SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwired - Jun 20, 2013) - Atossa Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATOS), The Breast Health Company, has signed an agreement with Fisher HealthCare Inc., part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, for distribution of Atossa's ForeCYTE Breast Health devices, which consist of the patented MASCT pump and ForeCYTE patient collection kits.

Atossa's MASCT system is used by physicians and nurses to collect a small amount of nipple aspirate fluid for cytological and genomic analysis at Atossa's wholly-owned National Reference Laboratory for Breast Health.

Dr. Steven Quay, Chairman, CEO & President of Atossa Genetics, said, "Fisher HealthCare is a recognized leader in providing diagnostic solutions to customers in the acute care, physician office and reference lab markets and we are excited to have entered into this distribution agreement. We believe our ForeCYTE test represents a significant breakthrough in breast cancer risk assessment and we look forward to working with our partners to make the ForeCYTE test a standard of care."

Mark Zacur, Vice President of Marketing & Business Development for Fisher HealthCare, stated, "We are pleased to partner with Atossa Genetics to help make the ForeCYTE test available to women across the U.S. We believe that the ForeCYTE test has the potential to have a meaningful impact on improving women's breast health."

Just as the Pap smear has reduced cervical cancer rates by more than 70 percent, becoming the most successful screening test in medicine, the goal of Atossa Genetics is to reduce the stubbornly high rate of breast cancer through the early detection and treatment of the precursor changes that lead to breast cancer.

About the ForeCYTE Breast Health Risk Assessment Test

The ForeCYTE test, the "Pap smear" for breast cancer, is a painless, quick and non-invasive procedure performed in a physician's office. The test provides vital early detection of pre-cancerous conditions that may progress to cancer over an approximately eight-year period before cancer can be detected by mammography or other means. The ForeCYTE test is intended for the 110 million women in the U.S. ages 18-73, including younger women, women with dense breasts, breast implants and BRCA gene mutations. Please click here for a video of the ForeCYTE test: http://vimeo.com/62365818.

About Atossa Genetics, Inc.

Atossa Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATOS), The Breast Health Company, based in Seattle, WA, is focused on preventing breast cancer through the commercialization of patented, FDA-designated Class II diagnostic medical devices and patented, laboratory developed tests (LDT) that can detect precursors to breast cancer up to eight years before mammography.

The National Reference Laboratory for Breast Health (NRLBH), a wholly owned subsidiary of Atossa Genetics, Inc., is a CLIA-certified high-complexity molecular diagnostic laboratory located in Seattle, WA.

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Atossa Genetics Signs Distribution Agreement With Fisher HealthCare

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American Health Journal PBS Special Laminine Stem Cell Therapy Full Version
http://www.LaminiNHealth.com/dc/ Doctors are interviewed about Fibroblast Growth Factor, Laminin, Cortisol, Serotonin Do-It-Yourself Stem Cell Therapy - La...

By: David Dolores

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American Health Journal PBS Special Laminine Stem Cell Therapy Full Version - Video

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Project Walk Carlsbad - Anthony P. Spinal Cord Injury Milestone
Anthony P. suffered a C5/6 spinal cord injury in February of 2010. It has been three years since his injury and Anthony is still making progress. Watch these...

By: Project Walk

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Project Walk Carlsbad - Anthony P. Spinal Cord Injury Milestone - Video

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ASCI Two Worlds of Stem Cell Therapy Animation
Asian Stem Cell Institute (ASCI) Two Worlds of Stem Cell Therapy Animation Autologous Stem cell Treatments, mobilized peripheral blood, bone marrow and adipo...

By: stemcellregeneration

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ASCI Two Worlds of Stem Cell Therapy Animation - Video

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US Supreme Court Squashes Patents on Human Genes
So you know how your DNA is organized into 23 chromosomes? Well, those chromosomes are organized further into genes. And they determine different things abou...

By: TheRunListChannel

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US Supreme Court Squashes Patents on Human Genes - Video

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

PISCATAWAY, N.J., June 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 13, 2013, the United States Supreme Court unanimously ruled that although isolated, natural gene sequences are unpatentable, cDNA (referred to as synthetic DNA) is officially considered patentable subject material. The ruling was issued after the court reviewed patents owned by Myriad Genetics Inc. in the high-profile case( http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/12pdf/12-398_1b7d.pdf ) Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics. The patents claimed the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2, as well as methods for detecting mutations in the genes that have been linked to breast and ovarian cancer. The court supported this legal claim, stating that "cDNA is not a 'product of nature,' so it is patent eligible ".

