On October 5, 2020 OncoMyx Therapeutics, a privately-held oncolytic immunotherapy company, reported that members of its senior management team will provide a company update today at 2:30 pm ET and host investor meetings at the Chardan Virtual 4th Annual Genetic Medicines Conference (Press release, OncoMyx Therapeutics, OCT 5, 2020, View Source [SID1234568113]). The conference is taking place virtually October 5th and 6th .

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"We are leveraging the unique advantages of myxoma virus to target mechanisms that are common to a number of cancers," said Steve Potts, Ph.D., MBA, founder and chief executive officer of OncoMyx. "With this pan-tumor approach, we are advancing a best-in-class pipeline of systemically-administered myxoma virotherapies in combination with checkpoint inhibitors and other immuno-oncology approaches that could boost the number of patients who could benefit from immunotherapies."

OncoMyx was founded on breakthrough research demonstrating the myxoma virus is highly immuno-interactive and can selectively infect and kill a broad range of cancer cell types. As a virus that is nonpathogenic to humans, myxoma does not have to overcome pre-existing immunity. With a large genome, myxoma is ideal for multi-arming, creating a precision medicine approach with a unique oncolytic virus that can activate the cancer immunity cycle and expand the therapeutic effectiveness of immunotherapies.

About the Chardan Virtual 4th Annual Genetic Medicines Conference

The conference will have presentations from more than 70 public and private companies who are leading the way in the genetic medicines space. The conference will feature presentations, fireside chats, panels, Q&A and 1×1’s. To learn more about the conference and the confirmed presenting companies, please contact [email protected].

On October 5, 2020 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO), the world leader in serving science, reported that it will release its financial results for the third quarter of 2020 before the market opens on Wednesday, October 21, 2020, and will hold a conference call on the same day at 8:30 a.m. EDT (Press release, Thermo Fisher Scientific, OCT 5, 2020, View Source [SID1234568129]).

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During the call, the company will discuss its financial performance, as well as future expectations. To listen, call (833) 714-0931 within the U.S. or (778) 560-2662 outside the U.S. The conference ID is 1570827. You may also listen to the call live on the "Investors" section of our website, www.thermofisher.com. The earnings press release and related information can be found in that section of our website under "Financial Results." A replay of the call will be available under "Webcasts and Presentations" through Friday, November 6, 2020.

On October 5, 2020 Lantern Pharma (NASDAQ: LTRN), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company using its proprietary RADR artificial intelligence ("A.I.") platform to improve drug discovery and development, and identify patients who will benefit from its portfolio of targeted oncology therapeutics, reported the advancement of its collaboration with Georgetown University for LP-184, a small molecule drug candidate currently in preclinical development for certain genomically defined solid tumors, including prostate and pancreatic cancers (Press release, Lantern Pharma, OCT 5, 2020, View Source [SID1234568098]).

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The first phase of the joint research activities with Georgetown which began in the 4th quarter of 2019 generated strong evidence of the efficacy of LP-184 in certain solid tumors and linked the anti-tumor activity to the presence of specific biomarkers. Phase one of the collaboration was a proof of concept study that demonstrated LP-184 had nanomolar potency across a wide variety of cell lines specifically engineered to study prostate cancer. LP-184 demonstrated increased efficacy in killing prostate cancer cells that overexpress PTGR1, a gene that is often upregulated in aggressive cancer tumors as well as higher anti-cancer activity in cells lines that had targeted DNA damage repair gene mutations. LP-184 was further tested in 3D organoid cultures, which are derived from patient tumor samples and more closely represent the actual biology of human tumors than cell lines, resulting in dose-dependent cell death in multiple patient-derived xenograft (PDX) prostate cancer models. Additional genomic, transcriptomic and drug sensitivity data from the cell lines and 3D organoids was also obtained, which is helping to refine the response signature, and is providing insights into which DNA repair deficiencies are more likely to be highly sensitive to LP-184. Since aggressive cancers can frequently over express PTGR1, this important insight regarding the observed efficacy of LP-184 in such tumors will be further validated in the next phase of the collaboration.

Mr. Sharma added: "I am very excited about the results of the first phase of our collaboration with Georgetown University as it validates that LP-184 is a highly potent agent in cancers that exhibit certain molecular features. This fact is highly significant as it suggests LP-184 could develop into a first-in-class compound for the treatment of certain prostate and pancreatic cancers and potentially other solid tumors. Moreover, LP-184 seems to work specifically by damaging and blocking a pathway critical for cancer cell proliferation; it could potentially be a perfect drug for use in combination with existing therapies for these prostate and pancreatic cancers as well as other solid tumors where we can exploit this molecular feature. We will be working alongside Dr. Banerjee to further elucidate this mechanism and generate a signature that we can use for future patient selection in trials and patient treatment."

The next phase of the collaboration and research program with Georgetown will focus on a larger set of PDX models and help pinpoint the specific mechanism of action, and seek confirmatory validation of the role of PTGR1 and the genetic mutations driving the DNA damage repair pathways that make the drug highly potent in these cancers. Research will also focus on completing the acquisition of detailed genomic information in prostate cancers, which will involve work in animal models and cell lines that have been edited to under and over express key driver genes.

