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OncoCell MDx, Now Immunis.AI, to Present at Biotech Showcase

On January 9, 2020 OncoCell MDx, a privately held immunogenomics company with a patented liquid biopsy platform, reported it has changed its name to Immunis.AI (Press release, OncoCell MDx, JAN 9, 2020, View Source [SID1234552940]). The name was chosen to better reflect the power and breadth of application of the company’s novel Intelligentia platform, which assesses and stratifies risk of disease on an individualized basis, earlier in the process, at the cellular level. Intelligentia combines the power of the immune defense system, RNAseq technology and machine learning for the development of proprietary disease-specific algorithms to detect and grade disease with a simple blood test. The company will present as Immunis.AI at the 2020 Biotech Showcase, being held January 13-15, 2020 in San Francisco, California.

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Date: Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Time: 10:30 AM

Track: Franciscan D (Ballroom Level)

Venue: Hilton San Francisco Union Square, 333 O’Farrell Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

"Our name change reflects the expanded potential of the technology as well as a new stage in the company’s growth and development," said Mark McDonough, President and CEO of Immunis.AI. "Our Intelligentia platform is unique in leveraging the immune system’s surveillance apparatus to overcome the limitations of cfDNA and circulating tumor cells to improve early stage disease detection, at the point of immune-escape, when there is the best opportunity for cure. We’re continuing to develop the platform in multiple cancer types, where there is a significant opportunity to change the diagnostic paradigms, and we’re now also focusing development in other needed disease states. We’re looking forward to sharing details of our expanded platform and focus areas at Biotech Showcase next week."

Over the past year, Immunis.AI has built out a new leadership team, convening top executives in life sciences with years of experience leading companies towards commercialization and acquisition. In September 2019, the company announced a series B funding of $22.2 million to help advance their novel platform towards commercialization. The company’s novel technologies were created at Harvard University by co-founder, Professor Amin I. Kassis, in 2012. Through 2019, the company advanced its internal discovery studies, intellectual property portfolio, and patient databases. In 2020, the company plans to launch its first noninvasive diagnostic test for early prostate cancer detection, and to further advance development of tests in other diseases.

To schedule a meeting with Mark McDonough during the conference, or for additional details, please contact [email protected].

Astellas Venture Management, Pitango Venture Capital and Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Lead TScan Series B

On January 9, 2020 TScan Therapeutics reported the completion of its Series B raise with the inclusion of Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), Pitango Venture Capital, and Astellas Venture Management (the wholly-owned venture capital organization of Astellas Pharma Inc) (Press release, TScan Therapeutics, JAN 9, 2020, View Source [SID1234552939]). In addition, Series B investors include 6 Dimensions Capital, Longwood Fund, Bessemer Venture Partners, GV, and Novartis Venture Fund.

"We welcome Astellas Venture Management, Pitango and NIBR as new TScan investors into our Series B," said David P. Southwell, President and Chief Executive Officer, TScan. "They join the Series A investors 6 Dimensions, Longwood Fund (our founding investor), Google Ventures, Bessemer, and Novartis Venture Fund. With this round, TScan has raised approximately $60 million in funding and is well positioned to discover novel targets of tumor reactive T-cell receptors (TCRs), and to develop these pairs in both liquid and solid tumor indications in oncology."

Zai Lab and Novocure Announce First Patient Enrolled in a Phase 2 Pilot Trial of Tumor Treating Fields Together with Chemotherapy as First-Line Treatment of Gastric Cancer

On January 9, 2020 Zai Lab Limited (NASDAQ: ZLAB), a China and U.S.-based innovative commercial stage biopharmaceutical company, and Novocure (NASDAQ: NVCR), a global oncology company with a proprietary platform technology called Tumor Treating Fields, reported that the first patient has been enrolled in a phase 2 pilot clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of Tumor Treating Fields in combination with chemotherapy as a first-line treatment in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma (Press release, Zai Laboratory, JAN 9, 2020, View Source [SID1234552938]).

