Injectables Are the Future of K-Beauty Trends in America – Yahoo Lifestyle

Before meeting up with me for dinner to celebrate my first time in Korea, my Seoul-based friend Jessica got off the plane after a business trip in Los Angeles and drove straight to her dermatologist or "dermie," as she affectionately calls him for Botox on her nose and jawline. After our stomachs were filled with dak galbi and soju, I scooted closer to Jessica in our booth and asked her about her latest dermie appointment. She began to list the dozen-plus cosmetic procedures she's tried since moving to Seoul from New York City eight years ago. Botox was her gateway injectable, starting with her jawline for a narrower, V-shaped silhouette. Since then, Jessica's gotten fillers in her forehead, chin, nose, and lips.

She also mentioned the "Chanel" injection, a cocktail of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that is supposed to tighten and brighten skin (she didn't notice a difference, though). I listened to all of this slightly slack-jawed. On the other side of Jessica was our friend who grew up in South Korea he was utterly unfazed. There, the idea of a 33-year-old signing up for regular cosmetic injections is par for the course. An estimated one in three South Korean women between the ages of 19 and 29 has undergone a cosmetic procedure, according to a 2015 Gallup poll.

Earlier in the week, I skipped Seoul's stunning palaces and animal-cafe tourist traps to go straight to Gangnam. The neighborhood's streets are lined with high-rises filled with full-service, multilevel plastic surgery and dermatology clinics, many complete with in-house pharmacies, stem cell laboratories, and hotel rooms for out-of-towners. Hundreds of people cycle in and out daily for touch-ups and treatments, with the nonchalance of stopping by a salon for a blowout. Inside these buildings, the future of injectables is being determined by a discerning audience of South Koreans who prize flawless skin, small faces, and round, youthful features. To maximize efficacy and move patients along, the spaces are divided by treatment (like the "filler room" in one clinic I visited, where chairs are lined up for patients to receive their injections, one next to the other). And unlike in the U.S., where privacy surrounding cosmetic work is prized, waiting rooms are sprinkled with patients wearing a full face of numbing cream as they stand by for their cosmetic procedures.

I met with Korean doctors who spoke very casually of thread-lifting vaginas or injecting Botox into the calves, applications I had never heard of (or even imagined).

In the U.S., we have 32 FDA-approved dermal fillers. It can take many years of testing (and bureaucracy) for a new one to see the light of a doctor's office. In South Korea, however, regulation is less stringent, and a person looking for injectables in Seoul has many more options to choose from. Formulas that the FDA has not approved because of a lack of studies on efficacy and safety or potentially serious side effects, like injectable skin-brighteners spiked with glutathione (an antioxidant that can deactivate the body's melanin-producing enzymes), are used regularly in Korea. And while American doctors certainly use neurotoxins and hyaluronic acid fillers off-label (injecting Botox to lift lips, for example), I met with Korean doctors who spoke very casually of thread-lifting vaginas or injecting Botox into the calves, applications I had never heard of (or even imagined).

"It's common for Koreans to go to the dermatologist weekly, sometimes even daily, for maintenance treatments."

When it comes to the latest trends and technology in injectables, Seoul is ahead of the curve. "A lot of Korean [patients] are first-time adopters," says Yongjoon Noh, a plastic surgeon at Banobagi Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Clinic in Seoul. "New fillers, new materials, new plastic surgery techniques they want to try them all." A big upside to all this: With so many options available, cosmetic injections are vastly cheaper in Korea than they are in the U.S. Alternatives to Botox, like Medytox and Botulax, can be priced as low as $30 for a treatment (compared to about $400 in the U.S.). "It's common for Koreans to go to the dermatologist weekly, sometimes even daily, for maintenance treatments," says Y. Claire Chang, a New York City-based dermatologist who frequently travels to Seoul to learn about the latest advancements in cosmetic dermatology.

Many of the most popular injectable techniques are specific to Korean beauty standards: plump apples of the cheeks and rounded foreheads, as well as the aforementioned V-shaped jawlines. But other techniques, like using Botox to create the impression of poreless skin, or a thin hyaluronic acid filler to softly upturn the corners of the mouth, are likely to start creeping into practices in the U.S. in fact, they've already arrived in some. Want to know what's on the horizon? During my week in Korea, these were the procedures I heard about over and over again.

"Glass skin" is the Korean ideal of a poreless, translucent complexion (like a pane of glass). And the key to getting it is meso-Botox (or colloquially, "skin Botox"). For years, Korean celebrities have sworn by these shallow injections, especially before major events, says Shin Hye Won, a dermatologist at Oracle Clinic in Seoul. Just a few miles east, at Thema Dermatologic Clinic, they have 30 to 40 patients a day who undergo the procedure, says dermatologist Lim Ee Seok. The cost? About $300. (In the U.S., Chang offers it for $950 to $1,200.) Rather than being injected into the muscles to prevent and smooth wrinkles, botulinum toxin is placed just below the skin's surface, at about 40 to 50 sites along the jawline, forehead, and undereye areas. As a result, pores tighten, which makes skin appear smoother and brighter, and excessive acne-causing sebum stops forming. The effects last between three and four months.

The fruity nickname is a reference to the lip shape this filler technique creates. In the past, Angelina Jolie's lips were the most requested look in Seoul (just as they were in the U.S.), says Kang Jong Bum, a dermatologist at JY Plastic Surgery & Dermatology in Seoul. But as of 2019, Koreans prefer the more targeted plumping that many K-pop stars are known for. Instead of giving lips an allover fullness, dermatologists administer a hyaluronic acid filler (like Juvederm or Restylane, or domestic options Yvoire or Neuramis) to the middle areas of the upper and lower lip, enhancing the Cupid's bow. Imagine two double-stemmed cherries on their sides, the stems forming the outline of the edges of your smile. The results last for at least six months and cost about $150 to $250 in Korea.

After the center of the lips are plumped, the same hyaluronic acid filler is often administered just above the outer corners of the mouth a technique called lift edge filler. As the name suggests, the treatment raises the edges of the lips into a soft smile. As we age, the area around our mouth loses volume, and the outer corners start falling into an unintentional frown. Lift edge filler counters the droop and balances out all that fruity volume in the center of the lips, explains Kang.

"It's really popular here for people with resting bitch face. It helps them look softer."

My best friend, CJ, who lives in Gangnam and works in the K-pop industry, knows people who get the procedure for other reasons. "It's really popular here for people with resting bitch face," she says. "It helps them look softer." Like other lip injections, lift edge filler lasts about six months to a year; swelling and small bumps can result, usually for two to three days after the injection, before dissolving. Banobagi offers a cherry lip filler and lifts edge filler combination. A permanent smile is also trending in South Korea. One of the coordinators at JY Plastic Surgery & Dermatology mentioned increased requests for surgical smile lifts, where surgeons create incisions in the same areas targeted by lift edge filler, so your face rests naturally with the corners turned up.

My Korean is limited, but I do know the word for thread lift (also, not to brag, egg and grandpa). And that was a good thing because the term came up often in my reporting. At one point, Kang asked if I wanted to try a thread lift myself. I'm 27, with skin that is more plump than saggy, so I was extremely confused by the offer. Thread lifts in Korea, Kang clarified, are not the "facelift lites" that we consider them here.

