Public Health England (PHE) created this information on behalf of the NHS. In this information, the word we refers to the NHS service that provides screening.

You should read this information if the result of your antenatal screening test for sickle cell and thalassaemia (SCT) shows you are at risk of having a baby with sickle cell disease.

This is because your blood test showed that:

This information will help you and your health professional talk through the next stages of your care during this pregnancy. It should support, but not replace, any discussions you have.

This information explains:

Sickle cell disease is the name for a group of conditions inherited from biological parents that affect the haemoglobin in red blood cells. The most serious type is called sickle cell anaemia.

In the UK, sickle cell disease is most common in people with an African or Caribbean family background, but it is also seen in people with family origins from other parts of the world.

People with sickle cell disease have red blood cells that can become misshapen, which:

Sickle cell disease is a serious lifelong condition, but long-term treatment can help manage many of the symptoms. People with sickle cell disease can lead long, active and fulfilling lives if they manage their condition well and have the right care and support.

The main symptoms of sickle cell disease are:

Other symptoms can include delayed growth, strokes and lung problems.

People with sickle cell disease need specialist care throughout their lives. Daily antibiotics and regular vaccinations can reduce the risk of infections. Blood transfusions can also be given to treat serious cases of anaemia. Some children with sickle cell disease benefit from taking a medicine called hydroxycarbamide which helps prevent many complications.

People with sickle cell disease can do a number of things to manage pain, avoid infections and stay as healthy as possible. Your healthcare professional can give you more advice about living with sickle cell disease.

The only cure for sickle cell disease is a bone marrow (or stem cell) transplant, which replaces damaged blood cells with healthy ones. This is a complicated procedure which is only suitable for people with serious complications from the disease who have a matching donor.

Sickle cell disease is inherited from genes passed on by both biological parents. It is not a result of anything you have or have not done.

If both biological parents are carriers of the haemoglobin gene, known as haemoglobin S, their baby can inherit the haemoglobin S gene from both of them. This is the most common and most serious type of sickle cell disease.

Babies can inherit other types of sickle cell disease if one parent carries the sickle cell gene (haemoglobin S) and the other parent has another haemoglobin gene such as beta thalassaemia or haemoglobin C. Your health professional can discuss this with you, so that you understand exactly what condition your baby could inherit, and how serious it could be.

If you and your childs biological father are both carriers then there is a 1 in 4 (25%) chance your child will inherit sickle cell disease. There is a 2 in 4 (50%) chance that your child will be a carrier, and a 1 in 4 (25%) chance your child will have normal haemoglobin. These chances are the same in every pregnancy when both parents are carriers.

The diagram below shows how genetic inheritance works. Both parents in this diagram are carriers. They are drawn in 2 colours to show they have one usual haemoglobin gene (green) and one unusual gene (blue).

There is a 1 in 4 chance of this baby inheriting the condition, a 2 in 4 chance of them being a carrier and a 1 in 4 chance they will not have the condition.

You can choose if you want a test to find out for sure if your unborn baby has inherited sickle cell disease or not. This is called prenatal diagnosis (PND). It is your decision to have this test or not.

All babies are offered the newborn blood spot test for sickle cell disease whether a PND has been carried out or not. The test is offered when the baby is 5 days old and results received before the baby is 28 days old.

You will be offered either a chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis diagnostic test.

CVS tests are usually done between 11 and 14 weeks of pregnancy but can be done later.

Amniocentesis tests are usually done between 15 and 20 weeks of pregnancy.

There are 3 possible results from a PND test. It can show that your baby:

In rare cases the screening laboratory cannot give a result. If this happens, you will be contacted and offered a repeat PND test.

If the result shows that your baby has normal haemoglobin or is a carrier, then your pregnancy care will continue as usual.

If a PND test shows your baby has inherited sickle cell disease, your healthcare professional will talk to you and offer support. You should also have the chance to talk to a specialist.

You may choose to:

If you decide to continue with the pregnancy the specialist team will:

If you decide to end your pregnancy the specialist team will give you information about what this involves and how you will be supported.

Only you know what is the best decision for your family.

Whatever decision you make, your healthcare professionals will support you.

If you and your partner are planning a pregnancy and are both carriers, there is a 1 in 4 (25%) chance your baby could inherit sickle cell disease. These chances are the same in each and every pregnancy that you have together.

You may discuss the following with your GP, midwife or specialist counsellor:

This can be performed after 11 weeks giving more time to consider your choices if the baby has sickle cell disease. You would need to see your GP or midwife as soon as you know you are pregnant.

PGD is a reproductive treatment used in in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) which involves checking the genes or chromosomes of your embryos for a specific genetic condition. It can help to avoid a pregnancy with a genetic condition for which a couple is at risk. You can ask to see a genetic counsellor to discuss this option.

This means either you or your partner would not be a biological parent of your baby. You can discuss this option with your healthcare professional.

For more information, see:

The NHS Screening Programmes use personal information from your NHS records to invite you for screening at the right time. Public Health England also uses your information to ensure you receive high quality care and to improve the screening programmes. Find out more about how your information is used and protected, and your options.

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Information and choices for women and couples at risk of having a baby with sickle cell disease - GOV.UK

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Information and choices for women and couples at risk of having a baby with sickle cell disease – GOV.UK | January 14th, 2021

DGAP-News: MorphoSys AG / Key word(s): Miscellaneous12.01.2021 / 22:00 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Media Release

MorphoSys and Incyte Announce Acceptance by Health Canada of the New Drug Submission for Tafasitamab

PLANEGG/MUNICH, Germany and MONTREAL, Canada - January 12, 2021 - MorphoSys AG (FSE: MOR; Prime Standard Segment; MDAX & TecDAX; NASDAQ:MOR) and Incyte (NASDAQ: INCY) today announced that Health Canada has accepted the New Drug Submission (NDS) for tafasitamab, an anti-CD19 antibody. The application seeks approval of tafasitamab in combination with lenalidomide, followed by tafasitamab monotherapy, for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), including DLBCL arising from low grade lymphoma, who are not eligible for, or refuse, autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT).

"With the acceptance of the NDS by Health Canada, review of the data can begin, an important step on the path to making tafasitamab available in Canada for use in combination with lenalidomide in eligible patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL," said Jose Brisebois, Ph.D., Head of Medical Affairs, Incyte Biosciences Canada. "We intend to work closely with Health Canada as we seek to bring this innovative targeted therapeutic option to the clinical community and to appropriate patients for whom few treatment options exist."

"This important milestone moves tafasitamab in combination with lenalidomide into the regulatory review process in Canada, with the potential to significantly advance patient care in the treatment of relapsed or refractory DLBCL," said Nuwan Kurukulasuriya, Ph.D., Senior Vice President Global Medical Affairs, MorphoSys.

The NDS, submitted by Incyte, is based on data from the L-MIND study evaluating tafasitamab in combination with lenalidomide as a treatment for patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL not eligible for autologous stem cell transplant, and is supported by the RE-MIND study, an observational retrospective study in relapsed or refractory DLBCL.

Incyte has exclusive commercialization rights for tafasitamab outside of the United States and, if approved, Incyte will hold the marketing authorization for tafasitamab in Canada. This NDS marks the second marketing application that Incyte Biosciences Canada has made to Health Canada since establishing operations in Canada in April 2020.

About Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL)DLBCL is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in adults worldwide1, characterized by rapidly growing masses of malignant B-cells in the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, bone marrow or other organs. It is an aggressive disease with about 40% of patients not responding to initial therapy or relapsing thereafter2, leading to a high medical need for new, effective therapies3, especially for patients who are not eligible for an autologous stem cell transplant in this setting.

About L-MINDThe L-MIND trial is a single arm, open-label, multicenter Phase 2 study (NCT02399085) investigating the combination of tafasitamab and lenalidomide in patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who have had at least one, but no more than three prior lines of therapy, including an anti-CD20 targeting therapy (e.g. rituximab), who are not eligible for high-dose chemotherapy or refuse subsequent autologous stem cell transplant. The study's primary endpoint is Overall Response Rate (ORR). Secondary outcome measures include Duration of Response (DoR), Progression-Free Survival (PFS) and Overall Survival (OS). In May 2019, the study reached its primary completion.

For more information about L-MIND, visit https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02399085

About RE-MINDRE-MIND, an observational retrospective study (NCT04150328), was designed to isolate the contribution of tafasitamab in combination with lenalidomide and to prove the combinatorial effect. The study compares real-world response data of patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who received lenalidomide monotherapy with the efficacy outcomes of the tafasitamab-lenalidomide combination, as investigated in MorphoSys' L-MIND trial. RE-MIND collected the efficacy data from 490 relapsed or refractory DLBCL patients in the U.S. and EU. Qualification criteria for matching patients of both studies were pre-specified. As a result, 76 eligible RE-MIND patients were identified and matched 1:1 to 76 of 80 L-MIND patients based on important baseline characteristics. Objective Response Rates (ORR) were validated based on this subset of 76 patients in RE-MIND and L-MIND, respectively. The primary endpoint of RE-MIND was met and shows a statistically significant superior best ORR of the tafasitamab-lenalidomide combination compared to lenalidomide monotherapy.

For more information about RE-MIND, visit https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04150328.

