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Re: There are many ways to think about partnering

Posted: Sun May 29, 2022 4:47 pm
by LWS
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The National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information.


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Grant support

unnumbered/Geron (United States)
unnumbered/Lisa Dean Moseley Foundation
unnumbered/Leukemia Research Foundation of Delaware
P20GM103446/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States
unnumbered/Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation
unnumbered/Nemours Foundation

. 2022 Mar 30;11(7):1923.
doi: 10.3390/jcm11071923.

Imetelstat Induces Leukemia Stem Cell Death in Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenografts


Sonali P Barwe 1, Fei Huang 2, Edward Anders Kolb 1, Anilkumar Gopalakrishnapillai 1

Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in children remains deadly, despite the use of maximally intensive therapy. Because leukemia stem cells (LSCs) significantly contribute to chemoresistance and relapse, therapies that specifically target the LSCs are likely to be more beneficial in improving outcome. LSCs are known to have high telomerase activity and telomerase activity is negatively correlated with survival in pediatric AML. We evaluated the preclinical efficacy of imetelstat, an oligonucleotide inhibitor of telomerase activity in patient-derived xenograft (PDX) lines of pediatric AML. Imetelstat treatment significantly increased apoptosis/death of the LSC population in a dose-dependent manner in six pediatric AML PDX lines ex vivo, while it had limited activity on the stem cell population in normal bone marrow specimens. These results were validated in vivo in two distinct PDX models wherein imetelstat as single agent or in combination with chemotherapy greatly reduced the LSC percentage and prolonged median survival. Imetelstat combination with DNA hypomethylating agent azacitidine was also beneficial in extending survival. Secondary transplantation experiments showed delayed engraftment and improved survival of mice receiving imetelstat-treated cells, confirming the diminished LSC population. Thus, our data suggest that imetelstat represents an effective therapeutic strategy for pediatric AML.

Keywords: imetelstat; leukemia stem cells; patient-derived xenograft models; pediatric acute myeloid leukemia; telomerase.

Re: There are many ways to think about partnering

Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2022 3:22 am
by LWS
The Geron PPS movement has nothing to do with any biotech index. It is in a category by itself, with breakthroughs in many blood cancers and perhaps beyond into solid tumors.

Imetelstat is event driven (approvals, partners, combinations, etc.), with those events well in progress and many more on the horizon. Imetelstat has already proven itself to be a very good single-agent blood cancer medicine (successful phase 2s and ongoing, confirming phase 3s with combinations underway). It is preparing for an event that will confirm its near miracle status (staff and production prepared). The research opportunities are almost unlimited in all types of cancers.

Mayo Clinic's original thought ("Tantamount to a cure") still stands. Mayo Clinic has been superseded by MD Anderson as a world class cancer treatment and cancer research center. The recent comments from them have been very encouraging.

Re: There are many ways to think about partnering

Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2022 3:57 am
by biopearl123
LWS, I have to strongly disagree with you. Mayo’s “tantamount to a cure” language is misleading and largely incorrect. It was the result of an overly exuberant statement by Dr. Tefferri and temporally may have been related to the rupture in relationship with Dr. T and Geron. That is speculation on my part. There is no “cure” other than BMT. There is nothing tantamount to a cure either. Every case of treated MF appears to have died of the disease itself or related complications. No cures. CRs and PRs, yes, with an 18 month median timeline. Read the study yourself. It is misleading to suggest that Imetelstat’s result are tantamount to a cure. A good treatment, yes, maybe the best one out there short of high risk BMT but cure,? No. It is not responsible to disseminate this kind of language as truth. Please read the article and then decide for yourself. You may believe the tantamount to a cure language, that is your privilege but please do not promulgate this as a proven truth. It may be proven to be an excellent treatment but it has not been as yet proven to lead to cure.

