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The Frigo Mint Company Tackles Cavity Crisis

Frigo Mint

Revolutionizing the daily oral care routine, The Frigo Mint Company introduces the Frigo Mint — a cutting-edge solution designed to transcend conventional dental care and safeguard your smile in the war against cavities. Frigo Mint is redefining oral care for the modern consumer, offering convenient on-the-go freshness and protection tailored to today's active lifestyles. Compact and pocket-sized, these mints provide a portable oral care solution that ensures freshness and dental protection anytime, anywhere. The mints are meticulously blister-packed, guaranteeing the delivery of the freshest and most effective product with every use. Frigo Mint’s unique formulation fortifies tooth enamel and actively neutralizes acids in the mouth, a groundbreaking combination that addresses the root causes of cavities by providing a comprehensive defense against tooth decay. According to a 2017 study by the International & American Associations for Dental Research, tooth decay ranks as the second most prevalent global disease, impacting 2.5 billion people annually. With 91% of Americans snacking daily and 90% of adults contending with cavities, the need for a proactive solution has never been more critical. The creation of the Frigo Mint involved collaboration with a panel of food scientists from diverse corners of the country. This multidisciplinary approach ensures a product that tastes great and addresses the science behind cavity prevention, setting it apart in the market. Seven years of meticulous development underscore the commitment to perfection that defines Frigo Mint. This extended period of refinement guarantees a product that not only meets but exceeds industry standards, establishing it as a reliable and trusted choice for consumers. “The sheer scale of the global cavity crisis affecting 2.5 billion people annually is truly concerning. The data speaks for itself, revealing the urgent need for innovative solutions,” says founder and CEO Chris Frigo. “The Frigo Mint was born out of this necessity, aiming to be a positive influence in the escalating battle against tooth decay. We are not just offering a mint; we are presenting a groundbreaking solution to combat cavities.” Frigo Mint revolutionizes cavity defense for busy lifestyles. Tailored for everyday use, it provides a convenient solution for people on the go. From airports and long flights to military deployments and theme park visits, Frigo Mint ensures effective oral care in challenging environments. It's the perfect companion for individuals facing stained teeth during work hours, offering a quick and efficient refresh without the need for a break. At just $4.50 per pack, Frigo Mint brings dental care to the forefront, making it accessible and effortless for everyone, everywhere. More than just a product, Frigo Mint was created by Chris Frigo, son of board-certified orthodontist Dr. Christopher Frigo. Dr. Frigo brings extensive experience and dedication to creating beautiful smiles, infusing a professional touch into developing this groundbreaking oral care solution. The Frigo Mint Company intersects innovation and oral health, creating a revolutionary solution for your daily well-being. Founded by Chris Frigo, son of a board-certified orthodontist, Frigo Mint is your go-to choice for maintaining a cavity-free, healthy smile while on the go. Backed by extensive research and development, the Frigo Mint incorporates cutting-edge technology and the wisdom of over 35 international food scientists, providing a convenient and effective way to combat cavities wherever life takes you. Crafted with a unique formula, Frigo Mint harnesses compounds to neutralize acidity in your mouth, offering a shield against cavities. Frigo Mint Company invites strategic investors to explore a transformative journey in oral health. Discover our product and investment opportunities at https://frigomint.com/. Contact Details R Public Relations for Frigo Mint Ilissa Goldenberg ilissa@rprfirm.com Company Website https://frigomint.com/

January 31, 2024 03:17 PM Eastern Standard Time

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February is Pet Dental Health Month

