Monthly Archives: June 2022

image:Sandra Encalada, PhD, of Scripps Research, was awarded $4.1 million from the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), for research into how prion diseases kill brain cells. view more

Credit: Scripps Research

LA JOLLA, CASandra Encalada, PhD, of Scripps Research, was awarded $4.1 million from the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), for research into how prion diseases kill brain cells. Some prion diseases, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), can arise sporadically or from an inherited mutation in the prion protein. In other cases, prion diseases can be transmissible between animals orin even more rare instancesinfect people who eat contaminated meat. Whatever the underlying cause, prion diseases lead to dementia and eventually death, as misfolded prion proteins spread through the brain, killing neurons.

There is a lot of importance to understanding prion diseases even though they are relatively rare, says Encalada, who is the Arlene and Arnold Goldstein Associate Professor of Molecular Medicine. Were very excited that this grant will allow us the opportunity to build off our previous work to not only lead to treatments for prion diseases, but to a better understanding of other neurodegenerative diseases that progress through the brain in similar ways.

Neurons in the brain typically have central cell bodies with a long tentacle-like protrusion called the axon. Researchers know that axonswhich are responsible for transmitting signals to neighboring cellsare especially vulnerable to neurodegeneration. In prion diseases, an early sign that a cell is affected is the development of characteristic clumps of swelling along the axon, like beads along a string.

A big question in the field has been what is so different about the axon than the rest of the neuron that makes this happen, and how can we stop it, says Encalada.

Last year, in studies using isolated mouse brain cells, her team made new headway into answering this question. They discovered key molecular pathways that move misfolded prion proteins into the axons of cells. They also showed that normal cellular waste disposal mechanisms were less effective in the axons, and so the prions accumulated into toxic masses dubbed endoggresomes.

With the new grant, Encalada and her colleagues plan to continue testing the relevance of these molecular pathways to various forms of prion diseases. They will move from studies in isolated cells to mice with inherited mutations in the prion protein that make them prone to disease. In a collaboration with Christina Sigurdson, DVM, PhD, of UC San Diego, they will also probe whether infectious prion diseasessuch as scrapie, which affects sheepimpact the axons of cells in the same ways. And with Uri Manor, PhD, of the Salk Institute, they will use high-resolution microscopy to assemble more detailed pictures of the three-dimensional structure of endoggresomes.

Understanding these very basic pathways can shed a lot of light on how we can target misfolded prion proteins with therapeutics, says Encalada.

She also points out that, although other neurodegenerative diseases dont directly involve the misfolding of prion proteins, the same defects in clearing molecular waste and aggregates from brain cells may contribute to diseases including Alzheimers, Parkinsons and Huntingtons diseases.

The grant, 1R01AG076745-01, will span five years.

About Scripps Research

Scripps Research is an independent, nonprofit biomedical institute ranked the most influential in the world for its impact on innovation by Nature Index. We are advancing human health through profound discoveries that address pressing medical concerns around the globe. Our drug discovery and development division, Calibr, works hand-in-hand with scientists across disciplines to bring new medicines to patients as quickly and efficiently as possible, while teams at Scripps Research Translational Institute harness genomics, digital medicine and cutting-edge informatics to understand individual health and render more effective healthcare. Scripps Research also trains the next generation of leading scientists at our Skaggs Graduate School, consistently named among the top 10 US programs for chemistry and biological sciences. Learn more atwww.scripps.edu.

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Scripps Research receives $4.1 million from NIH grant to advance studies on prion diseases - EurekAlert

image:The ARDD Meeting 2022 will be hosted on August 29 - September 2, 2022 view more

Credit: Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Limited

May 30, 2022 -- Ian David Hickson, Ph.D., will present the latest research on the topic Chromosome instability as a driver of human disease at the world's largest annual Aging Research and Drug Discovery conference (9th ARDD). Dr. Hickson is the Director at the Center for Chromosome Stability, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, the University of Copenhagen.

Research in the Hickson laboratory has deciphered mechanisms for how genome instability can drive cancer development and has led to the development of novel therapeutic strategies to target difficult-to-treat cancers. While working in the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, he focused on the cancer predisposition disorder, Blooms syndrome, using it as a model to define the molecular basis of tumorigenesis.

After moving to the University of Copenhagen, amongst many discoveries, he identified a pathway named MiDAS, which questioned the long-held view that genome duplication can only take place in S-phase by revealing that DNA synthesis occurs in mitosis following replication stress. These findings have opened new therapeutic avenues for targeting cancer. In 2013/14, he received both an ERC Advanced Grant and a Center of Excellence grant from Danmarks Grundforskningsfond to establish the Center for Chromosome Stability (CCS). His record of achievement has been recognized by his election to prestigious learned societies, including The Academy of Medical Sciences (UK), E.M.B.O. and The Royal Society (UK).

The conference proceedings of the ARDD are commonly published in peer-reviewed journals with the talks openly available at http://www.agingpharma.org. Please review the conference proceedings for 2019, 2020 and 2021https://www.aging-us.com/article/203859/text .

Aging is emerging as a druggable condition with multiple pharmaceuticals able to alter the pace of aging in model organisms. The ARDD brings together all levels of the field to discuss the most pressing obstacles in our attempt to find efficacious interventions and molecules to target aging. The 2022 conference is the best yet with top level speakers from around the globe. Im extremely excited to be able to meet them in person at the University of Copenhagen in late summer. said Morten Scheibye-Knudsen, MD, Ph.D., University of Copenhagen.

Aging research is growing faster than ever on both academia and industry fronts. The ARDD meeting unites experts from different fields and backgrounds, sharing with us their latest groundbreaking research and developments. Our last ARDD meeting took place both offline and online, and it was a great success. I am particularly excited that being a part of the ARDD2022 meeting will provide an amazing opportunity for young scientists presenting their own work as well as meeting the experts in the field. said Daniela Bakula, Ph.D., University of Copenhagen.

