On November 27, 2018 Marker Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRKR), a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company, today reported that data from three abstracts—including an oral presentation—were accepted for presentation at the 60th American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting (ASH 2018) (Press release, TapImmune, NOV 27, 2018, View Source [SID1234531632]). The studies describe results achieved using multi-tumor antigen specific T cells that were developed at the Baylor College of Medicine in the laboratories of Dr. Ann Leen and Dr. Juan Vera, and exclusively licensed to Marker.

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Among the highlights, results from an ongoing Phase 1 study in patients with multiple myeloma will be reviewed in an oral presentation by Premal Lulla, M.B.B.S., Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Hematology-Oncology, at the Baylor College of Medicine.

ASH 2018 will take place in San Diego, CA from December 1-4.

Oral Presentation Details:

Title: Safety and Efficacy of Multiantigen-Targeted T Cells for Multiple Myeloma (Abstract # 1014)

Date: Monday, December 3, 2018

Time: 7:30 p.m. PST (San Diego Convention Center, Ballroom 20D)

Poster Presentation Details:

Title: Targeting Lymphomas Using Non-Engineered, Multi-Antigen Specific T Cells (Abstract #1685)

Date: Saturday, December 1, 2018

Presentation Time: 6:15 p.m. – 8:15 p.m. PST (San Diego Convention Center, Hall GH)

Title: Adoptive T-Cell Therapy for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Targeting Multiple Tumor Associated Antigens (Abstract #2693)

Date: Sunday, December 2, 2018

Presentation Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. PST (San Diego Convention Center, Hall GH)

On November 27, 2018 Engitix Ltd, a company pioneering the development of both tissue-specific and disease-specific human extracellular matrix (ECM) for accelerating and improving the drug discovery process, reported it has closed a £5 million Series A financing, led by a private investor (Press release, Engitix, NOV 27, 2018, View Source [SID1234531649]).

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Engitix has validated its proprietary tissue-specific and disease-specific human ECM platform in determining drug efficacy in liver fibrosis through successful collaborations with a number of biotech and big pharma companies. With this new investment, the Company is now evolving its business model to in-house drug discovery, to develop a pipeline of candidate drugs targeting liver fibrosis and liver and pancreatic cancers.

Engitix was spun-out of the Institute for Liver and Digestive Health (ILDH), Division of Medicine, University College London (UCL) in 2016 by Dr Giuseppe Mazza, an inventor of decellularization protocols for human liver and other tissues, and Professor Massimo Pinzani, Director of ILDH and a world-renowned expert in the field of liver fibrosis. The Company acquired an exclusive license in 2017 from UCLB, UCL’s commercialisation company, to enabling ECM patents and other intellectual property.

The Company’s mission is to increase the efficacy and to the reduce cost of later stage drug failure by establishing more advanced platforms for drug target identification and validation in which healthy and diseased cells can be tested with potential therapeutic agents within their natural physiological and pathological microenvironment.

A key current limitation in developing more effective treatments in fibrosis and various solid cancers has been the failure to include human ECM in experimental models, with the majority of compounds failing in late stage clinical trials because of lack of efficacy.

The Company plans to double the size of its R&D team, recruiting at least an additional 10 scientists in London in the fields of drug discovery, bioinformatics and immune oncology, as well as establishing a presence in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Giuseppe Mazza, PhD, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, said: "The traditional drug discovery process in fibrosis and solid tumours relies on artificial in vitro substrates and animal models. So far, these models have been shown to have limitations in providing efficient therapies for patients affected by these devastating diseases. The Engitix platform technology has already shown we can revolutionise our current understanding of human diseases while discovering more realistic targets for future drug development."

Steve Arlington, PhD, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, former Lead Global Partner, Life Sciences and Pharmaceuticals at PWC and recently appointed Chairman, said: "Engitix is developing a unique platform with many research applications, which allows the study of human pathophysiology leading to the discovery of novel targets and therapeutics that will benefit patients through the acceleration of drug discovery in liver disease and cancer."

On November 27, 2018 Bellicum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:BLCM), a leader in developing novel, controllable cellular immunotherapies for cancers and orphan inherited blood disorders, reported that it will host an analyst and investor luncheon event and webcast on Monday, December 3, 2018 at 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. PST in San Diego, California (Press release, Bellicum Pharmaceuticals, NOV 27, 2018, View Source [SID1234531652]).