YourUpdateTV

February is Pet Dental Health Month, which serves as a helpful reminder that there’s no better time to start prioritizing your cat or dog’s dental health. Recently, Dr. Danielle Bernal, the global veterinarian for Wellness® WHIMZEES®, participated in a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss Pet Dental Health Month and simple tips to help pet parents establish a dental routine. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/KhJpe-HTeGw 70% of cats will experience dental disease in their lifetime, and a vast 80% of dogs – especially small breeds and seniors – are at risk of dental disease. Lack of dental care can lead to inflammation, tartar, gingivitis, periodontal disease, and quality of life issues for your pet. Supporting dental health is vital to the overall wellbeing of both dogs and cats, and a steady dental health routine can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of issues in between visits to the vet. Incorporating a daily dental treat or chew option like Wellness® WHIMZEES® can go a long way toward ensuring pets will have healthier teeth, gums, and breath, and in turn, live happier lives. Wellness® WHIMZEES® allow pet parents to care for their pet’s dental health in an easy, enjoyable way and are crafted to support the 4 areas vets check most: Breath, Plaque, Tartar and Gums. Wellness® WHIMZEES® Brushzees® Natural Dental Treats for dogs are an ideal solution for daily dental care and have been awarded the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) approval seal. They arescientifically proven to lower plaque and tartar, supporting healthier teeth, gums, and fresher breath. Available in three delicious flavors, Chicken, Chicken & Salmon, and Chicken & Tuna, new Wellness® WHIMZEES® Natural Dental Treats for cats are designed with fresh chicken as the primary ingredient to offer a taste cats love. Wellness Pet’s latest innovation is set to support feline dental care and empower pet parents to treat them well while effortlessly contributing to their furry companions' oral wellbeing and ensuring a delightful experience. Options for both cats and dogs are conveniently available at pet specialty retailers, national retailers and online. To learn more about Wellness® WHIMZEES® and find them near you, visit https:// www.whimzees.com/. About Dr. Danielle Bernal Danielle Bernal, D.V.M., has over a decade of experience in veterinary medicine, specializing in animal nutrition. In her role as on-staff veterinarian at Wellness Pet Company, maker of premium natural food and treats for dogs and cats, including Wellness® WHIMZEES®, she educates pet parents and retailers alike on the importance of natural ingredients like wholesome meats and nutrient-rich superfoods and the highest quality standards. She passionately believes that proper nutrition helps pets lead happier, healthier lives and she shares that message with pet parents. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

January 31, 2024 10:48 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Cortland Biomedical Expands Cutting-Edge Capabilities and Capacity for Design and Development of Woven Biomedical Textile Structures

Cortland Biomedical

Cortland Biomedical, a full-service biomedical textiles product development partner that provides access to a full-spectrum of global engineering, design and manufacturing capabilities, proudly announces the expansion of its weaving capabilities with the incorporation of two additional Jacquard Looms. This strategic move not only enhances the company's capacities, but also opens new avenues for groundbreaking advancements in medical textiles. Cortland Biomedical, in collaboration with global leaders in weaving equipment, integrates cutting-edge technologies into its machinery, ensuring excellence in every aspect from contact surfaces to yarn tensioning systems. Specializing in plain and narrow weave fabrics, including shuttle and rapier weaving, Cortland Biomedical excels in creating unique three-dimensional structures for applications like vascular grafts. These woven textiles, specifically designed for vascular and abdominal aortic aneurysm grafts and ensure limited blood flow. In addition, these woven textiles prove invaluable in orthopedics for bone and soft tissue repair, combining high strength with flexibility. Cortland Biomedical’s expertise positions it as a premier provider of tailored woven textile solutions for diverse medical applications. The addition of the two Jacquard Looms signifies a leap forward in Cortland Biomedical’s capabilities. This cutting-edge technology allows for unlimited possibilities in fabric design. Manipulating individual warp ends enables the creation of intricate structures, including bifurcations, convergences, tapers, and multi-layered fabrics. The fully electronic Jacquard loom offers unparalleled flexibility in altering fabric structures and patterns, significantly reducing material and time during prototyping. “Agility, curiosity, and credibility are at the heart of our mission, and set us apart as the easy-to-work-with partner our customers can count on to meet their unique medical device needs,” said Eric Brown, general manager, Cortland Biomedical. “Aligned with this strategy, our decision to add these Jacquard Looms was driven by our commitment to expanding capabilities, meeting the growing demands of the medical device industry, and fostering maximum innovation for our customers.” These looms boast the ability to weave thoracic size tubular grafts up to 46mm in diameter, create bifurcated structures as well as tapered flat and tubular structures, and generate infinite pattern designs through computer programming. With electronic let-offs designed for managing fine denier yarns, these looms can weave structures with high density and low permeability using polyesters, aramids, resorbables, and other fibers prominent in the medical device space. Cortland Biomedical will be exhibiting in booth 815 next week at MD&M West in Anaheim, CA. Eric and other company representatives will be on hand to discuss not only the company’s enhanced weaving abilities, but also its collaborative design and engineering processes, and capabilities for knitting, braiding and post-processing. About Cortland Biomedical Cortland Biomedical custom designs and manufactures high-performance biomedical textile structures leveraging years of experience in medical textile engineering methods including knitting, braiding and weaving. Its thoughtful design concepts challenge the status quo. Cortland Biomedical’s unique combination of advanced equipment and technology, a seasoned medical textile-specific engineering team, and first-rate R&D capabilities allows it to tackle customers’ complex challenges with the innovation and agility expected in the medical device industry. Learn more at cortlandbiomedical.com. Contact Details SVM Public Relations Jordan Bouclin +1 401-490-9700 Jordan.bouclin@svmpr.com Company Website https://www.cortlandbiomedical.com/