GenScript's gene synthesis service( http://www.genscript.com/gene_synthesis.html?src=pullmenu ) is a valuable method for circumventing the isolation of natural DNA sequences for use in biological research studies. The service provides non-natural, de novo DNA sequences synthesized according to specified client design, allowing natural gene sequences or cassettes to be engineered for in vivo, or in vitro use, including diagnostic tests. Additionally, GenScript's OptimumGene(TM) codon optimization( http://www.genscript.com/codon_opt.html?src=pro ) technology can alter the sequence of natural genes, to increase the expression of the subsequent protein in a number of systems. The OptimumGene(TM) algorithm considers nearly every parameter affecting the central dogma process, from transcription to protein folding, and has been proven to optimize protein production in bacterial, mammalian, yeast and insect expression systems. OptimumGene(TM) codon optimization in combination of gene synthesis can generate novel, non-naturally occurring sequences, with high-utility and attractive patentable features. To preserve clients' intellectual property rights, GenScript does not claim any rights to specialized synthetic or OptimumGene(TM) codon optimized genes. Custom project details are kept strictly confidential; all intellectual property rights belong to the client.

It may be too soon to speculate on the court ruling's effect on DNA sequences' future patentability. However, as the pace of molecular biology research quickens, the use of synthetic DNA will inevitably become a mainstay in every lab. GenScript offers gene synthesis and codon optimization solutions for the present and future of gene patent law and remains committed to supporting innovation.

*GenScript is not a legal practitioner and the content above is in no way intended to provide legal advice for patent prosecution, litigation or any associated legal matters thereof.

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Synthetic DNA Deemed Patentable by US Supreme Court, Gene Synthesis and Codon Optimization Provide Potential Pathway ...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

NEW YORK, June 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network that are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact them via the contact information at the end of the listing. To receive these updates by email, send a note to profnet@profnet.com with the industries you cover, and we'll add you to the appropriate edition.

If you are in need of additional experts, you can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network. You can filter your request by institution type and geographic location to get the most targeted responses. The best part? It's free! Just fill out the query form to get started.

If you have any questions or need assistance with any aspect of ProfNet, please drop us a note at profnet@profnet.com.

EXPERT ALERTS

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OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

EXPERT ALERTS:

Placing Mom on Medicaid Ronald Fatoullah, Esq. Elder Law & Estate Planning Attorney Ronald Fatoullah & Associates "Mom has just been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and will need long-term care. Health care costs are skyrocketing. What do families need to know about planning when a medical emergency or a catastrophic illness strikes? Regarding Medicaid eligibility and benefits -- who should apply and when?" Fatoullah is available to discuss the topics that arise when caring for a parent. He is the founder and managing attorney of Ronald Fatoullah & Associates, a New York law firm that exclusively focuses on the legal and financial challenges of aging: elder law, estate planning, Medicaid eligibility, asset preservation, probate, wills, trusts, guardianships, veteran planning, and planning for same-sex couples. Website: http://www.fatoullahlaw.com Media Contact: Carol Schell, cschell@fatoullahlaw.com

Supreme Court Decision on Human Gene Patents Lori Andrews Professor IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law "The Supreme Court has liberated human genes. This decision is great news for patients, doctors, and scientific researchers. Half of geneticists were impeded in their research by gene patents. Now they can begin the search for cures." In Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics, Inc., the U.S. Supreme Court held that human genes were not patentable since they are products of nature and not inventions. Andrews filed amicus briefs in the trial court, appellate court and the U.S. Supreme Court representing medical organizations including the American Medical Association, the American Society of Human Genetics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She argued that a patent on genes was not only legally inappropriate, but also a threat to public health. For the past 10 years, Andrews has studied the impact of gene patents on health care and scientific research, receiving grants from the federal Department of Energy Human Genome Project and from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Expert Contact: landrews@kentlaw.iit.edu Media Contact: Gwendolyn Osborne, gosborne@kentlaw.iit.edu

SCOTUS Gene Patent Case Barbara Evans Co-director, Health Law & Policy Institute University of Houston Law Center "The decision makes sense, but it is a major change that has the potential to upset business expectations of biotech firms that have structured their businesses on the assumption that genes are patentable. One hears dire forecasts that invalidating gene patents will put a halt to biotechnology investment and innovation. Frankly, those fears seem overblown." Evans is available to explain the issues involved in the case, as well as what it means for research companies and the average citizen after the U.S. Supreme ruled that companies cannot patent human genes. Media Contact: Carrie Criado, cacriado@central.uh.edu

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ProfNet Experts Available on Medicaid, Gene Patent Case

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Researchers have identified 45 genetic genetic variants in overweight newborns that are known to occur in obese adults and hope their findings could someday help combat the global obesity epidemic.

"Allowing earlier identification of high-risk newborns may allow for earlier interventions to take place to possibly prevent obesity later in life," study lead author Dr. Reeti Chawla, a fellow in pediatric endocrinology at Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said in an Endocrine Society news release.

Chawla and colleagues analyzed genetic data from more than 4,400 ethnically diverse newborns in the United States and found 45 genetic variants associated with higher fat levels. These variants were already known to occur in obese adults.

