CohBar Discovers Novel Peptide Inhibitors of CXCR4, a Key Regulator of Tumor Growth and Metastasis – Associated Press

MENLO PARK, Calif., Jan. 08, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CohBar, Inc. (NASDAQ: CWBR), a clinical stage biotechnology company developing mitochondria based therapeutics (MBTs) to treat chronic diseases and extend healthy lifespan, today announced the discovery of a series of novel mitochondrial peptide analogs with potent in vitro activity as selective inhibitors of C-X-C Chemokine Receptor Type 4 (CXCR4) and with preliminary in vivo efficacy in a mouse model of melanoma, including substantial reduction in tumor growth as compared to control animals. CXCR4 is a key regulatory receptor involved in tumor growth, invasion, angiogenesis, metastasis, and resistance to therapy.

This new discovery offers the potential to develop novel therapeutics for difficult-to-treat cancers, based on peptides encoded in the mitochondrial genome, said Ken Cundy, Ph.D., CohBars Chief Scientific Officer. Inhibition of this key regulatory pathway is potentially applicable to a wide range of cancers, as well as orphan indications where CXCR4 signaling is dysregulated.

Novel peptide analogs of a mitochondrially encoded peptide (MBT5) demonstrated potent and selective inhibition of human CXCR4 receptor in cell-based assays, with IC50 values in the low nanomolar concentration range. In a difficult-to-treat in vivo mouse model of melanoma, the B16F10 syngeneic tumor model, the combination of an analog of MBT5 administered subcutaneously with the chemotherapeutic temozolomide showed enhanced antitumor activity, reducing tumor growth after 11 days by 61% compared to control animals. The reduction in tumor growth produced by the combination exceeded the effect of either temozolomide used as a single agent, which reduced tumor growth by 38% compared to control, or the murine checkpoint inhibitor anti-PD-1 antibody, which had no effect on tumor growth in this model.

CohBar plans to further explore the efficacy of this new family of peptides in additional animal models with the goal of identifying a new clinical development MBT candidate.

These new data further expand our understanding of the broad regulatory influence exerted by mitochondria and the therapeutic potential of analogs of peptides encoded in mitochondrial DNA, said Steve Engle, CohBar CEO. We are just beginning to scratch the surface of this previously untapped field.

CXCR4 is overexpressed in more than 75% of cancers and high levels of the receptor are associated with poor survival prognosis. Inhibition of the CXCR4 receptor has been shown to mobilize immune cells, enhance the effects of chemotherapy and immunotherapy in various cancers, and reduce the development of metastatic tumors by blocking the ability of tumor cells to evade immune surveillance. CXCR4 also regulates the homing and retention of hematopoietic stem cells and malignant cells in the bone marrow.

Further details of these new studies will be available on the CohBar website at http://www.cohbar.com.

About CohBar

CohBar (NASDAQ: CWBR) is a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the research and development of mitochondria based therapeutics, an emerging class of drugs for the treatment of chronic and age-related diseases. Mitochondria based therapeutics originate from the discovery by CohBars founders of a novel group of naturally occurring mitochondrial-derived peptides within the mitochondrial genome that regulate metabolism and cell death, and whose biological activity declines with age. To date, the company has discovered more than 100 mitochondrial-derived peptides. CohBars efforts focus on the development of these peptides into therapeutics that offer the potential to address a broad range of diseases, including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), obesity, fibrotic diseases, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. The companys lead compound, CB4211, is in the phase 1b stage of a phase 1a/1b clinical trial that includes an evaluation of biological activity relevant to NASH and obesity.

For additional company information, please visit http://www.cohbar.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements which are not historical facts within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and other future conditions. In some cases you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as believe, may, will, estimate, continue, anticipate, intend, could, should, would, project, plan, expect, goal, seek, future, likely or the negative or plural of these words or similar expressions. Examples of such forward-looking statements including but not limited to statements regarding the ability of mitochondrial peptide analogs to reduce tumor growth in mice; anticipated outcomes of research and clinical trials for our mitochondria based therapeutic (MBT) candidates; expectations regarding the growth of MBTs as a significant future class of drug products; and statements regarding anticipated therapeutic properties and potential of our mitochondrial peptide analogs and MBTs. You are cautioned that such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those set forth in these forward looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include: our ability to successfully advance drug discovery and development programs, including the delay or termination of ongoing clinical trials; our possible inability to mitigate the prevalence and/or persistence of the injection site reactions, receipt of unfavorable feedback from regulators regarding the safety or tolerability of CB4211 or the possibility of other developments affecting the viability of CB4211 as a clinical candidate or its commercial potential; results that are different from earlier data results including less favorable than and that may not support further clinical development; our ability to raise additional capital when necessary to continue our operations; our ability to recruit and retain key management and scientific personnel; and our ability to establish and maintain partnerships with corporate and industry partners. Additional assumptions, risks and uncertainties are described in detail in our registration statements, reports and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and applicable Canadian securities regulators, which are available on our website, and at http://www.sec.gov or http://www.sedar.com.