Many credible biopharmaceutical companies are now prioritized aging research for early-stage discovery or therapeutic pipeline development. It is only logical to prioritize therapeutic targets that are important in both aging and age-associated diseases. The patient benefits either way. The best place to learn about these targets is ARDD, which we organize for nine years in a row. This conference is now the largest in the field and is not to be missed, said Alex Zhavoronkov, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine and Deep Longevity.

Building on the success of the ARDD conferences, the organizers developed the Longevity Medicine course series with some of the courses offered free of charge at Longevity.Degree covered in the recent Lanced Healthy Longevity paper titled Longevity medicine: upskilling the physicians of tomorrow.

About Aging Research for Drug Discovery Conference

At ARDD, leaders in the aging, longevity, and drug discovery field will describe the latest progress in the molecular, cellular and organismal basis of aging and the search for interventions. Furthermore, the meeting will include opinion leaders in AI to discuss the latest advances of this technology in the biopharmaceutical sector and how this can be applied to interventions. Notably, this year we are expanding with a workshop specifically for physicians where the leading-edge knowledge of clinical interventions for healthy longevity will be described. ARRD intends to bridge clinical, academic and commercial research and foster collaborations that will result in practical solutions to one of humanity's most challenging problems: aging. Our quest? To extend the healthy lifespan of everyone on the planet.

About Scheibye-Knudsen Lab

In the Scheibye-Knudsen lab we use in silico, in vitro and in vivo models to understand the cellular and organismal consequences of DNA damage with the aim of developing interventions. We have discovered that DNA damage leads to changes in certain metabolites and that replenishment of these molecules may alter the rate of aging in model organisms. These findings suggest that normal aging and age-associated diseases may be malleable to similar interventions. The hope is to develop interventions that will allow everyone to live healthier, happier and more productive lives.

About Deep Longevity

Deep Longevity has been acquired by Edurance RP (SEHK:0575.HK), a publicly-traded company. Deep Longevity is developing explainable artificial intelligence systems to track the rate of aging at the molecular, cellular, tissue, organ, system, physiological, and psychological levels. It is also developing systems for the emerging field of longevity medicine enabling physicians to make better decisions on the interventions that may slow down, or reverse the aging processes. Deep Longevity developed Longevity as a Service (LaaS) solution to integrate multiple deep biomarkers of aging dubbed "deep aging clocks" to provide a universal multifactorial measure of human biological age. Originally incubated by Insilico Medicine, Deep Longevity started its independent journey in 2020 after securing a round of funding from the most credible venture capitalists specializing in biotechnology, longevity, and artificial intelligence. ETP Ventures, Human Longevity and Performance Impact Venture Fund, BOLD Capital Partners, Longevity Vision Fund, LongeVC, co-founder of Oculus, Michael Antonov, and other expert AI and biotechnology investors supported the company. Deep Longevity established a research partnership with one of the most prominent longevity organizations, Human Longevity, Inc. to provide a range of aging clocks to the network of advanced physicians and researchers. https://longevity.ai/

About Endurance RP (SEHK:0575.HK)

Endurance RP is a diversified investment group based in Hong Kong currently holding various corporate and strategic investments focusing on the healthcare, wellness and life sciences sectors. The Group has a strong track record of investments and has returned approximately US$298 million to shareholders in the 21 years of financial reporting since its initial public offering. https://www.endurancerp.com/

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Ian David Hickson to present at the 9th Aging Research & Drug Discovery Meeting 2022 - EurekAlert

SACRAMENTO Governor GavinNewsom today announcedthe following appointments:

Valerie Davis, 38, of Arroyo Grande, has been appointed Medical Director at Atascadero State Hospital, where she has been acting Medical Director since 2022, a psychiatrist since 2016 and Department of Psychiatry Chair at Atascadero State Hospital from 2021 to 2022. Davis has been a psychiatrist and the Chief Executive Officer at Valerie Davis MD PC since 2014. She was a psychiatrist at South Coast Psychiatry from 2014 to 2016. Davis was a psychiatrist at Telecare STEPS from 2014 to 2015. She was Resident Physician at the University of California Los Angeles from 2010 to 2014. Davis is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Delta Chapter and the American Psychiatric Association. She earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $400,728. Davis is a Democrat.

Luzmin Inderias, 64, of Loma Linda, has been appointed Chief of Primary Care Services at Patton State Hospital, where she has held several positions since 2008 including, Staff Physician, Acting Chief Physician and Chief Physician and Surgeon. Inderias was a Staff Internist at Southern California Kaiser Permanente from 2005 to 2008. She is Fellow of the American College of Physicians, a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and a member of the American Medical Association. Inderias earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from southwestern University, Matias H. Aznar Memorial, School of Medicine. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $308,976. Inderias is a Democrat.

Zakaria Boshra, 72, of Downey, has been appointed Chief of Primary Care Services at Metropolitan State Hospital, where he has served as Chief Physician and Surgeon since 2008. Boshra was a Physician Specialist at Hubert H. Humphrey Comprehensive Care Center from 2003 to 2008. He was the Family Medicine Residency Program Director at the Drew University of California Las Angeles from 1995 to 2003. Boshra is a member of the American Medical Association. He earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from Assiut School of Medicine, Egypt. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $339,876. Boshra is a Republican.

Oliver Fiehn, 55, of Davis, has been reappointed to the Biomonitoring California Scientific Guidance Panel, where he has served since 2013. Fiehn has served in several positions at the University of California, Davis since 2004, including Professor and Associate Professor of Metabolomics, Director of the Genome Center and Faculty Lead at the Metabolomics Core in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. He was a Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology from 1998 to 2004 and a Visiting Research Scientist at the University of Washington in 1999. Fiehn was a Research Scientist at the Technical University of Berlin, Department of Water Quality Control from 1994 to 1997. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in analytical toxicology from the Technical University of Berlin and a Master of Science degree in analytical chemistry from the Free University of Berlin. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Fiehn is not registered to vote.