"We use thread lifting to make it look like a patient has had a nose job without actually doing a nose job,"

Sure, the mechanics of thread lifts in Korea are the same as they are in the U.S.: Dissolvable, fine-barbed threads are passed underneath the skin with a large needle. Then, as the needle is pulled out, the barbs grab onto skin and pull it upward, stimulating collagen and tightening and lifting the skin. Korean-style thread lifts, though, are less invasive because finer threads are used; they alter the shape of the face, slimming the jawline or changing the contours of the nose.

"We use thread lifting to make it look like a patient has had a nose job without actually doing a nose job," says Choi Jun Young, the lead plastic surgeon at JY Plastic Surgery & Dermatology, of his most requested thread lift procedure. The thread is injected between the nostrils, and in about 15 minutes patients can walk out with the bridge and tip of their nose angled higher. The results last around a year or two and run about $250 to $420.

"These days, it's not about fixing a problem but preventing it," says Lim. He believes the future of cosmetic dermatology in Korea is the "booster shot," an injection designed to rev up skin's natural powers of regeneration and moisturize and brighten skin not to change the contours of your face.

The most sought-after booster shot at JY is Jalupro, a solution of amino acids and sodium hyaluronate (a form of hyaluronic acid) manufactured in Switzerland. Kang says it builds up collagen (to best effect when done as a series of injections over several weeks), so the skin becomes plumper and acne scars start to fade away. Jalupro can be injected all over your face, but Kang likes to target wrinkle-prone areas like the forehead, around the mouth, and around the eyes. It can also supplement laser treatments for stretch marks. My friend Jessica loved the results so much that she got it once a week for three months.

Rejuran which contains PDRN, short for polydeoxyribonucleotide is the booster shot that many doctors in Korea believe holds the most promise. PDRN is extracted from a segment of salmon DNA that is a 95 percent match to that of humans. This small DNA chain is known for its anti-inflammatory and tissue-repairing properties. When injected into the skin, Rejuran is said to shrink pores, diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, even skin tone, and balance oil production. Unlike skin Botox, which focuses on instantly smoothing the surface, PDRN could heal sun damage or acne overtime at the cellular level, based on early in vitro research. Typically, patients get three monthly injections ($100 to $340 each), for results that last up to a year.

Read more about injectables:

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Injectables Are the Future of K-Beauty Trends in America - Yahoo Lifestyle

2019: The year gene therapy came of age – Jamaica Observer

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WASHINGTON DC, United States (AFP) In the summer, a mother in Nashville with a seemingly incurable genetic disorder finally found an end to her suffering by editing her genome.

Victoria Gray's recovery from sickle cell disease, which had caused her painful seizures, came in a year of breakthroughs in one of the hottest areas of medical research gene therapy.

I have hoped for a cure since I was about 11, the 34-year-old told AFP in an e-mail.

Since I received the new cells, I have been able to enjoy more time with my family without worrying about pain or an out-of-the-blue emergency.

Over several weeks, Gray's blood was drawn so doctors could get to the cause of her illness stem cells from her bone marrow that were making deformed red blood cells.

The stem cells were sent to a Scottish laboratory, where their DNA was modified using Crispr/Cas9 pronounced Crisper a new tool informally known as molecular scissors.

The genetically edited cells were transfused back into Gray's veins and bone marrow. A month later, she was producing normal blood cells.

Medics warn that caution is necessary but, theoretically, she has been cured.

This is one patient. This is early results. We need to see how it works out in other patients, said her doctor, Haydar Frangoul, at the Sarah Cannon Research Institute in Nashville.

But these results are really exciting.

In Germany, a 19-year-old woman was treated with a similar method for a different blood disease, beta thalassemia. She had previously needed 16 blood transfusions per year.

Nine months later, she is completely free of that burden.

For decades, the DNA of living organisms such as corn and salmon has been modified.

But Crispr, invented in 2012, made gene editing more widely accessible. It is much simpler than preceding technology, cheaper and easy to use in small labs.

The technique has given new impetus to the perennial debate over the wisdom of humanity manipulating life itself.

It's all developing very quickly, said French geneticist Emmanuelle Charpentier, one of Crispr's inventors and the co-founder of Crispr Therapeutics, the biotech company conducting the clinical trials involving Gray and the German patient.

Cures

Crispr is the latest breakthrough in a year of great strides in gene therapy, a medical adventure started three decades ago, when the first TV telethons were raising money for children with muscular dystrophy.

Scientists practising the technique insert a normal gene into cells containing a defective gene.

It does the work the original could not such as making normal red blood cells, in Victoria's case, or making tumour-killing super white blood cells for a cancer patient.

Crispr goes even further; instead of adding a gene, the tool edits the genome itself.

After decades of research and clinical trials on a genetic fix to genetic disorders, 2019 saw a historic milestone: approval to bring to market the first gene therapies for a neuromuscular disease in the US and a blood disease in the European Union.

They join several other gene therapies bringing the total to eight approved in recent years to treat certain cancers and an inherited blindness.

Serge Braun, the scientific director of the French Muscular Dystrophy Association, sees 2019 as a turning point that will lead to a medical revolution.

Twenty-five, 30 years, that's the time it had to take, he told AFP from Paris.

It took a generation for gene therapy to become a reality. Now, it's only going to go faster.

Just outside Washington, at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), researchers are also celebrating a breakthrough period.

We have hit an inflection point, said Carrie Wolinetz, NIH's associate director for science policy.

These therapies are exorbitantly expensive, however, costing up to US$2 million meaning patients face gruelling negotiations with their insurance companies.

They also involve a complex regimen of procedures that are only available in wealthy countries.

Gray spent months in hospital getting blood drawn, undergoing chemotherapy, having edited stem cells reintroduced via transfusion and fighting a general infection.

You cannot do this in a community hospital close to home, said her doctor.

However, the number of approved gene therapies will increase to about 40 by 2022, according to MIT researchers.

They will mostly target cancers and diseases that affect muscles, the eyes and the nervous system.

Bioterrorism

Another problem with Crispr is that its relative simplicity has triggered the imaginations of rogue practitioners who don't necessarily share the medical ethics of Western medicine.

Last year in China, scientist He Jiankui triggered an international scandal and his excommunication from the scientific community when he used Crispr to create what he called the first gene-edited humans.

The biophysicist said he had altered the DNA of human embryos that became twin girls Lulu and Nana.

His goal was to create a mutation that would prevent the girls from contracting HIV, even though there was no specific reason to put them through the process.

That technology is not safe, said Kiran Musunuru, a genetics professor at the University of Pennsylvania, explaining that the Crispr scissors often cut next to the targeted gene, causing unexpected mutations.

It's very easy to do if you don't care about the consequences, Musunuru added.

Despite the ethical pitfalls, restraint seems mainly to have prevailed so far.

The community is keeping a close eye on Russia, where biologist Denis Rebrikov has said he wants to use Crispr to help deaf parents have children without the disability.

There is also the temptation to genetically edit entire animal species malaria-causing mosquitoes in Burkina Faso or mice hosting ticks that carry Lyme disease in the US.

The researchers in charge of those projects are advancing carefully, however, fully aware of the unpredictability of chain reactions on the ecosystem.

