On June 6, 2024 Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: AGIO), a leader in cellular metabolism and PK activation pioneering therapies for rare diseases, reported that the time of the company’s presentation at the Goldman Sachs 45th Annual Global Healthcare Conference has been updated to Monday, June 10, 2024 at 8:40 a.m. ET (Press release, Agios Pharmaceuticals, JUN 6, 2024, View Source [SID1234644161]).

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A live webcast of the presentation can be accessed under "Events & Presentations" in the Investors section of the company’s website at www.agios.com. A replay of the webcast will be archived on the company’s website for at least two weeks following the presentation.

On June 5, 2024 AchilleS Vaccines, a biotech company committed to the sustainable development of safe vaccines and biopharmaceuticals against infectious diseases, reported its rebranding to Contraria Biotech (Press release, AchilleS Vaccines, JUN 5, 2024, View Source [SID1234644781]).

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The new company name revolves around the key message contained in the old logo. In Latin contraria means antagonist , the two arrows that symbolize the "Contraria" logo are an ideal graphic synthesis to explain the action and functioning of an immuno-drug against a pathogen. The good arrow that breaks the bad one, equal and opposite to it.

Contraria Biotech is thus born , an evolution of the name of the company founded in 2017 that fully reflects the desire to expand its core business, no longer limited to vaccines. Since the dawn of immunological science, vaccines and immunotherapeutics have proven to be the most effective and often synergistic tools against the risks associated with the spread of pathogens. The advent of new technologies, combined with ongoing translational work in the immuno-pharmaceutical field, allow Contraria Biotech to maximize knowledge of the antigen and create both next-generation vaccines and monoclonal antibodies against new and re-emerging pathogens.

The new name and brand well reflect the company’s commitment to designing innovative therapeutic and prophylactic products against some of the primary problems of global health, including the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance. "The Latin contraria also recalls the English contrarian , which means against the trend . It is a name with a universal sound that evokes innovation and courage, two distinctive elements of our company’s DNA on which we want to build our future." Riccardo Baccheschi, CEO of Contraria Biotech .

On June 5, 2024 Domain Therapeutics ("Domain" or "the Company"), a global clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative drug candidates in immuno-oncology targeting G Protein-Coupled Receptor (GPCR) driven immuno-resistance, reported the publication of three international PCT patent applications (Press release, Domain Therapeutics, JUN 5, 2024, View Source [SID1234644168]).

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Expanding geographic protection of Domain’s best-in-class CCR8 asset with three new patents
These patents will significantly strengthen the Company’s intellectual property protection for its series of tumor–infiltrating regulatory T cells (Tregs) depleting antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity/ phagocytosis (ADCC/ADCP) anti-CCR8 antibodies, including DT-7012, a novel drug candidate with best-in-class potential compared to other clinical-stage CCR8 antibodies. Currently in the pre-IND stage of development, DT-7012 is set to commence Phase I clinical trials in early 2025.

Stephan Schann, Chief Scientific Officer of Domain Therapeutics, said: "These three new patents are pivotal to our strategy, enhancing our robust patent estate and expanding our reach across diverse market opportunities. They underscore the broad international application of our Treg depleting ADCC/ADCP anti-CCR8 antibodies, particularly for our lead anti-CCR8 candidate DT-7012. They also reinforce Domain’s position as an industry leader in GPCR-mediated immunotherapies. Notably, this timely publication of PCT patent applications aligns with our accelerated and broadened research and development efforts in immuno-oncology."

Improving clinical outcomes in cancer patients via strategic depletion of T regulatory cells in the tumor microenvironment
CCR8 is a GPCR target specifically expressed by tumor infiltrating Tregs, major immunosuppressive cells responsible for the failure of several therapeutics in the clinic, which makes this target highly strategic for the development of efficient novel immunotherapies.

On June 5, 2024 Nucleus RadioPharma, the world’s first fully integrated development, manufacturing, and supply chain organization for radiopharmaceuticals, reported the closing of a Series A extension round with new investor AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN) (Press release, Nucleus RadioPharma, JUN 5, 2024, View Source [SID1234644154]). AstraZeneca joins existing investors from GE Healthcare, Mayo Clinic, Eclipse Ventures, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Echo Global Granger Management Mercy Health, and the University of Missouri as Nucleus expands development, supply, and commercial manufacturing capabilities to make targeted radiotherapies and theranostics more accessible to patients globally. Concurrent with the financing, Tyrell Rivers, PhD, Executive Director of Corporate Ventures at AstraZeneca, was named to the Board of Directors.