Re: There are many ways to think about partnering

Posted: Fri Jun 03, 2022 4:47 am
by LWS
bioperal123-- I defer to your judgement. Perhaps the Mayo Clinic statement should be ignored. Tantamount (some of the features of) does not have a precise meaning. I am hopeful about the TELOMERE combination trial. I do believe that MD Anderson is a reliable and accurate source of information. I also believe Dr. Rizo's adjectives (remarkable, compelling, etc.).
***********************
tan·ta·mount--adjective

(tantamount to)-- synonyms

equivalent to · equal to · amounting to · as good as · more or less · synonymous with · virtually the same as · much the same as · comparable to · on a par with · commensurate with · along the lines of · as serious as · identical to

Re: There are many ways to think about partnering

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2022 3:56 am
by LWS
More thoughts (Tantamount to a cure)

Since Mayo Clinic is mostly out of the picture, and they have been superseded by MD Anderson, this is academic and historical.

Tantamount, in this case, means that it 'looks like' a cure. I don't believe Mayo was saying that they had a cure (for sure) for MF or MDS. A complete remission, I believe, is considered 'a cure' after 5 years. We will see what happens with TELOMERE (AML combination).


"Cure means that there are no traces of your cancer after treatment and the cancer will never come back. Remission means that the signs and symptoms of your cancer are reduced. Remission can be partial or complete. In a complete remission, all signs and symptoms of cancer have disappeared."

Re: There are many ways to think about partnering

Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2022 7:43 pm
by LWS
As others have said the future of Imetelstat is with partners and combinations, with the most discussed combination, beginning trial being TELOMERE (Abbvie, AML) which has such outstanding preclinical successes. I doubt if this trial would have started, unless both Geron and AbbVie were completely confident in Imetelstat's single-agent approvals.

The big question now is when. It is likely that JS & Dr. Rizo are on top of this situation (for ongoing phase 3 single-agent trials) and know the general trends (these trials are double-blinded). Dr. Rizo used the adjectives--remarkable, compelling, unique & more-- to describe the very successful phase 2 results. There is every reason to believe that phase 3s are reflecting those results.

Note: Imetelstat is in a class by itself with bone marrow disease modifications, and the ability to kill cancer-stem-cells, while leaving normal cells intact.

Re: There are many ways to think about partnering

Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2022 12:31 am
by biopearl123
LWS, I do not believe it is accurate to suggest that AbbVie or any other company has endorsed Imetelstat either as a single agent or in combination. Since Venetoclax is an FDA approved drug, in theory Geron does not need their “permission” or endorsement to use it as long as the investigating physicians and the study supervisors (FDA) agree. Anyone out there can correct me if I am wrong about this. We all would like to see some active collaborations with other companies but out of respect for readers of this board I think it is important to not take liberties with what we know and what we don’t. bp

Re: There are many ways to think about partnering

Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2022 12:55 am
by LWS
From biopearl123---"Since Venetoclax is an FDA approved drug, in theory Geron does not need their “permission” or endorsement to use it as long as the investigating physicians and the study supervisors (FDA) agree. Anyone out there can correct me if I am wrong about this."
*****************************************
I agree that we should not take "liberties". However, I have assumed (possibly wrong) that AbbVie and Geron are working very closely together, based upon the strong preclinical results. I am guessing, when I surmise that there already has been some under-the-radar clinical results at some convenient location, that have been very successful. Of course, investing in Geron is speculation, but speculation based upon the science, the data, the trials and some crystal-ball-gazing.

This AML combination result, if successful, will be very important to both companies, and a step forward in the treatment of cancer.

Re: There are many ways to think about partnering

Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2022 3:52 pm
by LWS
Imetelstat may have potential as a vaccine in some form (my thought). I believe there was some early activity along those lines. I found this to be an interesting article.
--------------------------------------------

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2 ... ne-future/


Getting closer to a vaccine for cancer
Scientists have worked for years to harness the power of the immune system. New approaches make researchers optimistic about success.
By Marlene Cimons
June 14, 2022 at 5:47 a.m. EDT


For decades, researchers have been trying to harness the natural power of the human immune system to fight cancer, looking for ways to circumvent the defenses tumors use to thwart it. Despite early disappointments and challenges, scientists studying cancer vaccines believe they now are closer than ever before. While these vaccines are still a long way from approval, researchers think they represent the future of cancer care.

