Bexarotene

GROSSE POINTE FARMS, Mich., Oct. 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SciTech Development, LLC, today announced the formation of a distinguished and independent medical advisory board (MAB) comprised of key opinion leaders and world-renowned experts in T-Cell Lymphomas and hematological malignancies. The board will provide strategic and clinical advice for SciTech's outreach and education initiatives within the oncology community. Continue Reading SciTech Medical Advisory Board "SciTech is excited and incredibly proud that this world-class group of medical experts will assist us with innovative insights that enable us to bring ST-001 to patients who have limited options in their cancer treatments," said President and Managing Partner Earle Holsapple. "The clarity they bring in understanding the clinical needs of patients will serve to guide us through the commencement of our phase 1 clinical trial and through our subsequent expedited clinical program." The three medical advisors appointed to the board are Madeleine Duvic, M.D., Larisa Geskin, M.D., and Ajay Gopal, M.D. Madeleine Duvic, MD – "The development of ST-100 is exciting because this new drug holds the promise of improved bioavailability, leading to increased efficacy with low toxicity." Dr. Duvic is a Professor of Medicine and Dermatology practices in Houston, Texas, and holds the Blanche Bender Endowed Chair of Research. Her clinical research includes translational/molecular studies leading to improved therapies for cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. She has written over 500 peer-reviewed papers and a book on Retinoids. She participated in the development of topical and oral tazarotene and bexarotene which both received FDA approval. Larisa J. Geskin, MD, FAAD - "I am thrilled to support SciTech's innovative approach to cancer therapeutics. SciTech's patented nanoparticle platform, SDP, enhances the effectiveness and safety of fenretinide, which has shown promise in treating patients with incurable cutaneous lymphomas in preliminary studies. SciTech's flagship product, ST-001, stands out for its ability to deliver therapeutic doses without toxic side effects, greatly benefiting our patients." Dr. Geskin is a Professor of Dermatology (in Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology) at Columbia University Medical Center and the Director of the Comprehensive Cutaneous Oncology Center at the Columbia University Department of Dermatology. Dr. Geskin serves as the Immediate Past-President of the International Society for Cutaneous Lymphomas (ISCL), the Secretary-Treasurer of the US Cutaneous Lymphomas Consortium (USCLC), and the Founding Chair of the New York Cutaneous Lymphoma Consortium (NYCLC), among her many other responsibilities. Ajay K. Gopal, MD - "Based on the encouraging preclinical data from a variety of laboratories, our observed tolerability of fenretinide, and the unmet need in a spectrum of malignancies novel formulations such as ST-001 nanoFenretinide are certainly worthy of further investigation." Dr. Gopal received his undergraduate degree from Duke University and his MD from Emory University. He completed his internal medicine training at Duke University School of Medicine and his oncology training at the University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, where he currently holds an endowed chair and serves as a Professor and Clinical Research Director for Hematologic Malignancies. Dr. Gopal has over 2 decades of experience in the development of novel therapies for lymphoma, as reflected by over 200 publications in the field, including the first translational and clinical trial data evaluating fenretinide in lymphoma. Contact: Earle Holsapple Email: [email protected] About SciTech Development SciTech Development, LLC is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company that has developed a patented nanoparticle drug delivery platform (SDP) that maximizes the bioavailability of water-insoluble therapeutics. SciTech's lead drug candidate, ST-001 nanoFenretinide, combines SDP and the drug fenretinide as a new drug product with potentially broad effectiveness in many cancers. For more information about the Company, please visit: SOURCE SciTech Development

Two New York pharmacy owners who “exploited the Covid-19 emergency for their own financial gain,” pleaded guilty to an international scheme to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare for cancer medication, the Department of Justice announced Wednesday. Arkadiy Khaimov, 39, of Forest Hills, and Peter Khaim, 42, also of Forest Hills, engaged in an elaborate healthcare scheme involving more than a dozen pharmacies in New York, according to the justice department. The two would submit millions of dollars in fraudulent Medicare claims for expensive cancer drugs that were not prescribed or distributed to patients. The drugs, Targretin gel, made by Bausch and Panretin gel, made by Concordia, were allegedly dispensed during periods when certain pharmacies were closed due to the pandemic. “Khaim, Khaimov, and their co-conspirators exploited the Covid-19 emergency for their own financial gain by using COVID-19-related ‘emergency override’ billing codes to submit additional fraudulent claims for Targretin Gel 1%,” the justice department said in a news release. The scheme started in New York but became a complex international endeavor as the two men attempted to launder money, amounting to more than $18 million. Khaim and Khaimov established shell companies and sham pharmacy wholesale companies to create the illusion they were operating actual businesses. In reality, they were sending funds from the false Medicare claims to the sham companies. Then, the funds were sent to companies in China and distributed to individuals in Uzbekistan. At that point, the two men received some of the funds in cash, the announcement said. They also allegedly sent money from the fraudulent claims to their relatives through cashier’s checks and used the money themselves to purchase property. Both men face a 20-year prison sentence and their separate hearings are scheduled for May 2023. A spokeperson for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services did not immediately respond to a request for comment.