On April 19, 2022 Applied Cells Inc. and STEMCELL Technologies Canada Inc. reported their collaboration to deliver a new high-performance cell separation solution that combines Applied Cells’ MARS platform with STEMCELL’s EasySep immunomagnetic cell separation kits (Press release, Applied Cells, APR 19, 2022, View Source;utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=applied-cells-enters-into-a-supply-agreement-with-stemcell-technologies [SID1234612475]). This partnership will help researchers around the world to automate and increase the efficiency of isolating high-quality cells from a wide range of sample types such as whole blood, bone marrow, apheresis products, and dissociated tissue.

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Through automation, the Applied Cells MARS cell isolation workflow reduces human error and increases efficiency to achieve the "3H Solution" of high purity, high recovery, and high reproducibility. The MARS platform takes a "multi-physics" approach to streamline the sample preparation and cell isolation process at both small and large scale, with a defined pathway to full-enclosure, bag-based capabilities. Cells isolated with MARS may be used in tumor biology, genomics analyses, and cell therapy applications.

STEMCELL’s EasySep cell isolation technology enables the fast and easy isolation of highly purified cells from a variety of species and sample sources by combining the specificity of monoclonal antibodies with the simplicity of column-free, magnetic cell separation systems. By using STEMCELL’s cell isolation kits in the MARS cell isolation workflow, users will be able to isolate cells with high specificity and purity. In this way, STEMCELL’s cell isolation reagents will broaden the applications of the MARS platform and support the specialized requirements of researchers who need to isolate extremely low-frequency cancer cells from human samples.

"Advanced cell isolation solutions are required to handle ever more complex cell isolation needs," noted Yuchen Zhou, CEO at Applied Cells. "The combined solutions of the Applied Cells MARS platform and STEMCELL Technologies’ cell separation reagents bring to the research market a next-generation solution for evolving cell separation requirements."

"STEMCELL is thrilled to offer our cell separation reagents for use with instruments from Applied Cells. This collaboration will make it easier for researchers to isolate the cells they need to advance cancer or cell therapy research," noted Dr. Allen Eaves, STEMCELL’s President and CEO.

On April 19, 2022 Vivesto AB, an oncology-focused specialty pharmaceutical company, reported that it is advancing research into its proprietary drug delivery formulations and has signed a research agreement with Visikol Inc., a leading U.S. contract research services provider (CRO) (Press release, Vivesto, APR 19, 2022, View Source [SID1234612471]). Visikol will conduct research to evaluate the cellular effects of new and existing anti-cancer drug formulations developed using Vivesto’s proprietary XR-17 and XR-18 technologies.

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As a result of this research, Vivesto will be able to assess anti-cancer compounds formulated with its XR-17 drug delivery platform as well as line extensions formulated with the XR-18 technology that it is currently developing with regard to their therapeutic properties and underlying biologic effects. This research will allow Vivesto to select promising developmental drug candidates and further expand its current and future oncology pipeline focused on hard-to-treat and late-stage cancers.

Visikol specialises in accelerating the drug discovery and development process by providing its clients with advanced tissue imaging and cell culture services. Visikol has been instrumental in the successful development of dozens of drug discovery programs and counts the top twenty pharmaceutical companies as clients.

Reinhard Koenig, MD, CSO of Vivesto, commented "We continue to advance our internal research efforts by developing our XR-17 and XR-18 technologies, including line extensions and formulations with anti-cancer compounds. We are working hard to achieve a deeper understanding of the cellular effects of these formulations and have therefore partnered with Visikol, an experienced U.S. services company, to provide valuable insights. We are looking forward to integrating the output of this research into the development of new compounds."

On April 19, 2022 Soligenix, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNGX) (Soligenix or the Company), a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing products to treat rare diseases where there is an unmet medical need, reported that it has received approximately $1.4 million, net of transaction costs, in non-dilutive funding via multiple government tax programs (Press release, Soligenix, APR 19, 2022, View Source [SID1234612470]).

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"We have received $1.2 million from the state of New Jersey’s (NJ) Technology Business Tax Certificate Transfer Program and $0.2 million from the United Kingdom’s (UK) Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit Program," stated Christopher J. Schaber, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Soligenix. "We continue to be extremely active in our pursuit of non-dilutive funding to offset operating expenses. This is our twelfth year receiving NJ Net Operating Loss (NOL) funding. Over this time period, we have received approximately $7.6 million in non-dilutive NOL funding. This has allowed us to advance our rare disease pipeline to where we are today, with multiple later stage clinical assets and preparing to file a new drug application for HyBryte for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma later this year. We are grateful for NJ Economic Development Authority’s (NJEDA) continued support of its biotechnology industry. This is also our third year receiving the HMRC tax credit, to date we have received $0.5 million to support our clinical trials in the UK."

The NJEDA program enables approved technology and biotechnology businesses to sell their unused NOL Carryovers and unused R&D Tax Credits to unaffiliated, profitable corporate taxpayers in the state of New Jersey. This allows businesses with NOLs to turn their tax losses and credits into cash proceeds to fund additional R&D, purchase equipment and/or facilities, or cover other allowable expenditures. The NJEDA determines eligibility for the program, the NJ Division of Taxation determines the value of the available tax benefits (NOLs and R&D Tax Credits), and the NJ Commission on Science and Technology evaluates the technology and its viability. The State of NJ was the originator of this program and the first state to implement and fund it.

The HMRC R&D Tax Credit Program supports companies that work on innovative projects in science and technology in the UK. It can be claimed by a range of companies that seek to research or develop an advance in their field.

On April 19, 2022 Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) and Checkmate Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: CMPI), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on proprietary technology to harness the power of the immune system to combat cancer, reported a definitive agreement for the acquisition of Checkmate by Regeneron at an all-cash price of $10.50 per share of Checkmate common stock (Press release, Regeneron, APR 19, 2022, View Source [SID1234612469]). The proposed acquisition values Checkmate at a total equity value of approximately $250 million.

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Checkmate’s lead investigational candidate is vidutolimod, an advanced generation CpG-A oligodeoxynucleotide Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonist delivered in a virus-like particle.

"As we continue to advance and expand our research efforts in immuno-oncology, the acquisition of Checkmate will add a promising new modality to Regeneron’s toolkit of potential approaches for difficult-to-treat cancers," said Leonard S. Schleifer, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Regeneron. "The unique combination of a differentiated Toll-like receptor 9 with other antibody-based oncology agents may result in increased clinical benefit and provide new treatment options for patients in need. We look forward to welcoming the Checkmate team and their complementary scientific acumen to the Regeneron family."

"We are thrilled that Checkmate will become part of Regeneron, a biotechnology leader that shares our deep appreciation for science, hunger for ground-breaking discoveries and commitment to helping patients defeat cancer," said Alan Bash, President and Chief Executive Officer of Checkmate.

"We believe that the data we have generated with vidutolimod positions Checkmate at the forefront of the innate immune activator field. It is our hope that Regeneron’s resources and expertise will help accelerate the development of vidutolimod and realization of the full potential of our virus-like particle (VLP) platform for immunotherapy," said Art Krieg, M.D., Checkmate’s Founder and Chief Scientific Officer.

Vidutolimod is administered into the tumor and is believed to induce and expand anti-tumor T cells and induce tumor regression as a monotherapy in patients whose tumors previously progressed on PD-1 checkpoint inhibition. In the Phase 1b program, documented abscopal responses were seen in distant, un-injected lesions. Vidutolimod is an investigational therapy and has not been approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration or any other regulatory agency.

The merger agreement provides for Regeneron, through a subsidiary, to initiate a tender offer to acquire all outstanding shares of Checkmate at an all-cash price of $10.50 per share of Checkmate common stock. The closing of the tender offer will be subject to certain conditions, including the tender of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of Checkmate common stock, the expiration of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act and other customary closing conditions. Upon the successful completion of the tender offer, Regeneron will acquire all shares not acquired in the tender through a second-step merger. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2022.

Regeneron’s legal advisor for the transaction is Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. Centerview Partners is serving as Checkmate’s financial advisor and Goodwin Procter LLP is serving as its legal advisor.

About Vidutolimod
Vidutolimod works by two complementary mechanisms that together have a unique ability to drive a strong systemic anti-tumor T cell response. First, the virus-like particle (VLP) activates an immune response to the VLP, leading to the production of antibodies that deliver the VLP into plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) and other immune cells via specialized receptors called FcRs. This provides an initial stimulatory signal to pDC and brings the CpG-A to TLR9 (the receptor for CpG DNA) inside the pDC. Second, CpG-A stimulates TLR9 in a manner that induces pDC to release significantly higher levels of IFN-α and other type I interferons than other innate immune activators, resulting in a stronger anti-tumor T cell response.

Animal models and in vitro experiments suggest that, when activated by vidutolimod by this combination of signals, pDC recruit and coordinate a variety of other immune cells, culminating in the generation of a strong anti-tumor T cell response.

On April 19, 2022 Kureha Corporation reported that it has resolved at its board of directors meeting held today to pay the following dividend to shareholders held in record as of March 31, 2022 (Press release, Kureha Corporation, APR 19, 2022, View Source [SID1234612468]).

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1. Details of dividend payment
2. Reasons behind the decision regarding dividend payment

Kureha’s basic policy regarding dividend distribution is to pay a steady dividend to shareholders over a long period of time, while strengthening the Company’s financial structure to sustain long-term growth and future business development.

With this policy in mind, Kureha has decided to raise its yearly dividend for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022 (FY2021) in view of expected year-on-year increases in revenue and operating profit. We will therefore pay a year-end dividend of 125 yen per share, a 40 yen increase from the previous year’s, as we recently announced.

[Reference] Recent dividend payments