You are cautioned that such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that our actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements and other information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and CohBar does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. Nothing herein shall constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.

Investor and Media Contact:Jordyn TaraziDirector of Investor RelationsCohBar, Inc.(650) 445-4441 Jordyn.tarazi@cohbar.com

Joyce AllaireLifeSci Advisors, LLC jallaire@lifesciadvisors.com

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CohBar Discovers Novel Peptide Inhibitors of CXCR4, a Key Regulator of Tumor Growth and Metastasis - Associated Press

Global Gene Therapy Market is Expected to Reach US$ 5,609.9 Million by 2027, Growing at an Estimated CAGR of 8.2% Over the Forecast Period as…

PUNE, India, Jan. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In terms of revenue, global gene therapy market was valued at US$ 919.6 million in 2018 and is anticipated to reach US$ 5,609.9 million by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 8.2% over the forecast period. Market participants are adopting partnerships or acquisition as their strategy to strengthen their foothold. For instance, Pfizer Inc. acquired Medivation, Inc. and Bamboo Therapeutics, Inc. to develop a focused product for the treatment of patients with rare diseases related to neuromuscular and central nervous system. Companies are building relationships with community and patients to understand the disease and design therapies accordingly.

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Lethal diseases like cancer can be treated using gene therapy by inserting the antisense strands to revert the effect of the oncogenes using bio engineered vectors. Recently, scientists developed bionic chip to transfer DNA to cells using electroporation technique. During the forecast period, nanoparticles will play an important role in gene delivery systems to increase the efficiency of transfection of the non-viral carriers, thereby, fuelling the gene therapy market.

Due to drastic shift in treatment patterns, gene therapy treatment is considered one of the reliable cures for lethal diseases. The vectors or the DNA carriers are safer and have improved in terms of carrying genes without rejection which help the companies to attract venture capitalists to invest more in gene therapy market. Most of the research companies are focusing on development of gene carriers for the successful gene delivery. One of the prominent used vectors among the gene vehicle family is adeno associated virus. Cancer and Sensory disorders are the major area of concern that need to be fixed and hence drug development related to these disease is driving the gene therapy market.

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The detailed research study provides qualitative and quantitative analysis of gene therapy market. The market has been analyzed from demand as well as supply side. The demand side analysis covers market revenue across regions and further across all the major countries. The supply side analysis covers the major market players and their regional and global presence and strategies. The geographical analysis done emphasizes on each of the major countries across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and Latin America.

Key Findings of the Report:

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Gene Therapy Market

By Geography

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Global Gene Therapy Market is Expected to Reach US$ 5,609.9 Million by 2027, Growing at an Estimated CAGR of 8.2% Over the Forecast Period as...

Innovative Cellular Therapeutics Appoints Cell and Gene Therapy Manufacturing Expert Christopher Ballas, Ph.D., as SVP of Manufacturing – Yahoo…

ROCKVILLE, Md., Jan. 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Innovative Cellular Therapeutics (ICT), a clinical stage biotechnology company developing a comprehensive platform of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies for liquid and solid tumors,today announced the appointment of Christopher Ballas, Ph.D., as Senior Vice President of Manufacturing. Dr. Ballas previously served in senior manufacturing roles at Rocket Pharmaceuticals and WuXi AppTec, with a focus on gene and cell-based therapies.

Our need for quality vector and cell production is growing as we advance our liquid and solid tumor CAR-T programs into the clinic in the United States. We intend to assume full control of our key manufacturing processes, said Larry (Lei) Xiao, Ph.D., ICTs Founder and Chief Executive Officer. Chris is a valued addition to the ICT management team, as he will lead our manufacturing efforts and the expansion of our related infrastructure, Dr. Xiao added.

Dr. Ballas brings more than 20 years experience of working on cell and gene therapies. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Manufacturing for Rocket Pharmaceuticals, a leading publicly traded U.S. gene therapy company. Previously, he served as Senior Director of Process Development and Commercialization for WuXi AppTec, where he was responsible for manufacturing operations and program management for gene therapy clients. Dr. Ballas oversaw key programs including CAR-T, TIL, and classic CD34+ stem cell gene therapy.

Prior to WuXi AppTec, Dr. Ballas ran autologous cell therapy clinical trials for Cook Medical. Dr. Ballas also held several roles at the Indiana University School of Medicine, where he developed the initial, scalable, clinical production capabilities for lentiviral vectors at the IU Vector Production Facility. As a faculty member, Dr. Ballas developed his own research programs targeting stem cells for gene therapy, which resulted in the collaborative development of an ultra-high throughput microinjection device with colleagues at the University of California Riverside (US9885059). In the past, Dr. Ballas served as an expert consultant to numerous companies on gene therapy and the production and use of viral vectors for gene therapies with contributions to Chemistry, Manufacturing and Control (CMC), regulatory filings, and regulatory meetings.