“It’s a very exciting time for the field of cancer vaccines,” says Vinod Balachandran, an oncologist and surgeon-scientist at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. “We have made so much progress in understanding how the immune system recognizes cancers. There are dozens of cancer vaccine candidates under study by researchers around the world.”

The immune system plays a critical role in controlling cancer. Many experts believe that cancers are constantly trying to sprout within us, only to be squelched by the immune system before they become detectable, a process known as immunosurveillance.
“Our bodies are probably rejecting cancers all the time,” says Jay Berzofsky, chief of the National Cancer Institute’s vaccine branch. “The ones we detect and that turn into cancer we need to treat are the ones that have escaped from that immunosurveillance. The tumors do it by learning how to exploit the mechanisms that regulate the immune system.”

The new approaches include developing both preventive and therapeutic vaccines, the latter designed to discern tumor cells from normal cells with the goal of provoking an immune response against them. Researchers also are assembling a collection of immunotherapy drugs that would boost the vaccines’ efficacy.

‘They look like normal cells’


Cancer cells arise from our own cells and resemble them; thus, the immune system often tolerates them, says Berzofsky, also senior investigator and head of NCI’s molecular immunogenetics and vaccine research section. “They hide their differences, so they look like normal cells,” he says. “The idea of a cancer vaccine is to activate the immune system to pick out ways that the cancer is different from normal cells, recognize them as foreign and reject them.”

Cancer treatment of tomorrow is personalized


It's important to understand how therapeutic cancer vaccines differ from preventive ones, and how immunotherapy drugs differ from both types of vaccines.
Most people are familiar with traditional vaccines that protect against influenza and such childhood diseases as measles, chickenpox and whooping cough. Two vaccines are approved to prevent infection with viruses that raise the risk of cancer: human papillomavirus (cervical and vaginal cancer, anal cancer, penile cancer) and hepatitis B virus (liver cancer).

But scientists also are developing preventive vaccines for people with premalignant lesions such as colon polyps, hoping to keep them from turning cancerous.

Target for the immune system


Olivera Finn, distinguished professor of immunology at the University of Pittsburgh, and her colleagues were the first to identify a tumor-specific antigen — a protein or other molecule found only on cancer cells and not on normal cells — that could serve as a target for the immune system. (The term “antigen” refers to a toxin or other foreign substance in the body capable of inducing an immune response.)

The tumor-specific antigen Finn found, MUC1, is present in several types of cancers, including colon, breast, prostate, lung and pancreatic. An MUC1-based vaccine she and her team developed showed a strong response from the immune system in clinical trials in patients with premalignant colon polyps, leading them to believe the vaccine could help prevent the growth of new polyps and keep existing ones from turning cancerous.

The vaccine reduced polyp recurrence rates by 38 percent in their clinical trial, Finn says.
“We and other groups are paying attention to premalignant lesions and focusing on trying to boost the immune system to stop the progression from premalignant to malignancy,” Finn says, adding that her group is about to begin a trial of the same vaccine in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ — an early stage of cancer that is confined to breast milk ducts and not yet invasive — to see whether the vaccine can stop it from spreading.

Therapeutic vaccines, unlike preventive ones, treat people who already have cancer by attacking existing cancer cells or preventing a recurrence. They prompt the immune system to find and destroy cancer cells that have certain tumor-specific antigens that healthy cells do not have. The vaccine delivers certain molecules that behave like these antigens to stimulate the immune system into making new “killer” T cells, the same cells that also target viruses.

