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Eisai Aims to Advance Gastrointestinal Cancer Treatment with Research Across Multiple Tumor Types at ASCO GI 2023

TOKYO, Jan 18, 2023 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Eisai Co., Ltd. announced today the presentation of research across various types of gastrointestinal cancers during the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (#GI23), which is taking place in-person in San Francisco, California and virtually from January 19-21.Notable data include an update from the dose-escalation part of a Phase 1 Study evaluating E7386(1), a CREB-binding protein (CBP) / beta-catenin interaction inhibitor, in patients with advanced solid tumors including colorectal cancer (NCT03833700; Abstract: #106). Based on these additional analyses, further investigation of safety, preliminary efficacy, pharmacokinetics and biomarker analyses of E7386 is ongoing using two dose levels in the expansion part.Research from the LEAP (LEnvatinib And Pembrolizumab) clinical program includes a poster presentation featuring a health-related quality of life analysis from the Phase 3 LEAP-002 trial investigating the lenvatinib (LENVIMA) plus pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA(2)) combination versus lenvatinib plus placebo as a first- line treatment for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (NCT03713593; Abstract: #506). Additional presentations on Eisai's oncology pipeline showcase Eisai's investigational compound, E7389- LF, a new liposomal formulation of eribulin, in combination with nivolumab in patients with solid tumors. Efficacy and safety were evaluated in expansion cohorts, including an esophageal cancer cohort (NCT04078295; Abstract: #337) and a gastric cancer cohort (NCT04078295; Abstract: #339)."We are eager to share new data at the annual symposium where specialists in gastrointestinal cancers gather from all over the world, including findings from a Phase 1 study evaluating the novel investigational anticancer agent, E7386, in advanced solid tumors including colorectal cancer," said Dr. Takashi Owa, Chief Scientific Officer, Senior Vice President, Eisai Co., Ltd. "Our findings across colorectal, esophageal, gastric and liver cancer illustrate Eisai's commitment to further oncology research for people living with gastrointestinal cancers, who account for over one quarter of the global cancer incidence(1)."In March 2018, Eisai and Merck (known as MSD outside the United States and Canada), through an affiliate, entered into a strategic collaboration for the worldwide co-development and co-commercialization of lenvatinib, both as monotherapy and in combination with Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy pembrolizumab. To date, more than 10 trials have been initiated under the LEAP clinical program, which is evaluating the combination across multiple tumor types.This release discusses investigational compounds and investigational uses for FDA-approved products. It is not intended to convey conclusions about efficacy and safety. There is no guarantee that any investigational compounds or investigational uses of FDA-approved products will successfully complete clinical development or gain FDA approval.(1) E7386 is created through collaboration research between Eisai and PRISM BioLab Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kanagawa)(2) KEYTRUDA is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., U.S.A.For more information, visit www.eisai.com/news/2023/pdf/enews202308pdf.pdf.Media Inquiries:Public Relations Department, Eisai Co., Ltd.+81-(0)3-3817-5120 Copyright 2023 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Prenetics Owned ACT Genomics Receives FDA Clearance for ACTOnco, the First Asia-Based Company to Receive Clearance for a Comprehensive Genomic Profiling Test for All Solid Tumors

LONDON AND HONG KONG, Jan 11, 2023 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Prenetics Global Limited (NASDAQ: PRE) a leader in genomic and diagnostic testing, today announced that ACT Genomics, a company which Prenetics recently acquired a majority stake in, has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for ACTOnco, the company's comprehensive genomic profiling test for solid tumors. ACTOnco is intended for use by healthcare professionals to help them inform clinical management decisions in accordance with professional guidelines for cancer patients with solid tumors. This is the first and only Asia-based company to receive FDA clearance for a comprehensive genomic profiling test. ACTOnco is a diagnostic test which:-- provides a comprehensive genomic profiling test that looks at 440 cancer-associated genes;-- provides information to help guide clinical management decisions on the use of targeted oncology therapies, including immunotherapies;-- is intended as a pan-cancer test including breast, colon, endometrial, lung, and other cancers;-- is an FDA-cleared platform for comprehensive genomic profiling assay development for biopharma companies developing precision therapeutics.The ability to perform a comprehensive genomic profiling test on an individual tumor helps open the door for personalized medicine, and a future where a person is matched with a treatment that targets the specific weaknesses in his or her cancer."Today's landmark clearance by the FDA represents a significant advancement in personalized cancer care in Asia and may lead to reimbursement and coverage by private insurers and healthcare systems. The clearance by the FDA further validates our status as a pioneer in the industry and we will continue to invest further in R&D efforts, especially related to early detection of cancer in healthy populations." Said Danny Yeung, Chairman of ACT Genomics and Chief Executive Officer of Prenetics. Dr. Hua Chien Chen, Chief Executive Officer of ACT Genomics, said "It was a tremendous team and scientific effort to develop ACTOnco. Asia contributes 48% of the new cancer cases and 55 % of the cancer deaths in the world. The disease imposes a serious burden on Asia. While precision medicine provides an advantage in disease diagnosis and treatment planning and has become a routine clinical practice in the west, it is not the case in Asia. ACT Genomics is the first biotech company in Asia that received market authorization for a cancer comprehensive genomic profiling assay. Unlike most of the currently marketed tests developed by US companies using mainly clinical samples from Western countries, the ACTOnco assay was developed and validated using half of the Western clinical samples and half of the Asia clinical samples. ACTOnco enables physicians to gain better insights into the genetic underpinnings of each patient's illness and helps them to formulate the best treatment decisions. Having ACTOnco cleared by the FDA will open new opportunities for patients to get the best cancer care. With this incredible milestone achieved, we will continuously promote precision medicine in Asia and our company mission to turn genomics into action." About ACT GenomicsACT Genomics is an innovation-driven cancer solution provider with offices in Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Bangkok, and the United Kingdom. With its Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology, CAP-accredited laboratories, experienced bioinformatics team, and proprietary AI algorithms, ACT Genomics provides optimal cancer treatment planning, immunotherapy evaluation, cancer relapse & drug resistance monitoring, as well as cancer risk assessment services to medical professionals. Its mission is to "Turn Genomics into Action". To learn more about ACT Genomics, visit www.actgenomics.com.About PreneticsFounded in 2014, Prenetics is a major global diagnostic and genetic testing company with the mission to bring health closer to millions of people globally and decentralize healthcare by making the three pillars - Consumer Health, Clinical Care and Medical & Cancer Genomics - comprehensive and accessible to anyone, at anytime and anywhere. Prenetics is led by visionary entrepreneur, Danny Yeung, with operations across nine locations, including the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, India, South Africa, and Southeast Asia. Prenetics develops consumer genetic testing and early colorectal cancer screening and provides COVID-19 testing, rapid point of care and at-home diagnostic testing and medical genetic testing. Prenetics is listed on NASDAQ with the ticker PRE. To learn more about Prenetics, visit www.prenetics.com.Investor Relations Contact:investors@prenetics.comICR Westwicke:Caroline Corner +415 202 5678 Email: caroline.corner@westwicke.comForward-Looking Statements In addition to historical information, this release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "believe," "may," "will," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "should," "plan," "expect," "predict," "potential," or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. These statements are based on estimates and forecasts and reflect the views, assumptions, expectations, and opinions of Prenetics and ACT Genomics. Any such estimates and assumptions, expectations, forecasts, views or opinions, whether or not identified in this press release, should be regarded as indicative, preliminary and for illustrative purposes only and should not be relied upon as being necessarily indicative of future results. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements by our management or the board regarding expectations for the closing of the acquisition, statements of plans, objectives, and expectations of synergy between Prenetics and ACT by our management or the board or by ACT or ACT's management or board. Our expectations and beliefs regarding these matters may not materialize, and actual results in future periods are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Because of these uncertainties, you should not make any investment decisions based on our estimates or forward-looking statements. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release. Prenetics does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise, except as required under applicable law. Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Alercell Is All Set to Launch a Leukemia Diagnostic Test Lena Q51(R)

Bozeman, MT, December 29, 2022 – (SEAPRWire) – Alercell is all set to launch LENA Q51(R) in January 2023. A leukemia diagnostic test based on sequencing DNA will detect up to 51 Genes mutations in Leukemia patients. Alercell is on a mission of making a significant difference in the fight against cancer by offering unique and precise diagnostic solutions that enhance patient outcomes. Alercell is a young and dynamic firm. To better fulfill the demands of the clients, they are continually working to improve their products and services. They have an active research and development program to create new goods for even more precise testing, and their products are based on the most recent technology. Alercell, Inc. seeks to provide innovative in-vitro testability for cancer testing while streamlining the process of detecting infectious diseases. In their ideal world, early disease detection is achieved by testing, allowing prompt implementation of preventative measures. Alercell is based in the United States, but they also have manufacturing and storage facilities in Europe and Asia, extending its accessibility and reach around the globe. In July 2020, the first Alercell COVID-19 fast test arrived in the USA. Since then, Alercell has created a stir in the sector by creating new, creative methods for conducting tests that are more precise, effective, and easily accessible. Being a molecular diagnostics startup, Alercell, Inc. also offers quick testing for leukemia and cancer to detect life-threatening conditions as soon as possible. The company was established to give cancer patients worldwide better precise and rapid diagnostic tools. By offering unique and accurate diagnostic solutions that enhance patient outcomes, Alercell aims to contribute to the fight against cancer. “Stopping it before it starts” is the cornerstone of the Alercell mission. Our genetic testing is the first defense against cancer, leukemia, and infectious diseases. Bozeman, Montana-based Alercell is a biotechnology business with a R&D branch in New York City. Alercell will soon introduce a new test and brand. The first leukemia diagnostic test, LENA Q51®, was based on DNA sequencing and could identify up to 51 gene alterations in leukemia patients. An intriguing development is this test. Until recently, a series of blood tests and a bone marrow biopsy were required when someone was “suspected” to have leukemia. It costs thousands of dollars and takes somewhere between 6 and 9 weeks. With LENA Q51®, all of this is avoided, and in just three hours using a qPCR machine, clinicians will be able to identify any gene mutations among 51 different genes. By doing this, we can determine in 3 hours via computer, eliminating the need for human interpretation; the information gathered will also enable us to tailor the patient’s treatment—all of this for a much lower price. Moreover, the fight against the most lethal cancer, lung cancer in the US is a first. The first methylation-based molecular diagnostic test for lung cancer, LENA S1®, will be made available by Alercell later in the first quarter of 2023. As an epigenetic regulator of gene expression, DNA methylation enables early diagnosis of lung cancer and very accurate localization of the disease, if present. Alercell Neuroscience will make a formal announcement in early 2023. Alercell Neuroscience aims to create a nanoparticle neural interface for recording and controlling brain activity. Prof. Gleb Sukhorukov, Ph.D., Chair in Biopolymers at the School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), will spearhead our efforts. Professor Sukhorukov is a renowned scientist around the globe. Alercell plays a significant role in preventative medicine, particularly in the detection and treatment of cancer. The CEO and the CMO of the company, Dr. Alexandre Scheer MD, are leveraging genetic research to develop novel drugs and testing procedures. Scheer thinks that genetic science holds the answer to improving early diagnosis and eventually identifying severe illnesses before they manifest inside the body. By employing such techniques, the healthcare system may save a large sum of money, and patients may receive excellent care before grueling chemotherapy treatments. Scheer is particularly sensitive to this subject since he is undergoing all these challenging therapies while battling severe cancer. Frederic Scheer stated, “I want to let people know well in advance to avoid what I am going through”. Alercell, Inc. co-founder Frederic Scheer successfully floated multiple start-up firms on stock-exchanges including NASDAQ and NYSE. For the past 25 years, he has worked in the chemical business and alternative technology. Scheer holds 15 US biotechnology patents including three on nanoparticles. As the co-founder of Alercell Inc. “I am thrilled that via the application of our knowledge of the genome, we are now able to produce very performing tests that will help people in finally avoiding the unpleasant traditional treatment,” he says regarding the company’s goods. The business focuses on collaborating with reputed pharmaceutical firms and other healthcare organizations to benefit its patients and ensure that the public always has access to the quickest diagnostic procedures and most affordable medications.” Media Contact Brand: ALERCELL, INC. Contact: Frederic Scheer E-Mail: fscheer@alercell.com Website: https://alercell.com SOURCE: ALERCELL The article is provided by a third-party content provider. SEAPRWire ( https://www.seaprwire.com/ ) makes no warranties or representations in connection therewith. Any questions, please contact cs/at/SEAPRWire.com Sectors: Top Story, Daily News SEA PRWire: PR distribution in Southeast Asia (Hong Kong: AsiaExcite, EastMud; AsiaEase; Singapore: SEAChronicle, VOASG; NetDace; Thailand: SEAsiabiz, AccessTH; Indonesia: SEATribune, DailyBerita; Philippines: SEATickers, PHNotes; Malaysia: SEANewswire, KULPR; Vietnam: SEANewsDesk, PostVN)