Dr. Ballas has a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Pathology from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and was a Childrens Brittle Bone Foundation fellow during his post-doctoral fellowship at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

Dr. Ballas said, I have a passion for solving the practical challenges associated with producing and using viral vectors to deliver genes and create differentiated therapies. ICTs CAR-T platform is unique and compelling, and I look forward to leveraging my experience to optimize and expand our manufacturing capability to produce world-class products with the potential to transform cancer immunotherapy.

About Innovative Cellular TherapeuticsInnovative Cellular Therapeutics (ICT) is a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the development of cellular immunotherapies for the treatment of liquid and solid tumors. ICT has achieved promising preclinical and clinical results in late-stage leukemia and lymphoma with its next generation CAR-T constructs. ICTs lead candidate in the United States, ICTCAR014, is a next generation CD19-targeting ArmoredCARTM T cell therapy that expresses a dominant negative PD-1 (dnPD-1) protein to block immunosuppression by cancer cells. ICTCAR014 has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Investigational New Drug (IND) application clearance and is being developed for patients with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), including PD-L1 positive patients. In solid tumor, ICT has compelling human data from IRB-approved proof-of-concept trials in China demonstrating the viability of its proprietary CoupledCARTM technology platform. For more information, please visitwww.ictbio.com.

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Innovative Cellular Therapeutics Appoints Cell and Gene Therapy Manufacturing Expert Christopher Ballas, Ph.D., as SVP of Manufacturing - Yahoo...

Stem Cell Alopecia Treatment Market 2019 Globally Expected to Drive Growth through 2024 – ReportsPioneer

With a multi-correctional approach, MRInsights.biz presents an extensive analysis of the historical, current and future outlook of the global Stem Cell Alopecia Treatment market along with the factors responsible for such a growth. The study author has served a complete outline of the market in a crystal clear format through which only an unskilled individual but also a professional can easily hypothesize the market easily. Our highly dedicated professionals have included critical and accurate insights related to the industry.

The report enhances the readers experience by giving a basic overview of the market and its classification. We have considered 2019 as the base year, 2024 as the estimated year, and 2019-2024 as the stipulated timeframe. The report proposes the segmental study of the global Stem Cell Alopecia Treatment market where it divides the periphery of the industry into segments such as product type, applications of the market, regional market spaces, and more.

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Stem Cell Alopecia Treatment Market Competitive Rivalry:

The report highlights company profiles of the leading player combined with the investment forecast, the recent technology trends, and future forecasts. In addition, the section covers key financial knowledge, current developments, strategies employed by the major players, and SWOT outline. Along with the rise in innovation, mergers and acquisition activities in the industry, the market opposition is continuously developing greater.

The leading manufacturers and suppliers of the in-market include: Company 1, Company 2, Company 3, Company 4, Company 5, .,

Major regions that play a vital role in Stem Cell Alopecia Treatment market are: North America (United States, Canada and Mexico), Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia), South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia), Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)

The market can be segmented into product types as: Alopecia Areata, Alopecia Totalis, Alopecia Universalis

The market can be segmented into applications as: Hospitals, Clinic, Others

The report further highlights the factors hampering the development, leading companies, supply-demand chain, futuristic facts, economic strategies, government policies, and topological statistics. It has carefully discussed client-specific details such as enterprise gross margin, present industrial policies, market statistics, import-export details, and government regulations. Some of the key focuses of Stem Cell Alopecia Treatment market covered in the report includes key trends such as technology advancement, globalization, capacity in developed markets, market bifurcation, product production, and regulation & environmental concerns.

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Kevin Nash on How His Health Is After Knee Replacement & Stem Cell Therapy, Why He Retired – LordsofPain.net

WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash took to Twitter this week with several tweets on his health.

Nash made a tweet on Monday and apparently responded to a recent report or quote on his retirement status. The former WWE Champion said hes in the best physical shape as far as function hes been in since 1986.

How after wrestling once in 2 years as a favor is it news Im retired? I had a knee replacement and stem cell therapy to heal my wounds. Now Im in the best physical shape as far as function than Ive been since 1986 when I destroyed my right knee. I worked 29 years on one leg, Nash tweeted.

Nash made another tweet on Tuesday and included photos to show off the impressive physical shape that he is in at 60 years old. He commented on the knee replacement and two years of rehab & training hes went through.

The reason I retired was I was deformed and basically crippled, Nash revealed. This knee replacement and 2 years of rehab and training has been brutal. Just get my hips to realign was incredibly painful. To the haters fuck off To those that have championed my recovery I send my thanks and love.

Nash is set to become a two-time WWE Hall of Famer during WrestleMania 36 weekend in Tampa later this year as the nWo is inducted as a group (Nash, Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Sean Waltman).

