Latest news with #MoffittCancerCenter
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Fundraising campaign underway to support Manatee County Sheriff's Office detective
Fundraising campaign underway to support Manatee detective Family, friends, and community members are rallying support for a young Manatee County Sheriff's Office detective who is fighting an aggressive form of blood cancer. Det. Andrew (AJ) Rodman was recently transferred from Lakewood Ranch Medical Center to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, where he has been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), according to Rebecca Angel, who is leading fundraising efforts through a GoFundMe page. Rodman needs a bone marrow transplant as well as additional chemotherapy over the next 1-2 years. Rodman has worked for the Sheriff's Office for the past four years. He is a detective with the Violent Crimes Task Force and a member of the SWAT Team. He and wife Mallory have a 5-year-old daughter Nora. For more information and to support Rodman, visit Special kickoff party previews 2025 Walk to End Alzheimer's The Alzheimer's Association will host a special kickoff party for the annual Walk to End Alzheimer's Sarasota County on Aug. 19 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, 7051 Wireless Court, in Sarasota. The event, "Let's Taco about Walk", will preview this year's Walk (Nov. 15 at Nathan Benderson Park-Regatta) and provide an opportunity to learn how to get involved and connect with others in the fight to end Alzheimer's. There will be food, including tacos, raffle prizes, fundraising ideas and more. The Walk to End Alzheimer's is the world's largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer's care, support and research. More than 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's, including over 580,000 Floridians. Walk day includes the Promise Garden Ceremony, where flowers symbolize personal reasons for participation – for a loved one, as a caregiver, as a supporter, or in memory. For the kickoff event, RSVP to Jody Nolan at jodynolanalz@ Advance tickets now on sale for conservation fundraiser Advance tickets are on sale for Big Waters Land Trust's Party in Paradise fundraiser on Nov. 8 at the organization's Bay Preserve headquarters in Osprey. 'Party in Paradise will be an unforgettable evening where nature meets art and art becomes nature,' says Shalla Ashworth, Big Waters director of philanthropy. 'As the sun sets, guests will experience the beauty of the natural world and discover there is always more than meets the eye.' The event in support Big Waters' mission to protect land and water begins at 6 p.m. General admission tickets include open seating with premium placement VIP tables available. Last year's Party in Paradise raised over $350,000. For information, including sponsorship opportunities, visit or contact Dawn Lansing at or 941-918-2100. Around and about · The Sarasota/Manatee MPO Bicycle/Pedestrian/Trails Advisory Committee will host a public meeting on Aug. 19 at at the Sarasota/Manatee MPO Office, 8100 15th St. E., Sarasota. Written comments will be considered. Email executive assistant Lindsay Heinrich (Lindsay@ before 1 p.m. on Aug. 19. · Downtown Wellen Park will host a free hands-only CPR training session on Aug. 27 from 10 a.m.-noon at Solis Hall, 19745 Wellen Park Blvd., North Port. The training will be provided by emergency teams from HCA Florida who will demonstrate how to respond quickly when someone experiences cardiac arrest. Reservations: 844-630-5295. · Palmetto resident Matt Simmons will have a book signing for "Find Your Hidden Treasure Chest" at the Barnes and Noble at UTC Mall on Cattlemen Road on Aug. 31 from noon-2 p.m. The book "provides a painless avenue for anyone struggling to build a promising financial future," Simmons says. masimmons1235@ · Temple Sinai in Sarasota will host an Open House on Sept. 5 starting at 5 p.m. The event includes a welcome reception and tour of Temple Sinai's campus. 941-924-1802. · Empath Grief Care and Tidewell Foundation are hosting a free grief‑support retreat for youth ages 9-17 on Sept. 5-7 at DaySpring Retreat Center in Parrish. Camp Blue Butterfly offers a safe space where young hearts can connect, heal, and grow. No cost for youth anywhere in Florida. Info/registration: · Gulf Cove United Methodist Church will host a Pig Pickin' Fundraiser! to support post-hurricane repairs on Sept. 12 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 1100 S. McCall Road (Route 776), Gulf Cove/Port Charlotte. Featuring Chef Alfred Current's North Carolina Style pulled pork. Dine-in or drive-thru. Tickets $20. 941-697-1747. Submissions by Gary Scott, Rebecca Angel, Nicole Lesson, Tianna Boswell-Porter, Lindsay Heinrich, Julie Beatty, Matt Simmons, Laurie Lachowitzer, Elizabeth Domenech, and Dana Hanson. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Fundraising campaign underway to support Manatee County detective Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Anixa Biosciences to Host an Investor Webcast on June 26, 2025
