On September 30, 2020 Elevation Oncology, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of precision medicines for patients with genomically defined cancers, and US Oncology Research, one of the largest community-based oncology site management organizations in the U.S., reported a collaboration to utilize the US Oncology Research Selected Trials for Accelerated Rollout (STAR) program for patient enrollment in the registration-enabling Phase 2 CRESTONE study for patients with solid tumors of any origin that have an NRG1 gene fusion (Press release, Elevation Oncology, SEP 30, 2020, View Source [SID1234567827]).

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"The ability to accurately detect rare genomic driver alterations in a patient’s tumor and subsequently open up a clinical study site in response, is paramount to bringing precision therapy opportunities to patients that may benefit from treatment," said Shawn Leland, PharmD, RPh, Founder and Chief Business Officer of Elevation Oncology. "US Oncology Research is ideally positioned to expand the reach of the CRESTONE study for patients with cancers harboring an NRG1 gene fusion for investigational treatment with seribantumab. A key component of this collaboration is the ability to quickly open CRESTONE clinical trial sites via the US Oncology Research STAR program, which minimizes patient travel and disruption in clinical care, a major advantage particularly given the current travel complexities due to COVID-19."

The STAR program opens and activates clinical trials quickly across all cancer research sites managed by US Oncology Research. STAR is an operational model that allows for pre-screening of potentially eligible subjects upfront and only opens sites where subjects are identified. When a potential STAR trial patient is identified at a facility, the practice is trained in the details of the trial, and the study is opened within a two-week timeframe at the location where the patient will be treated.

"Advancements in diagnostic testing, and an evolution in the understanding of cancer development and progression, have enabled the identification of driver mutations and subsequent treatment for patients with cancer that no longer is associated with the tissue of origin for a particular disease," said Robert L. Coleman, MD, Chief Scientific Officer of US Oncology Research. "Given the broad reach of US Oncology Research, we are able to provide access to investigational treatments at a local medical center and rapidly open up clinical study sites in order to provide options for our patients and physicians in their clinical treatment decisions across the country. With close collaboration between our individual cancer specialists, we are creating a future where cancers that are defined by genomic driver alterations can be rapidly identified and matched to treatments that may be able to stop the growth of an individual patient’s disease, wherever they may live."

US Oncology Research enables practices to offer patients access to the latest cancer clinical trial options in their local communities, providing the opportunity for better outcomes while contributing to the advancement of cancer treatment. US Oncology Research serves approximately 60 research sites and more than 165 locations, managing about 400 active trials at any given time. This breadth of coverage, and commitment to cross-disciplinary collaboration among facilities and individual specialties, makes US Oncology Research uniquely situated to accelerate the clinical development of precision medicines that target rare genomic alterations.

Patients and physicians can learn more about the CRESTONE study at www.nrg1fusion.com or on www.ClinicalTrials.gov under the NCT number NCT04383210.

On September 30, 2020 The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research (MFCR) reported that the launch of a new funding program that supports the development of novel cancer therapeutics in areas with high unmet needs (Press release, The Mark Foundation For Cancer Research, SEP 30, 2020, View Source [SID1234567812]). These Drug Discovery Partnership awards are structured to support high-risk, high-reward research and bridge the substantial gap in advancing promising academic discoveries to novel therapies.

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Two projects have been initially selected for funding:

A team at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute led by Sara Buhrlage, PhD is developing a best-in-class inhibitor of the USP7 enzyme for the treatment of Ewing sarcoma, a rare cancer of the bone and soft tissue that affects children and young adults. USP7 is a deubiquitinating enzyme or "DUB" a class of proteins that regulate cellular protein homeostasis and play an important role in diseases including cancer. Over the past decade there has been much interest targeting DUBs with small molecule therapeutics, however progress has been slow to due to issues with specificity and selectivity. Buhrlage’s lab has discovered a new series of potent and selective USP7 inhibitors that will be optimized preclinically and hopefully bring new therapeutic treatments to the clinic to help treat this devastating childhood cancer. More information on the USP7 project can be found on the MFCR website.
A team at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Institute for Applied Cancer Science (IACS), part of the institution’s Therapeutics Discovery division, led by Philip Jones, PhD is developing what could be the first inhibitor of the transcriptional co-activator CBP/p300 to be tested clinically in genetically defined leukemias. CBP and p300 proteins are both epigenetic regulators that can read and write certain epigenetic marks on histone proteins and have been linked to the development of cancer and other diseases. The IACS team at MD Anderson has discovered a highly selective series of CBP/p300 bromodomain inhibitors and will now focus on preclinical development. More information on the CBP/p300 project can be found on the MFCR website.
MFCR Drug Discovery Partnerships are focused on key milestones along the continuum from target identification to preclinical development and initial regulatory filings. Projects will typically be supported for 1–3 years with budgets aligned to detailed research plans and award payments made based on milestone achievements. For these initial two projects, up to $4.6M total is expected to be awarded over the next two years.