The researchers are now using the 45 genetic variants to develop a genetic risk score to determine whether having a large number of these genetic variants predicts whether newborns are at risk for having increased fat at birth and for obesity later in life.

The study was scheduled for presentation Tuesday at the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in San Francisco.

Being obese in childhood increases the risk of adult obesity and researchers are trying to identify risk factors to help predict who is at greater risk for weight gain.

More than one-third of American adults are obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Being overweight and obese increases the risk of many types of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke and some cancers.

The data and conclusions of research presented at medical meetings should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about childhood overweight and obesity.

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Gene research may help spot baby's obesity risk

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

The Ataxia-Telangiectasia (A-T) Society in Harpenden has launched a medical research project. Pictured are Sinead Ward and Orla.

Debbie White Wednesday, June 19, 2013 6:01 AM

A NEW medical research project which has positive implications for people carrying a breast cancer gene recently highlighted by actress Angelina Jolie is being funded by a small national charity based in Harpenden.

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The Ataxia-Telangiectasia (A-T) Society has launched the project as there are currently no treatments for A-T and because the condition is so rare, drug companies do not usually invest in research.

A-T is a devastating disease of children and young adults which progressively affects their co-ordination and ability to carry out everyday activities. It also brings a very high risk of developing life-threatening illnesses including cancers, especially leukaemia, lymphoma and lung disease.

About one in every 200 people carries the defective A-T gene and is at risk of having a child with the disease. And women who carry the gene are up to eight times more likely to develop breast cancer than other women.

The society, based at Rothamsted Research Centre, is, with charity the Thomas Appeal, jointly funding the project which began on June 1 at the Steve Jackson Laboratory in Cambridge.

The research uses cutting-edge cell biology and DNA sequencing technology to identify new approaches for treating Ataxia-Telangiectasia and slowing its progression.

A spokeswoman for the society said: The fact that this project potentially offers hope for women with hereditary risk of breast cancer as well as people with A-T makes it extremely significant.

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Harpenden charity funding research into defective gene

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Soft Kill Frankenfood | Genetic Engineering
soft kill = gm foods insight into this topic. This is the tip of the iceburg it gets worse if you research it more deeply .. watch the 1.5 hr online document...

By: organicslant

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Soft Kill Frankenfood | Genetic Engineering - Video

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Newswise Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center and colleagues at Louisiana State University have developed a method for identifying aggressive prostate cancers that require immediate therapy. It relies on understanding the genetic interaction between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The goal is to better predict a prostate cancers aggressiveness to avoid unnecessary radical treatment.

Their study was published in the online journal PLOS ONE in April.

According to the authors, prostate cancer accounts for 20 percent of all cancers and 9 percent of cancer deaths. It is the most common cancer and was the second leading cause of cancer death in American men in 2012.

For most prostate cancer patients, the disease progresses relatively slowly, said study co-author Hui-Yi Lin, Ph.D., assistant member of the Chemical Biology and Molecular Medicine Program at Moffitt. However, some cases grow aggressively and metastasize. It is often difficult to tell the difference between the two.

The two treatment options for aggressive prostate cancer radical surgery and radiation therapy have negative side effects, such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction. It is why the authors believe there is an urgent need for biomarkers that can identify or predict aggressive types of prostate cancer.

Through examining combinations of genetic variants, or SNP-SNP interactions, the researchers have identified and validated several genetic changes that are related to prostate cancer aggressiveness. Their work also shows that the epithelial growth factor receptor may be the hub for these interactions because it is involved in the growth of blood vessels (angiogenesis), which in turn stimulates tumor growth.

Our findings identified five SNP-SNP interactions in the angiogenesis genes associated with prostate cancer aggressiveness, explained study co-author Jong Y. Park, Ph.D., associate member of Moffitts Cancer Epidemiology Program. We successfully detected the genotype combinations that put patients at risk of aggressive prostate cancer and then explored the underlying biological associations among angiogenesis genes associated with aggressive prostate cancer.

The researchers concluded that the gene network they constructed based on SNP-SNP interactions indicates there are novel relationships among critical genes involved in the angiogenesis pathway in prostate cancer.

Our findings will help physicians identify patients with an aggressive type of prostate cancer and may lead to better personalized treatment in the future, Park said.

The study was supported by grants from the American Cancer Society (IRG-93-092-14) and the National Cancer Institute (R01 CA128813, R25T CA147832).

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Researchers Identify Genetic Variants Predicting Aggressive Prostate Cancers

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Newswise Human genomics holds promise for prevention and tailored treatment of chronic illnesses. At the same time, people of color, who bear a disproportionate burden of chronic illnesses, take part in genomics research at low rates.

When Aaron Buseh, associate professor of nursing, began talking to members of the African American community about their reluctance to take part in genetic research, two cases were mentioned over and over again the Tuskegee syphilis experiments and Henrietta Lacks.

In both cases, African American subjects were involved in research without ever being informed about the goals or results, being told about potentially harmful consequences, benefiting from the research or even giving informed consent.

