Meghan Markle is getting all her legal paperwork in order before she becomes Prince Harry's wife. The 36-year-old American former actress and Suits alum, who has been in England with...
Reported by E! Online 44 minutes ago.
Meghan Markle Visits Chicago to Complete U.K. Visa Application Before Wedding
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Khloe Kardashian net worth: Tristan Thompson's girlfriend's staggering fortune revealed after giving birth to baby girl
Khloe Kardashian has a very impressive net worth [Instagram/ Khloe Kardashian] Khloe Kardashian has given birth to a baby girl, shortly after boyfriend Tristan Thompson was hit with cheating claims. It means a trio of Kardashian babies, with Kylie Jenner welcoming baby Stormi Webster with boyfriend Travis Scott, and Kim Kardashian West welcoming Chicago. It's been a tough time for Khloe, but thankfully her baby will want for nothing ...
Reported by OK! 1 hour ago.
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United Airlines gearing up for summer with new free entertainment options
United Airlines knows the busy summer travel season is fast approaching. So the Chicago-based carrier said today it is dramatically expanding its free entertainment options onboard more than 200 aircraft that previously were only equipped with live-streaming DirecTV for purchase. United said it has been busy since February installing personal-device entertainment on those 200-plus planes that will allow passengers to use a personal laptop, an Apple IOS device or Android device to access a full…
Reported by bizjournals 53 minutes ago.
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Dscout raises $7.5M to help companies better understand their customers
Dscout, a Chicago startup that helps companies better understand how consumers experience their offerings through mobile videos, raised a new round of funding to help it grow its staff and build out new product offerings. The startup closed a $7.5 million Series B round led by Detroit-based Beringea, with participation from Chicago-based private investment firm Synetro Group, which led dscout’s two prior financing rounds. The startup now has about $11 million in total funding. “Dscout’s…
Reported by bizjournals 40 minutes ago.
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New-to-market Korean fried-chicken concept filling two vacant Minneapolis restaurant spaces
A New York-based quick-serve chicken restaurant with an international following is opening a couple locations in Minneapolis. Bonchon, which specializes in Korean-style fried chicken and Asian-fusion cuisine, is opening in the former Uptown Davanni's space at 1414 W. Lake St. and the former Vescio's Italian Restaurant site in Dinkytown at 406 14th Ave. SE. These are the first Bonchon locations in Minnesota; the closest other outlets in the New York-based chain are in Chicago. The company is most…
Reported by bizjournals 40 minutes ago.
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Jonathan Toews delivers NHL game jerseys with Broncos name plates to Humboldt
Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews and Winnipeg Jets Executive Chairman Mark Chipman delivered game-worn jerseys with Broncos name plates to Humboldt today, a week after the deadly crash involving the Saskatchewan junior hockey team.
Reported by CBC.ca 41 minutes ago.
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BallotReady raises $1.5M to take voter guide platform nationwide
Chicago startup BallotReady, which aims to help voters make more informed decisions, has raised $1.5 million in a seed round that will help the company expand its service to all 50 states by the fall midterm elections. Investors in the round include InvestHER Ventures, Wakestream Ventures, New Media Ventures, Hard Yaka and Grubhub CEO Matt Maloney. As part of the new funding, the startup is bringing on Mike Saunders as its new chief technology officer. He is the founder of online food ordering…
Reported by bizjournals 27 minutes ago.
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United gears up for summer with free entertainment options
United Airlines knows the busy summer travel season is fast approaching. The Chicago-based carrier says it is dramatically expanding its free entertainment options onboard more than 200 aircraft that previously were only equipped with live-streaming DirecTV for purchase. United said it has been busy since February installing personal-device entertainment on those 200-plus planes that will allow passengers to use a personal laptop, an Apple IOS device or Android device to access a full library of…
Reported by bizjournals 27 minutes ago.
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Chicago residents use kits to test for lead contamination
CHICAGO (AP) — Hundreds of Chicago residents have used free testing kits from the city to determine if their drinking water is contaminated by lead. A Chicago Tribune analysis of the results found that lead was detected in nearly 70 percent of the almost 2,800 homes tested over the past two years. The U.S. Food […]
Reported by Seattle Times 31 minutes ago.
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Cubs' Maddon fires back at Hurdle for criticizing Baez
Cubs manager Joe Maddon fired back at Pittsburgh Pirates skipper Clint Hurdle for criticizing Chicago star Javier Baez's bat flip on a popup
Reported by USATODAY.com 7 minutes ago.