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Prenetics Acquires ACT Genomics; First M&A Deal since IPO, Set to Expand Footprint in Cancer Genomics

HONG KONG, Dec 16, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Prenetics Global Limited (NASDAQ: PRE) ("Prenetics" or the "Company"), a global leader in genomic and diagnostic testing, is acquiring a majority stake of ACT, an Asia based genomics company specializing in precision oncology with operations in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and the UK, for an upfront consideration consisting of 19.9 million shares of Prenetics common stock and US $20 million cash (the "transaction"). That is the first M&A deal Prenetics is to make since its listing, which will expand its footprint in the cancer genomics space, bringing it closer to realizing the vision of building an end-to-end health ecosystem. With the acquisition well underway, effective from January 1, 2023, Professor Tony Mok, Chairman of ACT, will join Prenetics Scientific Advisory Board.Boasting cutting-edge technologies in cancer genomics and bioinformatics, ACT has a multi-diagnostic technology platform and offers a comprehensive range of products in clinical services with high pan-Asia coverage. In November 2021, ACT merged with Sanomics Holdings Limited ("Sanomics"), both of which were awarded the Elite Program funding by Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation ("HKSTP"), where the strongest technical ecosystem is provided locally to its park companies to grow and thrive. HKSTP is home to over 200 health tech related start-ups and several international research clusters in healthcare.With the continuous support from HKSTP and the government, Prenetics will have an extended reach to the healthcare technology market in the Greater Bay Area and beyond. Financially, ACT's revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of 60% between FY2022 and FY2026. Prenetics expects ACT to contribute revenues of approximately US$25-30 million in 2023. When the acquisition is completed, leveraging ACT's R&D engines which specializes in next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics in both tissue and liquid biopsy, Prenetics will have the scientific rigor to offer tests to patients throughout their cancer journey. This will also position Prenetics solidly within the US$80+ billion global precision oncology market.Danny Yeung, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Prenetics, said, "This is a significant move for Prenetics, as it is our first M&A deal since listing and is set to enlarge our footprint in the cancer genomics space. It is our goal to democratize testing and make cancer genomics accessible to all. With Professor Mok and the ACT team on board, we believe Prenetics can deliver the information needed to enable best-in-class personalized cancer care and make new heights. Lastly, we are actively n close discussions on additional M&A opportunities which we believe will be in the interest to Prenetics and our shareholders."Professor Tony Mok, Chairman of ACT Genomics, said, "We are very pleased to join forces with Prenetics. ACT has pioneered and made breakthroughs in cancer prevention and diagnostics since it was founded in 2014. Our flagship ACTOnco+ has provided oncologists and cancer patients with valuable biomarker information for therapy selection. I believe this transaction will give both companies enhanced financial strength and commercial and R&D capabilities to drive significant growth." Mr. Albert Wong, Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, said, "We are thrilled to witness this milestone, which is a clear vote of confidence in Hong Kong's ambition to become a biomedical technology center of excellence. It was only last year when we saw the merger of two health tech pioneers from the Hong Kong Science Park, ACT Genomics and Sanomics. The acquisition by Science Park incubatee, Prenetics, is a testament to the high-quality innovation ecosystem and translational research infrastructure that have been established at the Park over the past 20 years. Backed by government support and its unique advantages, Hong Kong is open to innovators from around the world who want to come and accelerate their future success." Under the terms of the transaction agreement, Prenetics has agreed to issue 19.9 million shares of Prenetics' class A ordinary shares and pay $20 million in cash. Upon closing, Prenetics will hold a majority stake in ACT. More details about the transaction can be found under link: https://prenetics.gcs-web.com/static-files/fd50a409-45b7-4827-96e0-1c207ccca5aa About PreneticsFounded in 2014, Prenetics is a major global diagnostics and genetic testing company with the mission to bring health closer to millions of people globally and decentralize healthcare by making the three pillars - Consumer Health, Clinical Care and Medical & Cancer Genomics - comprehensive and accessible to anyone, at anytime and anywhere. Prenetics is led by visionary entrepreneur, Danny Yeung, with operations across nine locations, including United Kingdom, Hong Kong, India, South Africa, and Southeast Asia. Prenetics develops consumer genetic testing and early colorectal cancer screening; and provides COVID-19 testing, rapid point of care and at-home diagnostic testing and medical genetic testing. Prenetics is listed on NASDAQ with the ticker PRE. To learn more about Prenetics, visit www.prenetics.com.About ACT Genomics / SanomicsACT Genomics is an innovation-driven cancer solution provider with offices in Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Bangkok and UK. With our Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology, CAP-accredited laboratories, experienced bioinformatics team, and proprietary AI algorithms, we provide optimal cancer treatment planning, immunotherapy evaluation, cancer relapse & drug resistance monitoring, as well as cancer risk assessment services to medical professionals. Together, we "Turn Genomics into Action". To learn more about ACT Genomics, visit www.actgenomics.com.Investor Relations contact:investors@prenetics.com Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Eisai to Present Preclinical and Clinical Research on Eribulin at the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium

TOKYO, Dec 1, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Eisai Co., Ltd. announced today that new study results on its in-house discovered and developed anticancer agent eribulin mesylate (HALAVEN, "eribulin") will be presented during the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), which is taking place virtually and in-person in San Antonio, Texas from December 6-10. Eisai will present five eribulin-related abstracts, including a post hoc subgroup analysis from two pivotal Phase 3 studies (EMBRACE and Study 301), as well as:- Real world use of eribulin following treatment with a P13K inhibitor, mostly in people with Hormone Receptor (HR)-positive/HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer.- Preclinical data exploring a liposomal formulation of eribulin, in a Phase 1 expansion cohort for breast cancer, versus eribulin at the same dose, in patient-derived breast cancer xenografts. "We continue to relentlessly pursue research that provides useful insights for people living with breast cancer," said Dr. Takashi Owa, Chief Scientific Officer, Senior Vice President, Eisai Co., Ltd. "A big part of this commitment is the ongoing sharing of our preclinical and clinical data with eribulin." This release discusses investigational compounds and investigational uses for FDA-approved products. It is not intended to convey conclusions about efficacy and safety. There is no guarantee that any investigational compounds or investigational uses of FDA-approved products will successfully complete clinical development or gain FDA approval.For more information, visit www.eisai.com/news/2022/news202286.html. Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Claudin18.2, a shining star in gastric cancer, Transcenta’s TST001 stands at the global forefront

HONG KONG, Sep 28, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Transcenta Holding Limited (06628.HK), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company with fully-integrated capabilities in discovery, research, development and manufacturing of antibody-based therapeutics, announced that interim safety and efficacy data of dose expansion cohort from the phase I/II study of TST001 (Osemitamab), a humanized ADCC-enhanced anti-Claudin18.2 monoclonal antibody, in combination with Capecitabine and Oxaliplatin (CAPOX) as a first line treatment of locally advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction (G/GEJ) cancer was presented in a poster at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2022. In first line treatment of advanced or metastatic G/GEJ cancer, early interim data of the first 15 patients with measurable disease receiving the combination of TST001 with CAPOX demonstrated a partial response rate of 73.3% and a disease control rate of 100% per RECIST1.1. Based on these encouraging data, the TST001 program is further accelerated and Health Authority consultations are being initiated. A global phase III clinical program of TST001 (Osemitamab) for the first line treatment of locally advanced or metastatic Claudin18.2 positive G/GEJ cancer is currently being planned. 1. Claudin18.2 is expected to be the most shining star target in gastric cancer The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2022 was held in person in Paris and virtually between 9-13 September 2022. Around 2000 abstracts and late-breaking abstracts were presented during the congress days. Transcenta's poster with the dose expansion cohort interim data from the TST001 in combination with chemotherapy in first line treatment of locally advanced or metastatic G/GEJ cancer patients with Claudin18.2 expression was presented on Sept 12, 2022.Data shows that as of August 4, 2022, 51 patients were enrolled and dosed including 36 patients treated with TST001 plus CAPOX at 6mg/kg Q3W in the expansion phase. Among the 15 patients with measurable disease and at least one post-treatment tumor assessment, 11 (73.3%) achieved partial response and four (26.7%) achieved stable disease. All 51 enrolled patients were evaluated for safety and tolerability. Treatment-emergent adverse events regardless of causality were mostly grade 1-2. Twelve (23.5%) patients experienced dose delay, five (9.8%) experienced dose reduction and no patient experienced discontinuation due to treatment related adverse events. In this study, TST001 also demonstrated a clear dose proportional pharmacokinetic profile, is consistent with those observed with TST001 monotherapy and in US patients. These data suggest that TST001 combined CAPOX is well tolerated and with promising efficacy in a broad gastric cancer patient population with tumors expressing Claudin18.2, including medium and high expressors. Furthermore, Transcenta has also developed a proprietary IHC assay to select patients with Claudin18.2 expressing tumors for registration enabling studies. Despite progresses in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer with HER2, VEGF, VEGFR, or PD-1/PD-L1 targeted therapies, outcomes remain poor for 1st line patients with median overall survival of around 14 months. Claudin18.2 expression is observed at various levels in 50%-70% of gastric cancer patients, and at relatively high percentage in a variety of tumors including pancreatic, cholangiocarcinoma, ovarian and lung cancer. It is one of the hottest targets in cancer treatment. A few Claudin18.2 directed targeted drugs have entered the clinical stage, including monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies, CAR-T and antibody-drug couples (ADCs). TST001, a humanized anti-Claudin18.2 monoclonal antibody, with higher target binding affinity and enhanced ADCC activity than other antibodies, has demonstrated very encouraging preliminary signs of activity in 1st L gastric / GEJ cancers with various levels of CLDN18.2 expression, and a manageable safety and tolerability profile.Since entering into the clinical stage, Transcenta has attracted the attention of many multinational corporations. It established a global clinical collaboration with Bristol-Myers Squibb to evaluate the combination of TST001 with Opdivo(R) (Bristol-Myers Squibb's anti-PD-1 therapy) for the treatment of patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic G/GEJ cancer earlier in March this year. These TST001 data have also generated a lot of excitement from GI cancers investigators who see TST001 as an effective new treatment option to cover the high unmet need of Claudin18.2 medium and high expressors cancers, providing a broader treatment option than other players in the same class. As TST001 data continue to mature, Transcenta progresses TST001 towards phase III trial and has initiated Health authority consultations. 2. Dr. Caroline Germa, former AstraZeneca Oncology's Vice President, is now Transcenta's Chief Medical Officer as the Company accelerates its expansion internationallyIn August 2022, Transcenta announced the appointment of Dr. Caroline Germa as the Executive Vice President, Global Medicine Development and Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Caroline Germa was formerly Vice President of AstraZeneca Oncology and has extensive oncology development experience. Prior to joining AstraZeneca, she also worked for a number of world-renowned companies including Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb, and led the late-stage clinical development of a number of key oncology assets, in particular the global registration strategy and approval of blockbuster drugs including Ribociclib (CDK4/6 inhibitor - Kisqali) and Neratinib. She has a deep understanding of the industry and, with her pharmaceutical industry contacts and unique ideas on the business development of the Company, international clinical development and regulatory approvals, the Company is confident that Dr Caroline Germa will be able to lead Transcenta to better global expansion and make a significant contribution to enhancing the Company's shareholder value.3. TST001 is ranked among the top two most advanced clinical programs for Claudin18.2 worldwide, and the first in ChinaZolbetuximab is the first clinical stage anti-claudin18.2 monoclonal antibody. In a phase II, randomized study evaluating Zolbetuximab + epirubicin + oxaliplatin + capecitabine (EOX) for the first-line treatment of CLDN18.2 positive advanced G/GEJ cancer or esophageal adenocarcinoma, zolbetuximab plus EOX chemotherapy showed significant improvements in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) compared to chemotherapy alone in the overall population, padding the Claudin18.2 target's potential for druggability. TST001 of Transcenta is a second generation anti-Claudin18.2 antibody with a differentiated profile relative to Zolbetuximab. It not only has 10-folds higher affinity binding to Claudin18.2, but also has a reduced fucose profile in the Fc of the humanized antibody. Combining these features, the ADCC activity of TST001 is 30-100 folds higher compared to Zolbetuximab analogue in tumor cells expressing various levels of Claudin18.2, which translated into much more potent in vivo anti-tumor activity, in particular, for those tumors expressing medium or low levels Claudin18.2. TST001 is being developed in parallel in China and the US and is currently in Phase II clinical studies. It is expected to start the global pivotal trial for TST001 during the Mid-2023. In the meantime, Transcenta will continue to evaluate other combination therapies as well as other indications. As the Company continues to accelerate its clinical development and commercialization, Transcenta will eventually better realize more of its potential with its outstanding platform, increase the shareholder value and develop innovative drugs that will benefit patients worldwide. Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Eisai Presents Results of Post Hoc Analysis of Eribulin Mesylate (HALAVEN) at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2022