You can see Nashs full tweets with photos below:

Follow Marc on Twitter at @this_is_marc. Send any news, tips or corrections to us by clicking here.

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Kevin Nash on How His Health Is After Knee Replacement & Stem Cell Therapy, Why He Retired - LordsofPain.net

Bone Therapeutics announces attendance at the 38th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference – GlobeNewswire

Press release

Gosselies, Belgium, 9 January 2020, 7 am CET BONE THERAPEUTICS (Euronext Brussels and Paris: BOTHE), the leading biotech company focused on the development of innovative cell and biological therapies to address highly unmet medical needs in orthopaedics and bone diseases, today announces that Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Miguel Forte, MD, PhD, will attend the 38th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, 13-16 January 2020.

If you would like to meet with Dr. Miguel Forte from Bone Therapeutics at the conference, please contact investorrelations@bonetherapeutics.com.

The Company will also host, in collaboration with Arrowhead Business and Investment Decisions, LLC investor meetings in New York and Boston on 23 and 24 January.

About Bone Therapeutics

Bone Therapeutics is a leading biotech company focused on the development of innovative products to address high unmet needs in orthopaedics and bone diseases. Based in Gosselies, Belgium, the Company has a broad, diversified portfolio of bone cell therapy and an innovative biological product in later-stage clinical development across a number of disease areas, which target markets with large unmet medical needs and limited innovation.

Bone Therapeutics is developing an off-the-shelf protein solution, JTA-004, which is expected to enter Phase III development for the treatment of pain in knee osteoarthritis following the positive Phase IIb efficacy results in patients with knee osteoarthritis which showed a statistically significant improvement in pain relief compared to a leading viscosupplement. The clinical trial application (CTA) to start the pivotal Phase III program has been submitted to the regulatory authorities in Europe and the trial is expected to start in Q1 2020.

Bone Therapeutics other core technology is based on its cutting-edge allogeneic cell therapy platform (ALLOB) which can be stored at the point of use in the hospital, and uses a unique, proprietary approach to bone regeneration, which turns undifferentiated stem cells from healthy donors into bone-forming cells. These cells can be administered via a minimally invasive procedure, avoiding the need for invasive surgery, and are produced via a proprietary, scalable cutting-edge manufacturing process. Following the strong Phase IIa efficacy and safety results for ALLOB, the Company plans to submit a CTA with the regulatory authorities before year-end 2019 to initiate a Phase IIb clinical trial with ALLOB in patients with difficult-to-heal fractures, using its optimized production process.

The ALLOB platform technology has multiple applications and will continue to be evaluated in other indications including spinal fusion, osteotomy and maxillofacial and dental applications.

Bone Therapeutics cell therapy products are manufactured to the highest GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) standards and are protected by a broad IP (Intellectual Property) portfolio covering ten patent families as well as knowhow. Further information is available at http://www.bonetherapeutics.com.

Contacts

Bone Therapeutics SAMiguel Forte, MD, PhD, Chief Executive OfficerJean-Luc Vandebroek, Chief Financial OfficerTel: +32 (0) 71 12 10 00investorrelations@bonetherapeutics.com

International Media Enquiries:Consilium Strategic CommunicationsMarieke VermeerschTel: +44 (0) 20 3709 5701bonetherapeutics@consilium-comms.com

For French Media and Investor Enquiries:NewCap Investor Relations & Financial CommunicationsPierre Laurent, Louis-Victor Delouvrier and Arthur RouillTel: + 33 (0)1 44 71 94 94bone@newcap.eu

Certain statements, beliefs and opinions in this press release are forward-looking, which reflect the Company or, as appropriate, the Company directors` current expectations and projections about future events. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions could adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. A multitude of factors including, but not limited to, changes in demand, competition and technology, can cause actual events, performance or results to differ significantly from any anticipated development. Forward looking statements contained in this press release regarding past trends or activities should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. As a result, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any update or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release as a result of any change in expectations or any change in events, conditions, assumptions or circumstances on which these forward-looking statements are based. Neither the Company nor its advisers or representatives nor any of its subsidiary undertakings or any such person`s officers or employees guarantees that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does either accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or the actual occurrence of the forecasted developments. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

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Bone Therapeutics announces attendance at the 38th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference - GlobeNewswire

Innovative Cellular Therapeutics Appoints Cell and Gene Therapy Manufacturing Expert Christopher Ballas, Ph.D., as SVP of Manufacturing – BioSpace

ROCKVILLE, Md., Jan. 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Innovative Cellular Therapeutics (ICT), a clinical stage biotechnology company developing a comprehensive platform of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies for liquid and solid tumors,today announced the appointment of Christopher Ballas, Ph.D., as Senior Vice President of Manufacturing. Dr. Ballas previously served in senior manufacturing roles at Rocket Pharmaceuticals and WuXi AppTec, with a focus on gene and cell-based therapies.

