Category Archives: Cancer

University of Freiburg spin-off with strong preclinical evidence for significant breakthrough in curing prostate cancer

FREIBURG, Germany, 1-Jul-2021 — /EPR HEALTHCARE NEWS/ — Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer. According to the American Cancer Association, 1 in every 8 men will be diagnosed with it in their lifetime. In 2018 around 1.2 million men were diagnosed and there were 360,000 deaths. In Europe alone, 450,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. But there could be a cure on the horizon.

B66, a new company in Germany and a spin-off from the University of Freiburg, Germany, has strong preclinical evidence that its research has made a significant breakthrough after 6 years of dedicated work. Professors Roland Schule, Manfred Jung and Dr Eric Metzger have pioneered research into inhibitors of the histone methyltransferase KMT9 that controls the growth of castration and enzalutamide resistant prostate tumours. These small molecular inhibitors are superior to current state-of-the-art Gold Standard drugs in preclinical models. This new treatment has the prospect of increasing survival in the normally fatal outcome of castration-resistant prostate cancer and becoming the universal therapeutic agent. In addition, the research team’s work shows that their new therapeutic agent has potentials in other cancers including colorectal, breast, bladder and the biggest of all killers, lung cancer.

Professor Roland Schule, one of the B66 founders, and a professor of Biochemistry in the University Medical Centre of Freiburg said “Our findings and approach to treatment is far in advance of anything that is going on in the world at the moment.”

Fellow founder, Professor Manfred Jung, added “many cancer treatments cause damage to the patient’s normal cells but the B66 inhibitor does not target normal cells indicating that our treatment will have minimum side effects”.

Although focused on prostate cancer right now, the B66 team’s long-term objective is to create a world-class development platform that will work on the defeat of many other types of cancer. The Freiburg region, thanks to the University, is a unique centre of leading medical knowledge. B66 will expand their work and draw in some of the skilled scientists from the area to help them work towards building a leading medical development hub.

The B66 team is already seeking commercial partners in order to forward their breakthrough work and advance as quickly as possible to defeat this major cancer.

SOURCE: EuropaWire

First Rhenium-SCT® (Skin Cancer Therapy) treatment in Germany done by Dr. Lutz-Hendrik Holle

HANAU, Germany, 4-Oct-2019 — /EPR HEALTHCARE NEWS/ — OncoBeta®, a Medical Device Company specialized in innovative epidermal radioisotope therapies for Non-Melanocytic Skin Cancers (NMSCs), announced today, that Dr. Lutz-Hendrik Holle, Medical Director of the interregional professional association for nuclear medicine in Hanau, has accomplished the first Rhenium-SCT® (Skin Cancer Therapy) treatment in Germany. This state-of-the-art technology of local radionuclide therapy offers a painless and non-invasive treatment option for patients with basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (BCC and SCC) and the interregional professional association for nuclear medicine Hanau is the first center in Germany that offers the Rhenium-SCT®.

With approximately 50.000 outpatient examinations annually, the interregional professional association for nuclear medicine Hanau is one of the biggest nuclear medicine service providers in Hesse. The offered services include a variety of different modern treatment and diagnostic methods. The key argument for the expansion of the spectrum was that the Rhenium-SCT® is a new, painless and highly efficient treatment option that also delivers excellent cosmetic results. Besides being a painless alternative to other procedures, the Rhenium-SCT® also allows the treatment of numerous NMSC lesions consecutively in a single session, which was already realized during the first treatment in Hanau. This has also attracted international attention so that an American patient travelled to Hanau for the treatment.

“This therapy is particularly suitable for tumor localizations where good cosmetic results are to be achieved. The fact that the treatment is completely painless and can be performed in just one session is a great advantage”, says Dr. Lutz-Hendrik Holle, Medical Director of Nuclear Medicine in Hanau.

“We are very happy and proud to be able to offer our revolutionary treatment to patients in Germany now. The interregional professional association of nuclear medicine in Hanau is an excellent partner for NMSC patients in the fight against NMSC”, said Shannon D. Brown III, CEO and Managing Director of OncoBeta® GmbH. “Unfortunately, Germany is one of the countries that has experienced a drastic increase in newly diagnosed NMSC cases in recent years. Our highly qualified team strives to provide physicians and patients with a non-invasive and affordable solution to treat NMSC, while focusing on the needs of the patient.”

The global incidence of non-melanoma skin cancers has been drastically increasing over the past decades. Depending on the source, it is estimated that there are over 5 million non-melanoma skin cancer cases reported globally each year. In certain analyzed areas of Germany there was an increase in the incidence between the year 2005 and the year 2014 by about 30%1. To serve the increasing medical need for innovative therapies in this field and to improve the quality of patients’ lives, OncoBeta® GmbH has developed its innovative Rhenium-SCT® which only require a single application in most of the cases, applied in one single session with excellent aesthetic outcomes.

Via EPR Network
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2019 Red Herring North America Top 100 Winner: New recognition of OncoBeta’s success in developing and providing an innovative therapy for non-melanoma skin cancer patients

Pasadena, CA, U.S.A., 6-Jul-2019 — /EPR HEALTHCARE NEWS/ — OncoBeta®, a Medical Device Company specialized in innovative epidermal radioisotope therapies for Non-Melanocytic Skin Cancers (NMSCs), announced today, that it was honored as a Red Herring Top 100 North America Award winner recognizing the continent’s most exciting and innovative private technology companies. After being recognized with the Red Herring Top 100 Europe Award earlier this year, this is now the second recognition obtained by Red Herring.

The winners, celebrated at a special awards ceremony at the Westin Pasadena hotel, have been chosen from thousands of entrants, whittled down to hundreds making the trip to California. The ceremony, led by Red Herring chairman Alex Vieux, was preceded by two days of keynote speeches, discussions and finalist presentations.

