Biomarker News and Research

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A biomarker is a biological molecule found in blood, other body fluids, or tissues that is a sign of a normal or abnormal process, or of a condition or disease. A biomarker may be used to see how well the body responds to a treatment for a disease or condition. Also called molecular marker and signature molecule.

Immunomedics announces additional claim for RS7 antibodies patent family

Immunomedics, a biopharmaceutical company primarily focused on the development of monoclonal antibody-based products for the targeted treatment of cancer, autoimmune and other serious diseases, today announced that additional claims for the patent family, "RS7 antibodies," were issued as Patent No. 1,002,443 in Korea.

23 Dec 2010

AIDS patients with serum biomarkers are predisposed to immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome

A study in this week's PLoS Medicine suggests that AIDS patients with cryptococcal meningitis who start HIV therapy are predisposed to immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome - an exaggerated inflammatory immune response that kills up to one-third of affected people - if they have biomarkers in their blood showing evidence of a damaged immune system that is not capable of clearing the fungal infection.

22 Dec 2010

Exiqon completes discovery phase program for early detection of colorectal cancer in blood

Exiqon A/S today announced the completion of the discovery phase in its program for early detection of colorectal cancer in blood.

21 Dec 2010

Study reveals novel role of adenosine signaling in sickle cell disease

Metabolon, Inc., the leader in metabolomics, biomarker discovery and analysis, announces the publication of "Novel Role of Adenosine Signaling in Sickle Cell Disease", in Nature Medicine. Application of non-targeted biochemical profiling (metabolomics) to a mouse model of sickle cell disease (SCD) revealed a detrimental role of adenosine signaling in SCD and suggested novel therapeutic targets. The study was carried out in collaboration with The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

21 Dec 2010

HistoRx grants Metamark worldwide license to AQUA technology for commercialization of Prognostic Assays

Metamark Genetics, Inc., a privately held oncology-focused molecular diagnostics company, and HistoRx, Inc., a diagnostics company developing tissue-based diagnostic solutions to advance individualized patient care, today announced a multi-year licensing agreement. HistoRx has granted Metamark a worldwide license to the AQUA technology for the clinical commercialization of Metamark's proprietary MetamarkDx™ Prognostic Assays.

20 Dec 2010

Exosomes derived from lymphoma, colorectal cancer patients circulated through Aethlon's Hemopurifier

Aethlon Medical, Inc., the pioneer in developing therapeutic filtration devices to address infectious disease and cancer, announced today that it has demonstrated the ability to capture immunosuppressive exosomes derived from individuals with lymphoma and colorectal cancer.

20 Dec 2010

FVCG invests $175,000 in Celvive for stem cell research in spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating neurological condition with limited therapeutic options. In the United States alone, there are more than 250,000 people living with SCI; approximately three million worldwide are affected.

20 Dec 2010

Diagenic, Pfizer enter collaboration to identify biomarkers in early stages of Alzheimer's disease

DiaGenic ASA and Pfizer Inc today signed an agreement for explorative R&D collaboration to identify biomarkers in early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) using DiaGenic's patented gene expression technology and its blood samples from ongoing clinical studies.

17 Dec 2010

MDA awards Repligen $1.4M for research of new compound with therapeutic potential for SMA

The Muscular Dystrophy Association today announced it has awarded $1.4 million in new research funding to the biopharmaceutical firm Repligen of Waltham, Mass., to complete the preclinical work needed to begin human clinical trials of a promising therapeutic compound for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

17 Dec 2010

Genetic biomarker linked to increased risk for breast cancer found in 'junk' DNA

A new genetic biomarker that indicates an increased risk for developing breast cancer can be found in an individual's "junk" (non-coding) DNA, according to a new study featuring work from researchers at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) at Virginia Tech and their colleagues.

17 Dec 2010

AFFiRiS AG receives 475,000 MJFF grant for Parkinson vaccine development

With a grant of USD 475,000, the Michael J. Fox Foundation is funding preclinical development of a vaccine against Parkinson's disease by AFFiRiS AG. The vaccine, known as PD01, targets the protein alpha-synuclein and might offer for the first time a possibility for a treatment that can slow or stop the progression of Parkinson's disease.

17 Dec 2010

Study: Biomarkers may aid in early diagnosis of breast cancer

Using a new, powerful method for rapidly screening molecules associated with disease, proteomics expert Joshua LaBaer and colleagues from the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University have identified a broad panel of 28 early predictors, or biomarkers, that may one day aid in the early diagnosis of breast cancer.

