Center, Westwood, KS

U.S. claims data were analyzed to compare health care reimbursement, health resource utilization, and clinical outcomes between allo-HSCT patients with virus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis (V-HC) to those without V-HC. The unadjusted mean reimbursement per patient group was $292,401 higher for patients with V-HC compared to patients without V-HC. Adjusted reimbursements were also significantly higher for V-HC patients with and without GVHD compared to patients without V-HC (p<.0001).

V-HC was associated with increased hospital length of stay and additional days in the intensive care unit. Readmission rates also increased for patients with V-HC compared to those without V-HC (p<.0001). The mean overall hospital LOS was prolonged by 27.1 days (p<0.0001), or 55% longer, for allo-HSCT patients with V-HC versus patients without V-HC.

In an adjusted analysis examining time to all-cause mortality, patients with V-HC had a 70% higher risk of mortality, even after adjusting for presence of GVHD as well as other baseline factors. V-HC was also associated with increased incidence for renal impairment in the follow-up period in patients with or without GVHD.

Viral infections or disease including the viruses associated with hemorrhagic cystitis are a major complication in patients who have undergone allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, said Joseph P. McGuirk, DO, the University of Kansas Cancer Center and presenting author. These data show that virus associated hemorrhagic cystitis has a significant impact on patient outcomes including a greater risk of death and new renal impairment, while also placing a substantial burden on our healthcare system, highlighting the unmet clinical need for effective strategies to prevent and/or treat virus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis in allo-HSCT recipients.

Viral Infections in Immunocompromised Patients

In healthy individuals, virus-specific T-cells (VSTs) from the bodys natural defense system provide protection against numerous disease-causing viruses. However, in patients with a weakened immune system these viruses may be uncontrolled. Viral diseases are common and can cause potentially devastating and life-threatening consequences in immunocompromised patients. For example, up to 90% of patients will reactivate at least one virus following an allogeneic stem cell transplant and two-thirds of these patients reactivate more than one virus, resulting in significant and prolonged morbidity, hospitalization, and premature death. Typically, when viruses infect immunocompromised patients, standard antiviral treatment does not address the underlying problem of a weakened immune system and therefore many patients suffer with life-threatening outcomes such as multi-organ damage and failure, and even death.

Viralym-M (ALVR105)

AlloVirs lead product Viralym-M (ALVR105) is in late-stage clinical development as an allogeneic, off-the-shelf, multi-virus specific T-cell therapy targeting six common viral pathogens in immunocompromised individuals: BK virus, cytomegalovirus, adenovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, human herpesvirus 6, and JC virus. The company plans to initiate a Phase 3, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to assess the efficacy and safety of Viralym-M for the treatment of patients with virus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis (V-HC) following allo-HSCT before year end. A proof-of-concept clinical trial targeting the prevention of BKV, CMV, AdV, EBV, HHV-6, and JCV in patients following allo-HSCT is also expected to initiate by the end of 2020. Viralym-M has received Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as PRIority MEdicines (PRIME) and Orphan Drug Designations (ODD) from the European Medicines Agency.

About AlloVir

AlloVir is a leading late clinical-stage cell therapy company with a focus on restoring natural immunity against life-threatening viral diseases in patients with weakened immune systems. The companys innovative and proprietary technology platforms leverage off-the-shelf, allogeneic, multi-virus specific T cells targeting devastating viruses for patients with T cell deficiencies who are at risk from the life-threatening consequences of viral diseases. AlloVirs technology and manufacturing process enables the potential for the treatment and prevention of a spectrum of devastating viruses with each single allogeneic cell therapy. The company is advancing multiple mid- and late-stage clinical trials across its product portfolio. For more information visit http://www.allovir.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, without limitation, statements regarding AlloVirs development and regulatory status of our product candidates and its strategy, business plans and focus. The words may, will, could, would, should, expect, plan, anticipate, intend, believe, estimate, predict, project, potential, continue, target and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on managements current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and important factors that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, including, without limitation, those related to AlloVirs financial results, the timing for completion of AlloVirs clinical trials of its product candidates, whether and when, if at all, AlloVirs product candidates will receive approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, or other foreign regulatory authorities, competition from other biopharmaceutical companies, and other risks identified in AlloVirs SEC filings. AlloVir cautions you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. AlloVir disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any such statements to reflect any change in expectations or in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release represent AlloVirs views only as of the date hereof and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date.

Original post:
Positive Phase 2 Proof-of-Concept Data for Viralym-M and Burden of Disease Data Presented in Oral Presentations at the 62nd American Society of...