Companies were judged by industry experts, insiders and journalists on a wide variety of criteria including financial performance, innovation, business strategy, and market penetration. Winners ran the gamut of verticals, from FinTech and Marketing to Security, IoT, and many more industries.

Red Herring’s editors have been evaluating the world’s startups and tech companies for over two decades. It gives them the ability to see through the industry’s hype to pick firms that will continue on a trajectory to success. Brands such as Alibaba, Google, Kakao, Skype, Spotify, Twitter and YouTube have all been singled out in Red Herring’s storied history.

“2019’s crop of Top 100 winners has been among our most intriguing yet,” said Vieux. “North America has led the way in tech for so many years, and to see such unique, pioneering entrepreneurs and companies here in California, which is in many ways the heartland of the industry, has been a thrilling experience.”

“What has excited me most is to see so many people forging niches in high-tech and cutting edge sectors,” added Vieux. “Some of the technical wizardry and first-rate business models showcased here at the conference has been fantastic to learn about. We believe OncoBeta® embodies the drive, skill and passion on which tech thrives. OncoBeta® should be proud of its achievement – the competition was incredibly strong.”

“Being named as one of the Red Herring’s Top 100 North America award winner in addition to the Top 100 Europe is a great honor for us.” states Shannon D. Brown III, CEO of OncoBeta®. “The spirit of the award aligns perfectly with our team’s mission in the fight against non-melanocytic skin cancer (NMSC) with the Rhenium-SCT®.”

The complete list of the 2019 Red Herring North America Top 100 Winners can be found here in alphabetical order: https://www.redherring.com/2019-rhna-top100-winners/

Red Herring’s press release is available online at https://www.redherring.com/red-herring-2019-top-100-north-america-winners-press-release/

SOURCE: EuropaWire

The interregional professional association for nuclear medicine in Hanau has become the first treatment center in Germany to offer the Rhenium-SCT® (SCT= Skin Cancer Therapy)

GARCHING N. MUNICH, Germany, 13-May-2019 — /EPR HEALTHCARE NEWS/ — OncoBeta® GmbH, a commercial stage Medical Device Company specialized in innovative epidermal radioisotope therapies for Non-Melanocytic Skin Cancers (NMSCs), is pleased to announce that the interregional professional association for nuclear medicine in Hanau now offers the Rhenium-SCT ® (SCT= Skin Cancer Therapy) as the first treatment center in Germany.

With approximately 50.000 outpatient examinations annually, the interregional professional association for nuclear medicine Hanau is one of the biggest nuclear medicine service providers in Hesse. The offered services include a variety of different modern treatment and diagnostic methods which are state-of the art in science and technology.

“Offering NMSC skin cancer patients a highly efficient, painless, innovative therapy with excellent aesthetic results was the driving reason to establish this treatment method in our clinic,” says Dr. med. Lutz-Hendrik Holle, Medical Director of Nuclear Medicine in Hanau.

“We are delighted that our innovative skin cancer therapy Rhenium-SCT® is now being offered by the Nuclear Medicine in Hanau and we are looking forward to this collaboration”, states Shannon D. Brown III, CEO and Managing Director of OncoBeta® GmbH. “For us, this is an important step to offer the treatment method in addition to Italy, South Africa and Australia now also in Germany. In order to provide our treatment to as many skin cancer patients as possible, it is of course our goal to offer the availability of the therapy nationwide in Germany in the future.”

The global incidence of non-melanoma skin cancers has been drastically increasing over the past decades. Depending on the source, it is estimated that there are over 5 million non-melanoma skin cancer cases reported globally each year. In Germany the number of newly diagnosed patients is about 200,000 annually and it is assumed that this number increases within the next years. To serve the increasing medical need for innovative therapies in this field and to improve the quality of patients’ lives, OncoBeta® GmbH has developed its innovative Rhenium-SCT® which only require a single application, applied in one single session with excellent aesthetic outcomes.

If interested, patients and doctors can either contact the interregional professional association for nuclear medicine in Hanau directly or OncoBeta® GmbH.

SOURCE: EuropaWire

University of Pretoria Prof. Mike Sathekge is First in South Africa to Treat Non-Melanocytic Skin #Cancer Patients with Rhenium-SCT®

Garching n. Munich, Germany, 26-Nov-2018 — /EPR HEALTHCARE NEWS/ — OncoBeta® GmbH, a commercial stage Medical Device Company specialized in innovative epidermal radioisotope therapies for Non-Melanocytic Skin Cancers (NMSCs), announced today that Prof. Mike Sathekge from the University of Pretoria, Steve Biko Academic Hospital Nuclear Medical department and his clinical team has treated the first non-melanocytic skin cancer patients in South Africa with the innovative Rhenium-SCT® skin cancer treatment System. This next-generation radionuclide therapy technology applied by the nuclear medicine physician offers a new singles session, painless treatment for patients suffering from Basal Cell – and Squamous Cell Carcinomas (BCCs and SCCs).

The global incidence of non-melanoma skin cancers has drastically increased over the few past decades. Depending on the source, it is estimated that there are over 5 million non-melanoma skin cancer cases reported globally each year. Approximately 80% of non-melanoma skin cancers are basal cell carcinomas or squamous cell carcinomas with South Africa having one of the highest incidence rates in the world.

Prof. Mike Sathekge and his team at the University of Pretoria, Steve Biko Academic Hospital are focused on providing patients with personalized care using state-of-the-art technology that can deliver high-precision therapy and diagnostics with minimal side effects. The specialized team of experts in the nuclear medicine and medical physics, work closely with other disciplines within the university hospital, referring physicians, and other institutions, to ensure patients receive the best possible treatment for their specific type of cancer.