Penelope Quintana, 63, of Solana Beach, has been reappointed to the Biomonitoring California Scientific Guidance Panel, where she has served since 2013. Quintana has been a Professor of Public Health in the division of Environmental Health at the San Diego State University School of Public Health since 2014, where she has held several positions since 1995, including Graduate Advisor for the Master of Public Health and Global Health Doctor of Philosophy degree programs and Associate and Assistant Professor. She was an Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia from 1992 to 1994 and a Staff Scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratorys Indoor Environment Program from 1991 to 1992. She is a member of the International Society of Exposure Science, Southwest Utah Wilderness Association, Sierra Club and ACLU. Quintana earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in environmental health sciences from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Public Health degree in occupational and environmental health from San Diego State University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Quintana is a Democrat.

Jose Suarez, 43, of Encinitas, has been reappointed to the Biomonitoring California Scientific Guidance Panel, where he has served since 2017. Suarez has been an Associate Professor at the University of California, San Diego since 2020, where he was an Assistant Professor from 2013 to 2020. He was a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Minnesota from 2010 to 2013, where he was a Research Assistant from 2006 to 2013. He is a member of the International Society for Childrens Health and the Environment and the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology. Suarez earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of San Francisco, Quito and Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Public Health degrees in epidemiology from the University of Minnesota. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Suarez is a Democrat.

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Governor Newsom Announces Appointments | California Governor - Office of Governor Gavin Newsom

LEADER Trial Will Use Results from Foundation Medicines Comprehensive Genomic Profiling Tests to Screen for Actionable Driver Mutations to Inform Trial Enrollment and Targeted Therapy Options for Patients

New Trial in Progress Abstract at 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting Details LEADERs Primary Objective to Determine the Proportion of Patients Possessing Actionable Oncogenic Drivers to Enable Treatment Decisions

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Foundation Medicine, Inc., a pioneer in molecular profiling for cancer, today announced its participation in a neoadjuvant screening trial in partnership with the Lung Cancer Research Foundation (LCRF) and Lung Cancer Mutation Consortium (LCMC). This screening trial, entitled LCMC4 Evaluation of Actionable Drivers in EaRly Stage Lung Cancer (LEADER), is the fourth study conducted through the LCMC and is a collaborative effort involving numerous academic study sites and pharmaceutical supporters. Foundation Medicine will be the sole provider of comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) in the LEADER trial, which will utilize both of Foundation Medicines FDA-approved CGP tests: the tissue-based FoundationOneCDx and the blood-based FoundationOneLiquid CDx.

The LEADER trial is utilizing an umbrella trial design to screen for 11 actionable driver mutations in 1,000 patients with high-risk, resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These patients are candidates for neoadjuvant therapy, which is treatment given as a first step to shrink a tumor before the main treatment, often surgery. By identifying patients with biomarker-positive tumors for enrollment to several matched therapeutic trials, the LEADER trial aims to develop essential data that can be used to support oncologists in their personalized treatment planning for cancer patients prior to such patients undergoing surgery.

The neoadjuvant setting is a rapidly evolving space for the development of precision treatment options in lung cancer. Enabling trials in this setting will continue to help us understand the impact of targeted therapies in the curative treatment of NSCLC, says Dr. Geoff Oxnard, Foundation Medicines VP, Head of Clinical Development. At Foundation Medicine, we are committed to being an engaged collaborator in the pivotal research needed to shape the future of cancer care for patients at all stages, so that patients can get on the right therapy at the right time for their specific cancer.

The results from both FoundationOne CDx and FoundationOne LiquidCDx will be used by LEADER trial sites to screen patients for actionable driver mutations. While circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) shed is often lower in early disease, the goal of using both tests in the LEADER trial is to help researchers understand how blood-based CGP testing can complement tissue-based CGP testing to inform targeted treatment in resectable NSCLC.

In the past two years, the FDA has granted approvals for the first tyrosine kinase inhibitor and checkpoint inhibitor, respectively, for the adjuvant treatment of resected NSCLC, each requiring testing for precision biomarkers. The FDA has also recently granted approval for neoadjuvant immunotherapy for resectable NSCLC, as well as the first-and-only immunotherapy-based treatment for neoadjuvant use in NSCLC, reinforcing the value of targeted therapies as a component of curative lung cancer. These FDA approvals could better position early-stage NSCLC patients, like those who are enrolled in the LEADER trial, to become potential candidates for these personalized treatment approaches.

The LEADER trial is now open to enrollment and will include participation from trial sites and investigators across the oncology community, including MD Anderson Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Yale Cancer Center/Smilow Cancer Hospital and many others.

In a new Trial in Progress abstract being presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2022 Annual Meeting from June 3-7, Boris Sepesi, M.D., associate professor of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and principal investigator of the LEADER Trial, and Mark Kris, M.D., Attending Physician, Thoracic Oncology Service, Department of Medicine at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center will detail LEADERs primary objective of determining the proportion of resectable NSCLC patients within the trial who possess actionable oncogenic drivers. Results from Foundation Medicine CGP testing will inform the LEADER trial sites on their selection of neoadjuvant therapy and enrollment onto independent therapeutic trials with genomically matched neoadjuvant treatment, standard therapies or other trials if no driver is detected. Read more on ASCO.org, and visit Foundation Medicine at Booth #13019 to learn more. Follow along on Twitter and LinkedIn for more details about Foundation Medicines data being presented at ASCO22.

