BioCentury
ARTICLE | Preclinical News

May 1 Preclinical Quick Takes: MD Anderson, Sana, Sigilon

May 1, 2019 8:22 PM UTC

MD Anderson findings could make radiation possible for pancreatic cancer
Researchers at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reported findings suggesting that HIF-PH inhibition could help prevent radiation-induced GI injury, the main factor that limits the use of radiation therapy to treat unresectable pancreatic cancer. In a Cancer Research paper published Tuesday, the group showed that oral HIF-PH inhibitor roxadustat (FG-4592) from FibroGen Inc. (NASDAQ:FGEN) reduced fatal GI bleeding and increased survival in mice with pancreatic cancer receiving radiation therapy.

Harvard team describes hypoimmunogenic stem cell tech licensed to Sana
In a Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences paper Tuesday, a Harvard University team described the generation of hypoimmunogenic stem cells that it licensed to Sana Biotechnology Inc. (Seattle, Wash.) last month. The team used CRISPR/Cas9 to eliminate expression of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class Ia and II molecules and to induce expression of immunomodulatory factors PD-L1, HLA-G and CD47. The group found reduced T cell, NK cell, and macrophage responses to the modified stem cells in vitro and in mice. Sana plans to use the stem cells as the starting material to develop cell therapies (see "Sana Adds Hypoimmunogenic Stem Cell Tech From Harvard to its Tool Kit"). ...