Martin Magwaza, CEO of Tautomer (PTY) LTD Oncobeta®’s distribution partner for the Rhenium-SCT® in Africa, is dedicated to providing South Africans with new innovative and effective therapies across the continent, coordinating with representatives from all levels of government and state for the health care landscape.

“The start of the Rhenium-SCT® in South Africa is a significant milestone in the international expansion of our ground-breaking treatment for BCCs and SCCs.,” said Shannon D. Brown III, CEO and Managing Director of OncoBeta® GmbH. “Our vision of bringing a revolutionary affordable skin cancer therapy to physicians and patients all over the world has come one step closer today”.

SOURCE: EuropaWire

Prof. Lucien Abenhaim: There is an incredible challenge for the sustainability of health systems across the world

Prof. Lucien Abenhaim

LONDON, Dec-3-2017 — /EuropaWire/ — On December 5-6, 2017, 200 high-level experts from government, academia, biopharmaceutical developers and patient organisations convene in London (UK) to address the mounting challenge of accessibility and patient access to high-value, high-cost medical therapies.

The not-for-profit executive forum is organised by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and analytica|LASER, a global research consultancy, to investigate topical questions around drug policy, global health systems sustainability and innovation funding through a combination of case studies, panel sessions, and roundtables. Delegations are registered from over 70 public and private organisations, including the World Health Organization, as well as health systems representatives from Belgium, England, Estonia, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, the United States and Wales. Multiple patient organisations support the meeting to ensure that the patient voice is reflected in all deliberations.

“Access to life-saving drugs is not a new challenge. The paradigm of accessibility was changed completely in the face of the deadly HIV epidemic. This time, however, accessibility concerns almost every domain of medicine such as cancer, auto-immune diseases and rare diseases. We must act now,” says Prof Peter Piot, Director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and former head of UNAIDS.

“There is an incredible challenge for the sustainability of health systems across the world”, says Prof. Lucien Abenhaim, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Chairman of Analytica Laser. “It is critical that drug developers and health system engage on actionable proposals that address concerns around value, cost and overall access to innovation for the patients who need it. We are at an inflection point – the paradigms of the 1990’s can no longer guide us,” he adds.

The main plenary on December 6th features scheduled remarks by over a dozen authorities in the field, including Professor Baron Peter Piot (Director, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and former Head, UNAIDS), Dr. Olivier Brandicourt (Chief Executive Officer, Sanofi), Dr. Sarah Garner (World Health Organization), Prof. Dominique Le Guludec (President, French HAS), Sir Andrew Dillon (Chief Executive, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence UK) and Dr. Harold Paz (Chief Medical Officer, Aetna). The plenary is preceded by a scientific seminar on December 5th which gathers globally renowned academics to explore new frontiers on the methodology for the appraisal and valuation of high-value medicines.

Please contact the organisers for more information on the programming and media access, or refer to www.accessibility-symposium.org

SOURCE: EuropaWire

Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography (MSOT) can now more reliably detect early stages of inflammation

GERMANY, Mar-30-2017 — /EPR HEALTHCARE NEWS/ — Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are the most common inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Globally, more than 4 million people suffer from recurring inflammation of the intestinal mucosa. To date, non-invasive methods have not been able to detect these forms of IBD reliably. Researchers at the University Hospital Erlangen (Germany) have now shown for the first time how Multispectral Optoacoustic Tomography (MSOT) can more reliably detect early stages of inflammation when compared with other non-invasive diagnostic methods. These results have recently been published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Evaluating the inflammatory activity of the intestines early and accurately helps to prevent complications associated with IBD and guide an optimal therapy regime. Currently, doctors frequently rely on an invasive endoscopy procedure to assess the intestinal mucosa of patients with IBD. Additionally, non-invasive imaging methods are increasingly used in the clinic. For example, ultrasound allows clinicians to examine the structure, thickness and blood perfusion of the intestinal wall with changes in perfusion patterns indicating an onset of inflammation.

“With the MSOT procedure, we additionally use laser light, by which we can detect inflammation earlier than previously possible with ultrasound”, explains Prof. Dr. Maximilian Waldner, Professor at the University Hospital Erlangen. “The earlier we detect signs of an upcoming flare – i.e., a change in blood content – the quicker we can react and start a preventive treatment”. The MSOT technology was developed by iThera Medical in Munich, and was first used on IBD patients last year.

The researchers of the University Hospital Erlangen have recently published their results in the renowned New England Journal of Medicine. “We examined 108 patients with Crohn’s disease using the MSOT technology and compared the results to established non-invasive diagnostic procedures as well as endoscopy and histology”, says Prof. Waldner. “We were able to demonstrate that hemoglobin values in the tissue measured with MSOT indicate very accurately the inflammatory activity in the intestines. The method appears to be superior to other non-invasive procedures, as MSOT for the first time was able to detect even low levels of inflammation without having to perform endoscopy”.

Dr. Ferdinand Knieling, a physician at the University Hospital Erlangen, adds: “We are hoping that this principle can be applied to many applications and, in particular, also be used to enable safe evaluations of children and adolescents. With this new examination method, many of the currently invasive procedures might become obsolete.”

In optoacoustic imaging, the physician scans the intestines transabdominally through the skin, applying pulsed laser light in the near-infrared region. The energy of the light absorbed in tissue is converted into acoustic signals which are then acquired by an ultrasound detector. Christian Wiest, CEO of iThera Medical, comments: “MSOT is a new diagnostic imaging modality that can detect changes in tissue composition associated with a variety of diseases, without the use of contrast agents. The technology has already been applied in other clinical feasibility studies, e.g. for the detection of melanoma metastasis in sentinel lymph nodes or for the assessment of suspicious breast lesions”.

The results of the IBD study at the University Hospital Erlangen were published on March 30th 2017 in the New England Journal of Medicine (Volume 376, Issue 13, pg.1292-1294).