Reported by USATODAY.com 7 minutes ago.
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Cubs' Maddon fires back at Hurdle for criticizing Baez
CHICAGO (AP) Cubs manager Joe Maddon fired back at Pittsburgh Pirates skipper Clint Hurdle for criticizing Chicago star Javier Baez's bat flip on a popup.
Reported by FOX Sports 14 minutes ago.
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Adaptimmune Presents MAGE-A4 and MAGE-A10 pre-clinical data at American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting
*- Preclinical testing raises no safety concerns for MAGE A4 -*
*- Refined preclinical testing strategy expected to further mitigate risk of unexpected off-target toxicity -*
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. and OXFORD, United Kingdom, April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc (Nasdaq:ADAP), a leader in T-cell therapy to treat cancer, presented two posters summarizing preclinical research with its MAGE-A4 and MAGE-A10 SPEAR T-cells at the annual AACR meeting at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois.The MAGE-A4 poster presented the discovery process and extensive preclinical validation work performed by Adaptimmune to characterize the specificity, affinity, and potency of MAGE-A4 SPEAR T-cells. The T-cell receptor (TCR) engineered to target MAGE-A4 was found to be specific for MAGE-A4 with an appropriate affinity and avidity, and there were no safety concerns identified preclinically. Further, the examination of more than 500 non-small lung cancer (NSCLC) tumor samples stained by MD Anderson Cancer Center scientists through its strategic collaboration with Adaptimmune revealed that the MAGE-A4 antigen is expressed in approximately 51% of squamous cell carcinomas of the lung, 8% of adenocarcinomas, and in 24% of all NSCLC cases. In addition, numerous other tumors express MAGE-A4 at variable levels. Details about the selection and affinity enhancement of MAGE-A10 SPEAR T‑cells were also presented. The refined methods used to test this SPEAR T-cell candidate are expected to further mitigate risk of unexpected off-target toxicities.
“Our proprietary preclinical development and validation program for our SPEAR T-cells, developed over more than 10 years, enables us to generate TCRs that have the right level of specificity, affinity, and overall avidity for cancer cells expressing specific targets, while minimizing the risk of off-target toxicity,” said Rafael Amado, Adaptimmune’s Chief Medical Officer. “MAGE-A4 and MAGE-A10 are in clinical trials in a variety of solid tumors, and we expect to deliver data on the benefit:risk profile of these products throughout the second half of 2018.”
*Session, date, time, and location (for both posters):*
•* Date:* Monday, Apr 16, 2018
•* Time:* 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM (CDT)
•* Location:* McCormick Place South, Exhibit Hall A, Poster Section 24
*Poster 1 – MAGE-A4*
•* Title:* Affinity-enhanced T-cell receptor (TCR) for adoptive T-cell therapy targeting MAGE-A4
•* Poster Board Number:* 21
•* Permanent Abstract Number:* 2562
•* Objectives:*
· Determine the frequency of MAGE-A4 expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to identify patients most likely to benefit from SPEAR T-cell therapy
· Perform preclinical testing for specificity, potency, and safety of MAGE-A4 SPEAR T-cells
•* Methods:*
· MAGE-A4 expression in NSCLC: 534 resected NSCLC cases (stage I to IV) with clinicopathological information including overall survival and recurrence were analyzed for MAGE-A4 expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC)
· Preclinical testing for specificity, potency, and safety of MAGE-A4 SPEAR T-cells:
− Potency/efficacy testing of MAGE-A4 SPEAR T-cells by antigen driven proliferation, cytokine release, and cytotoxicity assays
− In vitro testing against panels of primary normal cells from multiple organ systems in 2-D, 3-D, and induced pluripotent stem cell culture formats to identify cross-reactivities in more physiologically relevant cultures
− Molecular mapping of the TCR peptide-major histocompatibility complex (MHC) binding preferences to identify potential cross-reactive peptides, verification of identified peptides by loading candidates on antigen-presenting cells, and expression of source proteins in antigen-presenting cells to confirm lack of candidate peptide processing and presentation
•* Conclusions:*