January 31, 2024 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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PathAI launches six additional oncology indications for PathExplore, an AI-powered pathology panel for spatial analysis of the tumor microenvironment

PathAI

PathAI, a global leader in AI-powered pathology, today announced the launch of six additional oncology indications for PathExplore™, the world’s first structured, standardized and scalable panel for characterization of the tumor microenvironment (TME) from hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained whole-slide images (WSIs). The additional indications are ovarian, bladder, liver, small cell lung, lymphoma, and head and neck cancers. PathExplore first launched in April 2023 with 8 indications, including non-small cell lung, breast, colorectal, skin, gastric, prostate, kidney, and pancreatic cancers. With this expansion, PathExplore human interpretable features (HIFs) will now be available across 14 oncology indications to accelerate the next phase of precision oncology. The last decade has seen significant strides in oncology drug development, but challenges remain – many cancer patients do not respond to available treatments, and many aren’t eligible for potentially transformative therapies because of a lack of actionable biomarkers. Distinct cell populations, tissue structures, and their spatial distributions across the TME represent some of the most promising areas of oncology research, however; traditional approaches are unable to access the full resolution of histopathology data at scale. “Pathology is the only data modality to define and quantify morphological changes resulting from treatment or disease progression,” said Andy Beck, M.D., Ph.D., chief executive officer and co-founder of PathAI. “PathExplore enables researchers and drug developers to effortlessly investigate standard characteristics of the TME, such as the abundance of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, as well as spatial characteristics that were previously impossible to measure such as the ratio of lymphocytes to fibroblasts near the epithelial-stromal interface.” Since launch, PathExplore has established itself as the gold-standard in AI-powered digital pathology for oncology drug development. PathAI has partnered with over 50 pharma, biotech, academic, and laboratory partners to analyze >150,000 WSIs, resulting in 50+ publications and presentations. “PathExplore represents a tremendous leap forward in biological research, bypassing long standing constraints of many existing modalities by combining the widespread availability of H&E with the unprecedented resolution of AI,” said Mike Montalto, PhD, chief scientific officer at PathAI. “By expanding the availability of PathExplore’s structured pathology data into new disease areas, we’re empowering drug developers to continue to uncover insights that go beyond existing biomarkers.” To learn more about PathExplore, download our ebook that highlights real-world applications of AI-powered pathology solutions including PathExplore, in various stages of drug development programs. PathExplore is For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. About PathAI PathAI is the only AI-focused technology company to provide comprehensive precision pathology solutions from wet lab services to algorithm deployment for clinical trials and laboratory use. Their AI-powered models are rigorously trained and validated with data from more than 15 million annotations and are used to optimize the analysis of pathology samples to improve efficiency and accuracy, while also accelerating drug development. PathAI is headquartered in Boston, MA, and manages a CAP/CLIA-certified laboratory in Memphis, TN. For more information, please visit www.pathai.com. Contact Details SVM Public Relations and Marketing Communications Maggie Naples +1 401-490-9700 pathai@svmpr.com Company Website https://www.pathai.com/

January 30, 2024 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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American Medical Association Grants Cardio Diagnostics (NASDAQ: CDIO) Reimbursement Codes For AI-Powered Coronary Heart Disease Tests