Charpentier doesn't believe in the more dystopian scenarios predicted for gene therapy, including American biohackers injecting themselves with Crispr technology bought online.

Not everyone is a biologist or scientist, she said.

And the possibility of military hijacking to create soldier-killing viruses or bacteria that would ravage enemies' crops?

Charpentier thinks that technology generally tends to be used for the better.

I'm a bacteriologist we've been talking about bioterrorism for years, she said. Nothing has ever happened.

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2019: The year gene therapy came of age - Jamaica Observer

Orgenesis and Theracell to Launch Point of Care Cell and Gene Therapy Centers within HYGEIA Group’s Hospital Network in Greece – GlobeNewswire

GERMANTOWN, Md., Dec. 06, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orgenesis Inc. (NASDAQ: ORGS)(Orgenesis or the Company), a leading cell and gene therapy enabling company providing centralized CDMO manufacturing and development services through its subsidiary Masthercell Global, Inc., as well as localized point-of-care(POCare) development and processing centers for therapeutic treatments, today announced a strategic partnership agreement (Partnership) between the HYGEIA Group and the TheracellOrgenesis joint venture (JV). Under the Agreement, the JV will implement Orgenesis POCare cell therapy platform for clinical development and commercialization of cell and gene therapies within HYGEIA Groups network of three hospitals in Greece. As previously announced, Orgenesis and TheraCell Advanced Biotechnology formed a JV to advance Orgenesis POCare platform in Greece, Cyprus, the Balkan region and selected Middle Eastern countries.

The POCare platform is designed to collect, process and supply cells within the patient care setting for various therapeutic treatments. The goal of the platform is to reduce the cost and complexity of supplying cell and gene therapies, as well as elevate quality standards by integrating automated processing units and proprietary technologies.

HYGEIA is the first hospital network in this region to implement Orgenesis POCare cell therapy platform. The Partnership is intended to provide HYGEIA Group with resources to advance clinical development and deliver personalized, advanced therapies across its network for a wide range of diseases in oncology, hematology, orthopedics, nephrology, dermatology and diabetes.

This partnership with the HYGEIA Group further validates the significant value proposition of our POCare platform, as it enables the development and delivery of cell and gene therapies onsite at hospitals. We believe this platform has the potential to transform the cell and gene therapy market, by bringing life-saving therapies to market in a much more time and cost-effective manner, said Vered Caplan, CEO of Orgenesis. Theracell has proven to be an ideal partner with extensive experience and capabilities in autologous cell therapy and regenerative medicine, with operations in Greece and strong relationships throughout the region. We are in active discussions to establish PoCare locations and partnerships with hospitals and healthcare networks in other countries and regions across the world.

Andreas Kartapanis, CEO, HYGEIA Group, commented, HYGEIA Group is honored to work with Theracell and Orgenesis to become the first hospital network in Greece to provide advanced cell and gene therapies for both clinical research and patient treatment utilizing the POCare platform. We believe this Partnership will provide us a strong competitive advantage in this rapidly developing field. More importantly, this Partnership will benefit patients that will now have greater access to these important therapies.

About HYGEIA Group

HYGEIA Group operates three hospitals in Greece, with a total capacity of 1,261 beds, 52 operating rooms, 19 delivery rooms and 10 intensive care units. More than 3,100 employees and approximately 3,900 associate physicians offer their services to the HYGEIA Group, which was founded in 1970 by medical doctors, most of which were professors at the University of Athens and have since been active in providing primary and secondary care services. The following hospitals are also part of the HYGEIA Group: MITERA General, Obstetrics - Gynecology & Pediatrics Hospital and LITO Obstetrics, Gynecology & Surgical Center, licensed for 459 and 100 hospital beds, respectively.

About Theracell

TheraCell is a regenerative biotechnology company with operations in Greece, where its laboratories and primary facilities are located. The Company focuses in the areas of autologous cell therapy and regenerative medicine. TheraCell has extensive experience in the isolation, processing and application of adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs), as well as somatic cells and has developed a patented platform for tissue engineering and cell therapies in the areas of Dermatology, Chondral Defects and Chronic Kidney Injury.

About Orgenesis

Orgenesis is a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development, manufacturing and processing of technologies and services in the cell and gene therapy industry. The Company operates through two platforms: (i) a point-of-care (POCare) cell therapy platform (PT) and (ii) a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) platform conducted through its subsidiary, Masthercell Global. Through its PT business, the Companys aim is to further the development of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) through collaborations and in-licensing with other pre-clinical and clinical-stage biopharmaceutical companies and research and healthcare institutes to bring such ATMPs to patients. The Company out-licenses these ATMPs through regional partners to whom it also provides regulatory, pre-clinical and training services to support their activity in order to reach patients in a point-of-care hospital setting. Through the Companys CDMO platform, it is focused on providing contract manufacturing and development services for biopharmaceutical companies. Additional information is available at: http://www.orgenesis.com.

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements involve substantial uncertainties and risks and are based upon our current expectations, estimates and projections and reflect our beliefs and assumptions based upon information available to us at the date of this release. We caution readers that forward-looking statements are predictions based on our current expectations about future events. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Our actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the success of our reorganized CDMO operations, the success of our partnership with Great Point Partners, our ability to achieve and maintain overall profitability, the sufficiency of working capital to realize our business plans, the development of our transdifferentiation technology as therapeutic treatment for diabetes which could, if successful, be a cure for Type 1 Diabetes; our technology not functioning as expected; our ability to retain key employees; our ability to satisfy the rigorous regulatory requirements for new procedures; our competitors developing better or cheaper alternatives to our products and the risks and uncertainties discussed under the heading "RISK FACTORS" in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2018, and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement for any reason.

Investor contact for Orgenesis:David WaldmanCrescendo Communications, LLCTel: 212-671-1021Orgs@crescendo-ir.com

Media contact for Orgenesis:Image Box CommunicationsNeil Hunter / Michelle BoxallTel +44 20 8943 4685neil@imageboxpr.co.uk/michelle@imageboxpr.co.uk

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Orgenesis and Theracell to Launch Point of Care Cell and Gene Therapy Centers within HYGEIA Group's Hospital Network in Greece - GlobeNewswire

Ethan’s Army gets a boost – Brockville Recorder and Times

The Tucker family, from back left, Kadyn 11, mom Shawntel, Jorja 13, and dad Chris, Westyn 3, and Ethan, who will be 15 on Christmas Day, pose in their home. (CATHERINE ORTH/Special to The Recorder and Times)jpg, BT

Ethan Tucker cant swallow. He cant eat. He cant talk. He cant walk. His life as he knew it was taken away from him two years ago this coming January, shortly after his Christmas Day 13th birthday.

And now, a local developers generosity is helping to make his living conditions more bearable.

Ethan did not feel well. It took a couple of trips to the local hospital to find out that Ethan had an aggressive form of brain cancer. He underwent a 30-hour operation to remove only 10 per cent of the tumour, and later, a 17-hour operation that removed 90 per cent of the tumour.

But then, things went very sideways as Ethans body started to react after the fourth chemo treatment. It is believed that the chemo triggered an autoimmune reaction that attacked his brains stem cell. It took a lot to sort this out, but finally a procedure that cleansed Ethans blood fourteen times stopped the attack.