· MAGE-A4 expression was observed in ~24% of all NSCLC cases, with higher frequency observed in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (51%) versus adenocarcinoma (8%)
· Extensive in vitro preclinical safety assessment and identified no major safety concerns for MAGE-A4 SPEAR T-cell reactivity
· This MAGE-A4 SPEAR T-cell is being evaluated in a clinical trial in patients with in bladder, melanoma, head & neck, ovarian, NSCLC, esophageal, and gastric cancers
*Poster 2 – MAGE-A10*
•* Title:* Selection of affinity-enhanced T-cell receptors for adoptive T-cell therapy targeting MAGE‑A10
•* Poster Board Number:* 23
•* Permanent Abstract Number:* 2564
•* Objectives:* Generate and systematically test affinity-enhanced TCRs that recognize an HLA-A*02 restricted epitope from MAGE-A10 cancer/testis antigens
• Develop an extensive in vitro testing strategy to characterize and reduce the risk of TCR cross-reactivity, including a novel approach for generating peptide specificity profiles for candidate TCRs – the peptide X-scan
•* Methods:*
· Twenty-one parental TCRs recognizing the HLA-A*0201-restricted MAGE-A10 peptide GLYDGMEHL254-262 (MAGE-A10254-262) epitope were characterized using surface plasmon resonance (SPR)
· Ten parental TCRs were cloned into a lentiviral vector and transduced into primary human T-cells, and screened for recognition of natively processed antigen using MAGE-A10–positive and –negative cell lines and primary cells as targets
· Three parental TCRs selected for affinity enhancement, and the complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) of their α- and β‑chains were mutated, and resulting TCRs tested for affinity and specificity
•* Conclusions:*
· Adaptimmune developed an affinity-enhanced TCR with high specificity and potency against cells expressing HLA-A*0201 and the cancer antigen MAGE-A10
− After generating TCR mutants with diverse germline and CDR loop sequences, the optimal candidate for preclinical testing was identified by applying a novel comprehensive specificity screen (X-scan)
− Together with other key developments in preclinical safety and potency assessments, this strategy is expected to mitigate the risk of unexpected off-target crossreactivity and resulting clinical toxicities
· The MAGE-A10 SPEAR T-cell that was selected is being evaluated in clinical trials in NSCLC, and a triple tumor study in bladder, melanoma, and head & neck cancers
*About Adaptimmune*
Adaptimmune is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel cancer immunotherapy products. The Company’s unique SPEAR (Specific Peptide Enhanced Affinity Receptor) T‑cell platform enables the engineering of T-cells to target and destroy cancer, including solid tumors. Adaptimmune is currently conducting clinical trials with SPEAR T-cells targeting MAGE-A4, -A10, and AFP across several solid tumor indications. GlaxoSmithKline plc (LSE:GSK) (NYSE:GSK) exercised its option to exclusively license the right to research, develop, and commercialize Adaptimmune’s NY-ESO SPEAR T-cell therapy program in September 2017. Transition of this program to GSK is ongoing. The Company is located in Philadelphia, USA and Oxfordshire, U.K. For more information, please visit http://www.adaptimmune.com
*Forward-Looking Statements*
This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA). These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties. Such risks and uncertainties could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, and include, without limitation: the success, cost and timing of our product development activities and clinical trials and our ability to successfully advance our TCR therapeutic candidates through the regulatory and commercialization processes. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to our business in general, we refer you to our Annual Report filed on for 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 15, 2018 and our other SEC filings. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date the statements were made and we do not undertake any obligation to update such forward‑looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
*Adaptimmune Contacts:*
*Media Relations:*
Sébastien Desprez – VP, Communications and Investor Relations
T: +44 1235 430 583
M: +44 7718 453 176
Sebastien.Desprez@adaptimmune.com
*Investor Relations: *
Juli P. Miller, Ph.D. – Director, Investor Relations
T: +1 215 825 9310
M: +1 215 460 8920
Juli.Miller@adaptimmune.com Reported by GlobeNewswire 42 minutes ago.
