Search Immortality Topics:

Page 30«..1020..29303132..4050..»


Category Archives: Genetic Medicine

What Experts Think of 23andMe’s COVID-19 Risk Calculator – Healthline

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit some Americans particularly hard.

Older adults, people with certain preexisting health conditions, and members of ethnic and racial minorities are more likely than others to develop serious symptoms of the disease. Theyve faced higher rates of hospitalization and higher rates of death from COVID-19.

To help community members learn how certain risk factors affect the chances of hospitalization in people whove developed COVID-19, the consumer genomics company 23andMe has launched a new interactive tool called the COVID-19 Severity Calculator.

Its interesting because it turns every citizen who looks at it into a bit of an investigator, said Dr. Robert C. Green, MPH, a medical geneticist and physician-scientist at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.

You can change the age, you can change the body mass index, you can change the ethnicity and see how it influences the risk of hospitalization, he continued.

The tool offers insights into some of the risk factors for hospitalization from COVID-19, but the company notes that its not intended to predict an individual users risk and doesnt take into account genetic risk factors. The tool does not take into account all of the possible risk factors that can affect how the disease develops.

We created the Severity Calculator because people who have visited 23andMes COVID-19 Information Center have consistently been asking for more information about the severity of the virus infection and what factors into why it impacts some people harder than others, Janie F. Shelton, PhD, MPH, a senior scientist at 23andMe, said in a company press release

The COVID-19 Severity Calculator only incorporates nongenetic risk factors for hospitalization from COVID-19.

They make it clear that this is not based on your genetics. But you have to read that. Its not like its in huge bold letters, Green told Healthline.

The tools algorithm is based on data related to age, sex, ancestry, weight, height, exercise frequency, and certain health conditions. Those conditions include fatty liver disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.

Green speculates that the company might eventually incorporate genetic data into the tool as more insights on genetic risk factors become available.

I dont know, but I suspect they will be trying to integrate genetic data into it as the weeks go by and they get more [data], he said.

To develop the COVID-19 Severity Calculator, 23andMe drew on findings from its own COVID-19 Research Study.

The company launched this project in April 2020 to identify and study genetic and non-genetic factors that may affect how COVID-19 develops among members of its customer base.

Study participants share saliva samples and complete online questionnaires about their health, including their experiences with COVID-19.

Nearly 10,000 participants report they have tested positive for the virus. Roughly 750 report being hospitalized with severe symptoms of the disease.

The participants in this study do not represent the general population of the United States, reports 23andMe.

The company also notes that neither the study nor the risk calculator incorporate findings from people who have died from COVID-19.

COVID-19 can cause a wide range of symptoms, ranging from mild to life threatening. Multiple research groups around the world are studying how genetic factors may affect those symptoms and how COVID-19 develops.

I am confident that genetics has a role in disease onset and severity, Michael P. Snyder, PhD, chair of the department of genetics and director of the Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine at Stanford University in California, told Healthline.

Right now, blood type, which is controlled by genetics, has been associated with COVID-19 in several studies. Other genetic loci are [also beginning to be discovered, he said.

Many scientists who are studying these topics have come together to participate in The COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative. This international research consortium includes Greens research team, as well as 23andMe.

As researchers learn more about the role of genetics in COVID-19, their findings may help them predict who is at greatest risk of developing severe symptoms. This may help experts learn which groups of people are most likely to benefit from certain treatments, said Snyder.

Genetic insights may also help scientists identify new treatment targets and treatment approaches for COVID-19.

Certain markers may offer clues to specific biological vulnerabilities and specific systems in the body that put you at risk, Green said.

If you can pin down more precisely exactly which genes and variants are more responsible, which proteins those genes produce, youve got a head start on thinking about treatments that can moderate those responses, he added.

Follow this link:
What Experts Think of 23andMe's COVID-19 Risk Calculator - Healthline

Posted in Genetic Medicine | Comments Off on What Experts Think of 23andMe’s COVID-19 Risk Calculator – Healthline

Gene transfer therapies are the ‘next big thing’ in medicine. Here’s how gene editing works and the companies behind it – Genetic Literacy Project

The breakthroughs made possible by gene editing were shown in the Jan. 6 news that base editing had repaired a genetic defect in lab mice suffering from progeria, a disorder that prematurely ages and kills children born with the mutation.

Most first-generation gene therapies use a hollowed-out virus to carry synthetic versions of a gene into cells. The transferred gene isnt integrated into the cellular DNA, but the cell can still use the instructions to produce functional versions of the missing protein.

Hundreds of such gene-augmentation therapies are in clinical trials. BioMarin Pharmaceutical, UniQure , and Pfizerare each in Phase 3 trials on therapies to treat hemophilia, the bleeding disorder resulting from a mutation in the gene for a blood-clotting protein. Pfizer is also racing Sarepta Therapeuticsto treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy with transferred genes that can produce working versions of a muscle protein that patients cant produce.

