Category Archives: Transhuman News

Genetic engineering is a hot topic in current scientific research.

Using methods like the bacterial-inspired CRISPR, multiple countries around the world are hard at work developing ways to detect and change the genes of the organisms around us to better suit our needs. Although these techniques are powerful and impressive, the fact is humans have been altering the genetics of other organisms for thousands of years.

The proof of this ancient human tradition lies not in the pudding, but in the pumpkin pie some of the earliest examples of purposeful genetic engineering by humans are the various types of squash seen on dinner tables and doorsteps throughout the summer and fall.

The word squash is really a blanket term used to describe a wide variety of fruits created by plants in the gourd (cucurbit) family. These have a broad range of types, such as cucumbers, watermelons, pumpkins, acorn squash and even luffas. Many of these plants trace their origins to South and Central America, where they were first brought into human cultivation around 8,000 years ago.

Some of the more delicate fruits are usually defined as summer squash and are eaten soon after they begin growing while their skin and seeds are still supple.

Winter squash, on the other hand, are allowed to grow until their outer skins turn into tough protective coverings. While they take much longer to reach maturity, the thick outer skin of winter squash allows them to be stored for long periods before eating.

Both types of squash have been commonly consumed in America since long before the founding of the United States, however winter squash was especially important to early American colonists as a food source in the colder months.

Luckily for the struggling colonies, early American cultures had established cultivated squash as far north as Canada long before their arrival. As squash was brought north along with migrating groups of people, its preferred pollinator traveled with it. The absolute best (and in some cases only) pollinator of squash is the aptly named squash bee, who makes her nest at the base of squash plants in order to ensure she is always close to her favorite blooms.

The life of a squash bee is finely tuned to that of their beloved squash. Their emergence in spring is perfectly timed to coincide with the first squash blooms, and they tend to forage very early in the morning, which is also the most active time for squash blossoms.

The males of the species even prefer to use roomy squash flowers as a backdrop for courtship dances intended to attract the eyes of nearby females. While their frantic dances dont always end in romance, they still help the flower by dislodging pollen and assisting in pollination.

Studies have shown that squash pollinated by squash bees are much larger than those pollinated by other means, due to the fact that they are so finely tuned to interact with each other.

Most squash bees are specialists who wont move into an area until they find a healthy patch or two of cucurbits. If you have some gourds, pumpkins or other squash that you notice arent being pollinated well, leaving them in place for several seasons might be enough to bring some squash bees closer to your garden.

Bumble bees are also important squash pollinators, so leaving grass tufts and dense brush around where possible will provide habitat for them. Since squash bees nest at the base of plants, avoid heavily disturbing the soil in your cucurbit beds in order to give established nests a chance to survive until the next season.

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Squash family has a fascinating and long history - The Sylva Herald

The rapid advance of technology has enriched our daily lives. We can take pictures and videos with a cell phone, we can surf the internet, organs can be transplanted, genetic engineering can be utilized to develop vaccines, while windmills and solar panels are altering the way we generate electricity, 5G will revolutionize telecommunications, streaming services allow us to watch movies in our own homes and robots and artificial intelligence are changing the workplace.

There is only one group that rejects the onrush of modernity and technology and that is the organic community of farmers, processors, retailers and marketers (as well as their lobbying organizations), which believes the old ways are the better ways and wishes to turn back the clock to a supposedly idyllic time where small family farms proliferated and produced most of the food we consumed.

Farming has always been a very difficult business, particularly given the vagaries of the weather and crop prices. But it has only been through the application of science and new technologies that farmers have been able to steadily increase productivity and produce more food at a time when the number of people engaged in farming has plunged. This is one of the major reasons organic farming is less productive than conventional farming. It rejects the application of new innovative technologies such as biotechnology which has allowed the expansion of food production.

Many proponents of organic farming even reject hydroponicscrops grown solely in waterbecause they are not grown in soil. In May 2021, the Center for Food Safety and a group of organic farmers appealed a court ruling that the USDA did not act unreasonably when it refused to prohibit the organic certification of hydroponic agriculture. They claimed the USDA is in violation of the Organic Foods Production Act because hydroponic agriculture undermines the laws stipulation that organic farming enhance soil fertility.

There is no reason why organic farming cannot adopt modern biotechnology methods other than stubborn adherence to orthodoxy, which in the long run will undermine the entire industry. This is because organic farming will not be able to compete with the crops that will be grown via genetic engineering, which hold out the promise of creating crops that are insect, browning and drought resistant, make their own nitrogen, are more nutritious, colorful and tastier and have a longer shelf life. These crops can only be created in the laboratory and not through conventional breeding methods.

