CD1A

NEW YORK, July 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- American Skin Association has announced the names of the three Investigative Scientist Awards. Andrew Ji, MD of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai was awarded the ASA Sanofi Investigative Scientist Award in Atopic Dermatitis. Christoph T. Ellebrecht, MD of University of Pennsylvania was awarded the ASA Bristol Myers Squibb Investigative Scientist Award in Psoriasis & Related Biology. Nicholas Gulati, MD, PhD of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai was awarded the ASA Sun Pharma Investigative Scientist Award. Other sought-after grants include Research Scholar Awards. ASA has announced four award recipients in this category. Kingsley Essien, PhD of the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School was awarded the ASA Calder Research Scholar Award in Vitiligo/Pigment Cell Disorders. Patrick M. Brunner, MD, MSc, Helen He, MD of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai was awarded the ASA Incyte Research Scholar Award in Vitiligo/Pigment Cell Disorders and the ASA Research Scholar Award in Atopic Dermatitis, respectively. Christine C. Yokoyama, MD, PhD of Washington University in St. Louis was awarded the ASA Janssen Research Scholar Award in Psoriasis & Related Biology. This funding aims to support emerging leaders in dermatology in hopes of finding a cure. In addition, six other research grants and one medical student grant—made possible through the generosity of individuals, foundations, and corporations—were also announced. For thirty-seven years, ASA and its affiliates have funded over $50 million in grants that have advanced its vital mission to serve the more than 100 million Americans afflicted with skin disorders. ASA's primary goal is to enhance treatments and continue working towards cures for melanoma, vitiligo, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and other skin diseases. "These grants are vital for advancing dermatological research and supporting ASA's mission of defeating skin cancers such as melanoma," said ASA Chairman, Howard P. Milstein. "Despite being our largest and most exposed organ, the skin is one of the least funded areas in medical research. ASA's contributions will increase the likelihood of discovering a long-awaited cure and offer hope to millions affected by skin cancer and other skin diseases." ASA's grant program is administered by its Medical Advisory Committee (MAC), comprised of leading scientists and physicians who volunteer their time to oversee the annual grant process. Through their leadership, ASA's grant program has supported the work of over 300 investigators, ranging from talented researchers in the early phases of their careers to recognized leaders in the field of dermatology. "ASA's Medical Advisory Committee is thrilled to announce the 2024 awards," said ASA President and MAC Co-Chair, Dr. David A. Norris. "This year's awardees showcase the increasing impact of research in basic, translational, and clinical dermatology. Never before have advances in basic research so rapidly translated into new treatment approaches. Thanks to crucial funding from the ASA, new treatments for vitiligo, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, melanoma, and other skin cancers are on the horizon." ASA provides significant research awards to established investigators and medical students studying melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancer, and other skin diseases. Through these grants, ASA has promoted the early careers of many gifted young investigators and has had a profound influence both on dermatology research and clinical care of dermatologic disease. Over the years, ASA-funded researchers have had an extensive impact on the understanding of melanoma by improving our insight into the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. With an exclusive focus on skin disease research, ASA has helped open new frontiers in skin science by producing results that will change how we understand and treat these diseases. The following are the recipients of the 2024 Investigative Scientist Awards, Research Scholar Awards, Research Grants, and Medical Student Grant: 2024 ASA Sanofi Investigative Scientist Award in Atopic Dermatitis Andrew Ji, MD Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Project Title: Assessing the Role of Fibroblast and Dendritic Cell Interactions in Atopic Dermatitis 2024 ASA Bristol Myers Squibb Investigative Scientist Award in Psoriasis & Related Biology Christoph T. Ellebrecht, MD University of Pennsylvania Project Title: In vivo identification of therapeutic targets for tissue-resident T cells in psoriasis 2024 ASA Sun Pharma Investigative Scientist Award Nicholas Gulati, MD, PhD Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Project Title: Assessing mechanisms underlying stable vs progressing lesions in vitiligo 2024 ASA Calder Research Scholar Award in Vitiligo/Pigment Cell Disorders Kingsley Essien, PhD University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School Project Title: Targeting CD137 signaling to inhibit CD8+ T cell-driven melanocyte killing 2024 ASA Incyte Research Scholar Award in Vitiligo/Pigment Cell Disorders Patrick M. Brunner, MD, MSc Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Project Title: Type 2 immune activation as an entry point to vitiligo lesion formation 2024 ASA Research Scholar Award in Atopic Dermatitis Helen He, MD Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Project