SOURCE: EuropaWire

EMS Healthcare’s recent work supporting better healthcare, closer to home

The prospect for major investment in new healthcare estates looks slim as the strategy to bring care closer to people’s homes becomes reality. Keith Austin, managing partner at EMS-Healthcare has looked at how the switch to community care is raising standards nationwide:

“Private Finance 2, which sets out a new approach to financing the building and maintenance of public infrastructure, will be used to build the next generation of hospitals. But despite its announcement at the end of last year there has been little movement to invest in new healthcare estates.

“The delay isn’t just about money or red tape; there is the wider strategy to consider of moving away from care delivered in hospitals to providing care closer to people’s homes.”

Keith continued, with how EMS Healthcare in particular helps address the costs involved with this kind of shift in patient care: “The scale of investment necessary to meet this ideal is much smaller than that required for developing new large scale hospital sites. But this isn’t the only benefit. We have been working with numerous private and public sector organisations to facilitate care in the community via medical trailer solutions and have been inspired by what has been delivered and the warm reception from patients and staff alike… To say the benefits can be life changing is not an overstatement.”

One stand out project for EMS Healthcare has been to fit out and supply Clatterbridge Cancer Centre with a state-of-the-art mobile chemotherapy facility. Since the beginning of the year the medical trailer has been improving patient care by making treatment as accessible and easy as possible, serving around 25 people daily from the Chester area in a Tesco car park.

“Perhaps an unlikely site for life-saving treatment, but the feedback from patients has been overwhelmingly positive. The bespoke medical trailer houses six chemotherapy stations with preparation, reception and waiting areas. Patients feel a real sense of community and ownership while attending the clinic and the environment has been described as ‘warm and cosy’ with a ‘more jovial atmosphere’.”

Other initiatives that EMS Healthcare have been involved in include a medical trailer eye clinic which helped medical consultants save the sight of thousands of patients across the East Coast of the UK, while saving them a trip of up to 84 miles for treatment. A temporary renal dialysis medical trailer unit has also saved patients in North Wales hours of travel every week, helping to improve their quality of life.

Thousands of patients across the UK are making long journeys to receive specialist treatment. These unique facilities provide a solution to help reduce the cost, burden and strain of travelling while delivering first class care. Waiting time is minimal too, making the experience less tiring, and a more familiar location helps put patients at ease.

The evidence is clear on why healthcare providers are taking their care closer to people’s homes. This patient-centric approach is set to continue and Keith – and EMS Healthcare – are proud to be part of it.

Via EPR Network
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Innovative Drug Discovery Business, Biosortia Pharmaceuticals, Lands Two Health Care Veterans

Kurt Dieck formerly SVP of Strategy and Business Execution at Cardinal Health, will lead early stage drug discovery business at Biosortia Pharmaceuticals. Dieck was named President and CEO in November 2012 and has quickly identified other key executives, including Dr. Guy Carter, former Natural Product head at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, as his Chief Science Officer. In conjunction, other collaboration partners have joined the team, including NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), NCI (National Cancer Institute) and key universities, to strategically accelerate the development of novel drug leads in the therapeutic areas of cancer, infectious diseases, inflammation and neurological disorders. Biosortia Pharmaceuticals has seen promising early results with dozens of novel compounds having already been requested, and are under evaluation with NCI and Eli Lilly.

Dieck has spent nearly 30 years in healthcare, including 18 years at Arthur Andersen as a global equity partner and then 10 years with Cardinal Health, a Fortune 20 public company, as a senior executive; there he worked with a broad spectrum of partners, including brand pharmaceutical manufacturers, throughout the supply chain. Dr. Guy Carter has over 30 years of experience working in pharmaceutical R&D, primarily in the discovery and development of microbial natural products. He previously was the leader of natural products drug discovery at Wyeth Research, as head of the Chemical Technologies Department.

“Kurt and Guy make a great team. Their complementary Pharma experiences and backgrounds create great opportunities to accelerate Biosortia’s objective to become the premier, aquatic natural products company with a primary focus in drug discovery,” says Ross Youngs, Biosortia’s Founder and Chairman. “Kurt and Guy bring a wealth of research and business experience along with deep industry relationships in building successful Pharma partnerships. Everyone involved with this young biotech is excited about the future.”

Industry observers have commented that late-stage R&D pipelines are not providing Pharma with the desired revenue growth the market is expecting. Therefore, large Pharma is evolving the way it performs R&D in order to optimize efficiency and to boost patent cliff defenses. These changes require shifting from relying solely on in-house chemistry-based R&D to acquiring and licensing external technologies and natural products based compounds in various stages of development. Biosortia’s ability to supply novel, highly active and potent compounds with drug-like characteristics will increase the productivity and success rate for Pharma as well as reduce the overall cost of the discovery process. The cost to discover, develop and launch a new drug is estimated to reach nearly $3B per drug by 2015. Biosortia’s business model is designed specifically to support Pharma’s needs.

“With nearly unlimited microorganisms (3.7 nonillion), the aquatic environment and its consortia represent an extraordinary opportunity…a new frontier, to access extremely potent and chemically diverse secondary metabolites with drug-like properties with unique mechanisms of action never researched before,” said Dieck. In describing the opportunity, Dieck goes on to say, “Biosortia is on the cutting edge of natural product discovery
and has the capabilities to deliver on its aspiration. Our powerful natural products research team, led by Dr. Guy Carter, in partnership with NOAA’s Dr. Peter Moeller, a leader in aquatic natural products research, has the experience and know-how to decipher the complex unexplored environment in a very efficient manner leveraging all the current state of the art instrumentation. The need for more efficient and effective approaches to drug discovery has never been more important. Biosortia’s innovative technologies, deep research skills and key relationships will efficiently provide thousands of unique natural products as candidates for drug discovery at a time when Pharma is in critical need for “high quality shots on goal.”