About TafasitamabTafasitamab is a humanized Fc-modified cytolytic CD19 targeting monoclonal antibody. In 2010, MorphoSys licensed exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize tafasitamab from Xencor, Inc. Tafasitamab incorporates an XmAb(R) engineered Fc domain, which mediates B-cell lysis through apoptosis and immune effector mechanism including Antibody-Dependent Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity (ADCC) and Antibody-Dependent Cellular Phagocytosis (ADCP). In January 2020, MorphoSys and Incyte entered into a collaboration and licensing agreement to further develop and commercialize tafasitamab globally. Following approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in July 2020, tafasitamab is being co-commercialized by MorphoSys and Incyte in the United States. Incyte has exclusive commercialization rights outside the United States.

Tafasitamab is being clinically investigated as a therapeutic option in B-cell malignancies in a number of ongoing combination trials.

XmAb(R) is a registered trademark of Xencor, Inc.

The safety and efficacy of tafasitamab is under review and the market authorization in Canada has not yet been obtained.

About MorphoSysMorphoSys (FSE & NASDAQ: MOR) is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapies for patients suffering from cancer and autoimmune diseases. Based on its leading expertise in antibody, protein and peptide technologies, MorphoSys, together with its partners, has developed and contributed to the development of more than 100 product candidates, of which 27 are currently in clinical development. In 2017, Tremfya(R), developed by Janssen Research & Development, LLC and marketed by Janssen Biotech, Inc., for the treatment of plaque psoriasis, became the first drug based on MorphoSys' antibody technology to receive regulatory approval. In July 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval of MorphoSys' proprietary product Monjuvi(R) (tafasitamab-cxix) in combination with lenalidomide in patients with a certain type of lymphoma. Headquartered near Munich, Germany, the MorphoSys group, including the fully owned U.S. subsidiary MorphoSys US Inc., has more than 600 employees. More information at http://www.morphosys.com or http://www.morphosys-us.com.

Monjuvi(R) is a registered trademark of MorphoSys AG.

Tremfya(R) is a registered trademark of Janssen Biotech, Inc.

About Incyte Incyte is a Wilmington, Delaware-based, global biopharmaceutical company focused on finding solutions for serious unmet medical needs through the discovery, development and commercialization of proprietary therapeutics. For additional information on Incyte, please visit Incyte.com and follow @Incyte.

MorphoSys Forward-looking Statements This communication contains certain forward-looking statements concerning the MorphoSys group of companies, including the expectations regarding Monjuvi's ability to treat patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, the further clinical development of tafasitamab-cxix, including ongoing confirmatory trials, additional interactions with regulatory authorities and expectations regarding future regulatory filings and possible additional approvals for tafasitamab-cxix as well as the commercial performance of Monjuvi. The words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "predict," "project," "would," "could," "potential," "possible," "hope" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. The forward-looking statements contained herein represent the judgment of MorphoSys as of the date of this release and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which might cause the actual results, financial condition and liquidity, performance or achievements of MorphoSys, or industry results, to be materially different from any historic or future results, financial conditions and liquidity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition, even if MorphoSys' results, performance, financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industry in which it operates are consistent with such forward-looking statements, they may not be predictive of results or developments in future periods. Among the factors that may result in differences are MorphoSys' expectations regarding risks and uncertainties related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to MorphoSys' business, operations, strategy, goals and anticipated milestones, including its ongoing and planned research activities, ability to conduct ongoing and planned clinical trials, clinical supply of current or future drug candidates, commercial supply of current or future approved products, and launching, marketing and selling current or future approved products, the global collaboration and license agreement for tafasitamab, the further clinical development of tafasitamab, including ongoing confirmatory trials, and MorphoSys' ability to obtain and maintain requisite regulatory approvals and to enroll patients in its planned clinical trials, additional interactions with regulatory authorities and expectations regarding future regulatory filings and possible additional approvals for tafasitamab-cxix as well as the commercial performance of Monjuvi, MorphoSys' reliance on collaborations with third parties, estimating the commercial potential of its development programs and other risks indicated in the risk factors included in MorphoSys' Annual Report on Form 20-F and other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Given these uncertainties, the reader is advised not to place any undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of publication of this document. MorphoSys expressly disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements in this document to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements, unless specifically required by law or regulation.

Incyte Forward-looking Statements Except for the historical information set forth herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including statements regarding whether or when tafasitamab might be approved in Canada for the treatment of, and whether or when tafasitamab might provide a successful treatment option for, in combination with lenalidomide, certain patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and the L-MIND and RE-MIND clinical trial programs. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current expectations and subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including unanticipated developments in and risks related to: unanticipated delays; further research and development and the results of clinical trials possibly being unsuccessful or insufficient to meet applicable regulatory standards or warrant continued development; the ability to enroll sufficient numbers of subjects in clinical trials; determinations made by Canadian regulatory authorities or other regulatory authorities, including the U.S. FDA; the Company's dependence on its relationships with its collaboration partners; the efficacy or safety of the Company's products and the products of the Company's collaboration partners; the acceptance of the Company's products and the products of the Company's collaboration partners in the marketplace; market competition; sales, marketing, manufacturing and distribution requirements; greater than expected expenses; expenses relating to litigation or strategic activities; and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Form 10-Q for the quarter ending September 30, 2020. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Contacts:

References1Sarkozy C, et al. Management of relapsed/refractory DLBCL. Best Practice Research & Clinical Haematology. 2018 31:209-16. doi.org/10.1016/j.beha.2018.07.014.2 Skrabek P, et al. Emerging therapies for the treatment of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Current Oncology. 2019 26(4): 253-265. doi.org/10.3747/co.26.5421.3 Skrabek P, et al. Emerging therapies for the treatment of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Current Oncology. 2019 26(4): 253-265. doi.org/10.3747/co.26.5421.

12.01.2021 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at http://www.dgap.de

Originally posted here:
MorphoSys and Incyte Announce Acceptance by Health Canada of the New Drug Submission for Tafasitamab - PharmiWeb.com

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on MorphoSys and Incyte Announce Acceptance by Health Canada of the New Drug Submission for Tafasitamab – PharmiWeb.com | January 14th, 2021

Abowl of hot soup or warm broth can take the chill out of a cold winter day. While grocery store shelves are usually stocked with an array of canned and boxed varieties, making a delicious broth for sipping or a stock as a base for other soups and recipes is something you can do while doing other things, such as working on your computer or doing the laundry. Once you get it going, you only have to check on it occasionally until it's done.

According to Food & Wine, the difference between stock and broth is minimal. A stock is to be made with bones in addition to a mirepoix, a mix of carrots, onions and celery. At its most basic, broth is simply any liquid that meat has been cooked in. A broth can also be made with just vegetables. While broth is something you sip, stock is typically used as a base in sauces and soups, providing body rather than flavor.

As author Sally Fallon Morell points out in her book, "Nourishing Broth: An Old-Fashioned Remedy for the Modern World," bone broth has rich dissolves of collagen, cartilage, bone and marrow which give the body the right stuff to rebuild and rejuvenatestuff such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids and healing sugars.

"Deep in the center of bones is marrow, a creamy substance valued by our ancestors for its life-giving, reproduction-enhancing, and brain-building fat and cholesterol. As the seed of blood and stem cells, it's prized as a sacred, energizing, and regenerative food in native cultures all over the world," Morell writes. Of course, most are aware of the benefits of eating plenty of plants in our diet, too.

Whether you're going for bones or carrots or both, the basic technique is the same. Simmer veggie scraps or bones in water for a long, slow time (in the case of straight-up vegetable broth, it can be finished in one hour or less).

Simple Vegetable BrothA swirl of your favorite oil1 onion, chopped2 stalks celery, chopped2 large carrots, choppedLeftover vegetable scraps you have on hand (onion skins, carrot ends, celery leaves, herbs, potato peels, greens, etc.)Several cloves of garlic, smashedFresh parsley/thymePinch of saltTwo bay leavesWater to cover

Saut chopped veggies in a bit of oil or water to soften. Add salt, herbs, bay leaves and water to cover. Bring to almost boiling, then turn heat down to simmer for 45-60 minutes, longer if desired. Strain. Cool.

Basic Bone Broth

Roast bones on baking sheet in hot oven (400 degrees) for 30 minutes. Place bones and vegetables in big pot. Cover with water. Bring to an easy roll then immediately turn heat down. Simmer uncovered, skimming scum as it rises. Cook for 24-72 hours. Turn off overnight, turn back on to simmer next morning. During last 10 minutes of cooking, toss in fresh parsley for added flavor. Let broth cool before straining. Store in fridge up to one week or freezer up to six months.

Pro Tips:

The number one goal for bone broth/stock is to get it gelatinous, meaning it sets up in a solid gel if you put it in the fridge. Bones, such as knucklebones and chicken/pig feet with lots of cartilage help make the broth gelatinous. Include meaty bones, such as short ribs, to add flavor.

Water should just cover the bones.

Never overheat the broth/stock. A roiling boil will break down collagen fibers that won't coagulate when cooled. So heat over medium heat only until the liquid starts to "roll," then turn the heat down until it barely simmers.

Simmer with the lid off to prevent boiling and allow the gradual reduction of the stock and concentration of gelatin.

To avoid cloudiness, skim the scum that rises to the top as the liquid starts to cook and occasionally throughout cooking.

To freeze stock, only fill the container full.