SAN JOSE, Calif., June 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Anixa Biosciences, Inc. ("Anixa" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: ANIX), a biotechnology company focused on the treatment and prevention of cancer, today announced that it will host an investor webcast presentation on June 26, 2025 at 2:00 PM EDT. During the webcast, Dr. Amit Kumar, Anixa's Chairman and CEO, will conduct an introductory presentation that will cover key aspects of Anixa's business including an overview of the Company's therapeutic portfolio, its business strategy, market opportunity and near-term milestones. After the formal presentation, investors will have an opportunity to ask relevant questions through an interactive Q&A portal. To listen to the webcast or to ask questions during the live event, please pre-register at the following link: An archived version of the webcast and presentation will be available on the Company's website, About Anixa Biosciences, Inc. Anixa is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the treatment and prevention of cancer. Anixa's therapeutic portfolio consists of an ovarian cancer immunotherapy program being developed in collaboration with Moffitt Cancer Center, which uses a novel type of CAR-T, known as chimeric endocrine receptor-T cell (CER-T) technology. This technology is differentiated from other cell therapies as the natural ligand of the FSHR receptor, FSH, binds to the FSHR receptor on the tumor cell instead of an antibody fragment. Moffitt is a world leader in cancer immunotherapy treatments, pioneering next-generation cell therapies such as CAR-T, and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) to harness the power of the immune system. The Company's vaccine portfolio includes vaccines being developed in collaboration with Cleveland Clinic to treat and prevent breast cancer and ovarian cancer, as well as additional cancer vaccines to address many intractable cancers, including high incidence malignancies in lung, colon, and prostate. These vaccine technologies focus on immunizing against "retired" proteins that have been found to be expressed in certain forms of cancer. The breast and ovarian cancer vaccines were developed at Cleveland Clinic and exclusively licensed to Anixa. Cleveland Clinic is entitled to royalties and other commercialization revenues from the Company related to these vaccine technologies. Anixa's unique business model of partnering with world-renowned research institutions on all stages of development allows the Company to continually examine emerging technologies in complementary fields for further development and commercialization. To learn more, visit or follow Anixa on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube. Forward-Looking StatementsStatements that are not historical fact may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical facts, but rather reflect Anixa's current expectations concerning future events and results. We generally use the words "believes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," "likely," "will" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements, including those concerning our expectations, involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond our control, which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and factors include, but are not limited to, those factors set forth in "Item 1A - Risk Factors" and other sections of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K as well as in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. You are cautioned not to unduly rely on such forward-looking statements when evaluating the information presented in this press release. Contact:Mike CatelaniPresident, COO & CFOmcatelani@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Anixa Biosciences, Inc. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TuHURA Biosciences Presents IFx-Hu2.0 Trial-in-Progress Poster at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting
Phase 3 IFx-Hu2.0 trial as an adjunctive therapy with Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) in checkpoint inhibitor (CPI)-naïve patients with advanced or metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) detailed in Trial in Progress Poster at ASCO Phase 3 trial of IFx-Hu2.0 to be conducted under Accelerated Approval Pathway and Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) agreement with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) TAMPA, Fla., June 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- TuHURA Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:HURA) ("TuHURA"), a Phase 3 immune-oncology company developing novel technologies to overcome resistance to cancer immunotherapy, today announced that Moffitt Cancer Center presented a Trial in Progress poster of the Company's planned Phase 3 accelerated approval trial at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting on June 1, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois. The Company's poster, titled "Multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of IFx-Hu2.0 (IFx) as adjunctive therapy with pembrolizumab (pembro) in checkpoint inhibitor (CPI)-naïve patients with advanced or metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC)" details the Company's Phase 3 accelerated approval trial design of IFx-Hu2.0, its novel innate immune agonist. The Trial in Progress poster was presented by Andrew Brohl, M.D., Medical Oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center, and highlighted the importance of innate immune system activation in Merkel cell carcinoma patients with primary resistance to checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs). "Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare and aggressive tumor type. While checkpoint inhibitor therapy has markedly improved the outcome for patients with advanced or metastatic MCC, unfortunately for patients who don't respond to first line checkpoint inhibitor therapy the survival is poor at less than 30 months.1 Based on the results from our Phase 1 clinical trials, IFx-Hu2.0 intralesional administration has demonstrated it can activate an innate immune response, resulting in the production and activation of tumor specific B cells and T cells, to overcome the primary CPI resistance in both advanced or metastatic MCC or melanoma," stated James Bianco, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of TuHURA Biosciences. "We believe we have provided data requested by the FDA that addresses the requirements listed in the partial clinical hold letter to allow us to initiate our Phase 3 accelerated approval trial this month. The FDA was constructive in the trial design, which can potentially satisfy both the requirements for