On June 29, 2021 4D pharma plc (AIM: DDDD, NASDAQ: LBPS), a pharmaceutical company leading the development of Live Biotherapeutic products (LBPs), a novel class of drug derived from the microbiome, reported that Duncan Peyton, Chief Executive Officer, and Alex Stevenson, Chief Scientific Officer, will present a corporate overview followed by a fireside chat at the virtual Ladenburg Thalmann Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, July 13, 2021, at 2:30pm ET (7:30pm BST) (Press release, 4d Pharma, JUN 29, 2021, View Source [SID1234584480]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

A webcast of the presentation will be available via the ‘Events’ section of the 4D pharma website at www.4dpharmaplc.com. An archived replay of the webcast will be available for 90 days following the presentation.

On June 29, 2021 Exicure, Inc. (NASDAQ: XCUR), a pioneer in gene regulatory and immunotherapeutic drugs utilizing spherical nucleic acid (SNA) technology, reported that CEO David Giljohann will present a company update as well as participate in a series of 1×1 meetings at the Ladenburg Thalmann 2021 Healthcare Conference occurring July 13-14, 2021 (Press release, Exicure, JUN 29, 2021, View Source [SID1234584479]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Presentation Date: July 13, 2021
Presentation Time: 1:00-1:25 PM in Track One
Location: The panel discussion will be webcast (available here)

Replays of the presentation will be available on Exicure’s website for 30 days following the presentation.

On June 29, 2021 Boston Children’s Hospital, which has the largest National Institutes of Health-funded pediatric research enterprise in the United States, and ElevateBio, a cell and gene therapy technology company focused on powering transformative cell and gene therapies, reported that they have entered into a five-year collaborative agreement to advance cell and gene therapy programs originating out of Boston Children’s Hospital with an introduction to Boston Children’s translational research capabilities.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

The agreement enables Boston Children’s and ElevateBio to form multiple cell and gene therapy companies together; provides Boston Children’s researchers access to ElevateBio’s core-enabling technologies, manufacturing, and leading expertise to advance their programs; and will guarantee Boston Children’s researchers dedicated viral-vector manufacturing space at ElevateBio BaseCamp, ElevateBio’s centralized world-class research and development manufacturing center. In addition, under this agreement, ElevateBio will commit to sponsored research agreements with Boston Children’s investigators as part of the company formation process.

"At Boston Children’s Hospital, we are proud of the foundation we’ve established as a leading innovator in cell and gene therapy, so collaborating with ElevateBio – a company so well-positioned to change the face of cell and gene therapy forever – is a natural fit into our overall vision," said David Williams, M.D., formerly Senior Vice President for Research and Chief Scientific Officer, currently Chief of Hematology / Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital. "Using ElevateBio’s world-class enabling technologies, this alliance will help catalyze the science being conducted in the labs across Boston Children’s, moving potential treatments into the clinic and accelerating the development of multiple cell and gene therapy platforms."

"Boston Children’s Hospital is committed to accelerating the translation of our research into treatments that will improve patients’ lives," said Irene Abrams, Vice President of Technology Development and New Ventures, Boston Children’s Hospital. "and this relationship with ElevateBio is a key part of that effort."

"At ElevateBio, we have built unique end-to-end capabilities that leverage our suite of enabling technologies, technologic know-how, and world-class expertise to advance our own innovative cell and gene therapies as well as accelerate those of industry and academic collaborators," said David Hallal, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ElevateBio. "Boston Children’s Hospital has a strong history of innovation in the cell and gene therapy sector through ground-breaking science and spinning out companies to deliver medicines to patients. Through this collaboration, we’re excited to work with the team at Boston Children’s to form new companies, the first of which we’ve identified and will announce later this year, and also enable access to our cutting-edge viral vector manufacturing facilities that will help Boston Children’s researchers move their therapies through development more efficiently."

On June 29, 2021 AccessHope, LLC, a company that provides cancer expertise to employers and their health care partners, reported a new foundational partnership with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, extending member access to specialized cancer expertise to more people living with complex cancers across the United States (Press release, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, JUN 29, 2021, View Source [SID1234584477]). Dana-Farber joins two National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer centers — City of Hope and Northwestern Medicine and the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University — in a novel collaboration that delivers advanced, expert knowledge for employees with cancer and their local treating oncologists, as well as cancer support services .

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"The AccessHope program deploys the latest cancer care knowledge to the places and people who need it most, when it is most valuable, wherever they are located," said AccessHope CEO Mark Stadler. "By adding Dana-Farber as a new foundational partner alongside City of Hope and Northwestern Medicine, we expand our ability to connect plan members with world-renowned specialists who can review their cases and share insights with their local treating oncologists to help improve clinical outcomes, enhance quality of life, and optimize cancer treatment plans."