17 Dec 2010

Almac recognised with 'News Flow of the Year' award

The Almac Group, one of the world's leading contract drug development and manufacturing organisations, was presented with the "News Flow of the Year" accolade at the 2010 Genesis Awards annual Gala dinner in London last week, following the company being shortlisted as a finalist in the category nominations. Now into its tenth year, Genesis is established as a leading life science networking conference.

16 Dec 2010

Combination therapy improves survival rates in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

A combination therapy for treating cancer discovered at the University of Colorado Cancer Center showed improved survival rates in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to results from a double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial run by Syndax Pharmaceuticals.

16 Dec 2010

HealthLinx's OvPlex performs better over CA125 in part 1 of multinational ovarian cancer biomarker study

Diagnostic company HealthLinx Limited reports that initial analysis of part 1 of its multinational ovarian cancer biomarker study confirms a statistically significant increase in diagnostic performance of OvPlex™ over CA125 alone. Enhanced performance of OvPlex™ was also established specifically for early stage (Stage I-II) disease.

16 Dec 2010

CTT, Bayer sign Research and License Option Agreement

Cancer Targeted Technology (CTT), a Seattle-based biotechnology firm focusing on small molecule cancer enzyme inhibitors for the generation of novel diagnostics and therapeutics, today announced that it has signed a Research and License Option Agreement with Bayer Pharma AG, Germany. Under the agreement, CTT will work with Bayer to optimize a novel PET imaging agent based on its unique inhibitor scaffold that recognizes a validated cancer enzyme biomarker.

15 Dec 2010

CMS increases reimbursement rate for Cylex's immune cell function assay by 267%

Cylex Incorporated® today announced that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) nearly tripled the reimbursement for ImmuKnow®, the immune cell function assay FDA-cleared for the detection of cell-mediated immune response in populations undergoing immunosuppressive therapy for organ transplant. This significant increase was granted in a time when the overall CMS clinical fee schedule experienced a comprehensive decrease in laboratory reimbursement rates.

15 Dec 2010

Cell Biosciences receives US Patent for NanoPro assay technology

Cell Biosciences, Inc. today announced the issuance of Patent No. 7,846,676 for "Methods and Devices for Analyte Detection" by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

15 Dec 2010

Study broadens understanding of role of IDH1 and IDH2 mutations in AML

Agios Pharmaceuticals, the leading biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel drugs in the rapidly emerging field of cancer metabolism, today announced the publication of a paper in Cancer Cell that illuminates the mechanism by which 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG), and the mutations in the metabolic genes IDH1 and IDH2 that produce it, may be driving the growth of tumors in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

15 Dec 2010

Case study sheds light on pathological course of Alzheimer's disease

A case study from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet sheds light on the pathological course of Alzheimer's disease. The brain of the first Alzheimer's patient to display amyloids demonstrable with a PET scanner has been studied, both during progression of the disease and after death.

15 Dec 2010

Biomarker News and Research

Further Reading

Immunomedics announces additional claim for RS7 antibodies patent family

AIDS patients with serum biomarkers are predisposed to immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome

Exiqon completes discovery phase program for early detection of colorectal cancer in blood

Study reveals novel role of adenosine signaling in sickle cell disease

HistoRx grants Metamark worldwide license to AQUA technology for commercialization of Prognostic Assays

Exosomes derived from lymphoma, colorectal cancer patients circulated through Aethlon's Hemopurifier

FVCG invests $175,000 in Celvive for stem cell research in spinal cord injury

Diagenic, Pfizer enter collaboration to identify biomarkers in early stages of Alzheimer's disease

MDA awards Repligen $1.4M for research of new compound with therapeutic potential for SMA

Genetic biomarker linked to increased risk for breast cancer found in 'junk' DNA

AFFiRiS AG receives 475,000 MJFF grant for Parkinson vaccine development

Study: Biomarkers may aid in early diagnosis of breast cancer

Almac recognised with 'News Flow of the Year' award

Combination therapy improves survival rates in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

HealthLinx's OvPlex performs better over CA125 in part 1 of multinational ovarian cancer biomarker study

CTT, Bayer sign Research and License Option Agreement

CMS increases reimbursement rate for Cylex's immune cell function assay by 267%

Cell Biosciences receives US Patent for NanoPro assay technology

Study broadens understanding of role of IDH1 and IDH2 mutations in AML

Case study sheds light on pathological course of Alzheimer's disease

Achieving and maintaining ISO 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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