But the effects, by the time it was suppressed, were simply devastating to his body.

Still, Ethan is there, locked in his body, with an intelligent functioning mind that can spell out his thoughts on a word board.

If Ethan had one wish, it would be that he could sit at the table and eat regular food with his family. But he cannot.

This makes him very sad and sometimes he cries.

Ethan, is his familys treasure, their Christmas miracle, said dad, Chris, and mom Shawntel Tucker. They are his champions, his advocates. He is their hero.

They fought sometimes toe-to-toe with doctors who shook their heads and wanted to give up on Ethan. But Ethan did not want to give up. Nor did his parents.

Giving up is unthinkable, said Chris.

And so the family, with love and strength that comes almost mysteriously in these times of misfortune, took each day and adjusted to a new life.

Chris had to leave work and become a single dad to their other three children: Jorja 12, Kadyn, 11 and Westyn, 3. Shawntel moved into Ethans room at the Childrens Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). Westyn took his first steps in Ethans hospital room, which he called Ethans house.

Ethan is currently cancer-free and scheduled to go to inpatient rehab in Toronto in January.

Its not been easy. But no words of complaint or self pity are expressed by the Tuckers; love for their son and their young family has seen them through.

And generosity from the community.

We found it hard to ask for help, but it came to a point where we had no choice. Thats one thing I would say to any family going through a dramatic change of circumstances: Dont be afraid to ask for help; its there, said Shawntel.

Among the people who have been there for the Tuckers from the get-go is Michelle Robinson. Anyone who knows her will tell you she is a person of energy and ideas. She motivates and helps young parents to get their kids out doors through her Walk-A-Baby program.

The Facebook page Ethans Army and a GoFundMe account were put in place.

Ethan, after a thirteen-month stay at CHEO, was coming home. The Tuckers realized that they could not live in their home as it was. It had to be renovated. But even renovations, it was realized, would not address Ethans needs.

The decision was made to move. And again things fell into place. The Tuckers found a house on the outskirts of town that suited the family, who had always wanted to live in the country. The house, now purchased, required some renovations.

The Tuckers were pretty certain that if they got a team together they could work around schedules and get the renovations done.

Michelle put the call out on the Ethans Army page. It was answered, but not in the way they ever imagined.

Local developer Mapleview Homes, along with EXIT Realty Brockville, came forward to help in what Chris calls above and beyond and beyond. They took on the complete job and absorbed all costs, both materials and labour.

In the next few days, Ethan will have his own room, with all his needs: Laminated flooring for easy moving of his wheelchair, bed and lift in place; and barn doors that slide close for privacy or open to a view of the countryside.

The room was slightly modified and painted. Poignantly, Ethan had just been given his own room, in their former home, six months before he became ill. He will once again have his own room.

The Tuckers dont look back. They are moving forward as a family.

Chris has been able to return to work and has a part, as does daughter Jorja, in the local production of Broadway in Love, in February, presented by the Brockville Operatic Society.

Shawntel, now home, is actively again able to be mom to all her kids.

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Ethan's Army gets a boost - Brockville Recorder and Times

Harvard geneticist George Church’s goal: to protect humans from viruses, genetic diseases, and aging – 60 Minutes – CBS News

Our lives have been transformed by the information age. But what's coming next is likely to be more profound, call it the genetic information age. We have mapped the human genome and in just the last few years we have learned to read and write DNA like software. And you're about to see a few breakthroughs-in-waiting that would transform human health. For a preview of this revolution in evolution we met George Church, a world leading geneticist, whose own DNA harbors many eccentricities and a few genes for genius.

We found George Church in here.

Cory Smith: Most of these are frozen George. Little bits of George that we have edited all in different tubes.

Church threw himself into his work, literally. His DNA is in many of the experiments in his lab at Harvard Medical School. The fully assembled George Church is 6'5" and 65. He helped pioneer mapping the human genome and editing DNA. Today, his lab is working to make humans immune to all viruses, eliminate genetic diseases, and reverse the effects of time.

Scott Pelley: One of the things your lab is working on is reversing aging.

George Church: That's right.

Scott Pelley: How is that possible?

George Church: Reversing aging is one of these things that is easy to dismiss to say either we don't need it or is impossible or both.

Scott Pelley: Oh, we need it.

George Church: Okay. We need it. That's good. We can agree on that. Well, aging reversal is something that's been proven about eight different ways in animals where you can get, you know, faster reaction times or, you know, cognitive or repair of damaged tissues.

Scott Pelley: Proven eight different ways. Why isn't this available?

George Church: It is available to mice.

In lucky mice, Church's lab added multiple genes that improved heart and kidney function and levels of blood sugar. Now he's trying it in spaniels.

Scott Pelley: So is this gene editing to achieve age reversal?

George Church: This is adding genes. So, it's not really editing genes. It's, the gene function is going down, and so we're boosting it back up by putting in extra copies of the genes.

Scott Pelley: What's the time horizon on age reversal in humans?

George Church: That's in clinical trials right now in dogs. And so, that veterinary product might be a couple years away and then that takes another ten years to get through the human clinical trials.

Human trials of a personal kind made George Church an unlikely candidate to alter human evolution. Growing up in Florida, Church was dyslexic, with attention deficit, and frequently knocked out by narcolepsy.

Scott Pelley: What was it that made you imagine that you could be a scientist?

George Church: The thing that got me hooked was probably the New York World's Fair in 1964. I thought this is the way we should all be living. When I went back to Florida, I said, "I've been robbed," you know? "Where is it all?" So, I said, "Well, if they're not going to provide it, then I'm gonna provide it for myself."

With work and repetition, he beat his disabilities and developed a genius for crystallography, a daunting technique that renders 3D images of molecules through X-rays and math. But in graduate school at Duke, at the age of 20, his mania for the basic structures of life didn't leave time for the basic structure of life.

Scott Pelley: You were homeless for a time.

George Church: Yeah. Briefly.

Scott Pelley: Six months.

George Church: Six months.

Scott Pelley: And where were you sleeping when you were homeless?

George Church: Well, yeah. I wasn't sleeping that much. I was mostly working. I'm narcoleptic. So, I fall asleep sitting up anyway.

His devotion to crystallography was his undoing at Duke.

George Church: I was extremely excited about the research I was doing. And so, I would put in 100-plus hours a week on research and then pretty much didn't do anything else.

Scott Pelley: Not go to class.

George Church: I wouldn't go to class. Yeah.

Duke kicked him out with this letter wishing him well in a field other than biology. But, it turned out, Harvard needed a crystallographer. George Church has been here nearly 40 years. He employs around 100 scientists, about half-and-half men and women.

Scott Pelley: Who do you hire?

George Church: I hire people that are self-selecting, they see our beacon from a distance away. There are a lot of people that are a little, you know, might be considered a little odd. "Neuroatypicals," some of us are called.

Scott Pelley: "Neuroatypical?"

George Church: Right.

Scott Pelley: Unusual brains?

George Church: Right, yeah.

Parastoo Khoshakhlagh: One thing about George that is very significant is that he sees what you can't even see in yourself.

Parastoo Khoshakhlagh and Alex Ng are among the "neuroatypicals." They're engineering human organ tissue.

