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Oncotelic Therapeutics (OTC: OTLC) Inks Deal With Mosaic ImmunoEngineering To Sell Clinical-Stage Necroptosis Cancer Therapy Assets

Benzinga

By Faith Ashmore, Benzinga The global retinoblastoma treatment market size was estimated to be $2.62 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $4.20 billion by 2034 with a CAGR of 4.38% over 2024-2034. Rising incidence of retinoblastoma, early diagnosis and treatment, increasing healthcare expenditure, growing awareness of retinoblastoma treatment options, development of new treatments and government initiatives will drive the market’s growth. Recently, the FDA granted accelerated approval to Iovance Biotherapeutics’ (NASDAQ: IOVA) lifileucel (Amtagvi) to treat inoperable or metastatic melanoma, making it the first and only one-time tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy to be greenlighted for solid tumors. Lifileucel is manufactured by collecting and expanding a patient’s unique T cells from part of their tumor and then infusing them into that patient to fight the cancer. Oncotelic Therapeutics (OTCQB: OTLC) is looking to develop similar treatment therapies for ocular cancers, including retinoblastoma and uveal melanoma. The technology is named necroptosis therapies. Oncotelic and Mosaic ImmunoEngineering, Inc. (OTC: CPMV) are developers of necroptosis therapies. The recent approval of TIL cell therapy demonstrates how to manipulate patient immunity against cancer for a lasting cure. However, TIL cell therapy is costly, time-consuming and technologically challenging. Instead of driving TIL cells externally, Necroptosis Cancer Therapies drive innate TILs to the tumor. The key step is the induction of necrotic cell death and activation of death genes, exposing tumor-reactive antigens to initiate an immune response, activating antigen-presenting cells to achieve large-scale antigen presentation, activating T-cells, inducing strong and sustained cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses, and ultimately triggering a TIL antitumor immune effect. Necroptosis Cancer Therapies can use vascular disrupting agents (“VDA”), in combination with CheckPoint Inhibitors and other IO agents to drive TIL cells to the tumor. Oncotelic Therapeutics recently announced a binding term-sheet agreement with Mosaic ImmunoEngineering. Under this arrangement, Mosaic will acquire the rights to Oncotelic's clinical-stage necroptosis cancer therapies. These innovative therapeutics disrupt tumor blood flow, leading to immunogenic tumor cell death through the activation of "death receptors" – ultimately triggering a potent anti-cancer immune response. As part of the deal, Mosaic will also gain access to Oncotelic's AI technologies for identifying immunotherapy combinations. "We are very pleased to have this opportunity to bring these clinical stage assets that have promise for the treatment of multiple types of cancer into Mosaic. We anticipate that the initial application of the technology will be in areas with high unmet medical need such as uveal melanoma and retinoblastoma. We look forward to working with the Oncotelic team to advance the program," said Steven King, President and CEO of Mosaic. As outlined in the binding term sheet, Mosaic will issue $15 million in CPMV shares to Oncotelic upon the execution of the definitive purchase agreement. Additional milestones will enable Oncotelic to earn up to an extra $15 million in CPMV shares. The experienced Mosaic team, with a collective background encompassing more than 30 FDA and worldwide product approvals, will spearhead the advancement of these technologies. Both companies will collaborate closely to ensure the smooth transfer of technologies from Oncotelic to Mosaic, with Oncotelic providing short-term financial support for the program while working together toward achieving short-term and long-term financing goals. "This will be the second transaction for capitalizing on our assets and building shareholder value. The first being the successful transition of OT-101 to our joint venture (“JV”) with Dragon Capital Overseas, Limited. The JV is expected to list for an IPO and has been expanding its R&D including the completion of its research and manufacturing facility headquartered in San Diego, California." shared Dr. Vuong Trieu, CEO of Oncotelic. Pipeline – What More To Expect From Oncotelic Oncotelic has multiple drugs in its pipeline, such as ArtiVeda/ArtiShield, a COVID drug that aims to inhibit the spread of the virus; OT-101 for the treatment of solid tumors with a focus on brain cancer in adults and diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma in children; CA4P, which is intended to be used with Ipilimumab for the treatment of solid tumors with focus on melanoma; Oxi4503 for the treatment of liquid tumors with focus on childhood leukemia; and AL-101, an intranasal drug for the treatment of Parkinson Disease that also targets Erectile Dysfunction and Female Sexual Dysfunction. Oncotelic is looking to develop these drugs using a similar JV structure, which should enhance shareholder values. With an encouraging recent announcement and an extensive pipeline, Oncotelic may be a company to watch as it continues its endeavors to provide patients with more efficient treatments – with fewer side effects. Featured photo by Olga Kononenko on Unsplash. Benzinga is a leading financial media and data provider, known for delivering accurate, timely, and actionable financial information to empower investors and traders. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