The 40 years of Tuskegee research abuses were exposed in the media in 1972. A 2010 book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, outlined how others made huge profits from the HeLa line of cancer cells developed from Lackss genetic material, while her family lived in poverty.

For the past three years, the Community Engagement in Genetics/Genomics Project, led by Buseh, co-principal investigator Professor Sandra Underwood, Professor Patricia Stevens and a group of researchers from the College of Nursing, has been looking at the issues involved and identifying community-engagement strategies to increase the participation of African immigrants and African Americans in genomics initiatives. The Wisconsin Genomics Initiative and the UWM Graduate School funded the research.

More than 400 African Americans and African immigrants from 29 countries have been involved. Using a community-based participatory research approach (CBPR), the researchers created an academic-community partnership with the Black Health Coalition of Wisconsin and the Pan African Community Association.

Building trust through partnerships These partnerships allowed them to build trust, connect with community leaders and openly discuss the ethics and privacy concerns involved in genetics research, says Buseh. With the help of these partners, the researchers were able to conduct focus groups and in-depth interviews, and reach out to the community in surveys.

We would not have been able to accomplish this project if we did not have their participation and partnership, says Buseh.

Such academic-community partnerships are key to developing and implementing health programs, he adds.

We have come to appreciate that community engagement is more than just holding a public meeting. It is an ongoing, interactive process that includes multiple stakeholders and brings together community members for a common purpose in this case, genetic research and biobanking.

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Genetic Research Among People of Color: a Question of Trust

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Alistair Brock, Zebrafish Genetics exhibit at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2013
Alistair Brock is a scientist from the Zebrafish Genetics exhibit at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2013. Find out more about this exhibit here:...

By: RoyalSociety

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Alistair Brock, Zebrafish Genetics exhibit at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2013 - Video

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LUGANO, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502) and Seattle Genetics, Inc. (SGEN) today announced data from a post-hoc analysis examining progression-free survival (PFS) following treatment with ADCETRIS (brentuximab vedotin) versus last prior therapy in patients diagnosed with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) post-autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) or relapsed or refractory systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (sALCL). The data were highlighted during a presentation at the 12th International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma (ICML) being held June 1922, 2013 in Lugano, Switzerland.

ADCETRIS is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) directed to CD30, a defining marker of classical HL and sALCL.

The post-hoc analysis compared investigator assessed PFS following ADCETRIS single-agent treatment to the last prior systemic therapy in patients taking part in two pivotal Phase 2 studies. The post-hoc analysis was conducted in patients with relapsed or refractory HL post-ASCT or relapsed or refractory sALCL in the intent-to-treat (ITT) population. It also included prior systemic treatment histories and post-ADCETRIS stem cell transplant experience for each patient in the ITT populations.

These encouraging data suggest that ADCETRIS may delay disease progression compared to prior therapies used in this heavily pretreated patient population, said John Radford, M.D., Professor of Medical Oncology, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. ADCETRIS is a CD30-targeted treatment option for patients with relapsed or refractory HL or relapsed or refractory sALCL that has shown a high overall response rate, including durable complete responses in both of its approved indications.

Progression-free survival analyses of two pivotal phase 2 studies of brentuximab vedotin in patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma or systemic anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (Poster #303)

The analysis, presented by Dr. Radford, included:

Relapsed or Refractory HL post-ASCT

Relapsed or Refractory sALCL

Details of the poster presentation are as follows:

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Takeda and Seattle Genetics Highlight Post-Hoc Analysis Examining Progression-free Survival with ADCETRIS® ...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

June 19, 2013 In fall 2012, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved the modified adeno-associated virus AAV-LPL S447X as the first ever gene therapy for clinical use in the Western world. uniQure, a Dutch biotech company, had developed AAV-LPL S447X for the treatment of a rare inherited metabolic disease called lipoprotein lipase deficiency (LPLD) which affects approximately one or two out of one million people. The disease causes severe, life-threatening inflammations of the pancreas. Afflicted individuals carry a defect in the gene coding for the lipoprotein lipase enzyme which is necessary for breakdown of fatty acids. AAV-LPLS447X shall be used as a viral vector to deliver an intact gene copy to affected cells.

The viruses modified for gene therapy cannot integrate their DNA into the host cell genome, because they lack a particular enzyme needed for this. Nevertheless, integration may happen occasionally. "We had to exclude that AAV-LPLS447X tends to integrate at sites in the genome where this integration might activate cancer-promoting genes. This is exactly what had been observed with a virus used for gene therapy," says Dr. Manfred Schmidt, a molecular biologist. Schmidt leads a research group at NCT Heidelberg and DKFZ that studies the safety of gene-therapeutic methods.

In collaboration with scientists from uniQure, the Heidelberg researchers analyzed the genome of five LPLD patients who had been treated with AAV-LPLS447X . In addition, they also studied mice following intramuscular or intravenous administration of the therapeutic virus.