TOKYO, Sep 12, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Eisai Co., Ltd. announced today results from a post hoc analysis of three randomized, pivotal, Phase 3 studies (EMBRACE trial/Study 305, Study 301 and Study304) evaluating the efficacy of eribulin mesylate (marketed as HALAVEN) versus other chemotherapies (Treatment of Physician's Choice [TPC], capecitabine, and vinorelbine, respectively) in patients living with metastatic breast cancer (mBC) whose tumors have low or no HER2 expression. These data were presented as a poster (Presentation: #259P) at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Annual Meeting (#ESMO22), held virtually and in-person in Paris, France from September 9-13, 2022.The HER2-low breast cancer subtype is a newly defined subset consisting of tumors that would have previously been considered HER2-negative based on an immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay and an in situ hybridization (ISH) assay. HER2-low tumors express low amounts of the HER2 protein, but not enough to be considered HER2-positive. HER2-low is defined as an IHC of 1+ or 2 with a negative ISH. Of the approximate 288,000 new cases of female breast cancer expected to be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2022,(1) it is estimated that approximately 80-85% of patients would previously have been considered to have the HER2-negative subtype. Of those patients, about 60% would now be considered to have the HER2-low subtype.(2)"In this post-hoc analysis, the outcomes seen in mBC patients whose tumors are considered HER2-low are consistent with the results of the three pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials," said Dr. Takashi Owa, Chief Scientific Officer, Senior Vice President, Eisai Co., Ltd. "As the oncology community's understanding of mBC continues to evolve, it's important that we continue to evaluate the role of existing therapies in new contexts to contribute to the body of knowledge that is available to health care professionals."(1) National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute website, "Cancer Stat Facts: Female Breast Cancer": https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/breast.html(2) U.S. FOOD & DRUG ADMINISTRATION website, "FDA Approves First Targeted Therapy for HER2-Low Breast Cancer": bit.ly/3xc0N7qFor more information, visit www.eisai.com/news/2022/pdf/enews202266pdf.pdf.Media Inquiries:Public Relations DepartmentEisai Co., Ltd. +81-(0)3-3817-5120 Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Potential New Therapeutic Approach for Pancreatic Cancer is proposed at 2022 Keystone Meeting: Blocking Obesity or Fatty Acid Oxidation

Seoul, Korea, September 08, 2022 – (SEAPRWire) – In “the immunometabolism at the crossroads of obesity and cancer, Keystone Symposia (Sept. 5-9, 2022, Keystone, Co, USA)”, Dr. Soo-Youl Kim, Principal Scientist of the National Cancer Center of South Korea, showed that cancer obtains energy absolutely by burning fatty acids from blood as well as that obesity causes cancer to grow explosively by burning fat. Therefore, calorie balanced carbohydrate diet reduced tumor growth 1/5 to compare to high fat diet in mouse cancer model. It is proposed as ‘Kim effect’ in the latest Seminars in Cancer Biology journal that cancer energy metabolism absolutely depends on fatty acids (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.07.005). This announcement is expected to make great strides in cancer metabolism treatment and immunotherapy and foreshadows the emergence of new anticancer drugs that control obesity and fat catabolism. Dr. Kim announced that anti-cancer drug targeting fatty acid oxidation will be in clinical trial in South Korea. Know more, please contact Dr. Soo-Youl Kim, Principal Scientist of National Cancer Center, Korea. E: tgase@ncc.re.kr W: www.ncc.re.kr The article is provided by a third-party content provider. SEAPRWire ( https://www.seaprwire.com/ ) makes no warranties or representations in connection therewith. Any questions, please contact cs/at/SEAPRWire.com Sectors: Top Story, Daily News SEA PRWire: PR distribution in Southeast Asia (Hong Kong: AsiaExcite, EastMud; AsiaEase; Singapore: SEAChronicle, VOASG; NetDace; Thailand: SEAsiabiz, AccessTH; Indonesia: SEATribune, DailyBerita; Philippines: SEATickers, PHNotes; Malaysia: SEANewswire, KULPR; Vietnam: SEANewsDesk, PostVN)

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New Horizon Health Announced 2022 Interim Report: Revenue Up 414% YoY, Gross Margin Climbs to 82%

