On September 1, 2021 Carina Biotech reported that it has raised AU$5.4 million (Press release, Carina Biotech, SEP 1, 2021, View Source [SID1234587050]). The raise was strongly supported by current shareholders, board and management and attracted new institutional and impact investors including a cornerstone investment from the Minderoo Foundation.

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The funding will enable us to undertake the required studies to initiate a clinical trial of our lead LGR5-targeted CAR-T program for the treatment of advanced colorectal (bowel) cancer in late 2022.

Dr Steve Burnell, CEO of Minderoo Foundation’s Collaborate Against Cancer Initiative, commented: "We are pleased to accelerate the development of breakthrough therapies such as CAR-T against solid tumours. Carina’s program is closely aligned with our strategy that is driving more personalised care, and our mission to make cancer a treatable, non-lethal disease."

Carina’s CEO Dr Deborah Rathjen said: "We warmly welcome our new investors and thank our existing investors who have also supported this financing.

"At Carina Biotech, we are focused on our goal of creating a future that defeats cancer. The LGR5 CAR-T cell for advanced colorectal cancer is a great place to start, given this cancer’s very poor prognosis and rising incidence, particularly in younger people.

"We know that colorectal cancer is the deadliest cancer for young Australians. We also know that there has been a nearly 190% increase in colorectal cancer cases in adolescents and young people in Australia over the last 30 years. These trends are seen internationally as well.

"This is a lethal cancer for all Australians, young and old, that we want to be able to treat."

Carina’s approach to institutional and impact investors was undertaken by MST Financial. Peter Wilson of wilsonemmett acted as financial adviser to Carina.

About Carina’s LGR5 CAR-T program
Advanced colorectal cancer currently has a poor prognosis and is the deadliest form of cancer for Australians 25 to 34 years old. LGR5 is a cancer stem cell marker that is highly expressed on advanced colorectal cancer and other cancers. In colon cancer patients, LGR5+ expression has been correlated with a particularly poor prognosis.

Cancer stem cells are a small sub-population of cells within a tumour with the ability to:

self-renew
differentiate into the many cell types of a tumour
initiate new tumours
resist chemotherapy and radiotherapy leading to relapses
By targeting a cancer stem cell, it is hoped that this therapy will reduce the tumour’s ability to generate new cells, resulting in durable tumour suppression and preventing relapses which are very common in patients with colorectal cancer.

Carina’s pre-clinical studies of the LGR5-targeted CAR-T cell have shown highly promising results with complete tumour regression and no tumour recurrence. They have also demonstrated impressive tumour access and prolonged CAR-T cell survival.

On August 31, 2021 Cardinal Health reported we’re passionate about giving back to the communities where we live and work, and we’re particularly committed to Pelotonia, an organization with a straight forward goal – end cancer (Press release, Cardinal Health, AUG 31, 2021, View Source [SID1234591441]). Our company has been a notable funding partner of Pelotonia since the organization’s inception in 2008. Each August, Pelotonia hosts a three-day experience that unites thousands of people in Central Ohio to bike, donate, volunteer, or cheer on the cyclists – all to raise awareness and life-saving funds for cancer research. Hundreds of our employees participate each year and, combined with contributions from Cardinal Health and our Foundation, have donated more than $3 million to Pelotonia.

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"As a cancer survivor, I’m very proud of the work Pelotonia drives to fund innovative research," said Victor Crawford, CEO of our Pharmaceutical segment, and member of the Pelotonia Board of Directors. "And, as a Black man, I share Pelotonia’s commitment to ensuring that research funding is equitably dispersed in order to address disparities in cancer care."

According to the research journal Nature Cancer, racial and ethnic "inequalities are prevalent across the spectrum of cancer research and patient care," and impact access to and quality of care, cancer prevention diagnoses and health outcomes. In America, Black and African Americans experience higher cancer death rates than Whites, according to the National Cancer Institute. And Black and African Americans and Native Americans are underrepresented in clinical trials, even when the drugs being tested are for cancers that disproportionately impact these populations, according to ProPublica.