Silicon Therapeutics Announces Members of Scientific Advisory Board – Business Wire

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Silicon Therapeutics, a privately-held, integrated therapeutics company with a pioneering drug discovery platform based on physics-driven molecular simulations, today announced the members of the Silicon Therapeutics scientific advisory board (SAB), which include Dr. Elliot L. Chaikof, Dr. Timothy P. Heffernan, Dr. Sun Hur, Dr. Pasi A. Jnne and Dr. Lijun Sun.

The Silicon Therapeutics SAB is comprised of experts in biophysics, medicinal chemistry, translational medicine and research and development (R&D) in oncology and immunology. These experts will serve as a strategic resource for Silicon Therapeutics to provide scientific review and high-level advice about the companys drug discovery strategy as it continues to advance the companys therapeutic pipeline using its proprietary simulation platform.

We are honored to officially welcome Drs. Chaikof, Heffernan, Hur, Jnne and Sun as members of our SAB, said Christopher Winter, Ph.D., chief of research and development. Each members expertise, insights and direction will provide a tremendous knowledge base that will help inform our approach regarding research and clinical development activities, which will be invaluable as we head into the next phase of our growth advancing our in-house research programs developed utilizing our proprietary drug discovery platform.

The SAB will be involved in strategic discussions related to targets, research and pre-clinical development, as well as the next generation, first-in-class therapeutic pipeline.

Silicon Therapeutics is focused on the discovery and development of first-in-class small molecules targeting key drivers of disease in cancer and inflammation that have proven difficult to treat with prior approaches and thus previously considered undruggable. The companys unique discovery platform is fully integrated with Silicon Therapeutics internal laboratories using cutting edge experimental capabilities in biophysics, biology and chemistry.

ABOUT THE SILICON THERAPEUTICS SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD

Elliot L. Chaikof, M.D., Ph.D. is a co-founder of Silicon Therapeutics and chair of the Roberta and Stephen R. Weiner department of surgery and surgeon-in-chief at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), as well as the Johnson & Johnson professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School in Boston. Dr. Chaikof is a member of the Wyss Institute of Biologically Inspired Engineering of Harvard University and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, also in Boston.

Dr. Chaikof earned a bachelor of arts degree and medical doctor degree from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and a doctor of philosophy degree in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, where he focused on the design of artificial organs. Dr. Chaikof completed his training in general surgery at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and in vascular surgery at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.

Timothy P. Heffernan, Ph.D. is head of oncology research within the division of therapeutics discovery and development at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Dr. Heffernan also serves as executive director for the Translational Research to Advance Therapeutics and Innovation in Oncology (TRACTION) platform, a translational research unit focused on accelerating the pre-clinical evaluation of novel drugs to inform innovative clinical trials.

Dr. Heffernan earned a doctor of philosophy degree in cell and molecular pathology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill, N.C. and performed his postdoctoral training at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School in Boston.

Sun Hur, Ph.D. is an Oscar M. Schloss professor in the department of biological chemistry and molecular pharmacology in the department of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

Dr. Hur earned a bachelor of science degree in physics from Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea and a doctor of philosophy degree in physical chemistry with Dr. Thomas C. Bruice at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Dr. Hur did her post-doctoral work in x-ray crystallography with Dr. Robert M. Stroud at the University of California, San Francisco. She joined Harvard Medical School in 2008 as an assistant professor and became affiliated with Boston Childrens Hospital in 2010.

Pasi A. Jnne, M.D., Ph.D. is a thoracic medical oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a professor at Harvard Medical School, director of the Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology and director of the Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science in Boston.

Dr. Jnne earned a medical doctor degree and doctor of philosophy degree at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He completed postgraduate training in internal medicine at Brigham and Womens Hospital and in medical oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

Lijun Sun, Ph.D. is a co-founder of Silicon Therapeutics and an associate professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

Dr. Sun earned a doctor of philosophy degree in organic chemistry from Emory University in Atlanta and completed postdoctoral training in biomaterial research at Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta.

ABOUT SILICON THERAPEUTICS

Silicon Therapeutics is a privately held, fully integrated drug design and development company focused on small molecule therapeutics. The Silicon Therapeutics proprietary physics-driven drug design platform combines quantum physics, statistical thermodynamics, molecular simulations, a dedicated HPC super-computing cluster, purpose-built software, in-house laboratories and clinical development capabilities. The platform was built from the ground up to address difficult targets using physics-based simulations and experiments to pioneer a new path for drug design with the prime goal of delivering novel medicines to improve the lives of patients.

Silicon Therapeutics is currently the only company that owns the entire spectrum of proprietary physics-driven drug discovery from chip-to-clinic. The companys lead program is a highly differentiated small molecule Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) agonist for the treatment of cancer, which entered the clinic in November 2020. The companys headquarters are located in Boston. To learn more about Silicon Therapeutics, please visit our website at http://www.silicontx.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

More:
Silicon Therapeutics Announces Members of Scientific Advisory Board - Business Wire