“Aquatic microbial consortia are a rich source of metabolically active organisms including microalgae, bacteria, fungi and their secondary metabolites,” states Carter. “Owing to the competitive nature of their habitat, chemical investigations of microbial consortia reveal unique structurally diversified natural products that are responsible for signaling and self-defense that have potential as therapeutics with novel mechanisms of action. Since they have been pre-optimized by nature, these compounds are typically closer to a drug candidate than a synthetic lead, thus requiring less optimization and shorter time when found as ‘hits’ in screening programs.”

The team has also focused on agreements with strategic collaboration partners as vital components to the strategy. Biosortia has recently entered into several collaboration agreements with NOAA, Analyticon and exclusive harvesting relationships, just to name a few. Several others will be advanced by the end of January. Biosortia’s cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with NOAA’s Center for Human Health Risk at Hollings Marine Laboratory provides a 5-year framework for research and development regarding the analysis and purification of novel bioactive compounds. According to NOAA’s Technology Partnerships Office, “Success will result in the commercial development of new and unique chemical compounds from the sea which have benefits to human health, either through disease prevention or new treatments for disease.”

Dr. Peter Moeller, NOAA’s Research Scientist who leads the Toxins Natural Products Program stated after analyzing fractions of Biosortia’s biomass, “Coupling NOAA’s mission of characterizing toxins affecting environmental and/or human health with Biosortia’s drug discovery focus turns one man’s toxin into another’s chemotherapeutic. The microorganisms analyzed in the Biosortia biomass identified more unique activity than I have seen in my 30 year career. The volumes achieved from a single harvest delivered an equivalent of 30 years of accumulation. This could materially change the landscape for natural products drug discovery research.”

As of December 31, 2012, Biosortia has identified more than 30 bioactive candidate compounds (hits) from a fresh water eutrophic lake consortium. Therapeutic areas of focus include treatments for cancer, infectious diseases, inflammation and neurological disorders. In addition, more than a dozen of its patent protected compounds are in initial evaluation stage within Eli Lilly’s Open Innovation Drug Discovery Program.

Dieck states, “Looking forward, it is with great optimism. We have a great team built around mutual respect, deep experience, and a desire to succeed and make a difference. We are aligning with the right partners and collaborators to execute our strategy with speed and discipline to provide Pharma with much high quality & diverse compounds vs. “me-too” drugs than they have had in the past 10 years. We are excited about what this company can accomplish, not only for its shareholders but also for the millions of people who have been diagnosed with various forms of chronic diseases who are looking for Pharma to identify better ways to help them extend their lives or live a more productive life. Biosortia can play a big role in identifying compounds that can help Pharma achieve these goals. I am looking forward to the challenge and opportunity to build an industry leading drug discovery company.”

Via EPR Network
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EMS Healthcare forges ahead with new mobile cancer unit

EMS Healthcare is helping The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre deliver care closer to the community with the development of a bespoke mobile chemotherapy unit.

Clatterbridge in the Community will take to the road from early January, delivering treatment to patients at the Sealand Tesco site as a pilot prior to a roll out across Chester and the Wirral, using its fully customised mobile medical unit to reduce unnecessary stress from travel and help to cut down waiting times.

Keith Austin, Managing Partner in EMS-Healthcare said: “We have been working closely with The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre to develop a mobile facility that will ensure they can deliver first class patient care close to people’s homes, right in the heart of the community. The medical vehicle has been designed specially to meet their requirements and we anticipate that it will house the largest mobile chemotherapy treatment space in the country.”

The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre is one of the largest networked cancer centres in the UK. From nine operating sites across Merseyside and Cheshire it treats over 27,000 patients a year, offering pioneering chemotherapy, radiotherapy and proton therapy treatments.

Kim Barrow, Head of Daycase and Outpatient Services at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre said: “Over the last few months EMS Healthcare has been working hard to turn our vision into reality. We are delighted with the progress and look forward to launching the new care unit to patients in the New Year.”

EMS-Healthcare’s work with The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre follows a successful health roadshow campaign delivered on behalf of cancer charity, Tenovus, which treated 15 chemo patients per day in South Wales. This mobile medical unit was the first of its kind in the UK.

Via EPR Network
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Sprint Bioscience Strengthens Its Cancer Metabolism Portfolio

Sprint Bioscience, a Swedish company developing oncology therapeutics targeting cancer metabolism, announced today that it has raised money to strengthen its drug discovery portfolio.

The investment by Första Entreprenörsfonden and Almi Invest will enable the company to continue to build a pipeline of drug discovery projects within cancer metabolism.

“We are investing in Sprint Bioscience because we consider their entrepreneurial drive and their particular skills in drug development to be key success factors for the changing environment of the future pharmaceutical industry. Sprint Bioscience’s business strategy involves out-licensing or collaborating at an early stage of drug discovery to ensure that projects are developed with a focus on current and relevant market needs,” says Rune Nordlander, partner at Första Entreprenörsfonden.

Sprint Bioscience is a company founded by experienced drug hunters with an ambition to improve the drug discovery process. “We believe in small organisations with effective working procedures and collaborations throughout the sector,” says the company’s CEO and co-founder, Dr. Anders Åberg.

“Sprint Bioscience has developed an efficient, fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) platform that can take parallel projects from initial idea to active molecules tested in cell-based systems in a very short time” Anders Åberg continues. Our goal is to align the early phase in the laboratory with pharmaceutical companies’ needs.

Targeting the metabolism in tumours provides exciting opportunities to develop drug therapies with novel mechanisms of action. This could be used to overcome the resistance that many cancer cells develop to current treatments.