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Warm Up with Homemade Broths and Stocks - The Source Weekly

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Warm Up with Homemade Broths and Stocks – The Source Weekly | January 14th, 2021

Abstract

Terminally differentiated murine osteocytes and adipocytes can be reprogrammed using platelet-derived growth factorAB and 5-azacytidine into multipotent stem cells with stromal cell characteristics. We have now optimized culture conditions to reprogram human adipocytes into induced multipotent stem (iMS) cells and characterized their molecular and functional properties. Although the basal transcriptomes of adipocyte-derived iMS cells and adipose tissuederived mesenchymal stem cells were similar, there were changes in histone modifications and CpG methylation at cis-regulatory regions consistent with an epigenetic landscape that was primed for tissue development and differentiation. In a non-specific tissue injury xenograft model, iMS cells contributed directly to muscle, bone, cartilage, and blood vessels, with no evidence of teratogenic potential. In a cardiotoxin muscle injury model, iMS cells contributed specifically to satellite cells and myofibers without ectopic tissue formation. Together, human adipocytederived iMS cells regenerate tissues in a context-dependent manner without ectopic or neoplastic growth.

The goal of regenerative medicine is to restore function by reconstituting dysfunctional tissues. Most tissues have a reservoir of tissue-resident stem cells with restricted cell fates suited to the regeneration of the tissue in which they reside (14). The innate regenerative capacity of a tissue is broadly related to the basal rate of tissue turnover, the health of resident stem cells, and the hostility of the local environment. Bone marrow transplants and tissue grafts are frequently used in clinical practice but for most tissues, harvesting and expanding stem and progenitor cells are currently not a viable option (5, 6). Given these constraints, research efforts have been focused on converting terminally differentiated cells into pluripotent or lineage-restricted stem cells (7, 8). However, tissues are often a complex mix of diverse cell types that are derived from distinct stem cells. Therefore, multipotent stem cells may have advantages over tissue-specific stem cells. To be of use in regenerative medicine, these cells would need to respond appropriately to regional cues and participate in context-dependent tissue regeneration without forming ectopic tissues or teratomas. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were thought to have some of these characteristics (911), but despite numerous ongoing clinical trials, evidence for their direct contribution to new tissue formation in humans is sparse, either due to the lack of sufficient means to trace cell fate in hosts in vivo or failure of these cells to regenerate tissues (12, 13).

We previously reported a method by which primary terminally differentiated somatic cells could be converted into multipotent stem cells, which we termed as induced multipotent stem (iMS) cells (14). These cells were generated by transiently culturing primary mouse osteocytes in medium supplemented with azacitidine (AZA; 2 days) and platelet-derived growth factorAB (PDGF-AB; 8 days). Although the precise mechanisms by which these agents promoted cell conversion was unclear, the net effect was reduced DNA methylation at the OCT4 promoter and reexpression of pluripotency factors (OCT4, KLF4, SOX2, c-MYC, SSEA-1, and NANOG) in 2 to 4% of treated osteocytes. iMS cells resembled MSCs with comparable morphology, cell surface phenotype, colony-forming unit fibroblast (CFU-F), long-term growth, clonogenicity, and multilineage in vitro differentiation potential. iMS cells also contributed directly to in vivo tissue regeneration and did so in a context-dependent manner without forming teratomas. In proof-of-principle experiments, we also showed that primary mouse and human adipocytes could be converted into long-term repopulating CFU-Fs by this method using a suitably modified protocol (14).

AZA, one of the agents used in this protocol, is a cytidine nucleoside analog and a DNA hypomethylating agent that is routinely used in clinical practice for patients with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and for elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who are intolerant to intensive chemotherapy (15, 16). AZA is incorporated primarily into RNA, disrupting transcription and protein synthesis. However, 10 to 35% of drug is incorporated into DNA resulting in the entrapment and depletion of DNA methyltransferases and suppression of DNA methylation (17). Although the relationship between DNA hypomethylation and therapeutic efficacy in MDS/AML is unclear, AZA is known to induce an interferon response and apoptosis in proliferating cells (1820). PDGF-AB, the other critical reprogramming agent, is one of five PDGF isoforms (PDGF-AA, PDGF-AB, PDGF-BB, PDGF-CC, and PDGF-DD), which bind to one of two PDGF receptors (PDGFR and PDGFR) (21). PDGF isoforms are potent mitogens for mesenchymal cells, and recombinant human (rh)PDGF-BB is used as an osteoinductive agent in the clinic (22). PDGF-AB binds preferentially to PDGFR and induces PDGFR- homodimers or PDGFR- heterodimers. These are activated by autophosphorylation to create docking sites for a variety of downstream signaling molecules (23). Although we have previously demonstrated induction of CFU-Fs from human adipocytes using PDGF-AB/AZA (14), the molecular changes, which underlie conversion, and the multilineage differentiation potential and in vivo regenerative capacity of the converted cells have not been determined.

Here, we report an optimized PDGF-AB/AZA treatment protocol that was used to convert primary human adipocytes, a tissue source that is easily accessible and requires minimal manipulation, from adult donors aged 27 to 66 years into iMS cells with long-term repopulating capacity and multilineage differentiation potential. We also report the molecular landscape of these human iMS cells along with that of MSCs derived from matched adipose tissues and the comparative in vivo regenerative and teratogenic potential of these cells in mouse xenograft models.

Primary mature human adipocytes were harvested from subcutaneous fat (Fig. 1A and table S1) and their purity confirmed by flow cytometry with specific attention to the absence of contaminating adipose-derived MSCs (AdMSCs) (fig. S1, A and B). As previously described (14), plastic adherent adipocytes were cultured in Alpha Minimum Essential Medium (MEM) containing rhPDGF-AB (200 ng/ml) and 20% autologous serum (AS) with and without 10 M AZA for 2 and 23 days, respectively (Fig. 1A). During daily observations, unilocular lipid globules were observed to fragment within adipocytes ~day 10 with progressive extrusion of fat into culture medium, coincident with changes in cell morphology (movie S1). Consistent with these observations, when fixed and stained with Oil Red O, adipocytes that were globular in shape at the start of culture resembled lipid laden stromal cells at day 12 and lipid-free stromal cells at day 25 (Fig. 1B).

(A) Generation and reprogramming of adipocytes. (B) Oil Red Ostained adipocytes (days 0, 12, and 25) during treatment with recombinant human platelet-derived growth factorAB (rhPDGF-AB) and AZA. (C) Flow cytometry plots of LipidTOX and PDGFR in adipocytes cultured as in (A). (D) CFU-F counts from treated and untreated adipocytes during conversion. (E) CFU-F counts from adipocytes treated (Rx) with indicated combinations of rhPDGF-AB, AZA, fetal calf serum (FCS), autologous serum (AS), or serum-free media (SFM). (F) CFU-F counts from adipocytes reprogrammed in the presence of 0, 1, or 10 M PDGFR/ inhibitor AG1296. (G) CFU-F counts per 400 reprogrammed adipocytes from three donor age groups (n = 3 for each) generated using indicated combinations of rhPDGF-AB and AZA. (H) Long-term growth of reprogrammed adipocytes from three donor age groups (n = 3 for each) generated using indicated combinations of rhPDGF-AB and AZA. (I) Long-term growth of iMS cells cultured in SFM or media supplemented with FCS, autologous, or allogeneic serum. Error bars indicate SD, n = 3; *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, and ***P < 0.0001 calculated using either a Students t test (E and F) or a linear mixed model (H). Photo credit: Avani Yeola, UNSW Sydney.

To evaluate these changes in individual cells, we performed flow cytometry at multiple time points during treatment and probed for adipocyte (LipidTOX) (24) and stromal cell characteristics [PDGFR expression (25); Fig. 1C]. A subpopulation of adipocytes, when cultured in media supplemented with PDGF-AB/AZA and AS (Fig. 1C, top; treated), showed reduced LipidTOX staining intensity at day 10, with progressive reduction and complete absence in all cells by day 19. Adipocytes cultured in the absence of PDGF-AB/AZA retained LipidTOX staining, albeit with reduced intensity (Fig. 1C, bottom; untreated). Adipocytes expressed PDGFR [fig. S1C, (i) and (ii)] but not PDGFR (Fig. 1C) at day 0 but both the frequency and intensity of PDGFR staining increased from day 21. To record these changes in real time, we also continuously live-imaged treated adipocytes from days 15 to 25 and recorded the extrusion of fat globules, change in cell morphology from globular to stromal, and acquisition of cell motility and cell mitosis (movie S1 and fig. S1D). Intracellular fragmentation of fat globules was observed over time in untreated adipocytes (fig. S1E), consistent with variable LipidTOX staining intensity. CFU-F capacity was absent at day 10, present in day 15 cultures, and tripled by day 19 with no substantial increase at days 21, 23, and 25 (Fig. 1D). It is noteworthy that CFU-F potential was acquired before PDGFRA surface expression when adipocytes had started to display stromal cell morphology and had diminished fat content. There was also no CFU-F capacity in adipocytes cultured in MEM with fetal calf serum (FCS) or AS, unless supplemented with both PDGF-AB and AZA. CFU-F capacity was significantly higher with AS than with FCS and absent in serum-free media (SFM) (Fig. 1E and fig. S1F). As previously shown with reprogramming of murine osteocytes, there was dose-dependent inhibition of CFU-F capacity when AG1296, a potent nonselective PDGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (26), was added to the reprogramming media (Fig. 1F).

