Biodesix collaborates with MRM; Avoiding flu with an antibody; Soliris clears trial

Biodesix collaborates with MRM for development of mass-spec proteomics

Biodesix, the lung cancer diagnostic developer is collaborating with MRM Proteomics to authorize its iMALDI automated assay technology for quantifying proteins using mass spectrometry. It is done with the goal of enabling precision therapies. Under the agreement, Biodesix plans to use the technology to develop its blood-based lung tests that will focus on profiling the proteins and drug targets involved in the body’s larger immune response to cancer instead of the genetic alterations that may drive the growth of tumours themselves.

Avoiding flu with an antibody and Tamiflu universal vaccine

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) have found protection against the flu and it rests partly on FDA-approved remedy Tamiflu of Roche. The NIAID team tested an antibody that identifies a protein called hemagglutinin using mouse models of flu, which rests on the surface of the virus and spreads to healthy cells. Current flu vaccines work by recognizing the head of hemagglutinin and stopping its ability to transport the virus into cells.

Soliris of Alexion clears trial of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, an American pharmaceutical company best known for its development of Soliris, a drug used to treat the rare disorders atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. The top-line data comes from a study of the complement C5 inhibitor in patients with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). In the trial, Ultomiris (ravulizumab) met its targets of improving blood profile and kidney function, with more than half of patients with the ultrarare disease having a complete thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) response.