“Therapeutic vaccines introduce substances that stimulate the production of new immune cells that can fight the tumor,” says Keith Knutson, a cancer vaccine researcher at the Mayo Clinic in Florida. “We inject an antigen — a miniature piece of a protein, a fragment — that stimulates the production of T cells capable of attacking the tumor.”

Re: There are many ways to think about partnering

Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2022 6:33 pm
by LWS
We know little about the private biotech company that Dr. Rizo is joining. There may be a connection between what Geron has, and what this company is trying to develop and their pipelines.
We now have 3 people to focus on: Dr. Rizo, Dr. Feller, Dr. Scarlett. We also have 3 companies to focus on: the private biotech company (Vividion), Abbvie (TELOMERE combinations), JNJ/Janssen

Note:
I believe both Dr. Rizo and Dr. Faye Feller have a past history with JNJ/Janssen. Both are dedicated to Imetelstat and approvals. Dr. Faye Feller is the new CMO. Dr. Rizo is the old CMO and the new consultant/advisor to Geron.

The picture is a bit confusing, but the fog will clear.
-----------------------------------------------------

For reference:
Faye Feller
Geron (NASDAQ: GERN) on Wednesday has appointed Faye Feller, M.D., as the company's new executive vice president and chief medical officer, effective July 9, 2022. Feller will succeed Dr. Aleksandra Rizo, Geronʻs current CMO, who will transition to a consultant role to the company as senior medical and regulatory advisor.
******************************
• Dr. Rizo will be staying on as a consultant to the Company as a Senior Medical & Regulatory Advisor through the expected New Drug Application process for lower risk MDS – a testament to her belief and commitment to imetelstat and Geron. We expect this will provide important continuity for the team and for Dr. Feller, as we work towards important milestones over the next year.

Re: There are many ways to think about partnering

Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2022 3:44 pm
by LWS
"I am very excited to join Vividion to continue to advance innovation in an entrepreneurial environment focused on patient benefits and outcomes,” said Dr. Rizo. “I’m impressed by the pipeline’s breadth of novel, first-in-class programs in oncology and immunology. These programs are nearly all targeting proteins the industry has previously viewed as undruggable and indicate the potential to deliver enormous value to patients if successful. I am also intrigued by the innovative business model established with Bayer that allows us to operate largely autonomously and independently but with the technical expertise and financial stability of a major pharmaceutical company.”
The two hats of Dr. Rizo now include Geron and Bayer AG (Vividion). Bayer is fully aware of her involvement with Imetelstat, and certainly has the deep pockets to support both Dr. Rizo and Imetelstat in any way that they wish. The possibilities are interesting.

Re: There are many ways to think about partnering

Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2022 8:21 pm
by LWS
Some History--- We don't know how this is going to play out for Imetelstat. We do know that Dr. Rizo is now president of Vividion and still very much part of the Geron team as an advisor/consultant. We also know that Imetelstat will get to prove itself in numerous oncology experiments, tests and trials.

Berlin, Germany, August 5, 2021 – Bayer AG today announced the acquisition of Vividion Therapeutics, Inc. (Vividion), a US-headquartered biopharmaceutical company utilizing novel discovery technologies to unlock high value, traditionally undruggable targets with precision therapeutics. Vividion’s platform is able to produce a variety of small molecule therapies across indications, with an initial focus on targets relevant to oncology and immunology. Vividion’s lead programs include multiple-precision oncology targets and precision immunology targets, with ongoing efforts on a transcription factor NRF2 antagonist for the potential treatment of NRF2 mutant cancers, as well as NRF2 activators for various inflammatory diseases such as irritable bowel disease – among other pre-clinical programs.

