One thing Grand Junction pet owners have in common is that we love to spoil our pets.

The grocery store shelves are lined with all kinds of food for dogs and cats. If you go to a pet store, you'll see aisle after aisle of dog and cat food in cans and bags. In fact, it's almost mind-boggling to see so many varieties of pet food. Yet, we just can't help ourselves when it comes to giving our pets special human food treats.

Once your pet discovers human food, you are doomed to a lifetime of spoiling your beloved pet. How can you possibly resist that sweet face, that longing look, and those adorable begging eyes? And when you see the joy and pleasure your pet gets from each special treat, you only want to do it more and more.

I've never been one to give my dog scraps from the table, but I have been as guilty as the next person when it comes to showering it with special treats - a chip, a cracker, gravy on the dry dog food, a sprinkling of cheese, and watching with delight as they lick the nearly empty whipped cream container clean.

Recently, we asked pet owners to tell us what human food their pet is obsessed with and we found out we are not alone when it comes to giving our pets special treats. We received some fantastic responses and we can tell Grand Junction loves to spoil their pets, and Grand Junction pets clearly love to eat some crazy human foods.

To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.

Even with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you.

Most popular dog breeds that are good for families

See more here:
The Crazy Human Foods Grand Junction Pets Love To Eat - kool1079.com

This article was originally published here

Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk. 2021 Aug 31:S2152-2650(21)02014-0. doi: 10.1016/j.clml.2021.08.012. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) is a useful tool for identifying high-risk features in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM). This study evaluated the role of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in patients presenting with positive results on PET/CT scans.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical records of 210 patients who underwent PET/CT at diagnosis were retrospectively reviewed. Eligible patients for transplantation proceeded to upfront ASCT with high-dose chemotherapy (HDT) after induction therapy with novel agents.

RESULTS: The presence of a number of focal lesions (FL) >3 and extramedullary disease (EMD) occurred in 111 and 35 patients, respectively. ASCT was performed in 54 patients. Among patients with FL > 3, those treated with ASCT showed a prolonged 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates compared to those not treated with ASCT (PFS, 60.2% vs. 23.5%, P < 0.001; OS, 91.7% vs. 63.6%, P = 0.005). In patients with FL 3, treatment by ASCT was associated with a higher 2-year PFS rate than no treatment by ASCT (74.0% vs. 54.9%, P = 0.040). The OS of patients treated with ASCT was not significantly longer than that of patients not treated with ASCT (P = 0.115). In multivariate analysis, FL > 3, Revised International Staging System (R-ISS), and upfront ASCT were independent prognostic factors for PFS and OS.

CONCLUSION: Presenting FL > 3 on baseline PET/CT represents a high-risk feature in patients with NDMM. Frontline ASCT with HDT prolonged the survival of patients with FL > 3.

PMID:34598908 | DOI:10.1016/j.clml.2021.08.012

Original post:
Favorable Long-Term Outcomes with Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation for High-Risk Multiple Myeloma Patients with a Positive Result On (18)F-FDG...

Renovations have begun for a new book store set to open up in downtown Lubbock this fall. Wild Lark Books, located at the end of Broadway, will soon be filled withbespoken treasures.

On Facebook,they posted:

2,500 sq/ft. 5,000 books. 495 feet of shelves. 800 sq/ft meeting space for events and private rentals. Full kitchen. Warehouse. And so many memories and cups of tea to be made and enjoyed! We're moving along with the building plans and staying on course for our mid-November open.

Not only will this be a book store, but alsoa publisher for independent authors. Which means for all you authors out there, they willhelp you publish, but you get keep the rights to your book and earn higher royalties on all sales.

But how did this get started you ask? On their website it says:

Wild Lark Strategiesbegan in 2018 as a sales and marketing consulting company that serves small and medium-sized businesses. In 2019, the founder of Wild Lark Books, Brianne van Reenen, traveled to the northern-most corner of Scotland and discovered stories of her ancestral past in a damp, cluttered bookshop manned by a Scotsman comfortably perched behind a towering pile of spines reading his newspaper. It was then that Wild Lark Books began to take form.

After witnessing many authors in the writing community spend years tirelessly attempting to earn representation through an agent and petition publishers for publication through traditional paths, the vision for Wild Lark Books grew.

Along with all these opportunities located at 513 Broadway Street, they also startedThe Wild Lark Books Fund. It's a nonprofit dedicated to lifting voices of historically underserved writers. The goal, making it adorable and accessible to everyone to be published.

To find out more information, check out their websitehere.

See how some of Lubbock's best known restaurants, venues and more have changed over the past 15 years.

The 10 Most Haunted Places in Lubbock

To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.

Even with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you.

Read the original here:
New Bookstore Wild Lark Books Is Coming to Lubbock - News/Talk 790 KFYO

Peter Voorhees, MD, provides a broad overview on risk assessment and the goals of therapy in multiple myeloma management.