accelerated and regular approval without the requirements for a post approval confirmatory trial. They continue to work with us under the SPA Agreement in preparing the trial's initiation." In the Phase 1b trial of IFx-Hu2.0, MCC among patients who progressed on pembrolizumab (anti-PD-1) or avelumab (anti-PDL-1) therapy, weekly administration of IFx-Hu2.0 for up to 3 doses followed by rechallenge with anti-PD(L)-1 therapy, demonstrated an overall response rate of 63% (2CR, 5 PR) with duration of responses ranging from 6 to 33 months with 5 ongoing responses as of last follow-up in June 2024. The Company's Phase 3 accelerated approval trial of adjunctive IFx-Hu2.0, to be conducted under a SPA agreement with the U.S. FDA, will evaluate IFx-Hu2.0 (0.1 mg) as an adjunctive therapy administered weekly for three weeks concurrent to pembrolizumab (200 mg) Q3W, compared to the same pembrolizumab regimen plus placebo. The pivotal trial is expected to enroll 118 CPI-naïve patients with advanced or metastatic MCC across approximately 22 to 25 U.S. sites. Trial participants will be randomized on a 1:1 basis and receive CPI therapy for up to two years, or until disease progression or CPI related toxicities. The primary endpoint for the trial is overall response rate (ORR) with a key secondary endpoint of progression free survival (PFS). Other secondary endpoints are safety, duration of response, and overall survival. The Trial in Progress poster is available on the Scientific Publications page of TuHURA's website. 1 Kacew et al. (2020). Predictors of immunotherapy benefit in Merkel cell carcinoma. Oncotarget, 11(47), 4401–4410. About TuHURA Biosciences, Inc. TuHURA Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: HURA) is a Phase 3 immuno-oncology company developing novel technologies to overcome primary and acquired resistance to cancer immunotherapy, two of the most common reasons cancer immunotherapies fail to work or stop working in the majority of patients with cancer. TuHURA's lead innate immune agonist, IFx-2.0, is designed to overcome primary resistance to checkpoint inhibitors. TuHURA is preparing to initiate a single randomized placebo-controlled Phase 3 registration trial of IFx-2.0 administered as an adjunctive therapy to Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) compared to Keytruda® plus placebo in first-line treatment for advanced or metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma. In addition to its innate immune agonist product candidates, TuHURA is leveraging its Delta Opioid Receptor technology to develop first-in-class, bi-specific antibody drug conjugates and antibody peptide conjugates targeting Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells to inhibit their immune-suppressing effects on the tumor microenvironment to prevent T cell exhaustion and acquired resistance to checkpoint inhibitors and cellular therapies. For more information, please visit and connect with TuHURA on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of, and subject to the safe harbor created by, Section 27A of the Securities Act, Section 21E of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These Forward-looking statements are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and other future conditions. In some cases you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as "believe," "may," "will," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "could," "should," "would," "project," "plan," "expect," "goal," "seek," "future," "likely" or the negative or plural of these words or similar expressions. Examples of such forward-looking statements include but are not limited to express or implied statements regarding TuHURA's expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future and include, without limitation, statements regarding TuHURA's IFx-Hu2.0 product candidate and anticipated Phase 3 trial and any developments or results in connection therewith and the anticipated regulatory pathway and timing thereof. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. You are cautioned that such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those set forth in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements are described in detail in our registration statements, reports and other filings with the SEC, which are available on the combined company's website, and at The forward-looking statements and other information contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof, and TuHURA does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. Nothing herein shall constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. Investor Contact: Monique KosseGilmartin GroupMonique@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE TuHURA Biosciences, Inc. 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Miami Herald
30-05-2025
- Health
- Miami Herald
John Thrasher, former FSU president and Florida House speaker, dies at 81
John Thrasher, the former president of Florida State University and a longtime state lawmaker, died Friday morning, his family said in a statement. He was 81. Thrasher had been battling cancer before his death. 'The family would like to thank everyone for their well wishes, visits, and prayers during the last month and express their deep gratitude for the doctors and nurses who cared for him at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, Moffitt Cancer Center, Orlando Health, and Cornerstone Hospice‚' Sarah Bascom, a spokesperson for Thrasher's family, said in a statement. Thrasher will be buried in a private ceremony in Orange Park, Florida, and there will be a public celebration at Florida State University's Ruby Diamond Hall on Aug. 19, according to the statement. Thrasher, a longtime Republican, led Florida State University as president for about six years before retiring in 2021. In Tallahassee, Thrasher served in the Florida House from 1992 to 2000, the last two years as House speaker. He also previously spent five years in the Florida Senate. Gov. Ron DeSantis said on social media that he was sad to learn of Thrasher's death, saying he 'served the state well.' 'John lived a remarkable life — and he made a big difference in the lives of so many in our state,' DeSantis said. This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Patient with rare cancer finds hope in a clinical trial