Pfizer is making a big bet on these gene-transfer therapies, with three clinical trials that could lead to approvals in the next few years.

These gene-replacement therapies have limitations, however. Their effect wears off as children grow, or in parts of the body with high cell turnover, since transferred genes arent integrated in the genome and are left behind as cells divide. As a result, these expensive treatments might need to be repeated every few years.

Read the original post

Follow this link:
Gene transfer therapies are the 'next big thing' in medicine. Here's how gene editing works and the companies behind it - Genetic Literacy Project

Posted in Genetic Medicine | Comments Off on Gene transfer therapies are the ‘next big thing’ in medicine. Here’s how gene editing works and the companies behind it – Genetic Literacy Project

Tencent Gives Boost to Gene Technology Startup Vision Medicals with New Funding Round – Caixin Global

Tencent Gives Boost to Gene Technology Startup Vision Medicals with New Funding Round

Chinese precision medicine startup Vision Medicals has raised 200 million yuan ($31 million) in its series C funding round led by Tencent, its second funding round in seven months.

Proceeds from the round, which was also joined by existing investors such as CICC Capital and CDH Investments, will be used for product development, medical equipment registration, clinical services support and marketing activities, Vision Medicals said on Thursday.

Founded in 2018, Guangzhou-based Vision Medicals, which has labs in the Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing and Zhengzhou, focuses on developing genetic diagnostic technologies and precision medicines for infectious diseases. The firm has built ties with more than 800 hospitals and research institutes across China such as Peking Union Medical College Hospital and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

In December 2019, Vision Medicals joined a taskforce for early detection and genome analysis of the novel coronavirus. Three months later, the firm developed a nucleic acid detection kit for the virus, according to the companys website.

Tencent is a key financial backer of several medical startups including Miaoshou Doctor, an online platform that offers individual health consultations via video and phone.

Contact reporter Ding Yi (yiding@caixin.com)

Related: Ping An Good Doctor to Raise $1 Billion for Recruiting Physicians

Read the original here:
Tencent Gives Boost to Gene Technology Startup Vision Medicals with New Funding Round - Caixin Global

Posted in Genetic Medicine | Comments Off on Tencent Gives Boost to Gene Technology Startup Vision Medicals with New Funding Round – Caixin Global

Sarepta Therapeutics Announces Winners of the "Rare Lessons" Lesson Planning Competition – GuruFocus.com

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:SRPT), the leader in precision genetic medicine for rare diseases, today announced the four winners of the Rare Lessons lesson planning competition. Sarepta has granted the winning authors $2,500 each and $2,500 to the educational institution with which each is affiliated. The winning submissions are now available on sharemylesson.com, and more information about the authors can be found at Sarepta.com/rarelessons.

Rare Lessons competition winners and lesson plan titles:

Each of these lesson plans is unique, but share in their creativity, passion and innovative thinking aimed at building awareness of rare disease and promoting diversity and inclusion within the classroom and community. Though judges were blinded to author identity and background, another remarkable commonality is the recipients connections to rare disease, in most cases either living with a rare disease or caring for a loved one with a rare disease, said Diane Berry, Ph.D., Sareptas Senior Vice President of Global Health Policy, Government and Patient Affairs. We encourage everyone to share the sharemylesson.com links with educators in your lives, take action to start a conversation and increase understanding of rare disease, and ultimately help alleviate feelings of isolation often experienced by children and families having to navigate living with a rare disease. Sarepta congratulates all the winning authors and extends our thanks and appreciation to all contest entrants and the selection committee for generously giving of their time to review the lesson plan submissions.

This program is intended to promote the development and implementation of educational materials to increase rare disease awareness in the K-12 classroom setting. The competition was open to educators in grades K-12, based in the United States, and actively teaching in an accredited educational institution. A blinded selection committee reviewed and selected the submissions. For the Rare Lessons contest, Sarepta partnered with sharemylesson.com, a platform that offers broad availability of lesson plans for educators and schools across the country.

About Sarepta TherapeuticsAt Sarepta, we are leading a revolution in precision genetic medicine and every day is an opportunity to change the lives of people living with rare disease. The Company has built an impressive position in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and in gene therapies for limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMDs), mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA, Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), and other CNS-related disorders, with more than 40 programs in various stages of development. The Companys programs and research focus span several therapeutic modalities, including RNA, gene therapy and gene editing. For more information, please visit http://www.sarepta.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Internet Posting of InformationWe routinely post information that may be important to investors in the 'For Investors' section of our website at http://www.sarepta.com. We encourage investors and potential investors to consult our website regularly for important information about us.

Source: Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc.

Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc.