Transcript:

Peter Voorhees, MD: How do we determine risk in newly diagnosed patients with myeloma? There are a number of factors that we look at. One is the cytogenetic risk factors. Does the patient have a myeloma that harbors del(17p) or 1 of the high-risk IGH translocation such as 14;16, 14;20, or 4;14? Theres an increase in the body of literature supporting increased risk with regard to gain of 1q21.1. In particular, 4 or more copies are harbored by the multiple myeloma. We also look at the International Staging System [ISS]. Patients with ISS stage III disease certainly dont fare as well as their stage I and II counterparts. Then theres the revised ISS, which incorporates cytogenetic risk and high LDH [lactate dehydrogenase], which we know is a marker of more aggressive proliferative disease along with the ISS. Theres a number of other factors that we look at, including the presence of circulating plasma cells in peripheral blood; 5% or more typically connotes a more aggressive version of multiple myeloma. Advanced imaging techniques, such as PET [positron emission tomography]/CT, can help us determine whether theres the presence of extramedullary multiple myeloma at the time of diagnosis, which is also an indicator of high-risk disease.

The goal of treatment for a patient with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma is to drive the disease into as deep of a remission as possible and, by doing so, ameliorate the morbidities theyre experiencing related to their multiple myeloma at the time of initial diagnosis and to prevent additional morbidity arising as a result of their multiple myeloma over the long term. Deep remission and sustained remission achieve both of those goals, but we want to do it in a way thats not overly toxic with regard to adverse effects.

How do we determine if a patient is eligible for autologous stem cell transplantation? Increasingly were using age less frequently as that determinant. There are a good number of patients 70 years of age and older, and theyre perfectly capable of getting through high-dose melphalan chemotherapy, just as well as their 50- and 60-year-old counterparts. We look at fitness frailty more than we do chronologic age. Does the patient have comorbidities that would impact the safety of going through high-dose chemotherapy? There are a number of frailty scores, including 1 that was adapted by the International Myeloma Working Group that could help predict potentially more severe adverse effects related to treatment for patients with myeloma. Those metrics can be very helpful in making a decision about whether to proceed with transplant.

Transcript edited for clarity.

Here is the original post:
Risk Assessment and Goals of Therapy in Multiple Myeloma - Targeted Oncology

A cancer diagnosis is devastating.

I got mine on a busy afternoon during school holidays 20 minutes before I was due to pick my daughter up from a birthday party.

I had two part time jobs, two primary school aged kids and my husband worked long hours. I remember telling the GP that I simply didnt have time for cancer.

But the devastating news changed everything.

Before the diagnosis, I had been doing a lot of cycling and walking and was fitter than I had been in years. I felt great but then I caught a cold and couldnt seem to shift a persistent cough.

This went on for a few weeks. I remember having to rest as I walked up two flights of stairs and thinking how unfit I was compared to six weeks earlier. I was sure I had pneumonia and was given antibiotics by my GP.

Things dragged on and I was set for an x-ray and then recalled and sent for a CAT scan. I was working from home when I got ordered back into the GP for the results.

He said it looked like lymphoma. Hold on wasnt that a cancer?

I felt like the rug had been pulled out from under me. How was I going to tell my two beautiful children, Freya (then 10) and Gordon (then 7)? I had no idea what I faced but I knew I didnt want to hide something this big from them.

The CAT was followed by a PET scan which revealed that my body was riddled with cancer. It was everywhere. I had tumours throughout my torso, my spleen had doubled in size and the cancer was in my bone marrow. How had I missed it?

I was admitted to hospital days later to start chemotherapy.

The speed of my diagnosis and the start of treatment meant I didnt have time to research or plan. I asked the oncologist how to tell the kids and she told me not to lie to them. Keep it simple and keep it straight, she said.

In the end, my husband, Scott, had to break the news.

In the days that followed, there were many questions. I found the Cancer Councils Talking to kids about cancer booklet online which was an incredibly useful resource as I needed advice from people with experience in this field.

However, what I really wanted was a picture book I could read with Freya and Gordon and help them to prepare for what they were going to face.

I had been given information to prepare me for my journey but there was nothing for them.

What did my diagnosis mean for them? How would it affect them?

I found books about a parent dying of cancer or books aimed at kids who were diagnosed with cancer themselves.

But the book needed to help me teach my kids about the implications of my diagnosis to my kids didnt exist.

So I wrote one.

Mums Purple Scarf was written to help other parents with that devastating conversation.

It aims to help prepare primary school-aged children learn what to expect when they have a parent being treated for cancer.

It is about the practical aspects of having a parent being treated for cancer. It is about Mum being tired and grumpy, about visits to hospital and extra play dates, and about having to do more to help around the house.

Everything in the book actually happened. We did get three lasagnes in a day and my brother does entertain the kids with fart jokes. And I did nearly drop my hair in the kids sandwiches.

My friend, Janet, illustrated the book and the artwork is beautiful lightening the tone of a difficult topic.

I wanted something good to come out of my experience and this book is my gift to other parents who are facing the same journey in the hope that it will make things a tiny bit easier for them and their children.