Cory Smith: I think he tries to promote no fear of failure. The only fear is not to try at all.

Cory Smith's project sped up DNA editing from altering three genes at a time to 13,000 at a time. Eriona Hysolli went to Siberia with Church to extract DNA from the bones of wooly mammoths. She's editing the genes into elephant DNA to bring the mammoth back from extinction.

Eriona Hysolli: We are laying the foundations, perhaps, of de-extinction projects to come.

Scott Pelley: De-extinction.

Eriona Hysolli: Yes.

Scott Pelley: I'm not sure that's a word in the dictionary yet.

Eriona Hysolli: Well, if it isn't, it should be.

Scott Pelley: You know there are people watching this interview who think that is playing God.

George Church: Well, it's playing engineer. I mean, humans have been playing engineer since the dawn of time.

Scott Pelley: The point is, some people believe that you're mucking about in things that shouldn't be disturbed.

George Church: I completely agree that we need to be very cautious. And the more powerful, or the more rapidly-moving the technology, the more cautious we need to be, the bigger the conversation involving lots of different disciplines, religion, ethics, government, art, and so forth. And to see what it's unintended consequences might be.

Church anticipates consequences with a full time ethicist in the lab and he spends a good deal of time thinking about genetic equity. Believing that genetic technology must be available to all, not just those who can afford it.

We saw one of those technologies in the hands of Alex Ng and Parastoo Khoshakhlagh. They showed us what they call "mini-brains," tiny dots with millions of cells each. They've proven that cells from a patient can be grown into any organ tissue, in a matter of days, so drugs can be tested on that patient's unique genome.

Scott Pelley: You said that you got these cells from George's skin? How does that work?

Alex Ng: We have a way to reprogram essentially, skin cells, back into a stem cell state. And we have technologies where now we can differentiate them into tissue such as brain tissue.

Scott Pelley: So you went from George's skin cells, turned those into stem cells, and turned those into brain cells.

Alex Ng: Exactly. Exactly.

Scott Pelley: Simple as that.

Organs grown from a patient's own cells would eliminate the problem of rejection. Their goal is to prove the concept by growing full sized organs from Church's DNA.

George Church: It's considered more ethical for students to do experiments on their boss than vice versa and it's good to do it on me rather than some stranger because I'm as up to speed as you can be on the on the risks and the benefits. I'm properly consented. And I'm unlikely to change my mind.

Alex Ng: We have a joke in the lab, I mean, at some point, soon probably, we're going to have more of his cells outside of his body than he has himself.

Church's DNA is also used in experiments designed to make humans immune to all viruses.

George Church: We have a strategy by which we can make any cell or any organism resistant to all viruses by changing the genetic code. So if you change that code enough you now get something that is resistant to all viruses including viruses you never characterized before.

Scott Pelley: Because the viruses don't recognize it anymore?

George Church: They expect a certain code provided by the host that they replicate in. the virus would have to change so many parts of its DNA or RNA so that it can't change them all at once. So, it's not only dead. But it can't mutate to a new place where it could survive in a new host.

Yes, he's talking about the cure for the common cold and the end of waiting for organ transplants. It's long been known that pig organs could function in humans. Pig heart valves are routinely transplanted already. But pig viruses have kept surgeons from transplanting whole organs. Church's lab altered pig DNA and knocked out 62 pig viruses.

Scott Pelley: What organs might be transplanted from a pig to a human?

George Church: Heart, lung, kidney, liver, intestines, various parts of the eye, skin. All these things.

Scott Pelley: What's the time horizon on transplanting pig organs into human beings?

George Church: you know, two to five years to get into clinical trials. And then again it could take ten years to get through the clinical trials.

Church is a role model for the next generation. He has co-founded more than 35 startups. Recently, investors put $100 million into the pig organ work. Another Church startup is a dating app that compares DNA and screens out matches that would result in a child with an inherited disease.

George Church: You wouldn't find out who you're not compatible with. You'll just find out who you are compatible with.

Scott Pelley: You're suggesting that if everyone has their genome sequenced and the correct matches are made, that all of these diseases could be eliminated?

George Church: Right. It's 7,000 diseases. It's about 5% of the population. It's about a trillion dollars a year, worldwide.

Church sees one of his own genetic differences as an advantage. Narcolepsy lulls him several times a day. But he wakes, still in the conversation, often, discovering inspiration in his twilight zone.

Scott Pelley: If somebody had sequenced your genome some years ago, you might not have made the grade in some way.

George Church: I mean, that's true. I would hope that society sees the benefit of diversity not just ancestral diversity, but in our abilities. There's no perfect person.

Despite imperfection, Church has co-authored 527 scientific papers and holds more than 50 patents. Proof that great minds do not think alike.

The best science can tell, it was about 4 billion years ago that self-replicating molecules set off the spark of biology. Now, humans hold the tools of evolution, but George Church remains in awe of the original mystery: how chemistry became life.

Scott Pelley: Is the most amazing thing about life, then, that it happened at all?

George Church: It is amazing in our current state of ignorance. We don't even know if it ever happened ever in the rest of the universe. it's awe-inspiring to know that it either happened billions of times, or it never happened. Both of those are mind boggling. It's amazing that you can have such complex structures that make copies of themselves. But it's very hard to do that with machines that we've built. So, we're engineers. But we're rather poor engineers compared to the pseudo engineering that is biological evolution.

Produced by Henry Schuster. Associate producer, Rachael Morehouse. Broadcast associate, Ian Flickinger.

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Harvard geneticist George Church's goal: to protect humans from viruses, genetic diseases, and aging - 60 Minutes - CBS News

Start-up to research on degenerative eye disease – Deccan Herald

A city-based medical science startup is gearing up to halt the progress of degenerative eye disease in Indians after trials in blind rats showed the creatures regaining their sight in a few months.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a form of blindness that affects a segment of the adult population after they reach the age of 50. It accounts for 8.7% of all blindness worldwide. Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), meanwhile, is a rare genetic disorder, which affects one child in 4,000.

There is no known cure for the diseases. However, Dr Jogin Desai, whose startup, Eyestem, which has been under incubation by the governments Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-Camp) for the past three years, believes its work can halt the progression of the diseases by using genetically modified stem cells to restore the pigment epithelium in the cornea.

The pigment epithelium, which is only 1.5 mm thick, performs critical functions that support photoreceptor health and integrity. It was likened to the foundation of a building. The therapy will also seek to restore the photoreceptor cells in the retina, which were likened to buildings. Phase 1 human clinical trials are set to start within two-and-half months.

Existing research postulates that using biodegradable scaffolding upon which modified cells are stacked can help rebuild the pigment epithelium. However, Dr Desai said that current work delivering modified Eycyte-RPE (or Retinal Pigment Epithelium) cells, which are suspended in the liquid, is even more effective.

We have found that cells delivered in this way automatically seek out their body niche and assimilate into the system, he said, adding that trials in blind lab rats had showed the animals regaining their vision over a two-month period.

Most discoveries fail

Desai, however, cautioned that no amount of promise can legitimise an idea if its time has not yet come. In fact, just one of 1,600 scientific discoveries made in research labs makes it into a fully fledged development where it can impact peoples lives, he explained.