Cardio Diagnostics Holdings, Inc

By Jeremy Golden, Benzinga Cardio Diagnostics’ AI-driven coronary heart disease (CHD) tests have taken another promising step in their evolution. Cardio Diagnostics (NASDAQ: CDIO), an artificial intelligence-powered precision cardiovascular medicine company, has been assigned two dedicated Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Proprietary Laboratory Analysis (PLA); 0440U for the company’s AI-driven CHD detection test, PrecisionCHD, and 0439U for the company’s AI-driven CHD event (heart attack) risk assessment test, Epi+Gen CHD. Assigned by the American Medical Association (AMA), these two new CPT PLA codes – effective April 1, 2024 – mark a significant step toward payer billing and payment for the company’s groundbreaking tests. The designation will facilitate the broader adoption of PrecisionCHD, an integrated genetic-epigenetic clinical blood test to aid in the diagnosis of CHD, and Epi+Gen CHD for evaluating the likelihood of a patient experiencing a CHD event – mainly a heart attack – within the next three years. Treating A Growing Problem Every year, about 805,000 people in the United States have a heart attack, meaning someone experiences a heart attack every 40 seconds. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. According to the CDC, in 2021, heart disease was responsible for the deaths of more than 695,000 Americans – representing one in every five deaths. The most common type of heart disease and the major cause of heart attacks, CHD was responsible for over 375,000 deaths in 2021, and CHD-associated medical costs are estimated to be about $239.9 billion according to an estimate by the CDC in its heart disease fact sheet. Combating this growing problem, Cardio Diagnostics reports that PrecisionCHD is the first integrated genetic-epigenetic test for the detection of CHD. The PrecisionCHD test has the ability to aid in the diagnosis of CHD and provide personalized insights to help prevent a heart attack and improve outcomes. With the introduction of PrecisionCHD, clinicians are armed with a powerful, scalable and non-invasive alternative that comes in the form of a blood-based test that uses artificial intelligence, along with personalized genetic and epigenetic information, to sensitively detect the presence of CHD. Identifying patients with CHD and intervening before a heart attack occurs are essential to reducing the unprecedented economic and health burden associated with CHD. Until now, the lack of readily accessible and cost-effective diagnostic solutions for CHD has posed a challenge leading to delayed diagnosis and care, particularly among underserved and minority populations. Increasing access, the PrecisionCHD test only requires a simple blood draw and can be deployed remotely, allowing it to be scaled without the need for specialized infrastructure. This enables more timely intervention and management. “Receiving a dedicated CPT PLA code for PrecisionCHD is a critical milestone in our commercialization strategy,” said Meesha Dogan, Ph.D., CEO and Co-Founder of Cardio Diagnostics. “With PrecisionCHD, we believe that expanding equitable access to CHD diagnostics and improving patient health outcomes while reducing healthcare expenditure is possible.” While PrecisionCHD aids in diagnosing CHD, Cardio Diagnostics’ Epi+Gen CHD evaluates an individual’s genetic and epigenetics to predict their risk for a heart attack or sudden cardiac death associated with CHD. By leveraging the powerful personalized insights driven by the company’s groundbreaking epigenetic-genetic technology, the company can provide patient-specific epigenetic and genetic drivers of CHD to help guide preventive care that could potentially save lives. In peer-reviewed studies, Epi+Gen CHD was more cost-effective and sensitive for assessing heart attack risk when compared to standard lipid-based risk calculators. Specifically, in a validation study conducted with Intermountain Healthcare, Epi+Gen CHD was shown to be, on average, about twice as sensitive in detecting risk for a CHD event in women than lipid-based calculators. For employers, the financial burden of heart attacks includes direct costs related to diagnosing, managing and treating heart disease. Indirect costs include lost productivity due to employee absenteeism and short-term disability, which can indirectly cost employers about $1,119 per month for upwards of three years. Cardio Diagnostics’ technology can help employers better inform their benefits offerings by combining the ability to offer employees the advanced Epi+Gen CHD heart attack risk test with aggregated risk data. Cardio Diagnostics’ Employer Risk Intelligence platform provides employers and brokers with the first-of-its-kind cardiovascular employee population health intelligence backed by a clinical test and layered insights, completed in a compliant manner. As such, Epi+Gen CHD’s new reimbursement code could mean greater access to technology that enables a healthier workforce and significant savings in healthcare costs related to heart disease. “Cardio Diagnostics is committed to driving widespread adoption of our solutions, and obtaining a reimbursement code for Epi+Gen CHD is a critical milestone in our commercialization strategy and for gaining reimbursement from federal and private payers,” Dogan said. Cardio Diagnostics continues to lead the way in precision cardiovascular medicine, leveraging the power of AI and epigenetics to help prevent heart attacks. The company is committed to making heart disease risk assessment, detection and management more accessible, and it believes personalized and precise diagnostics are key to winning the fight against the leading cause of death in the United States. Cardio Diagnostics is an artificial intelligence-powered precision cardiovascular medicine company that makes cardiovascular disease prevention, detection, and management more accessible, personalized, and precise. The Company was formed to further develop and commercialize clinical tests by leveraging a proprietary Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven Integrated Genetic-Epigenetic Engine (“Core Technology”) for cardiovascular disease to become one of the leading medical technology companies for improving prevention, detection, and treatment of cardiovascular disease. For more information, please visit www.cardiodiagnosticsinc.com. Certain statements and information included in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words or phrases “will”, "will likely result," "expected to," "will continue," "anticipated," "estimate," "projected," "intend," “goal,” or similar expressions are intended to identify "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to certain risks, known and unknown, and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Such uncertainties and risks include but are not limited to, our ability to successfully execute our growth strategy, changes in laws or regulations, economic conditions, dependence on management, dilution to stockholders, lack of capital, the effects of rapid growth upon the Company and the ability of management to effectively respond to the growth and demand for products and services of the Company, newly developing technologies, the Company’s ability to compete, regulatory matters, protection of technology, the effects of competition and the ability of the Company to obtain future financing. An extensive list of factors that can affect future results are discussed in the Current Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2022 and Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2023, under the heading “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item IA thereof, and other documents filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such factors could materially adversely affect the Company's financial performance and could cause the Company's actual results for future periods to differ materially from any opinions or statements expressed within this press release. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Gene Mannheimer - Investor Relations +1 855-226-9991 investors@cardiodiagnosticsinc.com Company Website https://cardiodiagnosticsinc.com/