"Zai Lab licensed Tumor Treating Fields from Novocure in September 2018, and we have since launched Optune in Hong Kong for the treatment of patients with recurrent, or newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and submitted a Marketing Authorization Application to the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for approval," said Dr. Samantha Du, Founder and CEO of Zai Lab. "Optune also has been granted the Innovative Device Designation which allows our team to accelerate dialogue with the NMPA. What is especially attractive about Tumor Treating Fields is its potential applicability to treat a wide variety of solid tumors including gastric cancer, the second most common cancer in China in terms of incidence rate. The initiation of this phase 2 pilot trial in gastric cancer represents our commitment to bringing Tumor Treating Fields to as many patients who may benefit in Greater China."

"Tumor Treating Fields is already approved for glioblastoma and malignant pleural mesothelioma in the U.S.," added William Doyle, Executive Chairman of Novocure. "We are moving forward with multiple clinical trials to evaluate Tumor Treating Fields for other indications including brain metastases, non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and ovarian cancer. It is very gratifying to see our partner engaged in active dialogue with the NMPA and studying Tumor Treating Fields for gastric cancer, a serious and unmet medical need in China."

The phase 2 pilot gastric cancer trial of Tumor Treating Fields is expected to enroll approximately 50 patients in Greater China. The study is a single arm, open-label, multi-center study, investigating the safety and efficacy of Tumor Treating Fields in combination with chemotherapy as the first-line treatment of unresectable gastric adenocarcinoma, or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. In the study, patients will receive Tumor Treating Fields at 150 kHz and XELOX chemotherapy, a combination of oxaliplatin and capecitabine, until disease progression. The primary endpoint is investigator-assessed objective response rate.

About Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer is the second most common cancer in China (679,100 newly diagnosed cases in 2015) and the second leading cause of death in China (498,000 deaths in 2015). The 5-year overall survival rate of gastric cancer is only 35.9%. Current therapies include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapy, which prolong progression free survival and overall survival to 6 months and 8-14 months, respectively.

About Tumor Treating Fields

Tumor Treating Fields is a cancer therapy that uses electric fields tuned to specific frequencies to disrupt cell division, inhibiting tumor growth and potentially causing cancer cells to die. Tumor Treating Fields does not stimulate or heat tissue and targets dividing cancer cells of a specific size. Tumor Treating Fields causes minimal damage to healthy cells. Mild to moderate skin irritation is the most common side effect reported. Tumor Treating Fields is approved in certain countries for the treatment of adults with glioblastoma and in the U.S. for mesothelioma, two of the most difficult cancer types to treat. The therapy shows promise in multiple solid tumor types – including some of the most aggressive forms of cancer.

Tmunity to Present at the 38th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

On January 9, 2020 Tmunity Therapeutics, Inc., a private clinical-stage biotherapeutics company focused on saving and improving lives by delivering the full potential of next-generation T-cell immunotherapy, reported that Usman "Oz" Azam, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer, will present at the 38th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, January 15, 2020 at 1:30 pm Pacific Time at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco (Press release, Tmunity Therapeutics, JAN 9, 2020, View Source [SID1234552937]).

A live webcast of the presentation will be available on the "Events and Presentations" page of the Tmunity website at View Source Tmunity will maintain an archived replay of the webcast on the website for 30 days after the conference.

Sangamo Therapeutics to Present at the 38th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

On January 9, 2020 Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SGMO), a genomic medicine company, reported that Sandy Macrae, CEO of Sangamo, will present a corporate overview at the 38th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Thursday, January 16th at 8:30 a.m. PT in San Francisco (Press release, Sangamo Therapeutics, JAN 9, 2020, View Source [SID1234552936]).

The presentation will be webcast live and may be accessed via a link on the Sangamo Therapeutics website in the Investors and Media section under Events and Presentations.