To evaluate the impact of patient age and concentrations of PDGF-AB and AZA on the efficiency of human adipocyte conversion, we harvested subcutaneous fat from donors aged 40 (n = 3), 41 to 60 (n = 3), and 61 (n = 3) years and subjected each to three different concentrations of PDGF-AB (100, 200, and 400 ng/ml) and three different concentrations of AZA (5, 10, and 20 M) (Fig. 1G). Although all combinations supported cell conversion in all donors across the three age groups, rhPDGF-AB (400 ng/ml) and 5 M AZA yielded the highest number of CFU-Fs (Fig. 1G). When these cultures were serially passaged in SFM (with no PDGF-AB/AZA supplementation, which was used for cell conversion only), adipocytes converted with reprogramming media containing rhPDGF-AB (400 ng/ml) and 5 M AZA were sustained the longest (Fig. 1H, fig. S2A, and table S2). The growth plateau that was observed even with these cultures [i.e., adipocytes converted with rhPDGF-AB (400 ng/ml) and 5 M AZA when expanded in SFM or FCS] was overcome when cells were expanded in either autologous or allogeneic human serum (Fig. 1I). The genetic stability of human iMS cells (RM0072 and RM0073) was also assessed using single-nucleotide polymorphism arrays and shown to have a normal copy number profile at a resolution of 250 kb (fig. S2B). Together, these data identify an optimized protocol for converting human primary adipocytes from donors across different age groups and show that these can be maintained long term in culture.

Given the stromal characteristics observed in human adipocytes treated with PDGF-AB/AZA (Fig. 1), we performed flow cytometry to evaluate their expression of MSC markers CD73, CD90, CD105, and STRO1 (13) and noted expression levels comparable to AdMSCs extracted from the same subcutaneous fat harvest (Fig. 2A). Primary untreated adipocytes (day 25 in culture) did not express any of these MSC markers (fig. S3A). The global transcriptomes of iMS cells and matched AdMSCs were distinct from untreated control adipocytes but were broadly related to each other [Fig. 2B, (i) and (ii)]. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) using genes that were differentially expressed between AdMSCs versus adipocytes [3307 UP/4351 DOWN in AdMSCs versus adipocytes; false discovery rate (FDR) 0.05] and iMS versus adipocytes (3311 UP/4400 DOWN in iMS versus adipocytes; FDR 0.05) showed changes associated with gene expression, posttranslational modification, and cell survival pathways and organismal survival and systems development [Fig. 2B(iii)]. The number of differentially expressed genes between iMS cells and AdMSCs was limited (2 UP/26 DOWN in iMS versus AdMSCs; FDR 0.05) and too few for confident IPA annotation. All differentially expressed genes and IPA annotations are shown in table S3 (A to E, respectively).

(A) Flow cytometry for stromal markers on AdMSCs (green) and iMS cells (purple) from matched donors. Gray, unstained controls. (B) (i) Principal components analysis (PCA) plot of adipocyte, AdMSC, and iMS transcriptomes. (ii) Hierarchical clustering of differentially expressed genes (DEGs, FDR 0.05). (iii) Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) of DEG between AdMSCs/adipocytes (top) or iMS cells/adipocytes (bottom). The most enriched annotated biological functions are shown. (C) (i) Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) profiles in AdMSCs and iMS cells from matched donors at a representative locus. Gray bar indicates differential enrichment. (ii) Volcano plots of H3K4me3, H3K27Ac, and H3K27me3 enrichment peaks significantly UP (red) or DOWN (blue) in iMS cells versus AdMSCs. (iii) IPA of corresponding genes. log2FC, log2 fold change. (D) (i) DNA methylation at a representative locus in AdMSCs and iMS cells from matched donors. (ii) Volcano plot of regions with significantly higher (red) or lower (blue) DNA methylation in iMS cells versus AdMSCs. (iii) IPA using genes corresponding to differentially methylated regions (DMRs). (E) OCT4, NANOG, and SOX2 expression in iPS, AdMSCs, and iMS cells. Percentage of cells expressing each protein is indicated. DAPI, 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole. (F) AdMSCs and iMS cells differentiated in vitro. Bar graphs quantify staining frequencies, error bars show SD, n = 3. ***P < 0.001 (Students t test). Photo credit: Avani Yeola, UNSW Sydney.

In the absence of significant basal differences in the transcriptomes of AdMSCs and iMS cells, and the use of a hypomethylating agent to induce adipocyte conversion into iMS cells, we examined global enrichment profiles of histone marks associated with transcriptionally active (H3K4me3 and H3K27Ac) and inactive (H3K27me3) chromatin. There were differences in enrichment of specific histone marks in matched AdMSCs versus iMS cells at gene promoters and distal regulatory regions [Fig. 2C(i) and fig. S3, B to D]. H3K4me3, H3K27ac, and H3K27me3 enrichments were significantly higher at 255, 107, and 549 regions and significantly lower at 222, 78, and 98 regions in iMS cells versus AdMSCs [Fig. 2C(ii) and table S4, A to C] and were assigned to 237, 84, and 350 and 191, 58, and 67 genes, respectively. IPA was performed using these gene lists to identify biological functions that may be primed in iMS cells relative to AdMSCs [Fig. 2C(iii) and table S4, D to F]. Among these biological functions, annotations for molecular and cellular function (cellular movement, development, growth, and proliferation) and systems development (general; embryonic and tissue development and specific; cardiovascular, skeletal and muscular, and hematological) featured strongly and overlapped across the different epigenetic marks.

We extended these analyses to also assess global CpG methylation in matched AdMSCs and iMS cells using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing [RRBS; (27)]. Again, there were loci with differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in iMS cells versus AdMSCs [Fig. 2D(i)] with increased methylation at 158 and reduced methylation at 397 regions among all regions assessed [Fig. 2D(ii) and table S4G]. IPA of genes associated with these DMRs showed a notable overlap in annotated biological functions [Fig. 2D(iii) and table S4H] with those associated with differential H3K4me3, H3K27Ac, and H3K27me3 enrichment [Fig. 2C(iii) and table S4, E to G]. Together, these data imply that although basal transcriptomic differences between iMS cells and AdMSCs were limited, there were notable differences in epigenetic profiles at cis-regulatory regions of genes that were associated with cellular growth and systems development.

We next compared iMS cells to adipocytes from which they were derived. Expression of genes associated with adipogenesis was depleted in iMS cells (fig. S4A and table S4I). The promoter regions of these genes in iMS cells had broadly retained an active histone mark (H3K4me3), but, in contrast with adipocytes, many had acquired an inactive mark (H3K27me3) (fig. S4B and table S4J). However, there were examples where iMS cells had lost active histone marks (H3K4me3 and H3K27ac) at gene promoters and potential regulatory regions and gained repressive H3K27me3 [e.g., ADIPOQ; fig. S4C(i)]. In contrast, stromal genes had acquired active histone marks and lost repressive H3K27me3 [e.g. EPH2A; fig. S4C(ii)]. It is noteworthy that promoter regions of genes associated with muscle and pericytes (table S4K) were enriched for active histone marks in iMS cells compared with adipocytes [fig. S4D, (i) and (ii)]. We also compared demethylated CpGs in iMS cells and adipocytes (fig. S4E). There were 7366 sites in 2971 genes that were hypomethylated in iMS cells, of which 236 showed increased expression and were enriched for genes associated with tissue development and cellular growth and proliferation (fig. S4E).

PDGF-AB/AZAtreated murine osteocytes (murine iMS cells), but not bone-derived MSCs, expressed pluripotency associated genes, which were detectable by immunohistochemistry in 1 to 4% of cells (14). To evaluate expression in reprogrammed human cells, PDGF-AB/AZAtreated human adipocytes and matched AdMSCs were stained for OCT4, NANOG, and SOX2 with expression noted in 2, 0.5, and 3.5% of iMS cells respectively, but no expression was detected in AdMSCs (Fig. 2E). In addition to these transcription factors, we also evaluated surface expression of TRA-1-60 and SSEA4. Both proteins were uniformly expressed on iPSCs and absent in AdMSCs [fig. S4F(i)] and adipocytes [fig. S4F(ii)]. Although TRA-1-60 was absent in iMS cells, most (78%) expressed SSEA4 but rarely (<1%) coexpressed OCT4 and NANOG [fig. S4F(i)].

MSCs can be induced to differentiate in vitro into various cell lineages in response to specific cytokines and culture conditions. To evaluate the in vitro plasticity of human iMS cells, we induced their differentiation along with matched AdMSCs and primary adipocytes, into bone, fat, and cartilage, as well as into other mesodermal Matrigel tube-forming assays for endothelial cells (CD31) and pericytes (PDGFR) and muscle (MYH, myosin heavy chain; SMA, smooth muscle actin), endodermal (hepatocyte; HNF4, hepatocyte nuclear factor ), and neuroectodermal (TUJ1; neuron specific class III beta tubulin) lineages (Fig. 2F and fig. S4G). Whereas primary adipocytes remained as such and were resistant to transdifferentiation, iMS cells and AdMSCs showed comparable differentiation potential with the notable exception that only iMS cells generated pericyte-lined endothelial tubes in Matrigel. In keeping with these findings, relative to AdMSCs, iMS cells showed permissive epigenetic marks at pericyte genes [increased H3K4me3 and H3K27Ac; EPHA2 and MCAM; fig. S4H(i); and reduced CpG methylation; NOTCH1, SMAD7, TIMP2, AKT1, and VWF; fig. S4H(ii)]. Together with the notable differences in epigenetic profiles, these functional differences and low-level expression of pluripotency genes in iMS cell subsets suggested that these cells could be more amenable than matched AdMSCs to respond to developmental cues in vivo.

