On August 18, 2021 The National Cancer Institute reported that it has awarded Van Andel Institute a five-year, $1.7 million grant to establish a cutting-edge training program for postdoctoral fellows in cancer epigenetics, a growing field with untold potential to impact human health (Press release, Van Andel Institute, AUG 18, 2021, View Source;utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=t32-award-cancer-epigenetics-training-program [SID1234586725]).

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The new Cancer Epigenetics Training Program combines extensive professional development with comprehensive, interdisciplinary research training by VAI’s internationally recognized cadre of experts. Postdoctoral trainees also will have access to the Institute’s state-of-the-art shared scientific resources and technologies as well as opportunities to participate in established translational research programs and partnerships led by VAI investigators.

Epigenetic abnormalities are universally found across cancers and serve as major drivers for malignancy, making them promising new targets for the development of novel cancer therapies. As such, the field — and its capacity for producing breakthroughs — is rapidly expanding.

"In the past few years, VAI has become a global destination for groundbreaking, collaborative cancer epigenetics research," said VAI Chief Scientific Officer Peter A. Jones, Ph.D., D.Sc. (hon). "Postdoctoral trainees will emerge from our Cancer Epigenetics Training Program with extensive, rigorous training and a solid foundation from which to launch their independent research careers."

Jones and VAI Associate Professor Scott Rothbart, Ph.D., will lead the program in collaboration with Erica Gobrogge, Ph.D., program director of VAI’s Office of Postdoctoral Affairs. The program also benefits from the guidance of its advisory committee, which includes renowned scientists from across the U.S.

VAI’s Cancer Epigenetics Training Program is now accepting applications from candidates who are near completion of a Ph.D., M.D. or other appropriate terminal degree. For a full list of eligibility criteria, please visit vari.vai.org/cancer-epigenetics-training-program.

The Cancer Epigenetics Training program is supported by a National Cancer Institute T32 training grant (no. T32CA251066). The content is solely the responsibility of VAI and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

On August 18, 2021 Bavarian Nordic A/S (OMX: BAVA, OTC: BVNRY) reported that it will announce its 2021 first half results on Wednesday, August 25, 2021 (Press release, Bavarian Nordic, AUG 18, 2021, View Source [SID1234586727]).

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The management of Bavarian Nordic will host a conference call at 2:00 pm CEST (8:00 am EDT) on the same day to present the interim results followed by a Q&A session. A live and replay version of the call and relevant slides will be available at https://bit.ly/3xzOiQo.

To join the Q&A session dial one of the following numbers and state the participant code 8569159: Denmark: +45 32 72 80 42, UK: +44 (0) 844 571 8892, USA: +1 631-510-7495.

On August 17, 2021 CureVac reported that it has revealed in its latest financial report that its lung cancer program with German biotechnology company Boehringer Ingelheim has been terminated (Press release, CureVac, AUG 17, 2021, View Source [SID1234586796]).

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The move ends a €500m exclusive treatment exploration and development partnership which both parties signed seven years ago (2014). The collaboration focused on the viability of using CureVac’s CV9202 therapeutic mRNA vaccine with afatinib in patients who have been diagnosed with advanced or metastatic epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It was also being tested in combination with chemo-radiation therapy in patients who have unresectable stage III NSCLC.

However, in a brief statement hidden among its financials, CureVac said that it had terminated the agreement in June, with the process expected to be finalized by November 2021.

The company said that despite the decision to discontinue their partnership on the project, the two firms will still continue to find ways to collaborate on other ways to use CureVac’s RNA technology for other potential treatment purposes. While it did not explicitly state a reason, CureVac added that they were working with a "legacy program" that used an older protamine formulation, which was being developed seven years ago. It also stated that it is continuing its Phase I of II clinical trial for the potential of BI1361849 for NSCLC.

CureVac did not provide any further details about the termination or any other plans moving forward. However, what is noticeable is that it comes just two months after it reported weak efficacy results of only 47% for an mRNA vaccine against COVID-19. Other rival medications had an efficacy of more than 90%. Industry observers had been setting their sights on the vaccine as it was thought to last longer and cost less.

