Arizona State University has been awarded a Grand Challenges Explorations grant, an initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Biodesign Institute researcher Shengxi Chen will pursue a global health and innovation project to design a better, next-generation condom.Continue reading
Category Archives: AZBio News
Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. and MedImmune collaborate to develop a custom PD-L1 Assay for immunotherapy clinical trials
Tucson, Ariz., June 4, 2014 – Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. (Ventana), a member of the Roche Group and MedImmune, the global biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca, today announced they are jointly developing a PD-L1 (SP263) immunohistochemistry assay to enroll patients in clinical trials for MedImmune’s MEDI4736 anti-PD-L1 therapy for non-small cell lung carcinoma. This includes the recently commenced MEDI4736 ATLANTIC trial that will enroll only patients who express PD-L1 as determined by the VENTANA assay.Continue reading
Insys Therapeutics Cannabiodol Receives Orphan Drug Status for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
On June 2, 2014 the FDA designated Insys Therapeutics’ (INSY) cannabidiol an Orphan Drug for the treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. (See FDA Site) The firm submitted its Type II Drug Master File to the FDA on May29. A copy of the Insys release on the filing is provided below.
ASU embarks on $9 million next phase of an effort to assess rapidly an absorbed radiation dose
Arizona State University’s Biodesign Institute announced today it is entering a new, $9 million phase of a multi-million, multi-institutional development project to produce a diagnostic test to measure rapidly an individual’s level of absorption of ionizing radiation in the event of an unplanned radiological or nuclear event. Continue reading
Access to Capital: AZBio Programs Designed to Create Opportunities for Life Science Companies
AZBio and its partners have programs strategically designed to help improve access to capital for our Arizona Life Science Industry and to preserve capital through AZBio Purchasing Power Programs.
How well they work depends on you.Continue reading
Castle Biosciences reports study results from DecisionDx-EC multi-analyte test for esophageal cancer
Castle Biosciences Inc. today announced study results from its proprietary multi-analyte test DecisionDx-EC, which is designed to determine which patients with esophageal cancer are likely to respond or not respond to standard pre-surgical chemoradiation therapy. The results were reviewed in a poster presentation at the 50th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The data demonstrate thebiomarker test’s ability to accurately identify two types of patients: those who are likely to respond to pre-surgical chemoradiation therapy (CTRT) and should continue to receive the standard therapy; and those unlikely to respond to CTRT and could instead move rapidly to surgery or other more effective therapies.Continue reading
Xeridiem expands leadership team
Xeridiem has expanded the leadership team with the appointment of Shubroto Chattopadhyay as Senior Business Development and Marketing Director, reporting to Xeridiem President, Joseph Lee. Mr. Chattopadhyay comes to Xeridiem from Parker Hannifin Corporation, Medical Systems Division, where he served as Market Manager and Marketing Communications.Continue reading
Penny Wise and Pound Foolish – Castellani answers critics on drug prices with facts.
Castellani Statement on Prescription Drug Costs
Washington, D.C. (May 29, 2014) – The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) President and CEO John Castellani today released the following statement on the cost and value of medicines:Continue reading
UA Researchers Identify Viral Genes That Control Human Cytomegalovirus Reactivation
Identifying the mechanisms that determine CMV latency could lead to targeted therapies that prevent CMV-related disease.Continue reading
Provista Diagnostics Expands Exclusive License Agreement for Biomarker Technologies Developed at the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University
Provista Diagnostics, Inc., a molecular diagnostics company developing and commercializing proteomic-based diagnostic, prognostic and monitoring tests for cancers affecting women, announced it has expanded its exclusive license agreement for certain biomarker and autoantibody technologies identified by researchers Joshua LaBaer, M.D., Ph.D. and Karen Anderson, M.D., Ph.D. of the Biodesign Institute of Arizona State University. The license provides Provista with access to patents, proprietary technology, materials, processing techniques and protocols necessary for detection of certain autoantibodies and use of certain biomarkers. Continue reading