May 29, 2024 08:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Classiq collaborates with Hewlett Packard Enterprise on Hybrid Quantum Simulation

Classiq Technologies

Classiq, a leading quantum software company, announced it has developed a rapid method for solving large-scale combinatorial optimization problems in collaboration with Hewlett Packard Labs, the central research community of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), the result of joint research on the integration of high performance computing (HPC) and quantum computing. The rising level of maturity on the diverse approaches to quantum computation is now raising questions about how to productively integrate leading edge quantum and classical HPC approaches to solve important problems to the top of the research agenda. As the demand for sophisticated computational solutions increases, the integration between HPC and quantum computing is becoming crucial. From scheduling and orchestration to hybrid computation, these two approaches are converging, creating opportunities for innovative solutions to complex problems. This collaboration between Classiq and Hewlett Packard Labs exemplifies the potential of combining state-of-the-art classical and quantum algorithms to achieve superior results The hybrid approach uses the HPE Cray Supercomputing EX system and the massive parallel execution efficiency of HPE Cray Programming Environment for high performance computing along with the Classiq synthesis engine's ability to synthesize Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) circuits to achieve noteworthy results. This solution encapsulates smaller problems to formulate an optimal approach for large-scale challenges. By merging classical and quantum algorithms, this method demonstrates a significant improvement in solving real-world problems efficiently and how to make the potential advantages of quantum acceleration readily available in the HPC data center. The work will be showcased in the paper titled “Hybrid Classical-Quantum Simulation of MaxCut using QAOA-in-QAOA,” to be presented on the 31st May at the Q-Casa workshop at the IEEE IPDPS Conference in San Francisco. “This collaboration is a testament to the power of combining cutting-edge quantum and classical computing technologies. We are incredibly proud of the work we have done together, which not only showcases the potential of hybrid computation but also demonstrates tangible efficiency improvements,” said Nir Minerbi, CEO of Classiq. “The findings in this paper are a significant step forward in accelerating the integration of quantum computing into mainstream applications.” Integration of the Classiq engine as backend to Hewlett Packard Labs quantum programming environment will enable abstract, optimized and scalable quantum/HPC software development. By continuing to innovate and develop new solutions, both companies aim to drive the accelerated integration of these key computational technologies, paving the way for future advancements in various industries. HPE’s venture capital program, Hewlett Packard Pathfinder, made a 2022 investment in Classiq. About Classiq Classiq Technologies, the leading quantum software company, provides an all-encompassing platform (IDE, compiler and OS) with a single point of entry into quantum computing, taking you from algorithm design to execution. The high-level descriptive quantum software development environment, tailored to all levels of developer proficiency, automates quantum programming. This ensures that a broad range of talents, including those with backgrounds in AI, ML and linear algebra, can harness quantum computing without requiring deep, specialized knowledge of quantum physics. Classiq democratizes access to quantum computing and equips its users to take full advantage of the quantum computing revolution, including access to a broad range of quantum hardware. Classiq’s core technology, algorithmic quantum circuit compilation, is engineered to power the quantum ecosystem of today and the future. Classiq works closely with quantum cloud providers and advanced computation hardware developers providing software for use with quantum computers, HPC and quantum simulators. Backed by investors such as Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s Hewlett Packard Pathfinder venture capital program, HSBC, Samsung, Intesa Sanpaolo and NTT, Classiq’s world-class team of scientists and engineers has distilled decades of quantum expertise into its groundbreaking quantum engine. Follow Classiq on LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter) or YouTube, visit the Slack community, GitHub repository and website, www.classiq.io to learn more. Contact Details Rainier Communications Jenna Beaucage +1 508-340-6851 jbeaucage@rainierco.com Company Website http://www.classiq.io/

May 29, 2024 08:05 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Halving of BTFS Storage Rewards

