On June 2, 2020 TAE Life Sciences (TLS), a biological-targeting radiation therapy company developing next-generation boron neutron capture therapy solutions (BNCT), reported the launch of an innovative in-house boron delivery drug development program supported by an influx of $30M in funding (Press release, TAE Life Sciences, JUN 2, 2020, View Source [SID1234560776]). The initial phase of the B-round funds comes from a consortium of investors including ARTIS Ventures, who led the company’s initial funding in 2018.

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The investment will enable TLS to move beyond the current boron-10 drug, BPA, and speed development of novel proprietary boron-10 target drugs at the same time that it hones its neutron beam accelerator technology for BNCT. BNCT is a particle therapy designed to selectively destroy cancer cells without damaging neighboring healthy cells. TLS is the only company to focus on the parallel development of new boron-10 drugs and a neutron accelerator system, a combination aimed at difficult-to-treat cancers.

The TLS diversified drug program objectives include improved targeting of cancer cells, increased boron accumulation in target cells, longer boron retention time, and more boron homogeneity. TLS is developing approaches that include small molecule and antibody boron conjugates that meet these objectives. The company has established a state-of-the-art drug development facility in Santa Monica, Calif., that includes dedicated labs for cell biology and antibody production, medicinal chemistry, and molecular biology.

The company has on staff a highly skilled team of scientists with proven track records in developing antibody target drugs, and TLS has filed more than a dozen patents. Additionally, TLS is collaborating with Dr. Fuhuhiko Tamanoi from the University of Kyoto in Japan on using patented biodegradable nanoparticles for delivery of boron-10.

"Our research tells us that antibodies and antibody fragments are a natural fit for targeted delivery of boron to a multitude of tumor types," said Kendall Morrison, Chief Scientific Officer, TAE Life Sciences. "Adapting our knowledge of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) should enable us to develop antibody boron conjugates (ABCTM) with significant amounts of boron attached. The boron-10 attached to ABCs will be non-toxic and safe to handle in contrast to the hazardous and costly cytotoxic molecules used in ADCs. We expect that these antibody boron conjugates, in addition to new boron-containing small molecules we are developing, will help improve tumor uptake and simplify manufacturing. This should result in even better BNCT outcomes and lead to a shorter and simpler path to the clinic."

Unlike conventional radiotherapy and even more advanced particle therapy such as the proton and carbon ion, BNCT is a combination treatment that uses the biological targeting precision of boron-10, which acts as a homing beacon and the activation by a neutron source. When the boron-containing cells are irradiated by epithermal neutrons, the combination releases a highly localized therapeutic dose that destroys cancer on a cell-by-cell basis with minimal damage to healthy tissues. BNCT minimizes the need for physical targeting accuracy and complex tumor motion management procedures. Instead, the therapy targets cancer cells biologically by the boron-carrying drugs that preferentially target tumor tissue as well as undetected microscopic cancer cells.

Importantly, during a time when the clinic and hospital space is at a premium, the increased accuracy offered by biological targeting means that BNCT requires only one or two treatments. Conventional radiotherapy requires fractionated treatments to offset side effects.

"For patients suffering from complex cancers, BNCT may offer a quicker, effective path to cancer cell destruction, with fewer side effects," said Bruce Bauer, Chief Executive Officer of TAE Life Sciences. "TLS’s goal is to continue to increase the efficacy of the combination while bringing costs down so that more clinicians, hospitals, and patients can access this treatment."

On June 2, 2020 AMERI Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMRH) (the "Company"), reported that its proposed amalgamation partner Jay Pharma Inc. ("Jay Pharma") received institutional review board ("IRB") approval by Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva, Israel for a Phase I/II clinical trial investigating Jay Pharma’s proprietary cannabidiol ("CBD") formulation for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme ("GBM"), a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer (Press release, AMERI Holdings, JUN 2, 2020, View Source [SID1234560775]). This open-label, two-arm, randomized, prospective study is scheduled to commence following final approval from the Israel Ministry of Health, which is expected this summer.

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The study is expected to enroll 40 patients with recurrent or progressive GBM tumors who are currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments. Half the patients are expected to be treated with Jay Pharma’s orally administered synthetic CBD derived from citrus, and half will be treated with CBD in combination with clomiphene, an estrogen binding site inhibitor. This combination has shown promise in cancer treatment studies according to Dr. Zvi Vogel, Professor of Neurobiology at the Weizmann Institute of Science. Dr. Vogel stated, "our initial work with CBD in combination with clomiphene has shown promise and look forward to working with Jay Pharma on combination therapy studies, with the ultimate goal of delivering FDA-approved combination therapies to cancer patients."

The study is expected to be led by Tali Siegal, M.D., director of the Rabin Medical Center’s neuro-oncology center and a clinical advisor to Jay Pharma. Dr. Siegal is also a professor of neurology (neuro-oncology) at Hebrew University & Hadassah Medical School in Jerusalem, chair of the Israeli Neuro-Oncology Forum and serves on numerous scientific committees around the globe.

"We believe that this clinical trial will further advance our understanding into how CBD affects this aggressive, rare and deadly cancer," said Dave Johnson, CEO and Chairman-elect of Jay Pharma. "Our focus on cannabinoid medicine is driven by our belief in its potential efficacy in palliative cancer care and the potential of our proprietary cannabinoid formulation.

"GBM highly expresses the CB2 cannabinoid receptor, and our hypothesis is that CBD ‘opens up’ cell pathways and makes them more susceptible to chemotherapy. As prior studies have shown much promise, we are optimistic this Phase I/II clinical trial will encourage further research with the goal of adding a new treatment for those living with glioblastoma," Mr. Johnson said.