***

My treatment journey was long, hard and something I dont want to remember in detail. I had six rounds of chemotherapy and immunotherapy which took up to seven hours in hospital each because I had a severe allergic reaction to one of the drugs.

When that didnt work, I was given salvage therapy and underwent an autologous stem cell transplant.

I lost my hair, twice, was hospitalised with the flu, had dozens of trips to the hospital and was calmed by the professionalism of the staff at the Olivia Newton John Cancer and Wellness Centre.

The stem cell transplant involved more short stays in hospital followed by three weeks in the same room. When I got home, I spent most of my time on the couch and was also pushed into menopause. I felt like I was nearly destroyed and then rebuilt.

However, through it all, I found kindness everywhere. School mums I didnt even know dropped food off to my house. Friends took my children to school. My cleaner cleaned my house for free for months. My mother flew back and forth from Tasmania to help out and my husband took over the mental load of organising our family.

Two years on, if feels like I have woken from a nightmare but I know that I am stronger than I ever thought I could be.

My kids have grown. They dont want to remember or talk about when I was sick.

Ironically, not one of the people I dedicated this book to has read it! But that is ok because they know how it ends.

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'I knew I didn't want to hide something this big from them': A conversation no parent wants to have - Women's Agenda

DetailsCategory: DNA RNA and CellsPublished on Tuesday, 31 August 2021 18:23Hits: 589

Encouraging data confirming activity in a solid tumor indication presented on first nine patients at low dose cohorts in ongoing autologous CAR-T trial in metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer

Three patients showed a greater than 50% decline in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and concordant PSMA-PET imaging results, including one patient at lowest dose with evidence of complete tumor elimination

Favorable safety profile with modest overall rates of CRS and no neurotoxicity observed

SAN DIEGO, CA, USA I August 31, 2021 I Poseida Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: PSTX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company utilizing proprietary genetic engineering platform technologies to create cell and gene therapeutics with the capacity to cure, today announced preliminary results from its Phase 1 clinical trial of P-PSMA-101, the Company's solid tumor autologous CAR-T product candidate to treat patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). These data will be presented at the 6th Annual CAR-TCR Summit virtual meeting at 10:00am ET today in a presentation entitled, "P-PSMA-101 is a High-Tscm Autologous CAR-T Targeting PSMA Producing Exceptionally Deep and Durable Responses in Castration-Resistant Metastatic Prostate Cancer."

"We are excited about the preliminary data from our Phase 1 trial of P-PSMA-101, which provides further evidence of the effectiveness of our CAR-T platform for solid tumor cancers," said Eric Ostertag, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Poseida, who will present at the CAR-TCR Summit. "To date, other CAR-T therapeutics have not had much success outside of hematologic malignancies. The deep and durable responses in our trial demonstrate that CAR-T products have the potential to work well against solid tumors, even at low doses, when using the appropriate technology platform."

Efficacy:

As of the cutoff date, the study had enrolled a total of nine patients with mCRPC: five patients at Dose A who each received a single treatment of 0.25X10E6 cells/kg (an average of about 20M cells), and four patients at Dose B, who each received a single treatment of 0.75X10E6 cells/kg (an average of about 60M cells). All patients received a lymphodepletion regimen consisting of 30 mg/m2 fludarabine + 300 mg/m2 cyclophosphamide. Patients were heavily pre-treated, having received an average of six prior lines of therapy with a median time since diagnosis of 6.4 years.

Key findings included:

-Five patients dosed showed measurable declines in PSA levels-Three patients treated showed a greater than 50% decline in PSA levels and had concordant improvements in PSMA-PET imaging-One patient demonstrated evidence of complete tumor elimination and remains in a durable response of greater than five months at the time of this presentation

"This innovative Poseida PSMA-directed CAR T cell platform has demonstrated a robust anti-tumor response in patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer," commented Susan F. Slovin, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Vice Chair of Academic Administration at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and investigator on the trial. "This is the first time that I have seen such impressive responses with an immunotherapy product. The responses of my patients in the trial are far beyond my expectations."

Safety and Tolerability:

P-PSMA-101 demonstrated a favorable safety and tolerability profile. After a previously reported case of Macrophage Activation Syndrome (MAS) exacerbated by patient non-compliance, only three cases of possible Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS) were observed, which were all low grade (1/2) and were managed well with early treatment. No cases of neurotoxicity (CRES/ICANS) were observed as of the cutoff date.

The Phase 1 trial is an open label, multi-center, 3+3 dose-escalating study designed to assess the safety of P-PSMA-101 in up to 40 adult subjects with mCRPC. The primary objectives of this study are to determine the safety, efficacy, and maximum tolerated dose of P-PSMA-101. Additional information about the study is available at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov using identifier: NCT04249947.

