Latest news with #TurkuUniversityHospital
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Faron Announces New Data that Highlight Patient Populations with Cancer that are Most Likely to Benefit from First-in-class Immunotherapy Bexmarilimab
TURKU, FI / / May 23, 2025 / Faron Pharmaceuticals (HEL:FARON)(LSE:FARN) - New data published in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancerreveals how tumor microenvironment shapes response to bexmarilimab along with a gene signature that can predict sensitivity to treatment Study highlights: Tissuemicroenvironments showed three distinct response patterns to bexmarilimab , driven by the level of inflammation, macrophage type, and their location within the tissue. Bexmarilimab stimulated response in immunologically-cold tumors and inhibited inflammation in treatment resistant tumors. New patent filed around gene signature validated to predict bexmarilimab sensitivity, offering a tool for patient selection. Cancer-free adjacent tissues also responded to bexmarilimab , primarily through B cell activation, hinting towards long lasting systemic beneficial affects against cancer. Turku, Finland - Faron Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (AIM: FARN, First North: FARON), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced the publication of a new study in the peer-reviewed Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer , shedding new light on how the tumor microenvironment (TME) influences the response to bexmarilimab , the company's investigational macrophage-targeting immunotherapy. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, used advanced patient-derived explant culture (PDEC) models and cutting-edge transcriptomic profiling to map the immunological landscape surrounding tumors and their adjacent tissues. It identified critical molecular and cellular factors that determine how patients respond to bexmarilimab therapy. Dr. Maija Hollmén, Chief Scientific Officer of Faron Pharmaceuticals and senior author of the study from MediCity Research Laboratory and InFLAMES Flagship, University of Turku, Finland, said, "This work gives us a mechanistic framework for understanding why some patients respond remarkably well to bexmarilimab while others do not in solid tumors. By recognizing that macrophage response is governed by the tissue's immunological state, we open new possibilities for tailored therapy. This could help guide both clinical trial design and eventual treatment decisions, ensuring patients are matched with the right therapy to have a better chance at survival." Tumor-associated macrophages, or TAMs, are specific immune cells found within and around solid tumors. Depending on their type, they can either help the body fight cancer (immunostimulatory) or protect the tumor (immunosuppressive) and help it grow. Hence, it is important to study them in the tumor microenvironment (TME or the area around the tumor where these cells are present). By understanding how TAMs behave in different tumors, researchers can find better ways to treat cancer with medicines that reprogram these cells to attack the tumor instead of helping it. Bexmarilimab is a first-in-class humanized anti-Clever-1 antibody designed to reprogram TAMs from an immunosuppressive to an immunostimulatory phenotype. By inhibiting the scavenger receptor Clever-1, bexmarilimab enhances antigen presentation and promotes anti-tumor immunity. This study addresses the heterogeneity of TAMs by showing how their type, origin, and the tumor environment influence response to therapy. Researchers analyzed samples of tumor and adjacent cancer-free tissue from patients with breast cancer who underwent mastectomy (PDEC model). They also applied a combination of single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, and cytokine profiling to identify the genes associated with bexmarilimab's response. Bexmarilimab stimulated response in immunologically "cold" tumors (low inflammation) and reduced inflammation in TMEs with strong IFN signaling and advanced TAM activity. The analysis validated five genes (including CXCL9, FCGR1A, GBP5, SLAMF7, and SERPING1) that accurately predicted sensitivity to bexmarilimab . This allows for a potential biomarker-based strategy to enrich patient populations in clinical trials in solid tumors and optimize therapeutic outcomes. A new patent application has been filed for using this method for patient selection. Dr. Petri Bono, Chief Medical Officer, Faron Pharmaceuticals, said, "As the immunotherapy landscape evolves, understanding the TME's influence on treatment response is becoming increasingly critical. These findings lay a scientific foundation for advancing macrophage-targeting therapies beyond trial-and-error toward a more predictive treatment. It can potentially impact the design of future trials for bexmarilimab in solid tumors, including potential companion diagnostics based on the identified gene signature." Moreover, despite that macrophage are known to be crucial for innate immune responses cancer-free adjacent tissues consistently showed B cell activation regardless of the corresponding tumor's response, hinting at systemic immune benefits as a part of adaptive immunity, i.e. the memory side of the immune system. These findings underscore the context-dependent nature of macrophage reprogramming and the need for precise patient selection in clinical development. The study also highlighted that bexmarilimab may complement existing immune checkpoint therapies. Bexmarilimab targeted tumor environments that are immunologically opposite to those responsive to anti-PD-(L)1 therapy. While each associated differently with baseline IFN signaling, both triggered IFN responses when effective. For the latest findings in Finnish, see the University of Turku press release . Bexmarilimab is currently under investigation for both hematological cancers and advanced solid tumors. The ongoing BEXMAB clinical study is evaluating bexmarilimab in combination with azacitidine in relapsed/refractory AML and MDS patients. The trial's most recent phase II data, to be presented at ASCO and EHA 2025, showed promising response rates in pretreated populations. Faron will be hosting a virtual webinar to discuss the full analysis of r/r MDS as well as new frontline HR MDS patient data on Monday, 2 June 2025. To register for the event visit: BEXMAB Phase II study results For more information, please contact: IR Partners, Finland(Media)Riina TuominenKare Laukkanen +358 44 313 50 553 9535 / +44 7 469 766 FINN Partners, US(Media) Alyssa Paldo +1 847 791-8085 Cairn Financial Advisers LLP(Nominated Adviser and Broker)Sandy Jamieson, Jo Turner +44 (0) 207 213 0880 Sisu Partners Oy(Certified Adviser on Nasdaq First North)Juha KarttunenJukka Järvelä +358 (0)40 555 4727+358 (0)50 553 8990 About BEXMABThe BEXMAB study is an open-label