BitTorrent

Singapore, May 28, 2024 – To sustain the growth and success of the BitTorrent ecosystem, BTFS is set to implement a halving on the next round of rewards for storage miners on the BTFS network. From 00:00 (UTC) June 25, 2024, the daily rewards for storage miners on the BTFS network will be halved from 15 billion BTT to 7.5 billion BTT. The BitTorrent File System (BTFS) is a decentralized file storage system that utilizes blockchain technology and peer-to-peer transmission. It allows users to store their files across multiple nodes in a distributed manner, enhancing file security and reliability. BTFS also offers rapid file transfer and access, giving users greater convenience in managing and sharing files. By integrating key features of the BitTorrent Chain (BTTC), such as cross-chain connectivity and multichannel payment options, BTFS significantly enhances user experience. Currently, the BTFS network is experiencing rapid growth with over 8 million nodes across the network, including more than 6 million super miners, according to BTFS SCAN. To support the efficient operations of these nodes, BTFS initiated a rewards program and has provided an aggregate of 25 trillion BTT since the launch of BTFS Mainnet in 2019. Every two years, the BTFS rewards halving will occur causing the rewards for all storage miners across the network to be cut in half. (Halving roadmap) Moreover, halving will also prompt miners to improve node performance by optimizing node operation and reducing waste. In addition, an upgrade of the official website for the BTFS technical community and the release of BTFS v3.0 Mainnet will be scheduled in sync with the halving. These developments are expected to improve the efficiency of the BTFS protocol, expand the user base, and enhance its overall functionality. Looking ahead, BTFS is committed to continuously refining its storage rewards strategies. The goal is to expand the network of nodes participating in file storage on BTFS, providing developers with an efficient, secure, and reliable storage solution boosting both the capacity and the transaction efficiency of the BTTC network. About BTFS The BitTorrent File System (BTFS) is both a protocol and a web application that provides a content-addressable peer-to-peer mechanism for storing and sharing digital content in a decentralized file system, as well as a base platform for decentralized applications (Dapp). The BTFS team has been working on the latest network operations and BTT market sentiment, etc., to make a series of dynamic adjustments such as upload prices and airdrop reward schemes. About BitTorrent Founded with a leading peer-to-peer sharing technology standard in 2004, BitTorrent, Inc. is a consumer software company based in San Francisco. Its protocol is the largest decentralized P2P network in the world, driving 22% of upstream and 3% of downstream traffic globally. Its flagship desktop and mobile products, BitTorrent and µTorrent, enable users to send large files over the internet, connecting legitimate third-party content providers with users. With over 100 million active users, BitTorrent products have been installed on over 1 billion devices in over 138 countries worldwide. Since November 2018, TRON (TRX), Binance (BNB), and Bitcoin (BTC) holders have the opportunity to purchase one-year subscriptions of BitTorrent or µTorrent products, including Ads Free and Pro for Windows. Pro includes anti-virus and anti-malware screening, file converting and playability in HD. Users can visit bittorrent.com or utorrent.com to learn more. Website | Telegram | Medium | X | Media Contact John Chen press@bittorrent.com Contact Details John Chen press@bittorrent.com

May 28, 2024 07:53 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Voyageur Pharmaceuticals Secures $1.9 Million Sales Contract for Latin America

Voyageur Pharmaceuticals Ltd

Voyageur Pharmaceuticals CEO Brent Willis joined Steve Darling from Proactive to announce a significant milestone for the company with the signing of its first sales contract valued at USD $1.9 million. The contract spans a three-year term and involves a distribution partner specializing in radiology drugs in Latin America. Under the agreement, the distribution partner will have exclusivity in two Latin American countries, facilitated by covering all regulatory and licensing costs. The contract pricing structure is based on achieving volume milestones, providing incentives for both parties to drive sales growth. Willis highlighted that this major sales distribution agreement positions Voyageur to expand its market presence across Latin America. The company's flagship product, SmoothX®2% w/v, will serve as the lead entry product, with plans to introduce additional products, including Vision HD® 98%, Vision LD® 96%, Smooth HD® 105%, Smooth LD® 60%, and V-Gas®. SmoothX®2% w/v, currently available for immediate sales and distribution, is a contrast media designed for use in Computed Tomography (CT) of the gastrointestinal tract. The product's formulation of barium supports high-quality imaging, offering reproducible results for accurate diagnosis and image comparison. Clinical tests have demonstrated patient preference for SmoothX over existing products used in CT imaging, indicating its potential for market success. This sales contract signifies an important step forward for Voyageur Pharmaceuticals, positioning the company for growth and expansion in the Latin American market. Contact Details Proactive Investors +1 604-688-8158 na-editorial@proactiveinvestors.com

May 28, 2024 09:14 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Analysts’ Consensus Reaffirms Significant Upside Potential for Cardiol Therapeutics

