Urologic Diseases

SAN DIEGO, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Blacksmith Medicines, Inc. (Blacksmith), a leading biopharma dedicated to discovering and developing medicines targeting metalloenzymes, announced today that it will present a talk and poster highlighting its novel chemistry technology platform for metalloenzyme inhibitors of LpxC for the treatment of infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria at the New Antibacterial Discovery and Development Gordon Research Conference (GRC): Innovative Approaches in Antibacterial Research and Development to Fight the Antibiotic Resistance Crisis being held March 17-22, 2024, in Ventura, CA. "We are looking forward to attending the GRC and presenting an overview of Blacksmith's discovery platform along with a progress update on our novel class small-molecule antibacterial targeting LpxC," said Andrew Tomaras, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of Blacksmith. "Our lead candidate, currently undergoing IND-enabling studies, has demonstrated activity against susceptible and multidrug-resistant Gram-negative organisms included on the WHO and CDC bacterial threat lists, and is currently being pursued using both IV and oral routes of administration for indications such as UTI." Talk Presentation Details: Title: "Anti-Infective Candidates with Novel Targets Using the Blacksmith Discovery Platform" Category: Discovery Pipelines, Hits, Leads and Candidates Date and Time: Tuesday, March 19 at 11:05am – 11:25am Pacific Poster Presentation Details: Title: "Advanced preclinical in vitro and in vivo characterization of a novel, non-hydroxamate-based LpxC inhibitor for the intravenous and oral treatment of multidrug-resistant Enterobacterales" Date and Time: Thursday, March 21 at 4:00pm – 6:00pm Pacific Poster Board Number: 13 More information can be found on the meeting website at 2024 New Antibacterial Discovery and Development GRC and, following the presentation, a version of the poster will be made available on the Blacksmith Medicines website About LpxC LpxC, a zinc hydrolase, is an attractive and highly sought-after antibiotic target – it is conserved across Gram-negative bacteria and not found in Gram-positive bacteria or human cells. Inhibiting LpxC results in potent killing of Gram-negative bacteria with the benefit of sparing Gram-positive bacteria such as those residing in the protective microbiome of the gut which help to deter opportunistic C. difficile infections. Other LpxC inhibitors have been evaluated by biopharma in the past but chemistry limitations (e.g. hydroxamic acid) have yielded ineffective compounds that suffer from poor drug-like properties. Thus, there are no approved therapeutics targeting LpxC. Blacksmith, using its proprietary chemistry platform, has developed novel non-hydroxamate inhibitors of LpxC that are safe and effective in animal models of Gram-negative infection and are able to kill Gram-negative 'superbugs' where other antibiotics are ineffective. About metalloenzymes and the Blacksmith platform Metalloenzymes utilize a metal ion cofactor in the enzyme active site to perform essential biological functions. This diverse class of targets has historically been difficult to drug due to small molecule chemistry limitations that have plagued the industry. The Blacksmith metalloenzyme platform has solved this problem by leveraging the following: A large proprietary fragment library of metal-binding pharmacophores (MBPs); A comprehensive database containing a full characterization of the metalloenzyme genome including functions, metal cofactors, and associations to disease; A first-of-its-kind metallo-CRISPR library of custom single guide RNAs; An industry-leading metalloenzyme computational toolkit for docking, modeling and structure-based drug design; and A robust and blocking intellectual property estate covering bioinorganic, medicinal, and computational chemistry approaches for metalloenzyme-targeted medicines. About Blacksmith Medicines At Blacksmith Medicines, we are developing medicines targeting metal-dependent enzymes. Over 30% of known enzymes are metalloenzymes, covering all major enzyme classes: oxidoreductases, transferases, hydrolases, lyases, isomerases, and ligases. Metal ions, including magnesium, zinc, iron, manganese and copper, are the essential ingredient in these metalloenzymes. We recognized a large unmet need for new chemical matter and innovative approaches to drug this important class of enzymes. Our purpose-built platform for metalloenzyme-targeted medicines combines, for the first time in industry, a focused library of metal-binding pharmacophores with proprietary computational modeling approaches to rapidly and rationally design small molecule inhibitors that interact with key metal ions in the enzyme's active site. Our comprehensive knowledge of the metal environment and key active site interactions enables Blacksmith to rapidly build potent and selective inhibitors in a stepwise and predictable manner. Blacksmith has executed strategic drug discovery collaborations with Basilea Pharmaceutica International Ltd., Cyteir Therapeutics Inc., Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly), Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., and Zoetis LLC., and has been awarded non-dilutive Federal funding agreements with CARB-X and NIH/NIAID. Blacksmith investors include Lilly, Evotec A.G., MP Healthcare Partners, MagnaSci Ventures, and Alexandria Venture Investments. For further information, please visit the company's website and LinkedIn. Media Contact: Amy Conrad Juniper Point [email protected] 858-366-3243 SOURCE Blacksmith Medicines

