StemCell Therapy

LOS ANGELES, CA Proposition 14, the only statewide bond measure on the general election ballot, asks voters to authorize $5.5 billion in bonds to fund stem cell research. If that sounds familiar, that's because it is. California approved a similar bond request 16 years ago, allowing the state to prop up what was then a fledgling and controversial area of research.

Prop 14's supporters contend the money is needed to fund cutting-edge research on the brink of discovering treatments and cures that could help save countless lives. Opponents say such promises are "shameless exaggerations" and that California isn't in a position to spend billions on stem cell research.

In 2004, Californians authorized $3 billion in bonds to create the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, with the aim of making the Golden State a hub of cutting-edge stem cell research. It offset the George W. Bush administration's decision to halt federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. Sixteen years later, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine is running out of money, forcing it to suspend new projects. Last year, the institute stopped accepting new applications, according to Ballotpedia.

If Prop 14 passes, it will authorize $5.5 billion in state general obligation bonds to support private, university and nonprofit stem cell research and therapy for diseases and conditions such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, strokes, epilepsy and other neurological conditions. In addition to funding research, the measure would help fund treatment and physician training.

The measure caps the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine operating costs at 7.5 percent of the funding, with the rest going to grants. Over the last decade, the bulk of the institute's grants went to California universities and hospitals. It will cost the state about $260 million a year for 30 years to repay the bonds.

According to the text of the measure, the institute has generated more than $3 billion in matching funds, sponsored more than 1,000 research projects and treated thousands of patients. It claims to have promising treatments in the pipeline awaiting funding for final stages of research.

Check Out The CalMatters 2020 Election Guide

"This medical revolution holds the promise of restoring health and quality of life for many of California's individuals and families suffering from chronic disease and injury," Robert Klein, chairman of Americans for Cures, told the California Stem Cell Report blog. "However, the last tactical mile to bring this broad spectrum of therapies to patients will require more funding and the thoughtful support of California's public as the human trials and discoveries are refined and tested, overcome numerous obstacles or complications, and ultimately serve to improve the life and reduce the suffering of every one of us."

Opponents of the measure say that the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine is no longer necessary because the federal government now spends billions to support stem cell research and private entities are leading the way on advancements without the help of taxpayer-funded grants. They question the institution's track record, oversight and budget.

"We can't afford to waste billions. In the middle of an economic crisis, with soaring unemployment and budget shortfalls in the tens of billions of dollars, we don't have money to burn," reads the opposition on the Official Voter Information Guide. "Paying back Prop. 14's costs of $7.8 billion could mean huge tax increases at a time when our economy is on its knees. Or laying off thousands of nurses and other heroes who do the real work of keeping California healthy."

The measure has the support of the California Democratic Party and the University of California Board of Regents. More than $9 million has been spent on the Yes On 14 campaign, while there are no official opposition campaigns. However, several newspaper editorial boards have come out against the measure including The Orange County Register, the Mercury News and The Bakersfield Californian.

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CA Prop 14 Explained: What To Know Before You Vote Election Day - Los Angeles, CA Patch

Earlier this year, as transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind the COVID-19 pandemic, started to pick up speed, researchers around the world hurried to find model systems that could provide insight into disease spread, host immune responses, and possible treatments.

When the pandemic first started, nobody really knew what was going to be the best model, says Amanda Martinot, a veterinary pathologist at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine.

The most widely available candidates were mice, which are easily housed and so well-researched that there are tons of tools available for studying nearly every aspect of their biology. But as researchers suspected, based on previous incompatibility of mice and other coronaviruses, the animals present challenges when it comes to studying SARS-CoV-2. The virus uses a human receptor called ACE2 to get into cells, but mouse ACE2 is different enough that the virus doesnt readily bind it.

Scientists have overcome the issue using two separate strategies: generating transgenic animals that express the human receptor and modifying the SARS-CoV-2 virus to make it better able to bind mouse ACE2.

Even with the success of those approaches, investigators have also been on the lookout for other options. Ferrets, for instance, are useful for studying viral transmission and viral replication in the upper respiratory tract and have been used by several groups for SARS-CoV-2 experiments. Some researchers have also turned to hamsters, which have been used in the past to study other viruses, including the coronaviruses responsible for severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome.

Hamsters are known in virology for their permissiveness to all kinds of viral infection really, and, as a rule of thumb, I would say if something doesnt work in a mouse, you may as well try a hamster, says Jakob Trimpert, a postdoc at the Free University of Berlin. And if youre lucky, it works there. Along with collaborators, hes been using several species of hamsters to study SARS-CoV-2 infections and potential therapeutics.

The hamster ACE2 receptor is compatible with SARS-CoV-2, and the animals develop clear clinical indicators of disease, he explains. For instance, Syrian hamsters(Mesocricetus auratus), one of the hamster species most commonly used in virus research worldwide, get mild SARS-CoV-2 infections, but their main symptomweight lossis reproducible and possible to measure. These animals also have severe pneumonia that is detectable via lung pathology. Trimpert and his colleagues used both transcriptomics and proteomics to evaluate the animals immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 in a study they published on July 20.

Many alveolar air spaces (white) are collapsed during a SARS-CoV-2 lung infection in a Syrian hamster (right). They are not collapsed in an uninfected hamsters lung (left).

Amanda martinot, tufts cummings school of veterinary medicine

Hamsters have been the best model so far for showing us any clinical disease, says Martinot. They develop weight loss, and they develop a fulminant pneumonia where its affecting sometimes over fifty percent of their lung, she adds. They also will recover if given time, but the pathology we feel is more representative of what you might see in humans. Martinot, Dan Barouch, who directs the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and other collaborators recently published a study showing that a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine protected against weight loss and pneumonia in Syrian hamsters.

This species, also known as the golden Syrian hamster, has some drawbacks, too, Trimpert says. Theyre big, for one, weighing in at 150160 grams fully grown, in contrast to adult mice, which tip the scales at about 3035 grams. Syrian hamsters are also aggressive toward each other and sometimes the people taking care of them. Their size and aggression mean that they often have to be housed alone in larger cages, which makes them more expensive to keep.

The biggest issues, according to Trimpert, are the poor quality of the sequenced genomemany genes are just missingand the lack of molecular tools that work in hamsters. To circumvent these problems, Trimpert and his colleagues are resequencing and annotating the Syrian hamster genome.

Because the weight loss in Syrian hamsterstheir only easily observable clinical symptomis quite mild, its also a drawback, particularly when testing therapies or vaccines, Trimpert tells The Scientist. If you need thirty hamsters in order to get statistical significance . . . that is a huge practical problem.

The researchers are skirting this issue by beginning work with another species, Roborovski dwarf hamsters (Phodopus roborovskii), which are smaller than mice and less aggressive than Syrian hamsters. The dwarf hamsters also get much sicker than their larger relatives following SARS-CoV-2 infection, developing massive blood clots in the lungs, which are often present in severe cases of COVID-19 in people as well. Most of these hamsters eventually die of the complications of the infection, which, according to Trimpert, indicates that they might be a good model of severe disease in humans.

A human intestinal organoid (with nuclei labeled in blue and cell shape outlined in green) infected with SARS-CoV-2 (labeled in red)

Joep Beumer

Getting a better picture of what is happening in people is a common goal. Eric Song, an MD/PhD student in Akiko Iwasakis lab at Yale School of Medicine, wanted to determine what effect SARS-CoV-2 was having on the brain. He and his colleagues used a humanized mouse model, in which a promoter drives the expression of human ACE2 in epithelial cells, in a study released as a preprint earlier this year. They found that SARS-CoV-2 could infect the central nervous system in the mice, but it still wasnt clear whether those findings translated to human patients.

To probe that question, the researchers turned to brain organoidscultured, miniature organs that resemble the developing brain and contain neuronal and glial cell types derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Not only did SARS-CoV-2 infect the organoids, infection also appeared to cause cell death, a finding corroborated by another study in brain organoids published by separate group September 23. Song and his colleagues also found antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in the cerebrospinal fluid of people with COVID-19 and evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the post-mortem brains of COVID-19 patients.

The team used three complementary methods to account for the limitations of each, Song tells The Scientist.There is room for all the different models that are in play, he adds. With human samples, you can only take really a snapshot of the sickest patients because thats the only time you will be getting a post-mortem sample, but combined with the mouse and the organoid model, youre able to study [the] kinetics and the dynamic process of viral invasion. Things like organoids really help us access tissues that we would not otherwise have access to.

Immunologist and developmental biologist Hans Clevers of Utrecht University in the Netherlands and colleagues are leveraging that access with gut organoids. Rather than deriving the organoids from iPSCs, though, they use multipotent stem cells taken from any adult epithelial tissue. In some ways the strategy is more limited: gut epithelial cells can only make mini guts, for instance, in contrast to iPSC-derived organoids, which can become lots of different tissues. On the other hand, they grow forever, Clevers says. iPSC-based organoids, you make them and then you have to use them for an experiment because they stop growing the moment you start specifying them.

His group published a study on July 3 investigating whether or not SARS-CoV-2 can target the gut, a hypothesis based on the expression of ACE2 in the intestinal lining and the gastrointestinal symptoms that many COVID-19 patients experience. Their work in human small intestinal organoids confirmed that the virus does enter the cells of the intestinal lining, replicate, and cause changes in gene expression.

Now, Clevers and his colleagues are using organoids to test possible COVID-19 therapeutics. Chloroquine is an example of a drug that looked promising for blocking SARS-CoV-2 infection when researchers tried it in conventional cell culturein that case, cells derived from African green monkey kidneys and grown in one layer on a dish, he says. But, as theyve shown in a new study thats been submitted for peer review, in the gut organoid model chloroquine is ineffective against SARS-CoV-2, just as it is in patients. According to Clevers, this latest finding indicates that an extra screening step in organoids following the identification of a promising drug in a traditional cell culture system could provide another layer of information before moving into preclinical animal models or the clinic.

Cell lines are cheap, they grow fast, and most robotic strategies for screening have been designed for cells growing in two dimensions, Clevers says. There are multiple efforts now around the world to come up with the machines to do similar high throughput screens with 3D. With the organoids, its a little bit more complex to analyze because theyre not flat, he explains, but the type of organoids they generate in his lab grow quickly. He predicts that organoids will come to be used more widely because their physiology recapitulates that of humans so well, but that theyll never replace animals.

Along with hamsters, nonhuman primates are one of the main models that researchers studying COVID-19 therapeutics use. SARS-CoV-2 readily infects primates, such as macaques, due to the compatibility of their ACE2 receptor, but they do not show disease symptoms, says Martinot. The nonhuman primate experience of COVID-19 seems to be most similar to the mildly symptomatic cases of most people who are infected, she adds. They develop regions of pathology in their lungs that are detectable with a microscope, but its not enough to make them sick, and observing that kind of disease in a person is unlikely because these animals are euthanized early in infection to allow researchers to track any changes.

It would be nice to have a primate model of severe disease, says Barouch. Nobody has been able to develop one so far, but models are always in development.

And symptom presentation isnt everything. These animals are harder to access and harder to house than rodents, but they are a wonderful model for vaccine research and for evaluating . . . the adaptive immune response to COVID-19, Martinot says, at least in part because there are so many existing tools researchers can leverage. Reagents that are available for evaluating the immune response [in people] work in monkeys, and so we can very carefully monitor the nonhuman primate for the development of antibodies, cytokine responses, and T-cell responses, she adds.

You always want to pick your best model for your specific question, Martinot tells The Scientist. But depending on what kind of question youre asking, or what kind of drug youre testing, you really have to choose the model that best fits your ability to answer those questions in a very accurate and reproducible way.

The World Health Organizations Research & Development Blueprint Team has been working on this since February. The team reviews progress and coordinates efforts on animal models of COVID-19 with the primary goal of advancing the development of COVID-19 therapeutics and vaccines. On September 23, some group members and a handful of other researchers published a review detailing the work thats been done to model SARS-CoV-2 infections in animalsparticularly, mice, hamsters, ferrets, and nonhuman primatesand highlighting how findings in animals correspond to disease progression in people.

The development and use of these models is not a linear process, and theyre under constant revision, says Barouch, who is part of the WHO working group. When there is human data, then that allows back validation or refinement of the model . . . so there has to be a continuous feedback from models to clinical trials and back.

In things that are so new, like SARS-CoV-2, it may well be that there is more than one useful animal model, Trimpert says. We should be open and flexible, especially in emergency situations like this.

Read the original here:
The Many Model Systems of COVID-19 - The Scientist

TaiGen Biotechnology Company, a Taiwanese pharmaceutical company engaged in finding novel solutions to diabetes related complications, cancer, and infectious diseases, has reportedly announced that the U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved its IND (Investigation New Drug) application for TG-1000, a new treatment for both influenza B and A.

Along with TG-1000, TaiGen also has three more self-discovered NCEs: Furaprevir, an inhibitor of HCV protease to treat chronic hepatitis infection, TG-3000, an antagonist chemokine receptor used for chemosensitization and stem cell transplantation, and Taigexyn, a new non-fluorinated quinolone which is available in intravenous as well as oral formulations.

TaiGens novel pan influenza antiviral, TG-1000, stops viral transmission and replication using a cap-snatching mechanism. It can effectively work against influenza-B, influenza-A, Tamiflu-resistant viruses, and avian flu H7N9. The United States Patent and Trademark Office granted the first US patent for TG-1000 on 14th January 2020.

CEO and Chairman of TaiGen, Kuo-Lung Huang stated that influenza is a fatal disease with substantial unmet medical needs as well as heavy medical burden. Now, after the approval for IND by the U.S. FDA, the company is eager and ready to extend its clinical trials for TG-1000 in the United States over the coming years.

As per the Global Data, in 2019, the international market for influenza antivirals touched a valuation of $2.34 billion and is projected to hit the $5.03 billion valuation mark by the end of 2026, registering a CAGR of 11.5%.

Presently, the influenza antivirals industry only contains neuraminidase inhibitor oseltamivir and baloxavir, newly developed endonuclease inhibitor. With the recent launch of baloxavir in the industry, institutional investment analysts predict the endonuclease inhibitors' market share to rise at the cost of neuraminidase inhibitors. The companys TG-1000 is set take the complete advantage of this ongoing development.

Source credit: https://www.biospace.com/article/releases/taigen-announces-fda-approval-of-ind-for-its-flu-antiviral-tg-1000/#:~:text=TAIPEI%2C%20Taiwan%2C%20Nov.%201,for%20influenza%20A%20and%20B.

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US FDA approves TaiGens IND application for influenza drug TG-1000 - CueReport

Trusted Business Insights answers what are the scenarios for growth and recovery and whether there will be any lasting structural impact from the unfolding crisis for the Hunter Syndrome Treatment market.

Trusted Business Insights presents an updated and Latest Study on Hunter Syndrome Treatment Market. The report contains market predictions related to market size, revenue, production, CAGR, Consumption, gross margin, price, and other substantial factors. While emphasizing the key driving and restraining forces for this market, the report also offers a complete study of the future trends and developments of the market.The report further elaborates on the micro and macroeconomic aspects including the socio-political landscape that is anticipated to shape the demand of the Hunter Syndrome Treatment market during the forecast period.It also examines the role of the leading market players involved in the industry including their corporate overview, financial summary, and SWOT analysis.

Get Sample Copy of this Report @ Hunter Syndrome Treatment Market Size, Share, Market Research and Industry Forecast Report, 2026 (Includes Business Impact of COVID-19)

Industry Insights, Market Size, CAGR, High-Level Analysis: Hunter Syndrome Treatment Market

The global Hunter syndrome treatment market size was valued at USD 864.9 million in 2018 and is expected to witness attractive growth over the forecast period. Introduction of novel therapies, robust product pipeline, rising government initiatives, and increasing awareness regarding Hunter syndrome and its available therapeutic options are expected to significantly fuel the market growth over the forecast period.Hunter syndrome, also known as mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II), is a rare genetic disorder caused by an iduronate-2-sulfatase enzyme deficiency. Presently, there is no permanent cure for Hunter syndrome. Existing treatment including enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) focuses on providing symptomatic relief and management of complications associated with the disease progression.

According to the data published by the National Institute of Health (NIH) in 2018, Hunter syndrome affects around 1 in 160,000 males globally. The risk of developing this disease is far less among women because they inherit two X chromosomes and one of them can provide a functioning gene if the other X chromosome is defective. However, in men, there is no other X chromosome to compensate for the defective one.Expected approval of novel therapies in late-phase clinical trials and increasing R&D activities by key players for the development of such novel therapies are anticipated to be two major factors driving the market growth in the near future. For instance, in June 2019, Denali Therapeutics Inc. received FDAs Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) and Rare Pediatric Disease Designation for its pipeline drug candidate DNL310, which is being evaluated for the treatment of the disease.Initiatives undertaken by various organizations for creating awareness regarding the disease diagnosis and its treatment is expected to support market growth over the forecast timeframe. For instance, in May 2018, Shire Plc. in collaboration with the National MPS Society and International MPS Network launched its third #FlyforMPS digital campaign aimed to increase awareness about .Treatment InsightsBased on treatment type, the market is categorized into enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT), and others. In 2018, the ERT segment accounted for the largest market share and is anticipated to hold onto its dominance over the forecast period. This is attributed to improved sales of Shire Plcs ELAPRASE and a potential for worldwide approval of GC Pharmas product called Hunterase.

Shire Plcs Elaprase (idursulfase) is the single major drug used for the treatment of Hunter syndrome, with GC Pharmas Hunterase (idursulfase beta) being approved only in South Korea as of now. These drugs have addressed a significant unmet need. However, the high cost of these drugs is expected to be a major factor hindering their market growth. For instance, Idursulfase (Elaprase) drug costs around USD 3,100 per 6mg/3ml vial.

Regional Insights of Hunter Syndrome Treatment Market

In 2018, North America dominated the market owing to favorable regulations for orphan drug development, rising awareness among people concerning rare diseases, increased funding for research activities, and improved healthcare facilities. Furthermore, the favorable reimbursement policies for expensive drugs such as ELAPRASE in the U.S. have supported its adoption and fueled the regional growth.Asia Pacific region is projected to exhibit a lucrative growth rate over the forecast period. Japan, China, and India are expected to emerge as potential countries for growth, owing to their high unmet needs in the market. Major players are focused on gaining approval for their novel therapies and are penetrating these markets to attain a major share. For instance, in July 2019, CANBridge Pharmaceuticals Inc. filed a New Drug Application (NDA) with the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for its novel treatment drug called Hunterase in China. Hunterase (idursulfase beta) is a patented therapy of GC Pharma indicated for the treatment of Hunter syndrome.

Market Share Insights of Hunter Syndrome Treatment Market

Some of the key players in the market comprise Shire Plc. (Takeda Pharmaceutical Company); GC Pharma; JCR Pharmaceuticals Co Ltd.; RegenxBio Inc.; Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc.; ArmaGen Inc; Inventiva S.A.; Denali Therapeutics Inc.; Bioasis Technologies Inc.; and Esteve.Currently, Shire Plc. (acquired by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited in April 2019) is a prominent market player, with strong sales of its drug ELAPRASE, indicated for the treatment of Hunter syndrome. However, Shire plc is expected to face stiff competition from Green Cross (GC) Pharma over the forecast period. GC Pharma is emerging as a global player in the Hunter syndrome treatment market with its orphan drug, Hunterase.GC Pharma is undertaking inorganic growth strategies such as partnerships and collaborations for the commercialization and geographical expansion of Hunterase. For instance, in April 2019, Clinigen Group plc and GC Pharma entered into an exclusive licensing agreement under which Clinigen gained the rights to commercialize Hunterase in Japan.

