On February 8, 2021 Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN) has selected nine new genomics companies to join the second global funding cycle of Illumina Accelerator in the U.S. and UK (Press release, Illumina, FEB 8, 2021, View Source [SID1234574746]). The global company creation engine, focused on partnering with entrepreneurs to build breakthrough genomics startups, invested in four companies for the second funding cycle of Illumina Accelerator Cambridge, UK and five companies for the twelfth funding cycle of Illumina Accelerator San Francisco Bay Area.

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Today, Illumina also announces over £20 million in initial UK capital commitments have been secured from a select group of investors, including a £10 million commitment from cornerstone investor LifeArc, a leading UK independent medical research charity. The UK commitments will provide pound-for-pound match funding to every Illumina Accelerator Cambridge graduate that secures between £500,000 up to £4 million in qualified new capital, within one year of graduation.

"The UK capital commitments will be instrumental in driving value for our Illumina Accelerator Cambridge startups as they strive to unlock the power of the genome," said Amanda Cashin, Ph.D., co-founder and Global Head of Illumina for Startups.

During two, six-month funding cycles per year, Illumina Accelerator provides the selected startups with access to seed investment, access to Illumina sequencing systems and reagents, as well as business guidance, genomics expertise, and fully operational lab space adjacent to Illumina’s campuses in Cambridge, UK or the San Francisco Bay Area. The newest companies to join Illumina Accelerator’s portfolio of genomics startups include:

Illumina Accelerator Cambridge

BiotaX Labs LTD, a spinoff from Technion Research and Development Foundation (TRDF) Israel, is harnessing the power of the microbiome to diagnose and provide effective, tailored and safe microbial treatments.
Broken String Biosciences Limited, a genomics company from Cardiff, UK, is developing a platform of novel sequencing tools to assess genome stability and to unlock the next generation of innovative medicines, including cell and gene therapies.
Mitra Bio Limited, a skin longevity company from London, UK, is building a non-invasive skin multi-omics platform to unravel skin health and delay ageing.
MultiplAI Health LTD, a diagnostics company from London, UK and Buenos Aires, Argentina, is leveraging advances in genomics and artificial intelligence to develop universal remote screening for cardiovascular diseases.
Illumina Accelerator SF Bay Area

Doloromics Inc., a pain therapeutics discovery company from Dallas, Texas, is building a proprietary platform for discovery of disease-specific pain mechanisms, biomarkers and therapeutics.
Flightpath Biosciences, Inc., a biotechnology company from Berkeley, California is advancing microbiome-targeted therapeutics and diagnostics for the treatment of rare infectious diseases.
Oshun Medical Inc., a women’s health diagnostics company from the SF Bay Area, is working to predict pregnancy complications in women around the world.
Parallel Health Inc., a skin microbiome company from the SF Bay Area, aims to revolutionize skin and body care by providing deep insights and true personalization through best-in-class testing and targeted microbial formulations.
Rubik Therapeutics, Inc., a cancer therapeutics company from Greater Boston, is leveraging computational biology and genome-wide screens to develop engineered cell therapies for solid tumor indications.
"Our newest investments demonstrate the depth and breadth of genomics applications across the globe," said Alex Aravanis, M.D, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer at Illumina. "These nine genomics startups are focused on discovering breakthrough therapeutics, diagnostics, and direct-to-consumer applications to transform human health and beyond."

Illumina Accelerator is accepting applications for the next global funding cycle, which are due by March 1, 2021. Through a single, global application process, Illumina Accelerator will select up to five companies in each location. To learn more and apply, please visit our website.
(Press release, Illumina, FEB 8, 2021, View Source [SID1234574746])

On February 8, 2021 Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Deerfield Management Company, a healthcare investment management firm focused on advancing healthcare through investment, information and philanthropy, reported that have formed a major translational research partnership to accelerate the development of therapeutics and diagnostics for cancer (Press release, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, FEB 8, 2021, View Source [SID1234574745]). Deerfield has committed up to $130 million over the next 10 years to advance research at Dana-Farber and translate scientific discoveries with potential applications for patients.

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Riverway Discoveries represents the first time Deerfield has created a second such partnership with one of its academic collaborators. In the first agreement, announced in 2018, Deerfield committed $80 million to create the Center for Protein Degradation at Dana-Farber.

"Translational funding in biomedical research, when the promise of success is not obvious or guaranteed, can often be the engine that ensures innovative research moves forward, paving the way for important discoveries and new and better therapies," said Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, president and CEO, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. "I am hopeful that this investment by Deerfield at Dana-Farber now will eventually help improve the lives of people with cancer everywhere."

"Supporting the innovation engines at institutions with world class science, investigators and leadership through financial, operational and translational expertise focused on projects with the potential to change lives can ultimately lead to the financial success of the institutions. This may be the most powerful way we can help support the healthcare ecosystem," stated James Flynn, Deerfield managing partner. "Dana Farber is the perfect example of an institution with all the fundamentals where a flywheel of innovation can be supported with translational funding. We are pleased to be an innovation partner with now two separate collaborations focused on the most exciting and life saving translational projects."

Getting new therapeutics to patients is a driver in Dana-Farber’s research and drug discovery work. Building on Dana-Farber’s history and strong foundation of scientific leadership, innovation and drug development, this partnership with Deerfield and Riverway Discoveries will support the preclinical development, spurring commercialization to help advance the most promising research expeditiously. Advancing the drug pipeline forward more swiftly, enables new treatments to be developed more quickly, delivering on the ultimate goal of improving patient care and saving lives.

"We are thrilled to collaborate again with Deerfield, as our previous partnership in protein degradation is enabling us to advance an exciting portfolio of discoveries. This new partnership will give scientists across Dana-Farber a new pathway to incubate cutting-edge science that will advance cancer care," said Lesley Solomon, Senior Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer at Dana-Farber. "Many promising innovations outgrow the laboratory as they require greater resources than an academic setting can typically provide. Dana-Farber’s partnership with Deerfield will catalyze important innovation growth."

Starting later this month, Dana-Farber researchers may submit proposals on projects for consideration by a Riverway Discoveries joint steering committee whose membership comprises equal scientific leadership representing Dana-Farber and Deerfield. Through Riverway Discoveries, Deerfield will provide funding and operational support for accepted projects.

On February 8, 2021 Castle Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSTL), a skin cancer diagnostics company providing personalized genomic information to improve cancer treatment decisions, reported that Derek Maetzold, president and chief executive officer, is scheduled to present a company overview at the following upcoming investor conferences (Press release, Castle Biosciences, FEB 8, 2021, View Source [SID1234574744]):

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BTIG Virtual MedTech, Digital Health, Life Science & Diagnostic Tools Conference on Feb. 17, 2021, at 10:30 a.m. Eastern time.
10th Annual SVB Leerink Global Healthcare Conference on Feb. 24, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time.
Live audio webcasts of the company’s presentations will be available by visiting Castle Biosciences’ website at View Source Replays of the webcasts will be available for two weeks following the conclusion of the live broadcasts.

On February 8, 2021 4D pharma plc (AIM: DDDD), a pharmaceutical company leading the development of Live Biotherapeutic products (LBPs), a novel class of drug derived from the microbiome, reported a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Pfizer Inc. for BAVENCIO (avelumab), the first and only immunotherapy approved as a first-line maintenance treatment for patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (Press release, 4d Pharma, FEB 8, 2021, View Source [SID1234574743]). BAVENCIO is co-developed and co-commercialized by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Pfizer Inc.

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Under the collaboration, 4D pharma intends to commence a clinical trial in 2021 to evaluate BAVENCIO in combination with MRx0518 as a first-line maintenance therapy for patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma that has not progressed with first-line platinum-containing chemotherapy.

"With this second clinical trial collaboration for MRx0518 with a leading immune checkpoint inhibitor, 4D is able to evaluate MRx0518 in a new combination and earlier treatment setting. Following the promising data already generated in combination with checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab in refractory patients, and MRx0518 monotherapy data demonstrating single agent immuno-modulation presented last year at SITC (Free SITC Whitepaper), this collaboration allows us to continue to build a broad understanding of the safety and efficacy of MRx0518 across a range of solid tumors and stages of disease," said Duncan Peyton, Chief Executive Officer, 4D pharma. "The combination of MRx0518 with BAVENCIO has the potential to further enhance the positive clinical outcomes achieved by BAVENCIO for the significant number of patients in this treatment setting."

About MRx0518

MRx0518 is single strain Live Biotherapeutic product in development for the treatment of cancer. It is delivered as an oral capsule and stimulates the body’s immune system, directing it to produce cytokines and immune cells that are known to attack tumours. It is currently being evaluated in three clinical trials in patients with cancer. MRx0518-I-001 is a neoadjuvant monotherapy study in a variety of solid tumours and is being conducted at Imperial College (London, UK). MRx0518-I-002 is in combination with KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) in patients whose disease has previously progressed on anti-PD-1 therapies. The Coordinating Investigator of the study is at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA, with multiple additional sites in the US. The study is being conducted in collaboration with MSD, the tradename of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA. MRx0518-I-003 is in combination with preoperative radiotherapy in resectable pancreatic cancer. A fourth clinical trial of MRx0518 in combination with BAVENCIO (avelumab) in the first-line maintenance setting for urothelial carcinoma, conducted in collaboration with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Pfizer Inc., is expected to initiate in 2021.

Avelumab Approved Indications

Avelumab (BAVENCIO) is indicated in the US for the maintenance treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC) that has not progressed with first-line platinum-containing chemotherapy. BAVENCIO is also indicated for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic UC who have disease progression during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy, or have disease progression within 12 months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment with platinum-containing chemotherapy.

Avelumab in combination with axitinib is approved in the US for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

In the US, the FDA granted accelerated approval for BAVENCIO for the treatment of adults and pediatric patients 12 years and older with metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and duration of response. Continued approval may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.

Avelumab Important Safety Information from the US FDA-Approved Label

The warnings and precautions for avelumab (BAVENCIO) include immune-mediated adverse reactions (such as pneumonitis and hepatitis including fatal cases, colitis, endocrinopathies, nephritis, and other immune-mediated adverse reactions as a single agent or in combination with axitinib which can be severe and have included fatal cases), infusion-related reactions, hepatotoxicity in combination with axitinib, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in combination with axitinib which can be severe and have included fatal cases, and embryo-fetal toxicity.

Common adverse reactions (reported in at least 20% of patients) in patients treated with BAVENCIO monotherapy include fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, diarrhea, nausea, infusion-related reaction, peripheral edema, decreased appetite, urinary tract infection and rash. Common adverse reactions (reported in at least 20% of patients) in patients receiving BAVENCIO in combination with axitinib include diarrhea, fatigue, hypertension, musculoskeletal pain, nausea, mucositis, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia, dysphonia, decreased appetite, hypothyroidism, rash, hepatotoxicity, cough, dyspnea, abdominal pain and headache. Grade 3-4 hematology laboratory value abnormalities reported in at least 10% of patients with Merkel cell carcinoma treated with BAVENCIO monotherapy include lymphopenia; in patients receiving BAVENCIO in combination with axitinib, grade 3-4 clinical chemistry abnormalities include blood triglyceride increased and lipase increased.

On February 8, 2021 The Sarah Cannon Transplant and Cellular Therapy Network, formerly the Sarah Cannon Blood Cancer Network, reported 19 abstracts and presentations have been accepted for presentation at the 2021 TCT | Transplantation & Cellular Therapy Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR, held virtually from February 8-12, 2021 (Press release, Sarah Cannon Research Institute, FEB 8, 2021, View Source [SID1234574742]). The meetings bring together thousands of healthcare professionals for a full scientific program that address the most timely issues in hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and cellular therapy.

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"We look forward to discussing the important developments in our rapidly evolving field at this year’s TCT meetings," says Fred LeMaistre, MD, Physician-in-Chief of Blood Cancers, Sarah Cannon. "Sarah Cannon experts will share presentations focused on immune effector cell therapy and the efficacy and treatment standards of HCT for both adult and pediatric patients. Together, the advances we are making across the network will ultimately better serve our patients."

The Sarah Cannon Blood Cancer Network has evolved, as have the therapies it offers, to become the Sarah Cannon Transplant and Cellular Therapy Network in 2021. This transition reflects the latest advancements in the field and the broader options now available to patients. In 2020, the Sarah Cannon Transplant and Cellular Therapy Network performed ~1,200 hematopoietic cell transplants and treated more than 100 patients with various cellular therapies, including both FDA-approved and research options, across eight Foundation For The Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT)/Joint Accreditation Committee ISCT-Europe & EBMT (JACIE) accredited sites.

2021 TCT | Transplantation & Cellular Therapy Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR oral and poster presentations with Sarah Cannon Transplant and Cellular Therapy Network experts as first authors will be presented by:

Haydar Frangoul, MD, MS, Medical Director, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Sarah Cannon Pediatric Transplant and Cellular Therapy Program at TriStar Centennial, who will present "Safety and Efficacy of CTX001 in Patients with Transfusion-Dependent β-Thalassemia (TDT) or Sickle Cell Disease (SCD): Early Results from the Climb THAL-111 and Climb SCD-121 Studies of Autologous CRISPR-Cas9-Modified CD34+ Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells (HSPCs)" in an oral presentation on February 10 from 3-5 p.m. CST.
Jesus G. Berdeja, MD, Director, Myeloma Research, Sarah Cannon Research Institute, who will present "Efficacy and Safety of Idecabtagene Vicleucel (ide-cel, bb2121) in Elderly Patients with Relapsed and Refractory Multiple Myeloma: KarMMa Subgroup Analysis" in a poster presentation on February 8 – February 12 from 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. CST.
Therese Dodd, BA, MBA, RN, CPHQ, Quality Improvement Director, Sarah Cannon Transplant and Cellular Therapy Network, who will present "Successful Virtual Mock FACT Inspection: How Sarah Cannon Blood Cancer Network and Texas Transplant Institute in San Antonio and Austin Made It Work" and "Resiliency During a COVID 19 Pandemic: The Quality Manager Perspective" in two poster presentations on February 8 – February 12 from 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. CST.
Alireza Eghtedar, MD, Associate Member Physician, Colorado Blood Cancer Institute at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center- HealthONE, who will present "Non-Myeloablative Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (NMA HSCT) Utilizing Low-Dose Total Body Irradiation (TBI) Plus Fludarabine (Flu): A Comparison of Single-Center Based Flu 150 Mg/m2 Plus 400 Cgy TBI Versus Flu 90 Mg/m2 and 200 Cgy TBI Containing Regimens" in a poster presentation on February 8 – February 12 from 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. CST.
Racheal Peaytt, PharmD, PGY-2 Oncology Pharmacy Resident, Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at TriStar Centennial Medical Center, who will present "The Impact of Early Versus Late Tocilizumab Use in Patients with Cytokine Release Syndrome Receiving Immune Effector Cell Therapy" in a poster presentation on February 8 – February 12 from 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. CST.