About Foundation Medicine: Your Essential Partner in Cancer Care

Foundation Medicine is a pioneer in molecular profiling for cancer, working to shape the future of clinical care and research. We collaborate with a broad range of partners across the cancer community and strive to set the standard for quality, scientific excellence, and regulatory leadership. Our deep understanding of cancer biology helps physicians make informed treatment decisions for their patients and empowers researchers to develop new medicines. Every day, we are driven to help our partners find answers and take action, enabling more people around the world to benefit from precision cancer care. For more information, please visit us on http://www.FoundationMedicine.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About FoundationOneCDx

FoundationOne CDx is a next-generation sequencing based in vitro diagnostic device for detection of substitutions, insertion and deletion alterations (indels), and copy number alterations (CNAs) in 324 genes and select gene rearrangements, as well as genomic signatures including microsatellite instability (MSI) and tumor mutational burden (TMB) using DNA isolated from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor tissue specimens. FoundationOne CDx is for prescription use only and is intended as a companion diagnostic to identify patients who may benefit from treatment with certain targeted therapies in accordance with their approved therapeutic product labeling. Additionally, FoundationOne CDx is intended to provide tumor mutation profiling to be used by qualified health care professionals in accordance with professional guidelines in oncology for patients with solid malignant neoplasms. Use of the test does not guarantee a patient will be matched to a treatment. A negative result does not rule out the presence of an alteration. Some patients may require a biopsy. For a full list of targeted therapies for which FoundationOne CDx is indicated as a companion diagnostic, please visit http://www.foundationmedicine.com/genomic-testing/foundation-one-cdx.

About FoundationOneLiquid CDx

FoundationOne Liquid CDx is a qualitative next generation sequencing based in vitro diagnostic test for prescription use only that uses targeted high throughput hybridization-based capture technology to analyze 324 genes utilizing circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) isolated from plasma derived from anti-coagulated peripheral whole blood of advanced cancer patients. The test is FDA-approved to report short variants in over 300 genes and is a companion diagnostic to identify patients who may benefit from treatment with specific therapies (listed in Table 1 of the Intended Use) in accordance with the approved therapeutic product labeling. Additional genomic findings may be reported and are not prescriptive or conclusive for labeled use of any specific therapeutic product. Use of the test does not guarantee a patient will be matched to a treatment. A negative result does not rule out the presence of an alteration. Patients who are negative for companion diagnostic mutations should be reflexed to tumor tissue testing and mutation status confirmed using an FDA-approved tumor tissue test, if feasible. For the complete label, including companion diagnostic indications and complete risk information, please visit http://www.F1LCDxLabel.com.

Foundation Medicine and FoundationOne are registered trademarks of Foundation Medicine, Inc.

Source: Foundation Medicine

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Foundation Medicine Partners with Lung Cancer Research Foundation and the Lung Cancer Mutation Consortium on Screening Trial to Enable Precision...

Collaboration will comprehensively profile DNA, RNA and proteins on patient samples from the Phase 2 Maverick trial to understand mechanisms of disease response and resistance

IRVING, Texas and SAN DIEGO, June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --Caris Life Sciences(Caris), the leading molecular science and technology company actively developing and delivering innovative solutions to revolutionize healthcare, the Prostate Cancer Clinical Trial Consortium (PCCTC) and Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: SRNE), a clinical and commercial stage biopharmaceutical company developing new therapies to treat cancer, pain (non-opioid treatments), autoimmune disease and COVID-19, today announced a strategic collaboration to guide more precise treatment decisions for patients with advanced prostate cancer.

"The vast majority of men with prostate cancer do not have their tumors molecularly profiled, in part because of the limited targeted therapy options available for this disease," said Brian Lamon, Ph.D., Chief Business Officer at Caris Life Sciences. "We are very pleased to partner with the PCCTC to leverage our industry-leading precision medicine technologies and maximize the potential of molecular learnings from Sorrento's Maverick trial to positively impact the future of cancer treatments and drive better outcomes for patients with prostate cancer."

The PCCTC was formed to address critically unmet needs in prostate cancer, with a mission to design, implement and complete early-phase process driven clinical trials and translate scientific discoveries to improved standards of care. The Phase 2 Maverick trial

(ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05361915) is sponsored by Sorrento and managed by the PCCTC. Utilizing Caris' unique MI Profile, PCCTC investigators will profile whole exome DNA, whole transcriptome RNA, and proteins from samples collected from participants enrolled in the trial, creating a molecular blueprint to better understand mechanisms of response and resistance following therapy.

Maverick investigator Rana R. McKay, M.D. of the University of California San Diego (UCSD) noted, "This study is the first biomarker clinical trial for patients with the HSD3B1 adrenal-permissive genotype in men with metastatic castration resistant prostate. A growing wave of data demonstrates that such patients exhibit resistance to hormonal treatment. This study tests the efficacy and safety of avibertinib plus abiraterone in this vulnerable patient population." UCSD is one of 67 member sites of the Caris Precision Oncology Alliance, a growing network of leading cancer centers across the globe that collaborate to advance precision oncology and biomarker-driven research.

"We are excited to partner with Caris and utilize their next generation sequencing platform and data analytics capabilities to evaluate treatment response and resistance patterns in this study," added Jake Vinson, Chief Executive Officer at the PCCTC. "Through this collaboration, we hope to gain knowledge to better guide treatment options for future clinical trial participants, and ultimately all patients with prostate cancer."

Since the launch of its molecular profiling service in 2009, Caris has amassedmolecular dataon more than 378,000 patients and real-world clinical outcomes on more than 275,000 patients. Caris has the most advanced sequencing laboratories in the world, which allows the company to perform whole exome DNA sequencing and whole transcriptome RNA sequencing on every patient. Caris' data-driven, molecular insights are changing the landscape of precision medicine with actionable insights from retrospective, epidemiologic and real-time molecular data to enhance research and commercial activities.