To evaluate spontaneous teratoma formation and in vivo plasticity of iMS cells, we tagged these cells and their matched AdMSCs with a dual lentiviral reporter, LeGO-iG2-Luc2 (28), that expresses both green fluorescent protein (GFP) and luciferase under the control of the cytomegalovirus promoter (Fig. 3A). To test teratoma-initiating capacity, we implanted tagged cells under the right kidney capsules of NOD Scid Gamma (NSG) mice (n = 3 per treatment group) after confirming luciferase/GFP expression in cells in culture (fig. S5, A and B). Weekly bioluminescence imaging (BLI) confirmed retention of cells in situ [Fig. 3B(i)] with progressive reduction in signal over time [Fig. 3B(ii)] and the absence of teratomas in kidneys injected with either AdMSCs or iMS cells [Fig. 3B(iii)]. Injection of equivalent numbers of iPS cells and iPS + iMS cell mixtures (1:49) to approximate iMS fraction expressing pluripotency markers led to spontaneous tumor formation in the same timeframe [Fig. 3B(iii)].

(A) Generation of luciferase/GFP-reporter AdMSCs and iMS cells, and assessment of their in vivo function. (B) Assessment of teratoma initiating capacity; (i) bioluminescence images at 0, 2, 6, and 8 weeks after implantation of 1 106 matched AdMSCs and iMS cells (P2; RM0057; n = 2 per group) under the right kidney capsules. (ii) Quantification of bioluminescence. (iii) Gross kidney morphology 8 weeks following subcapsular implantation of cells (R) or vehicle control (L). (C) Assessment of in vivo plasticity in a posterior-lateral intertransverse lumbar fusion model; (i) bioluminescence images following lumbar implantation of 1 106 matched AdMSCs or iMS cells (P2; RM0038; n = 3 per group) at 1 and 365 days after transplant. (ii) Quantification of bioluminescence. (iii) Tissues (bone, cartilage, muscle, and blood vessels) harvested at 6 months after implantation stained with (left) hematoxylin and eosin or (right) lineage-specific anti-human antibodies circles/arrows indicate regions covering GFP and lineage markerpositive cells. Corresponding graphs show donor cell (GFP+) contributions to bone, cartilage, muscle, and blood vessels as a fraction of total (DAPI+) cells in four to five serial tissue sections. Bars indicate confidence interval, n = 3. Photo Credit: Avani Yeola, UNSW Sydney.

To evaluate whether iMS cells survived and integrated with damaged tissues in vivo, we implanted transduced human iMS cells and matched AdMSCs controls into a posterior-lateral intertransverse lumbar fusion mouse model (Fig. 3A) (29). Cells were loaded into Helistat collagen sponges 24 hours before implantation into the posterior-lateral gutters adjacent to decorticated lumbar vertebrae of NSG mice (n = 9 iMS and n = 9 AdMSC). Cell retention in situ was confirmed by intraperitoneal injection of d-luciferin (150 mg/ml) followed by BLI 24 hours after cell implantation, then weekly for the first 6 weeks and monthly up to 12 months from implantation [Fig. 3C(i)]. The BLI signal gradually decreased with time but persisted at the site of implantation at 12 months, the final assessment time point [Fig. 3C(ii)]. Groups of mice (n = 3 iMS and n = 3 AdMSC) were euthanized at 3, 6, and 12 months and tissues harvested from sites of cell implantation for histology and immunohistochemistry [Fig. 3C(iii)]. Although implanted iMS cells and AdMSCs were present and viable at sites of implantation at 3 months, there was no evidence of lineage-specific gene expression in donor human cells (fig. S5C). By contrast, at 6 months after implantation, GFP+ donor iMS cells and AdMSCs were shown to contribute to new bone (BMP2), cartilage (SOX9), muscle (MYH), and endothelium (CD31) at these sites of tissue injury [Fig. 3C(iii)]. The proportion of donor cells expressing lineage-specific markers in a corresponding tissue section was significantly higher in iMS cells compared with matched AdMSCs at 6 months [Fig. 3C(iii) and table S2] as well as 12 months (fig. S5, E and D, and table S2). There was no evidence of malignant growth in any of the tissue sections or evidence of circulating implanted GFP+ iMS cells or AdMSCs (fig. S5E). Together, these data show that implanted iMS cells were not teratogenic, were retained long term at sites of implantation, and contributed to regenerating tissues in a context-dependent manner with greater efficiency than matched AdMSCs.

Although appropriate to assess in vivo plasticity and teratogenicity of implanted cells, the posterior-lateral intertransverse lumber fusion mouse model is not suited to address the question of tissue-specific differentiation and repair in vivo. To this end, we used a muscle injury model (30) where necrosis was induced by injecting 10 M cardiotoxin (CTX) into the left tibialis anterior (TA) muscle of 3-month-old female severe combined immunodeficient (SCID)/Beige mice. CTX is a myonecrotic agent that spares muscle satellite cells and is amenable to the study of skeletal muscle regeneration. At 24 hours after injury, Matrigel mixed with either 1 106 iMS cells or matched AdMSCs (or no cells as a control) was injected into the damaged TA muscle. The left (injured) and right (uninjured control) TA muscles were harvested at 1, 2, or 4 weeks after injury to assess the ability of donor cells to survive and contribute to muscle regeneration without ectopic tissue formation (Fig. 4A; cohort A). Donor human iMS cells or AdMSCs compete with resident murine muscle satellite cells to regenerate muscle, and their regenerative capacity is expected to be handicapped not only by the species barrier but also by having to undergo muscle satellite cell commitment before productive myogenesis. Recognizing this, a cohort of mice was subject to a second CTX injection, 4 weeks from the first injury/cell implantation followed by TA muscle harvest 4 weeks later (Fig. 4A; cohort B).

(A) Generation of iMS and AdMSCs and their assessment in TA muscle injury model. (B) (i) Confocal images of TA muscle stained for human CD56+ satellite cells (red) and laminin basement membrane protein (green; mouse/human). Graph shows donor hCD56+ satellite cell fraction for each treatment group. (ii) Confocal images of TA muscle harvested at 4 weeks and stained for human spectrin (red) and laminin (green; mouse/human). For each treatment, the left panel shows a tile scan of the TA muscle and the right panel a high magnification confocal image. Graph shows contribution of mouse (M), human (H), or chimeric (C) myofibers in three to five serial TA muscle sections per mouse (n = 3 mice per treatment group). (C) Confocal images of TA muscle 4 weeks following re-injury with CTX, stained for human spectrin (red) and laminin (green; mouse/human). For each treatment, left panel shows a tile scan of the TA muscle, upper right panel a low-magnification image, and lower right panel a high magnification image of the area boxed above. Graph shows contribution of mouse (M), human (H), or chimeric (C) myofibers in three to five serial TA muscle sections per mouse (n = 3 mice per treatment group). Graph bars indicate confidence interval. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, and ***P < 0.001 (linear mixed model). Photo credit: Avani Yeola, UNSW Sydney.

In tissue sections harvested from cohort A, donor-derived muscle satellite cells (31) [hCD56 (Thermo Fisher Scientific, MA5-11563)+; red] were evident in muscles implanted with both iMS cells and AdMSCs at each time point but were most numerous at 2 weeks after implantation [Fig. 4B(i) and fig. S6A]. The frequency of hCD56+ cells relative to total satellite cells [sublaminar 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindolepositive (DAPI+) cells] was quantified in three to five serial sections of TA muscles per mouse in each of three mice per treatment group and was noted to be higher following the implantation of iMS cells compared with AdMSCs at all time points [week 1, 5.6% versus 2.4%; week 2, 43.3% versus 18.2%; and week 4, 30.7% versus 14.6%; Fig. 4B(i), table S2, and fig. S6A]. Donor cell contribution to regenerating muscle fibers was also assessed by measuring human spectrin (32) costaining with mouse/human laminin [(33) at 4 weeks (Fig. 4B(ii)]. At least 1000 myofibers from three to five serial sections of TA muscles for each of three mice in each treatment group were scored for human [H; hSpectrin+ (full circumference); laminin+], murine (M; mouse; hSpectrin; laminin+), or mouse/human chimeric [C; hSpectrin+ (partial circumference); laminin+] myofibers. Although none of the myofibers seen in cross section appeared to be completely human (i.e., donor-derived), both iMS cells and AdMSCs contributed to chimeric myofibers [Fig. 4B(ii)]. iMS cell implants contributed to a substantially higher proportion of chimeric fibers than AdMSC implants (57.7% versus 30.7%; table S2). In cohort B, TA muscles were allowed to regenerate following the initial CTX injection/cell implantation, and re-injured 4 weeks later with a repeat CTX injection. In these mice, although total donor cell contributions to myofibers in TA muscles harvested 4 weeks after re-injury were comparable to that observed in cohort A, there were no myofibers that appeared to be completely human (Fig. 4C). There were substantially more human myofibers following iMS cell implants than with AdMSCs (9.7% versus 5.4%; table S2). There was no evidence of ectopic tissue formation in TA muscles following implantation of either iMS cells or AdMSCs in either cohort.

To assess the physiological properties of muscles regenerated with human myofibers, we performed tetanic force contractions in extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles following the schema shown in Fig. 4A. Tetanic forces evoked by electrical pulses of various stimulus frequencies were not significantly different between the experimental cohorts or between the experimental cohorts and control animals [fig. S6B, (i) to (iii)]. However, when challenged with a sustained train of electrical pulses [fig. S6C(i)], the iMS group demonstrated significantly greater absolute [fig. S6C(ii)] and specific [fig. S6C(iii)] forces over a 3- to 6-s period. Together, these data showed that iMS cells had the capacity to respond appropriately to the injured environment and contribute to tissue-specific regeneration without impeding function.

We have optimized a protocol, originally designed for mouse osteocytes, to convert human primary adipocytes into iMS cells. We show that these long-term repopulating cells regenerate tissues in vivo in a context-dependent manner without generating ectopic tissues or teratomas.

