On September 23, 2021 Carevive Systems (Carevive), the leading oncology-focused health technology company centered on understanding and improving the experience of patients with cancer, reported Carevive SMART Data, a dataset containing information from patients about their experience with treatment, combined with demographic and clinical data (Press release, Carevive Systems, SEP 23, 2021, View Source [SID1234590229]).

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As the healthcare industry becomes more saturated with big data, the search continues for data that can inform decisions that positively impact the experience and outcomes of patients with cancer. Big data, defined by large datasets with substantial numbers of patients and a wide array of clinical and claims data, can support certain types of statistical analyses. However, these datasets are limited because their datapoints are discrete, providing only sequential snapshots of a patient’s health status, without a more continuous assessment of the patient’s experience on treatment, which can only originate from the patients themselves.

In response to the need for this type of dataset, Carevive uses its digital oncology platform to collect information from patients about their experience at weekly time points during treatment. These data are combined with demographic and clinical data to create Carevive SMART Data (Symptom Monitoring with Applied Remote Technology).

Carevive SMART Data are captured as part of Carevive OPT-IN. Carevive OPT-IN, the Oncology Pragmatic Trial Investigator Network, enables patient experience data to be collected from real-world patients who are receiving treatment for cancer. Carevive OPT-IN began in late 2020 to amplify the patient voice in their own care and improve their outcomes. Carevive SMART Data are collected as part of an ongoing, weekly conversation between the patient and their care team, facilitated by Carevive’s cloud-based, digital oncology platform that patients can access with a variety of devices, from any location. Providing patients with remote symptom monitoring enables longitudinal data to be collected describing the holistic patient experience, including symptoms, quality of life, physical function, and healthcare resource utilization.

Licenses to Carevive SMART Data are available for life science companies who would like to analyze patient-centric data combining longitudinal patient-reported outcomes (PRO) with EHR-derived clinical data. By listening to the patient’s voice in cancer care, Carevive can now address many important questions about the patient experience in cancer which have not been answered by big data.

Mordecai Kramer, Carevive’s Vice President of Data Generation & Outcomes, Life Sciences, summarizes the value of this novel dataset as follows: "We are excited about Carevive SMART Data and the holistic view of the patient experience that it provides. Since launching our registries, we are already seeing the value this longitudinal dataset creates for improving patient care and outcomes. We invite life science companies to join the Carevive SMART Data conversation and, together, answer pressing questions about real-world patients with cancer."

If you would like to learn more about Carevive SMART Data, please visit the website.

On September 23, 2021 Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) reported that its board of directors declared a 39-cent fourth-quarter 2021 dividend on the company’s common stock, payable December 6, 2021, to holders of the Common Stock of record at the close of business on November 5, 2021 (Press release, Pfizer, SEP 23, 2021, View Source [SID1234590244]). The fourth-quarter 2021 cash dividend will be the 332nd consecutive quarterly dividend paid by Pfizer.

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On September 23, 2021 AstraZeneca reported that has reached an agreement to collaborate with VaxEquity for the discovery, development and commercialisastion of the proprietary self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) therapeutics platform developed at Imperial College London (Press release, AstraZeneca, SEP 23, 2021, View Source [SID1234590197]).

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The strategic, long-term research collaboration aims to optimise and validate VaxEquity’s saRNA platform and apply it to advance novel therapeutic programmes. AstraZeneca will support VaxEquity with research and development funding and should AstraZeneca advance any of the research programmes into its pipeline, VaxEquity could receive development, approval and sales based milestones totalling up to $195 million and royalties in the mid-single digits per programme. AstraZeneca has the option to collaborate with VaxEquity on up to 26 drug targets and will also make an investment in VaxEquity to further the development of the saRNA platform.

VaxEquity was founded by Imperial College London and Morningside in 2020 based on the innovative saRNA technology developed by Professor Robin Shattock and his colleagues at Imperial College London, UK.

saRNA is a new platform for the development of medicines and vaccines which uses similar technology to mRNA but with the added ability to self-amplify, thereby expressing proteins for longer, resulting in higher protein levels per dose level. This has the potential to allow saRNAs to be delivered at lower concentrations than conventional mRNA therapeutics, leading to less frequent or lower dosing, lower costs and a much broader range of potential applications. The saRNA platform aims to underpin the next generation of RNA-delivered medicines enabling not only vaccines but also broad range of therapeutic applications.