The analysis of 15 million individual genomes of five treated patients showed, as expected, that AAV-LPLS447X rarely integrates into the genome of the host cells (fewer than 1 out of 1,000 AAV-LPLS447X particles). In most cases, the viral genome persists in the cytoplasm as a separate structure. If it is integrated, this happens at random sites. The researchers did not find any tendency for integration at particular sites in the genome.

Christine Kaeppel and Raffaele Fronza, first authors of the article, were very surprised to discover the AAV-LPLS447X genome in the so-called mitochondrial genome. Mitochondria are tiny membrane-enclosed structures that generate energy for the cell. They are the only cellular component aside from the nucleus containing DNA. "An adeno-associated virus has never before been observed to integrate into the mitochondrial genome on its own," reported the scientists.

"For the first time, we have thoroughly analyzed in AAV-treated patients whether and where the viral genome integrates. Now we can regard AAV-LPLS447X as safe. Those few cases where we have observed integration of viral DNA in muscle cells are barely relevant in view of all the reconstructions and rearrangements that are permanently taking place in our DNA anyway," says study director Schmidt.

AAV-LPLS447X is considered to be a prototype vector for gene therapy. "If AAV-LPLS447X stands the test, other gene therapies against more common diseases such as Huntington's disease or Parkinson's might also become possible," says Schmidt. In addition, a growing number of diseases have been found to be linked to alterations in mitochondrial genes. The newly discovered property of the AAV vector might also prove useful for correcting genetic defects in human mitochondrial DNA.

More here:
No danger of cancer through gene therapy virus, study suggests

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Public release date: 19-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Dr. Sibylle Kohlstdt s.kohlstaedt@dkfz.de Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres

In fall 2012, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved the modified adeno-associated virus AAV-LPL S447X as the first ever gene therapy for clinical use in the Western world. uniQure, a Dutch biotech company, had developed AAV-LPL S447X for the treatment of a rare inherited metabolic disease called lipoprotein lipase deficiency (LPLD) which affects approximately one or two out of one million people. The disease causes severe, life-threatening inflammations of the pancreas. Afflicted individuals carry a defect in the gene coding for the lipoprotein lipase enzyme which is necessary for breakdown of fatty acids. AAV-LPLS447X shall be used as a viral vector to deliver an intact gene copy to affected cells.

The viruses modified for gene therapy cannot integrate their DNA into the host cell genome, because they lack a particular enzyme needed for this. Nevertheless, integration may happen occasionally. "We had to exclude that AAV-LPLS447X tends to integrate at sites in the genome where this integration might activate cancer-promoting genes. This is exactly what had been observed with a virus used for gene therapy," says Dr. Manfred Schmidt, a molecular biologist. Schmidt leads a research group at NCT Heidelberg and DKFZ that studies the safety of gene-therapeutic methods.

In collaboration with scientists from uniQure, the Heidelberg researchers analyzed the genome of five LPLD patients who had been treated with AAV-LPLS447X . In addition, they also studied mice following intramuscular or intravenous administration of the therapeutic virus.

The analysis of 15 million individual genomes of five treated patients showed, as expected, that AAV-LPLS447X rarely integrates into the genome of the host cells (fewer than 1 out of 1,000 AAV-LPLS447X particles). In most cases, the viral genome persists in the cytoplasm as a separate structure. If it is integrated, this happens at random sites. The researchers did not find any tendency for integration at particular sites in the genome.

Christine Kaeppel and Raffaele Fronza, first authors of the article, were very surprised to discover the AAV-LPLS447X genome in the so-called mitochondrial genome. Mitochondria are tiny membrane-enclosed structures that generate energy for the cell. They are the only cellular component aside from the nucleus containing DNA. "An adeno-associated virus has never before been observed to integrate into the mitochondrial genome on its own," reported the scientists.

"For the first time, we have thoroughly analyzed in AAV-treated patients whether and where the viral genome integrates. Now we can regard AAV-LPLS447X as safe. Those few cases where we have observed integration of viral DNA in muscle cells are barely relevant in view of all the reconstructions and rearrangements that are permanently taking place in our DNA anyway," says study director Schmidt.

AAV-LPLS447X is considered to be a prototype vector for gene therapy. "If AAV-LPLS447X stands the test, other gene therapies against more common diseases such as Huntington's disease or Parkinson's might also become possible," says Schmidt. In addition, a growing number of diseases have been found to be linked to alterations in mitochondrial genes. The newly discovered property of the AAV vector might also prove useful for correcting genetic defects in human mitochondrial DNA.

###

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No danger of cancer through gene therapy virus

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Cell Therapy for Cardiovascular Disease
Thomas J. Povsic, MD, PhD Assistant Professor of Medicine Division of Cardiology.