Via EPR Network
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Coalition For The Advancement Of Brachytherapy

The Coalition for the Advancement of Brachytherapy (CAB) has reviewed recent media reports stemming from a study originally presented in December 2011 by physicians associated with the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The study compared the efficacy of whole breast irradiation (WBI) to accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI), including the use of brachytherapy to treat select patients with early stage breast cancer. CAB believes that the methodology used in the MD Anderson study is misleading as it utilizes a Medicare billing claims database that does not include patient risk stratification data and therefore is not appropriate to use to compare outcomes and toxicities of ABPI to that of whole breast irradiation (WBI).

The treatments examined utilize different methodologies for delivering radiation therapy following surgery for the treatment of breast cancer. APBI delivers a targeted radiation therapy to select low risk patients over a five-day period. Whereas WBI delivers a broader radiation therapy whereby the entire breast is treated over the course of 30-40 days. The conclusions reached regarding the relative efficacy of the two forms of treatments are based completely on a retrospective study of insurance billing claims. This retrospective study fails to take into account key patient clinical characteristics, including, but not limited to pathology and staging, which determine risk assignment of a patient. Further, the billing code data was collected from patients treated from 2000 through 2007. Since that time, advances in brachytherapy product design, physics planning and delivery of dose have led to greater precision and accuracy of radiation treatment with improved outcomes.

CAB contends that it is impossible to draw any meaningful comparisons or conclusions without taking into consideration patient risk assessments. Counter to the findings in the MD Anderson study are multiple peer-reviewed publications available supporting the safe and effective use of APBI in appropriately selected patients. The safety and effectiveness of APBI is further supported by the fact that the American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) reaffirmed its Consensus Statement in 2011 endorsing the use of APBI in appropriately selected patients. The ASTRO APBI Consensus Statement was originally issued in 2009 based on an exhaustive search of the available medical literature in combination with expert opinion and public comment.

More recent data from a trial comprising over fourteen hundred breast cancer patients, presented on May 5, 2012 at the American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS) Annual Meeting, found that APBI is equally effective, if not more effective, in preventing local breast cancer recurrence than WBI. * This trial’s findings not only contradict the MD Anderson data in finding that tumor control in the breast appears to be similar for APBI and WBI, but suggest that disease control at the initial tumor site may be better with APBI.

Michael Krachon, CAB Chair notes, “The MD Anderson study is by no means sufficient to condemn a promising procedure like APBI brachytherapy. As we await results of the randomized NSABP-B39 Phase III Trial comparing WBI to APBI, physicians should be mindful of the many positive peer-reviewed publications analyzing the efficacy and toxicity associated 2 1455 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 250, Washington, D.C. 20004 with APBI brachytherapy. The technique has been endorsed by ASTRO in appropriately selected patients, and physicians must take into account the clinical presentation of the patient and their own clinical judgment in the safe and appropriate use of this treatment modality.”

For more information contact: Richard White, Roberti + White at (202) 624-0395

Via EPR Network
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Quoteboffin.co.uk Urges Health Providers To Maintain Momentum In Light Of Improving Cancer Survival Rates

Survival rates for some cancers has doubled since the 1970s. Now health and life insurance comparison site, QuoteBoffin.co.uk, is calling on health organisations to continue their good work.

Following research by leading organisation Cancer Research UK, it has emerged that survival rates for some cancers including bowel, breast and ovarian have doubled over the past four decades.

Comparisons between survival rates for those with cancer in the 1970s and people with the disease in the late noughties show vast improvements in the number of patients expected live more than ten years with the disease.

Breast and bowel cancer have seen remarkable improvements in survival rates with the number of people living at least ten after diagnosis years jumping from 40% to 77% and 23% to over 50% respectively.

Despite the improvements, health organisations and cancer charities are still calling for more work to be done to improve cancer patients chances of survival.

A spokesperson from QuoteBoffin.co.uk joined the calls for further research, with cancer treating drugs high on the agenda:

“It’s encouraging to see such a stark improvement in cancer survival rates in such a short space of time.

“As technology improves so does our ability to detect and treat cancer earlier and earlier and this brings with it its own set of problems.

“No longer is cancer treatment about prolonging a patient’s life, it’s about completely curing the disease altogether so now we must put more and more money and time into crafting and fine tuning a range of drugs and treatments that can be applied to the disease at any stage.”

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Training To Cut Medical Prejudice For Obesity Essential, Says Life Insurance Comparison Site Quoteboffin.co.uk

Insurance comparison site Quoteboffin is among those calling for the introduction of training to minimise prejudice towards obese patients.

Obesity is a huge problem in the UK and one that’s on the rise. The fact that the condition is costing the NHS money time and resources every year is widely documented in the media and this can lead to prejudice towards people living with the condition.

Past research has found that this prejudice can also be found amongst medical health care professionals. However, a recent study from the Obesity Journal has found that training can easily influence this attitude.

A spokesperson from Quoteboffin, a life insurance comparison site, announced that the company was among those backing the journal’s calls for implementing the training. They added: “Sometimes people don’t even realise they have a prejudice and they think they are working impartially, however when their actions are looked at more closely, a different picture emerges.

“It’s important that all people receive the medical car, compassion and attention they need no matter what their conditions.”

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Quoteboffin.co.uk Encourages Women To Take Vitamin And Calcium Supplements To Cut Breast Cancer Risk

Vitamin supplements have been in for a hard time in recent years, with some health professionals claiming they have little effect on overall health. However, a new study has found that vitamin and calcium supplements could help women cut their risk of breast cancer by up to a third.

Quoteboffin.co.uk Encourages Women To Take Vitamin And Calcium Supplements To Cut Breast Cancer Risk

The research, which examined the diet and health of 700 women, found that those with nutrients added to their diet were up to 40 per cent less likely to develop breast cancer. In a report from the Scotsman, lead researcher of the study, Professor Jaime Matta, made it clear that it wasn’t a case of immediate protection, but rather a long-term effect.

