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Through gene analysis, researchers have found different types of interferons in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) tissues and cells, such as skin and synovium. The analysis, which probed 2,000 gene expression datasets from SLE patients, specifically investigated modules of genes derived from the downstream interferon gene signature. It found enriched downstream interferon signatures that were predominately from IFNB1. These interferon signatures were higher when compared with the expression of downstream interferon signatures in kidneys with lupus nephritis, according to the study, published April 23 in Nature Communications Biology.1

Targeting Metabesity 2019, co-chaired by Kinexum Executive Chairman Zan Fleming and Stanford Professor Larry Steinman (a co-discoverer of Tysabri), will take place October 15-16, 2019, at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, DC, see https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/targeting-metabesity-2019-thomas-seoh/.

Emerging science over the past couple decades suggests that many chronic diseases of aging (including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and the aging process itself) have common metabolic roots, and thus may be susceptible to common solutions. We believe we are at a similar stage to the cusp of the moonshot, or the human genome project, where the science is accumulating, but alignment of policy and socioeconomic factors may be needed, in order to enable and facilitate the translation of such science into material, accessible gains in public health.

Perhaps the report on China’s strategy for eclipsing the U.S. lead in biopharma from the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF) resonated so strongly with me because of several articles in The Wall Street Journal. Taken together, they present a sobering picture of what we’re up against.

EDA is encouraging its economic development partners to think of Opportunity Zone investment as a new arrow in their quiver to not only enhance ROI for business interests, but also to encourage the public/private partnerships needed to drive private investment to distressed areas.

Bayer made much of its desire to establish a cell therapy pipeline on August 8 when it announced it would shell out up to $600 million to acquire full control of BlueRock Therapeutics. But the deal is just the latest example of growing interest by biopharma giants in applying gene editing toward new treatments.

Floreo started raising capital earlier this year to get its product in the hands of more users.

Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR) Fellow Dr. Daniel Nelson (Associate Professor, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park) is working on an innovative approach to treating bacterial disease in collaboration with Dr. Rajan Adhikari, Assistant Director of Bacteriology at Integrated BioTherapeutics (IBT), and George Mason University’s Dr. Ramin Hakami (Associate Professor, School of Systems Biology and National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases). The group recently received a $3M Phase II STTR award from the National Institutes of Health that will fund advancement of their novel immunotherapeutic into non-human primates, as well as optimization of a cell line for biomanufacturing the drug.

A US/Ko re an hy brid biotech run by a group of sci en tists out of Johns Hop kins just scored a megaround of $137.1 mil lion, with plans to ad vance a slate of ex per i men tal drugs held at its 3 sub sidiary op er a tions.

The state-backed tech group is also in the midst of finding a new CEO to replace George Davis, who left in July.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) is launching an open innovation challenge to encourage individuals and teams across the U.S. to identify and submit pioneering digital health solutions aimed at transforming inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) care. The challenge, “Transforming IBD Care: Better disease monitoring, management, and care for people with inflammatory bowel disease” focuses on innovation in IBD monitoring, condition management or care enhancements.