Following the closing of the acquisition, Bayer will own full rights to Vividion’s proprietary discovery platform, which comprises three integrated, synergistic components: a novel chemoproteomic screening technology, an integrated data portal, and a proprietary chemistry library. The acquisition of Vividion strengthens Bayer’s small molecule capabilities and expands Bayer’s reach into new modalities. Under the terms of the agreement, Bayer will pay an upfront consideration of USD 1.5 billion and potential success-based milestone payments of up to USD 500 million.
“This acquisition is a cornerstone of our strategy to fuel our pipeline with breakthrough innovation,” said Stefan Oelrich, Member of the Board of Management, Bayer AG and President of the Bayer’s Pharmaceuticals Division. “Vividion’s technology is the most advanced in the industry, and it has demonstrated its ability to identify drug candidates that can target challenging proteins. Together with Bayer’s existing know-how, we will be able to develop first-in-class drug candidates, increasing the value of our pipeline. We want to provide innovative therapies for patients whose medical needs are not yet met by today’s treatment options.”

Identification of drug candidates for proteins that are considered undruggable is a great challenge in drug discovery. Vividion’s chemoproteomic screening platform is able to identify previously unknown binding pockets on well-validated protein targets by screening chemical probes against the entire human proteome to assess selectivity. This yields highly potent and selective compounds that provide a wide therapeutic window for a variety of areas of high unmet medical need. Vividion’s technology has already proven its applicability pre-clinically in oncology and immune-related diseases and has the potential to expand into additional indications.
“Despite advances in genomics, structural biology, and high-throughput screening, about 90% of disease-causing proteins cannot be targeted by current therapies due to the lack of a known addressable binding site. Our proprietary chemoproteomic platform technology addresses the key limitations of conventional screening techniques and allows us to discover previously unknown, or cryptic, functional pockets on the surface of proteins and identify small molecules that selectively bind to those targets,” said Jeff Hatfield, Chief Executive Officer at Vividion. “When combined with Bayer’s expertise in the development of small molecules to market and patient, an unparalleled position comes into existence to unlock undruggable targets and generate first-in-class novel compounds for the benefit of patients.”
To preserve its entrepreneurial culture as an essential pillar for nurturing successful innovation, Vividion will continue to operate as an independent organization on an arm’s length basis. Vividion will remain accountable to advance its technology and portfolio while benefiting from the experience, infrastructure and reach of Bayer as a global pharmaceutical company.

The closing of the transaction is contingent on customary closing conditions, including receipt of the required regulatory approvals, and is expected to take place in Q3 2021.
Credit Suisse is serving as financial advisor to Bayer, while Baker McKenzie is serving as legal counsel. Centerview Partners is serving as financial advisor to Vividion, while Cooley LLP is serving as legal counsel

About Bayer

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to help people and planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to drive sustainable development and generate a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2020, the Group employed around 100,000 people and had sales of 41.4 billion euros. R&D expenses before special items amounted to 4.9 billion euros. For more information, go to Bayer.

About Vividion


Vividion Therapeutics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company utilizing novel discovery technologies to unlock high-value, traditionally undruggable targets with precision therapeutics for devastating cancers and immune disorders. The company’s platform has enabled it to identify hundreds of previously unknown functional pockets on well-validated protein targets implicated in a wide range of diseases, while simultaneously identifying compounds from its proprietary covalent chemistry library that interact in a highly selective manner with those pockets. The company is leveraging its proprietary chemoproteomic platform to advance a diversified pipeline of highly selective small molecule therapeutics targeting high-value, traditionally undruggable targets in oncology and immunology. For more information, please visit Vividion.

Highlights


Acquisition strengthens Bayer’s drug discovery capabilities with cutting-edge chemoproteomics platform / Vividion’s unique approach identifies previously unknown binding pockets in undruggable targets to generate first-in-class novel compounds in indications of high unmet medical need / Vividion’s technology has already proven its applicability pre-clinically in oncology and immune-related diseases, with potential to expand into additional therapeutic areas / Vividion to operate autonomously and on an arm’s length basis / Purchase price of USD 1.5 billion upfront and up to USD 500 million in success-based milestone payments.

Re: There are many ways to think about partnering

Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2022 6:41 pm
by LWS
by LWS » Sun Jun 26, 2022 3:10 pm

There does appear to be a master plan. The pieces are falling into place:

1. Big pharma---Bayer AG/Vividion, AbbVie, JNJ/Janssen
2. People-- Dr. Rizo, Dr. Feller, Dr. Scarlett
3. Imetelstat---single-agent, blood cancers, combinations, vaccines, solid tumors, telomeres & telomerase interactions
4. Approvals--- UK, EU, USA
5. Processes-- staff, manufacturing
6. Interactions--- MD Anderson
No one knows the full potential of Imetelstat. Bayer AG/Vividion is a major step forward in exploring those possibilities.

The 'two-hats' of Dr. Rizo, once a matter of confusion now make sense. I suspect that everyone involved thought long and hard about these changes and company interactions. What is clearly good for Dr. Rizo, also appears to be very positive for Imetelstat and for the 'greater-good' (Geron, patients, investors, etc.).

Vividion is positioned to experiment with Imetelstat in many ways that now would be impossible for Geron (life science beyond cancers, vaccines, solid tumor delivery systems, etc.). Vividion is working at the cutting edge of medicine and life sciences, and, as a fully owned subsidiary of Bayer AG, has access to 'very deep pockets'.

Re: There are many ways to think about partnering

Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 9:04 pm
by LWS
LCTX has a long history with Geron and were spun-off from them some time ago. I suspect that Bayer AG also has an interest in them. Cancer vaccines seem to be possible, and perhaps Imetelstat is a factor in some important way (kills cancer stem cells). This is a reach but has become more interesting as of late. I believe Geron benefits from LCTX's successes. The share prices of GERN & LCTX seem to be tracking each other.
**********************************************************
Excerpts focusing on VAC2 (Cancer Vaccine)

CARLSBAD, Calif., May 12, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)
--Lineage Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (NYSE American and TASE: LCTX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing allogeneic cell therapies for unmet medical needs, today reported financial and operating results for the first quarter of 2022.

We are working to advance OPC1 and VAC2 into their next phases of clinical testing, in spinal cord injury and oncology, respectively, as well as advancing our auditory neuron and photoreceptor programs through preclinical development and toward pre-IND meetings with FDA. We believe the combination of our disciplined use of capital and current balance sheet will support multiple years of progress, during which we anticipate reaching significant events with each of our clinical and preclinical programs."

Announced completion of patient enrollment in Phase 1 clinical study of VAC2 for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by Cancer Research UK; Lineage has now assumed responsibility for further clinical development of VAC2 and any future development opportunities derived from the VAC platform.
************************************
Some History----Lineage (LCTX), formerly known as BioTime Inc., is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel cell therapies for unmet medical needs. In early 2013 BioTime, whose CEO at the time was Geron founder Michael D. West, acquired 400 patents and other intellectual property related to embryonic stem cells from Geron and later went on to restart the trial.

Re: There are many ways to think about partnering

Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2022 3:51 pm
by LWS
More about Bayer AG & Vividion. One of Dr. Rizo's hats is President of Vividion; the other is Imetelstat advisor/consultant at Geron. The 'two-hats' overlap.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday - June 29, 2022
Bayer opens new Research & Innovation Center in Boston-Cambridge demonstrating its commitment to precision oncology


Berlin / Boston, June 29, 2022
– Bayer AG announced today the opening of its new Research and Innovation Center at Kendall Square in Boston-Cambridge, Massachusetts (U.S.A.), expanding further the company’s footprint into one of the world’s most innovative pharmaceutical research and development locations. Representing a total $140M USD investment into the area, Bayer’s 62,100-square-foot building houses a new center of precision molecular oncology research equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories and offices for the development of novel targeted cancer therapies for patients. In addition, the center comprises a newly established research team focused on leveraging chemical biology techniques to further propel the company’s oncology drug development process.

“Our new Bayer research and innovation center at Kendall Square is part of our strategy to be at the forefront of scientific discovery and breakthrough innovation for better patient healthcare,” said Stefan Oelrich, Member of the Board of Management, Bayer AG and President of Bayer’s Pharmaceuticals Division. “Being part of this unique innovation ecosystem will support our teams in creating breakthrough innovations for patients together with the experts here.”

“Bayer has a growing community of world-class innovators – from our internal experts and partners such as Vividion, to our global network of academic and industry partners, many of which are located right here in the Boston area,” said Christian Rommel, Member of the Executive Committee of Bayer AG's Pharmaceutical Division and Head of Research and Development at Bayer. “Our new research and innovation center in Kendall Square brings us closer to these partners, to fellow scientists and institutions that join us in our mission to keep pushing the boundaries of medical innovation with the purpose of bringing impactful health solutions to patients.”

“We have brought a number of unique oncology treatments to patients over the past years,” said Christine Roth, Member of the Executive Committee of Bayer’s Pharmaceutical Division and Head of the Oncology SBU at Bayer. “Our ambition is to play a significant role in the next wave of breakthrough innovations in oncology. The opening of our new research center at Kendall Square with its dedicated research group of precision oncology experts demonstrates our commitment to investing in the next wave of innovation that has the potential to impact the way cancer is treated.”

“At Kendall Square, we find the innovation-driven businesses, entrepreneurship, world-class academics, cutting-edge research, breakthrough technologies, infrastructure, and culture to support our strategic goals,” said Marianne De Backer, MBA, Ph.D., Member of the Executive Committee of the Pharmaceuticals Division and Head of Strategy, Business Development & Licensing and Open Innovation at Bayer. “It helps us to further solidify our presence and commitment in this vibrant and growing ecosystem that gives us an opportunity to connect with current and future pioneers in the pharmaceutical sector. We are here to develop long-lasting relationships that will accelerate our quest for novel treatments and technologies. Together, we will leverage our cumulative expertise and resources, and truly transform patient lives.”

Spanning across two floors, the new center currently provides space for 100 employees, while the company is prepared to fill an additional 50 roles in the coming months. It is designed to enhance the collaboration between Bayer research and development, its internal partners such as BlueRock Therapeutics, Asklepios BioPharmaceutical (AskBio) and Vividion Therapeutics, as well as external partners to accelerate the development of transformative treatments for patients. In addition to the new center at Kendall Square in Cambridge, Bayer has also established strategic research collaborations with top scientific partners in Boston, including joint laboratories in the areas of lung disease with Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital and precision cardiology with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

The Research and Innovation Center also marks a strategic investment into Bayer’s oncology innovation to transform healthcare for people living with cancer worldwide, and at the same time to ensure sustainable long-term growth for the company. Striving to become a top 10 oncology company by 2030, Bayer is investing a significant portion of its global R&D budget toward oncology. The new precision molecular oncology research center will drive the development of targeted next-generation cancer therapies, including efforts to help people living with cancer benefit from molecular tests and targeted treatments through biomarker testing.

Bayer has a 160-year track record of delivering scientific innovation for patients in areas of high medical need and has long embraced external innovation and partnering. Since 2020, Bayer has secured more than 40 transactions in business development and licensing and invested $1.5B USD in partnerships through its Leaps by Bayer impact investments, and the new center is expected to play a role for future partnering investments and collaborations.

With this new center, Bayer is expanding its operations in the leading life sciences cluster worldwide. Boston-Cambridge is home to approximately 1,000 biotechnology companies, with Kendall Square being the center of pharmaceutical innovation on the East Coast of the USA. The company is now present in four of the largest biotechnology hubs in the United States - Boston, San Francisco, San Diego and Research Triangle Park, NC.

About Bayer


Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2021, the Group employed around 100,000 people and had sales of 44.1 billion euros. R&D expenses before special items amounted to 5.3 billion euros. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.