About Caris Life Sciences Caris Life Sciences(Caris) is the leading molecular science and technology company actively developing and delivering innovative solutions to revolutionize healthcare and improve patient outcomes. Through comprehensive molecular profiling (Whole Exome and Whole Transcriptome Sequencing) and the application of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms, Caris has created the large-scale clinico-genomic database and cognitive computing needed to analyze and unravel the molecular complexity of disease. This information provides an unmatched resource and the ideal path forward to conduct the basic, fundamental research to accelerate discovery for detection, diagnosis, monitoring, therapy selection and drug development to improve the human condition.

With a primary focus on cancer, Caris' suite of market-leading molecular profiling offerings assesses DNA, RNA and proteins to reveal a molecular blueprint that helps patients, physicians and researchers better detect, diagnose and treat patients. Caris' latest advancement, which is currently available within its Precision Oncology Alliance, is a blood-based, circulating nucleic acids sequencing (cNAS) assay that combines comprehensive molecular analysis (Whole Exome and Whole Transcriptome Sequencing from blood) and serial monitoring making it the most powerful liquid biopsy assay ever developed.

Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Caris has offices in Phoenix, New York, Denver, Tokyo, Japan and Basel, Switzerland. Caris provides services throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia and other international markets. To learn more, please visitCarisLifeSciences.comor follow us on Twitter (@CarisLS).

About The Prostate Cancer Clinical Trial ConsortiumThe Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials Consortium (PCCTC) was initiated in 2005 by the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Prostate Cancer Research Program (PCRP) in response to critically unmet needs in prostate cancer clinical research identified by physician investigators and patient advocates. To fulfill their mission, the PCCTC developed a unique infrastructure which has fostered a culture of transparent project co-development between investigators, research sites and industry partners. Established as an independent entity in 2014, the PCCTC, LLC is now the nation's premier multicenter clinical research organization specializing in cutting-edge prostate cancer research. Through the collaborative nature and intellectual synergy of its leadership, the PCCTC remains poised to make a significant impact on the lives of patients by keeping the pipeline primed with the most promising novel agents and validated biomarkers. For more information, visit http://www.pcctc.org.

About Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.Sorrento is a clinical and commercial stage biopharmaceutical company developing new therapies to treat cancer, pain (non-opioid treatments), autoimmune disease and COVID-19. Sorrento's multimodal, multipronged approach to fighting cancer is made possible by its extensive immuno-oncology platforms, including key assets such as fully human antibodies ("G-MAB library"), immuno-cellular therapies ("DAR-T"), antibody-drug conjugates ("ADCs"), and oncolytic virus ("Seprehvec"). Sorrento is also developing potential antiviral therapies and vaccines against coronaviruses, including Abivertinib, COVISHIELD, and COVI-MSC; and diagnostic test solutions, including COVIMARK.

Sorrento's commitment to life-enhancing therapies for patients is also demonstrated by our effort to advance a first-in-class (TRPV1 agonist) non-opioid pain management small molecule, resiniferatoxin ("RTX"), and SP-102 (10 mg, dexamethasone sodium phosphate viscous gel) (SEMDEXA), a novel, viscous gel formulation of a widely used corticosteroid for epidural injections to treat lumbosacral radicular pain, or sciatica, and to commercialize ZTlido (lidocaine topical system) 1.8% for the treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). RTX has been cleared for a Phase II trial for intractable pain associated with cancer and a Phase II trial in osteoarthritis patients. Positive final results from the Phase III Pivotal Trial C.L.E.A.R. Program for SEMDEXA, its novel, non-opioid product for the treatment of lumbosacral radicular pain (sciatica), were announced in March 2022. ZTlido was approved by the FDA on February 28, 2018.

For more information, visit http://www.sorrentotherapeutics.com.

Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release and any statements made for and during any presentation or meeting contain forward-looking statements related to Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc., under the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the strategic collaboration and its potential ability to guide more precise treatment decisions and options for patients with prostate cancer, as well as statements regarding Sorrento's Phase 2 Maverick trial. Risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in our forward-looking statements, include, but are not limited to: risks related to Sorrento's technologies and prospects, including, but not limited to risks related to safety and efficacy for Sorrento's product candidates, including Abivertinib; clinical development risks, including risks in the progress, timing, cost, and results of clinical trials and product development programs; risk of difficulties or delays in obtaining regulatory approvals; risks that clinical study results may not meet any or all endpoints of a clinical study and that any data generated from such studies may not support a regulatory submission or approval; risks that prior test, study and trial results may not be replicated in continuing or future studies and trials; risks of manufacturing and supplying drug product; risks related to leveraging the expertise of its employees, subsidiaries, affiliates and partners to assist Sorrento in the execution of its product candidates' strategies; risks related to the global impact of COVID-19; and other risks that are described in Sorrento's most recent periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Sorrento's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 and subsequent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risk factors set forth in those filings. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement in this press release except as required by law.

Caris Life Sciences Media Contact:Lisa Burgner[emailprotected](469) 822-9330

Caris Life Sciences Business Development Contact:Brian Lamon, Ph.D.Chief Business Officer, Head of BioPharma Business Development[emailprotected] (609) 955-8883

Prostate Cancer Clinical Trial Cancer Consortium Contact:Kristofer Prepelica, Ph.D.Medical Communications Manager[emailprotected]

Sorrento Therapeutics ContactBrian Cooley[emailprotected]

Sorrento and the Sorrento logo are registered trademarks of Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.

G-MAB, DAR-T, Seprehvec, SOFUSA, COVISHIELD, COVIDROPS, COVI-MSC, COVIMARK and Fujovee are trademarks of Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.

SEMDEXA (SP-102) is a trademark of Semnur Pharmaceuticals, Inc. A proprietary name review by the FDA is planned.

ZTlido is a registered trademark owned by Scilex Pharmaceuticals Inc.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Caris Life Sciences

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Caris Life Sciences, Prostate Cancer Clinical Trial Consortium and Sorrento Therapeutics Announce Collaboration to Advance Precision Medicine...