2024 Harrington Prize for Innovation in Medicine Recognizes Pioneering Work in Immunology CLEVELAND, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The eleventh annual Harrington Prize for Innovation in Medicine has been awarded to Arlene H. Sharpe, MD, PhD, Kolokotrones University Professor and Chair of the Department of Immunology at Harvard Medical School. The award recognizes her breakthrough discoveries in immune regulation, which have established foundational principles in immunology and led to new cancer therapies that act by boosting the immune response to cancer. The Harrington Prize for Innovation in Medicine, established in 2014 by the Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals and the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI), honors physician-scientists who have moved science forward with achievements notable for innovation, creativity and potential for clinical application. Dr. Sharpe's research in immunology has led to significant advances in medical treatments. Her work helped identify key pathways that restrain the activity of T lymphocytes (immune cells) to fight cancer. Her work defined the PD-1 pathway and its immunoinhibitory functions as well as the inhibitory functions of CTLA-4 to restrain the activity of the immune system. Dr. Sharpe's research thus laid the foundation for the development of 'immune checkpoint inhibitors', drugs that target PD-1 and related pathways. These therapies, including pembrolizumab and nivolumab, have been approved by the FDA for treating numerous types of cancer. They work by preventing inhibition of T cell function, thereby unleashing the body's immune system to fight cancer cells more effectively. This approach has become a cornerstone in cancer treatment strategies. "Dr. Sharpe's body of work has shaped our understanding of the role of the T cell in regulating the immune response. Her innovative scientific discoveries are among the best examples of bench-to-bedside work in the past three decades," said Benjamin D. Humphreys, MD, PhD, Joseph Friedman Professor of Renal Diseases in Medicine and Chief, Division of Nephrology, Washington University in St. Louis and 2023-2024 President of the ASCI. "Immune checkpoint inhibitors are drugs that allow for dramatic remission, and even cures, of cancers that had previously been considered untreatable. Dr. Sharpe's foundational insights have thus been harnessed to transform cancer therapy. Her work provides a beautiful example of physician impact through creative science," said Jonathan S. Stamler, MD, President, Harrington Discovery Institute, Robert S. and Sylvia K. Reitman Family Foundation Distinguished Professor of Cardiovascular Innovation and Professor of Medicine and of Biochemistry at University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University. A committee composed of members of the ASCI Council and the Harrington Discovery Institute Scientific Advisory Board reviewed nominations from leading academic medical centers globally before selecting the 2024 Harrington Prize recipient. In addition to sharing the Prize's $20,000 honorarium, Dr. Sharpe will deliver the Harrington Prize Lecture at the 2024 AAP/ASCI/APSA Joint Meeting on April 5, will be a featured speaker at the 2024 Harrington Scientific Symposium May 22-23, and will publish an essay in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. The Harrington Prize has recognized outstanding and diverse innovations in medicine: 2014: Harry Dietz, MD, Johns Hopkins University, for his contributions to the understanding of the biology and treatment of Marfan syndrome, a disorder leading to deadly aneurysms in children and adults. 2015: Douglas R. Lowy, MD, The National Cancer Institute, in recognition of his discoveries that led to the development of the Human Papillomavirus vaccine to prevent cervical cancer. 2016: Jeffrey M. Friedman, MD, PhD, The Rockefeller University, for his discovery of leptin, which controls feeding behavior and is used to treat related clinical disorders. 2017: Jointly awarded to Daniel J. Drucker, MD, Mount Sinai Hospital, Canada, Joel F. Habener, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Jens J. Holst, MD, DMSc, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, for their discovery of incretin hormones and for the translation of these findings into transformative therapies for major metabolic diseases such as diabetes. 2018: Helen H. Hobbs, MD, UT Southwestern Medical Center, for the discovery of the link between a gene mutation (PCSK9) and lower levels of LDL, which has improved the treatment of high cholesterol. 2019: Carl H. June, MD, University of Pennsylvania, for advancing the clinical application of CAR T therapy for cancer treatment, and for his sustained contributions to the field of cellular immunology. 2020: Stuart H. Orkin, MD, Harvard University, for breakthrough discoveries on red blood cells that offer new treatments for patients with sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia, which are among the most common genetic disorders. 2021: Warren J. Leonard, MD, and John J. O'Shea, MD, NIH, for their respective contributions to the field of immunology, from fundamental discovery to therapeutic impact. 2022: James E. Crowe Jr., MD, and Michel C. Nussenzweig, MD, PhD, for their groundbreaking work, which has elucidated fundamental principles of the human immune response and enabled the use of human antibodies to treat COVID-19. 2023: Jean Bennett, MD, PhD, and Albert M. Maguire, MD, for their groundbreaking translational research to restore sight in inherited genetic diseases. SOURCE Harrington Discovery Institute