"While we were hoping for a stronger interim outcome, we recognize that demonstrating high efficacy in this unprecedented broad diversity of variants is challenging," said CureVac’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Franz-Werner Haas, in a statement. "In addition, the variant-rich environment underlines the importance of developing next-generation vaccines as new virus variants continue to emerge."

The CureVac-Boehringer trial involved 40,000 participants, with 75% based in Latin America and 25% in Europe. The 47% who showed efficacy represented around 46 cases from the vaccinated group and 88 cases in the placebo group. As part of that deal, CureVac received €35 million and was set to achieve milestone payments of as much as €430 million plus royalties from future sales.

Boehringer has yet to issue an official statement about this revelation.

On August 17, 2021 Ascendis Pharma A/S (Nasdaq: ASND), a biopharmaceutical company that utilizes its innovative TransCon technologies to create product candidates that address unmet medical needs, reported that the company will hold a conference call and live webcast on Wednesday, August 25, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) to review its second quarter 2021 financial results and provide a business update (Press release, Ascendis Pharma, AUG 17, 2021, View Source [SID1234586693]).

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A live webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investors and News section of the Ascendis Pharma website at www.ascendispharma.com. A webcast replay will be available on this website shortly after conclusion of the event for 30 days.

On August 17, 2021 Istari Oncology, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on novel immunotherapy platforms for the treatment of solid tumors, reported that the company is proceeding with the expansion of its LUMINOS-103 trial, with a new sub-study evaluating PVSRIPO in adult patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC)(Press release, Istari Oncology, AUG 17, 2021, View Source [SID1234590820]). LUMINOS-103 is a Phase 1/2, open-label, multi-center, single-arm basket trial evaluating the administration of PVSRIPO with or without PD-1/L1 inhibitors across multiple tumor types. The company began the LUMINOS-103 basket trial earlier this year, opening recruitment to patients with bladder cancer in two separate cohorts.

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Istari Oncology’s PVSRIPO is a novel intratumoral viral immunotherapy that activates a patient’s innate and adaptive immune system to facilitate a systemic anti-tumor immune response. PVSRIPO enters solid tumor cells and antigen presenting cells (APCs) in the tumor microenvironment via CD155 (the poliovirus receptor). CD155 is expressed on nearly all solid tumors, giving PVSRIPO the potential to treat a variety of cancers.

"We enter this next phase of PVSRIPO development in patients with solid tumors with great enthusiasm as we progress toward further evaluating the impact of PVSRIPO on patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma," said Matt Stober, president and chief executive officer at Istari Oncology. "With patient recruitment underway for our LUMINOS-103 bladder cancer cohorts, and the expectation that future cohorts focusing on other solid tumors will be added in the near future, we are proud to broaden the PVSRIPO clinical development program."

HNSCC is a heterogeneous group of malignant tumors typically caused by alcohol and tobacco consumption, although an increasing number of HNSCC cases arise due to persistent infection with high-risk human papilloma virus (HPV). The treatment of HNSCC remains challenging, and a substantial proportion of patients with this condition die from their disease, especially those with recurrent and metastatic disease.

"This year more than 66,000 people in the U.S. – approximately 49,000 men and 18,000 women – will develop head and neck cancer," said Amanda Hollinger, MPA, executive director, Head & Neck Cancer Alliance. "As we continue to focus on advancing prevention, detection, treatment, and rehabilitation of people with head and neck cancer, we will be closely watching the progress of Istari’s head and neck sub-study with great anticipation and optimism."

For more information about Istari Oncology and its ongoing clinical trials and research on PVSRIPO, visit www.istarioncology.com.

About PVSRIPO
PVSRIPO is an investigational immunotherapy based on the live attenuated Sabin type 1 polio vaccine that has been genetically modified for safety. PVSRIPO has a distinct target (the poliovirus receptor CD155), which is widely expressed in neoplastic cells of most solid tumors. Via CD155, PVSRIPO targets tumors with three key mechanisms: 1) engagement and activation of antigen presenting cells (APCs), leading to T cell priming and sustained, systemic anticancer immunity; 2) direct tumor cell killing and antigen release; and 3) amplification of the immune response via recall of polio vaccine-specific T cells. PVSRIPO has been granted Breakthrough Therapy and Orphan Drug Designation status by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in recurrent glioblastoma, and Fast Track and Orphan Drug Designation status in refractory melanoma.