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TTF-1 Biomarker Predicts Survival Outcomes for KRAS Inhibitor Sotorasib in Lung Cancer

Targeted TherapyPrecision Medicine
  • MD Anderson researchers identified TTF-1 as a predictive biomarker for survival outcomes in advanced KRAS G12C-mutated non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with sotorasib.
  • Patients with high TTF-1 expression achieved significantly better outcomes with median progression-free survival of 8.1 months versus 2.8 months for low TTF-1 expression.
  • The study analyzed 429 patients from CodeBreaK clinical trials and found that rapid circulating tumor DNA clearance was linked to improved treatment response.
  • TTF-1 testing is already routinely performed in lung cancer diagnosis, providing physicians an immediate tool to personalize sotorasib treatment decisions.

Community Oncology Practices Expand Access to CAR-T and Bispecific Therapies as Workforce Challenges Persist

CAR-TPrecision Medicine
  • Advanced cancer therapies including CAR-T and bispecific treatments are increasingly being delivered in community settings, reducing patient travel burdens from months to shorter timeframes.
  • Community oncology practices, which deliver the majority of cancer care in the US, face significant workforce shortages exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic affecting oncologists, nurses, and support staff.
  • Long-term strategies to strengthen community oncology include expanding fellowship training in community settings, incentivizing rural placements, and developing specialized programs for advanced practice providers.
  • Small community practices with 2-3 clinicians face ongoing challenges with reimbursement pressures and the high costs of implementing new technologies and therapies.

BioIVT and Handok Biotech Form Exclusive Partnership to Expand Biospecimen Access in South Korea

Drug DiscoveryPrecision Medicine
  • BioIVT and Handok Biotech have signed an exclusive commercial agreement allowing South Korean researchers access to a comprehensive portfolio of biospecimens and research materials.
  • The partnership will provide researchers in South Korea with biofluids, tissues, cell products, media, and subcellular fractions/enzymes to advance drug discovery, development, toxicology, and personalized medicine research.
  • Handok Biotech will serve as the exclusive representative for BioIVT's products in South Korea, leveraging BioIVT's 35 years of experience and donor pool of over 600 consented donors.
  • The collaboration aims to accelerate life science research in Asia by providing faster lead times, competitive pricing, and enhanced technical support for researchers.

MAXIOM Launches AI-Powered Health Coach Platform, Enters Clinical Trials to Validate Performance Against Human Experts

AIPrecision Medicine
  • MAXIOM officially launched its AI platform that integrates DNA analysis, biomarkers, wearables, and artificial intelligence to deliver personalized health and performance guidance through conversational interactions.
  • The company secured $2M in seed funding led by Conscious Ventures and investment from genetics firm DNAthlete, while opening a $6M Series A round to scale the platform globally.
  • A randomized double-blind clinical trial launching in June will compare MAXIOM's AI coaching strategies against human coaching techniques to demonstrate the platform's effectiveness.
  • Three World Champions including Olympic champion Kristian Blummenfelt have adopted the platform, with some athletes replacing their human coaches entirely and relying on AI guidance for training optimization.

Syndeio Biosciences Launches with $90M to Target Synaptic Dysfunction in Alzheimer's and Depression

Precision Medicine
  • Syndeio Biosciences launched with $90 million in funding to develop the first synapse-targeted therapeutics for neurological and psychiatric disorders affecting over one billion people globally.
  • The company's lead candidate zelquistinel is advancing through Phase II trials for major depressive disorder and will enter the first-ever Alzheimer's trial using synaptic function biomarkers as endpoints.
  • Founded by former Karuna Therapeutics and Naurex executives alongside Nobel Laureate Thomas Südhof, Syndeio aims to restore neural connections through proprietary event-driven pharmacology platform.
  • The biotech targets synaptopathies including major depressive disorder, Alzheimer's disease, and schizophrenia by strengthening weakened synaptic connections that underlie these conditions.

GATE-251 or Placebo for the Reduction of Symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder

NCT06547489RecruitingPhase 2
Gate Neurosciences, Inc
Posted 2/3/2025

Apimostinel + Automated Neurocognitive Training for Depression

NCT06400121RecruitingPhase 2
Rebecca Price
Posted 10/28/2024

PYC Therapeutics Advances PYC-003 to Second Cohort in Phase Ia Trial for Polycystic Kidney Disease

Precision Medicine
  • PYC Therapeutics has completed first cohort dosing of PYC-003 in healthy volunteers, with the Safety Review Committee approving dose escalation from 0.4mg/kg to 1.2mg/kg for the second cohort.
  • The Phase Ia single ascending dose trial targets the underlying cause of polycystic kidney disease and will extend to PKD patients in the second half of 2025.
  • Following successful completion of Phase Ia/Ib trials, the company plans a registrational combined Phase II/III trial to support a new drug application for PYC-003.

GlycoEra Secures $130M Series B to Advance Precision Protein Degrader for Autoimmune Diseases

Precision Medicine
  • GlycoEra raised $130 million in Series B funding led by Novo Holdings to advance its lead protein degrader GE8820 into first-in-human clinical trials.
  • GE8820 targets IgG4 autoantibodies with precision, offering potential treatment for autoimmune conditions like pemphigus and primary membranous nephropathy without broad immunosuppression.
  • The dual-acting drug binds to malfunctioning IgG4 antibodies and directs them to liver cells for destruction, demonstrating superior selectivity in preclinical testing.
  • The funding will also support a second program entering clinical trials by 2026 and further development of the company's extracellular protein degrader pipeline.

BostonGene Presents Six AI-Driven Cancer Research Studies at 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting

AIPrecision Medicine
  • BostonGene will present six accepted abstracts at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting, demonstrating its multimodal AI platform's capabilities in oncology drug development.
  • The studies showcase novel biomarker discovery across multiple cancer types including sarcoma, breast cancer, liposarcoma, and non-small cell lung cancer.
  • Research conducted in collaboration with MD Anderson Cancer Center reveals new insights into tumor microenvironment profiling and therapeutic response prediction.
  • The company's Tumor Portrait™ test identified distinct molecular patterns that correlate with survival outcomes across various cancer subtypes.

RNatives Secures €1.4M Seed Extension to Advance RNA-Based Gene Regulation Platform

Precision Medicine
  • RNatives raised €1.4 million in additional seed funding led by Nordic Science Investments, bringing total seed funding to €2.8 million to accelerate its RNA-based gene regulating platform.
  • The company appointed Jeff Abbey as CEO, bringing over 20 years of biopharmaceutical experience including leadership roles at ImmunOs Therapeutics and Argos Therapeutics.
  • RNatives' RNAIntel™ platform identifies small non-coding RNAs that bind directly to gene promoters to regulate gene expression for treating ocular, CNS, metabolic diseases, and cancer.
  • The funding will support expansion of the company's precision RNA-based gene regulating therapies targeting currently untreatable rare and common diseases.

JAK Inhibitors Transform Polycythemia Vera Treatment as Novel Therapies Emerge

Precision Medicine
  • Ruxolitinib has established itself as a pivotal second-line therapy for polycythemia vera patients who are resistant or intolerant to hydroxyurea, showing significant improvements in hematocrit control and splenomegaly reduction.
  • Next-generation JAK inhibitors and hepcidin mimetics like rusfertide are emerging as promising treatment options that could complement current therapies and reduce the need for frequent phlebotomy.
  • Personalized treatment approaches using genomic profiling and biomarker-driven strategies are expected to enable more precise therapy selection based on specific mutations beyond JAK2.
  • Combination therapies targeting multiple disease mechanisms simultaneously are likely to become more common, offering enhanced efficacy and better long-term disease control.
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