BIOMEDCORE along with Suntrition attended the Best Trade Show in Canada, OCE Discovery ’12.

WEtech Alliance announces that BIOMEDCORE has been chosen to participate in VentureStart, a new program unveiled by the Mississauga-based Research Innovation Commercialization (RIC) Centre and WEtech Alliance. Designed to enhance the success rate of technology startups in Southern Ontario by providing targeted training and education, VentureStart also provides entrepreneurs with the opportunity to secure matching seed financing of up to $30,000 to launch their new venture.

Read the article: http://www.wetech-alliance.com/2012/05/01/wetech-client-scores-a-first/

Alterations in some critical genes have been linked with Cancer but increasingly new evidence is pointing at many mechanisms other than changes in the underlying DNA sequence (defined as epigenetic mechanisms).

A team at the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center has found new “master switches” that control “on and off” of many cancer linked genes. Their studies have conclusively shown that alterations in such master switches, or gene enhancer/ silencer elements are consistently seen in colon tumors. Different cancer patients and at differing stages of the disease, all so consistently show such alternations that they can be practically used as molecular signatures.   What is novel about their work is that such “switches” are present in the often-ignored non-coding DNA (fondly called junk because we have no clue of its function!).

This discovery may seem trivial, but many of such epigenetic influences could be potentially halted or even reversed!

Read the actual article: http://www.case.edu/medicus/breakingnews/vels.html

Catherine J. Wu and her team studied 91 patients with chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) and performed massively parallel sequencing of 88 whole exomes and whole genomes, together with sequencing of matched germline DNA, to characterize the spectrum of somatic mutations in this disease.

They discovered many genes that had high frequency of mutations but their breakthrough finding was that pre-mRNA splicing is a critical cellular process contributing to CLL.

Read the full report in New England Journal of Medicine:

http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1109016

 

JX-594 is a proprietary, engineered oncolytic virus that is designed to selectively target and destroy cancer cells. JX-594 is designed to attack cancer through three diverse mechanisms of action: 1) the lysis of cancer cells through viral replication,
2) the reduction of the blood supply to tumors through vascular targeting and destruction, and 3) the stimulation of the body’s immune response against cancer cells. JX-594 exploits a specific genetic feature in cancer cells to become activated and lyse the cells, including the EGFR-ras signaling pathway, the cell cycle activation and the loss of cellular interferon defenses.

Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials in multiple cancer types have shown that JX-594, delivered either directly into tumors or intravenously, induces tumor shrinkage, necrosis and is well-tolerated by patients. Objective tumor response has been demonstrated in a variety of cancers including liver, colon, kidney, lung and melanoma.

Read the complete report: http://www.jennerex.com/jx594.html

BIOMEDCORE was officially informed that it has been selected for the prestigious competitive grant funding from OPTIC, VI (Odette Project for Technology, Innovation and Commercialization, Virtual Incubator). The funding agencies include the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, the Windsor Essex Economic Development Corporation and the Odette School of Business.

Abbott’s Vysis CLL FISH Probe Kit is the first FDA-cleared chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) test to aid in prognosis. The test detects genetic abnormalities in lymphocytes. Lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, help the body fight infection. In CLL, abnormal lymphocytes are produced and can accumulate in the circulatory system restricting normal cell function and weakening the immune system.

The Kit includes a panel of five individual probes intended to detect deletion of the LSI TP53, LSI ATM and LSI D13S319 probe targets and gain of the D12Z3 sequence in peripheral blood specimens from untreated patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Read the entire release: http://tinyurl.com/42rxbwn

FDA approves Crizonib (Xalcori, Pfizer), the first-ever therapy for a sub-set of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that is ALK-positive as detected by an FDA-approved test. XALKORI is available immediately through a number of specialty pharmacies.

Read the entire press release: http://tinyurl.com/3s3bdva

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is one of the most common type of Leukemia. Chemotherapy and radiation treatment work temporarily and the only therapy available is a bone marrow transplant. None of these come without serious side effects and possible complications.

A team of doctors at the University of Pennsylvania modified some of the patient’s T cells and reinfused them into the patient at a very low dose. These T cells were engineered to kill the cancer cells. In a small clinical trial involving three patients, this technique showed astounding results. The cancer cells were undetectable in two patients after treatment and a reduction of 70% was observed in the third patient .

It is a preliminary study and needs lot more research, but these preliminary results are beyond expectations.

Read the full story: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1103849

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) announces the development of the first continuing medical education (CME) program to leverage data in the NCCN Oncology Outcomes Database (NCCN Database) to objectively measure the impact of comprehensive performance improvement on patient outcomes. The NCCN Opportunities for Improvement initiative is supported by a three- year, $2 million educational grant from Pfizer.

The goal of the NCCN Opportunities for Improvement program is to develop and implement an outcomes-based performance improvement initiative that utilizes real practice data from NCCN Member Institutions. The program will identify tailored educational opportunities, design provider-specific action plans for improvement, and quantify and evaluate the impact of educational interventions on changes in practice and patient outcomes.

Read the entire report: http://tinyurl.com/3l7l8h8