*- Refined preclinical testing strategy expected to further mitigate risk of unexpected off-target toxicity -*
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. and OXFORD, United Kingdom, April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc (Nasdaq:ADAP), a leader in T-cell therapy to treat cancer, presented two posters summarizing preclinical research with its MAGE-A4 and MAGE-A10 SPEAR T-cells at the annual AACR meeting at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois.The MAGE-A4 poster presented the discovery process and extensive preclinical validation work performed by Adaptimmune to characterize the specificity, affinity, and potency of MAGE-A4 SPEAR T-cells. The T-cell receptor (TCR) engineered to target MAGE-A4 was found to be specific for MAGE-A4 with an appropriate affinity and avidity, and there were no safety concerns identified preclinically. Further, the examination of more than 500 non-small lung cancer (NSCLC) tumor samples stained by MD Anderson Cancer Center scientists through its strategic collaboration with Adaptimmune revealed that the MAGE-A4 antigen is expressed in approximately 51% of squamous cell carcinomas of the lung, 8% of adenocarcinomas, and in 24% of all NSCLC cases. In addition, numerous other tumors express MAGE-A4 at variable levels. Details about the selection and affinity enhancement of MAGE-A10 SPEAR T‑cells were also presented. The refined methods used to test this SPEAR T-cell candidate are expected to further mitigate risk of unexpected off-target toxicities.
“Our proprietary preclinical development and validation program for our SPEAR T-cells, developed over more than 10 years, enables us to generate TCRs that have the right level of specificity, affinity, and overall avidity for cancer cells expressing specific targets, while minimizing the risk of off-target toxicity,” said Rafael Amado, Adaptimmune’s Chief Medical Officer. “MAGE-A4 and MAGE-A10 are in clinical trials in a variety of solid tumors, and we expect to deliver data on the benefit:risk profile of these products throughout the second half of 2018.”
*Session, date, time, and location (for both posters):*
•* Date:* Monday, Apr 16, 2018
•* Time:* 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM (CDT)
•* Location:* McCormick Place South, Exhibit Hall A, Poster Section 24
*Poster 1 – MAGE-A4*
•* Title:* Affinity-enhanced T-cell receptor (TCR) for adoptive T-cell therapy targeting MAGE-A4
•* Poster Board Number:* 21
•* Permanent Abstract Number:* 2562
•* Objectives:*
· Determine the frequency of MAGE-A4 expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to identify patients most likely to benefit from SPEAR T-cell therapy
· Perform preclinical testing for specificity, potency, and safety of MAGE-A4 SPEAR T-cells
•* Methods:*
· MAGE-A4 expression in NSCLC: 534 resected NSCLC cases (stage I to IV) with clinicopathological information including overall survival and recurrence were analyzed for MAGE-A4 expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC)
· Preclinical testing for specificity, potency, and safety of MAGE-A4 SPEAR T-cells:
− Potency/efficacy testing of MAGE-A4 SPEAR T-cells by antigen driven proliferation, cytokine release, and cytotoxicity assays
− In vitro testing against panels of primary normal cells from multiple organ systems in 2-D, 3-D, and induced pluripotent stem cell culture formats to identify cross-reactivities in more physiologically relevant cultures
− Molecular mapping of the TCR peptide-major histocompatibility complex (MHC) binding preferences to identify potential cross-reactive peptides, verification of identified peptides by loading candidates on antigen-presenting cells, and expression of source proteins in antigen-presenting cells to confirm lack of candidate peptide processing and presentation
•* Conclusions:*
· MAGE-A4 expression was observed in ~24% of all NSCLC cases, with higher frequency observed in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (51%) versus adenocarcinoma (8%)
· Extensive in vitro preclinical safety assessment and identified no major safety concerns for MAGE-A4 SPEAR T-cell reactivity
· This MAGE-A4 SPEAR T-cell is being evaluated in a clinical trial in patients with in bladder, melanoma, head & neck, ovarian, NSCLC, esophageal, and gastric cancers
*Poster 2 – MAGE-A10*
•* Title:* Selection of affinity-enhanced T-cell receptors for adoptive T-cell therapy targeting MAGE‑A10
•* Poster Board Number:* 23
•* Permanent Abstract Number:* 2564
•* Objectives:* Generate and systematically test affinity-enhanced TCRs that recognize an HLA-A*02 restricted epitope from MAGE-A10 cancer/testis antigens
• Develop an extensive in vitro testing strategy to characterize and reduce the risk of TCR cross-reactivity, including a novel approach for generating peptide specificity profiles for candidate TCRs – the peptide X-scan
•* Methods:*
· Twenty-one parental TCRs recognizing the HLA-A*0201-restricted MAGE-A10 peptide GLYDGMEHL254-262 (MAGE-A10254-262) epitope were characterized using surface plasmon resonance (SPR)
· Ten parental TCRs were cloned into a lentiviral vector and transduced into primary human T-cells, and screened for recognition of natively processed antigen using MAGE-A10–positive and –negative cell lines and primary cells as targets
· Three parental TCRs selected for affinity enhancement, and the complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) of their α- and β‑chains were mutated, and resulting TCRs tested for affinity and specificity
•* Conclusions:*
· Adaptimmune developed an affinity-enhanced TCR with high specificity and potency against cells expressing HLA-A*0201 and the cancer antigen MAGE-A10
− After generating TCR mutants with diverse germline and CDR loop sequences, the optimal candidate for preclinical testing was identified by applying a novel comprehensive specificity screen (X-scan)
− Together with other key developments in preclinical safety and potency assessments, this strategy is expected to mitigate the risk of unexpected off-target crossreactivity and resulting clinical toxicities
· The MAGE-A10 SPEAR T-cell that was selected is being evaluated in clinical trials in NSCLC, and a triple tumor study in bladder, melanoma, and head & neck cancers
*About Adaptimmune*
Adaptimmune is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel cancer immunotherapy products. The Company’s unique SPEAR (Specific Peptide Enhanced Affinity Receptor) T‑cell platform enables the engineering of T-cells to target and destroy cancer, including solid tumors. Adaptimmune is currently conducting clinical trials with SPEAR T-cells targeting MAGE-A4, -A10, and AFP across several solid tumor indications. GlaxoSmithKline plc (LSE:GSK) (NYSE:GSK) exercised its option to exclusively license the right to research, develop, and commercialize Adaptimmune’s NY-ESO SPEAR T-cell therapy program in September 2017. Transition of this program to GSK is ongoing. The Company is located in Philadelphia, USA and Oxfordshire, U.K. For more information, please visit http://www.adaptimmune.com
*Forward-Looking Statements*
This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA). These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties. Such risks and uncertainties could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, and include, without limitation: the success, cost and timing of our product development activities and clinical trials and our ability to successfully advance our TCR therapeutic candidates through the regulatory and commercialization processes. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to our business in general, we refer you to our Annual Report filed on for 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 15, 2018 and our other SEC filings. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date the statements were made and we do not undertake any obligation to update such forward‑looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
*Adaptimmune Contacts:*
*Media Relations:*
Sébastien Desprez – VP, Communications and Investor Relations
T: +44 1235 430 583
M: +44 7718 453 176
Sebastien.Desprez@adaptimmune.com
*Investor Relations: *
Juli P. Miller, Ph.D. – Director, Investor Relations
T: +1 215 825 9310
M: +1 215 460 8920
Juli.Miller@adaptimmune.com Reported by GlobeNewswire 42 minutes ago.
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Affimed Presents Poster at AACR Highlighting Progress Toward Novel EGFR-targeting Therapy
Heidelberg, Germany, April 16, 2018 - Affimed N.V. (Nasdaq: AFMD), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing highly targeted cancer immunotherapies, today presented a poster entitled "Pharmacokinetics and in vitro/in vivo characterization of high-affinity bispecific EGFR/CD16A NK cell engagers for the treatment of EGFR-expressing tumors" in the "Therapeutic Antibodies, Including Engineered Antibodies 2" session at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 2018 Annual Meeting in Chicago.
Despite several marketed agents such as cetuximab and tyrosine kinase inhibitors, there is a significant medical need for a novel approach to treat EGFR+ tumors by widening the therapeutic window and addressing current treatment resistance. To meet the need of reducing or avoiding side effects stemming from inhibition of EGFR signal transduction of healthy cells, such as skin toxicity, Affimed selected a novel EGFR-binding domain with differentiating features from cetuximab and applied its unique, NK cell engager platform to generate product candidates with high potency and efficacy. Two development candidates, AFM24_I and AFM24_T, were selected, both targeting CD16A on NK cells and EGFR on tumor cells. Through this binding modality and the resulting immune effector cell activation, both molecules are differentiated from cetuximab by their immunotherapeutic mechanism of action. While AFM24_T reflects the traditional TandAb profile, AFM24_I is designed to emulate an IgG-like half-life allowing for more convenient dosing.
"Our NK cell platform enables us to generate molecules against validated oncology targets, while addressing limitations of existing standard treatments," said Dr. Martin Treder, Affimed's Chief Scientific Officer. "We look forward to advancing our AFM24 program into the clinic, especially given the demonstrated synergies of our NK cell engagers with other immune activating agents, which could be truly beneficial in the treatment of solid tumors."
AFM24 (_I and _T) possesses high affinity, binding to both EGFR-expressing tumor cells and human NK cells even in the presence of physiological levels of immunoglobulins (IgGs), which compete for NK cell activation with standard monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Notably, while showing less inhibition of EGFR signaling compared to cetuximab, both molecules demonstrated superior cytotoxicity of target cells irrespective of their Ras mutational status. Mutated Ras is a negative predictive biomarker for marketed EGFR-targeting mAbs, and patients bearing this mutation are not eligible for treatment with these antibodies. When investigated in a cynomolgus pilot toxicology study, AFM24_T showed a favorable safety profile without skin toxicity.
AFM24_I, based on Affimed's novel modular NK cell platform, demonstrated its unique pharmacokinetic profile similar to that of mAbs and also elicited dose-dependent tumor growth inhibition in a humanized animal model. IND-enabling studies are ongoing and both candidates are being explored in combination with immune activating agents, based on encouraging data for Affimed's lead NK cell engager AFM13 indicating clinical synergy with the anti-PD-1 antibody pembrolizumab.
*About Affimed N.V.*
Affimed (Nasdaq: AFMD) engineers targeted immunotherapies, seeking to cure patients by harnessing the power of innate and adaptive immunity (NK and T cells). We are developing single and combination therapies to treat cancers and other life-threatening diseases. For more information, please visit www.affimed.com.
*FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS*
This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which are often indicated by terms such as "anticipate,""believe,""could,""estimate,""expect,""goal,""intend,""look forward to", "may,""plan,""potential,""predict,""project,""should,""will,""would" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements appear in a number of places throughout this release and include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses and current expectations concerning, among other things, our ongoing and planned preclinical development and clinical trials, our collaborations and development of our products in combination with other therapies, the timing of and our ability to make regulatory filings and obtain and maintain regulatory approvals for our product candidates our intellectual property position, our collaboration activities, our ability to develop commercial functions, expectations regarding clinical trial data, our results of operations, cash needs, financial condition, liquidity, prospects, future transactions, growth and strategies, the industry in which we operate, the trends that may affect the industry or us and the risks uncertainties and other factors described under the heading "Risk Factors" in Affimed's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Given these risks, uncertainties and other factors, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, and we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.
*Contact:*
Anca Alexandru, Head of Communications, EU IR
Phone: +49 6221 64793341
E-Mail: a.alexandru@affimed.com, IR@affimed.com Reported by GlobeNewswire 42 minutes ago.
Despite several marketed agents such as cetuximab and tyrosine kinase inhibitors, there is a significant medical need for a novel approach to treat EGFR+ tumors by widening the therapeutic window and addressing current treatment resistance. To meet the need of reducing or avoiding side effects stemming from inhibition of EGFR signal transduction of healthy cells, such as skin toxicity, Affimed selected a novel EGFR-binding domain with differentiating features from cetuximab and applied its unique, NK cell engager platform to generate product candidates with high potency and efficacy. Two development candidates, AFM24_I and AFM24_T, were selected, both targeting CD16A on NK cells and EGFR on tumor cells. Through this binding modality and the resulting immune effector cell activation, both molecules are differentiated from cetuximab by their immunotherapeutic mechanism of action. While AFM24_T reflects the traditional TandAb profile, AFM24_I is designed to emulate an IgG-like half-life allowing for more convenient dosing.
"Our NK cell platform enables us to generate molecules against validated oncology targets, while addressing limitations of existing standard treatments," said Dr. Martin Treder, Affimed's Chief Scientific Officer. "We look forward to advancing our AFM24 program into the clinic, especially given the demonstrated synergies of our NK cell engagers with other immune activating agents, which could be truly beneficial in the treatment of solid tumors."
AFM24 (_I and _T) possesses high affinity, binding to both EGFR-expressing tumor cells and human NK cells even in the presence of physiological levels of immunoglobulins (IgGs), which compete for NK cell activation with standard monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Notably, while showing less inhibition of EGFR signaling compared to cetuximab, both molecules demonstrated superior cytotoxicity of target cells irrespective of their Ras mutational status. Mutated Ras is a negative predictive biomarker for marketed EGFR-targeting mAbs, and patients bearing this mutation are not eligible for treatment with these antibodies. When investigated in a cynomolgus pilot toxicology study, AFM24_T showed a favorable safety profile without skin toxicity.