PDGF-AB, AZA, and serum are indispensable ingredients in reprograming media, but the underlying reasons for their cooperativity and the observed dose-response variability between patients are not known. PDGF-AB is reported to bind and signal via PDGFR- and PDGFR- but not PDGFR- subunits (21). Mouse osteocytes and human adipocytes lack PDGFR, although surface expression was detectable as cells transition during reprogramming [mouse; day 2 of 8 (14) and human day 21 of 25]. However, these cells express PDGFR (14). Given that PDGFR inhibition attenuates iMS cell production in both mice (14) and humans, a degree of facilitated binding of PDGF-AB to PDGF- subunits or signaling through a noncanonical receptor is likely to occur, at least at the start of reprogramming. PDGF-Bcontaining homo- and heterodimers are potent mitogens that increase the pool of undifferentiated fibroblasts and preosteoblasts with rhPDGF-BB used in the clinic to promote healing of chronic ulcers and bone regeneration (34). However, the unique characteristics of PDGF-AB but not PDGF-BB or PDGF-AA that facilitate reversal and plasticity of cell identity in combination with AZA and serum (14) remain unknown.

PDGF-AB was replenished in culture throughout the reprogramming period, but AZA treatment was limited to the first 2 days for both mouse osteocyte and human adipocyte cultures. DNA replication is required for incorporation of AZA into DNA (35) and hence DNA demethylation is unlikely to be an initiating event in the conversion of terminally differentiated nonproliferating cells such as osteocytes and mature adipocytes. However, the majority of intracellular AZA is incorporated into RNA, which could directly affect the cellular transcriptome and proteome as an early event (36, 37). It is feasible that subsequent redistribution of AZA from RNA to DNA occurs when cells replicate resulting in DNA hypomethylation as a later event (38).

In the absence of serum, we could neither convert primary human adipocytes into iMS cells nor perpetuate these cells long term in culture. The efficiency of conversion and expansion was significantly higher with human versus FCS and highest with AS. The precise serum factor(s) that are required for cell conversion in conjunction with PDGF-AB and AZA are not known. The volumes of blood (~50 ml 2) and subcutaneous fat (5 g) that we harvested from donors were not limiting to generate sufficient numbers of P2 iMS cells (~10 106) for in vivo implantation and are in the range of cell numbers used in prospective clinical trials using mesenchymal precursor cells for chronic discogenic lumbar back pain (NCT02412735; 6 106) and hypoplastic left heart syndrome (NCT03079401; 20 106).

Our motivation was to optimize a protocol that could be applied to primary uncultured and easily accessible cells for downstream therapeutic applications, and adipose tissue satisfied these criteria. We have not surveyed other human cell types for their suitability for cell conversion using this protocol. It would be particularly interesting to establish whether tissue-regenerative properties of allogeneic mesenchymal precursor populations that are currently in clinical trials could be boosted by exposure to PDGF-AB/AZA. However, given that iMS cells and MSCs share stromal cell characteristics, identifying a unique set of cell surface markers that can distinguish the former is a priority that would assist in future protocol development and functional assessment of iMS cells.

Producing clinical-grade autologous cells for cell therapy is expensive and challenging requiring suitable quality control measures and certification. However, the advent of chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy into clinical practice (39) has shown that production of a commercially viable, engineered autologous cellular product is feasible where a need exists. Although there were no apparent genotoxic events in iMS cells at P2, ex vivo expansion of cells could risk accumulation of such events and long-term follow-up of ongoing and recently concluded clinical trials using allogeneic expanded mesenchymal progenitor cells will be instructive with regard to their teratogenic potential. The biological significance of the observed expression of pluripotency-associated transcription factors in 2 to 3% of murine and human iMS cells is unknown and requires further investigation. However, their presence did not confer teratogenic potential in teratoma assays or at 12-month follow-up despite persistence of cells at the site of implantation. However, this risk cannot be completely discounted, and the clinical indications for iMS or any cell therapy require careful evaluation of need.

In regenerating muscle fibers, it was noteworthy that iMS cells appeared to follow canonical developmental pathways in generating muscle satellite cells that were retained and primed to regenerate muscle following a second muscle-specific injury. Although iMS cells were generated from adipocytes, there was no evidence of any adipose tissue generation. This supports the notion that these cells have lost their native differentiation trajectory and adopted an epigenetic state that favored response to local differentiation cues. The superior in vivo differentiation potential of iMS cells vis--vis matched AdMSCs was consistent with our data showing that despite the relatively minor transcriptomic differences between these cell types, the epigenetic state of iMS cells was better primed for systems development. Another clear distinction between iMS cells and AdMSCs was the ability of the former to produce CD31+ endothelial tube-like structures that were enveloped by PDGFR+ pericytes. An obvious therapeutic application for iMS cells in this context is vascular regeneration in the setting of critical limb ischemia to restore tissue perfusion, an area of clear unmet need (40).

An alternative to ex vivo iMS cell production and expansion is the prospect of in situ reprogramming by local subcutaneous administration of the relevant factors to directly convert subcutaneous adipocytes into iMS cells, thereby eliminating the need for ex vivo cell production. AZA is used in clinical practice and administered as a daily subcutaneous injection for up to 7 days in a 28-day cycle, with responders occasionally remaining on treatment for decades (41). Having determined the optimal dose of AZA required to convert human adipocytes into iMS cells in vitro (2 days, 5 M), the bridge to ascertaining the comparable in vivo dose would be to first measure levels of AZA incorporation in RNA/DNA following in vitro administration and match the dose of AZA to achieve comparable tissue levels in vivo. A mass spectrometrybased assay was developed to measure in vivo incorporation of AZA metabolites (AZA-MS) in RNA/DNA and is ideally suited to this application (38). The duration of AZA administration for adipocyte conversion was relatively short (i.e., 2 days), but PDGF-AB levels were maintained for 25 days. One mechanism of potentially maintaining local tissue concentrations would be to engineer growth factors to bind extra cellular matrices and be retained at the site of injection. Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and PDGF-BB have recently been engineered with enhanced syndecan binding and shown to promote tissue healing (42). A comparable approach could help retain PDGF-AB at the site of injection and maintain local concentrations at the required dose. While our current data show that human adipocytederived iMS cells regenerate tissues in a context-dependent manner without ectopic or neoplastic growth, these approaches are worth considering as an alternative to an ex vivo expanded cell source in the future.

Extended methods for cell growth and differentiation assays and animal models are available in the Supplementary Materials, and antibodies used are detailed in the relevant sections.

The primary objective of this study was to optimize conditions that were free of animal products for the generation of human iMS cells from primary adipocytes and to characterize their molecular landscape and function. To this end, we harvested subcutaneous fat from donors across a broad age spectrum and used multiple dose combinations of a recombinant human growth factors and a hypomethylating agent used in the clinic and various serum types. We were particularly keen to demonstrate cell conversion and did so by live imaging and periodic flow cytometry for single-cell quantification of lipid loss and gain of stromal markers. Using our previous report generating mouse iMS cells from osteocytes and adipocytes as a reference, we first characterized the in vitro properties of human iMS cells including (i) long-term growth, (ii) colony-forming potential, (iii) in vitro differentiation, and (iv) molecular landscape. Consistent with their comparative morphology, cell surface markers, and behavioral properties, the transcriptomes (RNA sequencing) were broadly comparable between iMS cells and matched AdMSCs, leading to investigation of epigenetic differences [Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) histone chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq), and RRBS for DNA methylation differences] that might explain properties that were unique to iMS cells (expression of pluripotency factors, generation of endothelial tubes in vitro with pericyte envelopes, and in vivo regenerative potential). Context-dependent in vivo plasticity was assessed using a tissue injury model that was designed to promote bone/cartilage/muscle/blood vessel contributions from donor cells and simultaneously assess the absence of ectopic/malignant tissue formation by these cells (labeled and tracked in vivo using a bioluminescence/fluorescence marker). Tissue-specific regeneration and the deployment of canonical developmental pathways were assessed using a specific muscle injury model, and donor cell contributions in all injury models were performed on multiple serial tissue sections in multiple mice with robust statistical analyses (see below). Power calculations were not used, samples were not excluded, and investigators were not blinded. Experiments were repeated multiple times or assessments were performed at multiple time points. Cytogenetic and Copy Number Variation (CNV) analyses were performed on iMS and AdMSCs pretransplant, and their teratogenic potential was assessed both by specific teratoma assays and long-term implantation studies.

Subcutaneous fat and blood were harvested from patients undergoing surgery at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney. Patient tissue was collected in accordance with National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007) and with approval from the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC 14/119). Adipocytes were harvested as described (43). Briefly, adipose tissue was minced and digested with 0.2% collagenase type 1 (Sigma-Aldrich) at 37C for 40 min and the homogenized suspension passed through a 70-m filter, inactivated with AS, and centrifuged. Primary adipocytes from the uppermost fatty layer were cultured using the ceiling culture method (44) for 8 to 10 days. AdMSCs from the stromal vascular pellet were cultured in MEM + 20% AS + penicillin (100 g/ml) and streptomycin (250 ng/ml), and 200 mM l-glutamine (complete medium).