"We believe the key to success in solid tumors is a product with a high percentage of desirable stem cell memory T cells (Tscm)," said Matthew Spear, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Poseida. "In this study, we have demonstrated that a high-percentage Tscm CAR-T product can home to the bone marrow and, in at least one case, completely eliminate tumor. This bone marrow homing property may be particularly important for bone avid diseases such as prostate adenocarcinoma. Importantly, the favorable tolerability associated with our Tscm CAR-T products has carried over to prostate cancer where we have so far seen manageable cytokine release syndrome and no neurotoxicity."

Company-Hosted Conference Call and Webcast Information

Poseida's management team will host a conference call and webcast today, August 31, 2021 at 11:00am ET. The dial-in conference call numbers for domestic and international callers are (866) 939-3921 and (678) 302-3550, respectively. The conference ID number for the call is 50220147. Participants may access the live webcast and the accompanying presentation materials on Poseida's website at http://www.poseida.com in the Investors section under Events and Presentations. An archived replay of the webcast will be available for 30 days following the event.

Additional CAR-TCR Summit Highlights

Presentation: "Developing CAR-T Cells for Multiple Myeloma: From Autologous to Allogeneic"Session Date/Time: Wednesday, September 1, 2021, 4:00pm ETPresenter: Matthew Spear, M.D., CMO, Poseida Therapeutics

This presentation will outline Phase 1 and 2 development of the Company's lead autologous P-BCMA-101 CAR-T therapy and insights that were used to develop a fully allogeneic version, P-BCMA-ALLO1 that is expected to enter the clinic soon. The presentation will be part of the afternoon session on the Clinical Management Track.

Presentation: "Advancing Nonviral Manufacturing for Multi-Product Allogeneic T-Cell Therapies"Session Date/Time: Wednesday, September 1, 2021, 4:30pm ETPresenter: Devon Shedlock, Ph.D., SVP Research & Development, Poseida Therapeutics

This presentation will discuss how Poseida's piggyBac DNA Delivery System, Cas-CLOVER Site-specific Gene Editing System and Booster Molecule are used to manufacture multi-product, fully allogeneic T-cell therapies. The Company will also discuss how efficient multiplexed Cas-CLOVER gene editing exhibits low to no off-target editing or translocations as determined by next-generation sequencing, and how the Company's Booster Molecule helps to protect against the "allo tax," maintaining a favorable high-stem cell memory T cell (Tscm) product and enabling up to hundreds of doses in a single manufacturing run. This presentation will be part of the afternoon session on the Manufacturing Track.

Presentation: "Developing 'Off-the-Shelf' CAR-T Cells for Bone Marrow Transplant Conditioning"Session Date/Time: Thursday, September 2, 2021, 9:00am ETPresenter: Nina Timberlake, Ph.D., Associate Director, Research (Gene Therapy), Poseida Therapeutics

This presentation will discuss leveraging the piggyBac DNA Delivery System and Cas-CLOVER Site-specific Gene Editing System to generate off-the-shelf fully allogeneic CAR-T cells to specifically target hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow. This potential therapeutic could be used as a non-myeloablative conditioning regimen for hematopoietic stem cell transplant or as a therapeutic for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The presentation will occur as part of the conference's Focus Day, "CAR-TCR Beyond Oncology: Fundamental Biology & Mechanisms of Action Beyond Oncology."

The full presentations at the CAR-TCR Summit will be made available on Poseida's website at their respective session times.

About Poseida Therapeutics, Inc.

Poseida Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to utilizing our proprietary genetic engineering platform technologies to create next generation cell and gene therapeutics with the capacity to cure. We have discovered and are developing a broad portfolio of product candidates in a variety of indications based on our core proprietary platforms, including our non-viral piggyBac DNA Delivery System, Cas-CLOVER Site-specific Gene Editing System and nanoparticle- and AAV-based gene delivery technologies. Our core platform technologies have utility, either alone or in combination, across many cell and gene therapeutic modalities and enable us to engineer our wholly-owned portfolio of product candidates that are designed to overcome the primary limitations of current generation cell and gene therapeutics. To learn more, visit http://www.poseida.com to connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

SOURCE: Poseida Therapeutics

Link:
Poseida Therapeutics Presents Preliminary Results from Phase 1 Trial of P-PSMA-101 at the 6th Annual CAR-TCR Summit | DNA RNA and Cells | News...

We shouldnt need laws to protect the health and safety of humans or animals, but thats the society were living in. When it comes to animal welfare, 2021 actually saw a positive uptick in new laws designed to protect them.

Grocery stores in California may soon be void of bacon. This is thanks to an initiative, called Proposition 12, passed in 2018 that bans pork obtained from pigs that were raised in gestation crates.

The new law goes into effect in January 2022. In addition to pigs, it would require more space to be given to egg-laying chickens and calves raised for veal. And although veal and egg producers are on track to meet the new rules, the pig producers are not. Only about four percent of the states hog producers are currently in compliance with the regulations.

Once the law takes effect, producers can only sell pork meat in California if the pigs were raised in an area of 24 square feet.