January 30, 2024 08:20 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Nature Medicine Publishes Updated Preliminary Phase 1 Data From Elicio Therapeutics' AMPLIFY-201 Phase 1 Solid Tumor Study Of ELI-002

Benzinga

By Jeremy Golden, Benzinga Colorectal cancer (CRC) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are the second and third leading causes of cancer death, respectively. Pancreatic and colorectal cancers are often Kirsten rat sarcoma (KRAS) mutated and are incurable when tumor DNA or protein persists or recurs after curative intent therapy. KRAS mutations are among the most prevalent human cancers. For these cancers, caused by a mutation of the KRAS gene, clinical-stage biotechnology company Elicio Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: ELTX) is developing a pipeline of novel immunotherapies for treatment. Founded in 2011, Elicio Therapeutics has developed an innovative pipeline of cancer immunotherapies addressing critical unmet needs. Three vaccine candidates are currently in Elicio Therapeutics’ pipeline: ELI-002, ELI-007 and ELI-008. Elicio’s lead clinical program, ELI-002, is a structurally novel investigational AMP therapeutic immunotherapy targeting mutant KRAS-driven cancers. It was designed to stimulate an immune response against the seven KRAS mutations driving 25% of solid tumors. ELI-002 2P has been studied in a phase 1 dose-escalation study in patients with high relapse risk mKRAS-driven solid tumors, following surgery and chemotherapy. After early findings from AMPLIFY-201 were released, ELI-002 was the subject of a publication in Nature Medicine. The paper — “ Lymph Node Targeted, mKRAS-specific Amphiphile Vaccine in Pancreatic and Colorectal Cancer: The phase 1 AMPLIFY-201 Trial ” — details expanded and updated results that point to the power of Elicio Therapeutics’ use of precision vaccines, immunomodulators and cell-based therapies to assemble cancer-killing immune responses against solid tumors. Originally presented at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting and the 2023 AACR Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer, the data detailed in the publication is as of September 6, 2023. It is based on 25 patients with solid tumors (20 pancreatic, 5 colorectal) who were positive for minimal residual mKRAS disease after locoregional treatment. “When tumor DNA or protein persists or recurs after treatment, patients with pancreatic and colorectal cancers are unfortunately not left with many options and are often incurable,” said study author Shubham Pant, M.D., Associate Professor of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. “These are promising early findings from the AMPLIFY-201 study with follow up ongoing. Most patients reduced their tumor biomarkers with some having complete clearance following treatment with ELI-002.” “The lymph node-targeted cancer vaccine candidate induced direct ex vivo mKRAS-specific T cell responses in 84% of patients, with 59% of patients demonstrating a response with two key types of T cells: helper cells and killer cells,” according to Christopher Haqq, M.D., Ph.D., Elicio’s Executive Vice President, Head of Research and Development, and Chief Medical Officer. “Past studies have not produced this large a fraction of patient response, this high a magnitude of a response or the expansion of both key populations of T cells,” he said. “Importantly, these T cell responses were specific to tumor-driver mutant KRAS neoantigens, correlated with reduced risk of relapse and we saw a pool of memory T cells form that we believe hold promise to confer long-term protection,” Haqq said. “We look forward to progressing ELI-002 into a randomized phase 2 trial as a monotherapy for patients with PDAC.” ELI-002 7P is currently being studied in AMPLIFY-7P, a phase 1/2 trial in patients with high relapse risk mKRAS-driven solid tumors. The ELI-002 7P formulation is designed to provide immune response coverage against seven of the most common KRAS mutations, thereby increasing the potential patient population for ELI-002 and possibly reducing the chance of bypass resistance mechanisms. Benzinga is a leading financial media and data provider, known for delivering accurate, timely, and actionable financial information to empower investors and traders. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

January 30, 2024 08:10 AM Eastern Standard Time

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New Task Force Sets Bold Goal of Achieving 60K Transplants by 2026

United Network for Organ Sharing

Today, the OPTN Expeditious Task Force announced a bold goal of achieving 60,000 successful, lifesaving deceased donor transplants annually in the U.S. by the end of 2026. That number represents a 58% increase in deceased donor transplants over the next three years. United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is the non-profit organization that contracts with the federal government to serve as the nation’s Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). The task force was created to pursue transformational changes across the nation’s organ donation and transplant system, increasing the number of lifesaving transplants, improving how donor organs are allocated, and increasing the use of all available organs. Members include transplant recipients, patient and donor family members, organ donation and transplant clinicians, community advocates and others, representing the many diverse perspectives of the national system. Twenty percent of task force members have no prior affiliation with the OPTN. “As the task force name implies, we need to move quicker, be more responsive, and deliver results for the patients we serve,” said Dianne LaPointe Rudow, DNP, president of the OPTN Board of Directors. “The reality is that while the number of transplants continues to grow, so does the non-use of available organs and allocations of organs out of the intended sequence of offers. Increasing transplantation to meet this bold aim is certainly a challenge. But we believe it is achievable with shared commitment to innovation and improvement in the organ allocation and placement process. Of course, any approach to boost the number of transplants must also uphold our commitment to provide all patients the best and most equitable access to receiving a transplant.” The need for improving efficiency is clear. In the case of kidneys, the most transplanted organ, the number of kidneys recovered from deceased donors increased by 56 percent between 2018 to 2023. Yet the number of kidney transplants only increased by 44 percent, meaning that approximately one quarter of kidneys recovered were not transplanted. The task force began benchmarking and goal setting with an assessment of the top 20 percent of transplant programs by growth in transplant volume across the country. These institutions represent what is possible for growth in organ transplant and provide invaluable insights and effective practices in pursuit of the task force’s bold goal of 60,000 transplants by 2026. The task force plans to conduct rapid, small-scale trials of innovative approaches to increase organ usage and placement efficiency. George Surratt, a member of the OPTN Board of Directors and a patient serving on the Expeditious Task Force, recognizes the effort as an opportunity to drive important changes. “We have the chance with this task force to make a real difference for patients,” Surratt said. “I’ve been the person waiting for that call from my doctor letting me know that an organ was available; that call is life-changing. So I’m excited that our work here today and going forward will ensure that more patients receive that all-important call and that the gifts of generous donors save even more lives. My fellow task force members and I are here with open minds, a willingness to embrace new approaches, and an understanding that the nation’s patients are the driving force behind this effort. It’s an exciting and inspiring time to be engaged in this work.” The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) supports the task force’s work, and both HRSA and the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) contractor continue to provide feedback and ideas to shape the aims and approaches the task force is considering. The task force has reviewed recommendations from many sources, including the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine’s (NASEM) 2022 report and the work of the OPTN Ad Hoc Committee on Systems Performance. It also has received and continues to receive input from a variety of stakeholders, including patients, donor families, advocates, medical professionals and transplant leaders. As the task force develops actionable recommendations for new initiatives, it will remain engaged with stakeholders and the general public to guide its critical work. About UNOS United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is a non-profit, charitable organization that serves as the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) under contract with the federal government. The OPTN helps create and define organ allocation and distribution policies that make the best use of donated organs. This process involves continuously evaluating new advances and discoveries so policies can be adapted to best serve patients waiting for transplants. All transplant programs and organ procurement organizations throughout the country are OPTN members and are obligated to follow the policies the OPTN creates for allocating organs. Contact Details Anne Paschke +1 804-782-4730 anne.paschke@unos.org Company Website https://unos.org