Adherent mature adipocytes were cultured in complete medium supplemented with AZA (R&D systems; 5, 10, and 20 M; 2 days) and rhPDGF-AB (Miltenyi Biotec; 100, 200, and 400 ng/ml; 25 days) with medium changes every 3 to 4 days. For inhibitor experiments, AG1296 was added for the duration of the culture. Live imaging was performed using an IncuCyte S3 [10 0.25numerical aperture (NA) objective] or a Nikon Eclipse Ti-E (20 0.45-NA objective). Images were captured every 30min for a period of 8 days starting from day 15. Twelve-bit images were acquired with a 1280 1024 pixel array and analyzed using ImageJ software. In vitro plasticity was determined by inducing the cells to undergo differentiation into various cell types using differentiation protocols adapted from a previous report (45).

Animals were housed and bred with approval from the Animal Care and Ethics Committee, University of New South Wales (UNSW; 17/30B, 18/122B, and 18/134B). NSG (NOD.Cg-PrkdcscidIl2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ) and SCID/Beige (C.B-Igh-1b/GbmsTac-Prkdcscid-Lystbg N, sourced from Charles River) strains were used as indicated. The IVIS Spectrum CT (Perkin Elmer) was used to capture bioluminescence. Briefly, 15 min after intraperitoneal injection of d-luciferin (150 mg/kg), images were acquired for 5 min and radiance (photon s1 cm2 sr1) was used for subsequent data analysis. The scanned images were analyzed using the Living Image 5.0 software (Perkin Elmer).

Teratoma assays (46) were performed on 3- to 4-month-old female NSG mice. Lentiviral-tagged cells (5 105) in 20 l of phosphate-buffered saline containing 80% Matrigel were injected under the right kidney capsule using a fine needle (26 gauges) and followed weekly by BLI until sacrifice at week 8. Both kidneys were collected, fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde (PFA) for 48 hours, embedded in optimal cutting temperature compound (OCT), cryosectioned, and imaged for GFP.

Posterior-lateral intervertebral disc injury model (29). Lentiviral-tagged (28) AdMSCs (1 106) or iMS cells were loaded onto Helistat collagen sponges and implanted into the postero-lateral gutters in the L4/5 lumbar spine region of anesthetized NSG mice following decortication of the transverse processes. Animals were imaged periodically for bioluminescence to track the presence of transplanted cells. At 3, 6, or 12 months, mice were euthanized, and spines from the thoracic to caudal vertebral region, including the pelvis, were removed whole. The specimens were fixed in 4% PFA for 48 hours, decalcified in 14% (w/v) EDTA, and embedded in OCT.

Muscle injury model (47). The left TA and EDL muscles of 3- to 4-month-old female SCID/Beige mice were injured by injection with 15 l of 10 M CTX (Latoxan). Confocal images of three to four serial sections (TA) per mouse were captured by Zen core/AxioVision (Carl Zeiss) and visualized by ImageJ with the colocalization and cell counter plugins [National Institutes of Health; (48)]. Tetanic force contractions were performed on EDL muscles (49).

Total RNA was extracted using the miRNeasy Mini Kit (Qiagen) according to manufacturers instructions, and 200 ng of total RNA was used for Illumina TruSeq library construction. Library construction and sequencing was performed by Novogene (HK) Co. Ltd. Raw paired-end reads were aligned to the reference genome (hg19) using STAR (https://github.com/alexdobin/STAR), and HTSeq (50) was used to quantify the transcriptomes using the reference refFlat database from the UCSC Table Browser (51). The resulting gene expression matrix was normalized and subjected to differential gene expression using DeSeq2 (52). Normalized gene expression was used to compute and plot two-dimensional principal components analysis, using the Python modules sklearn (v0.19.1; https://scikit-learn.org/stable/) and Matplotlib (v2.2.2; https://matplotlib.org/), respectively. Differentially expressed genes (log2 fold change |1|, adjusted P < 0.05) were the input to produce an unsupervised hierarchical clustering heat map in Partek Genomics Suite software (version 7.0) (Partek Inc., St. Louis, MO, USA). Raw data are available using accession GSE150720.

ChIP was performed as previously described (53) using antibodies against H3K27Ac (5 g per IP; Abcam, ab4729), H3K4Me3 (5 g per IP; Abcam ab8580), and H3K27Me3 (5 g per IP; Diagenode, C15410195). Library construction and sequencing were performed by Novogene (HK) Co. Ltd. Paired-end reads were aligned to the hg38 genome build using Burrows Wheeler Aligner (BWA) (54) duplicate reads removed using Picard (http://broadinstitute.github.io/picard/), and tracks were generated using DeepTools bamCoverage (https://deeptools.readthedocs.io/en/develop/). Peaks were called using MACS2 (55) with the parameter (P = 1 109). Differentially bound regions between the AdMSC and iMS were calculated using DiffBind (http://bioconductor.org/packages/release/bioc/vignettes/DiffBind/inst/doc/DiffBind.pdf) and regions annotated using ChIPseeker (56). Raw data are available using accession GSE151527. Adipocyte ChIP data were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO); accession numbers are as follows for the three histone marks: GSM916066, GSM670041, and GSM772771.

Total genomic DNA was extracted using the DNA MiniPrep Kit (Qiagen), and RRBS library construction and sequencing were performed by Novogene (HK) Co. Ltd. Raw RRBS data in fastq format were quality and adapter trimmed using trim_galore (0.6.4) with rrbs parameter (www.bioinformatics.babraham.ac.uk/projects/trim_galore). The trimmed fastq files were then aligned to a bisulfite-converted genome (Ensembl GRCh38) using Bismark (2.3.5), and methylation status at each CpG loci was extracted (57). The cytosine coverage files were converted to BigWig format for visualization. Differentially methylated cytosines (DMCs) and DMRs were identified using methylKit (1.10) and edmr (0.6.4.1) packages in R (3.6.1) (58, 59). DMCs and DMRs were annotated using ChIPseeker (56), and pathway enrichment was performed as detailed below. Raw data are available using accession number GSE151527. Adipocyte RRBS data were downloaded from GEO: GSM2342293 and GSM2342392.

IPA (Qiagen) was used to investigate enrichment in molecular and cellular functions, systems development and function, and canonical pathways.

Statistical analysis was performed in SAS. For the dose-optimization experiments (Fig. 1), a linear mixed model with participant-level random effects was used to estimate maximum time by dose level and age group. A linear mixed model with participant-level random effects was used to analyze statistical differences in lineage contribution outcomes between treatment groups (Fig. 3) and at different time points posttransplant, to estimate the percentage of cells by treatment and lineage. For the in vivo regeneration experiment (Fig. 4), a linear model was used to model the percent of cells over time for each group. Quadratic time terms were added to account for the observed increase from 1 to 2 weeks and decrease from 2 to 4 weeks. In the muscle regeneration experiment, a linear model was applied to cohort A and cohort B, to estimate and compare percent cells by treatment and source. Statistical modeling data are included in table S2.

Acknowledgments: We are indebted to the patients who donated tissue to this project. We thank E. Cook (Prince of Wales Private Hospital), B. Lee (Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, UNSW Sydney), and technicians at the UNSW BRC Facility for assistance with sample and data collection and animal care; Y. Huang for technical assistance; and A. Unnikrishnan and C. Jolly for helpful discussions and critical reading of the manuscript. We acknowledge the facilities and scientific and technical assistance of the National Imaging Facility, a National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) capability, at the BRIL (UNSW). The STRO-1 antibody was a gift from S. Gronthos, University of Adelaide, Australia. Funding: We acknowledge the following funding support: A.Y. was supported by an Endeavour International Postgraduate Research scholarship from the Australian Government. S.S. is supported by an International Postgraduate Student scholarship from UNSW and the Prince of Wales Clinical School. P.S. is supported by an International Postgraduate Student scholarship from UNSW. M.L.T. and D.D.M. acknowledge funding from St. Vincents Clinic Foundation and Arrow BMT Foundation. K.A.K. acknowledges funding from Australian Research Council (FT180100417). J.M. is supported, in part, by the Olivia Lambert Foundation. M.K. is supported by a NHMRC Program Grant (APP1091261) and NHMRC Principal Research Fellowship (APP1119152). L.B.H. acknowledges funding from MTPConnect MedTech and Pharma Growth Centre (PRJ2017-55 and BMTH06) as part of the Australian Governmentfunded Industry Growth Centres Initiative Programme and The Kinghorn Foundation. D.B. is supported by a Peter Doherty Fellowship from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, a Cancer Institute NSW Early Career Fellowship, the Anthony Rothe Memorial Trust, and Gilead Sciences. R.M. acknowledges funding from Jasper Medical Innovations (Sydney, Australia). J.E.P., V.C., and E.C.H. acknowledge funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (APP1139811). Author contributions: The project was conceived by V.C. and J.E.P., and the study design and experiments were planned by A.Y., V.C., and J.E.P. Most of the experiments and data analyses were performed by A.Y., guided and supervised by V.C. and J.E.P. S.S., R.A.O., C.A.L., D.C., F.Y., M.L.T., P.S., T.H., J.R.P., P.H., W.R.W., and V.C. performed additional experiments and data analyses, with further supervision from R.M., C.P., J.A.I.T., D.C., J.W.H.W., L.B.H., D.B., and E.C.H. Statistical analyses were performed by J.O. R.M., D.D.M., J.M., K.A.K., and M.K. provided critical reagents. The manuscript was written by A.Y., J.A.I.T., V.C., and J.E.P., and reviewed and agreed to by all coauthors. Competing interests: V.C. and J.E.P. are named inventors on a patent A method of generating cells with multi-lineage potential (US 9982232, AUS 2013362880). All other authors declare that they have no competing interests. Data and materials availability: All data needed to evaluate the conclusions in the paper are present in the paper and/or the Supplementary Materials. Additional data related to this paper may be requested from the authors.