Health insurance site Quoteboffin.co.uk has stated its hope that the study will prompt an uptake in the consumption of vitamin and calcium supplements in women across the country. A spokesperson explained: “Breast cancer can be a devastating illness for sufferers and it’s very encouraging to hear news of this study from the Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico.

“If a simple supplement can help women cut the risk of them developing breast cancer in the future then we strongly advise they think seriously about it.”

The study analysed 268 women with breast cancer and 457 healthy controls and discovered that vitamin supplements could cut the risk of breast cancer by up to 30 per cent, and that the danger could be cut by up to 40 per cent when combined with calcium supplements.

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LighterLife Launches Listen And Learn Podcast Service

LighterLife, the industry leading weight loss and weight-management company, has released the first of a series of monthly podcasts, designed to help people learn how to live healthier, lighter lives.

Titled ‘Inside LighterLife’, this is the place to listen to tips, advice and features on how to lose weight quickly and safely, as well as interviews with health experts, LighterLife Weight-Management Counsellors and real-life people who have struggled with their weight.

Unscripted, conversational and honest – like a morning TV chat show on the run – the first podcast sees host Susan Spence, a multi-skilled presenter who can also be heard on LBC, Radio Five Live and the Steve Allen Show chatting to Dr Hilary Jones about some pressing weight-related medical questions, talking to LighterLife Weight-Management Counsellor Lindsey Thompson-Wright from Loughton, Essex about the stories behind the weight loss of some of her clients and meeting with Rachel Drago, an inspirational client who tells why she believes LighterLife literally saved her life.

Rachel Drago hit the headlines a few months ago after losing five stone with LighterLife and losing 10 inches of fat off her breasts allowed her to discover a lump in her breast that was subsequently diagnosed as breast cancer. Plus listeners will be able to hear how 12 overweight men’s 52 stone weight loss with LighterLife gave them the confidence to strip naked and bare all to raise money for The Prostate Cancer Charity.

Upcoming episodes of the new weight loss podcast, Inside LighterLife, will include further expert advice from Psychotherapist Annie Wilson who will discuss some of the psychological reasons behind overeating, more inspirational weight-loss stories and advice and encouragement for overweight and obese people to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Available to download free from iTunes, podcast directories and the LighterLife website, Inside LighterLife gives clients the opportunity to listen to and identify with the experiences of others on the programme. For many clients it will offer a motivational boost and for others it will provide the support they need when they are having a weak moment.

As well as allowing clients to listen and learn more about LighterLife, Inside LighterLife also offers potential clients an inside look into a programme that has helped 150,000 people lose weight and keep it off.

Sara Jamison, CEO, LighterLife commented: “Inside LighterLife is another fantastic additional service that we are offering to both LighterLife clients and all those people out there who have struggled with their weight or who are losing weight using other methods. Listeners will be able to learn more about LighterLife from the people who have actually lived, breathed and succeeded on it, have their questions answered by the experts and listen to tips and advice that will help them live lighter, happier lives and we can’t wait to hear the feedback.”

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LighterLife Has Produced A Brand New Calendar To Help Raise Money For The Prostate Cancer Charity

LighterLife has produced a brand new calendar to help raise money for the Prostate Cancer Charity. The calendar features 12 men who have lost weight with LighterLife baring all for the cameras.

These brave men, from various walks of life had a variety of personal reasons for losing weight which ranged from being able to keep up their kids and reducing the risk of bad health, through to wanting to apply to become a fireman. What brought these men together was that they all had the same goal; to lose weight with LighterLife. With their lives changed for the better, they stripped down to not only celebrate their amazing weight loss, but to also raise money and awareness for a charity close to their hearts.

Lee, who posed for the month of January, lost six stone and is now running rings around his young football team. Gary, otherwise known as Mr. February, is six stone lighter and no longer lags behind the rest of his walking group. Lee, or Mr. March, has lost the five stone he put on after being diagnosed with testicular cancer.

Mark, who can be seen in the calendar in April, has a new lease on life and can keep up with his kids after losing four stone. Mike, or Mr. May, is no longer clinically obese and since losing just under three stone, is a faster and more confident water polo player. Five stone lighter, Nuno, or Mr. June, now has the confidence and the BMI to apply for his dream job as a fireman.

Former yo-yo dieter Phil, who posed for July, lost three stone which has given him the confidence to do what he loves – DJ’ing. Steven, or Mr. August, can now enjoy a full game of football without feeling tired and Rod, who features in September, is now training for a triathalon to help maintain his five stone weight loss.

LighterLife weight-management Counsellor Gina Lennon, who coordinated the men during the calendar photo shoot, said: “I’m delighted to have been involved in this project. There has been a great deal of interest and this has definitely put the fun back into fundraising. The calendar boys have achieved so much – losing such large amounts of weight, maintaining their weight loss, overcoming fears about their body image and baring all to raise money for a very worthwhile charity.”

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International Masters Publishers, Inc., On Behalf Of Its Collection Of Health And Well-Being Products Has Made A Donation To Rocking The Road For A Cure, Inc.

International Masters Publishers, Inc., on behalf of its collection of Health and Well-being products has made a donation to “Rocking the Road for a Cure, Inc.” — a non-profit organization founded to provide free education and support services for women and men going through the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.

Reflecting their strong commitment to providing valuable health information, International Masters Publishers, Inc. (IMP) recently announced its continuing support for breast cancer research and wellness programs through its contribution to the community-based non-profit organization “Rocking the Road for a Cure, Inc.”