Mene Pangalos, Executive Vice President, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, said "This collaboration with VaxEquity adds a promising new platform to our drug discovery toolbox. We believe self-amplifying RNA, once optimised, will allow us to target novel pathways not amenable to traditional drug discovery across our therapy areas of interest."

Michael Watson, Executive Chairman of VaxEquity, said, "We are delighted to collaborate with AstraZeneca given its strong track record in innovation and welcome them as a new investor. We are also grateful for the ongoing support of our existing investor, Morningside Group. With our self-amplifying RNA platform, we aim to underpin the next generation of RNA-delivered medicines enabling not only vaccines but also broad range of therapeutics applications."

Professor Alice Gast, President of Imperial College London, said: "I am deeply proud of my colleagues’ work in pioneering self-amplifying RNA technology. This collaboration will help realise our ambition of building a lasting legacy from the great scientific advances Imperial made in this pandemic."

On September 22, 2021 Almac Sciences, a member of the Almac Group, reported that it has successfully reached the midway point of its continuous flow technology project made possible through an Innovate UK funded Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast (Press release, Almac, SEP 22, 2021, https://www.almacgroup.com/news/almac-sciences-and-queens-university-belfast-collaboration-successfully-flows-through-mid-point/ [SID1234590114]).

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The aim of the Innovate UK funded KTP is to further enhance established flow technologies platforms at Almac Sciences. The technology will be used for development and manufacture of key raw materials and unlock capacity to perform challenging chemical transformations. The KTP scheme supports business growth through identification of new skills and transfer of the latest academic concepts to deliver a strategic innovation programme.

Modular flow technology for continuous manufacture of chemicals is one of the most exciting technologies in the international pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries. There have been significant efforts in the design of flow equipment and processes globally which includes multi-phase flow reactors, gas/liquid mixers and structured catalysts to offer manufacturing flexibility and robustness in continuous production of chemicals.

The Almac team is now delighted to report its KTP project has passed the mid-point with multiple successful outcomes including dissemination through peer-reviewed publication and several conference presentations detailing the development of a continuous flow packed bed catalytic process for hydrogenation of aromatic nitrobenzoic acids to produce corresponding anilines.

Academic Supervisor, Dr Haresh Manyar, Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering at QUB, commented "The hydrogenations under investigation are more efficient, less consumptive and safer than the corresponding batch process. Various industrially important aromatic anilines were produced in excellent yields with high throughputs. A continuous flow approach meant no evidence of genotoxic intermediates and, with the modular reactor design, it can be scaled to produce several kilos without extensive redesign.’ He added ‘This unique collaboration with Almac Sciences is a key milestone for Catalysis research at QUB and we are delighted to work together to advance flow technology within an industrial setting."

For Almac Sciences, the KTP has a positive reach through increasing competitiveness and productivity with a recent investment of £325,000 in continuous flow, including flow hydrogenation capabilities of up to 100 bar pressure and 300°C. Dr Megan Smyth, Technical Leader, Almac Sciences discussed the positive impact the KTP project has had on the expansion of service offerings within the Technology Group adding, "the ongoing successful knowledge transfer has allowed Almac to deliver kilogram manufacture of product for our customers."

Dr Scott Wharry, Custom and Flow Chemistry Manager and Company Supervisor, Almac Sciences said "Research and innovation are at the heart of what we do on a daily basis within our Technology group. This KTP project has not only increased capacity but has allowed in-depth understanding on which we can build a platform capability which will underpin future process development and further innovation. I wish the team continued success and look forward to seeing the final outcome of the project."

On September 22, 2021 Checkpoint Therapeutics, Inc. ("Checkpoint") (NASDAQ: CKPT), a clinical-stage immunotherapy and targeted oncology company, reported that James Oliviero, President and Chief Executive Officer, will participate in a fireside chat hosted by Jennifer Kim, Vice President, Equity Research, at the 2021 Cantor Virtual Global Healthcare Conference, taking place on Monday, September 27, 2021, at 9:20 a.m. ET (Press release, Checkpoint Therapeutics, SEP 22, 2021, View Source [SID1234590132]). Checkpoint management will also participate in one-on-one meetings during the conference. A live webcast of the fireside chat will be available on the Events page, located within the Investors section of Checkpoint’s website, View Source, for approximately 30 days following the meeting.

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