Phase I/II clinical trial investigating bexmarilimab in combination with standard of care (SoC) in the aggressive hematological malignancies of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The primary objective is to determine the safety and tolerability of bexmarilimab in combination with SoC (azacitidine) treatment. Directly targeting Clever-1 could limit the replication capacity of cancer cells, increase antigen presentation, ignite an immune response, and allow current treatments to be more effective. Clever-1 is highly expressed in both AML and MDS and associated with therapy resistance, limited T cell activation and poor outcomes. About bexmarilimabBexmarilimab is Faron's wholly owned, investigational immunotherapy designed to overcome resistance to existing treatments and optimize clinical outcomes, by targeting myeloid cell function and igniting the immune system. Bexmarilimab binds to Clever-1, an immunosuppressive receptor found on macrophages leading to tumor growth and metastases (i.e. helps cancer evade the immune system). By targeting the Clever-1 receptor on macrophages, bexmarilimab alters the tumor microenvironment, reprogramming macrophages from an immunosuppressive (M2) state to an immunostimulatory (M1) one, upregulating interferon production and priming the immune system to attack tumors and sensitizing cancer cells to standard of care. About Faron Pharmaceuticals LtdFaron (AIM: FARN, First North: FARON) is a global, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focused on tackling cancers via novel immunotherapies. Its mission is to bring the promise of immunotherapy to a broader population by uncovering novel ways to control and harness the power of the immune system. The Company's lead asset is bexmarilimab , a novel anti-Clever-1 humanized antibody, with the potential to remove immunosuppression of cancers through reprogramming myeloid cell function. Bexmarilimab is being investigated in Phase I/II clinical trials as a potential therapy for patients with hematological cancers in combination with other standard treatments. Further information is available at SOURCE: Faron Pharmaceuticals View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Sun
01-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Lacking key vitamin in childhood could raise risk of deadly heart disease in later life, scientists warn
CHILDREN lacking a key vitamin may be at higher risk of heart disease later in life, scientists say. It's been estimated that almost 20 per cent of children in the UK and one in six adults don't have enough vitamin D in their body. 1 The nutrient - which can be derived through sun exposure and diet - is one of many vitamins the body needs to stay healthy, as it helps maintain bones, teeth and muscles. Severe vitamin D deficiency in children could lead to bone deformities called rickets. fatigue and mood changes. Now a new study published to the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology suggests that low vitamin D levels in children could be linked to the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in adulthood. Atherosclerosis is when the arteries get clogged up and narrowed due to a buildup of fatty plaques in the arteries. It's a potentially serious condition as it's the cause of most heart attacks and strokes, according to the British Heart Foundation. Researchers suggested their findings may pave the way for identifying early risk factors for heart disease. Previous studies on adults have shown that low vitamin D levels could be linked to an increased risk of heart disease. The new study was conducted by scientists at Turku University Hospital and the University of Turku in Finland, who'd previously found that low vitamin D levels in childhood was linked to signs of atherosclerosis adulthood. Due to this, vitamin D deficiencies could increase the risk of heart disease, the researchers said. But they set out to examine whether low vitamin D levels during childhood could predict someone's likelihood of suffering a heart attack or stroke in later life. Researchers used data from from 3,516 who participated in the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study. Using frozen samples collected in 1980, when participants were between three and 18 years old, they measured levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D. This is the primary circulating form of vitamin D and considered to be the most reliable measure of overall vitamin D levels. On average, children had a vitamin D level of 51.3 nmol/L. Researchers also had access to data on participants' body mass index (BMI), levels of fat in the blood, blood pressure, dietary habits, socioeconomic status, physical activity levels and smoking habits. They were able to identify whether the children eventually suffered a cardiovascular events by going through national health registries. A total of 95 participants - just under 3 per cent - experienced at least one atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease event, usually around the age of 47. Sources of vitamin D It's recommended that young children and babies be given a vitamin D supplement year-round, while older children and adults take one in the autumn and winter months when there' s less sunlight. Babies up to the age of one need 8.5 to 10 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin D a day. Meanwhile, children and adults need 10 mcg of vitamin D a day. Vitamin D is also found in a small number of foods. Sources include: oily fish – such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel red meat liver (avoid liver if you are pregnant) egg yolks fortified foods – such as some fat spreads and breakfast cereals Source: NHS Researchers also sought to find out if certain vitamin D concentrations — 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, and 43 nmol/L — were more strongly linked to heart disease. Researchers found that low levels of vitamin D during childhood were linked to a higher risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events in adulthood. This was especially the case for children who with vitamin D levels lower than 37 nmol/L. For example, children with vitamin D levels below 35 nmol/L had more than double the risk of heart disease compared to those with higher levels. Researchers noted that - as their study was observational - they couldn't show that low vitamin D levels directly cause cardiovascular events in later life, only that the two are linked. But they said their findings support current recommendations for maintaining vitamin D levels in children. The NHS recommends that babies and children between the ages of one and four should take a daily vitamin D supplement throughout the year. It's also advised that older children and adults take supplements during the autumn and winter, when we can't make enough vitamin D from sunlight.