AFM24_I, based on Affimed's novel modular NK cell platform, demonstrated its unique pharmacokinetic profile similar to that of mAbs and also elicited dose-dependent tumor growth inhibition in a humanized animal model. IND-enabling studies are ongoing and both candidates are being explored in combination with immune activating agents, based on encouraging data for Affimed's lead NK cell engager AFM13 indicating clinical synergy with the anti-PD-1 antibody pembrolizumab.
*About Affimed N.V.*
Affimed (Nasdaq: AFMD) engineers targeted immunotherapies, seeking to cure patients by harnessing the power of innate and adaptive immunity (NK and T cells). We are developing single and combination therapies to treat cancers and other life-threatening diseases. For more information, please visit www.affimed.com.
*FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS*
This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which are often indicated by terms such as "anticipate,""believe,""could,""estimate,""expect,""goal,""intend,""look forward to", "may,""plan,""potential,""predict,""project,""should,""will,""would" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements appear in a number of places throughout this release and include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses and current expectations concerning, among other things, our ongoing and planned preclinical development and clinical trials, our collaborations and development of our products in combination with other therapies, the timing of and our ability to make regulatory filings and obtain and maintain regulatory approvals for our product candidates our intellectual property position, our collaboration activities, our ability to develop commercial functions, expectations regarding clinical trial data, our results of operations, cash needs, financial condition, liquidity, prospects, future transactions, growth and strategies, the industry in which we operate, the trends that may affect the industry or us and the risks uncertainties and other factors described under the heading "Risk Factors" in Affimed's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Given these risks, uncertainties and other factors, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, and we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.
*Contact:*
Anca Alexandru, Head of Communications, EU IR
Phone: +49 6221 64793341
E-Mail: a.alexandru@affimed.com, IR@affimed.com Reported by GlobeNewswire 42 minutes ago.
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Tronc's future uncertain after Michael Ferro's abrupt stock sell-off
The future of tronc, the parent of the Chicago Tribune and several other metro dailies nationwide, is very much an open question in the wake of former Chairman and major stockholder Michael Ferro’s sudden move to bail out. Ferro announced late Friday that he had sold his 25.4 percent stake in tronc for more than $200 million to an entity known as McCormick Media, hardly a household name in the media world. Sargent McCormick is listed as the manager of McCormick Media in the regulatory filings…
Reported by bizjournals 23 minutes ago.
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Helene Kornblatt joins HNTB as Environmental Planning Director and Southern California Practice Leader
Recognized environmental expert brings decades of experience in complex transit and highway projects
LOS ANGELES (PRWEB) April 16, 2018
Helene Kornblatt joined HNTB Corporation as senior environmental sciences and planning director and Southern California practice leader. She also is an associate vice president of the firm. She brings 30 years of experience in transportation and public transit. In this position, she is responsible for project delivery and business development for the firm’s growing environmental practice throughout California. She is based in Los Angeles.
Kornblatt is recognized as a skilled environmental leader delivering major transportation projects throughout the western and central U.S. with experience in complex transit and highway projects. Most recently, she directed a contract for Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority supporting the rail and bus capital construction program. She has worked on transit projects in Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles and San Diego.
“Helene’s wealth of experience in transit and environmental sciences and services is a real asset to our team as we help our clients deliver programs that can be environmentally sensitive,” said Jack Allen, HNTB vice president and national environmental planning practice leader. “Her leadership skills will be instrumental to the growth of our environmental practice in Southern California.”
Kornblatt has wide-ranging public and private sector experience managing environmental compliance and permitting projects. Her background includes work as an independent consultant specializing in environmental review, intergovernmental liaison, public involvement and coordination between engineering and other key components of major development, redevelopment, transportation and other private and public works projects.
Kornblatt holds a Master of Arts degree in architecture/urban planning with an emphasis in environmental planning from the University of California – Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania.
HNTB is currently involved with many of the nation’s most high-profile transit programs, including L.A. Metro Sepulveda Pass Alternative Assessment; Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s BART Silicon Valley Phase II; Sound Transit’s West Seattle-Ballard Link Extension; Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Quality Assurance, Internal Compliance Oversight and Systems GPC; Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority GPC and Engineering On-call Contracts; Chicago Transit Authority’s Wilson Station; the Los Angeles Metro Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor; and the Charlotte Area Transit System’s LYNX Blue Line Light Rail Extension in North Carolina.