Dr. Partha Banerjee, a world-renowned expert in molecular oncology and prostate cancer, and lead investigator for LP-184 at Georgetown University, commented: "There is currently a lack of approved therapeutic options for metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), which affects ~33,000 men per year in the U.S. alone. It is a highly lethal disorder with increasing incidence in the US and a 5-year survival rate of 26%, as compared to 91% for localized prostate disease. LP-184 has the potential to preferentially target DNA damage repair pathway in cancer cells that express certain biomarkers, like PTGR1. Thus, if LP-184 is able to demonstrate efficacy in future human clinical trials and meaningfully increase the survival rate, this would be extremely important for patients." In addition to Dr. Partha Banerjee, Dr. Shiv Shrivastava, who previously served as the Co-Director of the Center for Prostate Disease Research at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center is also advising Lantern Pharma in the development strategy in this precision oncology approach for LP-184.

LP 184 has been advanced using Lantern’s proprietary RADR A.I. platform that uses machine learning, genomics, and computational biology to accelerate the discovery of potential mechanisms of action and genomic and biomarker signatures that correlate to drug response in cancer patients.

The goal of phase two of the collaboration is to create a more biologically relevant and robust gene signature in preparation for clinical trials, with the objective of allowing future prostate cancer patients to experience the benefit of a more personalized cancer treatment approach. Ultimately, Lantern’s A.I. driven approach could save millions of dollars in drug development costs while significantly accelerating the path to commercialization.

Panna Sharma, CEO of Lantern Pharma, said: "I am excited about the potential of LP-184, particularly as it relates to a more targeted therapy for patients with prostate cancer. If we can further develop this potent compound as a novel therapeutic agent, it would constitute an important breakthrough in the treatment of this deadly form of prostate cancer. I look forward to our continued collaboration with Dr. Banerjee and Georgetown University."

On October 5, 2020 The Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Research Alliance (PSSCRA) reported the opening of applications for its 2021 Prize for Young Investigators in Cancer Research (Press release, The Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Research Alliance, OCT 5, 2020, View Source [SID1234568114]). The prize of $200,000 per year for up to three years is awarded annually to at least six New York City area-based scientists. The prize empowers researchers to pursue innovative, high-risk/high-reward cancer research at a stage when traditional funding is lacking.

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"Science, social justice and the collective environmental conscience have never been as intertwined. Symbolizing the notion of infinity, our eighth year promises to reveal new insights and innovation in cancer research at a scale that is as broad as it is entangled: spanning the micro and the macro, the individual and the societal; the biologic and the synthetic," said Pershing Square Foundation Trustee Neri Oxman. "We look forward to reviewing radically innovative applications as we continue to grow our PSSCRA community."

Applicants must have between two and eight years of experience running their own laboratories by the award start date (July 2021), hold a PhD, MD or MD-PhD (or degree equivalent), and be affiliated with a research institution in the greater New York City area. The greater New York City area includes New York City’s five boroughs, Long Island, Westchester County, New Jersey, and Western Connecticut (Fairfield and New Haven Counties). The deadline to submit a Letter of Intent is November 9, 2020. For more details on PSSCRA and the application process, including the full eligibility criteria, please visit: View Source

Now providing funding and support for 46 investigators at eleven academic research institutions, the highly competitive Prize underwrites the bold research of cancer scientists at a formative stage in their careers. In order to facilitate collaboration and innovation, each Prize winner is given access to leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries and the opportunity to present his or her work to scientific, business, and philanthropic audiences.

"As we embark on the eighth year of the Prize, we remain extremely impressed by the remarkable scientific talent in the NYC area. It is our goal to build a community of innovative and skilled individuals and to support their exploration of the most exciting and revolutionary ideas, especially during a time when scientific research is more pressing and vital than ever," said Olivia Tournay Flatto, PhD, President of The Pershing Square Foundation and Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Research Alliance. "The future of the New York area’s life science research and industry relies on our ability to discover and support such new talent."

"The Pershing Square Sohn Prize is an immense honor for me and my team," said Britta Will, PhD, a 2020 Prize winner who is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. "It provides us with a truly unique opportunity to comprehensively explore a wholly new research direction which would have otherwise taken years to realize."

"The Pershing Square Sohn Prize will open the gateway for my laboratory to tackle high-risk and bold questions. This award will also provide the means to establish communication and collaboration with other outstanding scientists by virtue of participation in networking events. It will, therefore, undoubtedly support the development of my scientific career," said Camila dos Santos, PhD, a recipient of the 2018 Prize and Assistant Professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. "I am incredibly honored to be a recipient of this prestigious award and become a part of such an extraordinary effort and community."

"This is a highly impactful and prestigious award which has made a major impact on my career," remarked 2014 Prize winner Ross Levine, MD, the Laurence Joseph Dineen Chair in Leukemia Research and Director of the MSK Center for Hematologic Malignancies at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Levine concluded his project in 2017 and has participated in PSSCRA’s application process as a guest reviewer for the past three years.

On October 5, 2020 Medivir AB (Nasdaq Stockholm: MVIR) reported it has appointed Dr. Tom Morris as interim Chief Medical Officer effective October 5, 2020 (Press release, Medivir, OCT 5, 2020, View Source [SID1234568130]). Dr. Morris will report to CEO Yilmaz Mahshid and join the Medivir Executive Team.

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Tom Morris has more than 20 years of experience within drug development, mostly in oncology. Previously employed at Medeval Ltd and more recently at AstraZeneca. He has overseen the clinical development of several global drug programs, interacting with regulatory agencies, external clinical experts and academic groups worldwide.

Dr. Morris holds a BSc in Physiology from the University of Wales, medical degrees from the University of Wales College of Medicine and Master of Laws degree from Cardiff Law School. Currently a fellow and Board member of The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine, a former chair of its Ethical Issues committee and a member of its Professional Standards Committee.