Among Pelotonia’s key priorities are investing in cancer research initiatives designed to reduce health disparities, and forging a more inclusive path to research dollars for talented scientists from underrepresented populations in the medical community.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed the disparities in cancer care around the world. That’s why Pelotonia has pledged $1 million to support research for COVID-19’s effect on the cancer community, including a research study to determine how COVID-19 impacts the immune system of cancer patients. The study, known as SIIREN (Study of Infections and Immune REspoNse), aims to advance the scientific community’s understanding of how effective the COVID-19 vaccine is for preventing COVID-19 infection, determine if the vaccine is less effective in cancer patients receiving certain therapies and determine how long the immunity lasts. (There is no peer reviewed published data available on how cancer therapy affects the vaccine’s efficacy because patients in active therapy were excluded from vaccine trials. However, it is widely recommended that all cancer patients be vaccinated.) Patients who are currently in treatment or have been treated for cancer at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) may qualify for the COVID-19 study. Learn more here.

Pelotonia is partnering with the American Cancer Society and Pfizer to help fund Turning the Page on Breast Cancer, an initiative designed to address the disparately high breast cancer death rates among Ohio’s African American women. The program will provide breast cancer risk assessment and facilitate adherence to appropriate screenings based on personal risk – including helping those women who are at greater risk access genetic counseling and recommended testing.

"Pelotonia is about raising money for equitable and pioneering research and lifesaving clinical trials," Crawford said. "I’m incredibly grateful for the part our organization plays in this mission and for the hundreds of Cardinal Health employees who support Pelotonia each year – helping to raise funds to improve cancer research for all."

All participant-raised funds go to cancer research at OSUCCC – James. The positive impact of that research is felt around the world. To learn more, or to make a donation, please visit pelotonia.org.

Top of page: Pelotonia CEO Doug Ulman (left) and Victor Crawford challenged each other to a stationary bike race during a mostly virtual Pelotonia kickoff earlier this year.

On August 31, 2021 Akoya Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: AKYA) ("Akoya"), The Spatial Biology Company, reported that it will be virtually participating in the Morgan Stanley 19th Annual Global Healthcare Conference (Press release, Akoya Biosciences, AUG 31, 2021, View Sourcenews-releases/news-release-details/akoya-biosciences-present-morgan-stanley-19th-annual-global" target="_blank" title="View Sourcenews-releases/news-release-details/akoya-biosciences-present-morgan-stanley-19th-annual-global" rel="nofollow">View Source [SID1234590280]).

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Brian McKelligon, CEO, and Joe Driscoll, CFO, are scheduled to participate in a fireside chat on Monday, September 13th, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. ET.

A live webcast of the event will be available on the "Investors" section of the Akoya website at View Source and will be available for 90 days thereafter.

On August 31, 2021, Kintara Therapeutics, Inc Presented the Corporate Presentation (Presentation, Kintara Therapeutics, AUG 31, 2021, View Source [SID1234587382]).

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On August 31, 2021 Immunolight, LLC, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical firm leading the way in advancing technologies to transform cancer treatment, reported it has received FDA clearance to enter phase 1 study in patients with breast, melanoma, sarcoma and head and neck cancers (Press release, Immunolight, AUG 31, 2021, View Source [SID1234587075]).

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The heart of the X-PACT (X-ray Psoralen Activated Cancer Treatment) system is psoralen, a naturally occurring compound which has been successfully used for decades in the treatment of autoimmune disease, skin disorders and certain skin and blood cancers. It has not, however, been able to be used to treat solid tumors due to the fact that UV light, which is needed to activate psoralen, cannot penetrate through tissue to reach the solid tumors. Immunolight has now made that possible.

Immunolight innovated materials that convert tissue penetrating energies, such as low dose X-ray, into UV light inside a solid tumor in the body. The energy converting materials are injected along with psoralen inside the solid tumor, then low dose x-ray energy is applied at the site. The energy converting materials convert the x-ray into UV light which activates the psoralen inside the solid tumor to kill the cancer.

"Transitioning into a clinical stage company represents a significant milestone in the company’s history and the potential beginning of a new era in cancer treatment," says Immunolight founder and CEO, Rick Bourke.

Currently in its 15th year of multidisciplinary research and development activities, Immunolight developed X-PACT in partnership with Duke University and Duke Medical Center with a team of over 30 scientists, physicians and engineers. "Our highest priority has been to translate this amazing science into a paradigm-changing cancer treatment in patients," Immunolight President Harold Walder says. "We are so excited to get this treatment into the clinic and potentially change patient’s lives and transform their treatment outcomes."