University of Pennsylvania

Opus Genetics will host a virtual KOL event on Dec 11, 2024, to discuss 6-month efficacy and safety data on OPGx-LCA5, an AAV-based gene therapy for LCA5-associated IRD. Presenters include Jean Bennett, Tomas Aleman, Christine Kay, and Arshad Khanani, who will highlight the unmet need, development steps, and therapeutic potential. A live Q&A will follow.

A Michigan Medicine trial found no significant association between adenotonsillectomy and undesirable weight gain in children with mild sleep-disordered breathing, challenging the long-held belief that the surgery leads to weight gain.

Mission Bio announces 20+ presentations at ASH 2024 showcasing Tapestri Platform's impact on hematology, including new datasets on Multiple Myeloma, AML, and CAR-T therapy development.

SimX secures $1.25M AFWERX Phase II STTR grant to adapt its VR Medical Simulation System for perioperative expeditionary medical support training, collaborating with USF Health CAMLS to enhance healthcare training accessibility and effectiveness.

Soligenix announces continued improvement in HyBryte™-treated patients and lesions post-treatment, with statistically significant efficacy against plaque lesions compared to Valchlor®, and no safety concerns raised.

SpotitEarly, an Israeli startup, combines beagles' scent-sniffing AI with artificial intelligence to develop an at-home breath test for early cancer detection, targeting breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancers. Dr. J. Leonard Lichtenfeld, former ACS deputy chief medical officer, joins as chief medical officer. Initial clinical study in Israel showed 94.8% accuracy. A U.S.-based lab is planned for 2026, and the test will be prescribed via physicians with home delivery options.

A girl with Rett syndrome died after receiving Neurogene’s high-dose gene therapy, prompting the company to halt tests of that dose but continue with a lower dose. The FDA allowed the trial to proceed with the lower dose after reviewing safety data. Neurogene plans to remove the high-dose from the trial protocol and does not plan to enroll further participants in that group. The therapy aims to deliver the MECP2 gene via AAV9 vector to address Rett syndrome’s symptoms.

Study finds states with higher economic vulnerability and minoritized populations have fewer gynecological cancer trials per 100,000 persons, highlighting the need for efforts to address these disparities.

Hexagon Bio appoints Yujiro Hata to its Board of Directors, leveraging his expertise in oncology to advance its pipeline of novel ADCs with next-generation natural product-based payloads for cancer treatment.