On November 13, 2020 Cancer Research Center of Toulouse reported that Nearly €10 million has just been allocated via ERC (European Research Council) Synergy funding to 4 international teams for a period of 6 years (Press release, Cancer Research Center of Toulouse, NOV 13, 2020, View Source [SID1234571073]). The "ATTACK" project of Salvatore Valitutti, team leader at the CRCT, is focused on the analysis of the tactical arsenal of T cells for the fight against cancer.

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In recent years, the success of cancer immunotherapies has drawn the attention of scientists and industry worldwide to the cytotoxic T cells that protect us by killing infected and cancerous cells. However, current approaches to immunotherapy still have many limitations, including high costs, dependence on the integrity of the patient’s immune system, and the resistance of cancer cells to treatment. The "ATTACK" project, funded by ERC Synergy, will focus on a new biotechnology to further explore the cytotoxic machinery of T cells and to approach the goal of effective and accessible cancer treatment.

In Toulouse, Salvatore Valitutti has been invited to participate in this collaboration because of his 30-year expertise in the study of the biology of human cytotoxic T cells and for his skill in visualising the fight between these cells and cancer cells using a combination of advanced imaging techniques.

The Toulouse team, in collaboration with scientists from Oxford University, has highlighted a hitherto unknown weapon in the tactical arsenal of T cells: supramolecular attack particles (SMAPs) which kill the target cells.

Thanks to ERC Synergy, four scientific teams based in Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom will combine their various skills to understand the biosynthesis, structure and function of these particles and develop a biotechnology to improve SMAPs in modified T cells.

In the future, new therapeutic approaches and clinical trials may be developed at the University Institute of Cancer in Toulouse.

This project places the Toulouse team at the heart of European expertise in the field and contributes to increasing the international recognition of the Toulouse cluster in the field of cancerology.

ATTACK project: Analysis of the tactical arsenal of T cells for the fight against cancer

Researchers and host institutions :

Jens RETTIG, Saarland University, Hamburg, Germany
Cosima BALDARI, University of Siena, Italy
Michael DUSTIN, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
Salvatore VALITUTTI, Inserm, University of Toulouse, France

On November 13, 2020 Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) reported it has received FDA approval for the use of PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx as an aid in identifying patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) for treatment with KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) (Press release, Agilent Technologies, NOV 13, 2020, View Source [SID1234571069]).

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"With the expanded FDA approval of PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx in TNBC, physicians will be able to access critical information to qualify even more patients who could benefit from these treatments. This new approval reinforces Agilent’s role as a worldwide leader in developing companion diagnostics for targeted therapies."

PD-L1 expression is a critical biomarker for response to anti-PD-1 therapies such as KEYTRUDA. The expanded use of PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx strengthens the ability of pathologists to identify patients who may be eligible for treatment with KEYTRUDA. KEYTRUDA, in combination with chemotherapy, is approved for patients with locally recurrent unresectable or metastatic TNBC whose tumors express PD-L1 [Combined Positive Score (CPS) ≥ 10] as determined by an FDA-approved test.

PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx is the only companion diagnostic that is FDA-approved to aid in the identification of TNBC patients for treatment with KEYTRUDA in combination with chemotherapy. With TNBC marking the seventh cancer type for which PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx has gained FDA approval, Agilent is further solidifying its position as a go-to partner for drug/diagnostic co-development. PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx also helps physicians identify non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), cervical cancer, urothelial carcinoma, and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients for treatment with KEYTRUDA.

"Anti-PD-1 therapies, including KEYTRUDA, continue to offer new treatment options for a growing population of cancer patients," said Nina Green, vice president and general manager of Companion Diagnostics at Agilent. "With the expanded FDA approval of PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx in TNBC, physicians will be able to access critical information to qualify even more patients who could benefit from these treatments. This new approval reinforces Agilent’s role as a worldwide leader in developing companion diagnostics for targeted therapies."