Our need for quality vector and cell production is growing as we advance our liquid and solid tumor CAR-T programs into the clinic in the United States. We intend to assume full control of our key manufacturing processes, said Larry (Lei) Xiao, Ph.D., ICTs Founder and Chief Executive Officer. Chris is a valued addition to the ICT management team, as he will lead our manufacturing efforts and the expansion of our related infrastructure, Dr. Xiao added.

Dr. Ballas brings more than 20 years experience of working on cell and gene therapies. Most recently, he served as Vice President of Manufacturing for Rocket Pharmaceuticals, a leading publicly traded U.S. gene therapy company. Previously, he served as Senior Director of Process Development and Commercialization for WuXi AppTec, where he was responsible for manufacturing operations and program management for gene therapy clients. Dr. Ballas oversaw key programs including CAR-T, TIL, and classic CD34+ stem cell gene therapy.

Prior to WuXi AppTec, Dr. Ballas ran autologous cell therapy clinical trials for Cook Medical. Dr. Ballas also held several roles at the Indiana University School of Medicine, where he developed the initial, scalable, clinical production capabilities for lentiviral vectors at the IU Vector Production Facility. As a faculty member, Dr. Ballas developed his own research programs targeting stem cells for gene therapy, which resulted in the collaborative development of an ultra-high throughput microinjection device with colleagues at the University of California Riverside (US9885059). In the past, Dr. Ballas served as an expert consultant to numerous companies on gene therapy and the production and use of viral vectors for gene therapies with contributions to Chemistry, Manufacturing and Control (CMC), regulatory filings, and regulatory meetings.

Dr. Ballas has a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Pathology from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and was a Childrens Brittle Bone Foundation fellow during his post-doctoral fellowship at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

Dr. Ballas said, I have a passion for solving the practical challenges associated with producing and using viral vectors to deliver genes and create differentiated therapies. ICTs CAR-T platform is unique and compelling, and I look forward to leveraging my experience to optimize and expand our manufacturing capability to produce world-class products with the potential to transform cancer immunotherapy.

About Innovative Cellular TherapeuticsInnovative Cellular Therapeutics (ICT) is a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the development of cellular immunotherapies for the treatment of liquid and solid tumors. ICT has achieved promising preclinical and clinical results in late-stage leukemia and lymphoma with its next generation CAR-T constructs. ICTs lead candidate in the United States, ICTCAR014, is a next generation CD19-targeting ArmoredCARTM T cell therapy that expresses a dominant negative PD-1 (dnPD-1) protein to block immunosuppression by cancer cells. ICTCAR014 has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Investigational New Drug (IND) application clearance and is being developed for patients with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), including PD-L1 positive patients. In solid tumor, ICT has compelling human data from IRB-approved proof-of-concept trials in China demonstrating the viability of its proprietary CoupledCARTM technology platform. For more information, please visitwww.ictbio.com.

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Innovative Cellular Therapeutics Appoints Cell and Gene Therapy Manufacturing Expert Christopher Ballas, Ph.D., as SVP of Manufacturing - BioSpace

Patrick Reed’s latest controversy and the other things in golf that matter right now – ESPN

Give Patrick Reed credit for his resiliency. He has refused to cower in the wake of all the clamor surrounding him, and he put himself right there again at the Sentry Tournament of Champions before losing in a playoff to Justin Thomas.

But make no mistake, the noise is not going away.

If Reed could be heckled with a "cheater'' taunt a moment after hitting his putt on the third extra playoff hole at sleepy Kapalua, imagine the commotion in a few months at, say, the U.S. Open in New York.

If a former player, Chris DiMarco, is calling you out on Twitter (the now-deleted "Just say you cheated and got beat!''), you know things are going to be rough.

And if television analyst Paul Azinger makes a point to say while Reed is dealing with a rules issue during the third round at the Tournament of Champions that he'll always have to be careful because "cameras will be on him like a hawk'' ... well, the "cheating'' charge will continue to dog him.

Reed had a shaky Presidents Cup. He went 1-3 and his caddie, Kessler Karain, was not allowed carry the bag in final-day singles after an altercation a day earlier with a fan. And all this came after Reed's Hero World Challenge rules fiasco during the third round in the Bahamas last month when he was penalized 2 shots for improving his line of play in a waste area. Television replays were not kind, and nor has been the reaction to the incident.

Not once, but twice, Reed appeared to swipe sand from behind his ball when he took practice swings in the waste area. Reed maintained in interviews afterward that replays did not show a big space between his club and the ball, and that the video was misleading.

At the very least, it looked bad for Reed. Even his biggest supporters would have to admit that regardless of intent, the appearance was awful. Reed doubling down on it and showing no contrition surely did not help.

Nor did the fact that no rebuke from the PGA Tour -- at least not publicly -- has been forthcoming.