RazorPitch CRDL

Cardiol Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRDL) (TSX:CRDL), a clinical-stage life sciences company focused on the research and clinical development of anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic therapies for the treatment of heart disease, has been attracting substantial interest from investors looking for opportunities in the biotech sector. CRDL is currently developing CardiolRx™ and CRD-38 therapies for heart diseases, including recurrent pericarditis, acute myocarditis, and heart failure. Over the past year, CRDL stock has surged by more than 250%, illustrating the increasing level of investor interest in the company. The stock now trades around $2.35 per share and appears to be on track to test its next potential resistance at $3. For investors who may be wondering whether they missed out on Cardiol Therapeutics' (NASDAQ:CRDL) (TSX:CRDL) impressive rally, here’s some good news. The stock has the potential for further upside considering the fact that Cardiol will release topline data for its Phase 2 MAvERIC-Pilot clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of CardiolRx™ for the treatment of recurrent pericarditis sometime in early June, which, if positive, has the potential to send the stock higher. Moreover, several analysts have reiterated that the stock has the potential for significant upside, further reaffirming Cardiol’s growth prospects. For instance, Joe Gantoss of Chimera Research Group says he won’t be surprised to see Cardiol’s price break past the 3-year high at $4.96 if the recurrent pericarditis data show a clear success and open the path to move to the next stage with Phase 3 trial. According to Gantoss, Cardiol Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRDL) (TSX:CRDL) has many things going in its favor right now heading into a critical Phase 2 trial readout in recurrent pericarditis in June that he believes will lead to a positive outcome. Those include a strong rationale for its mechanism of action as well as receipt of FDA Orphan Drug Designation (ODD), which suggests a positive signal in an early data subset, plus a tried-and-true recurrent pericarditis trial design with experienced investigators at the helm. Thanks to the FDA ODD grant, CardiolRx™ has a clear path to expedite the development timeline and will ensure a market exclusivity period of at least 7 years. And the great thing is that there’s a robust market for innovation in this indication, as evidenced by a successful recent drug launch. At a current market cap of $162 million, this is clearly underappreciated and unrecognized by the market at the present time. For reference, company peer Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals (KNSA) now has a $1.4 billion market cap on expected sales of $360-$380 million for treating recurrent pericarditis, with single to low double-digit market penetration. We also note the example of Jazz Pharmaceuticals (JAZZ) buying out company peer GW Pharma (GWPH) for approximately $7 billion after Epidiolex, a formulation sharing a similar active ingredient with CardiolRx™, reached half a billion in sales in epilepsy over 2 years (now guiding for a US $1-billion-dollar franchise in the years to come). “Clearly, a $160 million market cap does not do Cardiol justice. With positive data in Q2, the path to market becomes a slam dunk, and the stock should surge to the upside in response,” says Gantoss. In addition, analyst Vernon Bernardino of H.C. Wainwright & Co reiterated their Buy rating and issued a $9 price target, which implies that Cardiol Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRDL) (TSX:CRDL) has a potential upside of about 300% from current levels. There is currently only one FDA-approved therapy for recurrent pericarditis. With CardiolRx™’s strong safety profile vs. anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs, the analyst believes CardiolRx™ has the potential to be a safe, new approach to recurrent pericarditis treatment and is underappreciated. Likewise, Bernardino also expects topline results from MAvERIC-Pilot to be a positive catalyst in early June. ARCHER is Cardiol’s Phase 2 multi-center, international, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial investigating the safety, tolerability, and impact of CardiolRx™ on myocardial recovery in patients presenting with acute myocarditis. ARCHER trial design, rationale, and blinded baseline data on the first 50 patients randomized were the subject of an oral presentation at the World Congress on Acute Heart Failure earlier this month. According to Bernardino, they are positive about the results as they look for ARCHER to assist in furthering understanding of the therapeutic potential of CardiolRx™ and complement the MAvERIC-Pilot Phase 2 study. ARCHER patient recruitment has been accelerating, with the trial expected to enroll 100 patients in the United States, Canada, France, Brazil, and Israel. In fact, ARCHER has now exceeded 85% of target enrollment, and as a result, H.C. Wainwright & Co. believes prospects for its completion by early 2025 are good. Huge unmet medical need Pericarditis is a heart disorder consisting of inflammation of the pericardium, the membrane or sac that surrounds the heart and protects it from damage during contraction. Acute pericarditis lasts about 4-6 weeks before resolving, but often patients can experience a second episode. If another episode occurs following a period of 4-6 weeks without symptoms, this is considered recurrent pericarditis. At the moment, the first-line conventional treatment for recurrent pericarditis is NSAIDs or aspirin, with or without colchicine. For the second-line therapy, for patients with continued recurrence and inadequate response, corticosteroids are administered despite safety issues and difficulty tapering or discontinuation. The only FDA-approved therapy, ARCALYST® (rilonacept) averages over $150,000 per year and is primarily used for over three recurrences. The most common complication of pericarditis is recurrence, occurring in 15-30% of first-time pericarditis cases, some complications can be deadly, and an estimated 5% of all hospitalizations for chest pain in the US and Europe are due to pericarditis. In the US, the annual prevalence is about 160,000 cases (based on 40/100,000) which includes 38,000 cases with a recurrence. Hospitalization costs average $20 – $30k with a 6 – 8-day length of stay. So far, ARCALYST® has had impressive results in recurrent pericarditis and strong market uptake since its launch in 2021, and this is bullish for Cardiol Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRDL) (TSX:CRDL) since it reflects a market in need of innovation and ready to embrace new alternatives. Takeaway In summary, the near-term pericarditis clinical proof-of-concept data expected in early June could be a major catalyst and turning point for Cardiol and its valuation. Cardiol Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRDL) (TSX:CRDL) has a strong financial position, being debt-free and is well-capitalized to achieve corporate milestones into 2026, which is why analysts remain confident in the company’s long-term growth prospects. Disclaimers: RazorPitch Inc. "RazorPitch" is not operated by a licensed broker, a dealer, or a registered investment adviser. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investment advice. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides investors a safe harbor in regard to forward-looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, goals, assumptions, or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact may be forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on expectations, estimates, and projections at the time the statements are made that involve a number of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those presently anticipated. Forward looking statements in this action may be identified through use of words such as projects, foresee, expects, will, anticipates, estimates, believes, understands, or that by statements indicating certain actions & quote; may, could, or might occur. Understand there is no guarantee past performance will be indicative of future results. Investing in micro-cap and growth securities is highly speculative and carries an extremely high degree of risk. It is possible that an investors investment may be lost or impaired due to the speculative nature of the companies profiled. RazorPitch has been retained and compensated by Cardiol Therapeutics to assist in the production and distribution of content related to CRDL. RazorPitch is responsible for the production and distribution of this content. It should be expressly understood that under no circumstances does any information published herein represent a recommendation to buy or sell a security. This content is for informational purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. Nothing contained in this article constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, endorsement, or offer by RazorPitch or any third party service provider to buy or sell any securities or other financial instruments. All content in this article is information of a general nature and does not address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Nothing in this article constitutes professional and/or financial advice, nor does any information in the article constitute a comprehensive or complete statement of the matters discussed or the law relating thereto. RazorPitch is not a fiduciary by virtue of any persons use of or access to this content. Contact Details RazorPitch Inc Mark McKelvie +1 585-301-7700 mark@razorpitch.com Company Website http://razorpitch.com

