Immunotherapy is a promising cancer treatment that uses genetically modified immune cells to fight cancer. It can be used as a primary treatment or in combination with other treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy to slow down or stop the growth of cancer cells and prevent them from spreading to other parts of the body.
Researchers at Western University have developed a new way to deliver the DNA-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 into microorganisms in the lab, providing a way to efficiently launch a targeted attack on specific bacteria. Published today in Nature Communications, this study opens up the possibility of using CRISPR to alter the makeup of the human microbiome in a way that could be personalized
The FDA has granted duvelisib (Copiktra) with an orphan drug designation for the treatment of patients with T-cell lymphoma, according to a press release from Verastem Oncology, the company developing duvelisib.1 The PI3K-δ,γ inhibitor demonstrated efficacy in a phase I study and is currently being investigated in the phase II PRIMO trial (NCT03372057). “Receiving orphan
Two new studies by an international team of researchers report progress in using stem cells to develop new therapies for Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD), a rare genetic condition affecting boys that can be fatal before 10 years of age. Often diagnosed at birth with symptoms of weakness and breathing difficulties, the progressive neurological problems in PMD
Of an estimated 6,500 to 7,000 known rare diseases, only a fraction – maybe 5% – have U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments. To increase that percentage, the National Institutes of Health has awarded approximately $31 million in grants in fiscal year 2019 to 20 teams – including five new groups — of scientists, clinicians,
Interview with Dr. John Kennedy chief of the division of foot and ankle surgery and professor in the department of orthopedic surgery at NYU Langone in New York City. Here, Dr. Kennedy shares his insight into the future of platelet-rich plasma and stem cell therapy in sports medicine. Question: How do you see platelet-rich plasma
The number of cancer cell therapies has increased considerably over the last few years.1 There are several different types of cellular therapies, including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, multiple tumor-associated antigen-specific T cells (TAA-T), natural killer (NK)-based therapies and T-cell therapies based on novel technologies like CRISPR.1 Amongst the different types of cell therapies in development,
The two new centers will diversify and improve the Alzheimer’s drug development pipeline, contributing to precision medicine advancements for the disease. The National Institutes on Aging (NIA), part of NIH, have launched two new research centers designed to advance precision medicine for Alzheimer’s disease and reinvigorate the drug development pipeline. The Alzheimer Centers for the Discovery of
Source Technologynetworks Since the gene-editing potential of CRISPR systems was realized in 2013, they have been utilized in laboratories across the world for a wide variety of applications. When this gene-editing power is harnessed with the proliferative potential of stem cells, scientists level up their understanding of cell biology, human genetics and the future potential
After receiving an adenoviral vector treatment of human ASM enzyme, transgenic mice with Niemann-Pick disease showed less accumulation of sphingomyelin, less damage to the brain and liver, and performed better in tests of motor function and memory. A new route for delivering gene therapy into the brain so that it is widely taken up without
