UCI Med Center Gets $2.2M; NeoTherapeutics Adds Big Names
Clinical trials of Atairgin Technologies’ lysophosphatidic (LPA) blood test for ovarian cancer is set to begin in April. A study of a similar test for breast cancer is expected to start later this year.
Some 1,600 women were recruited in North America for clinical trials on the company’s patented LPA technology to detect ovarian cancers. Research shows that elevated blood levels of certain bioactive lipids may be associated with ovarian cancer. Atairgin’s technology involves using a test that identifies an increase in LPA in the blood.
Researchers believe the presence of this tumor marker is independent of the stage of tumor growth and therefore may prove to be an early detection tool, company officials said.
“We’re the first to offer potential major advancements to detect ovarian and other reproductive cancers using our proprietary technology,” said CEO Patrick D. Walsh.
Studies will be conducted at seven institutions: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston; The Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in LA; UC Davis; Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston; Sunnybrook Hospital, University of Toronto; and Northwestern University in Chicago.
Atairgin hopes to file for FDA approval for the LPA test before December.
Clinical trials using similar technology involving a different lipid (called LPX) will be conducted later this year on a test for breast cancer. Pre-clinical studies have started and will be completed within 60 days.
Meanwhile, Mary Ann Castimore, sister of Candace Moose, Atairgin’s associate director of clinical site development is preparing to climb Mount Fuji in August. Castimore, a breast-cancer survivor and avid mountain climber, will lead the journey and will be joined by other breast-cancer survivors. Atairgin is sponsoring a fund-raiser for Castimore and The Breast Cancer Fund at The Doubletree Hotel in Irvine on March 18.
Castimore, who was diagnosed with cancer 15 years ago, says she’s climbing the highest peak in Japan to raise money and awareness of the disease. She and four other breast-cancer survivors climbed Mount McKinley two years ago.
“Our goal is to create awareness and generate enough interest to cheer Mary Ann on,” Walsh said. “It’s a noble effort that she’s embarked on here.”
Anyone interested in attending the fundraiser should call Sharon Bennett at Atairgin: (949) 585-0255.
Avon Calls on UCI With $2.2M
UCI College of Medicine has received $2.2 million from the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade (an initiative launched in 1993 by Avon Products) to expand research on breast cancer and to establish programs to make services available to low-income and medically under-served women.
The gift will allow researchers at The Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center at the UCI Medical Center to expand work on ways to prevent, screen and treat breast cancer. Four other research institutions received part of a $14 million total gift from Avon. The research institutions were chosen on the basis of strong existing breast cancer research programs and their success in providing care for low-income women, UCI said.
Adding Advisors
NeoTherapeutics Inc., Irvine, has added four clinicians and neuroscientists to its Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Advisory Board. These clinicians join the eight existing members of the board in advising the company on the clinical development of its leading product, Neotrofin.
New board members are: Bengt Winblad, M.D., Ph.D., of the Karolinska Institute, Sweden; Akira Homma, M.D., of the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology; Jean-Marc Orgogozo, of the University of Bordeaux, France and Zaven Khachaturian, Ph.D., a principal in Khachaturian, Radebaugh and Associates, an international consulting firm on Alzheimer’s disease.
Bits and pieces:
Eastwood Insurance Services Inc., Anaheim Hills, has announced that it is creating a legacy endowment to start a program for cord-blood banking and research at Children’s Hospital of Orange County. Judith M. Partridge, president and CEO of Eastwood, along with her private foundation, My Brother Joey, will contribute $1.5 million over 15 years MC Informatics, Irvine, announced it has started an application service provider program to offer to its clients in the healthcare industry. It provides business software that is accessed over the Internet Nexell Therapeutics Inc., Irvine, and two other firms filed a patent-infringement suit against German firm Miltenyi Biotec Inc. and AmCell Corp., Sunnyvale Six senior executives at UltraLink, Costa Mesa, have completed a management buyout of the company from Allianz Life Insurance of North America. UltraLink provides healthcare performance, management and administrative services. The six-person management team led by Dr. Christopher H. Coulter will hold 75% of UltraLink and the remaining 25% will be available to company employees. The company plans to hire more employees to fill new positions created by the transaction Physiciansite.com, Newport Beach, announced that it has chosen Physicians Clinical Research Solutions, a national clinical development and strategic consulting firm based in Wayne, Penn., as its exclusive provider of a clinical trial network to its physician members. Physicians will be able to submit their practices as candidates for PCRS’s clinical-trial network. Physiciansite.com has some 200,000 member physicians.
