Progenity is applying a multi-omics approach, combining genomics, epigenomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, to its development of a novel pipeline of precision medicine product candidates designed to provide solutions for gastrointestinal disorders. This pipeline includes diagnostic applications, targeted drug delivery in the GI tract at the site of disease, and the oral delivery of biologics. These product candidates, if successfully developed, have the potential to address unmet healthcare needs by more precisely identifying and treating chronic GI diseases, such as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, or SIBO, and inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD. Technology Networks talked with Progenity’s Christopher Wahl, MD, MBA and…
Author: Praveen Suthrum
Gastroenterologists can and should guide survivors of colorectal cancer toward lifestyle choices that will reduce their risk for recurrence and death from the disease. But how? At the 2021 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, Susan Urba, MD, a professor emerita in the Division of Hematology/Oncology at the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, spelled out what clinicians can tell their patients who have recovered from colorectal cancer. “CRC survivorship offers teachable moments,” Urba said. “Physicians’ recommendations at this point carry significant weight for our patients.” Carol A. Burke, MD, the vice chair of the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Cleveland…
Waltham, MA. April 10, 2021 – OncXerna Therapeutics, Inc., a precision medicine company using an innovative RNA-expression based biomarker platform to predict patient responses to its first-in-class targeted oncology therapies, today presented new results from its Xerna™ TME Panel during Week 1 of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting. In this study, OncXerna demonstrated that the first panel (TME Panel) from its Xerna™ platform revealed prognostic subtypes in colorectal cancer (CRC) by analyzing tumor samples from over 600 CRC patients. The Xerna™ TME Panel uses proprietary RNA-based gene expression data and a machine learning-based algorithm to classify patients…
Low-dose aspirin suppressed the recurrence of colorectal polyps in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis, according to research in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology. “The standard treatment for familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is total colectomy. However, after total colectomy, patient quality of life is often greatly reduced,” Hideki Ishikawa, MD, department of molecular-targeting cancer prevention at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, and colleagues wrote. “Chemopreventive agents are not fully recommended; the evidence for their benefit is insufficient for FAP. … As such, non-surgical approaches to treat FAP are needed that can reduce the number and size of adenomas or prevent the development of colorectal cancer without severe side effects.”
Today I’m interviewing Matt Schwartz, the co-founder and CEO of Virgo. Despite being a Cancer myself, we had a good interview. We discuss:
Breath testing has the potential to dramatically improve the efficiency of screening for gastric cancers, according to a recent assessment of the approach. Such noninvasive testing would be useful for identifying patients likely to have gastric cancer, and for whom a confirmatory diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is warranted. “Breath analysis is a promising method for detecting gastric cancer, with good diagnostic performance and the potential to decrease the number needed to screen for endoscopy-based gastric cancer detection,” said Ghazal Haddad, MD, of the University of Toronto, who presented the research poster at the 2021 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (abstract 175). Haddad…
Here are six recent updates on gastroenterology procedures and devices: 1. Olympus Corporation of the Americas filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Cantel/Medivators in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas for its endoscopy device. 2. A team at Washington University in St. Louis developed an artificial intelligence imaging technique for rectal tissues to assess risk management of colorectal cancer. 3. Atlanta-based United Digestive chose Fujifilm Medical Systems, a leading provider of endoscopic imaging and endosurgical solutions, as its exclusive vendor of endoscopic products for its gastroenterologists.
Healio Gastroenterology presents the following reports on the most recent news in interventional endoscopy. These reports include new research in adenoma detection, the impact of COVID-19 on colonoscopy capacity and endoscopy-related injuries among GIs. Linked color imaging may improve adenoma detection in endoscopy Endoscopy with linked color imaging may help improve adenoma detection, particularly among endoscopists who normally have lower adenoma detection rates, according to study results.
MADISON, Wis., April 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Exact Sciences Corp. (NASDAQ: EXAS) today announced that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of Ashion Analytics, LLC. “As a leader in cancer testing, we’re committed to providing earlier answers and life-changing treatment guidance to support patients along every step of their cancer journey,” said Kevin Conroy, chairman and CEO of Exact Sciences. “With Ashion, we’ve added a talented team, a CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited lab, deep sequencing capabilities, and one of the most comprehensive genomic cancer tests available on the market today with GEM ExTra®. This expertise will be integral in helping us extend our leadership in precision…
Silver Spring, MD, April 13, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Capital Digestive Care, the largest private gastroenterology practice in the Mid-Atlantic Region, announced a transaction with Gastrointestinal & Liver Specialists of Tidewater, PLLC (GLST), a premier gastroenterology practice in Southeastern Virginia. This marks Capital Digestive Care’s first partnership in Virginia and the company’s largest transaction thus far in the Mid-Atlantic. With the addition of GLST, Capital Digestive Care will double its footprint in the Mid-Atlantic, bringing the number of GI specialists serving the region to 128. With 34 board certified physicians, 12 advanced care providers, and 8 locations, GLST has been…