In the aftermath of the rules violation, the tour's rules official who handled the ruling, Slugger White, said Reed was "a gentleman'' in discussing the situation. And on Sunday in Hawaii, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan addressed a question in which he was asked if Reed should have faced further punishment.

"Golf is a game of honor and integrity, and you've heard from Patrick,'' Monahan said in comments reported by Golf Digest. "I've had an opportunity to talk to Patrick at length when he says that [he] did not intentionally improve [his] lie. As you go back to that moment, and the conversation that he had with Slugger, and the fact that a violation was applied and he agreed to it, and they signed his card and moved on. To me that was the end of the matter.''

Of course, Monahan and the PGA Tour want it to end. The integrity of one of the tour's members being questioned is not great for business. Cheating allegations in golf always come with a high price. But as we've seen, this is unlikely to go away anytime soon.

So what is Reed to do?

A public mea culpa would help. Acknowledge that a mistake was made, apologize, and do your best to move on.

So far, Reed has elected to try to steer clear of the issue. He shot a low final round to get into a playoff, had a great chance to win and ultimately fell short -- then did an interview afterward that he could have easily declined -- and is now ranked 11th in the world.

Playing well is great, but it appears that is not going to be enough.

The first tournament of the new year also offered an example of just how tight the fight will be for one of the four spots for Americans in the Olympic golf tournament this summer in Tokyo.

Thomas' victory further solidified his spot among the top Americans along with Brooks Koepka. Patrick Cantlay's fourth-place finish pushed him ahead of Tiger Woods in the world ranking to sixth and to fourth among the Americans. And while runner-up Xander Schauffele remains behind Woods (seventh) in the world ranking at eighth, he has moved ahead of the reigning Masters champion in the Olympic projection.

The projection for the Olympics begins with the 2018 Quicken Loans National tournament and will conclude on June 22, following the U.S. Open. So it doesn't exactly mirror the current ranking -- tournaments prior to the 2018 Quicken Loans still carry weight in the Official World Golf Ranking but will gradually drop off.

In the current projection, Thomas, Koepka, Schauffele and Cantlay hold down the top four spots, with Woods eighth, but just barely behind fifth-place Dustin Johnson. The ranking formula is complicated and will also be impacted by the tournament minimum divisor of 40 -- which Woods will not make. In the current OWGR, Woods is the fifth American.

The Olympic tournament will take 60 players, with two per country but up to four if players are ranked among the top 15. There are currently 10 Americans in the top 15, and with three major championships, the Players Championship and two World Golf Championship events still to be played, the situation can change frequently.

For Woods, it is going to require a high level of play through the U.S. Open. Not necessarily a win, but several top-5s at the very least.

Koepka, the top-ranked player in the world, has not played competitive golf since withdrawing at the CJ Cup in South Korea in October during the second round due to aggravating a knee injury. Koepka had stem cell treatment on the knee following the Tour Championship, and he pronounced himself good to go at the Shriners Hospital for Children tournament in Las Vegas, where he missed the cut.

He was scheduled to play the WGC-HSBC Champions in China and withdrew, then withdrew just weeks before the Presidents Cup. His agent said he will return next week at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, a European Tour event.

How he fares will be interesting to see. The last time Koepka returned from a lengthy injury -- two years ago following a wrist problem that kept him out for nearly four months -- he went on an impressive run that saw him win two major championships, a total he has since increased to four.

It is unclear when Koepka will make his first 2020 start on the PGA Tour. He is also scheduled to play the Saudi International event on the European Tour at the end of the month.

Justin Thomas had the Sentry Tournament of Champions seemingly won. Then, with two bogeys in his final three holes, it seemed lost. And then in a playoff, Reed was poised to win before Thomas ultimately won.

It was a strange victory for Thomas, who would have rued letting that one get away and was still stunned in the aftermath that he didn't lose.

But there was an eight-hole stretch on Sunday where Thomas made six birdies, showing just how much game he has in varying conditions. That he almost let it get away was odd but part of golf.

And how he has won three of his past seven starts.

Thomas, 26, has won 12 times on the PGA Tour and passed his buddy Jordan Spieth in victories. At the end of 2017, Spieth had 11 victories to seven for Thomas, who is now ranked fourth in the world.

"I feel like I'll really be able to take a lot from this once I figure out whatever it might be,'' a stunned Thomas said afterward.

His 12 victories are the most for any player in his 20s on the PGA Tour.

"Personally, it's not an accomplishment getting to 12; it's an accomplishment winning today,'' Thomas said. "But I'll have fun with my family and celebrate and [this] week we try to get to 13.''

Thomas is in the field for the first full-field event of 2020, the Sony Open.