May 28, 2024 07:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Oncimmune Reports Robust Interim Results, Exceeding Previous Year's Revenue in Just Six Months

Oncimmune Holdings PLC

Oncimmune CEO Martin Gouldstone joined Steve Darling from Proactive to announce the company's interim results for the six months ended February 29, 2024. During this period, Oncimmune achieved revenue of £1.19 million, marking a significant milestone in the company's financial performance. This revenue surpasses the £1.15 million generated from continuing operations in the entire fiscal year 2023, indicating a notable improvement and reflecting a strategic shift initiated in October 2023. Gouldstone expressed satisfaction with the company's performance in the first half of fiscal year 2024, highlighting the substantial increase in revenues compared to the ImmunoINSIGHTSTM business in fiscal year 2023. This achievement underscores the effectiveness of Oncimmune's new strategic approach and commercial endeavors, which are gaining momentum. Moreover, Gouldstone revealed that Oncimmune secured contracts for seven new projects during the reporting period. These contracts are expected to be completed by the end of fiscal year 2024, contributing to the company's revenue growth trajectory. Additionally, Oncimmune entered into a Master Services Agreement with Freenome, further enhancing its commercial portfolio. Looking ahead, Oncimmune is well-positioned for continued growth, with 15 new commercial opportunities in the proposal stage as of April 2024. These opportunities represent a total weighted pipeline value exceeding £2.5 million. While some revenue is anticipated to be recognized in fiscal year 2024, the majority is expected in fiscal year 2025, reflecting the company's ongoing expansion efforts and future revenue prospects. Contact Details Proactive UK Ltd +44 20 7989 0813 uk@proactiveinvestors.com

May 24, 2024 12:34 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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PathAI and Aster Insights Partner to Deliver Combined AI-Derived Structured Pathology and Multimodal Real-World Data Solutions