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Induction of muscle-regenerative multipotent stem cells from human adipocytes by PDGF-AB and 5-azacytidine - Science Advances

IPS Cell Therapy Comments Off on Induction of muscle-regenerative multipotent stem cells from human adipocytes by PDGF-AB and 5-azacytidine – Science Advances | January 14th, 2021

- IGM to Develop Birinapant in Combination with IGM-8444 for the Treatment of Solid Tumors - - IGM to Develop Birinapant in Combination with IGM-8444 for the Treatment of Solid Tumors -

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IGM Biosciences Enters into Exclusive Licensing Agreement with Medivir for Birinapant

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Panel can detect multiple variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, including those most recently identified in the United Kingdom, South Africa, and the U.S.

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T2 Biosystems T2SARS-CoV-2™ Panel Proves Effective Amid Global Rise in Variants of the SARS-CoV-2 Virus

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Theratechnologies Announces US$40 Million Bought-Deal Public Offering of Units

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Jiuquan, China, Jan. 11, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Qilian International Holding Group Limited (the “Company”), a China-based pharmaceutical and chemical products manufacturer, today announced the pricing of its initial public offering ("Offering") of 5,000,000 ordinary shares at a public offering price of US$5.00 per share. The ordinary shares have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Global Market and are expected to commence trading on January 12, 2021 under the ticker symbol “QLI”.

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Qilian International Holding Group Limited Announces Pricing of Initial Public Offering

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- Collaboration with Richard Childs, M.D., yields potential first-ever antibodies targeting human endogenous retrovirus associated with renal cell carcinoma

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Adagene Announces Milestone of CAR-T Collaboration with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health

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Basel, 12 January 2021 - Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) will present updated overall survival (OS) data from the Phase III IMbrave150 study evaluating Tecentriq® (atezolizumab) in combination with Avastin® (bevacizumab), compared with sorafenib, in people with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have not received prior systemic therapy.

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Roche to present updated data confirming Tecentriq in combination with Avastin substantially improves overall survival in people with the most common...

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Geneva, Switzerland, January 12, 2021 -  Addex Therapeutics Ltd (SIX: ADXN and Nasdaq: ADXN), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company pioneering allosteric modulation-based drug discovery and development, announced today that Tim Dyer, Chief Executive Officer, is scheduled to participate in the virtual Baader Helvea Swiss Equities Conference taking place on January 13 – January 15, 2021.

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Addex to Present at the Baader Helvea Swiss Equities Conference

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Bone Therapeutics treats first patient in ALLOB Phase IIb tibial fracture study

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iosBio signs exclusive worldwide licensing agreement granting ImmunityBio rights to OraPro™ oral vaccine platform technology for COVID-19  

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VANCOUVER, Jan. 11, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VANCOUVER, January 12, 2021 - BetterLife Pharma Inc. (“BetterLife” or the “Company”) (CSE: BETR / OTCQB: BETRF / FRA: NPAU), an emerging biotech focused on the development and commercialization of cutting-edge treatments in mental disorders and viral infections, is pleased to provide an overview of the Company’s primary plans for this calendar year to develop 3 novel therapeutic products, each addressing significant unmet needs with multi-billion dollar market potential.

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BetterLife Provides Shareholder Update and 2021 Product Development Roadmap

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SAN FRANCISCO and LONDON, Jan. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (Nasdaq: VIR) and GlaxoSmithKline plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) today announced an agreement with the U.K.-based AGILE initiative to evaluate VIR-7832 in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 in a Phase 1b/2a clinical trial. VIR-7832 is a neutralizing COVID-19 antibody that preclinical data suggests has two distinguishing properties: an enhanced ability to clear infected cells and the potential to enhance virus-specific T-cell function, which could help treat and/or prevent COVID-19 infection.

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Vir Biotechnology and GSK Announce NHS-Supported AGILE Study to Evaluate VIR-7832 in the Early Treatment of COVID-19

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ORION CORPORATION  STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE 12 JANUARY 2021 at 10.15 EET

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Recommendation by the Nomination Committee concerning the Board of Directors to be elected by the 2021 AGM of Orion Corporation

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Helsinn Announces First Patient Dosed in Phase 1/2 Study of TAS0953/HM06 in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors with RET Gene Abnormalities

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Helsinn Announces First Patient Dosed in Phase 1/2 Study of TAS0953/HM06 in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors with RET Gene Abnormalities

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Saint-Herblain (France), January 12, 2021 – Valneva SE, a specialty vaccine company focused on prevention of infectious diseases with significant unmet medical need, today announced it is in advanced discussions with the European Commission (EC) for the supply of up to 60 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine, VLA2001. VLA2001 is currently the only inactivated vaccine candidate in clinical trials against COVID-19 in Europe.

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Valneva in Advanced Discussions with European Commission to Supply up to 60 Million Doses of Inactivated, Adjuvanted COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate

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TORONTO and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ProMIS Neurosciences, Inc. (TSX: PMN) (OTCQB: ARFXF), a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of antibody therapeutics targeting toxic oligomers implicated in the development of neurodegenerative diseases, announced today an outline of its strategic priorities and action plan for 2021.

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ProMIS Neurosciences Announces Strategic Priorities for 2021

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CARLSBAD, Calif., Jan. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ Today Callaway Golf Company (NYSE: ELY), an industry leader in golf equipment and innovation, announced its new family of Apex Irons and Apex Hybrids. These irons provide exceptional forged performance and A.I.-designed ball speed technologies for a wide range of players. And the hybrids feature new Jailbreak A.I. Velocity Blades for fast ball speeds in versatile, high performance offerings.

Apex 21, Apex Pro 21, and Apex DCB Irons

Apex is widely recognized for establishing the forged distance category, and the Apex 21 Irons deliver an exceptional level of performance and craftsmanship. They're the first forged Apex irons with an A.I-designed Flash Face Cup, for high ball speeds and increased spin robustness across the face. Increased forgiveness comes from a massive Tungsten Energy Core, while the 100% forged body and proprietary urethane microspheres deliver remarkable sound and feel at impact. Callaway has also enhanced the shaping for even better turf interaction.

In the players category, new Apex Pro 21 Irons promote Tour distance and performance for scratch or single-digit handicap golfers. They also utilize an A.I.-designed Flash Face in each iron for high COR's and fast ball speeds, along with extremely soft feel from an all-new forged 1025 hollow body construction and urethane microspheres. There are up to 90 grams of tungsten in the longer irons, the most ever for any Apex model, to improve launch characteristics while simultaneously improving forgiveness.

In the game-improvement category, new Apex DCB Irons extend the forged Apex offering to a wider group of golfers than ever before. They combine the look, feel and performance of a forged players club with the forgiveness of a deep cavity back. The deep cavity back design and enhanced sole width promote easy launch and solid turf interaction out of a variety of lies. The irons are engineered with an A.I.-designed Flash Face Cup, up to 50 grams of tungsten per iron for outstanding launch and forgiveness on off-center hits, and forged feel.

All of these Apex Irons will be available for online pre-order on January 26, and at retail on February 11, at a price of $1,480 for a standard 8-piece steel set ($185 per individual steel iron), and $1,600 for a standard 8-piece graphite set ($200 per individual graphite iron). Combo sets are also available.

Apex 21 and Apex Pro 21 Hybrids

The Apex 21 Hybrids are suited to help a wide range of players. They feature new Jailbreak A.I. Velocity Blades designed to increase vertical stiffness near the sole of the club, promoting more speed low on the face where players often mishit their hybrids. The blades allow the Face Cup to flex on the crown to create better spin rate consistency, and the bars are spread to enhance torsional stiffness, to provide more forgiveness across the face.

Every model and every face in the Apex Hybrids are uniquely designed using advanced A.I. This proven ball speed technology puts an even greater emphasis on center and off-center ball speeds. To create high launch and forgiveness. Callaway has implemented a massive amount of tungsten, and the adjustable hosel helps to optimize loft, trajectory and control.

Apex Pro Hybrids also incorporate Jailbreak A.I. Velocity Blades and an A.I-designed Flash Face. The Forged 455 steel provides strength and flexibility, while the iron-like design and fixed hosel create a look at address that highly skilled players prefer.

These new hybrids will all be available for online pre-order on January 26, and at retail on February 11, at a price of $269.99 each.

The Apex Family

Apex is synonymous with legendary performance and we've created a truly special offering with our new 2021 lineup, said Callaway Sr. VP of R&D, Dr. Alan Hocknell. Now we've implemented A.I.-designed ball speeds, enhanced launch characteristics, and reliable forgiveness to advance this iconic name. There's nothing like our best, and that's Apex.

About Callaway Golf Company Callaway Golf Company (NYSE: ELY) is a premium golf equipment and active lifestyle company with a portfolio of global brands, including Callaway Golf, Odyssey, OGIO, TravisMathew and Jack Wolfskin. Through an unwavering commitment to innovation, Callaway manufactures and sells premium golf clubs, golf balls, golf and lifestyle bags, golf and lifestyle apparel and other accessories. For more information please visitwww.callawaygolf.com, http://www.odysseygolf.com,www.ogio.com, http://www.travismathew.com,andwww.jack-wolfskin.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS: Jeff NewtonCallaway Golf Company[emailprotected]

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Gamida Cell to Present Full Data from Phase 3 Study of Omidubicel at TCT, the Combined Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Meetings of ASTCT and...

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Gamida Cell to Present Full Data from Phase 3 Study of Omidubicel at TCT, the Combined Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Meetings of ASTCT and… | January 12th, 2021