Pairwise, a biotechnology agriculture company, based in North Carolina, is working on developing via genetic engineering seedless blackberries, pit less cherries and tastier greens.

Calyxt, headquartered in Minnesota, has developed a gene-edited soybean oil that contains approximately 80 percent oleic acid and up to 20 percent less saturated fatty acids compared to commodity soybean oil, as well as zero grams of trans fat per serving.

In 2019, Cibus, another agriculture biotechnology company, headquartered in California, developed via gene-editing three new traits for canola that can increase crop yields and reduce harmful environmental impacts. According to a company press release:

The new traits precisely edit the canola genome to reduce pod shatter, the tendency of canola seed pods to open pre-harvest that can reduce yields by as much 40 percent, build resistance to Sclerotinia, a disease called white mold, that can reduce yields by as much as 50 percent, and introduce an improved weed control system, as competition with weeds for nutrients and sunlight can reduce yield of canola.

The Camelina plant has been genetically modified to produce omega-3 which are normally sourced from fish oil. This development might help to ease overfishing.

Genetic engineering will be able to produce disease resistant crops by manipulating the genetic make-up of plants. The papaya industry in Hawaii was saved from being decimated by ringspot virus by a genetically modified variety that is resistant to the virus. CRISPR/Cas 9 technology has been used to confer late blight resistance to potatoes. Genetic engineering may be the only means of saving the Cavendish banana from being decimated by Panama disease and oranges from citrus greening.

An article in the Phytologist journal entitled, Genetic modification to improve disease resistant crops, noted:

Plant pathogens are a significant challenge in agriculture despite our best efforts to combat them. One of the most effective and sustainable ways to manage plant pathogens is to use genetic modification (GM) and genome editing expanding the breeders toolkit.

Genetic engineered solutions to the scourge of crop diseases that cost farmers billions of dollars of losses would not be available to organic farmers because of the rejection of the use biotechnology in cultivating their crops.

Organic farmers will also not be able to avail themselves of using animals for dairy and meat that have received genetically engineered vaccines. About 20 percent of cows and other livestock are lost to disease every year.

A 1988 article from Critical Reviews in Microbiology that could now be considered a classic entitled, New approaches to animal vaccines utilizing genetic engineering, stated:

Control of infectious diseases in livestock is an important determinant in the success of a nations effort to efficiently meet its need for animal products. Genetic engineering offers many new options in the design of animal vaccines. Monoclonal antibodies, DNA cloning, recombination, and transfection are examples of techniques that facilitate innovative strategies in antigen identification, production, and delivery.

The organic industry will also not be able to take advantage of using animals that have been genetically engineered to be heat tolerate, grow faster like the GMO salmon, and develop more muscle mass.

In December, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration approved genetically engineered pigs for use in food and medical products. The pigs, developed by Virginia-based Revivicor, can be used in the production of drugs, to provide organs and tissues for transplants, and to produce meat thats safe to eat for people with meat allergies.

Meanwhile, a Japanese company is selling a genetically engineered red sea bream that has 20 to 60 percent more meat and whose feed utilization efficiency is 14 percent greater than conventionally grown bream.

In a world in which plant-based meat will garner a growing share of the meat market, the organic good industry will not be able to fully participate in providing basic ingredients, such as soybeans, potatoes and peas, because many of the processes involved in creating such meat use genetic engineering. Impossible Burger, for instance, uses GMO technology to create a soy-based heme which makes its burgers bleed.

An article by IDTechEx Senior Technology Analyst Michael Dent, Emerging Technologies Set to Shape Next Generation of Plant Based Meat, noted:

Genetic engineering technology has great potential for producing new proteins and allowing animal-free production of ingredients usually derived from animals. Perfect Day is using recombinant technologyto create vegan dairy products that contain the exact same proteins as their animal-derived counterparts, creating realistic tastes and textures. Clara Foods is taking a similar route, using genetically engineered yeast to produce vegan egg white proteins. Beyond this, genetic engineering technologies such as CRISPR and TALEN could help create crops optimized for plant-based meat production, such as increased protein content, fewer off-flavors, or boosted nutritional profiles.