Most scientific discoveries are weeded out in exacting, three-phased clinical trials, based on the criteria of safety, scalability and effectiveness.

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Start-up to research on degenerative eye disease - Deccan Herald

R&D Activities to Fast-track the Growth of the Stem Cell Assay Market Between 2018 2028 – Kentucky Reports

TMRR, in its latest market intelligence study, finds that the global Stem Cell Assay market registered a value of ~US$ xx Mn/Bn in 2018 and is spectated to grow at CAGR of xx% during the foreseeable period 2019-2029. In terms of product type, segment holds the largest share, while segment 1 and segment 2 hold significant share in terms of end use.

The Stem Cell Assay market study outlines the key regions Region 1 (Country 1, Country 2), region 2 (Country 1, Country 2), region 3 (Country 1, Country 2) and region 4 (Country 1, Country 2). All the consumption trends and adoption patterns of the Stem Cell Assay are covered in the report. Prominent players, including player 1, player 2, player 3 and player 4, among others, account for substantial shares in the global Stem Cell Assay market.

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growth drivers and lists down the major restraints. Additionally, the report gauges the effect of Porters five forces on the overall stem cell assay market.

Global Stem Cell Assay Market: Key Market Segments

For the purpose of the study, the report segments the global stem cell assay market based on various parameters. For instance, in terms of assay type, the market can be segmented into isolation and purification, viability, cell identification, differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, and function. By kit, the market can be bifurcated into human embryonic stem cell kits and adult stem cell kits. Based on instruments, flow cytometer, cell imaging systems, automated cell counter, and micro electrode arrays could be the key market segments.

In terms of application, the market can be segmented into drug discovery and development, clinical research, and regenerative medicine and therapy. The growth witnessed across the aforementioned application segments will be influenced by the increasing incidence of chronic ailments which will translate into the rising demand for regenerative medicines. Finally, based on end users, research institutes and industry research constitute the key market segments.

The report includes a detailed assessment of the various factors influencing the markets expansion across its key segments. The ones holding the most lucrative prospects are analyzed, and the factors restraining its trajectory across key segments are also discussed at length.

Global Stem Cell Assay Market: Regional Analysis

Regionally, the market is expected to witness heightened demand in the developed countries across Europe and North America. The increasing incidence of chronic ailments and the subsequently expanding patient population are the chief drivers of the stem cell assay market in North America. Besides this, the market is also expected to witness lucrative opportunities in Asia Pacific and Rest of the World.

Global Stem Cell Assay Market: Vendor Landscape

A major inclusion in the report is the detailed assessment of the markets vendor landscape. For the purpose of the study the report therefore profiles some of the leading players having influence on the overall market dynamics. It also conducts SWOT analysis to study the strengths and weaknesses of the companies profiled and identify threats and opportunities that these enterprises are forecast to witness over the course of the reports forecast period.

Some of the most prominent enterprises operating in the global stem cell assay market are Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc (U.S.), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (U.S.), GE Healthcare (U.K.), Hemogenix Inc. (U.S.), Promega Corporation (U.S.), Bio-Techne Corporation (U.S.), Merck KGaA (Germany), STEMCELL Technologies Inc. (CA), Cell Biolabs, Inc. (U.S.), and Cellular Dynamics International, Inc. (U.S.).

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The Stem Cell Assay market research answers important questions, including the following:

The Stem Cell Assay market research serves a platter of the following information:

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Why go for TMRR?

TMRR stays aligned with the fact the organization lands among the leading market research firms in India. Our analysts work irrespective of the time-zone, the result, we are being recognized worldwide. We abide by the notion that each client has his/her own set of requirements. With extensive primary and secondary research, our experts churn out the most accurate information regarding the desired the market.

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R&D Activities to Fast-track the Growth of the Stem Cell Assay Market Between 2018 2028 - Kentucky Reports

IFN-: The T cell’s license to kill stem cells in the inflamed intestine – Science

Abstract

IFN- produced by T cells directly induces intestinal stem cell death upon inflammation-induced intestinal injury (see the related Research Article by Takashima et al.).

Intestinal regeneration upon tissue damage is fueled by intestinal stem cells (ISCs) residing in the crypt bottom of the epithelium and marked by the gene Lgr5 (1, 2). There is growing evidence that tissue repair is at least partially mediated by a regenerative inflammatory response (3, 4). How inflammation-induced intestinal injury influences ISCs and their microenvironment (stem cell niche) remains poorly understood. In this issue of Science Immunology, Takashima et al. (5) explore the changes in the ISC niche in vivo upon T cellmediated injury as a model of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and in vitro using organoid T cell cocultures. Although earlier studies already implicated interferon- (IFN-) as a negative regulator of intestinal epithelial homeostasis (68), Takashima et al. now demonstrate that IFN- directly acts on ISCs by triggering apoptosis.

In an allogeneic bone marrow transplant (BMT) model, Takashima and colleagues found that ISC numbers per intestinal crypt were markedly reduced in mice receiving bone marrow alone or bone marrow and T cells when compared with normal control mice. While the ISCs in the mice receiving only bone marrow recovered 7 days later, the ISC numbers remained reduced in those mice also transplanted with donor T cells. Of note, Paneth cell numbers were also reduced after ISC depletion. The numbers of organoids established from the intestines of mice 10 days after BMT recovered back to that of control mice, whereas the organoid forming capacity from crypts of mice after combined transplantation of bone marrow and T cells remained significantly lower. Similar in vivo and in vitro results were obtained when autoreactive T cells were transplanted, pointing to a common feature of T cellmediated intestinal injury.

As seen by three-dimensional confocal microscopy, intraepithelial T cells (CD3+ IELs) preferentially localized to the villus region, whereas lamina propriaassociated T cells (CD3+ LPLs) were equally distributed along the crypt-villus axis of control mice (Fig. 1A). Conversely, mice receiving bone marrow and allogeneic T cells showed a progressive increase in the density of both CD3+ LPLs and CD3+ IELs in the crypt region.

To identify signaling molecules that cause the loss of ISCs in this model, Takashima and colleagues performed several elegant murine and human epithelial organoid coculture experiments. Murine nave allogeneic T cells did not impair murine intestinal organoid numbers, whereas alloreactive T cells effectively reduced organoid numbers. Likewise, human allogeneic cytotoxic T cells robustly inhibited human intestinal organoid forming efficiency. Even bead-activated autologous T cells suppressed human intestinal organoid growth. The authors then proceeded to screen for potential pathways mediating cytotoxicity. Organoids cocultured with T cells in the presence of antiIFN- neutralizing antibodies showed normal growth. Although IFN- receptor (IFN-R)depleted T cells were still able to affect organoid viability, IFN-Rdepleted organoids were resistant to T cellmediated killing. Organoid toxicity by IFN- was also observed in the absence of T cells. Live imaging confirmed the progressive ISC depletion upon organoid exposure to IFN-. Treatment of organoids with the immunosuppressive JAK1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib robustly preserved numbers of both organoids and ISCs in the presence of IFN-, irrespective of whether the organoids were cultured alone or together with T cells. The authors additionally demonstrated that JAK1-depleted organoids are resistant to IFN- treatment. Further downstream, ruxolitinib prevented STAT1 phosphorylation by IFN- in intestinal crypts, and, in line, STAT1-depleted organoids were resistant to growth suppression in response to IFN- treatment.