By: DukeClinicalResearch

Continued here:
Cell Therapy for Cardiovascular Disease - Video

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Sarasota, Florida (PRWEB) June 18, 2013

After almost 20 years of performing regenerative treatments in the field of non surgical orthopedics, Wellington Chen, M.D., will begin conducting clinical trials for many degenerative diseases using adipose-derived stem cell therapy in Sarasota, Florida. The independent review board of the International cell medicine society is responsible for overseeing these trials.

Advanced Rejuvenation will treat patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and osteoarthritis following the IRB-approved protocols. Advanced Rejuvenation will be using adult autologous stem cells, harvested from the patients own adipose (fat) tissue or bone marrow if fat is not available. Because patients are receiving their own cells, there is no risk of rejection. As of 2007, over 9,000 studies have shown the safety using these cell lines.

Autologous stem cell therapy are your bodies repair men. They are circulated throughout your body and as soon as there is a need for them, chemical messages trigger them to migrate to the area and do their magic. They are both immune modulating and also regenerative which makes them a great therapeutic agent for osteoarthritis and COPD. Numerous studies have shown them to have the capacity to grow new cartilage, muscle, ligaments, glands and even organs. We believe stem cell treatments will become the future of care for most orthopedic problems avoiding the need for surgery. With COPD, when stem cells are run into the blood stream through an IV they will mostly pass through the lungs. We are excited to be apart of these research studies.

Advanced Rejuvenation trained under scientist Kristin Comella, CEO of Stemlogix. She was recently named in the Wall Street Journal as one of the 50 most influential people on stem cell research. Advanced Rejuvenation will implement Stemlogixs patented extraction process, allowing for an exceptionally high yield and viability of stem cells from fat.

During the in-office and same day procedure, a mini liposuction is performed. A half of a cup of fat in harvested from around the abdominal region which produces approximately 8 million stem cells. The stem cells are isolated put back into the patients joints or with COPD via an IV infusion. Local anesthesia is all that is needed and pain medication can be prescribed but is rarely necessary.

Advanced Rejuvenation has treated various orthopedic conditions for 4 years using fat transfer and now offers these treatments to patients ranging from NFL players to retired golfers. If you would like more information, e-mail Advanced Rejuveantion at AskDrGecko(at)Gmail(dot)com or call our office.

About Advanced Rejuvenation

Advanced Rejuvenation is a multi specialty practice in Sarasota, Florida, specializing in regenerative treatments such as Stem Cell Treatments, Prolotherapy, Ozone Therapy, Naturopathic, Acupuncture, Chiropractic Functional Neurology, Osteopathy, Functional Medicine, Active Isolated Stretching (AIS)

Contact: Advanced Rejuvenation Phone: (941) 330-8553 E-mail: AskDrGecko(at)Gmail(dot)com Website: http://www.SarasotaStemCell.com Office address: 2033 Wood Street #210 Sarasota, Florida 34237

Read the original here:
Wellington Chen, M.D. of Advanced Rejuvenation Introduces Stem Cell Therapy For OsteoArthritis & COPD in Sarasota ...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Some biotechnology companies have grumbled about the legal challenge to their right to patent genes, arguing that taking away that right could impede innovation. But now that the US Supreme Court has ruled companies cant patent genes, the decision has been largely met with a collective shrug from the biopharmaceutical industry.

Thats because the high court ruling continues to allow drug companies to patent the technologies that enable them to turn genetic research into medicines. The latest industry executive to weigh in is Millennium Pharmaceuticals new president, Anna Protopapas, who said in an interview that the court decision wont affect her Cambridge companys pipeline of cancer drugs in late-stage clinical trials nor its early-stage research on new experimental therapies.

Its my understanding that the decision was quite narrow, Protopapas said. The focus of Millennium has always been on understanding how to use biological information in genes to develop meaningful drugs. And that wont change.

View post:
Biotechs following Supreme Court gene ruling: What, us worry?

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Scientists at the Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute of Florida (VGTI Florida) have been awarded three new federal research grants that will further support the Institutes mission of Translating Research Into Health.

Dr. Elias Haddad, Ph.D., Associate Member and part of the HIV Vaccine Group at VGTI Florida has been awarded a 5-year, $3.17 million R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for work on Boosting anti-HIV immunity through manipulation of Tfh (follicular helper T cells) Function.

This is VGTI Floridas first prime R01 award from the NIH. Dr. Haddads findings on a major defect in a particular T cell subset, the follicular helper T cells, that is a component in the response to vaccines, were published earlier this year in the March 10 issue of Nature Medicine.

We are getting close to the understanding of the pathology contributing to persistent HIV/AIDS infection, said Dr. Haddad. This grant will support further research into understanding of the dysfunction of the immune system in HIV infection.