"From our years of combined pharmaceutical industry experience, my Mark Foundation colleagues and I know that the steps needed to develop a new drug from an early academic concept are fraught with challenges," said Ryan Schoenfeld, PhD, Vice President, Scientific Research. "It’s an area of tremendous unmet need with which we are uniquely capable to help. We’re ecstatic to have the opportunity to provide scientific and technical guidance to brilliant scientists so that we can accelerate their ideas into the clinic."

The scientists at MFCR will also take advantage of their experience working with contract research organizations and other industry partners to provide grantees access to state-of-the-art drug discovery and development capabilities.

Since 2017, MFCR has awarded over $95 million in grants to enable innovative basic, translational, and clinical cancer research, including early-stage drug discovery. MFCR also has a growing investment portfolio that includes drug discovery companies Accent Therapeutics (focused on RNA-modifying proteins implicated in cancer) and Verseau Therapeutics (developing macrophage-targeting immunotherapies), as well as liquid biopsy diagnostics companies C2i Genomics and GRAIL.

On September 30, 2020 Altimmune, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALT), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, reported that management will present at the following upcoming virtual investor conferences in October (Press release, Altimmune, SEP 30, 2020, View Source [SID1234567829]):

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H.C. Wainwright 4th Annual NASH Investor Conference
Monday, October 5, 2020 – 3:30 pm ET
Guggenheim Securities’ 1st Annual Vaccines & Infectious Diseases Day
Monday, October 5, 2020 – 4:45 pm ET
The H.C. Wainwright presentation will be webcast and can be accessed by visiting the investor relations section of the company’s website at www.altimmune.com under Events/Presentations.

On September 30, 2020 DiscoveryBioMed, Inc. (DBM) reported that and excited to be involved in the BIO Alabama Annual Conference to be held virtually from October 5-8 (Press release, DiscoveryBioMed, SEP 30, 2020, View Source [SID1234567813]). There are some great keynote speakers and sessions as well as a one-on-one partnering vehicle that DBM is co-sponsoring for the event. "At the BIO International Convention, DBM takes full advantage of the One on One Partnering vehicle to connect to future potential partners and clients," explained Dr. Erik Schwiebert, CEO and CSO of DBM. "We encouraged a similar vehicle, given the virtual format for the meeting, where connections can be made and/or deepened across the BIO Alabama network and ecosystem."

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In addition, Erik is joining Rachel Lane that leads a scientific writing enterprise called The Written Science for a fireside chat on small business grant programs at the NIH and NSF for life sciences and biotechnology companies. Erik is also going to connect virtually to the Auburn Engineering Club one evening that week to discuss the life sciences and biotechnology career path, DBM, and other topics of interest to Auburn undergraduates. He is also a part of the BIO Alabama Executive Committee and the Planning Committee for this conference.

"Sonia Robinson in particular and the BIO Alabama leadership in general has brought significant new and important energy for our State affiliate and has started many important conversations, including the potential for SBIR-STTR award supplements, to new awardees in the State of Alabama. We need to continue this important momentum for the rest of 2020 and carry it into 2021."

On September 30, 2020 Turning Point Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: TPTX), a precision oncology company developing next-generation therapies that target genetic drivers of cancer, reported that President and CEO Athena Countouriotis, M.D., will participate in a question and answer session on Oct. 5 as part of the Roth Capital Partners’ CEO Talk Series (Press release, Turning Point Therapeutics, SEP 30, 2020, View Source [SID1234567831]).

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Dr. Countouriotis’ session is scheduled to begin at noon ET and will be accessible via webcast through the Investors page of www.tptherapeutics.com.