HANGZHOU, Aug 19, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - New Horizon Health (6606.HK), China's leading biotechnology company for early cancer screening, announced its half-year results for the year ended June 30, 2022 today.Based on the financial information before the audit as of June 30, 2022, New Horizon Health achieved total revenue of RMB226 million in the first half of 2022, an increase of 414% over the same period in 2021; achieved a gross profit of RMB185 million, an increase of 650% over the same period in 2021; gross profit margin climbed to 82.0% from 56.2% in the first half of 2021. The Company's adjusted net loss for the half-year was RMB106 million and the adjusted net loss rate(1) narrowed significantly from 221% to 47%; the ratio of expenses to sales(1) dropped significantly from 161% to 86%, and the ratio of management expense to sales(1) dropped significantly from 80% to 23%. The Company's total cash, including time deposits, cash, and cash equivalents, amounted to RMB1.65 billion.The Company announced its cervical cancer screening product, CerviClear(TM), which had been launched in a large-scale prospective multi-center registered clinical trial in June 2022. CerviClear(TM) is the world's first HPV cervical cancer screening product that provides painless and non-invasive urine self-sampling at home, covering a comprehensive range of 14 high-risk HPV viruses. The clinical trial for LiverClear(TM) is progressing well and is expected to be launched in the fourth quarter of 2022 or the first quarter of 2023. As of June 30, 2022, the Company's R&D expenses(1) were RMB39.4 million, an increase of 111% over the same period in 2021."The results of the interim report were not easy to get. New Horizon Health's team is faithful to its promise that it is able to do what it says and do what it does. The Company's revenue in the first half of the year has exceeded last year's full-year revenue. The performance growth is mainly attributed to the increase in revenue and gross profit of ColoClear and Pupu Tube, as well as the listing of UU Tube. The underlying logic of the high growth and high gross profit of the three products is that more and more people with high risk are accelerating the change of concept, attaching importance to the risk prevention and control of high incidence cancer in personal and family health management, recognizing the important value of cancer early screening product compliance and willing to pay for it", the Chairman and CEO of New Horizon Health, YeQing ZHU, said, "Cancer early screening products are both serious medical and consumer products, and the huge market opportunity is backed by the high barrier of research and development and compliance as well as the high investment in market education. The necessary condition for the approval of cancer early screening products under New Horizon Health is solid prospective large-scale multi-center registration clinical validation, which is the strong barrier of our diversified business strategy and the foundation of user trust."Normalization of COVID-19 epidemic accelerates the market education process for early screening at home: ColoClear and Pupu Tube continue to see 3-digit revenue growthColoClear achieved revenue of RMB73.6 million in the first half of 2022, representing an increase of 419% over the same period in 2021. The shipment volume in the first half of the year was approximately 294,600 kits, representing an increase of 143% over the same period in 2021. The increase in revenue of ColoClear was mainly due to the increase in volume sold and recognized as revenue and the increase in average recognition unit price.China's first at-home self-testing FIT test product, Pupu Tube, achieved revenue of RMB68.5 million in the first half of 2022, an increase of 132% over the same period in 2021; and achieved shipment of 2,929,700 units, an increase of 54% over the same period in 2021. The increase in revenue recognized by Pupu Tube was mainly due to the increase in sales volume and the increase in the average unit price (including the increase in the unit price of direct-to-consumer pipeline and the increase in the unit price of health check centers).Other than New Horizon Health, no domestic player has yet announced the launch of a large-scale prospective multi-center registration clinical trial for colorectal cancer screening. ColoClear is the only product approved by the National Medical Products Administration of China for screening cancer. Pupu Tube is the only approved product for at-home self-testing of FIT in China. In February 2022, ColoClear's multi-target stool FIT-DNA technology was recommended by the latest version of the Cancer Foundation of China's "China Integrated Cancer Treatment Guidelines", making it the only molecular early screening technology in China to be included in all national guidelines for colorectal cancer prevention and treatment.In the first half of 2022, the policy of early screening of cancer at home was intensively favorable. The "14th Five-Year Medical Equipment Industry Development Plan ", the "14th Five-Year National Health Plan " and the "14th Five-Year Bio-economic Development Plan " all focus on "early screening and health management of key diseases" such as cancer and in vitro diagnosis in home scenes. The normalization of the detection of COVID-19 epidemic has accelerated the public's awareness of home screening and healthy "symptom-free" people.The only consumer self-test for H. pylori testing: $83.5 million in half-year sales revenue for UU TubeAs of June 30, 2022, the sales revenue of UU Tube since its listing on January 18, 2022, was RMB83.5 million.On December 31, 2021, UU Tube was approved for registration as a Class III medical device by the National Medical Products Administration of China and is the only product in China that is suitable for "consumer self-testing" for H. pylori detection, for which we have the exclusive patented design of the "pregnancy test stick" which is an integrated design for sampling and testing.Data show that more than half of the users of UU Tube are women, nearly 50% are aged 31-40, and people aged 24-30 and 40-50 are also the main users. Jiangsu, Guangdong and Zhejiang have ranked the top three provinces in terms of the number of UU Tube users, and household users are more concerned about the detection and prevention of H. pylori.The prevention and control of H. pylori is a major focus of the science of gastric cancer prevention and has been receiving widespread attention from the media and the public. Data show that in the first half of 2022, the epidemic prevention and control led to a significant decline in the measurement of H. pylori breath tests in hospitals and health checkups, while the number of online and offline gastroenterology consultations continued to rise during the same period, effectively boosting consumer demand for home testing of H. pylori and strongly supporting the rapid promotion of H. pylori.Diversification of 2C quality pipes in tandem: ColoClear, Pupu Tube and UU Tube have excellent profitability performanceIn the first half of 2022, all the three marketed products demonstrated excellent profitability, with the gross margins of ColoClear and Pupu Tube continuing to increase significantly compared to the same period in 2021. As of June 30, 2022, the gross margin of ColoClear reached 75.7%, the gross margin of Pupu Tube reached 80.0% and the gross margin of UU Tube reached 90.0%. Compared to the same period in 2021, the gross margins of ColoClear and Pupu Tube were 56.6% and 59.0%, respectively.The Company's sales volume of the core pipeline increased steadily in the first half of 2022, and the new pipeline continued to make efforts to take advantage of the favorable macro and micro home inspection policies in the first half of the year with "Resilient" marketing and firmly implementation. The high gross margin of the three products benefited from the Company's continuous and in-depth diversified business strategy, which optimized the pipeline mix for product sales, increased the revenue of single test for direct-to-consumer pipelines and brought about scale production through operational leverage benefits, which further reduced the operating cost of a single test.In the first half of the year, the Company has been making progress online and offline, both inside and outside the hospital. As of June 30, 2022, the Company has completed access and sales to over 800 hospitals in the first half of the year. During the "618" period, New Horizon Health continued to be the champion in sales of JD in three categories: medical devices, consumer medical and genetic testing. UU Tube won the top selling category of Tmall test paper. The Company's total sales in JD and Tmall exceeded RMB40 million, representing a 400% increase in total sales compared to the same period in 2021, and a 300% increase in sales of ColoClear YoY.Based on the mainland market, start international marketing: ColoClear debuted in Hong Kong and will advance to Southeast Asia in phases2022 is a milestone year for the internationalization of New Horizon Health. On May 23rd, the Company and Prenetics (Nasdaq: PRE) made a joint announcement that the two parties have launched in-depth cooperation to fully integrate the quality resources in market and pipeline development and product and service operation, and jointly promote the market coverage of ColoClear in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, China, and explore the market opportunities in countries or regions in Southeast Asian at the same time. On June 8, ColoClear by Circle was officially launched in Hong Kong with an official price of HK$3,000. During the cooperation period, ColoClear is the colorectal cancer early screening product that Prenetics has exclusively partnered with.At the same time as ColoClear's debut in the Hong Kong market, New Horizon Health announced the establishment of the Company's first international R&D center in the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks to attract global talent and focus on multi-omics cancer screening technology innovation and product development, including NGS, and to drive overseas commercialization and synchronized global clinical trials.About New Horizon HealthFounded in 2015, New Horizon Health is a pioneer and leader in China's cancer screening market, focusing on early home screening of high-incidence cancers, aiming to promote innovation in cancer screening technology and accelerate the popularity of cancer screening technology in China. On February 18, 2021, New Horizon Health was successfully listed on the SEHK with stock code 6606.HK, which became "the first listed Chinese cancer early screening company".New Horizon Health has three marketed products. ColoClear, Pupu Tube and UU Tube have all been approved by the National Medical Products Administration of China and are officially commercialized. ColoClear is the only cancer screening product approved by the National Medical Products Administration of China for people aged 40-74 who are at high risk of colorectal cancer. UU Tube is the only consumer self-test product for Helicobacter pylori approved by the National Medical Products Administration of China. Pupu Tube is the first FIT at-home self-test device approved in China. In addition, the Company has three pipelines of products in development for liver cancer (LiverClear), cervical cancer (CerviClear ) and nasopharyngeal cancer screening. The Company has global rights to all of its marketed and pipeline products. New Horizon Health works extensively with hundreds of hospitals, health check-ups, insurance companies, pharmacies and online channels. The Company has a class 100,000 clean production workshop that meets ISO13485 and ISO9001 international certification standards. The third parties medical testing laboratories in Beijing, Hangzhou and Guangzhou have been certified by international quality standards and the local health care commission and issued licenses to practice, with an annual testing capacity of 2 million people.(1) Excluding equity incentive-related expenses Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Boehringer Ingelheim Enters Global Licensing Agreement to Develop and Commercialize Innovative Antibodies from A*STAR for Targeted Cancer Therapies

Ingelheim, Germany and Singapore, Jun 2, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Boehringer Ingelheim and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) today announced a global licensing agreement under which Boehringer Ingelheim will obtain exclusive worldwide rights to research, develop and commercialize products based on a panel of innovative, tumor-specific antibodies from A*STAR. Boehringer Ingelheim aims to use these antibodies to direct therapeutic effector mechanisms such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and T-cell engagers exclusively to tumor cells, and to that end develop a range of highly targeted cancer treatments.EDDC staff planning the automation of an antibody engineering process"Boehringer Ingelheim believes that these promising antibodies in-licensed from A*STAR will help us advance potent therapeutic candidates against key molecular cancer targets," says Clive R. Wood, Senior Corporate Vice President and Global Head of Discovery Research at Boehringer Ingelheim and continues: "We look forward to developing these assets for a broad range of cancers with the goal to deliver breakthrough opportunities for patients."Boehringer Ingelheim is pioneering a range of versatile therapeutic platforms in order to develop innovative medicines that target the tumor directly (tumor cell-directed therapies) or that enable the immune system to target the tumor (immune cell-targeted therapies). One tumor cell-directed modality is antibody drug conjugates, which allows for delivery of toxins directly into tumor cells. Another is T-cell engagers facilitating direct contact between T-cells and tumor cells, leading to T-cell-mediated killing of the tumor. Both technologies are directed towards markers on the surface of cancer cells, also known as antigens, in order to attack tumor cells but spare healthy tissues.The innovative antibodies from A*STAR can potentially enable the development of safer, more efficacious therapies as they selectively bind to antigens that are highly expressed on tumor cells but are absent on normal healthy tissues.Under the terms of the agreement, Boehringer Ingelheim will be responsible for further research, preclinical and clinical development as well as commercialization of targeted cancer therapies using the antibodies from A*STAR. A*STAR may receive payments totalling >100 million EUR in upfront and success-based development and commercialization milestones.The technology used to identify the unique A*STAR antibodies resulted from a multi-institutional collaboration in Singapore. A*STAR's Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and Institute of Bioengineering & Bioimaging (IBB) generated antibodies which exclusively target antigens that were initially identified from gastric cancer cells. Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC), Singapore's national platform for drug discovery and development hosted by A*STAR, then optimized the antibodies and confirmed their applicability to a range of other solid cancers. EDDC also demonstrated the utility of these antibodies in directing different therapeutic modalities selectively to cancer cells.Professor Damian O'Connell, Chief Executive Officer of EDDC, says, "As Singapore's national drug discovery and development platform, EDDC is proud to translate great science in Singapore into valuable assets that can enable the precision treatment of cancer. We believe that Boehringer Ingelheim, with its broad expertise and technologies, is the right partner to maximize the potential of these antibodies for the development of safer, more targeted therapies for cancer patients."Professor Tan Sze Wee, Assistant Chief Executive (Enterprise) of A*STAR, says, "These antibodies were developed in Singapore through close collaboration across multiple institutions. There was also strong support by the Singapore Gastric Cancer Consortium. The agreement is testament to the best-in-class research taking place in Singapore. Cancer is a devastating disease, and we hope the fruits of our research can improve patient outcomes."ANNEX A - Innovative antibody enables targeted treatment of solid tumours (Infographic)ANNEX B - About the Research Partners in SingaporeSee: https://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/Multimedia/ASTAR-BI.pdfFor media queries and clarifications, please contact:Dr. Reinhard MalinInnovation Unit CommunicationsCorporate AffairsBoehringer Ingelheim Tel: +49 6132 77-90815Email: reinhard.malin@boehringeringelheim.comOwen SiaAssistant Head, Corporate CommunicationsAgency for Science, Technology and ResearchTel: +65 6517 7866Email: owen_sia@hq.a-star.edu.sg About Boehringer Ingelheim Boehringer Ingelheim is working on breakthrough therapies that improve the lives of humans and animals. As a leading research-driven biopharmaceutical company, the company creates value through innovation in areas of high unmet medical need. Around 52,000 employees serve more than 130 markets in the three business areas, Human Pharma, Animal Health, and Biopharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing. Learn more at www.boehringer-ingelheim.com.Boehringer Ingelheim in Oncology Boehringer Ingelheim is a family-owned company committed to pioneering treatment advancements in some of the most challenging and most impactful areas of cancer. Our goal is to transform the lives of people with cancer by delivering life-enhancing innovations in areas of high unmet need. Our aspiration is to deliver faster and better treatment options for people with cancer today, tomorrow and beyond. Our rich pipeline of next-generation oncology treatments is comprised of cancer cell-directed and immuno-oncology therapies, the smart combinations of which may hold the greatest benefit for most patients.In immuno-oncology, we aim to turn poorly immunogenic "cold" tumors into immunogenic "hot" tumors through complementary platforms, including Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs), T Cell Engagers (TCEs), oncolytic viruses, and cancer vaccines. For cancer cell-targeted treatments, we address the key drivers of cancer, e.g., KRAS, p53, Beta-catenin and MYC, where there has been no hope for patients for a long time. We proactively collaborate with patients, advocacy organizations, the world's leading academic and industry, because we believe together, we can make a bigger impact in transforming the lives of people with cancer.About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore's lead public sector R&D agency. Through open innovation, we collaborate with our partners in both the public and private sectors to benefit the economy and society. As a Science and Technology Organisation, A*STAR bridges the gap between academia and industry. Our research creates economic growth and jobs for Singapore, and enhances lives by improving societal outcomes in healthcare, urban living, and sustainability. A*STAR plays a key role in nurturing scientific talent and leaders for the wider research community and industry. A*STAR's R&D activities span biomedical sciences to physical sciences and engineering, with research entities primarily located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis. For ongoing news, visit www.a-star.edu.sg. Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Fujitsu and Southern Tohoku General Hospital start joint research on AI technology for detecting pancreatic cancer from non-contrast CT scans