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The event will follow the Company’s key data presentations at the 60thAmerican Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) Annual Meeting, including interim analyses of the overall results from the BP-004 trial in children with acute leukemias and nonmalignant blood diseases, as well as the comparator C-004 trial, a multicenter, observational study of similar pediatric patients receiving a matched unrelated donor (MUD) transplant. Featured speakers include Dr. Alice Bertaina, Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Stem Cell Transplantation), Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at the Stanford School of Medicine, as well as Bellicum senior management.

A webcast replay of the event will be available on the News & Events section of the Bellicum website. An archived version of the webcast will be available for replay for at least two weeks following the event.

On November 27, 2018 Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) reported that it will host a meeting for the investment community on Wednesday, December 19, 2018, from 9:00 a.m. (EST) until approximately 12:00 p.m (Press release, Eli Lilly, NOV 27, 2018, View Source [SID1234531672]).

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Earlier that day, the company will announce its financial guidance for 2019. At the investment community meeting, Lilly leadership will further detail the 2019 financial guidance and discuss progress towards the company’s strategic goals, as well as the commercial performance of recently launched medicines. A substantial portion of the meeting will then focus on Lilly’s research and development opportunities in the areas of oncology, pain, neurodegeneration, immunology and diabetes.

Meeting attendees will include institutional investors, sell-side analysts, ratings agency representatives, and financial and business media. Because of limited space, advance registration is required and in-person attendance is by invitation only. A live audio webcast will be available on the "Webcasts & Presentations" section of Lilly’s Investor website at View Source A replay of the presentation will be available on this same website for approximately 90 days.

On November 27, 2018 Sandoz, a Novartis division and the pioneer and global leader in biosimilars, reported that the European Commission (EC) granted marketing authorization for biosimilar Ziextenzo (pegfilgrastim) (Press release, Novartis, NOV 27, 2018, View Source [SID1234531635]).

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Ziextenzo is indicated to reduce the duration of neutropenia and incidence of febrile neutropenia in adult patients treated with cytotoxic (anti-cancer) chemotherapy for malignancy with the exception of chronic myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes.[1] These indications match those of the reference medicine.**[1],[3]

"Despite advancements in cancer treatment, febrile neutropenia remains one of the most significant complications of chemotherapy and is a major cause of morbidity,"[4] said Stefan Hendriks, Global Head of Biopharmaceuticals, Sandoz. "With the approval of Ziextenzo, a long-acting version of oncology supportive medicine filgrastim, we look forward to providing a treatment option that delivers the possibility of further reducing both the personal and financial burden of cancer."

This approval was based on comprehensive analytical, preclinical and clinical data. In these studies, Ziextenzo matched the reference medicine in terms of safety, efficacy and quality.[5]-[8] Pegfilgrastim, the active substance in Ziextenzo, is a long-acting form of filgrastim, which stimulates the production of white blood cells.[1]

"Pegfilgrastim biosimilars, such as Ziextenzo, mark a true advancement for people with cancer. These medicines help deliver optimized long-acting dosing and patient convenience while creating savings for our hard-pressed health systems," said Dr. Paul Cornes, oncologist and member of the Continuing Medical Education program of the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists and Core Lecturer for the European School of Oncology, United Kingdom.

Sandoz remains committed to making access happen for patients and leads in biosimilars with eight approved biosimilars worldwide, including five in the last 18 months. We look forward to making available a robust portfolio of biosimilar medicines that enables early and expanded access for patients as well as generates healthcare savings worldwide.

About Ziextenzo (pegfilgrastim)
Pegfilgrastim is a long-acting form of filgrastim. Filgrastim is very similar to a natural protein (granulocyte-colony stimulating factor) – also known as G-CSF – produced by a person’s own body. Filgrastim may be used to reduce the duration of neutropenia (low white blood cell count) and the occurrence of febrile neutropenia (low white blood cell count with a fever). Febrile neutropenia is caused by cytotoxic chemotherapy (medicines that destroy rapidly growing cells); white blood cells are important as they help your body fight infection.[1]