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--From early detection to remote monitoring and data sharing, GE Healthcares innovative suite of diagnostic and treatment technologies are designed to help improve detection, clinical efficiency, operational efficiency, and outcomes for cancer patients.

GE Healthcare is collaborating with health systems to bring innovation in oncology to deliver better and more effective patient care and outcomes, said Catherine Estrampes, President & CEO, U.S. and Canada at GE Healthcare. Oncology treatments are rapidly evolving, making it difficult for clinical teams to adapt. Whether its the thousands of active clinical trials or the accelerating number of approved immunotherapies, clinical care providers need solutions that combine patient data from EMRs, imaging, biomarkers and other diagnostics with molecular profiling to enable the most informed care decisions.

Precision imaging is fundamental to determining the size, shape and characteristics of tumors and differentiating between healthy tissues. As a global leader in medical imaging solutions, GE Healthcare continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing precision medicine through collaborations with technology partners around the world.

At this years ASCO 2022 annual meeting, GE Healthcare will demonstrate how a collection of strategic partnerships and collaborations announced over the past year will help advance cancer care and offer medical practitioners the solutions, imaging tools and support they need to improve patient-centered care and advance the practice of precision medicine.

GE Healthcares innovative suite of predictive, prescriptive and precision oncology solutions helps support the delivery of more efficient, precise and personalized care across the cancer care continuum. Through our collaboration with other technology leaders, we can continue to elevate oncology innovation and help improve clinical, operational, and patient outcomes at every state and at every step of the care pathway, said Ben Newton, MD, General Manager for GE Healthcare Oncology Solutions.

Below are highlights from oncology announcements over the past year:

RaySearch: GE Healthcare has announced its agreement with RaySearch Laboratories AB (publ), a leading radiation oncology software provider, to develop a new radiation therapy simulation and treatment planning workflow solution, designed to simplify how radiation will be targeted to shrink a tumor. Together the companies aim to combine Stockholm-based RaySearchs advanced treatment planning systems with GE Healthcares leading multi-modality (CT/MR/molecular imaging) simulator systems to make cancer treatment faster and more precise. RaySearchs software is used by over 800 clinics in more than 40 countries.1

Elekta: GE Healthcare and Elekta (EKTA-B.ST) have signed a global commercial collaboration agreement in the field of radiation oncology that enables the two companies to provide hospitals a comprehensive offering across imaging and treatment for cancer patients requiring radiation therapy. As many as 5060 percent of all cancer patients require radiation therapy2 which requires high quality imaging and sophisticated delivery equipment and software to precisely target tumors while sparing healthy tissue. Combining GE Healthcares imaging solutions with Elektas radiation therapy solutions will result in an even more compelling offering for hospitals, and ultimately their patients across both developed and developing markets.

Minerva: GE Healthcare and Minerva Imaging have signed a strategic partnership to accelerate precision medicine and targeted radionuclide therapy (Theranostics). Radionuclide therapy is a form of precision medicine where a radioactive substance is administered through the bloodstream to specifically target cancer cells and irradiate them with the aim of helping to reduce potential side effects compared to traditional cancer therapies. The partnership is designed to facilitate the success of Minerva Imagings growth plans by establishing capabilities for in-house production of isotopes and CDMO services for radiopharmaceuticals. Minerva Imaging will be using cutting-edge technology from GE Healthcare to optimize new radiopharmaceuticals, including a cyclotron a type of particle accelerator used to produce isotopes.

University of Cambridge: The University of Cambridge, Cambridge University Hospitals including Addenbrooke's Hospital, and GE Healthcare have agreed to collaborate on developing an application aiming to improve cancer care, with Cambridge providing clinical expertise and data to support GE Healthcares development and evaluation of an AI-enhanced application that will integrate cancer patient data from multiple sources into a single interface. The collaboration also supports the further development and integration of AI/Machine Learning pipelines that are already in development at the University of Cambridge. Building on research supported by The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research and Cancer Research UK, the collaboration aims to address the problems of fragmented or siloed data and disconnected patient information, which is challenging for clinicians to manage effectively and can prevent cancer patients receiving optimal treatment.

Optellum: GE Healthcare and Optellum are working together to address one of the largest challenges in the diagnosis of lung cancer - helping providers determine the malignancy of a lung nodule, a suspicious lesion that may be benign or cancerous. Optellum is a leader in AI decision support for the early diagnosis and optimal treatment of lung cancer, and their Virtual Nodule Clinic can help clinicians identify at-risk patients and assess the likelihood of malignancy in a lung nodule through a radiomics score - which is key to determining whether biopsy is necessary and accelerating overall diagnosis. Virtual Nodule Clinic is the only FDA-cleared AI-assisted diagnosis software for early-stage lung cancer3 - enabling clinicians to make optimal management decisions for patients with lung nodules.

Vysioneer VBrain: GE Healthcare is collaborating with Vysioneer to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) towards cancer care. Vysioneers FDA-cleared VBrain solution is an auto-contouring system that applies auto-contouring to the three most common types of brain tumors: brain metastasis, meningioma and acoustic neuroma. VBrain allows for greater precision for radiotherapy treatment planning and is vendor-neutral - integrating with different treatment planning systems by supporting data routing to and from DICOM nodes within a hospital network.

Spectronic Medical Synthetic CT, MR[4] auto-segmentation: GE Healthcare announced plans to integrate Spectronic Medical ABs AI-based software to support more precise cancer treatment planning, providing an alternative to standard CT images in radiotherapy treatment planning. This AI solution and GE Healthcares advanced AIR Recon DL technology both offer deep learning solutions for the radiation therapy workflow. GE Healthcares AIR Recon DL is a deep learning image reconstruction technology that leverages raw data from the MR scanner to reduce image noise, enhance image quality and resolution, and shorten scan times, to provide high quality diagnostic images. Spectronic Medicals AI-based solution is designed to convert standard MR images acquired by the GE scanner into synthetic CT images, providing clinicians with the CT images required for treatment planning, while also having the MR soft tissue details to accurately target lesions and help improve patient outcomes.[5]

Mirada RTx: As a part of their strategic collaboration to improve outcomes for patients, GE Healthcare and Mirada Medical are focusing on advancing automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to enable faster, more consistent and more precise cancer radiotherapy treatment. To do so, the Mirada Medical RTx product has been integrated into the GE Healthcare AW Workstation and AW Server to enable enhanced cancer visualization and diagnostic capabilities. These integrations can result in increased automation to deliver improvements in care workflows and help drive efficiency and time savings.

SOPHiA GENETICS: GE Healthcare and SOPHiA GENETICS will be collaborating on opportunities in the healthcare market, including various initiatives and projects in the fields of digital oncology and radiogenomic analysis. The companies will initially work together on the creation of infrastructure to integrate data between GEs Edison platform and the SOPHiA DDM platform, as well as co-marketing and pilot site recruitment across oncology and radiogenomics.

One-Stop Breast Clinic: Momentum continues around this rapid diagnostic breast cancer center model with the first site in the United States now underway at St. Lukes University Health Network in Pennsylvania, as well as new sites extending across the world in Colombia, Egypt, and France. GEs One-Stop Clinic breast care model, originated from the pioneering Gustave Roussy Cancer Center in France, has been shown to improve clinical outcomes and dramatically speed up breast cancer diagnosis and treatment planning. This value-based, multi-modality care approach is designed to provide patients with a tightly coordinated journey from the initial appointment through diagnosis and treatment plan in one location and with one team all in a significantly shorter timeframe. Since piloting the workflow in 2021, St. Lukes has implemented the model and been able to reduce the time from screening to diagnosis and treatment to 36 hours or fewer.[6] In Colombia, One-Stop Clinic has dramatically transformed breast cancer care for women by reducing time to treatment by roughly 93%.[7]

Through these and a variety of additional solutions, GE Healthcare aims to further reinforce its role as a core partner in multidisciplinary cancer care and provide increasingly accessible, more precise, and high-value radiation therapy.

GE Healthcare will be exhibiting at ASCO 2022 Innovation Hubs - IH14 & IH16 from June 3 June 7.

Registration for the GE Healthcare - SOPHiA GENETICS Innovation Symposium Unlocking the Promise of Data-Driven Medicine in Cancer Care, Together with speakers from Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer, GE Healthcare and SOPHiA GENETICS can be found here. GE Healthcare and Vanderbilt University Medical Center announced their partnership to enable safer and more precise cancer immunotherapies in 2019 and the symposium will share early progress and findings achieved to date. SOPHiA GENETICS will present the latest developments in their DEEP-Lung-IV Multimodal Clinical Study.

Click here for more on GE Healthcare at ASCO 2022.

About GE Healthcare:

GE Healthcare is the $17.7 billion healthcare business of GE (NYSE: GE). As a leading global medical technology, pharmaceutical diagnostics and digital solutions innovator, GE Healthcare enables clinicians to make faster, more informed decisions through intelligent devices, data analytics, applications and services, supported by its Edison intelligence platform. With over 100 years of healthcare industry experience and around 48,000 employees globally, the company operates at the center of an ecosystem working toward precision health, digitizing healthcare, helping drive productivity and improve outcomes for patients, providers, health systems and researchers around the world.

Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Insights for the latest news, or visit our website http://www.gehealthcare.com for more information.

1 https://www.raysearchlabs.com/about-raysearch/ 2 https://www.ge.com/news/press-releases/ge-healthcare-elekta-collaborate-to-expand-access-to-precision-radiation-therapy#_ftn1 3 https://eithealth.eu/news-article/eit-health-supported-optellum-marks-ai-world-first/ 4 Spectronic Medical MRI Planner Software is CE marked and 510(k) pending at U.S. FDA. Not available in all markets.5 https://www.ge.com/news/press-releases/ge-healthcare-to-offer-end-to-end-deep-learning-solutions-with-spectronic-medical-to 6 Data on File, 20217 Data on File, 2021

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GE Healthcare Advances the Future of Precision Medicine in Oncology with New Technology Partners at #ASCO22 - Business Wire

ORLANDO, Fla, June 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Immune Therapeutics Inc. (OTC:BB IMUN), a specialty pharmaceutical company involved in the development, commercialization, distribution and marketing of novel, patented therapies to combat chronic, life-threatening diseases through the activation and modulation of the bodys immune system, today announced that it will expand its Board of Directors from two to five members.

Joining the Board effective May 31st, 2022, will be Dr. Stephen Wilson, Dr. Clifford Selsky, and Mr. Robert Wilson who were appointed for interim terms until such time as an annual meeting of shareholders can be organized to provide a formal vote on the candidates.

Dr. Stephen Wilson. Dr. Wilson is a trained immunologist with more than 25 years of experience in biomedical research and executive management. He is the Chief Innovation Officer of Statera Biopharma, Inc. and an Associate Clinical Professor at the University of California, San Diego. Prior, he served as Chief Operating Officer at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology; during his tenure the Institute grew from $14M in annual R&D to become a global leader in immunology research with nearly $1B in total operations as well as ranked #1 place to work in the world by The Scientist magazine. His original research has been published in high impact journals, and he has served as principal or co-principal investigator on more than $75M in competitive grants and awards, most recently developing the 2021 X-Prize winning rapid CoVID-19 diagnostic test. Dr. Wilson has served as an advisor to elite medical research organizations, served on national boards and is a founding scientist and board member of Invivoscribe Technologies, Inc., a leading molecular diagnostics and oncology therapeutics company. Dr. Wilson earned his doctorate from the University of Arizonas College of Medicine in Immunology, and was a fellow of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Selsky has been a practicing pediatrician in Central Florida for the past twenty years. He is the founder of the Childrens Center for Cancer and Blood Disease at Florida Hospital cancer institute, which he established after training in pediatrics at Yale New Haven hospital and completing a pediatric hematology and oncology fellowship at Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Selsky is board certified in Pediatrics, Pediatric hematology and oncology and Palliative medicine. Currently, he is a pediatrician at Family First Pediatrics which he established in 2013.

Also, an accomplished scientist, Dr. Selsky obtained his PH.D. in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at the University of Miami School of Medicine. He then did DNA repair research studies at the radiobiology laboratory at Harvard School of Public Health and the biophysics laboratory at Stanford University.

Mr. Wilson has spent more than 25 years building and launching companies. As a business strategist, retail marketer and content developer, Robert is experienced is assessing business situations, conducting research, creating strategic plans, recommending solutions to management, monitoring competitors, and measuring the results of marketing strategies. Robert has been involved in securing more than $150 million in early round and angel funding, developing launch and pivot strategies, and identifying growth opportunities for more than two dozen public companies ranging from the energy sector and electric vehicles to healthcare and lifestyle brands.

Note: Dr. Stephen Wilson and Mr. Robert Wilson are not related.

Kevin Phelps, CEO commented; We are pleased to welcome our new members to the Board. The Company is at an inflection point in development of its strategy and the experience and skills of these individuals will be invaluable moving forward. We are fortunate to be able to attract such talent.

Terms under which the Board Members will be compensated have not been finalized, but new members have requested deferment of their compensation until the Company has attained strategic funding and operational objectives.

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Immune Therapeutics, Inc. Announces Expansion of its Board of Directors - BioSpace

Editors note: Steve S. Rao is a Council Member and Former Mayor Pro Tem for the Town of Morrisville and served as a Board Member for the New American Economy, now the American Immigration Council. He also serves on the NC League of Municipalities Race and Equity Task Force. Steve is a regular contributor to WRAL TechWire.

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MORRISVILLE Ten years ago this month, President Barack Obama created the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, giving new hope to hundreds of thousands of young, undocumented people who had been brought to the United States as children and knew no other home.

Since then, weve seen President Trump striveand failto dismantle DACA. Weve seen lawmakers striveand, so far, failto give Dreamers permanent lawful status. Weve seen judges question DACAs legality, forcing the Biden administration to completely rewrite the federal rulesunderlying the program.

And along the way, weve seen the Dreamers rise above the uncertainty and grow into accomplished young adults, who are making tangible contributions to their communities.

Rao: In NC, todays immigrants are tomorrows public servants

Im thinking ofRamiro Rodriguez, who cofounded Code the Dream, an amazing Triangle nonprofit that helps people from low-income backgrounds to obtain computer skills to support our states businesses.If I hadnt had DACA, Id have been struggling to even open a bank account, not thinking about how to start a business or employ other people, Ramiro says in the linked story.

OrMartin Rodriguez, a graduate researcher at Wake Forest University. His family left poverty in Mexico; after coming to North Carolina at the age of 9, he obtained a PhD in molecular medicine, and is now developing gene therapiesfor pediatric blooddisorders.DACAwas a door to continuing my education, andits definitely as essential as ever, Martin says in the linked story.

OrLeslie Arreaza, whose parents fled violence in Guatemala when she was 7. Today, shes an autism specialist and teaches in North Carolinas public schools. Young immigrants like me are called Dreamers for a reason, she says in the linked story. Its because were marked by our dreams, our ambitions and our determination to make a positive difference.

Im thinking, too, of people like UNC studentShristi Sharma, an extraordinary young woman who built an app that could one day allow us to diagnose Alzheimers based on data from fitness trackers. Shristi is a Documented Dreamera young person excluded from DACA becauseher parents played by the rules and came to this country on skilled-worker visas. Processing delays have prevented Shristis parents from graduating from temporary visas to green cardsand now Shristi faces having to self-deport when she turns 21 and can no longer be included on her parents visas.

We need skilled workers Americas Documented Dreamers deserve a chance to stay

These are just four stories among many. DACA has helped over 830,000 young people build brighter futures, earn a comfortable living, help provide for their families, and support their communities. Dreamers see their hourly earningsalmost doubleafter they receive DACA status, and it becomes far easier for them to qualify for loans, or work to put themselves through college. Six out of 10 DACA recipients say the program made it possible for them to buy their first cars, and 14% have bought homes, lifting the economy for everyone.

But DACAs 10th anniversary isnt just a time to acknowledge how much the Dreamers have achieved. Its also a time to reflect on how badly we, as a nation, have failed them.

As Shristis story shows, people are still falling through the gaps: there are over 250,000 young documented Dreamers that DACA does nothing to protect. Many DACA recipients have lost jobs or faced legal trouble after the government failed to process their paperwork in time, leaving them without employment authorization. And many others fear that DACA could one day be revoked, forcing them back into the shadows. TK# Dreamers now have American children. If another administration were to try and cancel DACA, that would be a catastrophe for these families.

A vote for H-1B visas: Congress can boost NCs innovation economy heres how

Its time to put an end to this uncertainty. Dreamers have kepttheirpromise to our country. Theyve proven their ability to work within a broken system and play by the rules. Now we must unequivocally welcome them into our great American family. That means a legislative path a true Dream Act, with support for Documented Dreamers with a clear path to permanent lawful status and eventual citizenship for all DACA recipients.

A decade is long enough. Its time for us to give these young people the security and stability they deservea real path forward as they continue to build their lives here in America.

Fighting labor shortage, inflation: Immigrants can get the job done on both fronts

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Rao: 10 Years of DACA is enough - its time to pass the Dream Act - WRAL TechWire