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- A runner, Judith Hetlage repeatedly felt pain in her left lower leg while on her daily path around Davie, Florida. Several trips to the orthopedist, however, left her frustrated and without an explanation. Eventually, though, Hetlage's primary doctor ordered a scan of her calf that showed a tumor, and a biopsy led to the diagnosis of a rare cancer of the soft tissue called synovial sarcoma. Her initial treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston — involving chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery — seemed successful, and Hetlage followed up regularly with quarterly scans. Ten years later, though, what began w as synovial sarcoma in her calf ultimately resulted in cancer cells spreading to her lungs. 'I felt like that was the death sentence,' Hetlage said. 'There were 13 tumors in my lungs in a matter of three months.' Hetlage, 65, has some hope in what could be a medical breakthrough. She is enrolled in a pioneering clinical trial that has implications far beyond her rare form of cancer. Through Memorial Cancer Institute and its partnership with Moffett Cancer Center, she is participating in a trial for T-cell Receptor Therapy (TCR-T). The treatment is an immunotherapy that harvests a patient's T-cells, a type of white blood cell that helps the body's immune system fight disease. After removal, the T-cells are genetically modified to recognize a specific protein within cancer cells and infused back into the patient's immune system to search and destroy the diseased cells. It is the first engineered cell therapy for solid tumor cancer approved in the United States. If effective in trial participants, it could extend the reach of TCR-T cells for use beyond just blood cancers to solid tumor cancer in the head and neck, lungs, and skin. Cancer patients whose disease has been resistant to traditional chemotherapy drugs or metastasized within their bodies could benefit. For Hetlage's type of rare cancer, the standard treatment after the disease spreads is chemotherapy. She had begun chemotherapy while waiting to be accepted into the trial. According to the National Cancer Institute, it has been more than a decade since the FDA approved a new therapy for synovial sarcoma. 'There is an exceedingly high need for new treatment options for patients,' said Dr. Sandra D'Angelo of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, who led a small, initial trial of TCR-T for 44 people with synovial sarcoma. The therapy shrank tumors in 19 participants and kept tumors from growing for an average of six months. For two participants, tumors went away and did not return during the three-year study period, according to D'Angelo's report for the National Cancer Institute. Initially, Hetlage's type of cancer hadn't been included in the current national trial of TCR-T for solid tumors. However, the FDA cleared Hetlage to participate. She began treatment three months ago. 'We took her cells and we activated them in a way that now they will recognize her cancer,' said Dr. Atif Hussein, Hetlage's oncologist and director of Memorial's Hematology & Oncology Fellowship training program. Hussein said he infused Hetlage with 'super immune cells' and then gave her a second dose about two weeks later to empower her immune system, which had been depleted and emptied of bone marrow prior to the treatment. The process, called lymph depletion therapy, allows the supercells to find a home in the immune system. While a similar approach has been successfully used to treat blood cancers, it had never before been used on solid tumors. Now, at least 30 clinical trials of engineered TCR-T cells are underway for a variety of solid tumor types including melanoma, lung and colon cancer. Patients have to qualify for Memorial's TCR-T trial by having a specific immune type. Hussein said dozens of his patients with other types of cancer did not have the right immune type to qualify, but Hetlage did. 'Hopefully, we'll have more who will qualify for this study,' he said. So far, it's too soon to know whether the treatment will work for Hetlage. At a cancer survivor's event at Memorial Cancer Institute, Hetlage, a mother of three daughters and former occupational therapist who now lives in Fort Lauderdale, stood behind the podium, telling other cancer patients: 'I'm not a survivor yet; it's not the end. I believe that survivorship is the day you're diagnosed. I believe that it's all the ups and downs. I stand in the storm. It's about being here and continuing to fight. You can't give in.' Hussein is optimistic about Hetlage's outcome: 'I have been doing oncology for 26 years and I have rarely seen somebody who is so positive, so strong. She is empowering herself, fighting so hard, and if anybody is going to respond, it is somebody like Judith.' Hetlage says she meditates, eats a healthy diet and walks six to seven miles a day. 'I believe your head has got to be in the game,' she said. 'You've got to do the best you can do for yourself while they're doing the medical end.' 'Everyone else I had ever known that had this (type of cancer) isn't still on this earth,' she said. 'This is something I'm going to have to watch and fight the rest of my life.' Hussein said if T-cell receptor therapy can treat solid tumors, it will represent hope in the fight against cancer. He predicts that new cell therapies will be tested in patients in the coming years and represent the next wave of cancer treatment.