TOKYO, Apr 25, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Fujitsu and the Southern Tohoku General Hospital today announced the launch of a joint research project with Fujitsu Japan Limited (hereinafter Fujitsu Japan)(1) and FCOM CORPORATION (hereinafter FCOM)(2) on an AI technology for the early detection of pancreatic cancer from computed tomography (CT) scans without contrast agent (non-contrast CT scans) starting April 1, 2022.Figure 1: Detection of suspected pancreatic cancer using the newly developed technologyThe new AI technology has been trained with data from 300 anonymized CT images of pancreatic cancer patients provided by the Southern Tohoku General Hospital and offers an optimal image analysis method based on the shape of organs and cancer tumors. The joint research project represents a new approach to apply AI technology to support medical practitioners in detecting early signs of pancreatic cancer from CT scans.Fujitsu and the Southern Tohoku General Hospital will conduct clinical trials within this joint research to further improve the newly developed AI and offer a technology for an early detection of pancreatic cancer that can help to improve the quality of life of each patient.BackgroundThe 5-year relative survival rate for people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer is 11%(3) which is lower in comparison to other cancer types, as it is the fastest growing type of all cancers and generally difficult to detect. As the pancreas is located in the deepest part of the human body, affected people often don't easily notice any symptoms and thus often don't undergo voluntary medical examination until the cancer progresses. The fact that the entire pancreas is hard to visualize using simple imaging tests such as abdominal ultrasonography and that affected body parts are difficult to identify makes early detection of pancreatic cancer even more difficult.Researchers anticipate that the development of technology capable of detecting microscopic signs of cancer from imaging data and improving test capabilities will play an important role in the early detection of pancreatic cancer.The goal of this joint research is to successfully develop an AI technology that is able to detect signs of pancreatic cancer not only from contrast-enhanced CT scans (scans using contrast agents to make organs more visible) but also from non-contrast CT scans (scans not using contrast agents) to ultimately support the early diagnosis of affected patients regardless of symptoms of pancreatic cancer.Outline of the joint researchThe precise and early detection of signs of pancreatic cancer in non-contrast CT scans represents a difficult task due to the low contrast of images and the unclear boundaries between the pancreas and other organs. To address this issue, Fujitsu and Southern Tohoku General Hospital aim to develop an AI technology that can identify the region corresponding to the pancreas (part marked yellow in figure 1) and detect the suspected parts affected by cancer (part marked red in figure 1). The technology achieves this by estimating the continuity between the anterior and posterior cross-sectional images in consideration of the anatomical tissue connection and automatically performs three-dimensional analysis including the anterior and posterior cross-sectional images in areas with strong continuity and planar analysis in areas with weak continuity.The partners will also apply the newly developed technology in clinical practice to locate typical signs of early pancreatic cancer, including tumors and pancreatic duct dilatation that are often difficult to detect, as well as for findings that require clinical follow-up including cysts and local atrophy of the pancreas.Future PlansMoving forward, Southern Tohoku General Hospital and Fujitsu will continue collaboration with Fujitsu Japan and FCOM toward the realization of an AI technology for the early detection of pancreatic cancer that contributes to a higher quality of life (QOL) for affected patients. The parties will conduct further clinical verification tests as part of their joint research program with the aim to provide an improved AI technology for practical application in fiscal year 2022. Fujitsu further aims to contribute to the creation of a healthy society by applying the results of this research to a wide range of medical and health promotion services as part of its vision for "Healthy Living" under its global business brand FUJITSU Uvance.Comment from Dr. Daizo Fukushima, Southern Tohoku General Hospital"Previous studies at our hospital have shown that non-contrast CT scans can help to diagnose pancreatic cancer at an early stage(4). I am confident that the new AI technology can help to save many patients' lives if it is able to easily identify patients with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer."Comment from Daiki Masumoto, Fellow, SVP, Head of Converging Technologies Laboratories, Fujitsu Research, Fujitsu Limited"We are very pleased to announce the launch of this joint research project through FCOM, which has long supported the medical system of the Southern Tohoku General Hospital. Fujitsu will continue research and development on converging technologies(5) that combine AI-powered image analysis technology with Southern Tohoku General Hospital's medical knowledge in pancreatic cancer treatment, with the aim of establishing AI technology able to support the early detection of pancreatic cancer."(1) Fujitsu Japan Co., Ltd.:Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Takayuki Sunada(2) FCOM CORPORATION:Head Office: Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture; President and Representative Director: Masahiro Saito(3) Survival rate for people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer is 11%:The Japanese National Cancer Center counted and published the actual 5-year relative survival rate for people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer after diagnosis at designated hospitals all over Japan. bit.ly/3MrIHDB (in Japanese)(4) Non-contrast CT scans can help to diagnose pancreatic cancer at an early stage:Journal of Medical Science: Daizo Fukushima, et al., "Characteristic Radiological Features of Retrospective Diagnosed Pancreatic Cancers", Pancreas, Volume 49, Number 1, January 2020. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31856082/(5) Converging technologies:Advanced technologies that combine computer sciences and knowledge from the humanities and social sciences, aiming to solve diverse and complex issues.About FujitsuFujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology products, solutions and services. Approximately 126,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.6 trillion yen (US$34 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021. For more information, please see www.fujitsu.com.About Southern Tohoku General HospitalSouthern TOHOKU General Hospital, was opened in Koriyama, Fukushima. Since 1981, it has developed as the cutting-edge medical facility with the high skill of proton therapy and Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT). We strive to become a medical hub center in Asia and the world. Press ContactsSouthern Tohoku General Hospital7-115 Yatsuyamada, Koriyama, Fukushima 963-8563, JapanFAX: +81-24-934-5527E-mail: pr@mt.strins.or.jp Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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诺辉健康发布2021年报：营收同比增长202%，毛利率攀升至72.7%

HANGZHOU, Mar 18, 2022 - (亚太商讯 via SEAPRWire.com) - 中国领先的癌症早筛生物高科技公司诺辉健康（6606.HK）今日发布2021年截至12月31日的年度业绩报告。诺辉健康办公室诺辉健康在2021年全年实现营业总收入2.1亿元人民币，较2020年同比增长201.5%；实现毛利润1.5亿元人民币，较2020年同比增长315.2%；毛利润率从2020年的52.8%攀升至72.7%。公司在2020年的总收入约为7,100万元，毛利润约为3,700万元。截至2021年底，公司包括定期存款、现金和现金等价物在内的资金总额为18.9亿元。公司旗下幽幽管®获批国家药品监督管理局三类医疗器械注册申请，成为中国首个适用于“消费者自测”的幽门螺杆菌检测产品(1)，首次实现取样和检测“验孕棒”式一体化专利设计，并经国家药监局督导的注册临床试验验证达到“消费者自测”的准确安全和便捷性要求。“2021年，诺辉健康用业绩有力地证明了中国癌症早筛市场的规模和潜力，率先跑出了常卫清®和噗噗管®两个营收亿级的品牌和产品。2021年公司营收和毛利率的大幅提升得益于销售的强劲增长和优质管道贡献比的提高。2022年初强势上市的幽幽管®也为公司增长提供了新动能。”诺辉健康CEO朱叶青表示，“过去几年，公司在市场教育和学术推广的坚决投入确立了诺辉健康在癌症早筛行业的领导地位，为公司保持强劲增长奠定了坚实的基础。与此同时，我们在2021年着力拓展公司的多组学技术平台和行业突破性创新的管线研发，研发投入相比2020年增长了近3倍，公司拥有的专利及专利申请也从去年的71项增加到了 169项，为公司的长期发展夯实了基础。诺辉健康将继续以严肃医疗的模式做产品研发、临床和注册，以消费医疗的模式服务用户。同时，公司在2024年实现盈亏平衡的目标保持不变。”中国癌症早筛市场空间得到有力验证：常卫清®、噗噗管®率先冲进亿级单品“中国癌症早筛第一证”结直肠癌筛查产品常卫清®在2021年实现收入9,720万元人民币，全年实现发货量超66万盒，发货量较2020年同比增长168%。中国首个居家自测便潜血（FIT）检测产品噗噗管®在2021年实现收入近1.2亿元，全年实现发货量超过580万人份，发货量较2020年同比增长104%。随着健康中国2030进入攻坚阶段，大力推动癌症早筛已成为临床专家和社会各界的普遍共识。根据《健康中国2030》(2)，预期到2022年和2030年，总体癌症5年生存率将分别不低于43.3%和46.6%；高发地区重点癌种早诊率将达到55%及以上并持续提高，癌症高危人群将实现定期参加防癌体检。此外，对发病率高、筛查手段和技术方案比较成熟的结直肠癌、胃癌、食管癌、肺癌、宫颈癌和乳腺癌等重点癌症，将制定分癌种筛查与早诊早治指南。中国国家癌症中心于2022年初发布中国最新癌症报告显示，结直肠癌发病率首次超过胃癌，成为中国第二高发癌症(3)。3月7日，全国政协委员、中国医学科学院肿瘤医院内镜科主任王贵齐在两会委员通道建议大众“自认为很健康的时候，有针对性的进行肿瘤筛查。高风险人群需要主动地做筛查，避免癌症晚期的发生。”(4)市场“拓荒”成效显著：常卫清®、噗噗管®均保持3位数增长2021年，常卫清®实现同比2020年增长159%，噗噗管®实现同比2020年增长263%。两款产品保持三位数的高速增长得益于公司在消费者教育和学术推广的坚决投入。作为目前唯一持有国家药监局癌症筛查许可证的行业领导者，诺辉健康承担了市场开拓的重任，也从中收获了品牌知名度和美誉度在市场上的绝对领先优势。常卫清®专利的多靶点粪便FIT-DNA技术成为2021年3部国家级结直肠癌早筛早诊指南中唯一获得推荐的分子检测技术。(5)截至2021年12月31日，公司在一年内迅速完成超过400家医院的准入和销售，并凭借合规优势与电商、保险以及下沉市场的头部平台确立了深度战略合作，同时深耕民营体检市场，与多元化管道共同打造癌症早筛“医疗消费品”的创新产品+服务的用户解决方案，提高大众对结直肠癌筛查的关注以及增加常卫清®与噗噗管®在临床、消费者和保险市场的渗透率。“医疗消费品”商业模式发力：公司盈利能力持续提高常卫清®在2021年实现毛利率从2020年同期的66.9%上升至76.0%，噗噗管®在2021年实现毛利率从2020年同期的45.8%上升到71.5%。诺辉健康的盈利能力在2021年持续提高，主要原因是多元化管道构建、两款产品确认收入的增加以及优质管道销售比例的上升。常卫清®和噗噗管®在DTC管道的增长尤为强劲，以三位数百分比迅猛增长。以严肃医疗为产品核心竞争力，以国家药监局筛查合规许可为核心壁垒， 2021年诺辉健康不断打磨和创新两款上市产品作为“医疗消费品”的使用体验和服务质量，并通过阴性“防漏检”保险和阳性肠镜服务为常卫清用户提供防癌早筛产品服务一站式解决方案。诺辉健康的直营电商也同期迅速推动用户沉淀并获得稳定增长，在2021年蝉联京东天猫618和双11期间的行业销售额双冠，并实现常卫清®蝉联同期消费医疗及居家送检类目单品销售冠军。(6)多组学研发平台投入坚决：管线产品配置丰富科学有依据、临床能验证、市场有前景、用户能接受是诺辉健康研发癌症早筛产品不变的原则。公司在2021年研发投入相比2020年增长了近3倍，达到6,000万元。公司拥有的专利及专利申请也从去年的71项增加到了 169项。2021年，公司大力投入专利多组学技术研发平台。宫证清™将在今年启动超过万人的大规模前瞻性多中心注册临床试验。苷证清™预计最快在2022年底前开展注册临床试验。公司在2021年中国临床肿瘤学会学术年会(“CSCO”)上正式发布全球首个基于“全生命法则”的肝癌早筛分子检测产品-苷证清TM的预研数据结果。结合cfDNA、cfRNA和蛋白三个维度，苷证清TM的灵敏度和特异性均达到97.9%。2022年1月，公司与中山大学、中山大学附属肿瘤医院签约鼻咽癌筛查专利转让暨合作。三方将共同研发鼻咽癌筛查产品，并计划在产品定型后开展一系列临床研究，启动前瞻性大规模注册临床试验，申报国内首个鼻咽癌筛查注册证。2021年，诺辉健康也在产品管线和业务拓展上取得其他重点进展。2021年7月，公司与Proteomedix就前列腺癌生物标志物发现领域建立研发合作伙伴关系，并就其可换股债务作出300万瑞士法郎的投资。2021年8月，公司与专注于以血液结直肠癌测试的分子诊断上市公司Epigenomics AG签订资产购买协议，以670万美元向Epigenomics AG购买生物样本库。2021年8月，公司投资诺辉创投NHH Venture Fund以重点投资针对人类重大疾病的突破性创新分子诊断技术，从而间接在2021年对Mirxes Holding Company Limited（专注于通过microRNA进行疾病早筛的生物技术公司）、Arion Bio, Inc（拥有可携式荧光卡片阅读机技术，致力于开发高灵敏度COVID-19居家检测试剂盒的生物技术公司）及Orbit Genomics（致力于肺癌临床检测服务及产品开发领域的分子诊断公司）进行少数股权投资。2021年9月及2021年12月，公司也作为跟随者分别参与对Arion Bio, Inc及Orbit Genomics的少数股权投资。2021年12月，公司与Orbit Genomics签署在大中华区（包括中国大陆、香港、澳门及台湾）的独家技术许可协议。参考来源：[1] https://tinyurl.com/yc835w63[2]中共中央、国务院.《“健康中国2030”规划纲要》. 2016年10月25日[3] Cancer incidence and mortality in china,2016. Journal of the National Cancer Centerhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667005422000047[4]央视频.全国政协委员、中国医学科学院肿瘤医院内镜科主任王贵齐在两会第二次“委员通道”采访. 3月7日[5]国家癌症中心.《中国结直肠癌筛查与早诊早治指南（2020，北京）》;中国临床肿瘤协会（CSCO）《结直肠癌诊疗指南》2021；中国抗癌协会《中国肿瘤整合诊治指南（CACA）》2022[6]数据来源：生意参谋，京东商智关于诺辉健康 诺辉健康成立于2015年，专注于高发癌症的居家早筛，是中国癌症筛查市场的先行者和领导者，旨在推进癌症筛查技术的创新，并加速癌症筛查技术在中国的普及。2021年2月18日诺辉健康于香港联交所成功上市，股票代码6606.HK，成为“中国癌症早筛第一股”。诺辉健康旗下的两款结直肠癌筛查产品（常卫清®和噗噗管®）均已获得国家药品监督管理局的批准并正式商业化。常卫清®是中国目前唯一获得国家药品监督管理局批准的癌症筛查产品。幽幽管是中国目前唯一获得国家药品监督管理局批准的幽门螺杆菌消费者自测产品。此外，公司拥有三款适用于肝癌、宫颈癌和鼻咽癌筛查的在研产品管线。公司持有旗下所有已上市和管线产品的全球产权。诺辉健康与上百家医院、体检机构、保险公司、药店及网上管道广泛合作。公司拥有符合ISO13485和ISO9001国际认证标准的十万级洁净生产车间。第三方医学检验实验室均获得国际相关标准质量体系认证，北杭广三地实验室获得当地卫健委认证并颁发执业许可证，每年检测能力达200万人份。 Copyright 2022 亚太商讯. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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NEC OncoImmunity Acquires VAXIMM’s Neoantigen Vaccine Development Assets