In addition, Dr. Ted Ross, Ph.D., Full Member and Program Director of Vaccine Development and Viral Pathogenesis at VGTI Florida, has been awarded two research grants. A two-year, $129 thousand subcontract to a NIH grant to the University of Texas Medical Branch (Prime Awardee) on Mucosal Vaccine against Ebola and Marburg Viruses. These pathogens require Biosafety Level 4 facilities and so we will not be doing any work at VGTI Florida on the viruses themselves, said Dr. Ross. My laboratory will engineer vaccines on the computer to optimize the antigen sequences to allow development of a safe vaccine.

His second award is a two-year, $198 thousand subcontract to a NIH grant awarded to Vanderbilt University (Prime Awardee) on Human Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibodies for Rift Valley Fever Virus. At VGTI Florida, my research group will screen human antibodies for the ability to neutralize this highly pathogenic virus, which is a threat to not only humans as a biodefense agent, but also livestock in the United States, said Dr. Ross. An outbreak of Rift Valley fever virus would be devastating to the cattle and would have a high mortality rate in infected people. Identifying these neutralizing antibodies is the first step to designing a safe and effective vaccine, he added.

These awards demonstrate the ability of VGTI Florida scientists to garner federal grant monies and bring them to the State of Florida, said Dr. Jay Nelson, CEO and Founder of VGTI Florida. We made a commitment to the State to recruit top scientists and develop robust research programs to serve the public good and we are achieving these objectives.

Our recruiting efforts are in full swing and these substantial grant awards validate our strategies and follow-through in growing a sustainable institute in Port St. Lucie and expanding the life science industry in the state of Florida, said Mel Rothberg, Chief Operating Officer of VGTI Florida.

About VGTI Florida:

Read more from the original source:
VGTI Florida Scientists to Receive $3.6 Million in NIH Research Grants

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

KINGSTON, N.Y., June 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --How did Monsanto become so powerful? How is such a relatively small company so influential?

These are among the questions asked in "In Through the Out Door: The Cosmic Signature of Monsanto and GMOs," an investigative feature written by Eric Francis Coppolino, editor of Planet Waves.

Journalists and writers may request the article by emailing press@planetwaves.net. You'll receive a reply with a link to the PDF.

Published in the August/September edition ofThe Mountain Astrologer (on stands July 1), the article tracks the history of Monsanto from its founding in 1901 to the present, including the recent discovery of illegal GMO wheat in Oregon and the recent March Against Monsanto.

Coppolino has covered Monsanto since 1991, publishing his work in Sierra magazine, The Las Vegas Sun andThe Village Voice. The New York Times oncesaid that Coppolino"has a hunger for government documents that rivals that of Seymour Hersh." His astrology has appeared throughout the English-speaking world from the UK's The Daily Mail to Australia's Harper's Bazaar.

One of the world's best-known astrologers covering politics and government, Coppolino makes no predictions about what might happen to Monsanto or its GMO enterprise. Rather he uses astrology to analyze the company's history, influence and staying power.

Quoting documents obtained through the legal discovery process, the article documents Monsanto's history as a chemical firm in prior decades, including alleged manipulation of cancer research.

It then tracks the many twists of Monsanto's rise as the leading purveyor of genetically modified crops, including the patents for the New Leaf Potato, Bovine Growth Hormone and Bt corn.

Carol van Strum, author of A Bitter Fog, helped research and fact-check the article.

"This is an unusual perspective on Monsanto that's never been written before," said Tem Tarriktar, publisher of The Mountain Astrologer. "Due to his history covering the company and his track record as a news astrologer, Eric was the one writer to take on this story."

Read more:
'Mountain Astrologer' Magazine Publishes Investigative Feature on History of Monsanto and Genetic Engineering of Food

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Now that the Supreme Court has ruled that merely isolating a DNA sequence does not make it eligible to patent, the question arises, What will happen to the crucially important data accumulated by an overly broad monopoly?

The answer to this question has implications for people who may have an inherited risk for breast and ovarian cancer and to the scientists who hope to use that data for life-saving decisions about cancer surgery.

For the past 15 years, Myriad Genetics of Salt Lake City, Utah, has performed more than a million diagnostic tests for mutations in two genes -- BRCA1 and BRCA2 -- that are associated with inherited risk of breast and ovarian cancer. The Supreme Court ruling means Myriad has enjoyed a 15-year monopoly far broader than it should have been. The company now faces a fateful decision about what to do with that data it collected as a monopolist.

Will Myriads data be kept as proprietary assets to give Myriad a leg up on the competition that has already arisen, with four companies announcing after the Courts decision they will introduce BRCA genetic testing? Or will Myriad share the data so others outside Myriad can know the basis for interpreting the tests?

Interpreting test results, regardless of what laboratory does the testing, depends crucially on access to data and objectively verifiable interpretation of test results. Data about test results and their clinical significance should be publicly available and objectively verifiable, not secreted in a proprietary database.

Women (and some men) sending their samples to Myriad were not told their data would be kept as trade secrets. When there was a legal presumption of patent-enforceable monopoly, it would not have mattered. But now it does.