IFN-treated organoids showed reduced expression of ISC marker genes. ISCs underwent apoptosis in vitro in a direct response to IFN-. Next, the authors confirmed in vivo that ISC numbers did not change upon transplanting allogeneic bone marrow and T cells when treating mice with IFN- neutralizing antibodies. Likewise, ruxolitinib treatment protected ISCs from T cellmediated killing in vivo. Donor T cells, particularly T helper 1 cells, were activated and IFN-+. Transplanting IFN-depleted allogeneic T cells robustly reduced the ISC loss and allowed epithelial cell proliferation to increase.

Takashima and colleagues lastly investigated whether IFN- directly induces ISC apoptosis. Using tissue-specific depletion of IFN-R1, the authors found that epithelial loss of the receptor protects from the immune-mediated GVHD phenotype. IFN-R1 is expressed by both ISCs and Paneth cells, the epithelial component of the ISC niche (9). However, Paneth celldeficient organoids remained sensitive to both IFN- and allogeneic T cellmediated cytotoxicity. Likewise, T cells were able to reduce the number of organoids containing IFN-R1deficient Paneth cells, whereas organoids containing IFN-R1deficient ISC were protected from cytotoxicity. The authors demonstrated in further experiments that IFN- directly induces ISC apoptosis independent of Paneth cells (Fig. 1, B and C).

The study by Takashima et al. extends our knowledge on signaling between ISCs and immune cells, identifying ISCs as direct targets of IFN- secreted by T cells in immune-mediated intestinal damage (as caused by GVHD). In the 2015 study by Lindemans et al., this group already identified that interleukin-22 (IL-22) secreted by group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) directly stimulates ISCs to proliferate and regenerate the intestinal epithelium upon inflammation-induced intestinal injury (4). Modulating the effects of T cellderived IFN- on ISC, for instance, by suppressing JAK/STAT signaling via ruxolitinib treatment, may provide a new therapeutic avenue to reducing GVHD-induced damage of the intestinal epithelium (10).

(A) ISCs maintain adult homeostasis of the intestinal epithelium. T lymphocytes patrol the intestine. (B) Takashima et al. show that in GVHD as modeled by BMT and aberrant activation of T lymphocytes, T cellderived IFN- directly acts on ISCs and induces apoptosis via JAK/STAT signaling. (C) Disease progression results in marked intestinal damage due to loss of ISCs and their niche.

Acknowledgments: Funding: K.K. is a long-term fellow of the Human Frontier Science Program Organization (LT771/2015). Competing interests: H.C. and K.K. are named inventors on patents or patents pending on Lgr5 stem cellbased organoid technology.

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IFN-: The T cell's license to kill stem cells in the inflamed intestine - Science

Movies opening in L.A. this week: ‘Bombshell,’ ‘Jumanji: The Next Level’ and more – Los Angeles Times

Black ChristmasUpdate of the 1974 holiday horror classic about sorority sisters stalked by a masked killer. With Imogen Poots, Aleyse Shannon, Lily Donoghue, Cary Elwes. Written by Sophia Takal, April Wolfe. Directed by Takal. (1:38) PG-13.

BombshellCharlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie play Fox News employees whose allegations of sexual harassment help topple network founder Roger Ailes. With John Lithgow, Allison Janney, Connie Britton, Kate McKinnon. Written by Charles Randolph. Directed by Jay Roach. (1:48) R.

CunninghamDocumentary profile of influential dancer-choreographer Merce Cunningham includes archival footage plus re-creations of his works. Directed by Alla Kovgan. (1:33) PG.

The Death & Life of John F. DonovanAn actor recalls the letters he exchanged with a long-dead American television star. With Kit Harington, Natalie Portman, Jacob Tremblay, Susan Sarandon, Kathy Bates, Thandie Newton, Sarah Gadon. Written by Xavier Dolan, Jacob Tierney. Directed by Dolan. (2:03) R.

The Disappearance of My MotherWriter-director Beniamino Barrese profiles his reclusive mother, 1960s-era supermodel turned feminist activist Benedetta Barzini. In English and Italian with English subtitles. (1:34) NR.

First LoveThe brother of a famous but troubled actress is torn between selling his explosive tell-all book about their childhood or helping her after she suffers a nervous breakdown. With Annie Heise, Aaron Costa Ganis, Arye Gross, Mia Barron. Written and directed by Michael Masarof. (1:20) NR.

The Great WarAmerican soldiers during WWI go behind enemy lines to try to rescue a lost platoon. With Ron Perlman, Billy Zane, Bates Wilder. Written and directed by Steven Luke. (1:48) R.

Hell on the BorderA former slave gets a job as a lawman and goes on a manhunt in his fact-based western about the first black marshal in the Wild West. With David Gyashi, Frank Grillo, Ron Perlman. Written and directed by Wes Miller. (1:50) R.

A Hidden LifeWriter-director Terrence Malicks fact-based drama about an Austrian farmer who refused to fight for Nazis during WWII. With August Diehl, Valerie Pachner, Bruno Ganz, Matthias Schoenaerts. In English, German, Italian with English subtitles. (2:53) R.

Jumanji: The Next LevelDanny Glover and Danny DeVito join Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan in this sequel to the 2017 action adventure hit about young people trapped in a videogame. With Nick Jonas, Awkwafina. Written by Jake Kasdan, Jeff Pinkner, Scott Rosenberg; based on the book by Chris Van Allsburg. Directed by Kasdan. (1:54) PG-13.

Line of DescentAn organized-crime family in Delhi deals with threats from without and within. With Brendan Fraser, Max Beesley, Abhay Deol. In Hindi and English with English subtitles. (1:48) NR.

Midnight FamilyDocumentary about a family-run private ambulance service in Mexico City. Directed by Luke Lorentzen. In Spanish with English subtitles. (1:30) NR.

Mob TownMafia figures assemble for a summit in upstate New York in 1957 in this fact-based crime drama. With David Arquette, Jennifer Esposito, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Robert Davi, Nick Cordero. Written by Jon Carlo and Joe Gilford. Directed by Danny A. Abeckaser. (1:30) R.

RabidA fashion designer experiences a horrifying transformation after undergoing an experimental stem-cell treatment following a car accident. With Laura Vandervoort, Benjamin Hollingsworth, Phil Brooks. Written by the Soska Sisters, John Serge; story by Serge. Directed by the Soska Sisters. (1:47) NR.

Richard JewellClint Eastwood directs this fact-based drama about the security guard falsely accused in the Centennial Park bombing during the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. With Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Kathy Bates, Jon Hamm, Olivia Wilde, Ian Gomez. Written by Billy Ray; based on an article by Marie Brenner. (2:09) R.

SebergFrench New Wave actress Jean Seberg is targeted by the FBI for her political and romantic involvement with civil-rights activist Hakim Jamal during the 1960s in this fact-based drama. With Kristen Stewart, Anthony Mackie, Jack OConnell, Margaret Qualley, Zazie Beetz, Vince Vaughn. Written by Joe Shrapnel, Anna Waterhouse. Directed by Benedict Andrews. (1:36) R.