Title: Comprehensive tape-strip and blood profiling of atopic dermatitis and controls across age spectrum 2024 ASA Janssen Research Scholar Award in Psoriasis & Related Biology Christine C. Yokoyama, MD, PhD Washington University in St. Louis Project Title: Regulation of epidermal homeostasis by centrosomal protein CEP43 2024 ASA Mulvaney Family Foundation Research Grant in Vitiligo/Pigment Cell Disorders Umber Dube, MD, PhD University of California, San Diego Project Title: Investigating Pigmentary Changes in Cystinosis Ex Vivo Gene Therapy 2024 ASA La Roche-Posay Research Grant in Melanoma and Skin Cancer Mohammad A. Saad, PhD Massachusetts General Hospital Project Title: Interstitial Photodynamic Therapy for enhancing response to immune checkpoint blockade in melanoma 2024 ASA Bristol Myers Squibb Research Grant in Psoriasis & Related Biology Cory L. Simpson, MD, PhD University of Washington Project Title: Targeting the autophagy pathway to normalize epidermal differentiation in psoriasis 2024 ASA Arcutis Biotherapeutics Research Grant in Psoriasis & Related Biology Bahram Razani, MD, PhD University of California, San Francisco Project Title: Epidermal Innate Immune Signaling as Driver of Psoriatic Disease 2024 ASA UCB Research Grant in Psoriasis & Related Biology Sarah K. Whitley, MD, PhD UMass Chan Medical School Project Title: High-dimensional single-cell analysis of CD1a restricted T cells in psoriasis 2024 ASA Leo Pharma Research Grant in Atopic Dermatitis Richard Wang, MD, PhD UT Southwestern Medical Center Project Title: Elucidating the Signaling Functions of GLUT3 in Atopic Dermatitis 2024 ASA Bristol Myers Squibb Medical Student Grant in Psoriasis & Related Biology Aaron Bao Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Project Title: Investigating transcriptional mechanisms underlying calcinosis cutis in dermatomyositis ABOUT AMERICAN SKIN ASSOCIATION A unique collaboration of patients, families, advocates, physicians, and scientists, ASA has evolved over nearly four decades as a leading force in efforts to defeat melanoma, vitiligo, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and other skin diseases. Established to serve the now more than 100 million Americans – one-third of the U.S. population – afflicted with skin disorders, the organization's mission remains to: advance research, champion skin health, particularly among children, and drive public awareness about skin disease. ASA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. For more information, visit americanskin.org. American Skin Association has earned Candid's Seal of Platinum Transparency and the Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator. SOURCE American Skin Association

Pfizer thinned its sickle cell pipeline 10 months after its buyout of Global Blood Therapeutics. Pfizer is ringing the changes as it exits the second quarter, tossing out a midstage pneumococcal vaccine candidate and a handful of phase 1 assets including a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prospect it picked up in last year’s ReViral takeover.  The quarterly pipeline update (PDF) features the removal of two phase 2 assets, including the previously disclosed defenestration of its oral obesity and diabetes candidate lotiglipron over safety concerns. The other phase 2 candidate to get the ax in the update is PF-06842433, a vaccine that was in development for the prevention of invasive and noninvasive pneumococcal infections in infants and children. Pfizer ran (PDF) a phase 1/2 clinical trial of the seven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine from 2018 to 2020. The vaccine candidate was designed to complement the pneumococcal coverage provided by Prevnar 13, but, with Prevnar 20 now approved, Pfizer has moved on from the program. The update also covers the discontinuation of six phase 1 assets, including PF-07923567. The N-protein inhibitor, also known as RV-299, is one of the RSV candidates that Pfizer added to its pipeline in a deal to buy ReViral for $436 million upfront last year. Work on the most advanced program included in the deal, sisunatovir, continues, but Pfizer has decided it can do without PF-07923567. Pfizer is also jettisoning a pair of atopic dermatitis programs and another pair of solid tumor assets. In atopic dermatitis, the Big Pharma followed up the discontinuation of one topical “soft” JAK inhibitor last year by axing a similar molecule that it was studying in the same phase 1 trial. Alongside that, it has cut PF-07242813, a CD1a inhibitor, after wrapping up a phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers and atopic dermatitis patients. The solid tumor discontinuations fall on the AXL/MERTK inhibitor PF-07265807 and the IL15 activator PF-07209960. Pfizer acquired the AXL/MERTK inhibitor in the Array BioPharma buyout, but evidence the mechanism lowers the immune activation threshold and boosts anti-tumor immunity has failed to yield a clinical candidate the drugmaker thinks warrants further development. Finally, Pfizer has thinned its sickle cell pipeline 10 months after its buyout of Global Blood Therapeutics positioned it as a force in the indication. The discontinuation affects PF-07209326, an anti-E-selectin inhibitor that was in development at Pfizer prior to the Global Blood takeover. The confirmation follows the news last week that Pfizer is walking away from a sickle cell disease licensing deal with Syros Pharmaceuticals that it inherited from its takeover of Global Blood.