PathAI

PathAI, a global leader in AI-powered pathology, and Aster Insights, the leading provider of scientific and clinical intelligence for oncology discovery, today announced a multi-year strategic partnership to develop curated multimodal datasets that pair PathAI’s PathExplore 1 artificial intelligence (AI) tumor microenvironment (TME) quantification panel with Aster Insights’ Avatar clinical, molecular, and digital pathology imaging data. By combining their respective best-in-class platforms, PathAI and Aster Insights will be able to expedite the development of novel insights to accelerate the discovery and development of new treatments for patients with cancer. The partnership will allow PathAI to utilize digital whole slide imaging (WSI) from Aster Insights’ Oncology Research Information Exchange Network ® (ORIEN). ORIEN ® members participate in Total Cancer Care ® (TCC), the world’s largest and longest-running observational research study in oncology, which has accrued over 400,000 patients to date. Digital pathology images contain a wealth of untapped data, and PathAI’s PathExplore is the world’s first structured, standardized, and scalable product that leverages AI to characterize the TME from routinely available hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained digital WSIs. PathExplore exhaustively detects and classifies the millions of cell and tissue regions across H&E WSIs to provide researchers access to important insights, such as patterns of immune cell infiltration and presence of complex tissue structures. These data are critical for better understanding existing treatments and the development of novel therapeutics. PathExplore features are paired with Aster’s Avatar multimodal data including tumor whole exome and whole transcriptome sequencing, which allows researchers to follow a patient throughout their cancer journey and access rich information about their cancer biology. Avatar provides a powerful set of data, allowing for a deeper understanding of disease pathology, and what happens to patients when they are exposed to certain treatments. “Analysis of histopathology images uniquely allows researchers to define and quantify spatial changes in the tumor microenvironment resulting from treatment or disease progression,” said Andy Beck, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of PathAI. “Our collaboration with Aster Insights is empowering researchers with robust multimodal datasets to explore hypotheses such as identifying and analyzing novel histological biomarkers correlated with patient treatment, outcomes, and gene expression.” “Our approach to leveraging AI with multimodal data will lead to new information and deeper insights than currently possible,” said Anand Shah, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Aster Insights. “Together with PathAI, we are creating new knowledge that is critical for researchers and life sciences partners to expand therapeutic options.” PathAI and Aster Insights are offering these joint solutions to biopharma customers to support targeted and pan-cancer initiatives across the drug development lifecycle. For more information, please contact Aster Insights and PathAI. You can also connect with both companies at ASCO in Chicago, IL, from May 31-June 4, 2024. Footnotes 1 PathExplore is For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. About PathAI PathAI is the only AI-focused technology company to provide comprehensive precision pathology solutions from wet lab services to algorithm deployment for clinical trials to the industry leading AISight Image Management System. Rigorously trained and validated with data from more than 15 million annotations, its AI-powered models can be leveraged to optimize the analysis of pathology samples to improve efficiency and accuracy of pathology interpretation, as well as to better gauge biomarker status and accelerate drug development for complex diseases. For more information, please visit www.pathai.com. About Aster Insights Aster Insights is the leading provider of scientific and clinical intelligence for oncology discovery. We partner with drug, biologics, diagnostics, and medical device developers to accelerate oncology product discovery and development. Aster Insights leads the Oncology Research Information Exchange Network® (ORIEN), a consortium of the nation's leading cancer centers that conduct Total Cancer Care®, the world's largest and longest running observational research study in oncology. Together, we are changing the way cancer is studied, treated, and prevented. Learn more at www.AsterInsights.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Contact Details SVM Public Relations and Marketing Communications Maggie Naples +1 401-490-9700 pathai@svmpr.com Aster Insights Dawn Thomas-Smith dawn.thomas-smith@asterinsights.com Company Website https://www.pathai.com/

May 23, 2024 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Technology Is Enabling Remote Work In More And More Fields – Could Surgery Be Next? Surgical Robot Maker Monogram Orthopedics (NASDAQ: MGRM) Believes So