Accumulating the data was perfectly legal; and exclusive rights are the very purpose of patents. Moreoever, there is no law against hoarding data of commercial value; indeed, state laws protect trade secrets.

But data about peoples cancer risk are not the same as the secret formula for Coca-Cola. If someone wants a cola, she can buy Pepsi or Diet Rite. But for the past 15 years, Myriad has offered the only commercial test for BRCA mutations in the United States. That means the data about BRCA mutations flowed to Myriad and there they stopped.

Now the Court has ruled that the data are not protected by patent. But the data remain in private hands, and that is wrong.

Just to be clear, Myriad does a good job of testing, and its prices are in line with other tests of similar type. Myriad reports results quickly and clearly. It has committed resources to educating women at risk and their doctors about its tests. It works with its customers to secure payment, so that the vast majority have at least the initial test covered by insurance or a health plan. And Myriad will even do free testing for families harboring mutations whose clinical significance is unknown and for some customers without health coverage (.5 percent of its tests have been done at no cost to customers).

Read more here:
Genetic Testing Company Should Free Data

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Public release date: 18-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Aaron Lohr alohr@endocrine.org 240-482-1380 The Endocrine Society

Similar genetic variations occur in both overweight newborns and obese adults, a large study finds. The results will be presented Tuesday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

"Our data suggest that adult obesity and newborn adiposity share, in part, a common genetic background," said study lead author Reeti Chawla, MD, fellow in pediatric endocrinology at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in Chicago, IL. "Allowing earlier identification of high-risk newborns may allow for earlier interventions to take place to possibly prevent obesity later in life. "

Obesity has become an epidemic worldwide. In the United States alone, more than one-third of adults are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Excess weight and obesity are related to numerous health problems, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and some cancers. Since being obese in childhood increases the risk of adult obesity, medical researchers are interested in identifying early risk factors, or genetic markers, to help predict who is at greater risk for weight gain.

One of these genetic markers is called a single nucleotide polymorphism, or SNP, which is a naturally occurring genetic variant within the general population. In this case, investigators used SNPs related to adult obesity to identify genetic markers associated with higher newborn weight and skinfold thickness.

Investigators were able to identify 144 SNPs associated with birth weight or skinfold thickness. Since some of these 144 SNPs are closely linked and inherited together, they then narrowed the group down to 45 SNPs that are related to higher fat among newborns.

Investigators obtained the genetic data of 4,465 newborns from a large, multi-ethnic study examining the association between maternal blood-sugar levels and risk of poor pregnancy outcome. The study, called the Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes, or HAPO, comprised mothers and infants from diverse ethnic backgrounds, including 1,095 Afro-Caribbean, 1,363 European, 616 Mexican-American and 1,207 of Thai descent.

Chawla said that she and her team now are using the 45 SNPs identified in this study to develop a genetic risk score "to determine whether bearing a large number of these SNPs predicts which newborns are at risk for increased fat at birth and, potentially, obesity later in life."

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Read more:
Similar genetic variation found in overweight newborns and adults

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Findings may lead to the ability to give newborns a "genetic score" on obesity risk factors.

A new study suggests that overweight newborns may share the same genetic marker for a higher risk for obesity later in life, which may eventually allow doctors to identify those predisposed to obesity as soon as they're born.

[READ: Gene Research May Help Spot Baby's Obesity Risk]

Reeti Chawla, a pediatric endocrinologist with the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, says that she and her team were able to identify 45 genetic markers that are linked to both obesity in adults and are commonly found in babies with large birth weights.

In the United States, babies that are 8 pounds, 13 ounces or more are generally considered to be "large for gestational age."

"Obesity is such a complex trait that obviously has a lot of environmental components, but it appears babies born large have an increased risk for obesity later in life," Chawla says.

The study was based on the Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes, a study that looked at more than 4,400 newborns and their mothers' blood sugar levels. Subsequent studies will follow these children as they grow up.

[ALSO:More Evidence Links BPA to Childhood Obesity]

She says that the findings, which she discussed Tuesday at The Endocrine Society's annual meeting in San Francisco, may lead to the ability to give newborns a "genetic score" on obesity risk factors. Though Chawla says it's going to be tough to find a doctor who is overly concerned about a newborn gaining weight, she says that if parents know their child is at risk for obesity, they can make earlier interventions to make sure they remain healthy.

"I think we'll be able to say 'Maybe we need to follow these kids more closely,' or 'Maybe the weight guidelines should be different for those newborns,'" she says.

Read this article:
'Genetic Score' for Newborns May Predict Adult Obesity

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Fixing Muscle Imbalances and Muscle Attachment (Genetics)
I cover four points in this video. 1. Muscle Attachment and tendon length are predetermined by your genetics. 2. Fixing Muscle Imbalances is possible by lean...

By: Fortress

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Fixing Muscle Imbalances and Muscle Attachment (Genetics) - Video

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith