On December 28, 2023 Isofol Medical AB (publ) (Nasdaq Stockholm: ISOFOL) reported that the company has received additional results from the laboratory tests conducted with arfolitixorin ahead of a potential decision on the drug candidate’s continued clinical development (Press release, Isofol Medical, DEC 28, 2023, View Source [SID1234638825]). The results show interesting supplementary effects of arfolitixorin in two of a total of five evaluated organoids from colorectal cancer tumors. These findings are positive for Isofol and the company will implement additional bioinformatic analysis to identify potential patterns.

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The information in the press release is intended for investors.

Isofol has received further results from the laboratory tests carried out as part of the company’s stepwise process to enable a cost-effective evaluation of the drug candidate arfolitixorin. The results originate from tests on organoids from tumors in the colon and rectum and show additional effects of arfolitixorin in two of a total of five organoids studied, an effect that was not seen with leucovorin. The additional effect was shown as an enhancement of the response to the chemotherapy drug 5-FU, both in terms of reducing tumor size and the ability to induce cell death. In three out of five organoid tests, however, no additional effect of any of the folates in combination with 5-FU was seen.

Data from the laboratory tests will undergo bioinformatics analyses to identify molecular patterns associated with folate sensitivity. These analyses may provide further support in the construction of a hypothesis for the continued development of arfolitixorin.

"These results show positive signals that we did not see in organoids from pancreatic tumors and give us further guidance in the choice of indication for a potential clinical trial. We will therefore look further into this and the upcoming tests will become even more important," says Isofol’s acting CEO, Roger Tell.

As part of the company’s stepwise process, several laboratory tests are carried out to evaluate the effect of arfolitixorin in different doses together with the chemotherapy drug 5-FU and in other possible combination treatments. The tests are carried out in collaboration with external research laboratories in Norway and the USA and have been gradually extended to cell lines and organoids also outside the field of colorectal cancer. Complementary studies of arfolitixorin’s effect on organoids are planned to be carried out during the first quarter of 2024.

On December 28, 2023 Ascendis Pharma A/S (Nasdaq: ASND) reported that Jan Mikkelsen, President & Chief Executive Officer, Scott Smith, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, and Kennett Sprogøe, Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Head of Research & Product Development, will participate in the 42nd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference (Press release, Ascendis Pharma, DEC 28, 2023, View Source [SID1234638822]).

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Details:

Event 42nd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference
Location San Francisco, CA
Date Monday, January 8, 2024
Time 12:00-12:40 p.m. Eastern Time / 9:00-9:40 a.m. Pacific Time

A live webcast of the event will be available via the Investors & News section of the Ascendis Pharma website at investors.ascendispharma.com. A webcast replay will also be available on this website shortly after conclusion of the event for 30 days.

On December 28, 2023 Circio reported the reference is made to Circio Holding ASA’s (the "Company") stock exchange reported on 9 March 2023, in which the Company announced that it had requested Atlas Special Opportunities, LLC ("Atlas") to subscribe and pay for the first tranche of convertible bonds under the Investment Agreement entered into between Atlas and the Company, consisting of 75 convertible bonds (Press release, Circio, DEC 28, 2023, View Source [SID1234638821]).

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Atlas has, by a notice of conversion issued to Nordic Trustee AS, requested conversion of convertible bonds with a nominal value of NOK 500,000 which, pursuant to the bond terms, are convertible into 77,097 new shares in the Company at a conversion price of NOK 6.4853.

The Company’s share capital will accordingly be increased by NOK 46,258.20 by the issuance of 77,097 new shares upon completion of the conversion by registration of the share capital increase in the Norwegian Register of Business Enterprises (Nw.: Foretaksregisteret). Following the conversion, the Company’s total share capital will be NOK 4,484,286.60, divided into 7,473,811 shares, each with a nominal value of NOK 0.60.

On December 28, 2023 Be Biopharma, Inc. ("Be Bio"), a company pioneering the discovery and development of Engineered B Cell Medicines (BCMs), reported that Chief Executive Officer Joanne Smith-Farrell, Ph.D., will present at the 42nd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference being held at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco, CA on Wednesday, January 10, 2024 (Press release, Be Biopharma, DEC 28, 2023, View Source [SID1234638820]).

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42nd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference
Presentation Date: Wednesday, January 10, 2024
Presentation Time: 8:30 am PT

About Engineered B Cell Medicines – A New Class of Cellular Medicines

The B cell is a powerful cell that produces thousands of proteins per cell per second at constant levels, over decades. Precision genome editing can now be used to engineer B Cells that produce therapeutic proteins of interest, driving a new class of cellular medicines – Engineered B Cell Medicines (BCMs) – with the potential to be durable, allogeneic, redosable and administered without pre-conditioning. The promise of BCMs could transform therapeutic biologics with broad application — across protein classes, patient populations and therapeutic areas.

On December 28, 2023 Elpiscience Biopharma, Ltd. (Chairman and CEO: Darren Ji, MD, Ph.D., "Elpiscience") and Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Naoki Okamura, "Astellas") reported a research collaboration and license agreement for novel bi-specific macrophage engagers, ES019 and another program (Press release, Astellas, DEC 28, 2023, View Source [SID1234638819]). The two companies will collaboratively conduct early-stage research for these two programs. Elpiscience will also grant Astellas the right to add up to two additional programs to be included in the collaboration. If Astellas exercises its option, Elpiscience will grant Astellas the exclusive right to further research, develop, manufacture and commercialize the products for each program.

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Elpiscience is a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing next-generation immuno-oncology therapies for cancer patients worldwide. Their Bispecific Macrophage Engager Platform (BiME) is anti-tumor associated antigen (TAA) and anti-signal-regulatory protein α (SIRPα) bispecific antibody-based platform to activate Tumor Associated Macrophage (TAM) phagocytosis killing towards specific TAA expressing tumor cells. BiME shows highly potent phagocytosis due to engagement of the Fc receptor on TAM and the tumor cells via TAA and SIRPα, and blockade of CD47-SIRPα "don’t eat me" signaling1. This platform is utilized for ES019, an anti-PD-L1/SIRPα bispecific antibody.

TAMs are the most abundant leukocytes within Tumor Microenvironment (TME) of many cancer types and correlate with poor prognosis and immune checkpoint inhibitor resistance. The programs emerging from the BiME platform are expected to offer new options for cancer patients who do not respond to existing cancer immunotherapies, by modulating TAM and reprogramming the TME status.

Elpiscience will receive up to US $37 million, including the upfront payment and license option fees. In addition, Elpiscience will receive research funding from Astellas to advance the programs. After Astellas exercises its option, Elpiscience is eligible to potentially receive more than US $1.7 billion in payments for the achievement of future development, regulatory, and commercial milestones. Elpiscience is also eligible to receive single-digit to lower double-digit percent royalty payments on net sales for licensed products per each program.

Darren Ji, MD, Ph.D., Chairman and CEO, Elpiscience
"We are pleased to collaborate with Astellas, a world leader of innovative medicines, on developing game-changing therapies for cancer. BiME innovated at Elpiscience represents a paradigm shift from the conventional cell engagers dominated by T cells. The therapeutic molecules generated from the BiME platform have the potential of changing the clinical practice for tumors where tumor-associated macrophages are highly abundant, and no effective therapies are available. We look forward to working with Astellas to bring these exciting sciences to the bedside of global patients."

Adam Pearson, Chief Strategy Officer, Astellas
"Astellas has a strong commitment to developing innovative cancer treatments and have positioned Immuno-Oncology as one of the Primary Focuses of our R&D strategy2. Elpiscience has outstanding expertise in developing next generation immunotherapies. We hope this collaboration will bring synergies between the two companies’ cutting-edge research and will ultimately lead to the development of new treatments for patients with cancer."

"don’t eat me" signaling: CD47 is a protein that emits a "don’t eat me" signal. When CD47 on tumor cells bind with SIRPα on macrophages, the macrophages suppress phagocytosis.
2 Astellas’ R&D strategy: Astellas has established a Focus Area Approach for its research and development strategy. For more information, please visit our website at Areas of Interest | Astellas Pharma Inc.