The organic food industry remains steadfastly opposed to the use any form of genetic engineering to grow crops. In 2019, for example when U.S. Department of Agriculture undersecretary Greg Ibach suggested that gene-editing should be considered for use in organic food production, The Organic Trade Association issued a statement that said it maintains its long-held position that any gene-editing techniques not be allowed in organic production. Harriet Behar, the chair of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) chair, said,

Weve made it very clear, and the organic community has public comment that gene-editing and CRISPR should be an excluded methodThe organic community works with natural systems, and we dont feel the need for this type of genetic engineering.

Despite the long-held and vigorous opposition to genetic engineering, the organic food industry may ultimately have to reassess its position or else it will be digging itself into a grave of obsolesce. Prices for organic food are already much higher than for conventionally grown food. As a result, it has only been able to capture a small percentage of the food market. According to the Organic Trade Association, nearly 6% of all food sold was certified organic in 2020. One of the reasons for the higher costs is the low productivity of organic farming.

A plethora of crops developed by means of genetic engineering will come to the market in the near future that are nutritional, taste and color enhanced, drought tolerant and browning and disease resistant, all of which organic produce will not be able to compete with. The organic food industry needs to set aside its orthodoxy and its devotion to dogma against genetic engineering or else it will never break out of the small niche share it has in the food market and might even slip into irrelevance.

Steven E. Cerier is an international economist and a frequent contributor to the Genetic Literacy Project.

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The organic food industry's rejection of modernity - Genetic Literacy Project

CAMBRIDGE (CBS) When we all went in to lockdown back in March of 2020, an MIT scientist began studying exactly how the coronavirus pandemic began, and decided that a lab accident in Wuhan, China had to be considered one plausible explanation.

Over the last 18 months, Alina Chan has grown a huge following on Twitter where she tweeted her theories and research and has been attacked by one camp and called a hero by another. Now, shes written a new book on what she says has been an exhausting journey.

This all began because I wanted to ask the question: could this have come from nature or from a lab? Somehow just raising the lab hypothesis offended a whole bunch of people, powerful people, but behind the scenes, in private I have actually received a great deal of support from other scientists, MIT Broad Institute Researcher Alina Chan said.

In fact, after being dismissed as a conspiracy theory at the start of the pandemic, those questions about the possibility of a lab leak have even started to seep in to popular culture. Jon Stewart joked on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: How did this happen? I dont know maybe a pangolin kissed a turtle, he said.

But Alina Chan warns this is no laughing matter. A postdoctoral researcher in gene therapy at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard (but not a virologist), she co-authored the new book Viral, and argues that searching for the origin of COVID-19 is vital to preventing future pandemics.

If we dont say anything, this will happen again and again, Chan said.

The book makes the case for both possibilities: natural transfer of the virus from bats to mammals and then to humans, or from some sort of lab accident at the Wuhan Institute of Virology that spread to the community. She adds this is not about assigning blame.

We make the strongest argument possible for each origin, she explained. And we let the reader decide, so we dont know the answer.

Some have accused Chan of pushing the lab origin theory when there is no evidence to support that claim.There is no evidence whatsoever for a natural origin or a lab origin so all of the existing evidence is circumstantial. Even for natural origin, its completely circumstantial, Chan explained.

So no, there is no hard evidence yet, but as another leading infectious disease expert, Dr. David Relman of Stanford University, told CBS News everything is on the table: The lab leak hypotheses are absolutely legitimate, Dr. Relman said. They are plausible.

Despite personal and professional attacks online questioning her qualifications, Chan insists she wont be deterred: I actually do have a very strong background in handling viruses and engineering them. I have many years of experience in bioengineering, genetic engineering.

And shes not sorry to have started asking questions. I dont regret pushing so hard because the scientific community really needs to step up and rebuild public trust.

Chan said the book catches people up on whats happened so far there has been a lot of confusion, but she points out that no safety changes have been made to the wildlife trade or lab safety. So after millions have died and had their lives turned upside down, we are in the exact same place we were two years ago before anyone ever realized what coronavirus was.

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MIT Scientist Discusses The Importance Of Finding The Source Of The COVID Pandemic - CBS Boston

Climate change is expected to have a big impact on crop yields and food security over the coming decades, as farmers contend with rising temperatures and increasingly abnormal conditions. Scientists working on solutions to this problem continue to demonstrate how gene-editing tools like CRISPR could have a role to play, and a group in Japan has now leveraged the technology to produce a mutant species of barley that avoids premature sprouting.

As one of the world's most widely grown crops, barley is used in everything from breads, cereals, animal fodder and of course as a source of malt for alcoholic beverages including beer and whisky. One problem that barley farmers often run into, however, is known as pre-harvest sprouting, where high humidity due to unexpected rain in the lead up to harvest causes premature germination, significantly devaluing the grain.