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women, with 276,480 new cases estimated to be diagnosed in the United States in 2020.1 Approximately 10% of breast cancer diagnoses are TNBC.2

KEYTRUDA is a humanized monoclonal antibody that enhances the ability of the immune system to detect and fight tumor cells. KEYTRUDA blocks the PD-1 pathway, thereby activating T lymphocytes that may affect both tumor cells and healthy cells. KEYTRUDA and other targeted immunotherapies are changing cancer treatment, and their therapeutic value is being realized across a growing list of cancer types. PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx was developed by Agilent as a companion diagnostic for KEYTRUDA in partnership with Merck (known as MSD outside the United States and Canada).

On November 13, 2020 Quanterix Corporation (NASDAQ: QTRX), a company digitizing biomarker analysis to advance the science of precision health, reported Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, Kevin Hrusovsky will participate in a virtual fireside chat discussion at the Canaccord Medical Technologies and Diagnostics Forum on November 19 at 10:30 a.m., EST (Press release, Quanterix, NOV 13, 2020, View Source [SID1234571068]). Hrusovsky will also host virtual one-on-one and group meetings with institutional investors that day.

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A live webcast of the conversation will be available on the investor section of the Quanterix website at View Source Replays of the webcast will be available on the Quanterix website for 90 days following the conference.

On November 13, 2020 Lantheus Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") (NASDAQ: LNTH), the parent company of Lantheus Medical Imaging, Inc., Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and EXINI Diagnostics AB, and a global leader in the development, manufacture and commercialization of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic agents and products, reported the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted 510(k) clearance for the use of Lantheus’ artificial intelligence enabled automated bone scan index (aBSI) product on GE Healthcare’s Xeleris platform (Press release, Lantheus Medical Imaging, NOV 13, 2020, View Source [SID1234571067]).

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"Lantheus is delighted by the U.S. approval of our digital AI solution for prostate cancer, aBSI, on GE Healthcare’s platform. As a leading multinational medical technology company with deep experience in medical imaging and diagnostics, GE Healthcare presents the ideal attributes to provide global access to this unique digital solution," said Etienne Montagut, Sr. Vice President of Corporate Development. "aBSI has demonstrated clinical value in quantifying and managing disease progression in advanced prostate cancer patients with the potential to support critical clinical decisions. Lantheus will continue to develop AI solutions to augment and expand the utility of imaging diagnostics for precision medicine in oncology," Mr. Montagut added.

In October 2019, the Company entered into a global software licensing agreement with GE Healthcare for the rights to aBSI, a vendor neutral stand-alone platform that is enabled with artificial intelligence, which has been trained to automate the detection of hotspots in bone indicative of metastatic disease and calculate the aBSI. The platform offers a fast and reliable alternative to manual interpretation of bone scan images of metastatic prostate cancer. Recent investigations have demonstrated the clinical utility of aBSI as a prognostic and a response imaging biomarker in patients with metastatic prostate cancer.1,2

"The pandemic has proven that data, analytics, AI and connectivity will only become more central to delivering care," said Erez Levy, General Manager, Nuclear Medicine, GE Healthcare. "For GE Healthcare, that means continuing to advance intelligent and innovative technologies, like aBSI, and deliver precision health to promote better patient outcomes around the world."

Under the terms of the non-exclusive agreement, GE Healthcare acquired from Lantheus the software license for aBSI for integration into GE Healthcare’s Xeleris platform, excluding the use of aBSI in Japan. Under the agreement with GE Healthcare, Lantheus will receive tiered licensing fees per license sold.

On November 13, 2020 Aldeyra Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALDX) (Aldeyra) reported that the company’s senior management will participate in the following virtual investor conferences (Press release, Aldeyra Therapeutics, NOV 13, 2020, View Source [SID1234571066]):

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Jefferies Virtual London Healthcare Conference: Aldeyra President and CEO Todd C. Brady, M.D., Ph.D., is scheduled to participate in a fireside chat at 1:10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, November 18, 2020. The fireside chat will be broadcast live and archived for 90 days on the company’s website at View Source the "Events & Presentations" page. In addition, company executives are scheduled to host virtual one-on-one meetings with institutional investors.
A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners Virtual Healthcare Symposium: Aldeyra executives are scheduled to host virtual one-on-one meetings with institutional investors on November 19, 2020.