For the first time, Fresenius Medical Care develops and utilizes "Augmented Reality" (AR) to train medical staff in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) The new training application for ICU staff combines digital learning elements with real-life training on the Fresenius Medical Care Continuous Kidney Replacement Therapy system This learning experience reinforces initial training, a supplement to support new staff amidst the high fluctuation of specialists in intensive care nursing BAD HOMBURG, Germany, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresenius Medical Care (FME), the world's leading provider of products and services for individuals with renal diseases, launches a new "Augmented Reality" (AR) application to make learning easier for nursing staff in Kidney Replacement Therapy in Intensive Care Units. The AR glasses, in combination with digital learning modules, allow nursing staff to learn how to use acute dialysis machines on site within the intensive care wards. The glasses stream visual and acoustic recordings as users interact with the dialysis machine, providing professionals with an immersive learning experience. "We have a dedicated focus on leveraging advanced technology to develop and provide the most innovative technologies, engineered to facilitate and simplify the learning process. Our innovative solution is designed to ensure that nursing staff, particularly those in Intensive Care Units, are equipped with the knowledge needed to provide high-quality and exceptional patient care," says Dr. Katarzyna Mazur-Hofsäß, member of the Management Board of Fresenius Medical Care AG and responsible for Care Enablement, Fresenius Medical Care's MedTech segment. The AR glasses allow for self-guided, on-demand education for critical care professionals. For example, users train how to set up the machine, how to activate the citrate pump or how to handle several system components through the AR training. The AR glasses provide access to the Augmented Reality learning program Ready4 multi FiltratePRO AR, which Fresenius Medical Care presented today at the International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (ISICEM) in Brussels. The AR training application, Ready4 multi FiltratePRO AR, will be launched in select markets as early as Q2 2024 and subsequently made available to further countries in the company's Europe, Middle East and Africa as well as Asia Pacific regions. A limited launch of the mult iFiltratePRO will take place in the United States later this year. Upon successful completion of the Safety of Regional Citrate Anticoagulation (SARCA) trial, a full launch of the multi FiltratePRO with the Ready4 multi FiltratePRO AR learning experience is planned for 2025. Nursing shortages in the ICU, in particular high staff turnover rates and staff taking on new tasks at short notice, are a significant concern in hospitals and healthcare systems worldwide. This training approach aims to address the challenges the industry is currently facing and to support the increasing demand for flexible, high-quality ongoing education to reinforce basic training. Ready4 multi FiltratePRO AR has been specifically developed for use with the multi FiltratePRO, Fresenius Medical Care's Continuous Kidney Replacement Therapy system. Today, the multi FiltratePRO is used in more than 40 countries globally. To learn more about the Ready4 multi FiltratePRO AR, please visit . About Fresenius Medical Care: Fresenius Medical Care is the world's leading provider of products and services for individuals with renal diseases of which around 3.9 million patients worldwide regularly undergo dialysis treatment. Through its network of 4,000 dialysis clinics, Fresenius Medical Care provides dialysis treatments for approximately 332,000 patients around the globe and is the leading provider of dialysis products such as dialysis machines and dialyzers. Fresenius Medical Care is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FME) and on the New York Stock Exchange (FMS). For more information visit the Company's website at . Disclaimer: This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements due to various factors, including, but not limited to, changes in business, economic and competitive conditions, legal changes, regulatory approvals, impacts related to COVID-19, results of clinical studies, foreign exchange rate fluctuations, uncertainties in litigation or investigative proceedings, and the availability of financing. These and other risks and uncertainties are detailed in Fresenius Medical Care AG's reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Fresenius Medical Care AG does not undertake any responsibility to update the forward-looking statements in this release. Media contact Christine Peters T +49 160 60 66 770 [email protected] Contact for analysts and investors Dr. Dominik Heger T +49 6172 609 2601 [email protected] SOURCE Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.