Benzinga

By Meg Flippin, Benzinga From far-flung corners of the world to rural towns across America, remote, robotic surgeries have the potential to change the way doctors treat patients. Using advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, teleconferencing and the internet, doctors can perform everything from knee replacements to gastric bypass without ever leaving their healthcare facility. That is already changing how care is delivered. Remote surgeries can provide cheaper and faster solutions – improving the accessibility of high-quality surgical care, overcoming surgeon shortages and saving patients money by removing the need to travel long distances for healthcare. Then there’s the enhanced accuracy and improved outcomes surgeons can achieve by using robotics to perform surgeries that otherwise would be manual and subject to potential human error. Take knee replacements, for one example. As it stands, 88% of knee surgeries are still performed manually, opening patients up to errors that could require more treatment and care. The benefits don’t end there. By using minimally invasive robotic methods, patients often see a reduction in complications, pain and infections. Not to mention, these methods can lead to faster recovery times and shorter hospital stays. All of those positives haven’t been lost on the medical community and are driving demand for telesurgery. According to Research and Markets, the surgical robots market is poised to hit $7.3 billion by 2030, up from $6.4 billion in 2022 – growing at a CAGR of 13.5% during the forecast period. The need for robotics can be found in every area of surgical care but seems particularly poised to grow in orthopedics. The orthopedic device market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% through 2030, reaching $80.28 billion, according to Fortune Business Insights. Driving the growth is a rising prevalence of osteoporosis and musculoskeletal diseases, an aging population and an increase in sports-related injuries. The technology and procedures used today are antiquated, and robots could help with an overhaul. Monogram Demonstrates Its Prowess When it comes to remote robotic surgery, many players are trying to advance this type of treatment care. One company that seems to be seeing success is Monogram Orthopedics Inc. (NASDAQ: MGRM), the Austin, Texas medical technology company aiming to revolutionize orthopedic joint replacement surgery with its robotic technology, which links 3D printing and robotics with advanced pre-operative imaging. The company is developing a robot that it believes could help improve the standard of care in orthopedics in the future. Accompanying the robot are what the company describes as its “patient optimized” mPress implants that the company believes, when combined with robotics, could help surgeons deliver personalized care. Last year, the company made history by completing what it says is the first fully remote simulated robotic surgery in orthopedics. On March 7, 2023, Douglas Unis, MD of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City and founder of Monogram Orthopedics, completed a fully remote total knee arthroplasty (TKA) procedure on a cadaver, controlling the Austin-based robot from New York City in real-time via the system’s user-operated foot pedal. Unis said at the time that despite being 1,700 miles away, the real-time system was very responsive with little in the way of latency. The successful simulated cadaveric surgery was live-streamed for the world to see. Internet Reliability On Display To demonstrate the capabilities and ensure the surgery went off without a hitch, Monogram tapped Real-Time Innovations’ RTI Connext® Anywhere software to provide real-time connectivity, which is extremely important for remote surgeries to be a success. To address the technical challenges of teleoperation, Monogram required a flexible software connectivity solution that was designed for distributed, secure and reliable data flow. Connext Anywhere, based on the Data Distribution Service (DDS™) standard, accelerates the development of intelligent and connected platforms and provides a range of reliability features to optimize and prioritize real-time data flow over intermittent networks. That proved true during the remote surgery. "A joint-replacement surgery is incredibly invasive, stressful and is still a largely manual process today, with 100,000 knee replacements failing each year," Kamran Shamaei, CTO at Monogram said at the time. "We feel strongly that our total knee replacement system, with RTI's underlying technology, could eventually help to dramatically reduce this number, hopefully helping patients to have a more stable, better-fitting knee replacement with fewer complications in a fraction of the time it takes today." It’s Just The Beginning Since Monogram’s successful demonstration, the company has made inroads in bringing robotic surgeries to the mainstream. It recently announced it delivered its first surgical robot, mBôs, to one of the world’s largest global robotics distributors. It marked the first sale for Monogram Orthopedics. In pre-clinical simulated cadaveric surgeries, Monogram’s robot was able to complete an orthopedic surgery in 40 minutes – about half the time it has taken some systems today. The goal is to try and get surgical timed down to 20 minutes with the help of the company’s recently announced mVIsion navigation. Remote robotic surgeries are just taking off as companies like Monogram aim to revolutionize surgical care. Telesurgery has the potential to level the playing field, help surgeon adoption and potentially improve patient outcomes, and make treatment more accessible and affordable for people residing in even the most remote locations. Just like video conferencing transformed the way we communicate, telesurgery is poised to change the way doctors across the world perform surgeries. Monogram is positioning itself to play a major role in that revolution. Featured photo by Piron Guillaume on Unsplash. Benzinga is a leading financial media and data provider, known for delivering accurate, timely, and actionable financial information to empower investors and traders. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

May 23, 2024 08:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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MAIA Biotechnology's Unique Telomere Targeting Agent Currently In Clinical Development Shows Promise For The Multi-Billion Dollar Cancer Therapy Market