6 UndergroundRyan Reynolds stars in this Michael Bay action flick about a globe-trotting team of untraceable operatives dedicated to saving the world. With Mlanie Laurent, Corey Hawkins, Adria Arjona, Dave Franco. Written by Paul Wernick, Rhett Reese. (2:05) R.

Uncut GemsAdam Sandler stars as a desperate New York City jeweler juggling numerous deals in this crime thriller. With Lakeith Stanfield, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett, Idina Menzel, Eric Bogosian, Judd Hirsch. Written by Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie, Ronald Bronstein. Directed by the Safdies. (2:15) R.

What She Said: The Art of Pauline KaelDocumentary on the longtime firebrand film critic of the New Yorker. With Alec Baldwin, Quentin Tarantino, David O. Russell, Francis Ford Coppola and Sarah Jessica Parker as the voice of Kael. Directed by Rob Garver. (1:38) NR.

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Movies opening in L.A. this week: 'Bombshell,' 'Jumanji: The Next Level' and more - Los Angeles Times

Updated Clinical Data from Phase 2 SPiReL Study Evaluating DPX-Survivac as a Combination Therapy in r/r DLBCL Presented at 61st American Society of…

DARTMOUTH, Nova Scotia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IMV Inc. (Nasdaq: IMV; TSX: IMV), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering a novel class of immunotherapies, today announced that updated results from SPiReL, an ongoing Phase 2 investigator-sponsored study of DPX-Survivac in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with recurrent/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (r/r DLBCL), were presented in a poster session at the 61st American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting in Orlando, FL. The poster, which included additional data collected between the abstract submission and the presentation, continued to demonstrate a favorable therapeutic profile and treatment-associated clinical benefit in r/r DLBCL patients who received the DPX-Survivac combination regimen.

These updated data show encouraging clinical activity in patients treated with a DPX-Survivac combination regimen for recurrent/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, said Neil Berinstein, MD, FFCPC, ABIM, hematologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and lead investigator for the clinical trial. In contrast, both to standard-of-care treatments and other immunotherapeutic approaches in development, to observe this clinical benefit alongside a favorable safety profile highlights DPX-Survivacs potential to reach this patient population in dire need of better treatment options.

These results demonstrate a robust response in evaluable patients who received the combination regimen including DPX-Survivac, which continues to exhibit a promising therapeutic profile for patients with hard-to-treat cancers, said Joanne Schindler, M.D., D.V.M., Chief Medical Officer of IMV. These data further validate DPX-Survivacs novel mechanism, extending previously documented results in solid cancers now to survivin-expressing hematologic malignancies, and support the hypothesis that our lead candidate works well in combination with checkpoint inhibitors. We believe this represents a potentially meaningful alternative to more toxic chemotherapy regimens; and, with this foundation, we look forward to topline results from this study as we prepare to launch an IMV-sponsored study in r/r DLBCL in 2020.

Updated Clinical Data from the SPiReL Study

In the poster presentation at ASH, Dr. Berinstein reported updated clinical results from the ongoing Phase 2 SPiReL study. Highlights of this preliminary data are outlined below:

As of December 1, 2019, 17 subjects have been enrolled in the study.

Conference Call Information:

IMV will host a conference call and webcast on Monday, December 9, 2019 at 8:00 a.m. EST to discuss the DPX-Survivac clinical results presented at ASH.

Financial analysts are invited to join the conference call by dialing (866) 211-3204 (U.S. and Canada) or (647) 689-6600 (International) using the conference ID number: 8796370. Other interested parties will be able to access the live audio webcast at this link: http://bit.ly/IMV_ASH19.

The webcast will be recorded and available on the IMV website for 30 days following the call. The poster and the webcast will available on the Investors section of the companys website, under Events, Webcasts & Presentations.

About the SPiReL Study

SPiReL is a Phase 2 non-randomized, open label, efficacy and safety study. Eligible subjects have persistent or recurrent/refractory DLBCL, confirmed expression of survivin and are not eligible for curative therapy. Study treatment includes administering two doses of 0.5 mL of DPX-Survivac 3 weeks apart followed by up to six 0.1 mL doses every 8 weeks. Intermittent low dose cyclophosphamide is administered orally at 50 mg twice daily for 7 days followed by 7 days off. Pembrolizumab 200 mg is administered every 3 weeks. Study participants continue active therapy for up to one year or until disease progression, whichever occurs first.

The primary objective of this study is to document the response rate to this treatment combination using modified Cheson criteria. Secondary objectives include duration of response and safety. Exploratory endpoints include T cell response, tumor immune cell infiltration, and gene expression analysis.

About DPX-Survivac

DPX-Survivac is the lead candidate in IMVs new class of immunotherapies that programs targeted T cells in vivo. It has demonstrated the potential for industry-leading targeted, persistent, and durable CD8+ T cell generation. IMV believes this mechanism of action (MOA) is key to generating durable solid tumor regressions. DPX-Survivac consists of survivin-based peptides formulated in IMVs proprietary DPX drug delivery platform. DPX-Survivac is designed to work by eliciting a cytotoxic T cell immune response against cancer cells presenting survivin peptides on their surface.

Survivin, recognized by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as a promising tumor-associated antigen, is broadly over-expressed in most cancer types, and plays an essential role in antagonizing cell death, supporting tumor-associated angiogenesis, and promoting resistance to chemotherapies. IMV has identified over 20 cancer indications in which survivin can be targeted by DPX-Survivac.

DPX-Survivac has received Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as maintenance therapy in advanced ovarian cancer, as well as orphan drug designation status from the U.S. FDA and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in the ovarian cancer indication.

About IMV

IMV Inc. is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to making immunotherapy more effective, more broadly applicable, and more widely available to people facing cancer and other serious diseases. IMV is pioneering a new class of immunotherapies based on the Companys proprietary drug delivery platform. This patented technology leverages a novel mechanism of action that enables the programming of immune cells in vivo, which are aimed at generating powerful new synthetic therapeutic capabilities. IMVs lead candidate, DPX-Survivac, is a T cell-activating immunotherapy that combines the utility of the platform with a target: survivin. IMV is currently assessing DPX-Survivac in advanced ovarian cancer, as a single regimen, as well as a combination therapy in multiple clinical studies with Merck. Connect at http://www.imv-inc.com.

IMV Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking information under applicable securities law. All information that addresses activities or developments that we expect to occur in the future is forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the date the statements are made. In the press release, such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the FDA potentially granting accelerated regulatory approval of DPX-Survivac. However, they should not be regarded as a representation that any of the plans will be achieved. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in this press release due to risks affecting the Corporation, including access to capital, the successful design and completion of clinical trials and the receipt and timely receipt of all regulatory approvals. IMV Inc. assumes no responsibility to update forward-looking statements in this press release except as required by law. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and those risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, our ability to access capital, the successful and timely completion of clinical trials, the receipt of all regulatory approvals and other risks detailed from time to time in our ongoing quarterly filings and annual information form Investors are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements and are encouraged to read IMVs continuous disclosure documents, including its current annual information form, as well as its audited annual consolidated financial statements which are available on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at http://www.sec.gov/edgar.

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Updated Clinical Data from Phase 2 SPiReL Study Evaluating DPX-Survivac as a Combination Therapy in r/r DLBCL Presented at 61st American Society of...