One study published in 2018 demonstrated that 92% of patients with solid tumors responded positively to CBD treatment, showing reductions in circulating tumor cells and reduction in tumor size. Additional studies indicated that CBD may reduce the growth and survival of GBM cell lines, causing cell cycle arrest and inducing cell death (apoptosis).

On June 2, 2020 CASI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: CASI), a U.S. biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative therapeutics and pharmaceutical products, reported that Dr. Wei-Wu He, Chairman & CEO will present an overview of the company and provide a business update at the Jefferies 2020 Healthcare Conference on Thursday, June 4, 2020, at 4:00 p.m. ET (Press release, CASI Pharmaceuticals, JUN 2, 2020, View Source [SID1234560774]). The conference will be held in a virtual meeting format.

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To access the live webcast presentation, or the subsequent archived recording, please visit the "Investor Center" section of the CASI website at www.casipharmaceuticals.com.

On June 2, 2020 RenovoRx, an innovator in targeted cancer therapy, reported the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted the Company orphan drug designation for treating bile duct cancer —- also known as cholangiocarcinoma — with intra-arterial gemcitabine (Press release, Renovorx, JUN 2, 2020, View Source [SID1234560773]). The Company’s proprietary FDA cleared medical device system, RenovoCath, employs a dual-balloon infusion catheter, enabling the Trans-Arterial Micro-Perfusion (TAMPTM) approach for targeted delivery of gemcitabine to the tumor site.

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In April 2018, RenovoRx received FDA orphan drug designation for treatment of pancreatic cancer with intra-arterial gemcitabine. RenovoRx’s proprietary TAMP delivery of gemcitabine is being utilized in the TIGeR-PaC Phase III trial evaluating extended median survival and improved Quality of Life for pancreatic cancer patients.

In the United States, more than 8,000 people develop cholangiocarcinoma annually.i However, research suggests the incidence is higher due to misdiagnosis.ii The disease is nearly five times more common in Asia and the Mideast, largely due to parasitic liver fluke infections.iii,iv

According to Cancer.net, the 5-year survival rate ranges between 2 and 24%, depending on when the cancer is found. Two-thirds of patients are 65 or older.

"Receiving a second orphan drug designation from the FDA is a significant milestone as we build the TAMP platform for solid tumor treatment. This new orphan drug indication builds on the momentum of the TIGeR-PaC Phase III clinical trial currently treating pancreatic cancer patients in the U.S. and Europe," said RenovoRx CEO Shaun Bagai. "To help bile duct cancer patients, we are designing a Phase I/II clinical trial that will launch by early next year. This expansion of the RenovoRx platform, beyond pancreatic cancer, could improve outcomes for more cancer patients."

Bagai added, "Our team is evaluating market opportunities in Asia since it is estimated more than 100,000 patients are diagnosed annually with bile duct cancer that could be treated with RenovoRx’s TAMP delivery of intra-arterial gemcitabine."

The FDA’s Office of Orphan Drug Products grants orphan status to support development of medicines for underserved patient populations, or rare disorders, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S. Orphan drug designation provides RenovoRx certain benefits, including market exclusivity upon regulatory approval if received, exemption of FDA application fees and tax credits for qualified clinical trials.

On June 2, 2020 Prescient Metabiomics, a subsidiary of Prescient Medicine Holdings, Inc., reported a research collaboration with the Harvard Chan Microbiome in Public Health Center (HCMPH Center), a group at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health dedicated to expanding research on the microbiome to improve public health (Press release, Prescient Metabiomics, JUN 2, 2020, View Source [SID1234560772]). The aim of the collaboration is to study microbial biomarkers to identify the presence of precancerous adenomas and carcinomas in the colon. The initial collaboration will investigate prevalent gut microbial biomarkers for colorectal cancer (CRC) by analyzing known, recent CRC cases across populations with which the HCMPH Center works and applying cutting-edge statistical and bioinformatic techniques for microbiome meta-analysis.

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"The ongoing research collaboration will further enhance diagnostic screening for colon cancer," said Keri Donaldson, M.D, chief executive officer at Prescient Medicine. "Offering a non-invasive alternative to colonoscopies that screen for colorectal adenomas and carcinomas could represent a paradigm shift in CRC screening driven by the microbiome. Therefore, research to better understand the microbiome’s role in CRC is needed at this time."

Curtis Huttenhower, Ph.D., professor of computational biology at Harvard Chan School and co-director of the HCMPH Center, said, "The mission of the HCMPH Center is to improve population health via microbiome science, and there are few chronic disease conditions as well-positioned to benefit from microbiome screening as colorectal cancer. It is one of the most common causes of cancer deaths, but also one of the most preventable cancers if detected early. It’s exciting to embark on this collaboration to advance the latest science and, I hope, eventually deploy our findings to the clinic."

The past decade has seen a dramatic expansion of research on the human microbiome, including investigation into the role of microbes and microbiota in the gastrointestinal track in the origin and development of CRC. The advancements in this field parallel the preceding decade’s growth in personalized genetic medicine, with the microbiome offering opportunities for both therapeutic and diagnostic biomarker discovery.

According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in both men and in women. The U.S. spends approximately $14 billion each year for the diagnosis and treatment of CRC with costs largely due to delayed detection. There is a lack of non-invasive screening tests that can accurately detect precancerous polyps as effectively as a colonoscopy, the current standard of care. Screening recommendations currently suggest a colonoscopy for average-risk patients starting at age 45 every 10 years and earlier for high-risk patients, but approximately one in three patients are not in compliance with these recommendations. Research indicates that early detection of precancerous adenomas and carcinomas could lead to significantly better patient outcomes