Proposition 12 is the latest example of the impact that animal welfare legislation can have. From bans on fur farming to restrictions on cosmetics animal testingmore and more, lawmakers are paying heed to their constituents calls for more stringent animal protection laws. Here are some of the biggest breakthroughs in animal welfare laws for 2021:

This year Turkey passed a new animal welfare law that reclassified strays and pets as living beings rather than commodities. The legislation also laid out harsher penalties for cases of animal cruelty. The previous penalty for animal cruelty included a small fine for damage to a commodity. However, the updated legislation redefines animal cruelty by equating the crime to violence against a human.

In May, the U.K. launched the Action Plan for Animal Welfare. It addresses around 40 different animal welfare concerns, including those surrounding international trade, farm animals, pets and sporting animals, and wild animals. As such, the government pledged to crack down on foie gras, end live animal exports, and ban primates as pets, just to name a few. While it remains to be seen how reliable the government is in following through with its pledges, they appear to be a major step forward in addressing animal welfare issues.

After a push by more than one million activists, the European Commission revealed it proposed legislation for a caged animal farming ban. Although the law wont be presented until 2023 (and caged animal farming wont be fully phased out until 2027), but, once passed, it will help to improve welfare standards.

In a push to end commercial breeding operations, the New York State Senate passed a pet store ban, prohibiting the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits. Once approved by the Assembly, the bipartisan legislation will take effect one year after its passage. Legislation like this ban helps to stop backyard breeders and puppy mills, which are dog breeding facilities that breed animals for sale. Puppies raised on these farms often live in deplorable conditions without adequate access to food, shelter, and veterinary care.

Virginias recent ban on balloon releases was a win in the fight against plastic pollution. But the law was also a major advancement for animal welfare. According to a 2019 study, seabirds are 32 times more likely to die from consuming a balloon compared to other hard plastics. A second study, conducted by researchers from Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center and Longwood University, revealed balloons and bottle caps were the most commonly found pieces of plastic debris on four of the states beaches.

Many cruelty-free cosmetics companies refused to sell their products in China due to the countrys imported cosmetics policy. However, earlier this year, the country revealed that starting May 1, it would no longer require animal testing on imported cosmetics, as long as brands adhered to certain qualifications.

In June, Estonia became the first Baltic state and 14th European nation to ban fur farming. The countrys parliament, Riigikogu, passed amendments to its existing Animal Protection Act and Nature Conservation Act, prohibiting the breeding and keeping of animals for the purpose of fur farming. The move was in line with Estonias changing public opinion. According to a 2020 study by data consulting firm Kantar Emor, 75 percent of people living in the country are opposed to fur farming.

Virginia certainly led the pack this year in terms of animal-friendly legislation. In March, it became the fourth state to ban animal-tested cosmetics. The governor signed two bills into law that, which banned animal testing for cosmetics and all sales of existing animal-tested beauty products. The ban takes effect on January 1, 2022.

Virginia wasnt the only state to ban animal-tested cosmetics this year. In June, Maines governor signed the Act To Ban the Sale of Cosmetics That Have Been Tested on Animals into law. It bans companies from selling cosmetic products that were developed or manufactured using animal testing after November 1 of this year.

The Aloha State also took a stand against animal testing this year. Following its introduction in 2018, lawmakers finally passed the Cruelty Free Cosmetics Act. In April, the act passed its final vote and went to the desk of the governor to be signed into law. Hawaii joins a growing list of U.S. states issuing such bans, including California, Nevada, Illinois, and Maryland.

About the author

STAFF WRITER | LOS ANGELES, CA Audrey writes about sustainability, food, and entertainment. She has a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism and political science.

Read the original here:
The Biggest Animal Welfare Laws of 2021 - LIVEKINDLY

Rochester, MN (KROC AM News) -A Rochester man was hit over the head and a woman had a gun pointed at her head as they were being robbed - in their driveway.

Police Capt. Casey Moilanen says the two had returned to a residence in the 1500 block of 19th Ave SE around 10:00 pm Saturday. They were still in the vehicle in the driveway when two men suddenly appeared.

One confronted the 49-year-old man who was in the drivers seat. Moilanen says the man got out and was hit on the head and body. He told police the man was holding a bat or bar and demanded his wallet and gold necklace, which is worth $3,000. The victim complied.

The other man confronted the 48-year-old woman who was in the car. Moilanen says she told police the man apparently had a gun and put it to her head. He demanded the womans money and she handed it over.

The two men then left and the couple called 911.

Moilanen says the victims were only able to give vague descriptions of the men.

News update: Higher utility bills may be a few months away for Rochester residents and businesses.

To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.

Even with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you.

Visit link:
Rochester Couple Robbed - In Their Driveway - KROC-AM

If you have ever had to say goodbye to a fur baby, the agony and heartbreak is almost difficult to articulate. It truly feels like you lost a member of your family. The first few weeks are especially painful because you are used to being greeted by your four legged friend and their absence is like a gaping hole in your heart. Chuck Kirkland and his family recently had to say goodbye to their dear Snoopy. After 14 years, it was Snoopy's time to cross the rainbow bridge. Pets bring so much joy to our lives but the only problem is we never have enough time with them.