Prior research has shown how genetic engineering can be used to extend the dormancy of the grains to prevent this from happening, but this can negatively impact their use in malt production down the track. Scientists have been working to solve this dilemma for years, and through the CRISPR gene editing tool, a team at Okoyama University believe they have landed on a solution.

We recognized the need to strategically manipulate crops to weather the effects of steadily exacerbating climate change," says Dr Hiroshi Hisano, who led the study. "Since our collaborative research group had already developed expertise in precision genome editing of barley, we decided to go with the same initially. Also, previous studies have pinpointed specific grain and seed dormancy genes in barley, called qsd1, and qsd2. Hence, our modus operandi was pretty clear.

The scientists used a species of barley known as Golden Promise as their starting point, and used CRISPR to create genetically engineered versions with mutants of either one or both of these dormancy genes. All of these mutants exhibited a buildup of what's known as abscisic acid, a characteristic in line with delayed germination, but the team's analysis revealed there were a number of other factors at play. Germination could be promoted by treating the mutants with hydrogen peroxide, for example, as it could by exposure to cold temperatures. Qsd1 mutants exhibited partially reduced grain dormancy, while the qsd2 mutants could germinate in the dark, but not in the light.

We could successfully produce mutant barley that was resistant to pre-harvest sprouting, using the CRISPR/Cas9 technology," says Hisano. "Also, our study has not only clarified the roles of qsd1 and qsd2 in grain germination or dormancy, but has also established that qsd2 plays a more significant role.

The research marks an important step forward in efforts to fine-tune the world's most widely-used crops to better handle the effects of climate change, a field of research where we have seen some promising advances of late. This includes editing potato and rice RNA to boost yields by 50 percent, engineering crops to require 25 percent less water, creating broccoli for all seasons and even altering crops so they store more carbon underground.

The study was published in the Plant Biotechnology Journal.

Source: Okayama University via EurekAlert

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Gene-edited barley to bolster beer production in face of climate change - New Atlas

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:SRPT), the leader in precision genetic medicine for rare diseases, today announced the appointment of Stephen L. Mayo, Ph.D., to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Dr. Mayo is currently the Bren Professor of Biology and Chemistry at California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and serves on the board of directors for Merck and on the scientific advisory board of Rubryc Therapeutics.

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Mayo to the Sarepta Board of Directors. A world-renowned expert in protein engineering, he will bring significant scientific and business acumen to our board as Sarepta advances its industry leading pipeline of genetic medicines, saidM.Kathleen Behrens, Ph.D., Chairperson of Sareptas Board of Directors.

A trailblazer in science and academia, Dr. Mayos impressive track record of scientific achievement and business success will be vital as we work to deliver on the promise of our pipeline and change the model for treating individuals with rare disease, saidDoug Ingram, Sareptas president and chief executive officer.

Sarepta is at the forefront of a transformative era in genetic medicine and their multi-platform approach across RNA, gene therapy, and gene editing is particularly exciting. It is an honor to join the board at this pivotal juncture, said Dr. Mayo. I look forward to working with the Sarepta team and contributing in a meaningful way to the Companys mission, growth and continued success on behalf of patients.

At Caltech, Dr. Mayo holds joint appointments in the Division of Biology and Biological Engineering and the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. He joined the Caltech faculty in 1992 and served as Vice Provost for Research from 2007 to 2010 and Chair of the Division of Biology and Biological Engineering from 2010 to 2020. Dr. Mayo's research focuses on the development of computational approaches to protein engineering a field that has broad applications ranging from advanced biofuels to human therapeutics.In 2004, he was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences for his pioneering contributions in the field of protein design.

Dr. Mayo has co-founded several companies: Molecular Simulations Inc. (now Biovia), Xencor, and Protabit, where he serves on the scientific advisory board. In addition to his academic and private-sector work, Dr. Mayo has served as an elected Board Member at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2010-2014) and served as a presidential appointee to National Science Foundations National Science Board (2013-2018).

Dr. Mayo received an undergraduate degree in chemistry from the Pennsylvania State University, and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Caltech. He completed postdoctoral work at both UC Berkeley and the Stanford University School of Medicine.

About Sarepta TherapeuticsSarepta is on an urgent mission: engineer precision genetic medicine for rare diseases that devastate lives and cut futures short. We hold leadership positions in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMDs), and we currently have more than 40 programs in various stages of development. Our vast pipeline is driven by our multi-platform Precision Genetic Medicine Engine in gene therapy, RNA and gene editing. For more information, please visitwww.sarepta.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Internet Posting of InformationWe routinely post information that may be important to investors in the 'For Investors' section of our website atwww.sarepta.com. We encourage investors and potential investors to consult our website regularly for important information about us.

Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements. Any statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Words such as "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "will," "intends," "potential," "possible" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding the potential of Sarepta to advance its industry leading pipeline of genetic medicines and the expectation that Dr. Mayos scientific and business acumen will be vital to Sarepta as Sarepta works to deliver on the promise of its pipeline and change the model for treating individuals with rare disease.

These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Sareptas control. Known risk factors include, among others: Sarepta may not be able to execute on its business plans, including meeting its expected or planned regulatory milestones and timelines, clinical development plans, and bringing its products to U.S. and ex-U.S. markets for various reasons including possible limitations of Company financial and other resources, manufacturing limitations that may not be anticipated or resolved for in a timely manner, and regulatory, court or agency decisions, such as decisions by the United States Patent and Trademark Office with respect to patents that cover Sareptas product candidates; and those risks identified under the heading Risk Factors in Sareptas most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as well as other SEC filings made by the Company which you are encouraged to review.

Any of the foregoing risks could materially and adversely affect the Companys business, results of operations and the trading price of Sareptas common stock. For a detailed description of risks and uncertainties Sarepta faces, you are encouraged to review the SEC filings made by Sarepta. We caution investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Sarepta does not undertake any obligation to publicly update its forward-looking statements based on events or circumstances after the date hereof, except as required by law.

Source: Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc.

Investor Contact: Ian Estepan, 617-274-4052iestepan@sarepta.com

Media Contact: Tracy Sorrentino, 617-301-8566tsorrentino@sarepta.com

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Sarepta Therapeutics Appoints Stephen L. Mayo, Ph.D., to its Board of Directors - GlobeNewswire

Industry interest in regenerative medicines is increasing. In 2019, the US FDA predicted there would be 10 to 20 new cell and gene therapies a year by 2025, based on an assessment of pipelines and clinical success rates.

And, despite COVID-19, this trend has continued according to Melbourne-based Ausbiotech, which reported in September that the global regenerative medicines sector attracted $19.9 billion of investment in 2020.

This sustained industry interest is a significant opportunity for Australian biotech, according to Ausbiotech, which says the country could generate at least $6 billion in annual revenue and create 6,000 new jobs by 2035.

The challenge will be building the manufacturing infrastructure needed to compete on a global scale says Ausbiotech communications director, Karen Parr.

Regenerative medical therapies require highly-specialized GMP capabilities and infrastructure, a highly-skilled workforce, and complex supply chains, she says. The increasing demand for RM therapy manufacturers is growing and a major bottleneck exists at the GMP manufacturing phase of product development, both in Australia and globally.

Capacity for cell and gene therapy production in Australia is limited. According to analysis by Ausbiotech the country has only 34 cleanroomsthe combined cleanroom and QC footprint is 2,982m2and employs just 231 full-time and 45 part-time employees.

To capture a bigger share of the global regenerative medicine (RM) manufacturing market this will need to change, stresses Parr.

There are significant benefits to having manufacturing facilities located onshore in Australia, for patients as well as RM therapy developers: local manufacturing will build resilience for the sector and ensure faster access to cutting-edge therapies for all Australians, she tells GEN.

Sovereign capability facilitates access not only to early phase trials for Australian patients for locally developed products, but also supports access to innovative and cutting-edge international trials.

Sourcing viral vectors is also a challenge for Australian biotechnology companies because, at present, the country has no facilities with the capability to manufacture GMP-grade vectors. However, this will soon change. In 2019, the New South Wales state Government invested A$25 million to expand capacity at the Westmead Viral Vector Manufacturing Facility in Sydney.

The expansion plan will add commercial-scale capacity to the facilitys current small scale production capabilities for gamma retroviruses, adeno-associated virus (AAV), and lentiviral vectors.

Parr sees this investment as a positive sign for the wider regenerative medicine manufacturing sector in Australia and beyond.

This progressive direction demonstrates that Australias capabilities are growing, and greater opportunities are available for the sector if further investment is pledged, she notes. By leveraging Australias reputation for delivering high-quality, complex, and safe medical products, as well as our highly-skilled workforce, we can become the clinical trials and manufacturing hub for the region and deliver potentially life-changing treatments to patients, both in Australia, and the broader Asia Pacific region.