Benzinga

By Kyle Anthony, Benzinga MAIA Biotechnology (AMEX: MAIA) is a cutting-edge biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing innovative therapies for cancer treatment. The company’s mission is to discover, develop and deliver transformative cancer therapies that improve patients' lives worldwide. MAIA Biotechnology envisions a future where cancer is manageable and patients can live longer, healthier lives. The firm is at the forefront of revolutionizing oncology, leveraging advanced scientific research and technological advancements to drive its progress, with the goal of bringing treatments that target cancer's replication mechanism in a more efficacious and less harmful manner than traditional therapies. Company Background Founded in August 2018 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, MAIA Biotechnology is led by an experienced management team and supported by scientific advisors with extensive drug development experience who are committed to advancing promising agents into human clinical trials. MAIA Biotechnology specializes in telomere-targeting therapies for cancer treatment. As such, the firm’s current product focus is the development of first-in-class drugs that target proteins that control how cancer cells grow, divide and spread. MAIA Biotechnology's pipeline includes several promising candidates in various stages of development, but its premier product offering is THIO (6-thio-2′-deoxyguanosine), a first-in-class telomere-targeting agent designed to selectively kill telomerase-positive cancer cells, which are present in most human cancers. The Role Of Telomeres In Cancer Telomeres play a crucial role in cellular aging and cancer development. Research published by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute explains that cancer cells often avoid senescence or cell death by rebuilding and maintaining their telomeres despite repeated cell divisions. This is possible because the cancer cells activate an enzyme called telomerase, which adds genetic units to the telomeres to prevent them from shortening to the point of causing cell death. As a result, cancer cells essentially become immortal. Telomerase is silenced in most normal cells but is active in an estimated 85% to 95% of human cancer cells. Since telomerase is active in cancer cells but not normal cells, it is seen as a promising target for cancer therapy. Due to telomerase inhibition, activity or expression, telomere-targeting drugs might kill tumor cells by allowing telomeres to shrink or by provoking apoptosis, the process of programmed cell death. By incorporating into telomeres, THIO disrupts their function, leading to cancer cell death. This approach has shown promising preclinical results and has been undergoing clinical trials. Product Development Pipeline THIO is MAIA Biotechnology’s most advanced product offering, which has shown positive efficacy findings in treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in clinical trials. The ongoing clinical trial is testing the hypothesis that lower doses of THIO administered before immune checkpoint inhibitor Libtayo® treatment (i.e., stimulation of the immune system to attack cancer cells) would enhance and prolong responses in subjects with advanced NSCLC who did not respond or progress after first-line treatment with a checkpoint inhibitor, a type of drug that blocks proteins called checkpoints that are made by some types of immune system cells such as T cells and some cancer cells. These checkpoints help keep immune responses from being too strong and sometimes can keep T cells from killing cancer cells. The clinical trial's positive results support THIO's tolerability and safety as an anticancer therapy and a priming immune activator. Treatment with THIO sequenced with Libtayo® treatment was found to be well-tolerated in a heavily pre-treated population thus far. MAIA Biotechnology is also researching other drug treatments, using its expertise in telomere-targeting agents as a foundation. The company’s second-generation program aims to discover new compounds with potentially improved specificity toward cancer cells relative to normal cells and potentially increased anticancer activity. This program will allow MAIA Biotechnology to strengthen its patent portfolio over time, which already has five issued patents and 29 applications pending worldwide. Market Potential and Industry Impact Research published by Coherent Market Insights estimates the cancer therapy market will be worth $205.10 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $466.21 billion by 2031. The driving factors behind this growth are the rising occurrence of cancer worldwide and the increasing demand for cancer treatment. As such, MAIA Biotechnology‘s THIO addresses a large and growing market. As outlined in their most recent corporate presentation, lung and colon cancer are the first and second most prevalent cancer types globally, respectively, and treating them specifically would generate billions in sales. Given the current opportunity, MAIA Biotechnology will continue to protect its intellectual property while expanding its patent portfolio. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted a third orphan drug designation (ODD) to THIO as a treatment for glioblastoma; the drug also holds ODDs for hepatocellular carcinoma and small-cell lung cancer. The glioblastoma market is expected to grow from $2.2 billion to $3.2 billion globally in the next three years. The FDA’s ODD program provides multiple incentives to make orphan drug development more financially feasible for companies. These include up to seven years of market exclusivity for the approved orphan drug, up to 20 years of 25% federal tax credit for expenses incurred in conducting clinical research within the U.S., and waiver of Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) fees for orphan drugs, a value of approximately $2.9 million in 2021. Conclusion MAIA Biotechnology’s approach to cancer treatment differentiates it from its peers, potentially placing the company in a unique market position. As incidences of cancer continue to rise globally, drug treatment options, such as THIO, will likely rise in demand. As such, the benefit that MAIA Biotechnology provides and the value proposition the firm espouses will likely continue to have industry resonance. Featured photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash. Benzinga is a leading financial media and data provider, known for delivering accurate, timely, and actionable financial information to empower investors and traders. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Benzinga +1 877-440-9464 info@benzinga.com Company Website http://www.benzinga.com

May 22, 2024 08:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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