Oslo (Norway)/Tokyo (Japan) and Basel (Switzerland)/Mannheim (Germany), Mar 9, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - NEC OncoImmunity (NOI), a subsidiary of NEC Corporation (NEC), and VAXIMM AG, a Swiss/German biotech company focused on developing an oral plug and play DNA vaccination technology to stimulate patients' cytotoxic T-cells targeting a wide range of cancer-related antigens, today announced that the companies have signed an agreement under which NOI will acquire all of VAXIMM's neoantigen program assets.Under the agreement, NOI will acquire VAXIMM's neoantigen vaccine-related patents, license the requisite manufacturing patents, and will take over several existing contracts with key collaborators and partners. Financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed. In 2019, the companies entered into a strategic clinical trial collaboration agreement and an equity investment agreement to develop novel personalized neoantigen cancer vaccines. VAXIMM retains rights to its first-in-class oral T-cell activation platform technology and all other product candidates, including VXM01, which is being developed for the treatment of glioblastoma.Commenting on the announcement, Richard Stratford, CEO of NOI, said, "We believe this is a transformative transaction for NOI/NEC. With it, NOI/NEC has acquired the rights to an attractive delivery platform with broad therapeutic potential in oncology and other areas. Following this acquisition, we expect to initiate the first clinical study delivering personalized neoantigens during 2022, which is an important milestone. Our unique artificial intelligence (AI) technology is focused on several attractive areas of unmet medical need with major market potential, and we now have the components in place to fully realize this significant commercial opportunity."Thomas D. Szucs, MD, Chairman of the Board of VAXIMM, said, "I am excited to see the progress that has been made in advancing our neoantigen program, already with the strong support of NEC as partner and investor. I congratulate the VAXIMM team, under Dr. Lubenau's leadership, for bringing this important project to clinical testing stage. We are delighted that the NOI team will now take this program forward into the clinic with the goal of bringing a novel therapy to patients in desperate need of more treatment options."Dr. Heinz Lubenau, CEO and Co-founder of VAXIMM, said, "We believe that NEC OncoImmunity is the ideal company to take VAXIMM's novel neoantigen programs through development and hopefully to the market to help patients. The first project from our earlier collaboration utilizing NEC's AI platform has received clinical trial approval in Europe, and we are excited that NEC will be putting its resources behind this and future neoantigen vaccine programs derived from VAXIMM's novel technology."Motoo Nishihara, Executive Vice President, CTO (Chief Technology Officer) and Member of the Board, NEC Corporation, said, "Cancer and infectious diseases are two of the most serious healthcare challenges, with millions of new cases diagnosed worldwide annually. NEC's core AI technology is well positioned for the development of personalized medicines, and we are strongly committed to delivering effective treatments for cancer patients and infectious diseases. We are confident that this acquisition of assets from VAXIMM will enable us to further develop our AI-optimized and personalized therapies to benefit the health of individual patients worldwide."The transaction expands NEC's neoantigen drug development pipeline by broadening its focus into several compelling therapeutic areas with high unmet medical need. VAXIMM's plug and play DNA vaccination technology is based on a live attenuated, safe, orally available bacterial vaccine strain, which is modified to stimulate patients' cytotoxic T-cells to target a wide range of cancer-related antigens. The platform allows for fast and scalable manufacturing of personalized T-cell cancer vaccines and may overcome key challenges faced by many other approaches.About NEC OncoImmunity ASNEC OncoImmunity AS is an AI driven biotechnology company that has developed proprietary machine learning-based software which addresses the key knowledge gaps in the prediction of bona fide immunogenic neoantigens for personalized cancer immunotherapy, in addition to infectious disease vaccines. The AI technology can be used to identify optimal neoantigen targets for truly personalized cancer vaccines & cell therapies in a clinically actionable timeframe, and also facilitate effective patient selection for cancer immunotherapy. For more information, visit NEC OncoImmunity AS at http://www.oncoimmunity.com/.About NEC's AI Drug Development BusinessFor more information, please visit https://www.nec.com/en/global/solutions/ai-drug/About NEC's Neoantigen Prediction SystemNEC's neoantigen prediction system utilizes its proprietary AI, such as graph-based relational learning, trained on multiple sources of biological data to discover candidate neoantigen targets. These targets are carefully analyzed using proprietary machine learning algorithms that include in-house HLA binding and antigen presentation AI tools to evaluate the likelihood of eliciting a robust and clinically relevant T-cell response. With NEC OncoImmunity now onboard, NEC continues to strengthen its top class neoantigen prediction pipelines with the aim of maximizing the therapeutic benefits of personalized cancer immunotherapy for patients worldwide. For more information, visit NEC at www.nec.com.About VAXIMMVAXIMM is a privately held, Swiss/German biotech company that is developing oral T-cell immunotherapies for patients suffering from cancer. VAXIMM's plug and play DNA vaccination technology is based on a live attenuated, safe, orally available bacterial vaccine strain, which is modified to stimulate patients' cytotoxic T-cells to target a wide range of cancer-related antigens. The Company has a pipeline of complementary development candidates targeting different tumor structures. Lead product candidate, oral VXM01, activates killer cells targeting tumor-specific vasculature and certain immune-suppressive cells, thereby increasing immune cell infiltration in solid tumors. VXM01 is currently in clinical development for several tumor types, including brain cancer. VAXIMM has recently licensed its neoantigen program assets to NEC OncoImmunity, a subsidiary of NEC Corporation. VAXIMM's platform allows for fast manufacturing of personalized T-cell cancer vaccines and may overcome key issues faced by other neoantigen approaches. VAXIMM has a collaboration agreement with China Medical System Holdings (CMS), granting CMS full rights in China and other Asian countries (excluding Japan) to VAXIMM's existing programs.VAXIMM's investors include: BB Biotech Ventures, BCM Europe, BioMedPartners, CMS, M Ventures, NEC and CSV as well as Sunstone Life Science Ventures. VAXIMM AG is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Its wholly owned subsidiary, VAXIMM GmbH, located in Mannheim, Germany, is responsible for the Company's development activities. For more information, please visit www.vaximm.com.About NEC CorporationNEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of "Orchestrating a brighter world." NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at https://www.nec.com. Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Fujitsu and Tokyo Medical and Dental University leverage world’s fastest supercomputer and AI technology for scientific discovery to shed light on drug resistance in cancer treatment