About HNTB
HNTB Corporation is an employee-owned infrastructure firm serving public and private owners and contractors. With more than a century of service in the United States, HNTB understands the life cycle of infrastructure and addresses clients’ most complex technical, financial and operational challenges. Professionals nationwide deliver a full range of infrastructure-related services, including award-winning planning, design, program management and construction management. For more information, visit http://www.hntb.com. Reported by PRWeb 34 minutes ago.
LOS ANGELES (PRWEB) April 16, 2018
Helene Kornblatt joined HNTB Corporation as senior environmental sciences and planning director and Southern California practice leader. She also is an associate vice president of the firm. She brings 30 years of experience in transportation and public transit. In this position, she is responsible for project delivery and business development for the firm’s growing environmental practice throughout California. She is based in Los Angeles.
Kornblatt is recognized as a skilled environmental leader delivering major transportation projects throughout the western and central U.S. with experience in complex transit and highway projects. Most recently, she directed a contract for Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority supporting the rail and bus capital construction program. She has worked on transit projects in Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles and San Diego.
“Helene’s wealth of experience in transit and environmental sciences and services is a real asset to our team as we help our clients deliver programs that can be environmentally sensitive,” said Jack Allen, HNTB vice president and national environmental planning practice leader. “Her leadership skills will be instrumental to the growth of our environmental practice in Southern California.”
Kornblatt has wide-ranging public and private sector experience managing environmental compliance and permitting projects. Her background includes work as an independent consultant specializing in environmental review, intergovernmental liaison, public involvement and coordination between engineering and other key components of major development, redevelopment, transportation and other private and public works projects.
Kornblatt holds a Master of Arts degree in architecture/urban planning with an emphasis in environmental planning from the University of California – Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania.
HNTB is currently involved with many of the nation’s most high-profile transit programs, including L.A. Metro Sepulveda Pass Alternative Assessment; Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s BART Silicon Valley Phase II; Sound Transit’s West Seattle-Ballard Link Extension; Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Quality Assurance, Internal Compliance Oversight and Systems GPC; Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority GPC and Engineering On-call Contracts; Chicago Transit Authority’s Wilson Station; the Los Angeles Metro Crenshaw/LAX Transit Corridor; and the Charlotte Area Transit System’s LYNX Blue Line Light Rail Extension in North Carolina.
About HNTB
HNTB Corporation is an employee-owned infrastructure firm serving public and private owners and contractors. With more than a century of service in the United States, HNTB understands the life cycle of infrastructure and addresses clients’ most complex technical, financial and operational challenges. Professionals nationwide deliver a full range of infrastructure-related services, including award-winning planning, design, program management and construction management. For more information, visit http://www.hntb.com. Reported by PRWeb 34 minutes ago.
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Rachel Platten Forgets Words to National Anthem, Asks for Help with Lyrics
Rachel Platten was singing the National Anthem at the Chicago Red Stars vs Utah Royals MLS soccer game over the weekend when she forgot the lyrics. The 36-year-old “Fight Song” singer kicked off the song by singing, “Oh say can you see, by the STARS early light.” The song’s opening lyric is actually, “Oh say [...]
Reported by Just Jared 39 seconds ago.
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Cardinals-Cubs game postponed because of poor weather (Apr 16, 2018)
CHICAGO (AP) The series opener between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals has been postponed because of poor weather.
Reported by FOX Sports 25 minutes ago.
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Report: Houston is a tougher city to find a job than Austin, San Antonio
Houston fell sharply on Indeed Inc.’s second-annual ranking of the best cities for job seekers, according to a report released April 13 by the Austin-based job-search and hiring company. After scoring a 74.6 out of 100 last year, the Bayou City attained only a score of only 27.4 this year — just behind Chicago and far below Austin and San Antonio. As a result, Houston dropped from No. 9 last year to No. 25 in this year's ranking. Click through the slideshow above to see the top 25 cities to…
Reported by bizjournals 11 minutes ago.
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Cardinals-Cubs game postponed because of poor weather
CHICAGO (AP) — The series opener between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals has been postponed because of poor weather.With light snow falling and the temperature around 30 degrees, Monday night's game was postponed about...
Reported by New Zealand Herald 3 minutes ago.
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Twins-White Sox rescheduled for June 5, Aug. 20, Sept. 28
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) The Minnesota Twins have rescheduled three games with the Chicago White Sox that were postponed by wintry weather.
Reported by FOX Sports 9 minutes ago.
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