Chuck and his family have been bringing Snoopy toBroadview Animal Hospital in Rochester, New Hampshire, for a long time. When it was Snoopy's time to go their staff was with him during his final moments earth side.

The crew at Broadview sent Chuck and his family a HANDWRITTEN card expressing their condolences. Chuck posted a photo of the card to the You KNOW you're from Rochester, NH if you... Facebook group:

MANY residents of the Lilac City commented on this post sharing positive experiences they also had at Broadview Animal Hospital.

Makailah Ringstaff: "They did the same thing for when my hamster died and I bawled. Theyre such a great team and so kind Im so sorry for your loss as well"

Sue Veal:"I cherish the card I got from Broadview Animal Hospital of Rochester when my 21YO kitty passed in March. The vets and staff are 100% great!!"

Edwina Saucier Plaisted:"Sorry for your loss, I have been bringing my dogs to Broadview since the mid 90's and we were brought to tears as well when we received our first card. They are great "

Chuck, we are thinking of you and your family as you navigate life without your beloved, Snoopy. And to the folks at Broadview Animal Hospital, thank you for everything you do for our community and their fur babies. It does not go unnoticed.

KEEP LOOKING: See What 50 of America's Most 'Pupular' Dog Breeds Look Like as Puppies

To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.

Even with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you.

Read the rest here:
Rochester, New Hampshire, Animal Hospital Goes Above and Beyond for Family Who Just Lost their Dog - wokq.com

DetailsCategory: DNA RNA and CellsPublished on Friday, 20 August 2021 17:24Hits: 287

10 of 14 Patients in FT596 Single-Dose Escalation Cohorts 2 and 3 Achieved Objective Response; 7 Patients Achieved Complete Response, including 2 of 3 Patients Treated with FT596 in Combination with Rituximab Following Autologous CD19 CAR T-cell Therapy

8 of 11 Patients in FT516 Multi-Dose Escalation Cohorts 2 and 3 Achieved Objective Response, including 6 Patients that Achieved Complete Response; 5 of 8 Responders Continue in Ongoing Response at Median Time of 5.2 Months

FT596 and FT516 Treatment Regimens were Well-tolerated; No Dose-limiting Toxicities, and No Adverse Events of Any Grade of ICANS or GVHD, were Observed; Two Low-grade Adverse Events of CRS were Reported in FT596 Single-Dose Escalation Cohorts 1 and 2

SAN DIEGO, CA, USA I August 19, 2021 I Fate Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: FATE), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of programmed cellular immunotherapies for cancer, today highlighted positive interim clinical data from the Companys FT516 and FT596 programs for patients with relapsed / refractory B-cell lymphoma. FT516 is the Companys universal, off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell product candidate derived from a clonal master induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line engineered with a novel high-affinity, non-cleavable CD16 (hnCD16) Fc receptor, which is designed to maximize antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), a potent anti-tumor mechanism by which NK cells recognize, bind and kill antibody-coated cancer cells. The Companys FT596 program incorporates both the hnCD16 Fc receptor and a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) targeting CD19, which is designed to enable multi-antigen targeting of tumor cells, as well as an IL-15 receptor fusion (IL-15RF) to enhance NK cell activity and survival.

We are very pleased with the interim safety, response rates, and durability of responses observed in our ongoing clinical studies of FT516 and FT596 for the treatment of patients with relapsed / refractory B-cell lymphomas. These data continue to demonstrate that our off-the-shelf, iPSC-derived NK cell product candidates can uniquely deliver substantial therapeutic benefit and expand patient access to cell-based cancer immunotherapies, said Scott Wolchko, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fate Therapeutics. At this time, we are initiating multiple indication-specific, dose-expansion cohorts to broadly assess FT516 in combination with CD20-targeted monoclonal antibody regimens, including in patients that have experienced disease progression following autologous CD19-targeted CAR T-cell therapy. In addition, early clinical data with the single-dose FT596 treatment schedule have shown robust 30-day response rates and we look forward to further assessing both single-dose and multi-dose treatment regimens to validate its potential best-in-class therapeutic profile.

FT596 ProgramThe ongoing clinical trial in relapsed / refractory B-cell lymphoma is assessing a single dose of FT596 as monotherapy (Monotherapy Arm) and in combination with a single dose of rituximab (375 mg/m2) (Combination Arm) following three days of conditioning chemotherapy (500 mg/m2 of cyclophosphamide and 30 mg/m2 of fludarabine). As of the data cutoff date of June 25, 2021, 10 patients in the Monotherapy Arm and 10 patients in the Combination Arm were evaluable for assessment of safety and efficacy in the first, second, and third dose cohorts of 30 million cells (n=3 each), 90 million cells (n=4 each), and 300 million cells (n=3 each), respectively (see Table 1). Patients had received a median of four prior lines of therapy and a median of 2.5 prior lines containing CD20-targeted therapy. Of the 20 patients, 12 patients (60%) had aggressive B-cell lymphoma, 10 patients (50%) were refractory to most recent prior therapy, and seven patients (35%) were previously treated with autologous CD19-targeted CAR T-cell therapy.