January 26, 2024 11:17 AM Eastern Standard Time

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InMed Pharmaceuticals Has Multiple Milestones Coming Up In 2024, With A Focus On Three Conditions With An Unmet Need

Benzinga

By Meg Flippin, Benzinga Cannabinoids are having a moment in treating everything from Alzheimer’s to ocular diseases and InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: INM) seems to be at the center of it all. The leader in cannabinoids and cannabinoid analogs pharmaceutical research, development, manufacturing and commercialization hit key milestones in advancing its cannabinoids-based treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and epidermolysis bullosa in 2023 with more inroads to come in 2024. Take Alzehimer’s for starters. The disease is a big and growing problem afflicting about 6.7 million people 65 and older in the U.S. By 2060 it’s projected that 14 million people in the U.S. will suffer from the degenerative neurological disease. Treatments exist to address the symptoms related to memory and cognitive function and in some instances slow the rate of cognitive decline, but none have been able to reverse disease effects. Making An Impact InMed hopes to change that with INM-901, a rare cannabinoid analog the company says has the potential to target several biological pathways associated with Alzheimer’s. Previous industry research has shown cannabinoids hold promise in not only slowing the progress of Alzheimer’s but potentially reversing its effects thanks to their neuroprotective and regenerative properties. InMed’s data from preclinical i n vivo studies released last year showed INM-901 improved cognitive function and memory, locomotor activity, anxiety-based behavior, sound awareness and neuronal function. INM-901 also displayed neuroprotective effects by reducing cell death in an amyloid-beta-induced cytotoxicity study. To further evaluate INM-901 in 2024, InMed has initiated longer-term, six-month preclinical studies in behavior models. At the same time, the company is gearing up to launch more advanced preclinical studies, encompassing drug distribution, metabolism, active pharmaceutical ingredients and drug product formulation/manufacturing. Cannabinoids Can Protect Eyes Another big disease InMed is going after is age-related macular degeneration or AMD, which is a common cause of vision loss and potential blindness in people over 50. Based on 2019 estimates, AMD afflicts 19.8 million people or 12.6% of Americans 40 and up. Globally it affects 35% of people 74 and older. As it stands, there is no cure for AMD although treatment can prevent or slow the progression of the disease. Left unchecked patients may lose central field vision in the affected eye within 24 months of disease onset. INM-089, InMed’s ocular program for AMD launched in November is showing promise in changing that. Preclinical studies showed the potential for the drug to preserve retinal function, proactively protect the retinal cells that are responsible for vision and enhance the thickness of the outer nuclear layer of the retina where photoreceptors are situated, InMed said. Coming off those positive results, InMed is engaged in advanced preclinical studies and drug product formulation work, and it plans to launch Investigational New Drug studies in mid-2024. The goal is to file an Investigational New Drug application with regulatory authorities in the first half of 2025. “As we embark on 2024, we are placing increased emphasis on proprietary small molecule drug development candidates in our pharmaceutical pipeline with two exciting new programs addressing critical unmet medical needs,” said InMed CEO Eric A. Adams. “Our focus on developing proprietary cannabinoid analogs over the past two years has started to pay dividends, evident in their utilization in these two new preclinical programs.” Dermatology Program Additionally, last year, the company successfully completed a phase 2 clinical trial in the treatment of epidermolysis bullosa or EB, a rare genetic skin disease marked by fragile skin that can lead to extensive blistering and wounding. Data from a phase 2 clinical trial of INM-755 showed a positive indication of enhanced anti-itch activity for INM-755 cannabinol cream versus the control cream alone, warranting further development. InMed thinks INM-755 holds promise for further advancement in the treatment of chronic itch and other related ailments and is currently seeking partnerships for continued development. Supplier To All In addition to developing its own treatments, InMed is a key supplier of rare cannabinoids as ingredients to the health and wellness market. The company’s BayMedica unit focuses on being a low-cost/high-quality manufacturer of certain non-psychoactive rare cannabinoids and an ingredients supplier to brands within the health and wellness industry. In 2023, the company said the unit experienced “significant” year-over-year revenue growth, and it is making moves to capitalize on revenue-generating opportunities in 2024. To that end, BayMedica is embracing a distributor model to expand coverage across the U.S. InMed is betting consumer brands will use more rare cannabinoid ingredients in 2024 – and InMed will be ready to provide them. “BayMedica continues to drive robust year-over-year revenue growth. The foreseeable future looks promising for the health and wellness segment as demand for minor cannabinoid ingredients continues to gain momentum,” said Adams. Cannabinoids hold promise to treat and potentially cure several diseases. InMed seems to be at the forefront of these groundbreaking advances. If 2023 is any indication, investors may want to watch for more milestones out of InMed this year and beyond. Benzinga is a leading financial media and data provider, known for delivering accurate, timely, and actionable financial information to empower investors and traders. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