Investors:Ian Estepan, 617-274-4052, [emailprotected]

Media:Tracy Sorrentino, 617-301-8566, [emailprotected]

More:
Sarepta Therapeutics Announces Winners of the "Rare Lessons" Lesson Planning Competition - GuruFocus.com

Posted in Genetic Medicine | Comments Off on Sarepta Therapeutics Announces Winners of the "Rare Lessons" Lesson Planning Competition – GuruFocus.com

Alliance for Regenerative Medicine Responds to EU Beating Cancer Plan – GlobeNewswire

Alliance for Regenerative Medicine Responds to EU Beating Cancer Plan

ATMPs are uniquely positioned to attack cancer at its source, bringing life-changing benefits to patients

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM February 3, 2021

The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) -- the global voice of the regenerative medicine and advanced therapies sector -- applauds the EU Beating Cancer Plans identification of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) as part of a comprehensive cancer solution. ATMPs include cell and gene therapies that have already revolutionized the treatment of some aggressive forms of blood cancers and hold great promise for addressing other types of cancer.

In particular, ARM:

Paige Bischoff, SVP of Global Public Affairs at ARM, commented: We believe that ATMPs are some of the most powerful weapons that we have to beat cancer. The Beating Cancer Plan recognizes that ATMPs should be part of a comprehensive cancer solution -- ARM looks forward to engaging with and supporting the EUs efforts to harness the durable and potentially curative nature of cell and gene therapies. The existing treatments include EMA-approved personalized CAR-T therapies, which genetically re-engineer patients own immune cells to identify and attack some forms of cancers. And looking to the future, innovation in gene-editing technologies may enable us to tackle some cancers at their source the genome.

Press enquiries

For more information or for media requests, please contact Stephen Majors from the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine at smajors@alliancerm.org or Consilium Strategic Communications atARM@consilium-comms.com.

About the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine

The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) is the leading international advocacy organisation dedicated to realizing the promise of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs).ARMpromotes legislative, regulatory and reimbursement initiativesin Europe and internationally to advance this innovative and transformative sector, which includes cell therapies, gene therapies and tissue-based therapies.Early products to market have demonstrated profound, durable and potentially curative benefits that are already helping thousands of patients worldwide, many of whom have no other viable treatment options. Hundreds of additional product candidates contribute to a robust pipeline of potentially life-changing ATMPs.In its 11-year history,ARMhas become the global voice of the sector, representing the interests of 370+ members worldwide and 70+ members across 15 Europeancountries, including small and large companies, academic research institutions, major medical centres and patient groups.To learn more aboutARMor to become a member, visithttp://www.alliancerm.org.

More here:
Alliance for Regenerative Medicine Responds to EU Beating Cancer Plan - GlobeNewswire

Posted in Genetic Medicine | Comments Off on Alliance for Regenerative Medicine Responds to EU Beating Cancer Plan – GlobeNewswire

Vaccine Production in BC’s Future – AM 1150 – AM 1150 (iHeartRadio)

As part of the federal governmentsinvestment in domestic vaccine capability, a Vancouver company is taking their $25.1 million allotment to build a massive manufacturing facility in the Lower Mainland.

South Vancouver-basedPrecision Nanosystemsis building a $50.2 million biomanufacturing centre that could produce up to 240 million doses of vaccine every year in the 40,000 square foot facility. It's still assessing possible locations.

Its estimated completion date is March 2023, but the companys CEO says the investment is important on a number of levels.

"It's an investment in pandemic preparedness, an investment in the future, an investment in these critical technologies that are really the technologies of the future, said James Taylor in a Zoom interview. What were focussed on is the medium- to long-term pandemic responsiveness as well as developing capabilities and capacity around genetic medicine itself, so our facility will be able to utilize for programs that are involved in cancer, infectious diseases, rare diseases.

The same kind of messenger RNA technology that companies like Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have developed to quickly create and manufacture their successful COVID-19 vaccines is the same idea behind many local companies like Precision Nanosystems. Many members of the scientific community believe such genetic medicines that treat diseases at the molecular level are on the cusp of revolutionizing medicine.

"As long as you know how to create those instructions -- that genetic code you need to convince your body to create that target -- you can design an mRNA vaccine against any antigen," said Nicole Basta, an associate professor of epidemiology at McGill told the Canadian Press.

Vancouver-based Acuitas Therapeutics developed a lipid nanoparticle to protect the delicate messenger RNA strands that can be broken down by the body. https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/a-canadian-company-helped-make-one-of-the-most-promising-vaccine-candidates-1.5193860

Taylor described the Lower Mainland as a global hub in nano-medicines, pointing out the growing industry is deeply intertwined with researchers, scientists and experts working across borders on shared projects; Precision Nanosystems alone works with more than 160 other companies around the world.

This past a year has really shone a light on the importance of science and technology to solve deep problems globally, he said. It's important for us, as Canadians, to be strong participants in the development and innovation.

See the original post here:
Vaccine Production in BC's Future - AM 1150 - AM 1150 (iHeartRadio)

Posted in Genetic Medicine | Comments Off on Vaccine Production in BC’s Future – AM 1150 – AM 1150 (iHeartRadio)