TOKYO, Mar 7, 2022 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Fujitsu and the Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) today announced a new technology that uses AI to discover new causal mechanisms of drug resistance in cancer treatments from clinical data. Leveraging the world's fastest supercomputer "Fugaku,"(1) the new technology enables high-speed calculation of 20,000 variables of data within a single day and allows for the discovery of previously unknown causal relationships relating to drug resistance in cancer cells from 1,000 trillion different possibilities.Fujitsu and TMDU applied this technology to gene expression level(2) data obtained from cancer cell lines in order to analyze drug resistance(3) against anticancer drugs, and succeeded in extracting a new causal mechanism of a previously unknown gene that suggests a cause of resistance to lung cancer drugs. The new technology is expected to contribute to the acceleration of drug discovery and the realization of cancer therapies individualized for each patient.The technology was developed under the theme of "elucidation of the cause and diversity of cancer using large-scale data analysis and AI technology," an initiative supported by TMDU, Kyoto University and Fujitsu as part of the supercomputer Fugaku achievement acceleration program(4).BackgroundEven if a patient receives a targeted cancer drug(5) therapy, the appearance of drug-resistant cancer cells represents an ongoing threat to full remission. The mechanism for how certain cancers become drug resistant remains unclear, however, and researchers continue to work on new methods of analysis that shed light on how cells that have multiple driver mutations(6) acquire drug resistance. In drug development and clinical trials involving drug repositioning(7), it is important to identify patients for whom drugs are anticipated to have an effect. However, the effectiveness of drugs may differ depending on the organ and the individual and variations in gene expression, and the number of patterns combining expression levels of multiple genes exceeds 1,000 trillion(8). A comprehensive search of all 20,000 genes in the human genome would thus take more than 4,000 years with a conventional computer and finding ways to accelerate the process represents a major challenge.Newly developed technologyFujitsu implemented parallel conditional and causal algorithms to maximize computational performance with the supercomputer Fugaku to analyze the human genome within a timeframe needed for practical research. By utilizing Fujitsu's "Wide Learning"(9) AI technology to extract combinations of potential genes relating to the emergence of drug resistance based on statistical information, Fujitsu developed a novel technology that makes it possible to conduct a comprehensive search within a day.ResultsAs a result of running data of the Dependency Map (DepMap)(10) portal using this technology on the supercomputer Fugaku, Fujitsu and TMDU were able to search the entire human genome for conditions and causality within a single day and determine the genes that cause resistance to drugs used to treat lung cancer(11).Comment from Prof. Seiji Ogawa, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto UniversityPromising technologies like Fujitsu's AI technology for scientific discovery ("Wide Learning") may one day contribute to the discovery of biomarkers, which represent an area of growing interest in drug development. The key to the success of new drug development is to identify patients who are expected to benefit from new drugs and conduct clinical trials. If the marker that predicts who will benefit from the drug is known, the cost of clinical trials can significantly be reduced and the probability of success by conducting individual clinical trials can be increased. From this point of view, pharmaceutical manufacturers and others are expected to be very interested in this technology. The fact that it has been implemented using Fugaku has also raised expectations.Future PlansMoving forward, Fujitsu and TMDU will conduct a multilayered and comprehensive analysis that combines various data including time axis and location data with the aim of accelerating medical research, including in the field of drug efficacy, as well as to shed light on the causes of cancer. Fujitsu and TMDU will also collaborate in experimental research in the fields of drug discovery and medicine. TMDU will further utilize the technology developed in this research to promote research on strategies for intractable diseases such as cancer. In addition to medical care, Fujitsu will utilize the new technology to resolve challenges in a variety of fields, including marketing, system operations and manufacturing.AcknowledgementsThis research was conducted as part of Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's Fugaku Achievement Acceleration Program "Understanding the Origin and Diversity of Cancer through Large-scale Data Analysis and Artificial Intelligence Technologies" (JPMXP 1020200102). A part of the research was conducted with the computational resources of supercomputer Fugaku (Issue #: hp 200138, hp 210167).(1) Supercomputer "Fugaku":A computer installed at RIKEN as a successor to the supercomputer "K." From June 2020 to November 3, it ranked first in 4 categories in the supercomputer rankings for 4 consecutive years. Full operation started on March 9, 2021.(2) Gene expression level :Amount of RNA copied from DNA (the same nucleic acid as DNA synthesized by transcription using some DNA sequences as templates).(3) Drug resistance :A phenomenon in which the effect of a drug weakens while the drug is being administered.(4) Supercomputer Fugaku Achievement Acceleration Program :Program started in May 2020 by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology with the aim to achieve early results.(5) Targeted drug :A drug designed to act only on the molecule (protein, gene, etc.) that is causing the disease.(6) Driver mutations :A genetic mutation that directly causes the development or progression of cancer.(7) Drug repositioning :The application of existing drugs developed and approved for the treatment of one disease to the treatment of another disease.(8) More than 1,000 trillion :Even if the expression level of each gene is restricted to a combination of 50 major genes known to be related to cancer and the expression level of each gene is classified into 2 categories (e.g., "high" or "low" gene expression), the condition number is 2 to the power of 50, which exceeds 1,000 trillion.(9) Wide Learning :Official site "Hello, Wide Learning!"(10) Dependency Map (DepMap) :Data on the sensitivity and resistance of approximately 4,500 drugs to approximately 600 different cancer cell lines, provided by the American Broad Institute. Mutation information of cancer cell lines and expression data of all genes are included.(11) Fujitsu and TMDU analyzed gene expression data from DepMap of approximately 300 cancer cell lines, sensitivity and resistance data of Gefitinib (molecularly targeted drug used to treat lung cancer and other cancer types), and comprehensively searched for conditions and mechanisms of cancer cell lines that do not respond to Gefitinib. Fujitsu and TMDU identified conditions under which the expression levels of three transcription factors (genes that control gene transcription (synthesis of RNA)), ZNF516, E2F6, and EMX1, were low. In lung cancer cell lines that meet these conditions, a mechanism triggered by the transcription factors SP7 and PRRX1 was discovered as further potential causes of drug resistance in cancer cells (see reference image).About FujitsuFujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology products, solutions and services. Approximately 126,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.6 trillion yen (US$34 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021. For more information, please see www.fujitsu.com.About Tokyo Medical and Dental UniversityTokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) is Japan's only comprehensive medical university and graduate school, and has provided advanced medical treatment through a fusion of the medical and dental fields and worked to cultivate "professionals with knowledge and humanity." TMDU contributes to human health and the well-being of society by fostering outstanding healthcare professionals with a humane and global outlook. Copyright 2022 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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BostonGene and NEC Announce Global Partnership

TOKYO, JAPAN and WALTHAM, Mass., Dec 15, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - BostonGene Corporation and NEC Corporation (TSE: 6701) today announced a strategic global partnership agreement that will enable the companies to offer new windowBostonGene Tumor Portrait Tests in key international markets, including Japan as the first market outside of the U.S. BostonGene's innovative computational platform performs AI-based molecular and immune profiling to discover correlations between tumor genomics, a patient's immune system and the effectiveness of all available approved and experimental treatments. BostonGene Tumor Portrait Tests, based on integrated genomic and transcriptomic analysis, propel precision medicine into daily clinical practice and support physicians in actualizing personalized therapy for cancer patients. Moreover, in NEC's ongoing personalized neoantigen clinical trial that utilizes its AI-driven neoantigen prediction technology, NEC and BostonGene are collaborating to provide molecular characterization of patient tumors. Going forward, the two companies will jointly develop the market for BostonGene Tumor Portrait Tests globally. In Japan, the companies aim to utilize NEC's healthcare and life science network in order to provide Tumor Portrait Tests to hospitals throughout the country. In 2020, 378,385 people died of cancer in Japan, according to a Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare report. This accounts for 27.6% of all deaths that year and equates to one in four people dying of cancer. Leveraging NEC's longstanding relationships with cancer centers, pharma and biotech companies, the organizations will work closely together to demonstrate the critical role of next generation multi-platform analytics combined with cutting-edge software to improve the diagnosis and treatment for cancer patients. Earlier this year, NEC announced an initiative to create healthcare and life science business that utilizes AI and other digital technologies as part of the "creation of future growth businesses" set forth in the 2025 Mid-term Management Plan. "NEC has been committed to contributing to healthcare for more than half a century, which includes state-of-the-art hospital information systems in Japan. Cancer is now the country's most common cause of death, and NEC has been working with the National Cancer Center Japan since 2016. Today, NEC remains as dedicated as ever to applying our rich experience in AI and analytics for improving patients' outcomes," said Takayuki Morita, President and CEO at NEC Corporation. "BostonGene's offering of deep molecular and immune profiling, coupled with its computational power and analytics, have already improved the quality of care for cancer patients in both academic and community settings in the United States. Supporting BostonGene's international expansion enables us to continue to rapidly drive innovation that improves the standard of care in Japan and abroad.""NEC has a long history of offering industry leading products and solutions in the field of healthcare both in Japan and globally," said Andrew Feinberg, President and CEO at BostonGene. "Partnering with NEC will allow BostonGene to expedite our international expansion which aims to improve the standard of care for cancer patients around the world."This agreement expands upon existing collaborations between BostonGene and NEC.About BostonGene CorporationBostonGene's mission is to power healthcare's transition to personalized medicine using AI-based molecular and immune profiling to improve the standard of care, accelerate research, and improve economics. BostonGene Tumor Portrait Tests reveal key drivers of each tumor, including immune microenvironment properties, actionable mutations, biomarkers of response to diverse therapies, and recommended therapies. Through these comprehensive analyses, BostonGene Tumor Portrait Tests generate a personalized roadmap for therapeutic decision-making for each cancer patient. For more information, visit BostonGene at http://www.BostonGene.com. About NEC CorporationNEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of "Orchestrating a brighter world." NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at https://www.nec.com. Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Eisai to Present Abstracts on Oncology Products And Pipeline at 44th Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium

TOKYO, Dec 6, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Eisai Co., Ltd. announced today that presentations on a series of abstracts highlighting updates on its in-house discovered eribulin mesylate (product name: Halaven, halichondrin class microtubule dynamics inhibitor, "eribulin"), MORAb-202, an antibody drug conjugate (ADC), and H3B-6545 (selective estrogen alpha receptor covalent antagonist), discovered by Eisai's U.S. research subsidiary H3 Biomedicine Inc., will be given at the 44th San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS2021) to be held, partly virtual, from December 7 to 10, 2021, in San Antonio, Texas in the United States.At this symposium, regarding eribulin, the result of non-clinical studies on its effects to subsequent chemotherapy through the induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (Abstract No: P3-06-01) is scheduled to be presented.MORAb-202 is Eisai's first ADC and combines Eisai's in-house developed anti-folate receptor alpha (FR) antibody, to Eisai's anticancer agent eribulin, using an enzyme cleavable linker. At this symposium, regarding MORAb-202, the experimental results of antitumor efficacy in Patient-Derived Xenograft models of triple-negative breast cancer (Abstract No: P5-08-02) is scheduled to be presented. In June 2021, Eisai and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (Headquarters: the United States) entered into an exclusive global strategic collaboration agreement for the co-development and co-commercialization of MORAb-202.In addition, regarding H3B-6545, the results of Phase II clinical study evaluating monotherapy (Abstract No: P1-17-10) and Phase 1b study evaluating the combination therapy with palbociclib (Abstract No: P1-17-03) in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced breast cancer will be presented.Eisai positions oncology as a key therapeutic area, and is aiming to discover revolutionary new medicines with the potential to cure cancer. Eisai is aspiring to making further contribution to addressing the diverse needs of, and increasing the benefits provided to, patients with cancer, their families, and healthcare providers through creating innovative new drugs based on cutting-edge cancer research.This release discusses investigational compounds and investigational uses for FDA-approved products. It is not intended to convey conclusions about efficacy and safety. There is no guarantee that any investigational compounds or investigational uses of FDA-approved products will successfully complete clinical development or gain FDA approval. Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Stomach cancer ‘atlas’ could map paths to better treatment options

SINGAPORE - To have a more sophisticated understanding of gastric cancer, scientists here have created an intricate atlas of these cancer cells to offer more insight into how they can spread within the body. The map goes into granular detail on how specific molecular pathways can drive cancer growth, while also providing insight on how the disease can be better treated, said Dr Raghav Sundar, a consultant at the Department of Haematology-Oncology at the National University Cancer Institute, Singapore. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* Subscribe now *Terms and conditions apply.