The rest is here:
Patrick Reed's latest controversy and the other things in golf that matter right now - ESPN

Gracell Initiates Investigational Study of the Technological Breakthrough TruUCAR Therapy for Relapsed or Refractory T-cell Malignancies – PRNewswire

SUZHOU, Chinaand SHANGHAI, Jan. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Gracell Biotechnologies Co., Ltd. ("Gracell"), a clinical-stage immune cell therapy company, today announced the initiation of an investigational study of GC027, the first product candidate developed using TruUCAR to treat relapsed or refractory (R/R) T-cell malignancies.

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia or T-ALL is an aggressive form of ALL, which affects white blood cells and the bone marrows ability to generate healthy blood cells. About 15-20% of people with ALL have T-ALL. While T-ALL is treatable by chemotherapy and stem cell transplant, around 75% of patients will relapse within two years[1]. T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL) is another devastating T-cell malignancies. For patients who develop R/R T-ALL or T-LBL, there are few options for treatment.

Autologus CAR-T therapies rely on patients' own T cells, which have been affected by prior therapies; thus, cell quality as well as efficacy remains questionable. Allogenic CAR-T therapies made of healthy donors' T cells would be characterized as being of consistently good quality with the potential to improve efficacy. Unlike autologous CAR-T cells, allogeneic CAR-T cells can be made as off-the-shelf product which means patients do not have to wait for lengthy production time. Furthermore, the cost of production can be significantly lower. Allogenic CAR-T therapies also provide a vital treatment option for patients with viral infections and/or other conditions prohibiting access to autologous cell therapies.

TruUCARbased GC027 is designed to meet the above unmet needs. Its cells are made of T cells from healthy donors, genetically edited and inserted with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) ex vivo, which can specifically bind to and eliminate target T malignant cells. Different from industry leaders' off-the-shelf CAR-T design, Gracell's proprietary and patented TruUCAR technology requires no co-administration of anti-CD52, a cytotoxic agent for ablating cancerous cells while inducing long term immune depletion in the patient.Instead, GC027 utilizes CRISPRgenome editing strategy that is expected to avoid graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) as well as graft rejection caused by the patients' immune system.

The prudent preclinical studies provide substantial evidence to trigger GC027 moving into a non-IND(investigational new drug)clinical trial to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of GC027 therapy in patients suffering from relapsed and refractory T lymphocyte malignancies.

TruUCAR is another technological breakthrough developed by Gracell following the recent announcement of FasTCAR technology and products. It enables producing off-the-shelf CAR-T cells from healthy MHC (major histocompatibility complex) mismatched donors with a large number of doses readily to be dispatched to patients in need.

"Launch of the investigational GC027 study as the first-of-its-kind therapy marks another significant milestone for Gracell," said Dr. William CAO, Founder and CEO of Gracell. "Once the concept is well-proved with solid evidence for safety and efficacy, we will immediately deploy development of a series of TruUCAR products for other medical unmet needs, including B cell malignancies."

About GC027

GC027 is an investigational, off-the-shelf CAR-T cell therapy for T cell malignancies, derived from healthy donors. The use of healthy donor's cells are preferential to a patient's own with potential to improve efficacy, reduce production time, and lower cost of goods.

About T-ALL

T lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive form of T cell malignancies, with a diffuse invasion of bone marrow and peripheral blood. In 2015, ALL affected around 876,000 people globally and resulted in 110,000 deaths worldwide. T-ALL compromises about 15%-20% children and adults[1].Current standard therapies for T-ALL are chemotherapies and stem cell transplantation. A large portion of these patients will experience relapse within two years following treatment by conventional therapies.

About T-LBL

T lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL) is an aggressive form of T cell malignancies, with rare lymphoproliferative neoplasm of mature T cells caused by infection with the retrovirus human T lymphotropic virus. T-LBL compromises about 2% of adult non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and 30% of pediatric NHL patients[2]. Five-year overall survival is only 14% in adults.Although first-line treatment using cytotoxic combination chemotherapy can achieve 70% ORR, nearly 90% of patients relapse, often within months of completing chemotherapy.

About Gracell

Gracell Biotechnologies Co., Ltd. ("Gracell") is a clinical-stage biopharma company, committed to developing highly reliable and affordable cell gene therapies for cancer. Gracell is dedicated to resolving the remaining challenges in CAR-T, such as high production costs, lengthy manufacturing process, lack of off-the-shelf products, and inefficacy against solid tumors. Led by a group of world-class scientists, Gracell is advancing FasTCAR, TruUCAR (off-the-shelf CAR), Dual CAR and Enhanced CAR-T cell therapies for leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and solid tumors.