Cancer experts from Dana-Farber will provide expertise for AccessHope’s core services — Accountable Precision Oncology, Expert Advisory Review and Cancer Support Team — to employers and their plan members in Northeast states including Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey, as well as patients from all across the United States. Through an employer benefit, employees of AccessHope clients have access to AccessHope’s network of oncology experts. The medical specialists are at the forefront of the latest cancer research and lifesaving discoveries, and they can guide individuals and their treating oncologists to the newest personalized treatments, such as clinical trials or breakthrough medications, and genetic/genomic testing and targeted therapies.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute blends leading science and exceptional care into transformative medicine and is a principal teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Dana-Farber cares for adults and children challenged with cancer, blood disorders and related diseases with world-renowned specialists, providing comprehensive and personalized care for each patient and support for their families.

Dana-Farber’s specialized treatment centers are staffed by teams of experts who work closely together to offer patients the latest therapies and strategies, including access to more than 1,100 therapeutic and non-therapeutic clinical trials.

"The extraordinary pace of innovations in cancer research and care can sometimes make it challenging for oncologists everywhere to keep up with rapidly evolving practices, especially if they are managing many types of cancer every day," said Eric Winer, M.D., chief clinical development officer and Thompson Chair in Breast Cancer Research, Dana-Farber. "Through our new collaboration with AccessHope, Dana-Farber specialists can be helpful resources to community oncologists, particularly when treating patients with complex cancers. Joining forces with AccessHope is a part of our commitment to sharing the very latest science, extraordinary care and exceptional expertise with those who need it."

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the rise in telehealth over the past year and a half, amplifying the need to rethink cancer care and the patient experience. Regardless of location, employees of AccessHope clients who are diagnosed with cancer, along with their local treating oncologist, can benefit from the expertise of specialists knowledgeable in the latest cancer discoveries for review of diagnosis, treatment plan and personalized precision medicine opportunities, as well as clinical trial information and support services. AccessHope’s cancer support services help employees navigate the complexity of a cancer diagnosis to improve quality of life and health outcomes, help people return to their work and lives, and reduce expenses.

Today, AccessHope serves approximately 2.3 million plan members who have its cancer support services through 43 employers including Adobe and Pitney Bowes, and through collaborative relationships with Health Transformation Alliance and Quantum Health.

Following AccessHope’s national launch as a wholly owned subsidiary of City of Hope, Northwestern Medicine, a nationally recognized health system in Chicago that includes the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, was the first organization to join AccessHope as a foundational partner in the fall of 2020. Northwestern Medicine has extended its subspecialists’ expertise to AccessHope’s services throughout the Midwest, enabling AccessHope’s employer plan members and their treating oncologists to be matched with Northwestern Medicine and Lurie Cancer Center cancer specialists for case review and treatment plan recommendations.

"When we first formed AccessHope, our vision was to continuously increase its reach and impact to patients across the U.S. through new partnerships. We are pleased that one of the world’s leading academic cancer institutes, Dana-Farber, has joined AccessHope. This partnership not only will deliver significant benefit to employers and cancer patients, but also further validates the value proposition of AccessHope’s unique approach," said Harlan Levine, M.D., president of strategy and business ventures, City of Hope, and chair of the board for AccessHope. "By leveraging remote delivery of cutting-edge insights and knowledge from clinical research, we are able to help people with cancer and their treating physicians benefit from the latest cancer care expertise, close to home."

On June 29, 2021 Aptevo Therapeutics Inc. ("Aptevo") (NASDAQ:APVO), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing novel immuno-oncology therapeutics based on its proprietary ADAPTIR and ADAPTIR-FLEX platform technologies reported that the company has been added to the Russell Microcap Index at the conclusion of the 2021 annual reconstitution (Press release, Aptevo Therapeutics, JUN 29, 2021, View Source [SID1234584476]). Aptevo’s inclusion in the index became effective after the US market opened yesterday, June 28, 2021.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Membership in the Russell Microcap Index, which remains in place for one year, means automatic inclusion in the appropriate growth and value style indexes. FTSE Russell determines membership for its Russell indexes primarily by objective, market-capitalization rankings and style attributes.

"We are pleased to be joining the Russell Microcap Index this year, as this inclusion represents increasing value to shareholders and opportunity for potential shareholders, after a year of significant achievement of clinical, pre-clinical and business goals," said Mr. Marvin White, President and CEO of Aptevo.

An immuno-oncology company, Aptevo is focused on discovering and developing novel therapeutics for difficult-to-treat hematologic malignances and solid tumors. Drug candidates are developed from the Company’s proprietary platforms, ADAPTIR and ADAPTIR-FLEX, which are capable of generating highly differentiated bispecific and multi-specific antibodies. The Company recently announced completion of the dose escalation part of a Phase 1b clinical trial with lead drug candidate APVO436 for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome. Interim results showed the drug was well tolerated and had a manageable side effect profile. The primary endpoint – identification of a recommended Phase 2 dose – was also achieved. The Company also announced activation of the expansion part of the trial, which will simultaneously evaluate APVO436 in five cohorts of 18 patients each (N=90) in both combination and monotherapy.

About the Russell Indexes
Russell indexes are widely used by investment managers and institutional investors for index funds and as benchmarks for active investment strategies. Approximately $10.6 trillion in assets are benchmarked against Russell’s US indexes. Russell indexes are part of FTSE Russell, a leading global index provider. For more information on the Russell Microcap Index and the Russell indexes reconstitution, go to the "Russell Reconstitution" section on the FTSE Russell website.