Headline results for the second quarter: Revenue: $12.7 billion (forecasts of $13.3 billion), down 54% Profit: $2.3 billion, down 77%Note: All changes are versus the prior-year period unless otherwise statedWhat the company said:Chief financial officer David Denton remarked "the second quarter…delivered solid 5% operational revenue growth, excluding our COVID-19 products, and our year-to-date results are in line with our expectations." However, Denton said that despite expected accelerated growth of non-COVID products in the second half, the company may have to launch a cost-cutting programme if sales of Comirnaty and Paxlovid continue to underperform.According to Pfizer, it anticipates more clarity for COVID revenue in the second half on a likely rise in infections in the fall season and the US switching to a commercial market for the products from government contracts. "To that end, if our COVID-19 revenues are less than what we assumed, we are prepared to launch an enterprise-wide cost improvement programme," Denton explained.Meanwhile, CEO Albert Bourla noted that Pfizer continues "to make progress toward" closing the proposed $43-billion acquisition of Seagen later this year or in early 2024. The executive added that the drugmaker is working to fulfil requests for further information on the transaction from the US Federal Trade Commission.Other results: Primary care sales: $5.8 billion, down 72% Eliquis alliance revenue and direct sales: $1.8 billion, up 1% Comirnaty: $1.5 billion, down 83%, but ahead of forecasts of $1.4 billion Prevnar/Prevenar 13 & 20: $1.4 billion, down 3% Nurtec ODT/Vydura: $247 million Paxlovid: $143 million, down 98%, missing estimates of nearly $1.1 billion Specialty care sales: $3.7 billion, up 9% Vyndaqel/Vyndamax: $782 million, up 42% Xeljanz: $469 million, up 9% Enbrel (outside the US and Canada): $219 million, down 15% Sulperazon: $177 million, down 15% Oxbryta: $77 million Oncology product sales: $3 billion, down 4% Ibrance: $1.2 billion, down 6% Xtandi alliance revenue: $305 million, up 5% Inlyta: $262 million, down 4% Looking ahead:Pfizer now expects revenue for 2023 to be between $67 billion and $70 billion, with the top end lowered by $1 billion from prior guidance. The company reaffirmed that revenue from Comirnaty is seen reaching approximately $13.5 billion, down 64% from 2022, while Paxlovid sales are set to fall 58% to around $8 billion.Meanwhile, Pfizer reiterated that earnings per share for this year are still predicted to be between $3.25 and $3.45, which represents roughly a 50% drop from 2022.Commenting on the recent tornado damage to its manufacturing plant in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, the company said "there does not appear to be major damage to the production areas," with the majority of issues restricted to the warehouse facility. Pfizer indicated that it is working to move finished medicines – which include sterile injectables – to other nearby sites for storage, while it is also exploring alternative manufacturing locations.Pipeline updates:Pfizer disclosed a number of recently-discontinued programmes, led by the mid-stage vaccine PF-06842433 for invasive and non-invasive Pneumococcal infections in infants and children. The cull comprises six Phase I assets, including the topical soft JAK inhibitor PF-07295324 and the CD1a inhibitor PF-07242813, which were both under development for atopic dermatitis.Also on the chopping block were the AXL/MERTK inhibitor PF-07265807 and the IL-15 activator PF-07209960 in oncology, as well as the anti-E-selectin inhibitor PF-07209326 in sickle cell disease and the N-protein inhibitor PF-07923567/RV-299 for respiratory syncytial virus infection.