In the second and third single-dose cohorts of the Monotherapy and Combination Arms comprising a total of 14 patients, 10 of 14 patients (71%) achieved an objective response, including seven patients (50%) that achieved a complete response (CR), as assessed by PET-CT scan per Lugano 2014 criteria on Day 29 following FT596 dosing. Eight of 10 patients (80%) that had not previously received CD19-targeted CAR T-cell therapy achieved an objective response, including five patients (50%) that achieved CR. Two of four patients (50%) that had previously received CD19-targeted CAR T-cell therapy, both of whom were treated in the Combination Arm, achieved a CR. In the first single-dose cohorts of the Monotherapy and Combination Arms comprising a total of six patients, only one patient achieved an objective response, suggesting dose-response treatment effects for FT596. The ongoing dose-escalation study of FT596 is currently enrolling patients in the fourth single-dose cohort of 900 million cells in each arm.

The FT596 treatment regimens were well tolerated. No dose-limiting toxicities, and no treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) of any grade of immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) or graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) were observed. Two low-grade adverse events (one Grade 1, one Grade 2) of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) were reported, both of which occurred concurrently with other confounding clinical events and resolved on the same day of onset.

FT596 Patient Case StudiesThe multi-antigen targeting functionality of FT596 is designed to uniquely address tumor heterogeneity and overcome antigen escape, and has the potential to drive responses in patients that might not effectively be treated with single-antigen targeted modalities, such as monoclonal antibodies, bispecific engagers and CAR T-cell therapies. The following are two case studies from the clinical trial:

Re-treatment with Second FT596 CycleThe FT596 protocol currently allows for the re-treatment of eligible patients with a second, single-dose cycle subject to consent of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). All requests by the Company for re-treatment were approved by the FDA. Of note, based on review of data submitted to date to the FDA, the Company is amending its FT596 clinical protocol at the FDAs recommendation to allow for re-treatment with a second FT596 cycle without requiring the agencys consent.

In second and third single-dose cohorts of the Monotherapy and Combination Arms as of the data cutoff date, four patients with CR at the end of the first single-dose cycle were re-treated, all of whom remained in CR following disease assessment at the end of the second cycle, and an additional four patients were re-treated and had not yet been assessed for response. The second, single-dose FT596 cycle was well tolerated, and no events of any grade of CRS, ICANS, or GVHD were observed.

FT516 ProgramThe clinical trial in relapsed / refractory B-cell lymphoma is assessing FT516 in an off-the-shelf treatment regimen of up to two cycles, with each cycle consisting of three days of conditioning chemotherapy (500 mg/m2 of cyclophosphamide and 30 mg/m2 of fludarabine), a single dose of rituximab (375 mg/m2), and three weekly doses of FT516 each with IL-2 cytokine support. The FT516 treatment regimen is designed to be administered in the outpatient setting. Dose escalation is currently ongoing in the fourth multi-dose cohort of 900 million cells per dose.

At the 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting held in June, the Company highlighted positive interim clinical data for 11 patients treated in the second and third multi-dose cohorts of 90 million cells per dose (n=4) and 300 million cells per dose (n=7). Patients had received a median of three prior lines of therapy and a median of two prior lines containing CD20-targeted therapy. Of the eleven patients, eight patients had aggressive B-cell lymphoma, five patients were refractory to their most recent prior therapy, and four patients were previously treated with autologous CD19 CAR-T cell therapy. No dose-limiting toxicities, and no FT516-related serious adverse events or FT516-related Grade 3 or greater adverse events, were observed. The FT516 treatment regimen was well tolerated, and no TEAEs of any grade of CRS, ICANS, or GVHD were reported.

Ongoing Response AssessmentOf the 11 patients treated in the second and third multi-dose cohorts, eight patients (73%) achieved an objective response, including six patients (55%) who achieved CR, as assessed by PET-CT scan per Lugano 2014 criteria on Day 29 following the second FT516 treatment cycle. Notably, two of four patients (50%) previously treated with autologous CD19 CAR-T cell therapy achieved CR. At three months following first infusion, all eight responders maintained their response without further therapeutic intervention (3-Month Rate of 73% OR and 55% CR). As of the data cutoff date of July 7, 2021:

FT516 Patient Case StudyThe ASCO presentation featured a case study of a 36-year old male with triple-hit, high-grade B-cell lymphoma with rearrangements of MYC, BCL2, and BCL6 genes. The patient was refractory to all prior lines of therapy with the exception of autologous CD19 CAR T-cell therapy, for which a complete response of two months duration was achieved. The patient was most recently refractory to an investigational CD20-targeted T-cell engager and presented with bulky lymphadenopathy with the largest lesion measuring approximately 10 centimeters. The first FT516 treatment cycle resulted in a complete response with resolution of all metabolically active disease and 85% reduction in the size of target lesions. The patient received a second FT516 treatment cycle, after which the response assessment continued to show complete response. As of the data cutoff date of July 7, 2021, the patients most recent assessment at 4.9 months showed MRD negativity, confirming a profound CR.