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Fujitsu and Aichi Cancer Center Develop AI System to Offer Patients Personalized Cancer Treatment

TOKYO, Oct 19, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Aichi Cancer Center (1) and Fujitsu Limited today announced the development of an AI solution able to select effective medical treatment from a wide range of drugs based on patients' individual cancer types and various genomic variants (2).Figure1. The newly developed systemThe effectiveness of the new solution has been verified in clinical trials by physicians at Aichi Cancer Center.With current cancer genomic medicine in Japan, treatment plans are considered based on the patients' unique circumstances, including the type of cancer and the actionable genomic variants detected in cancer cells.Specialists for cancer drug treatment thus rely on their own experience, knowledge, and medical literature to study treatment strategies in order to find the best possible medication for the patients' individual conditions.Test data of effective medical treatment of different cancer types and genomic information in external databases, which are sorted and managed based on different keywords and rules, remain difficult to use.Combining the know-how of Aichi Cancer Center in drug selection and Fujitsu's AI-based data-integration technology, the new solution is able to sort and combine these data under common keywords and a single data format and generate a structured data of knowledge, called Knowledge Graph, in order to find the medications that are likely to be highly effective for each patient (3).Aichi Cancer Center and Fujitsu anticipate that the new solution will contribute to a significant reduction in the time required for physicians to estimate the effectiveness of drugs in a clinical setting, as well as to conduct research about data that can be used as evidence for their estimations. It will furthermore help physicians to effectively and precisely choose the medicine expected to achieve the best results based on patients' genomic variants and to achieve better results by avoiding unnecessary treatments.Aichi Cancer Center and Fujitsu will continue cooperation to further enhance the application of AI technology in cancer genomic medicine in order to contribute to further achievements in this field.BackgroundCancer is the leading cause of death in Japan, and the number of new cases now exceeds one million per year with the trend rising in recent years.Therefore, cancer genomic medicine or precision oncology, a form of personalized medical care based on the genomic variants in each cancer, has been gaining increasing attention. Although a nationwide system to enhance cancer genomic medicine has been established in Japan, the shortage of specialists in this field represents a major issue.The current situation thus demands further expansion of programs to train medical specialists as well as the development of an AI with capabilities comparable to those of medical specialists in order to support more effective medical treatment.In November 2019, Aichi Cancer Center and Fujitsu concluded a comprehensive joint research agreement (4) in order to drive the application of AI technology in the field of cancer genomic medicine and jointly promoted R&D of technologies and systems applied during clinical tests.About the newly developed technologyDrawing on Aichi Cancer Center's knowledge of drug selection with Fujitsu's AI-based data-integration technology, the new solution enables users to organize information like test data of effective medical treatment for different cancer types and genomic variants in external medical databases by grouping information under common terms and data formats.The new system is also able to build a Knowledge Graph by automatically linking data with the same underlying subjects (5).For cancer treatment, the system can deliver an objective score about the expected level of effectiveness of a planned course of treatment based on the information about the patients' cancer type and genomic variants. In this way, the system can help to efficiently narrow down the number of possible options of drugs that are likely to be highly effective for each patient.Moving forward, by combining this system with Fujitsu's AI technology for language processing which identifies terms and phrases used in research papers from context (6), physicians will be able to instantaneously refer to relevant information from a total of more than 1.2 million medical papers when evaluating the effects of a planned course of treatment. Thus, this new system will not only help physicians to verify the validity of their drug selections but also to improve the overall efficiency of their work.During the current verification trials, which were supervised by an expert panel (7) at Aichi Cancer Center, the system was used to evaluate the effects of drug treatment with approximately 450 patients. Results showed that standard treatments for eight different genomic variants could be successfully determined. The system also proved to be efficient in identifying drug candidates (8) from a wide range of treatments based on an objective score of the effectiveness of medications and the characteristics of related cancer cells.Based on the system results, physicians will be able to efficiently collect various information about the level of effectiveness of a specific treatment based on the genomic variants of individual patients. In this way, the new system will help to create an environment where physicians will be able to choose appropriate medications and to propose new treatments even if they are not specialists with a high level of knowledge in cancer genomic medicine.Future plansAichi Cancer Center and Fujitsu will continue collaboration in order to verify and improve the ability of the current system to integrate and output data from multiple databases and actively promote the full-scale introduction of an easy-to-use system in clinical practice of cancer genomics.The two partners will furthermore strive to develop an intra-hospital information integration environment to assist the expert panel with a solution that enables a more accurate, efficient, and stress-free selection of the right treatment for their patients in order to contribute to a more personalized approach to cancer treatment.Aichi Cancer Center and Fujitsu will furthermore consider using the improved system to determine the start or participation of clinical trials by adding clinical information and to propose potential new drug targets through analyzing integrated data from a research perspective.Both parties will continue to improve the system to make the results more reliable and user-friendly, with the aim of expanding its use to Japanese hospitals nationwide that provide cancer genomic medicine.Fujitsu plans to continue practical use of the technology in clinical settings, to ultimately offer customers new solutions to support their well-being (9) and "Healthy Living" (10). Based on the results from the current trials, Fujitsu also aims to develop a new AI technology able to recommend new treatment methods by linking clinical data extracted from electronic medical record systems and genome data in order to create various solutions to improve the quality of life of each patient.(1) Aichi Cancer Center:Location: Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture; President: Takashi Takahashi(2) Genomic variants:Structural alterations in the genome.(3) Knowledge Graph:A dataset that uses connections representing relationships between information collected from a variety of textual information sources such as essays and research results.(4) A comprehensive joint research agreement:"Fujitsu Laboratories and Aichi Cancer Center in Japan Sign Comprehensive Joint Research Agreement to Drive Advances in Cancer Genomic Medicine with AI Technology" (November 29, 2019; Press release)(5) Automatically linking data with the same underlying subjects:"Fujitsu Laboratories Develops Technology for Automatically Linking with Open Data throughout the World"(January 16, 2014; Press release)(6) Fujitsu's AI technology for language processing which identifies terms and phrases used in research papers from context:"Fujitsu Improves Efficiency in Cancer Genomic Medicine in Joint AI Research with the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Tokyo" (November 6, 2019; Press release)(7) Expert Panel:Committee of experts that analyses the patients' genomic variants and determines individual treatment strategies based on the results(8) Drug candidates:For example, researchers found that EGFR inhibitors were effective under certain conditions when the BRAF protein was mutated as denoted "G466V".(9) Well-being:State of physical, mental, and social well-being(10) "Healthy Living":One of Fujitsu's seven key focus areasAbout Aichi Cancer CenterAichi Cancer Center is one of the largest and oldest comprehensive cancer centers in Japan. For more than 50 years, the Aichi Cancer Center has been a leader in cancer research and treatment, offering state-of-the art care available and advancing the knowledge for future improvement. Our dedicated clinical and research staff, who are working passionately and collaboratively, are relentlessly committed to providing hope to currently uncurable patients and making cancer a disease of the past. For more information, please see: https://www.pref.aichi.jp/cancer-center/english/cc/index.html.About FujitsuFujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology products, solutions and services. Approximately 126,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.6 trillion yen (US$34 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021. For more information, please see www.fujitsu.com. Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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New pill offers hope to patients with aggressive form of breast cancer

SINGAPORE - An orally consumed anti-cancer drug known as Bexarotene offers new hope to patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) - an aggressive form of breast cancer that appears more frequently among women below 40. This drug has been found to be able to tame highly aggressive and invasive breast cancer cells by converting them from a more aggressive cell state (mesenchymal) to a milder one (epithelial). Doing so primes the cancer cells to better respond to chemotherapy and allows for more effective elimination of the tumour and a lower chance of relapse. A three-year-long clinical trial to test this new method of treatment started last October. So far, four patients have been recruited for the trial. They intend to recruit 12 patients, but this can be increased to 20. Patients enrolled in the trial, named Bexmet, are given Bexarotene during a lead-in period of two weeks prior to the start of the treatment cycle. Each cycle comprises two weeks of taking the oral chemotherapy drug Capecitabine, followed by one week of Bexarotene. This cycle is repeated so long as the patient is responsive to treatment. Patients are expected to undergo a total of four biopsies of the tumour tissue while on-trial: pre-treatment, after the two-week Bexarotene lead-in period, after two weeks of Capecitabine in the first cycle, and upon disease progression, if any. Biopsy is a procedure that extracts tissue samples from the tumour. The trial is currently open to TNBC patients whose cancer is metastatic (when the cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body) and who wish to take part. Those interested need to fulfil certain eligibility criteria and be assessed by a doctor. The trial is aimed at assessing the safety and efficacy of the Bexarotene-Capecitabine chemotherapy combination. This combination was developed by clinicians and scientists from National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), Singapore General Hospital and the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star). Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Singapore, with the number of new cases increasing rapidly. From 2014 to 2018, there were 11,232 new cases of breast cancer here, exceeding the number of new cases of colon cancer in women and men in the same period. TNBC is a more aggressive form of breast cancer compared with other subtypes and accounts for 10 per cent to 15 per cent of all breast cancers. It tests negative for the oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and human epithelial growth factor receptor-2, hence the "triple-negative" in its name. Without these receptor targets, TNBC is more difficult to cure. And with limited treatment options available, chemotherapy remains the mainstay of treatment. The risk of recurrence for TNBC is also higher compared with other breast cancer types, said Dr Elaine Lim, a senior consultant in the department of breast and gynaecology at NCCS. "Generally speaking, there are fewer treatment options for TNBC patients whose cancer is metastatic, compared with those with breast cancer of other subtypes," she said. "Bexmet applies a novel concept of changing cell states, in order to increase the susceptibility to available chemotherapy. "We want to see if the breast cancer cells will exhibit the same kind of molecular changes as were observed in our pre-clinical work." More on this topic   Related Story Pregnant with breast cancer at 37: Singapore mum's 'roller coaster' year   Related Story S'pore scientists find a new way to improve treatment outcomes for breast cancer The development of oncology drugs is costly, and affordability and accessibility can be a challenge. Hence, altering cancer cell states to make them more susceptible to available chemotherapy may be a cost-effective way to treat TNBC and potentially other cancers. Currently, immunotherapy is a treatment option for TNBC patients. This involves drugs that employ the patient's own immune system to fight the cancer. But it is expensive and a patient is likely to need multiple sessions, said Dr Lim, who is the clinical trial lead. A cycle of the Bexarotene-Capecitabine treatment is expected to be much more affordable, given the lower costs of Bexarotene and Capecitabine. Outside Singapore, Bexarotene is used to treat cutaneous T-cell lymphoma - a rare type of cancer that begins in white blood cells called T cells. TNBC is generally detected either through screening or when a woman discovers a lump in her breasts - a symptom of breast cancer. "The strongest risk factor for developing triple-negative breast cancer is genetic predisposition, such as carrying an inherited BRCA1 gene mutation," said Dr Tam Wai Leong, associate director and group leader of GIS' Laboratory of Translational Cancer Biology. "Other contributory risk factors include family history and perhaps lifestyle-related factors, such as obesity, which are less well defined." Bexmet is supported by the National Research Foundation and administered by the Ministry of Health's National Medical Research Council. Pre-clinical work was funded by A*Star, the council and the National Cancer Centre Research Fund. More on this topic   Related Story Breast cancer overtakes that of lung as most common cancer: WHO

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