January 26, 2024 08:40 AM Eastern Standard Time

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A peer reviewed article on Kadimastem's AstroRx® Cryopreserved off the Shelf Cell Product for the Treatment of ALS was Published in the Journal of Clinical Toxicology

Kadimastem

Ness Ziona, Israel, January 25 th 2024, Kadimastem (TASE: KDST), a well-known biotech company in the field of cellular therapy, which is in the clinical development stages of innovative products for the treatment of ALS and diabetes, announced today the publication of the peer-reviewed prestigious journal of Clinical Toxicology. The article describes the development and safety of the new off the shelf cryopreserved AstroRx cell product in toxicity studies. Intrathecal injection of both low dose of DMSO (vehicle control) used for cryopreservation of human astrocytes and the cryopreserved AstroRx® cell product demonstrated high safety profile in mice. Link to the article. The article details the important milestone achieved by the company in the development of cryopreserved AstroRx® off the shelf cell product that will be thawed and injected near the patient's bedside. The development of a cryopreserved cell therapy product would allow the completion of more accurate and longer sterility testing, the completion of potency results, simplify the process of manufacturing scaling, enable long term storage and transport and facilitate timing of therapy delivery to the patient. The Cryopreserved product will help secure the clinical objectives of the upcoming IND approved phase IIa clinical trial in 30 ALS patients. Kadimastem's AstroRx® cell product is an allogeneic cell-based product composed of healthy and functional human astrocytes derived from embryonic stem cells. AstroRx® acts through multiple mechanisms of action that increase the survival of neurons, such as removal of toxic excessive glutamate, reduce oxidative stress, secrete various neuroprotective factors, and act as an immunomodulator. Dr. Michal Izrael, Kadimastem's VP R&D says: “The new formulation of cryopreserved of the shelf AstroRx® cell product (“thaw and inject”) is of great importance for product commercialization as well as to the success of our upcoming phase II clinical study, as it permits coordination of cell administration with patient care and completion of safety and quality control testing before cell administration.” Asaf Shiloni, Kadimastem’s CEO says: “We would like to thank Kadimastem's dedicated team for achieving this significant milestone. We are very excited to move towards our next Phase IIa clinical study approved by the FDA, with the new off-the-shelf AstroRx® cell product which will be tested using repeated intrathecal injections of AstroRx® in ALS patients.” About Kadimastem Kadimastem is a clinical stage cell therapy company, developing and manufacturing "off-the-shelf", allogeneic, proprietary cell products based on its technology platform for the expansion and differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESCs) into functional cells. AstroRx®, the company's lead product, is an astrocyte cell therapy in clinical development for the treatment for ALS and in pre-clinical studies for other neurodegenerative indications. IsletRx is the company's treatment for diabetes. IsletRx is comprised of functional, insulin and glucagon producing and releasing pancreatic islet cells, intended to treat and potentially cure patients with insulin-dependent diabetes. Kadimastem was founded by Professor Michel Revel, CSO of the company and Professor Emeritus of Molecular Genetics at the Weizmann Institute of Science. Professor Revel received the Israel Prize for the invention and development of Rebif®, a multiple sclerosis blockbuster drug sold worldwide. Kadimastem is traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE: KDST). Forward Looking Statement This document may include forward-looking information as defined in the Securities Law, 5728 – 1968. Forward-looking information is uncertain and mostly is not under the Company's control and the realization or non-realization of forward-looking information will be affected, among other things, by the risk factors characterizing the Company's activity, as well as developments in the general environment and external factors affecting the Company's activity. The Company's results and achievements in the future may differ materially from any presented herein and the Company makes no undertaking to update or revise such projection or estimate and does not undertake to update this document. This document does not constitute a proposal to purchase the Company's securities or an invitation to receive such offers. Investment in securities in general and in the Company in particular bears risks. One should consider that past performance does not necessarily indicate performance in the future. Social Media: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Contact Details Asaf Shiloni CEO s.bazak@kadimastem.com Company Website https://www.kadimastem.com/

January 25, 2024 08:24 AM Eastern Standard Time

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