Today's WebcastThe Company will host a live audio webcast today, Thursday, August 19, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. ET to review interim clinical data for the Companys FT516 and FT596 off-the-shelf, iPSC-derived NK cell programs. The live webcast can be accessed under "Events & Presentations" in the Investors section of the Company's website at http://www.fatetherapeutics.com. The archived webcast will be available on the Company's website beginning approximately two hours after the event.

About Fate Therapeutics iPSC Product PlatformThe Companys proprietary induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) product platform enables mass production of off-the-shelf, engineered, homogeneous cell products that can be administered with multiple doses to deliver more effective pharmacologic activity, including in combination with other cancer treatments. Human iPSCs possess the unique dual properties of unlimited self-renewal and differentiation potential into all cell types of the body. The Companys first-of-kind approach involves engineering human iPSCs in a one-time genetic modification event and selecting a single engineered iPSC for maintenance as a clonal master iPSC line. Analogous to master cell lines used to manufacture biopharmaceutical drug products such as monoclonal antibodies, clonal master iPSC lines are a renewable source for manufacturing cell therapy products which are well-defined and uniform in composition, can be mass produced at significant scale in a cost-effective manner, and can be delivered off-the-shelf for patient treatment. As a result, the Companys platform is uniquely capable of overcoming numerous limitations associated with the production of cell therapies using patient- or donor-sourced cells, which is logistically complex and expensive and is subject to batch-to-batch and cell-to-cell variability that can affect clinical safety and efficacy. Fate Therapeutics iPSC product platform is supported by an intellectual property portfolio of over 350 issued patents and 150 pending patent applications.

About FT516FT516 is an investigational, universal, off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell cancer immunotherapy derived from a clonal master induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line engineered to express a novel high-affinity 158V, non-cleavable CD16 (hnCD16) Fc receptor, which has been modified to prevent its down-regulation and to enhance its binding to tumor-targeting antibodies. CD16 mediates antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), a potent anti-tumor mechanism by which NK cells recognize, bind and kill antibody-coated cancer cells. ADCC is dependent on NK cells maintaining stable and effective expression of CD16, which has been shown to undergo considerable down-regulation in cancer patients. In addition, CD16 occurs in two variants, 158V or 158F, that elicit high or low binding affinity, respectively, to the Fc domain of IgG1 antibodies. Numerous clinical studies with FDA-approved tumor-targeting antibodies, including rituximab, trastuzumab and cetuximab, have demonstrated that patients homozygous for the 158V variant, which is present in only about 15% of patients, have improved clinical outcomes. FT516 is being investigated in a multi-dose Phase 1 clinical trial as a monotherapy for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia and in combination with CD20-targeted monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of advanced B-cell lymphoma (NCT04023071). Additionally, FT516 is being investigated in a multi-dose Phase 1 clinical trial in combination with avelumab for the treatment of advanced solid tumor resistant to anti-PDL1 checkpoint inhibitor therapy (NCT04551885).

About FT596FT596 is an investigational, universal, off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell cancer immunotherapy derived from a clonal master induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line engineered with three anti-tumor functional modalities: a proprietary chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) optimized for NK cell biology that targets B-cell antigen CD19; a novel high-affinity 158V, non-cleavable CD16 (hnCD16) Fc receptor, which has been modified to prevent its down-regulation and to enhance its binding to tumor-targeting antibodies; and an IL-15 receptor fusion (IL-15RF) that augments NK cell activity. In preclinical studies of FT596, the Company has demonstrated that dual activation of the CAR19 and hnCD16 targeting receptors enhances cytotoxic activity, indicating that multi-antigen engagement may elicit a deeper and more durable response. Additionally, in a humanized mouse model of lymphoma, FT596 in combination with the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab showed enhanced killing of tumor cells in vivo as compared to rituximab alone. FT596 is being investigated in a multi-center Phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of relapsed / refractory B-cell lymphoma as a monotherapy and in combination with rituximab, and for the treatment of relapsed / refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) as a monotherapy and in combination with obinutuzumab (NCT04245722).

About Fate Therapeutics, Inc.Fate Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of first-in-class cellular immunotherapies for patients with cancer. The Company has established a leadership position in the clinical development and manufacture of universal, off-the-shelf cell products using its proprietary induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) product platform. The Companys immuno-oncology pipeline includes off-the-shelf, iPSC-derived natural killer (NK) cell and T-cell product candidates, which are designed to synergize with well-established cancer therapies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies, and to target tumor-associated antigens using chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). Fate Therapeutics is headquartered in San Diego, CA. For more information, please visit http://www.fatetherapeutics.com.

SOURCE: Fate Therapeutics

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Fate Therapeutics Announces Positive Interim Clinical Data from its FT596 and FT516 Off-the-shelf, iPSC-derived NK Cell Programs for B-cell Lymphoma |...