CONTACT:

[1]Pediatric hematologic Malignancies: T-cell acute lymphoblastic Leukemia, Hematology 2016

[2]Clinical Review: Adult T-cell Leukemia/lymphoma, Journal ofOncology Practice 2017

SOURCE Gracell

http://www.gracellbio.com

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Gracell Initiates Investigational Study of the Technological Breakthrough TruUCAR Therapy for Relapsed or Refractory T-cell Malignancies - PRNewswire

Platelet Rich Plasma and Stem Cell Alopecia Treatment Market Research Explores The Key Success Factors, And Business Opportunities Including Key…

Transparency Market Research (TMR) has published a new report titled Platelet Rich Plasma & Stem Cell Alopecia Treatment Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20182026. According to the report, theglobal platelet rich plasma & stem cell alopecia treatment marketwas valued at approximately US$ 250Mn in 2017. The market is anticipated to reach a value of US$ 450.5 Mn by 2026, expanding at a higher single digit CAGR during the forecast period. Rise in awareness about platelet rich plasma & stem cell alopecia treatment and increase in funding for alopecia treatment research and stem cell research are expected to augment the global market from 2018 to 2026. The global platelet rich plasma & stem cell alopecia treatment market is projected to expand, owing to a rise in the incidence of alopecia and technological advancements.

Rise in Awareness about Platelet Rich Plasma Therapies and Stem Cell Therapiesis Propelling the Global Alopecia Treatment Market

The global platelet rich plasma & stem cell alopecia treatment market is expanding at a high growth rate, driven by an increase in awareness about platelet rich plasma & stem cell therapies for treating many types of alopecia. The prevalence of various types of hair loss is increasing rapidly across the world, due to a rise in the geriatric population, anxiety, vaccination, side effects of drugs, etc.. A rise in the incidence of autoimmune hair loss disorders such as alopecia is boosting the platelet rich plasma & stem cell alopecia treatment market. According to a report in the International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2013, female pattern hair loss (FPHL), which is also known as female androgenetic alopecia, is a common condition afflicting millions of women across the world.

Request PDF Brochure of the Report @https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=55800

Increase in Funding for Alopecia Treatment Research and Stem Cell Research

Stem cells hold promise for the treatment and cure of more than 70 major diseases, including alopecia and other conditions that affect millions of people worldwide. Several private and government organizations are supporting funding for stem cell research. According to Change.org, Inc., in the U.S., 64% of people support federal funding of research on the treatment of chronic diseases using stem cells taken from human embryos. Internationally, stem cell research is supported by significant government investments, with Asia being one of the most favorable regions. Stem cell research funding by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has increased 17% from US$ 1.2 Bn in 2013 to US$ 1.5 Bn in 2016. In 2017, nonprofit organization Alopecia UK donated US$ 0.6 Mn to the University of the West of Scotland for the development of early treatment to prevent the progression of alopecia areata. Research conducted by the university aims at developing a treatment for alopecia areata using a nonchemical stem-cell based technology based on nanovibrations known as nanokicking.

North America Dominates the Global Platelet Rich Plasma & Stem Cell Alopecia Treatment Market owing to a Rise in Technological Advancements and Prevalence of Alopecia

North America dominates the global platelet rich plasma & stem cell alopecia treatment market, owing to technological advancements, investments in research & development, and developed health care infrastructure. As per research, in 2015, 21% of women suffered from alopecia in the U.S, which supports the fact that alopecia has a higher prevalence in the country. Moreover, development of innovative products and increase in demand for products among the population in the region are contributing factors for the dominance of North America in the platelet rich plasma & stem cell alopecia treatment market.

Expansion in the Contract Research IndustryOffersSignificant Opportunities for Companies to Invest in Clinical Trials for Alopecia Treatment

Small and large biopharmaceutical companies have become increasingly reliant on contract research organizations (CRO) and other clinical services specialists to provide research services for their R&D operations. There are numerous government-funded medical and pharmaceutical institutions, with state-of the-art facilities, that can serve as ideal centers for multicentered clinical trials. Companies are expanding their footprints in developing countries, mainly in Asia Pacific. R&D costs in India are substantially lower as compared to those in developed countries. It is possible to conduct both new drug discovery research and novel drug delivery system programs at competitive rates. India offers cost efficiency, as the cost of conducting a trial in the country is 50% to 75% lower compared to that in the U.S. or the European Union.

Investments, Mergers & Acquisitions, and PARTNERSHIPS by Key Players are Driving the Platelet Rich Plasma & Stem Cell Alopecia Treatment Market

Key players dominating the global platelet rich plasma & stem cell alopecia treatment market are Kerastem, Eclipse, Regen Lab SA, STEMCELL Technologies, Inc., RepliCel Life Sciences, Histogen, Inc., and Glofinn Oy. Major players are focusing on mergers and acquisitions and are investing in the development of platelet rich plasma & stem cell alopecia treatment and making them available to the patient population. For instance, companies such as Stemcell technologies, Inc. highly focus on partnerships with research institutes to develop new advanced products. In 2019, Kerastem signed a partnership agreement with Myungmoon Bio Co., Ltd., a South Korea-based health care company focused on bringing innovative regenerative therapies.

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Platelet Rich Plasma and Stem Cell Alopecia Treatment Market Research Explores The Key Success Factors, And Business Opportunities Including Key...