Find more information at https://pharma.bayer.com/
Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bayer
Follow us on Twitter: @BayerPharma

Re: There are many ways to think about partnering

Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2022 4:43 pm
by biopearl123
LWS, thanks for reminding us of the LCTX and Bayer backgrounds.

Re: There are many ways to think about partnering

Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2022 7:23 pm
by LWS
I believe that Geron will soon have partners with very deep pockets or will be absorbed in a buyout. Dr. Rizo's new position at Geron (Imetelstat Advisor & Consultant) and her other new position at Bayer AG/Vividion (President) are interactive and telling.

The parts are in motion. Imetelstat has so much going for it now with very successful phase2's, ongoing & confirming phase 3s, combinations trials with approved medicines (AbbVie & Incyte), with JNJ/Janssen still in the background.

I don't know how this all ends, but it sure is interesting.
The trigger for a move upward of Geron's price per share will be an event. Geron seems to be financially sound for now, with a number of possible resources (financially, scientifically, medically) available in other companies (if needed). Imetelstat appears to be medically on very sound ground.

A single-agent approval (UK, EU, USA) now would be very helpful and (almost) a certainty, but no one knows exactly what Dr. Scarlett (JS) has in mind. JS has told us that he believes in partners (see original thread #0 from hunt*****) and that a strong phase 3 is the best time to negotiate. That would be now.

Re: There are many ways to think about partnering

Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2022 4:45 pm
by LWS
Dr. Scarlett now has the interest of three major drug companies: AbbVie (TELOMERE-- AML combinations), JNJ (historical presence with contributing staff roots), Bayer AG (advanced cancer research). Imetelstat, as a single-agent for blood cancers, appears certain of approvals. Its potential in combinations, vaccines, solid cancer tumors and other forms of life science is now being explored (the tip of the iceberg).

Dr. Rizo is pointing the way forward with Dr. Scarlett in total agreement. Vividion (she is now President of Vividion) has access to the deep pockets of Bayer AG to explore Imetelstat's applications on all levels. She is also the senior advisor and consultant to Geron for all Imetelstat projects. Dr. Rizo's two jobs fit together very nicely to rapidly advance Imetelstat in all ways (money, research facilities, combined staff).

Re: There are many ways to think about partnering

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2022 7:45 pm
by LWS
Targeting telomerase for cancer therapy (excerpt)
Dr. Tomislav Meštrović, MD, Ph.D.

Ideal cancer therapeutic targets are those that are specific for certain tumors and that pose a threat for maintaining its malignancy. As a role of telomerase in the unlimited proliferative potential of cells has been repeatedly demonstrated, it has been proposed as a potential anticancer target.

In essence, the idea seems exciting, as telomerase is found in different types of human cancers, while at the same time absent from many normal cells. Thus specific agents that would target telomerase might kill malignant cells without altering the function of a majority of normal cells in our body. Additionally, this approach could work for a wide array of cancers that contain telomerase.

Nevertheless, certain questions need answers if we are to add telomerase inhibitors to our armamentarium of drugs against cancer. Assessing the importance of telomerase for normal cells or demonstrating that its inhibition can in fact destroy telomerase-producing cancers (and supersede telomere-salvaging pathways) are just a couple of examples.

Therefore additional research is definitely required in order to further establish the exact roles of telomeres and telomerase in the biology of cancer stem cells, which will likely contribute to success of novel therapeutic approaches against different types of malignant diseases.
There has to be considerable interest, from all, in the fact that Imetelstat can kill cancer stem cells, while leaving normal cells alone. The research opportunities in Cancer Moonshot projects are unmatched. I believe that Geron, Dr. Rizo (with her two jobs), and Bayer AG see this developing now.

Re: There are many ways to think about partnering

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2022 9:10 pm
by biopearl123
LWS I feel like I have gone back two decades to the Okarma era! Also for completeness and accuracy please cite your source for this quote. Thanks, bp