Segmentations, Sub Segmentations, CAGR, & High-Level Analysis overview of Hunter Syndrome Treatment Market Research ReportThis report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest trends and opportunities in each of the sub-segments from 2015 to 2026. For the purpose of this study, this market research report has segmented the global Hunter syndrome treatment market report on the basis of treatment and region:

Treatment Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2019 2030)

Enzyme Replacement Therapy (ERT)

Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT)

Others

Looking for more? Check out our repository for all available reports on Hunter Syndrome Treatment in related sectors.

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Hunter Syndrome Treatment Market Size, Share, Market Research and Industry Forecast Report, 2026 (Includes Business Impact of COVID-19) - The Think...

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness, but its early symptoms are not obvious and are easily overlooked, so early screening for glaucoma is particularly important. The cup to disc ratio is an important indicator for clinical glaucoma screening, and accurate segmentation of the optic cup and disc is the key to calculating the cup to disc ratio. In this paper, a full convolutional neural network with residual multi-scale convolution module was proposed for the optic cup and disc segmentation. First, the fundus image was contrast enhanced and polar transformation was introduced. Subsequently, W-Net was used as the backbone network, which replaced the standard convolution unit with the residual multi-scale full convolution module, the input port was added to the image pyramid to construct the multi-scale input, and the side output layer was used as the early classifier to generate the local prediction output. Finally, a new multi-tag loss function was proposed to guide network segmentation. The mean intersection over union of the optic cup and disc segmentation in the REFUGE dataset was 0.904 0 and 0.955 3 respectively, and the overlapping error was 0.178 0 and 0.066 5 respectively. The results show that this method not only realizes the joint segmentation of cup and disc, but also improves the segmentation accuracy effectively, which could be helpful for the promotion of large-scale early glaucoma screening.

PubMed

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[Joint optic disc and cup segmentation based on residual multi-scale fully convolutional neural network]. - Physician's Weekly

Digital theatre, live environment

The Princess of Wales Theatre is scheduled to present the first indoor theatre show in Toronto since the pandemic shutdown. Scheduled to open Nov. 17, Mirvish will be presenting the international premiere of the Donmar Warehouse production of Blindness, a socially distanced sound installation. The date is subject to change based on health and safety protocols.

Our friends at the Donmar Warehouse in London came up with a brilliant and powerful way to tell a timely and important story in a theatrical setting. They came up with a unique adaptation of the modern classic novel Blindness by the Nobel laureate Jos Saramago, itself about the effects of a pandemic on a community, says David Mirvish. Blindness was a resounding success in August and September at the Donmar and helped to usher in the return of theatrical events.

The show runs 70 minutes with no intermission, and there will only be 50 people in attendance per performance. According to Mirvish, the sound is designed to be binaural, making the work sound as if it were physically happening around you, putting you in the centre of the action.

Two new documentary photography exhibitions opening at the Art Gallery of Ontario give Torontonians their first chance to have a look at some of the latest acquisitions of works by African-American artists, including Dawoud Bey, John Edmonds, Wardell Milan and Ming Smith, as well as Malian photographer Malick Sidib. Its part of the gallerys commitment to greater diversity and representation.

The Documents, 1960s1970s exhibition focuses attention on a moment of great social change internationally and features both studio portraits and street scenes.

Opening on the same day in the AGOs Robert & Cheryl McEwen Gallery, the exhibition Dawoud Bey, John Edmonds and Wardell Milan features works by three contemporary African-American artists exploring and re-envisioning the history of Black representation and the Black American experience.

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Donovan Woods will be live-streaming a one-hour solo acoustic concert at Roy Thomson Hall on Nov. 5. The performance, which was recorded by seven robotic cameras while Woods was alone on stage in the Toronto concert hall, is in celebration of his seventh studio album release, Without People.

In an effort to support others with the release of his album, 50 per cent of net ticket sales will be given back to participating show promoters, and Woods will donate 100 per cent of his artist proceeds to ArtsCan Circle (Canada) and Southern Girls Rock Camp (US). During the show, Woods will perform a nine-song set of songs off the new album and a few fan favourites. Philadelphia-based group Lullanas will open the show. Tickets are $15.

The Factory Theatre is kicking off its new season with a live streaming world premiere of acts of faith by award-winning Asian Canadian playwright David Yee, directed by Nina Lee Aquino, and starring Natasha Mumba. According to the Factory, this production has been written specifically to be performed in a digital environment.

The story revolves around the main character, named Faith, who is mistaken for a prophet. Acts of faith is a story about the power of faith, the inescapable persistence of our online identities and the nature of truth in a digital age. Sounds timely.

Acts of faith will stream live to audiences at home for six performances, Nov. 1928. Admission is free of charge.

The Kensington Market Jazz Festival is offering two days of incredible live stream performances Nov. 78. One of those headlining the weekend of performances is jazz pianist and vocalist Champian Fulton, who is described as one of the most gifted and pure jazz musicians of her generation. She will be playing, alongside saxophonist Nick Hempton, Sunday evening, Nov. 8, at 9:30 p.m. Other performers include Paul Marinaro, Carol Welsman, Jane Bunnett and many more.

The Musical Stage Company will be offering a virtual edition of its signature concert event, Uncovered: Notes From the Heart, running from Nov. 11 to Dec. 6 and featuring some of the citys top musical theatre performers, such as Divine Brown, fresh off a run on Broadway where she performed in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, as well as Hailey Gillis, Bruce Dow and others.

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Six great shows to get your culture fix in Toronto this month - Post City

Retrospectively obvious events are frequently missed when attention is engaged in another task-a phenomenon known as inattentional blindness. Although the task characteristics that predict inattentional blindness rates are relatively well understood, the observer characteristics that predict inattentional blindness rates are largely unknown. Previously, expert radiologists showed a surprising rate of inattentional blindness to a gorilla photoshopped into a CT scan during lung-cancer screening. However, inattentional blindness rates were higher for a group of nave observers performing the same task, suggesting that perceptual expertise may provide protection against inattentional blindness. Here, we tested whether expertise in radiology predicts inattentional blindness rates for unexpected abnormalities that were clinically relevant. Fifty radiologists evaluated CT scans for lung cancer. The final case contained a large (9.1 cm) breast mass and lymphadenopathy. When their attention was focused on searching for lung nodules, 66% of radiologists did not detect breast cancer and 30% did not detect lymphadenopathy. In contrast, only 3% and 10% of radiologists (N = 30), respectively, missed these abnormalities in a follow-up study when searching for a broader range of abnormalities. Neither experience, primary task performance, nor search behavior predicted which radiologists missed the unexpected abnormalities. These findings suggest perceptual expertise does not protect against inattentional blindness, even for unexpected stimuli that are within the domain of expertise.

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The invisible breast cancer: Experience does not protect against inattentional blindness to clinically relevant findings in radiology. - Physician's...

November 02, 2020 -Broad-based genetic testing could identify inherited genetic mutations and accelerate precision medicine therapies for patients with cancer, according to a study published in JAMA Oncology.

Hereditary factors play a key role in the development of many cancers, researchers at Mayo Clinics Center for Individualized Medicine noted. Identifying genetic predispositions for certain cancers can have significant implications for treatment decisions, interventions, cancer screenings, and genetic testing for patients and close relatives.

Selecting patients for genetic testing has traditionally been based on pathologic features of the cancer, age at diagnosis, family history of cancer, and other factors named in clinical guidelines. Few studies have examined the impact of broad-based testing for gene mutations in patients with cancer compared with more traditional methods of selection.

Over the course of two years, Mayo Clinic researchers provided free genetic testing and counseling for 3,084 patients as part of their standard cancer care. The project included a wide range of cancer stages and types, such as breast, colorectal, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, bladder, and prostate cancers.

The results showed that with standard guidelines, physicians were only able to find 48 percent of patients with an inherited genetic mutation.

We found that 13.5 percent of patients had an inherited mutation in a gene associated with the development of their cancer, saidNiloy Jewel Samadder, MD, a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist and hepatologist, who is the study's author.

More than half of the patients who developed cancer due to inherited mutations were being missed, and that has major implications for family members. Everyone has some risk of developing cancer, and in most cases the disease develops by chance. However, some people are genetically predisposed to developing certain types of cancer, such as breast or colon cancers.

When researchers examined the effects of a genetic mutation discovery, the team found that one-third of patients with the highest-risk cancer genes had a change in their medical management, including the type of surgery or chemotherapy they received.

This targeted treatment would have been lost if the patients had not received genetic testing, Samadder stated.

The results demonstrate the importance of genetic testing for all patients, and not just specific individuals.

Genetic testing is underutilized in cancer care, both for patients and for their families, often due to outdated guidelines that restrict testing to a narrow group of high-risk patients, saidRobert Nussbaum, MD,chief medical officer ofInvitae Corporation.

All cancer patients should have access to complete genetic information that can guide their care and inform their families' health.

Additionally, high-risk patients should share the heritable-cause of the disease with their relatives, which will allow family members to pursue disease care for earlier cancer management and detection.

We can help prevent cancer in their loved ones because it is genetic, and they share these cancer-causing genetic changes with their children, siblings and others in their families, Samadder said. We can target prevention strategies for those high-risk individuals and hopefully prevent cancer altogether in future generations of their family.

All blood-related family members of patients found to have a genetic mutation were offered free genetic testing. Overall, one in five of these family members underwent testing, the researchers said.

Going forward, the research team hopes to be able to incorporate the studys results into the care of all patients with cancer at Mayo Clinic. The study demonstrates the potential for broad genetic testing to accelerate the development of precision medicine therapies for cancer.

Steps are being taken to ensure all patients are offered genomic sequencing to better understand the genes that led to the development of their cancer, and how to precisely target treatment and improve survival, said Samadder.

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Genetic Testing Can Lead to Precision Medicine Therapies for Cancer - HealthITAnalytics.com

Nov. 5, 2020 06:00 UTC

TOKYO & CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Modalis Therapeutics Corporation (Modalis) (TOKYO: 4883), a leading company developing innovative products for the treatment of rare genetic diseases utilizing its proprietary CRISPR-GNDM epigenetic gene modulation technology, today reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2020, as well as recent operational highlights.

"Our goal is to create CRISPR based gene therapies for genetic disorders, most of which fall into the orphan disease category. There should be no disease that is ignored because of its small patient population, and our mission to develop disease modifying treatments for these diseases reflects our belief that Every Life Deserves Attention. We are proud to be a pioneer in CRISPR based gene modulation therapies and we are grateful to our investors and employees who are working to fulfill this important mission, said Haru Morita, Chief Executive Officer of Modalis.

Operational Highlights:

Third Quarter 2020 Financial Results:

About Modalis:

Modalis Therapeutics is developing precision genetic medicines through epigenetic gene modulation. Founded by Osamu Nureki and leading scientists in CRISPR gene editing from University of Tokyo, Modalis is pursuing therapies for orphan genetic diseases using its proprietary CRISPR-GNDM technology which enables the locus specific modulation of gene expression or histone modification without the need for double-stranded DNA cleavage, gene editing or base editing. Modalis is focusing initially on genetic disorders caused by loss of gene regulation resulting in excess or insufficient protein production which includes more than 660 genes that are currently estimated to cause human disease due to haploinsufficiency. Headquartered in Tokyo with laboratories and facilities in Cambridge, Massachusetts. For additional information, visit http://www.modalistx.com.

Consolidated Financial Results for the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2020 [Japanese GAAP]

Company name: Modalis Therapeutics CorporationStock exchange listing: Tokyo Stock ExchangeCode number: 4883URL: https://www.modalistx.com/jp/ Representative: Haruhiko Morita, President and Representative DirectorContact: Naoki Kobayashi, CFO and Executive OfficerPhone: +81-3-6822-4584Scheduled date of filing quarterly securities report: November 13, 2020Scheduled date of commencing dividend payments: -Availability of supplementary briefing material on quarterly financial results: AvailableSchedule of quarterly financial results briefing session: -

(Amounts of less than one million yen are rounded down.)

1.

Consolidated Financial Results for the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2020 (January 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020)

(1) Consolidated Operating Results

(% indicates changes from the previous corresponding period.)

Operating revenue

Operating income

Ordinary income

Profit attributable toowners of parent

Nine months ended

Million yen

%

Million yen

%

Million yen

%

Million yen

%

September 30, 2020

340

-

168

-

209

-

214

-

September 30, 2019

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

(Note)

Comprehensive income:

Nine months ended September 30, 2020: 215 million [-%]

Nine months ended September 30, 2019: - million [-%]

Basic earnings

per share

Diluted earnings

per share

Nine months ended

Yen

Yen

September 30, 2020

8.34

-

September 30, 2019

-

-

(Notes)

1. The Company has not prepared the consolidated financial statements for the nine months ended September 2019. Accordingly, no figures are shown for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and no percentage changes are shown for the nine months ended September 30, 2020.

2. Although the Company has dilutive shares, diluted earnings per share are not indicated because the Companys shares were not listed and the average share price is not available for the period under review.

(2) Consolidated Financial Position

Total assets

Net assets

Capital adequacyratio

Million yen

Million yen

%

As of September 30, 2020

6,480

6,428

99.2

As of December 31, 2019

3,938

3,842

97.6

(Reference)

Equity:

As of September 30, 2020: 6,428 million

As of December 31, 2019: 3,842 million

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201104005831/en/

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Modalis Therapeutics Reports Third Quarter 2020 Financial Results and Operational Highlights - BioSpace

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK The United Kingdoms Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has granted Durham-basedBioCryst Pharmaceuticals berotralstat a positive scientific opinion through the Early Access to Medicines Scheme.

Berotralstat is an oral, once-daily medication for hereditary angioedema (HAE), a serious and potentially life-threatening, rare genetic illness characterized by periodic episodes of acute swelling in various parts of the body including skin, throat, gastrointestinal tract and extremities.

With the regulatory agencys positive opinion, hereditary angioedema patients in the U.K. aged 12 years and older can gain access to berotralstat for the routine prevention of recurrent attacks of HAE before the drug is granted marketing authorization by the European Commission.

HAE patients around the world are waiting for an oral, once-daily therapy to prevent attacks and reduce their burden of therapy, said Jon Stonehouse, chief executive officer of BioCryst. With this decision by the MHRA, the wait for many HAE patients in the U.K. can end sooner.

Durhams BioCryst lands $44M contract to test anti-viral drug against COVID-19 virus

Medicines included in the United Kingdoms Early Access to Medicines Scheme (EAMS) are those that have a high unmet need, are intended to treat, diagnose or prevent seriously debilitating or life-threatening conditions where there are no adequate treatment options, and are likely to offer significant advantage over methods currently used in the country. Under the scheme, the MHRA provides a scientific opinion on the benefit-risk balance of the medicine, based on the data available when the EAMS submission was made.

There are many patients in the U.K. that dont have a realistic option for effective HAE prophylaxis, said Dr. Sorena Kiani, consultant immunologist at Royal London Hospital, London. The addition of berotralstat through the EAMS will bring a much needed option for HAE patients suffering with this debilitating disease.

The European Medicines Agency is reviewing the marketing authorization application for berotralstat under the centralized procedure. An opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use is expected approximately 12 months from the marketing authorization application validation, which the company announced on March 30, 2020.

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals discovers novel, oral, small-molecule medicines that treat rare diseases in which significant unmet medical needs exist and an enzyme plays a key role in the biological pathway of the disease.

(C) N.C. Biotech Center

RTP biotech BioCryst receives $7M order from feds for influenza therapy

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Biocryst treatment for genetic disease HAE lands early access approval in UK - WRAL Tech Wire

The mothers of kids with autism often have subtle traits of the condition that are not enough for an autism diagnosis, but that could indicate a genetic link for autism spectrum disorder, according to a new study.

The study, published in the journal Biological Psychiatry, looked at genetic and behavioral information from 2,614 families in which one child has autism. The researchers found that women who have trouble communicating in social settings tend to have children with autism who have more pronounced social and communication challenges, according to Spectrum News.

The findings could help researchers better understand the role of genetics in autism spectrum disorder, and how the condition presents in women. With autism becoming increasingly common affecting 1 in 59 American children a better understanding of the condition is critical.

The researchers looked at parents of children with autism using the broad autism phenotype (BAP). A phenotype is the way that genetic information is expressed. Researchers theorize that BAP includes subtle signs of the symptoms associated with autism spectrum disorder. For example, a person might be sensitive to sensory stimulations or have some trouble communicating, but not enough to warrant an autism diagnosis.

Understanding how common BAP is in the families of people with autism can help researchers understand how likely it is that someone with a genetic predisposition to autism will develop the condition. This is also known as genetic liability.

"I was really excited to see that features of broad autism phenotype, and especially language-related features, seem to be really important in understanding how genetic liability is expressed and really linked to molecular genetic variation," Molly Losh, director of the Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Lab at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and lead author of the study, told Spectrum News.

The study indicated that women with BAP could pass down a genetic predisposition to autism, even when they don't have the condition themselves. This is known as the female protective effect the idea that it takes more genetic influence to lead to autism in females than males. That could be why autism is diagnosed more often in boys.

The researchers evaluated both mothers and fathers for BAP,using a questionnaire. Overall, dads had a higher BAP score or more tendencies that could be associated with BAP.

The researchers found that mothers and fathers BAP scores were linked to the behaviors of their children with autism in different ways. If dads had a rigid approach to the world, their children were more likely to have repetitive behaviors. If moms had a high BAP score, their children with autism were more likely to have symptoms related to language, communication, and social cues.

This study is significant because while previous research has looked at the correlation between fathers' BAP scores and their children's symptoms, this is the first study to link mother's BAP scores with children's symptoms.

Losh and Lea Davis, assistant professor of genetic medicine at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, and co-author of the study, plan to do more research into female BAP and how that plays out in families where children have autism. That could help researchers understand more about how autism presents in females.

"The field is really good at identifying these features at a granular level for young boys, really not nearly as good at doing that for, let's say, adult women," Davis told Spectrum News. "That's another area that we're just starting to scratch the surface on, and this was an interesting way of kind of looking at some of those questions."

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Moms of kids with autism may show subtle signs of the condition themselves - Insider - INSIDER

Several environmental and genetic factors have been found to influence the development and progression of coronary artery disease (CAD). Although the effects of the environmental hazards on CAD pathophysiology are well documented, the genetic architecture of the disease remains quite unclear. A number of single-nucleotide polymorphisms have been identified based on the results of the genome-wide association studies. However, there is a lack of strong evidence regarding molecular causality. The minority of the reported predisposing variants can be related to the conventional risk factors of CAD, while most of the polymorphisms occur in non-protein-coding regions of the DNA. However, independently of the specific underlying mechanisms, genetic information could lead to the identification of a population at higher genetic risk for the long-term development of CAD. Myocardial single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) are functional imaging techniques that can evaluate directly myocardial perfusion, and detect vascular and/or endothelial dysfunction. Therefore, these techniques could have a role in the investigation of the underlying mechanisms associated with the identified predisposing variants, advancing our understanding regarding molecular causality. In the population at higher genetic risk, myocardial SPECT or PET could provide important evidence through the early depiction of sub-clinical dysfunctions, well before any atherosclerosis marker could be identified. Notably, SPECT and PET techniques have been already used for the investigation of the functional consequences of several CAD-related polymorphisms, as well as the response to certain treatments (statins). Furthermore, therefore, in the clinical setting, the combination of genetic evidence with the findings of myocardial SPECT, or PET, functional imaging techniques could lead to more efficient screening methods and may improve decision making with regard to the diagnostic investigation and patients management.

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Investigating the genetic characteristics of CAD: Is there a role for myocardial perfusion imaging techniques? - Physician's Weekly

On Oct. 19,Nancy Carrasco, professor and chair of the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics and the Joe C. Davis Chair of Biomedical Science, waselectedto the National Academy of Medicine.

The election process recognizes individuals who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care and public health. According to a release, current members elected Carrasco for making exceptional contributions to elucidating mechanisms by which ions and other solutes are transported across biological membranes. Her work has broad impact and significance across biomedical fields ranging from biophysics and molecular physiology to cancer, metabolism, molecular endocrinology, and public health.

We are thrilled that Dr. Carrasco has been recognized by the National Academy of Medicine for the work that she continues to devote her extraordinary career to, saidLawrence Marnett, dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Basic Sciences and Mary GeddesStahlmanProfessor of Cancer Research. Her research is focused on understanding the physiology of thyroid hormone biosynthesis and how it is affected by genetic mutations and environmental pollutants. She is addressing pressing public health concerns, and her work has a clear, tangible impact on human health.

Dr. Carrascos election to the National Academy of Medicine underscores her commitment to bringing scientific clarity to a public health crisis. Her focus on inclusive and collaborative research has resulted in transformative research that is meaningfully improving human health, while also exemplifying the diverse perspectives and trans-institutional methods that set Vanderbilt apart, noted Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic AffairsSusan R. Wente.

Carrasco has been elected to the NAM along withtwo other Vanderbilt researchers,Velma McBride Murry, university professor of health policy and human and organizational development in Peabody College and the School of Medicine and the Lois Autrey Betts Chair of Education and Human Development at Peabody College, andConsuelo Wilkins, professor of medicine in the School of Medicine and vice president for health equity at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Carrasco isolated the coding DNA for the sodium/iodide symporter NIS, the iodide transporter protein that actively pulls iodide from the bloodstream into the thyroid gland. Iodide is an essential constituent of the thyroid hormones, which are crucial for the development of the nervous system beginning in uterine life, and regulate metabolism in virtually all tissues. The critical importance of the thyroid hormones makes understanding the protein that ushers their key constituent into the thyroid gland essential to understanding human health overall.

I am deeply honored to have been elected to the National Academy of Medicine, Carrasco said. I have always felt very strongly that the links between understanding physiology and pathophysiology at the molecular level and both medical practice and public health should be viewed as a cornerstone of our collective efforts to improve the health of our communities, and that has been a guiding principle in my work. I am extremely grateful to the members of the Academy for electing me and, in so doing, affirming the value of basic science as a key contributor to progress in medicine.

Carrasco continues to investigate the functions of NIS and its interaction with the environmental pollutantperchlorate. She and her colleagues recently reported that perchlorate exposure fundamentally alters the mechanism by which NIS transports iodide into the thyroid, and her group had previously shown that NIS is functionally expressed in lactating breast tissue, making it clear that this pollutant is more dangerous than previously thought. These discoveries demonstrate that perchlorate exposure can markedly decrease thyroid hormone production in vulnerable populations, including pregnant and nursing mothers and their fetuses and newborns. Her research also has direct applications to the development of breast cancer therapeutics.

Carrasco has received numerous national and international awards, including the Pew Award in the Biomedical Sciences, the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation Award, the Maria SibyllaMerianAward (Germany), the Merck Prize from the European Thyroid Association (Poland), the NounShavitAwardin Life Sciences (Israel),and Light of Life Award. She has served as president of the Society of Latin American Biophysicists and was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2015.

Carrasco received her M.D. and masters degree in biochemistry from the National Autonomous University of Mexico in her native Mexico City and completed her postdoctoral training at the Roche Institute of Molecular Biology. She joined the faculty at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 1987 and at the Yale School of Medicine in 2011. She joined Vanderbilt in 2019.

This distinguished and diverse class of new members is a truly exceptional group of scholars and leaders whose expertise in science, medicine, health, and policy will be integral to helping the NAM address todays most pressing health challenges and inform the future of health and health care for the benefit of everyone around the globe, said National Academy of Medicine PresidentVictor J. Dzau. It is my privilege to welcome these esteemed individuals to the National Academy of Medicine.

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Nancy Carrasco elected to the National Academy of Medicine for outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service - Vanderbilt University...

LEXINGTON, Mass., Nov. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LogicBio Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:LOGC) (LogicBio), a company dedicated to extending the reach of genetic medicine with pioneering targeted delivery platforms, today announced the appointment of Mariana Nacht, Ph.D., as chief scientific officer, effective Nov. 30, 2020, and the promotion of Kyle Chiang, Ph.D., to chief operating officer, effective Nov. 2, 2020.

Dr. Nacht brings more than 20 years of experience in both large and small biotech companies to her role at LogicBio. Most recently, she served as CSO and was a founding executive team member of Cereius, where she led a small internal research team and a group of collaborators to develop radiolabeled proteins for the treatment of brain metastases. Before that, she served as CSO of Vivid Biosciences, a functional precision medicine company, where she was also a founding executive team member. Dr. Nacht has also served in key scientific roles at Padlock Therapeutics (acquired by Bristol Myer Squibb in 2014) and Avila Therapeutics, a platform company that developed covalent irreversible inhibitors and was acquired by Celgene in 2012. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade working at Genzyme (now Sanofi Genzyme), where she led anti-angiogenesis and oncology target discovery efforts. Dr. Nacht received her B.S. in biology from Tufts University and her Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.

We are proud to expand our leadership team as we prepare to launch our first clinical trial in pediatric patients with methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) and continue to advance both our GeneRide and Next Generation Capsid platforms, said Fred Chereau, CEO of LogicBio. Mariana brings terrific expertise in novel therapeutic platforms as well as deep experience in building and leading strong scientific teams to her position as CSO. Were thrilled to welcome her to LogicBio as we move into this exciting next phase of progress. Im also delighted to have Kyle promoted to our core leadership team. He has provided essential guidance on pipeline strategy and program development from the early days of LogicBio and he will continue to be an important voice in shaping our future growth.

I am very enthusiastic about the potential for the GeneRide platform to transform care for pediatric patients with rare genetic diseases, Dr. Nacht said. We all enter this field to make a difference for patients, and I am excited to be joining LogicBio just as LB-001, our lead program for children with MMA, is about to enter the clinic with the Phase 1/2 SUNRISE trial. Beyond LB-001, I look forward to further advancing LogicBios pipeline with the goal of bringing more durable and transformational therapies to people living with devastating genetic diseases.

Dr. Chiang was the second employee at LogicBio and has held positions of increasing responsibility since joining the team as director of translational science in 2016. Most recently, he served as vice president, product strategy, where he led LB-001 through early regulatory interactions and managed LogicBios collaboration with the Childrens Medical Research Institute to develop more potent and more easily manufacturable AAV capsids for gene therapy and genome editing applications. Before joining LogicBio, Dr. Chiang led aTyr Pharmas ATYR1940 program from discovery through early clinical development for patients with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy. Dr. Chiang received his B.S. in biochemistry and cell biology from the University of California, San Diego and his Ph.D. in macromolecular cellular structure and chemistry from the Scripps Research Institute.

LogicBio also announced today that Bryan Yoon, Esq., the companys chief administrative officer, general counsel and corporate secretary, will be departing from the company effective Nov. 6, 2020. I want to thank Bryan for his contributions to LogicBio and we wish him the best in his next challenge, Mr. Chereau said.

AboutLogicBioTherapeuticsLogicBio Therapeuticsis dedicated to extending the reach of genetic medicine with pioneering targeted delivery platforms. LogicBios proprietary genome editing technology platform, GeneRide, enables the site-specific integration of a therapeutic transgene without nucleases or exogenous promoters by harnessing the native process of homologous recombination. LogicBio has received FDA clearance for the first-in-human clinical trial of LB-001, a wholly owned genome editing program leveraging GeneRide for the treatment of methylmalonic acidemia. Patient enrollment is expected to begin in early 2021. In addition, LogicBio has a collaboration withTakedato research and develop LB-301, an investigational therapy leveraging GeneRide for the treatment of the rare pediatric disease Crigler-Najjar syndrome.

LogicBio is also developing a Next Generation Capsid platform for use in gene editing and gene therapies. Data presented have shown that the capsids deliver highly efficient functional transduction of human hepatocytes with improved manufacturability with low levels of pre-existing neutralizing antibodies in human samples. Top-tier capsid candidates from this effort demonstrated significant improvements over benchmark AAVs currently in clinical development. LogicBio is developing these highly potent vectors for internal development candidates and potentially for business development collaborations.

LogicBio is headquartered in Lexington, Mass. For more information, please visit http://www.logicbio.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including those related to the timing, progress and results of the Companys strategic directives and its research and development activities, including those related to LB-001 and its pipeline. These are not statements of historical facts and are based on managements beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available. They are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results and the implementation of the Companys plans to vary materially, including the risks associated with the initiation, cost, timing, progress and results of the Companys current and future research and development activities and preclinical studies and potential future clinical trials. In particular, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Companys ability to progress with its research, development, manufacturing and regulatory efforts, including the Companys plans to initiate, advance and complete its Phase 1/2 clinical trial for LB-001 in MMA, and the value of and market for the Companys common stock, will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence at this time, such as the ultimate duration of the pandemic, travel restrictions, quarantines, social distancing and business closure requirements in the United States and in other countries, and the effectiveness of actions taken globally to contain and treat the disease. These risks are discussed in the Companys filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including, without limitation, the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 16, 2020 with the SEC, the Companys Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on May 11, 2020, and the Companys subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the SEC. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, even if new information becomes available in the future.

Contacts:

Investors:Matthew LaneGilmartin Investor Relationmatt@gilmartinir.com

Media:Stephanie SimonTenBridge Communicationsstephanie@tenbridgecommunications.com617-581-9333

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LogicBio Therapeutics Announces Appointment of Veteran Biotech Executive Mariana Nacht, Ph.D., as Chief Scientific Officer and Kyle Chiang, Ph.D.,...

President Trumps illness from a coronavirus infection last month was the most significant health crisis for a sitting president in nearly 40 years. Yet little remains known about how the virus arrived at the White House and how it spread.

The administration did not take basic steps to track the outbreak, limiting contact tracing, keeping cases a secret and cutting out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The origin of the infections, a spokesman said, was unknowable.

But one standard public health technique may still shed some light: tracking the clusters genetic fingerprints.

To better understand the outbreak, The New York Times worked with prominent geneticists to determine the genetic sequence of viruses that infected two Times journalists believed to have been exposed to the coronavirus as part of their work covering the White House.

The study reveals, for the first time, the genetic sequence of the virus that may have infected Mr. Trump and dozens of others, researchers said. That genome is a crucial clue that may allow researchers to identify where the outbreak originated and whether it went on to infect others across the country.

The White House has not disclosed any effort to conduct similar genetic testing, but the studys results show that it is still possible, even weeks after positive tests. Additional sequencing could help establish the path of the virus through the White House, the role of a possible super-spreading event for Judge Amy Coney Barrett and the origin of an outbreak among the staff of Vice President Mike Pence in the last week or so.

The journalists, Michael D. Shear and Al Drago, both had significant, separate exposure to White House officials in late September, several days before they developed symptoms. They did not spend any time near each other in the weeks before their positive tests.

Mr. Shear traveled with Mr. Trump and other staff on Air Force One on Sept. 26, when Mr. Trump approached within five or six feet without a mask. Mr. Drago covered the Judge Barrett event that day and a news conference the next day near officials who were not wearing masks and later tested positive. Both journalists wore masks.

The viral genomes of the two journalists shared the same distinct pattern of mutations, the research found. Along with their exposure history, the findings suggest that they were infected as part of the broader White House outbreak, said Trevor Bedford, a geneticist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington who led the research team.

These mutations that are possessed by these viruses are quite rare in the United States, Dr. Bedford said. I am highly convinced that these viruses come from the same outbreak or cluster based on their genomes.

The study, which has been posted online but not yet peer reviewed or published in a science journal, followed academic protocols that require genetic samples to be anonymous. Mr. Shear and Mr. Drago chose to disclose their identities for this article.

Viruses constantly mutate, picking up tiny, accidental alterations to their genetic material as they reproduce. Few mutations alter how a virus functions. But by comparing patterns of mutations across many genetic sequences, scientists can construct family trees of a virus, illuminating how it spreads.

The genomes believed by these researchers to be connected to the White House outbreak do not identify a recent geographic source, in part because they are unusual. The ancestors of those viruses spread to the United States from Europe and were circulating widely across the country in April and May, but the trail goes cold after that, according to Dr. Bedford.

Geneticists said the genomes are a key piece of the puzzle that may spur future research to determine where the White House outbreak originated and where it may go next. Scientists collect and publish tens of thousands of new sequences of the coronavirus every month, and additional testing may fill in the picture.

The results show that even weeks after it was identified, the White House outbreak would be better understood by sequencing samples of more people who were infected. Swabs used in positive tests are often kept in labs for months after an initial infection, and genetic material for the coronavirus is stable if stored appropriately.

The C.D.C. routinely relies on genetic testing to help understand Covid-19 outbreaks elsewhere across the country. In a study released on Thursday, the C.D.C. cited genetic sequencing and intensive contact tracing that documented an super-spreading event at a high school retreat in Wisconsin.

But the Trump administration is not known to have conducted its own genetic analysis of people infected in the outbreak. The White House declined to respond to questions on genetic sequencing of Mr. Trump and the cluster of aides and officials who tested positive or became ill.

There is still a remote possibility, Dr. Bedford said, that a previously unseen version of the virus had been circulating undetected in Washington or Northern Virginia and infected both journalists independently from the White House cluster. More testing of the outbreak could eliminate that possibility entirely, he said.

Scientists not involved in the research who reviewed the results agreed with the conclusion that the two samples sharing rare mutations strongly suggested they are part of the same outbreak.

These genomes are probably going to be identical or nearly identical to the genome that infected the president, said Michael Worobey, head of the department of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Arizona.

Dr. Worobey disputed the White Houses characterization that the source of the outbreak could not be known.

A lot of things are unknowable if you make no effort to know anything about them, and this falls into this category, Dr. Worobey said. All of these things actually can be known if you make the effort and you have the transparency that scientists are desperately trying to promote as we sequence hundreds of thousands of these genomes around the world.

For months, the White House minimized the threat of the virus and eschewed basic safety precautions at official events, like wearing a mask or keeping people six feet apart.

At least 11 people who attended a Rose Garden celebration on Sept. 26 for Judge Barrett, which included an indoor event without masks, became infected with the coronavirus, including Mr. Trump. Additional genetic testing could help more clearly establish the role of that event.

Dr. Bedford and his colleagues were able to obtain a full genetic sequence for the virus that infected Mr. Shear and a partial sequence of the virus that infected Mr. Drago. Several unusual mutations matched in the two samples, sufficient evidence to determine with a very high probability that they were essentially the same genome, Dr. Bedford said.

The work was carried out by a multidisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine, the Hutchinson Center and the Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine in Seattle.

The work is convincing, and it is the best way to piece together the progression of such an outbreak, said David Engelthaler, head of the infectious disease branch of the Translational Genomics Research Institute in Arizona, where he and colleagues have sequenced thousands of genomes to track the spread of the coronavirus, including devastating outbreaks at Native American reservations in the state.

Its critical no matter where we are to sequence this virus, Dr. Engelthaler said. Not just at the White House, but at the White Mountain Apache Reservation here in Arizona.

Carl Zimmer contributed reporting.

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Tests Show Genetic Signature of Coronavirus That Likely Infected Trump - The New York Times

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:SRPT), the leader in precision genetic medicine for rare diseases, today announced that senior management will participate in a fireside chat at the 29th Annual Credit Suisse Virtual Healthcare Conference on Monday, November 9, 2020 at 3:30 p.m. E.T.

The presentation will be webcast live under the investor relations section of Sareptas website at http://www.sarepta.com and will be archived there following the presentation for 90 days. Please connect to Sarepta's website several minutes prior to the start of the broadcast to ensure adequate time for any software download that may be necessary.

AboutSarepta TherapeuticsAt Sarepta, we are leading a revolution in precision genetic medicine and every day is an opportunity to change the lives of people living with rare disease. The Company has built an impressive position in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and in gene therapies for limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMDs), mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA, Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), and other CNS-related disorders, with more than 40 programs in various stages of development. The Companys programs and research focus span several therapeutic modalities, including RNA, gene therapy and gene editing. For more information, please visitwww.sarepta.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Internet Posting of Information

We routinely post information that may be important to investors in the 'Investors' section of our website atwww.sarepta.com. We encourage investors and potential investors to consult our website regularly for important information about us.

Source: Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc.

Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc.Investors:Ian Estepan, 617-274-4052, iestepan@sarepta.com

Media:Tracy Sorrentino, 617-301-8566, tsorrentino@sarepta.com

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Sarepta Therapeutics to Present at the 29th Annual Credit Suisse Virtual Healthcare Conference - GlobeNewswire

Vertex Announces European Commission Approval for KALYDECO (ivacaftor) as First and Only CFTR Modulator to Treat Eligible Infants With Cystic Fibrosis as Early as Four Months of Age

- Approval provides opportunity to treat the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis earlier than ever before in Europe -

LONDON 4 November 2020 Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) today announced that the EuropeanCommission has granted approval of thelabel extension for KALYDECO (ivacaftor) granules to include the treatment of infants with cystic fibrosis (CF) ages 4 months and older and weighing at least 5 kg who have the R117H mutation or one of the following gating (class III) mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene: G551D, G1244E, G1349D, G178R, G551S, S1251N, S1255P, S549N or S549R.

Our very first CFTR modulator, KALYDECO, was first approved eight years ago, for certain CF patients ages 6 years and older. With todays approval, babies as young as 4 months are eligible and we believe early treatment is important in managing CF, said Reshma Kewalramani, M.D., Chief Executive Officer and President, Vertex. Todays approval is a testament to our commitment to keep going until all people with CF have a treatment option.

The label update is based on data from a cohort in the 24-week Phase 3 open-label safety study (ARRIVAL) consisting of six children with CF ages four months to less than six months who have eligible gating mutations.

KALYDECO (ivacaftor) will be now available to additional eligible patients in Germany and will be available shortly in countries that have entered into innovative long-term reimbursement agreements with Vertex, including the UK, Denmark and the Republic of Ireland. In all other countries, Vertex will work closely with relevant authorities in Europe to secure access for eligible patients.

KALYDECO (ivacaftor) is already approved in Europe for people with CF ages 6 months and older weighing at least 5 kg who have one of the following mutations in the CFTR gene: G551D, G1244E, G1349D, G178R, G551S, R117H, S1251N, S1255P, S549N or S549R.

About Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a rare, life-shortening genetic disease affecting approximately 75,000 people worldwide. CF is a progressive, multi-system disease that affects the lungs, liver, GI tract, sinuses, sweat glands, pancreas and reproductive tract. CF is caused by a defective and/or missing CFTR protein resulting from certain mutations in the CFTR gene. Children must inherit two defective CFTR genes one from each parent to have CF. While there are many different types of CFTR mutations that can cause the disease, the vast majority of all people with CF have at least one F508del mutation. These mutations, which can be determined by a genetic test, or genotyping test, lead to CF by creating non-working and/or too few CFTR proteins at the cell surface. The defective function and/or absence of CFTR protein results in poor flow of salt and water into and out of the cells in a number of organs. In the lungs, this leads to the buildup of abnormally thick, sticky mucus that can cause chronic lung infections and progressive lung damage in many patients that eventually leads to death. The median age of death is in the early 30s.

About KALYDECO (ivacaftor)

Ivacaftor is the first medicine to treat the underlying cause of CF in people with specific mutations in theCFTRgene. Known as a CFTR potentiator, ivacaftor is an oral medicine designed to keep CFTR proteins at the cell surface open longer to improve the transport of salt and water across the cell membrane, which helps hydrate and clear mucus from the airways.

For complete product information, please see the Summary of Product Characteristics that can be found on http://www.ema.europa.eu.

About Vertex

Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation to create transformative medicines for people with serious diseases. The company has multiple approved medicines that treat the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis (CF) a rare, life-threatening genetic disease and has several ongoing clinical and research programs in CF. Beyond CF, Vertex has a robust pipeline of investigational small molecule medicines in other serious diseases where it has deep insight into causal human biology, including pain, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and APOL1-mediated kidney diseases. In addition, Vertex has a rapidly expanding pipeline of genetic and cell therapies for diseases such as sickle cell disease, beta thalassemia, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Founded in 1989 inCambridge, Mass.,Vertex's global headquarters is now located inBoston'sInnovation Districtand its international headquarters is inLondon. Additionally, the company has research and development sites and commercial offices in North America,Europe,AustraliaandLatin America.Vertexis consistently recognized as one of the industry's top places to work, including11 consecutive years onScience magazine'sTop Employers listand a best place to work for LGBTQ equality by the Human Rights Campaign. For company updates and to learn more about Vertex's history of innovation, visitwww.vrtx.comor follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.

Special Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements made by Dr. Reshma Kewalramani in this press release, and statements regarding the eligible patient population in Europe, our expectations regarding the timing of access to KALYDECO for eligible patients four months of age and older across countries in Europe, and our plans to secure access to KALYDECO for additional eligible patients four months of age and older in Europe. While Vertex believes the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are accurate, these forward-looking statements represent the company's beliefs only as of the date of this press release and there are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Those risks and uncertainties include, among other things, that data from the company's development programs may not support registration or further development of its compounds due to safety, efficacy or other reasons, risks related to commercializing KALYDECO in Europe, and other risks listed under Risk Factors in Vertex's most recent annual report and subsequent quarterly reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available through the company's website at http://www.vrtx.com. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Vertex disclaims any obligation to update the information contained in this press release as new information becomes available.

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Vertex Announces European Commission Approval for KALYDECO (ivacaftor) as First and Only CFTR Modulator to Treat Eligible Infants With Cystic Fibrosi...

WIRED Health:Tech is one of the most prominent annual conferences exploring technological advances in medicine. This year, the main topics included artificial intelligence, remote surgical systems, and the ongoing fight against COVID-19.

This years WIRED Health:Tech conference took place online last month, in an effort to adapt to the challenges posed by the current pandemic.

A range of specialists held presentations about the latest advances in medical technology, including remote surgical systems, e-health, CRISPR technology, and the issue on everyones mind this year: how research can combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this Special Feature, we offer an overview of the panels and main takeaways from the presentations.

Stay informed with live updates on the current COVID-19 outbreak and visit our coronavirus hub for more advice on prevention and treatment.

Throughout many of the WIRED Health:Tech presentations, the recurring theme was how technology is helping or hindering the fight against SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that has given rise to the current pandemic.

Prof. Heidi Larson from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom spoke of the global response to vaccines, an issue of paramount importance in the context of the pandemic.

Prof. Larson noted that according to her and her colleagues research which appears in The Lancet peoples feelings about vaccines have become far more volatile.

Its a lot more like political opinion polling. They used to be much more stable 1020 years ago. You knew who agreed and who was less confident around vaccines, but thats changing very frequently, she observed.

However, she did offer some positive news:

The overall picture is that [] there is a general trend where people are becoming a little more confident [about vaccines] than they were 5 years ago.

According to Prof. Larson, this may be because public health specialists and communicators are more proactive in dismantling pervasive myths about vaccination over the past few years.

Nevertheless, she cautioned, we do see that Europe remains the lowest in confidence, the most skeptical, with countries like Lithuania [where] only 19% strongly believe that vaccines are safe. The highest [rate] is [in] Finland, at 66% and thats just strongly believe.'

Poland had the most significant drop in confidence in vaccines, she noted.

She also emphasized these fluctuations in confidence in vaccines across the globe occurred before the pandemic. In the current situation, Prof. Larson said, sentiments surrounding vaccinations have become even more volatile.

Because of the hyper-uncertainty and the whole environment of trust and distrust around the COVID vaccine, there are groups that have gotten together to resist even the COVID vaccine, she warned.

The danger of anti-vaccination mentalities can only be mitigated by giving science more of a human face, Prof Larson argued:

We need to bring together the scientific, technological advances that are so valuable, and not lose the human face, but bring that back together [with the scientific perspective]. This isnt just a misinformation problem. This is a relationship problem. This is a cultural revolution, saying we need to change, we need to get back to a more human face in the scientific and medical field.'

Prof. Devi Sridhar a public health advisor and the chair of the Global Public Health department at the University of Edinburgh in the U.K. spoke of the next steps in the fight against the pandemic.

Speaking of the U.K. situation, Prof. Sridhar said that there are certain key actions that the country needs to take to put a stop to the spread of the virus more efficiently:

I think the crucial thing is getting the testing sorted. You need to have a test turnaround time [of] less than 24 hours and have testing widely available. And also [] a strategy: What is the point of a lockdown, what [is] the point of the restrictions?

Other countries have used the lockdown Im thinking of New Zealand, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, Australia [] but theyre using the lockdown to try and eliminate the virus, to get rid of it, and then put in place checks for reimportation, she added.

Prof. Agnes Binagwaho vice chancellor at the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda went on to speak of the innovations that Rwandan authorities implemented to curb the spread of the new coronavirus in the country.

Prof. Binagwaho said that the first step was to identify both the obstacles and facilitators when it came to stopping the spread of SARS-CoV-2.

According to the expert, having a clear idea of these factors allowed the authorities to establish the best strategy for containing the spread of the virus.

Most importantly, however, according to Prof. Binagwaho, Rwandan authorities made sure to keep its citizens up-to-date with all the daily news regarding the local spread of the virus both good and bad.

[W]hen you need the population to do something to protect itself [] that is not usual, trust counts more than money, she commented.

Some of the technological innovations that the country implemented during the pandemic were robots that take peoples temperatures in airports and hospitals, to limit human contact, and drones that carry supplies to areas that lack appropriate resources.

Prof. Christofer Toumazou from Imperial College London in the U.K. spoke of how technological advances could help during the current pandemic.

Prof. Toumazou, an electronic engineer, created DnaNudge, a fast and accessible DNA testing technology. Its original purpose was helping people understand what health conditions their genetic makeup might predispose them to, so they could make healthier choices.

At WIRED, the researcher and his colleagues said that they adapted this technology to detect COVID-19, creating tests with a turnaround time of only 90 minutes.

In the U.K., the government ordered 5.8 million such tests for state hospitals.

Effectively, it took a pandemic for us to get a technology thats [] prepared for personalized medicine into the hospital system. So the only way that we could bulldoze this was through COVID, Prof. Toumazou noted.

The researcher emphasized just how important this step may be for health, particularly for people with mental health conditions, who would not have to anxiously wait for 48 hours in isolation for their test results.

In a panel discussion, Dr. Indra Joshi director of Artificial Intelligence at NHSx, the U.K. governmental unit responsible for developing national health policies also went on to stress that advanced technology may help not just to better understand the pathology of COVID-19, but also to identify the people who are most at risk.

This, she added, could allow healthcare professionals to provide help faster to those who are likely to be the most affected by infection with the new coronavirus.

In Dr. Joshis view, advances in technology could therefore offer a holistic view of a persons health status and risks, beyond diagnosing COVID-19.

Another panel discussion focused on recent developments in finding a vaccine against the new coronavirus.

The two participants were Tal Zaks, Chief Medical Officer of Moderna Therapeutics, and Prof. Uur ahin, co-founder and CEO of BioNTech.

Both Moderna and BioNTech are testing mRNA candidate vaccines, which use genetic information rather than a viral base to train the immune system against the new coronavirus.

Speaking of the advantages of an mRNA vaccine versus other forms of vaccines, Zaks said that it is better in a number of fundamental ways.

The first is that because we start with genetic information, there is a component of speed that allows you to get into the clinic and then, once youre in the clinic, scale-up manufacturing. Its not by chance that the two leading efforts both leverage mRNA technologies, he pointed out.

I think the second one [] is the biological preciseness so, when you make a recombinant protein, or you otherwise characterize a biologic, the process makes a lot of difference and a lot of things can go wrong. When youre transmitting the [genetic] information, theres no way for the cell to make the wrong bit. So the biological fidelity, if you will, has a higher likelihood to then translate into the kind of immune response you want.

Tal Zaks

I think the last element here is its a very flexible platform, and this takes us a little bit beyond COVID, but the infrastructure required is relatively small and quick, which means, in the manufacturing space, you have tremendous agility that usual technologies dont, Zaks added.

At the time of the WIRED conference, clinical trials for the Moderna and BioNTech candidate vaccines were at similar stages. Since the two approaches have similar premises, the question arises: does this create a sense of competition between the two companies?

According to Zaks, in the context of a pandemic, this is not a valid question. I only have two competitors here: the virus and the clock, he asserted.

He added that should both the Moderna and the BioNTech candidate vaccines demonstrate safety and efficacy, this would be an ideal situation.

The world needs more than one company to succeed here, he said, noting that, if the virus is truly here to stay, as previous research suggests, more than one vaccine may become necessary in the long run.

Prof. ahin agreed:

The way [in which] the whole industry developed vaccines against COVID-19 [] is the best performance of collaboration. Its important to see how people team up for collaboration. Moderna teamed up with the NIH [the National Institutes of Health], we teamed up with Pfizer, AstraZeneca teamed up with Oxford University. So there are several models of collaboration, and we have the strongest transparency in the development of a vaccine.

People see the data almost in real-time coming in, and people understand how [a] phase 1 trial works, how a phase 3 trial works, and Moderna and we even shared our phase 3 protocols so that everyone can see in a transparent fashion how the studies perform and how they are evaluated, Prof. ahin added.

The two researchers also emphasized that this sense of transparency regarding the development of new pharmaceutical products is essential in the long run. They also expressed hope that it may persist after the pandemic subsides.

When asked whether the candidate vaccine development was rushed, so that pharmaceuticals can distribute them sooner rather than later, Prof. ahin explained that the pandemic has caused researchers to find a better, more efficient method of proceeding with clinical trials not a less reliable one.

One important aspect is that instead of skipping [steps] or cutting corners, we decided to do things in parallel. Usually, [in] vaccine development [] you do a phase 1 study, and maybe 6 or 12 months later a phase 2 study, and then decide whether you would do a phase 3 study, he explained.

This is based on minimizing the cost risk, but also based on the traditional way [in which a vaccine] is developed. It is not the best way it is just the traditional way, he also emphasized.

While many of the talks at WIRED Health:Tech revolved around the fight against COVID-19, some also focused on other technological advances in improving patient care.

Dr. Eric Topol founder and director of the Scripps Research TranslationalInstitute talked about using technology to make medicine more humanistic.

The main objective of AI for healthcare and medicine has been to improve accuracy, so that doctors can improve how they diagnose disease and care for their patients, he observed.

This is what is known as precision medicine. But Dr. Topol believes that using AI in medical practice could bring about more far-reaching benefits.

This could include freeing healthcare practitioners from tasks, such as filing information about their patients into digital systems, so that they can pay more attention to their patients.

Medicine has eroded terribly its a rushed job, Dr. Topol asserted in his talk. We see patients in a single-digit number of minutes, and thats not enough.

You need the gift of time, which AI can give back so that people dont feel so rushed and doctors and nurses and clinicians dont feel so rushed either. [] We want to have clinicians and doctors spending more time with patients and less time [at the computer] keyboard.

Dr. Pearse Keane a National Institute for Health Research clinician-scientist at the Institute of Ophthalmology at University College London spoke of how doctors could soon use AI algorithms to diagnose and treat early-stage retinal diseases a set of eye problems that can lead to vision loss.

Dr. Keane made a similar point to Dr. Topols argument, stressing that so many people are affected by eye diseases in the U.K. that specialists are often overwhelmed by the sheer amount of patients waiting for diagnosis and treatment.

Some people are essentially going blind because they cannot be seen and treated early enough, Dr. Keane said. But new technologies and in particular, AI, have at least some role in addressing this problem, he added.

Dr. Keane and colleagues from Moorfields Eye Hospital collaborated with scientists specializing in using the AI technology DeepMind, in demonstrating how to train the system to diagnose retinal diseases correctly and fast-track referrals for specialist treatment.

The researchers published the results of their study in Nature Medicine in 2018. Now, Moorfields Eye Hospital are building a new care and research center, with plans to integrate more advanced technology into this setting.

But Dr. Keane argues that clinical AI help by linking various health data, therefore offering a bigger picture of a persons overall health status and health risks.

Dr. Mark Slack chief medical officer and co-founder of CMR Surgical spoke of the potential of Versius, a surgical robotic system that can help specialists carry out minimally invasive keyhole surgery.

Is keyhole surgery better than open surgery? There are huge advantages for keyhole surgery, Dr. Slack asserted in his presentation.

If you have a large wound [following open surgery], about 50% of those patients will go back to the hospital. If you have a small, minimal-access wound, almost none will go back. If you have a large wound, about a fifth of patients will be required to go back into [the operating] theater if they get a wound infection [] [but] roughly 50% of complications are reduced by having keyhole surgery rather than open [surgery].

Dr. Mark Slack

Finally, Prof. Jennifer Doudna a biochemist at UC Berkeley and founder of the Innovative Genomics Institute, who co-invented CRISPR technology spoke of the revolutionary potential of gene editing. This new technology has taken the medical research world by storm.

Prof. Doudna described gene-editing technology as molecular surgery its a way to alter the DNA in cells and organisms in ways that allow precise correction of disease-causing [genetic] mutations and also allow scientists to do all sorts of other kinds of manipulations of genetic material on living cells and organisms, she explained.

One way in which gene-editing tools might be helpful, she said, might be by helping treat severe blood disorders such as sickle cell disease. Other applications might be in the treatment of eye diseases or even muscular dystrophy.

The scientist explained that, besides CRISPR technologys potential in treating disease, it could also come in handy when detecting viruses, including the new coronavirus.

She even suggested that in the coming months, there may be a CRISPR-based point-of-care diagnostic tool that could help doctors identify infections much faster.

She concluded her talk by noting that:

The potential of this technology continues to advance. I think the keys will be delivery and control of the editing and, of course, ensuring safety, effectiveness, and access. The possibilities are extraordinary its really an exciting time to be working in this field.

For live updates on the latest developments regarding the novel coronavirus and COVID-19, click here.

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WIRED Health:Tech 2020: Latest advances and the fight against COVID-19 - Medical News Today

The Global Companion Diagnostics Market Report, published by Emergen Research, offers a complete assessment of the major segments of the global Companion Diagnostics market, estimating the market growth rate over the forecast timeline (2020-2027). The latest research report can be viewed as a valuable source of data and information about this particular business sphere. Our team of market experts has performed a thorough future market growth analysis and assessed the demand & supply graphs and the markets historical and future revenue generation. The report is equipped with a vivid description of the current trends of the global Companion Diagnostics market. It holds an unbiased perspective of the leading market players, intense competition, the major regions/countries, end-use industries, and a broad continuum of products available in this market. Therefore, the market intelligence report offers a 360 view of the global Companion Diagnostics industry and provides significant information pertinent to the various growth-inducing and growth-restraining factors in detail.

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Geographical Terrain of the Companion Diagnostics Market:

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2.2 Latest trends of the Companion Diagnostics market by region

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Our expertise umbrellas the technological environment of all major industries, and our services help you map your actions to ensure optimal yield. Our analysts utilize their market proficiency to offer actionable insights that help our clients implement profitable strategies and optimize their return on investment. Our services are wide-ranging, right from technological environment analysis to technological profiling that highlights the existing opportunities in the market you can capitalize on to stay ahead of your competitors.

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Companion Diagnostics Market should experience the strongest growth of 2027 with the main key players Agilent Technologies, Foundation Medicine,...

Judge Amy Coney Barrett delivers remarks after President Donald Trump announces her nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, Sept. 26, 2020, in the Rose Garden of the White House. The event is believed to be responsible for the spread of COVID-19 among some attendees. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks, Public Domain)

Since it was revealed in early October, details about President Trumps COVID-19 infection have been in short supply, including the likely source of his exposure and when he was tested.

New research from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle gives a glimpse into the spread of the disease among Americas first family and White House staff and guests.

Two journalists who directly interacted with White House officials at the end of September but were not in each others company contracted variations of the virus that were highly genetically similar. The genetic code from the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, that infected the journalists contained five unique mutations and were distinct from the genomes of more than 160,000 publicly available virus sequences.

The scientists said this particular lineage of the virus was first documented in the U.S. in April or May, but its exact spread from there was unclear.

Shortly after Trump was infected, Anthony S. Fauci the nations top infectious-disease expert said that the White House had been the site of a so-called super spreader event when it hosted a Rose Garden reception for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, now a member of the U.S. Supreme Court. Photos show that many in attendance did not wear masks. At least 50 COVID-19 cases have been connected to an outbreak associated with the White House, according to the researchers.

Trump Administration officials at the time of the outbreak made little effort to do contact tracing to potentially help contain the spread a decision that drew criticism from some health experts.

When it comes to the source of the White House infections, its sort of an unknowable question, where it entered the environment, said White House deputy press secretary Brian Morgenstern, in a press conference on Oct. 7.

The Fred Hutch-led research calls that assertion into question. While its too late to use the information to limit spread from the initial event, genomic sequencing could provide additional insights into the path of transmission if more samples were tested. It could also help build a more complete picture of the outbreaks spread by analyzing infections that occur weeks or months following the White House event.

Weve seen repeatedly with COVID-19 that the absence of scientific statements provides shelter for speculation and even conspiracy theories to grow. My strategy since January has been to try to address these issues as directly and transparently as I can, said Trevor Bedford, the studys lead.

That includes debunking unfounded theories about COVID spreading in California in the fall of 2019, or being created in a lab.

I still believe that science plays a role in dampening speculation and getting society to a firmer, shared factual footing, Bedford said.

The new investigation was shared Sunday as a pre-print of non peer-reviewed research, posted on medRxiv. The site, pronounced med-archive is a free platform that in recent months has featured up-to-the-minute research during the COVID pandemic.

The studys researchers include scientists from the University of Washington, Seattles Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Seattle.

Bedford and his team have done similar lineage analysis for public health departments in Washington, Florida, California, Utah, Minnesota and Michigan, as well as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and Public Health England.

A story in the New York Times on Sunday shared the source of the two samples as being Times reporters. One had traveled with the president and other staff on Air Force One on Sept. 26, coming in close proximity with Trump, who was not wearing a mask. On the same day, a second journalist covered the Rose Garden event as well as a news conference the next day, with exposure to unmasked officials who later tested positive.

Both journalists, who wore masks, opted to share their identities, according to the Times.

The researchers ended the study pre-print with a slightly exasperated call to action on the U.S. COVID response.

Science has made a great many discoveries and innovations since [the 1918 influenza pandemic], with genome sequencing being a fairly recent addition to the toolkit to combat infectious disease, they wrote. We, as a society, have the tools to control COVID-19, they just have to be employed.

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Fred Hutch researchers uncover new genetic details of White House COVID-19 outbreak - GeekWire