Founded by Dawn Frey after she was diagnosed with breast cancer, “Rocking the Road for a Cure, Inc” provides free support services aimed to enhance the coping skills of those in treatment, and expand the support networks that have proven so essential to their quality of life. These services include:

• Homebound Yoga, Reiki and massage
• Medical case management assistance
• Homebound Recreational Therapy
• Beauty consultations
• Nutrition advice and services

“We are proud to support the great work done by Rocking on the Road for a Cure, Inc.”, says Dilenia Chireno, IMP Spokesperson, “their programs use many of the same approaches to self-empowerment we cover in our collections, so it’s really an excellent fit for us. We are so proud to be part of this important and worthwhile cause.”

In addition to its generous corporate donation, IMP will also offer some customers of The Complete Guide to Natural Healing and Enhancing Your Mind Body Spirit the opportunity to make an additional donation by contributing a portion of the proceeds it receives from these two products to this great cause.

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The Facts About Heart Disease

  • Heart Disease has been the number 1 killer in the US every year since 1900 with the exception of 1918.

  • At least 250,000 Americans die of heart attacks each year before they reach the hospital.

  • Every 34 seconds someone in the US dies from Heart Disease.

  • Heart Disease can be avoided with good nutrition.
If you are as little as 10 pounds overweight you are at risk forHeart Disease.Chronic Diseases cost the US economy 1.3 trillion dollars annually and this could reach 6 trillion by the middle of the century.

Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease for you and your loved ones. Over and over again I hear success stories of how people who have used our science based, nutritional products to lose weight. But not only do they lose weight but they are lowering their cholesterol levels, stabilizing blood pressure and sugar levels and are getting off of medications they have been taking for years. We have had people say they have gotten rid of allergies, migraines, joint pain and more. Good Nutrition allows your body to heal. (individual results vary). You can gain weight, lose weight, or maintain weight with our products. Our products do come with a guarantee.

My mother and father have both had open heart surgery. It is not a fun thing to go through. The thought of having your breast bone broken in half and raised in vertical position for hours is not a pretty picture to me. I do not wish to ever need this surgery and I am here to help you, in hopes that you do not ever need it as well.

Good Nutrition affects everything:

  • health

  • energy

  • organs

  • cells

  • vitality

  • skin

  • quality of life

The American Medical Association has said that 70% of medical conditions are diet related.

Here are a few common diseases that may be prevented with proper diet and or maintaining a healthy weight.

Cancer: breast, uterus, cervix, colon, esophagus, pancreas, kidney and prostrate
Coronary Heart Disease, Diabetes, Dyslipidemia, hypertension
Idiopathic Intacraial hypertension, stroke, cataracts
Osteoarthritis, skin, gout, phlebitis
Gynecologic Abnormalities, abnormal menses,infertility, poly cystic ovarian syndrome
Gall Bladder Disease
Pulmonary Disease
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Hypo ventilation Syndrome
Severe Pancreatitis
Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

If you truly want to feel good and enjoy quality of life you need to get started with Core Nutrition. Once you receive your Core Nutrition, I will send you a personalize your program DVD (FREE), I will give you personalized coaching on a regular basis (FREE) to help you achieve your wellness goals, and you will receive a FREE Wellness Evaluation. A Wellness Evaluation will help you learn better dieting habits as well as give you a better understanding about where you are at with your health and wellness. We will be able to determine what your goals are and come up with some recommendations that will help you be able to enjoy a better quality of life.

Once you get started with our Core Nutrition or Weight Loss Program you may find that you are saving money on your prescriptions plus doctor and hospital bills. You may even be earning more money because you are missing work less and are able to work longer hours.

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Field Fisher Waterhouse has recovered compensation for the cost of a claimant’s hospice care in a case that is though to be the first of its kind

Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW), the full service European law firm, has recovered the value of the hospice care that was required by a claimant. This is thought to be the first case of its kind, with most hospices generally exclusively funded by charitable donations. As part of the settlement, the firm was able to recover £12,500 to be paid over to the hospice.

The case arose out of the death of a 64 year old man due to mesothelioma, an asbestos-related cancer, in December 2007 after spending his final days being cared for in a North London Hospice dedicated to cancer patients.

Through his life the man suffering from the cancer had worked as a carpenter, painter and labourer. In 1963, whilst employed as a painter for J Murphy & Sons Ltd, he was exposed to asbestos dust whilst sanding down and filling in walls in prefabricated housing containing asbestos. He was then exposed to further asbestos when working for the same company at a factory in Dagenham, cleaning debris from the guttering on roofs made from corrugated asbestos.

In August 2005 he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, an asbestos related cancer on the lining of one of his lungs. He was eventually admitted to the hospice where he spent the last month of his life.

Rodney Nelson-Jones, partner in the Asbestos Claims Group at Field Fisher Waterhouse, was instructed to claim compensation on behalf of the man’s family. The firm was able to recover £170,000 from J Murphy & Sons Ltd, £12,500 of which is being paid to the hospice which provided him with care worth over £400 a day.

This is thought to be the first time that compensation has been recovered for a patient’s hospice care, which is usually funded by charitable donations. It has long been possible to recover compensation for the value of care provided by relatives but FFW’s innovation has been to extend this principle to charitable care provided by hospices. The firm plans to continue to claim the cost of hospice care in future mesothelioma cases.

Rodney Nelson-Jones commented: “We are delighted to have been able to secure extra funding for the hospice. Hospices do a wonderful job and rely on charitable donations to provide much needed palliative care for cancer patients. We hope that this case will mean that they are now provided with an additional source of funding.”

About Field Fisher Waterhouse
Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP is a full-service European law firm with offices in Brussels, Hamburg and London. With 119 partners, over 200 other lawyers and nearly 300 support staff, FFW assist a wide range of international clients, advising across a full range of legal issues.

The main areas of practice are corporate and commercial, IP and technology, banking and finance, regulatory and real estate. Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP also have particular expertise in competition & EU law, dispute resolution, employment, asbestos and mesothelioma claims, personal injury cases and clinical negligence, public sector and tax.

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