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Theranostics combines diagnostics and therapeutics for personalized cancer treatment using radiotracers that selectively bind to specific cancer cells. A low-dose radiotracer helps visualize tumors, guiding targeted therapy, while a higher-dose radiotracer delivers potent radiation to kill cancer cells with minimal damage to healthy tissues. This precision approach reduces side effects compared to traditional treatments and shows promise in treating metastatic cancers like neuroendocrine tumors, prostate cancer, and lymphoma.

"Theranostic radiopharmaceuticals represent a new hope for millions of people with limited treatment alternatives," said Nucleus RadioPharma CEO Charles S. Conroy. "These drugs, designed for precise targeting, are demonstrating remarkable effectiveness while upholding an exceptional safety record. The funding expands the accessibility and impact of these life-saving treatments, paving the way for large-scale production and instilling optimism in those with limited options."

Dr. Tyrell Rivers is Executive Director of Corporate Ventures at AstraZeneca, where he is responsible for creating and executing innovative, value-enhancing business strategies. Prior to assuming this role in 2014, he worked at MedImmune Ventures, specializing in life science investing. Earlier in his career, Dr. Rivers held various positions at Merck & Co., where he led technical support for commercial vaccines and directed global business initiatives for accessing key technologies for research and development. He is a Board member of ADC Therapeutics, Cellectis, Cerapedics, and Quell Therapeutics. Dr. Rivers holds his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, and an M.B.A. from the New York University Stern School of Business.

With more than 20 years of supporting business initiatives in the investment and life science sectors, Dr. Rivers brings extensive experience in aiding company growth, directing corporate strategy, and establishing financially sound businesses.

Conroy added: "The support of AstraZeneca and Tyrell on the board has ignited our excitement as this funding will facilitate the expansion of our development, supply, and commercial manufacturing capabilities, ultimately enhancing global accessibility to targeted radiotherapies and theranostics for patients worldwide."

Radiopharmaceuticals offer precise cancer treatment, but the intricate supply chain, akin to managing a rapidly melting ice cube, demands precise timing due to the perishable nature of radioactive materials, consequently restricting patient access. Nucleus RadioPharma is at the forefront of addressing these challenges by enhancing manufacturing and supply chain efficiency, to broaden the accessibility of radiopharmaceuticals as a promising frontier in oncology.

On June 5, 2024 Nutcracker Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company dedicated to developing transformative RNA therapies through its proprietary technology platform, reported a poster on NTX-472, its new preclinical drug candidate for B cell lymphoma, at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting in Chicago (Press release, Nutcracker Therapeutics, JUN 5, 2024, View Source [SID1234644153]).

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Monoclonal antibody immunotherapies can provide an effective treatment for B cell lymphoma. However, by only targeting a single tumor antigen, such as CD19 or CD20, these treatments can place selective pressures on tumors, with cancer cells often down-regulating the expression of those specific antigens to become cold tumors, invisible to the immune system. Multispecific antibodies may be able to mitigate these effects with improved specificity to several antigens at once.

Nutcracker Therapeutics’ scientists engineered a panel of molecules simultaneously targeting CD20, CD19 and CD47 to compare them to existing monoclonal antibody immunotherapies for B cell lymphoma, including rituximab (monospecific anti-CD20) and tafasitamab (monospecific anti-CD19). Of these molecules, the team identified one which had improved tumor killing and B cell depletion in vitro, which became the NTX-472 program. Using its CodonCrackerTM software and the Nutcracker Manufacturing Unit, Nutcracker Therapeutics’ scientists then further studied NTX-472 in vivo, which showed rapid depletion of B cells with no detectable binding to red blood cells in cynomolgus monkeys.

"We’re proud to be one of the first RNA therapeutics companies to engineer a multispecific antibody," said Chief Scientific Officer Samuel Deutsch, Ph.D. "The data on NTX-472 is a testament to the capabilities of Nutcracker Therapeutics’ platform and how it enables our scientists to engineer complex molecules by the dozens, and ultimately pinpoint the best option for a viable drug candidate. We plan to further develop NTX-472 as a trispecific immunotherapy with a differentiated therapeutic and safety profile."

Previously Nutcracker Therapeutics presented preclinical data on NTX-471, an mRNA therapeutic candidate that is being developed to target CD47. Unlike the multispecific approach employed by NTX-472, NTX-471 encodes for a multivalent (octavalent) antibody to achieve high specificity via avidity for target cancer cells. During SITC (Free SITC Whitepaper) 2023, Nutcracker Therapeutics demonstrated similar cytotoxic activity of NTX-471 to existing anti-CD47 molecules, but with little-to-no binding to red blood cells. More information on NTX-471 can be found in this press release.