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Australia Needs to Invest to Tap Demand for Cell and Gene Therapy Production - Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News

GAITHERSBURG, Md. and PUNE, India, Nov. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Novavax, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX), a biotechnology company dedicated to developing and commercializing next-generation vaccines for serious infectious diseases, and Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd. (SII), the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by volume, today announcedthat the PhilippineFood and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for Novavax' recombinant nanoparticle protein-based COVID-19 vaccine with Matrix-M adjuvant. The vaccine will be manufactured and marketed in the Philippines by SII under the brand name COVOVAX.

"With less than a third of the Philippine population fully immunized, we expect the option for a protein vaccine, built on a well-understood technology platform, to contribute substantially to increased vaccination rates," said Stanley C. Erck, President and Chief Executive Officer, Novavax. "Novavax looks forward to SII's delivery of the vaccine to the Philippines, and with additional authorizations expected elsewhere soon, to helping control the COVID-19 pandemic around the globe."

Because the vaccine is stored with standard refrigeration at 2 to 8Celsius, it may be transported and stored using existing vaccine supply chain, potentially increasing access in hard-to-reach areas.

"The approval of COVOVAX in the Philippines is another step forward in the global fight against the coronavirus," said Adar Poonawalla, Chief Executive Officer, Serum Institute of India. "We are proud to deliver the first protein-based COVID-19 vaccine to the Philippines."

The Novavax/SII vaccine has recently received EUA in Indonesia and the companies have also filed for emergency authorization in India and for Emergency Use Listing (EUL) with the World Health Organization (WHO). Novavax also announced regulatory filings for its vaccine in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and with the WHO, as well as the complete submission of all data and modules in the European Union to support the final regulatory review of its dossier by the European Medicines Agency. Additionally, Novavax and SK bioscience announced a Biologics License Application (BLA) in South Korea.Novavax expects to submit the complete package to the U.S. FDA by the end of the year.

For additional information on COVOVAX, including the Summary of Product Characteristics, Prescribing Information and Important Safety Information, please visit the following websites:

Authorized Use of Novavax' Covid-19 Vaccine in the PhilippinesThe Philippines Food and Drug Administration has issued Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Covovax /Recombinant Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2 Virus 5 mcg for active immunization of individual 18 years of age and older for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by SARS-CoV-2

Important Safety InformationCOVOVAX is contraindicated in persons who have hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients of this vaccine.

About the NVX-CoV2373 Phase 3 TrialsNVX-CoV2373 is being evaluated in two pivotal Phase 3 trials: the PREVENT-19 trial in theU.S.andMexicothat demonstrated 100% protection against moderate and severe disease and 90.4% efficacy overall. It was generally well-tolerated and elicited a robust antibody response. It is also being evaluated in a trial in theU.K.that demonstrated efficacy of 96.4% against the original virus strain, 86.3% against the Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant and 89.7% efficacy overall.

About NVX-CoV2373 NVX-CoV2373, Novavax' Covid-19 vaccine, is a protein-based vaccine candidate engineered from the genetic sequence of the first strain of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease. NVX-CoV2373 was created using Novavax' recombinant nanoparticle technology to generate antigen derived from the coronavirus spike (S) protein and is formulated with Novavax' patented saponin-based Matrix-M adjuvant to enhance the immune response and stimulate high levels of neutralizing antibodies. NVX-CoV2373 contains purified protein antigen and can neither replicate, nor can it cause COVID-19.

Novavax' COVID-19 vaccine is packaged as a ready-to-use liquid formulation in a vial containing ten doses. The vaccination regimen calls for two 0.5 ml doses (5 microgram antigen and 50 microgram Matrix-M adjuvant) given intramuscularly 21 days apart. The vaccine is stored at 2- 8Celsius, enabling the use of existing vaccine supply and cold chain channels.

About Matrix-M AdjuvantNovavax' patented saponin-based Matrix-M adjuvant has demonstrated a potent and well-tolerated effect by stimulating the entry of antigen-presenting cells into the injection site and enhancing antigen presentation in local lymph nodes, boosting immune response.

About NovavaxNovavax, Inc.(Nasdaq: NVAX) is a biotechnology company that promotes improved health globally through the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative vaccines to prevent serious infectious diseases. The company's proprietary recombinant technology platform combines the power and speed of genetic engineering to efficiently produce highly immunogenic nanoparticles designed to address urgent global health needs.Novavaxis conducting late-stage clinical trials for NVX-CoV2373, its vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. NanoFlu, its quadrivalent influenza nanoparticle vaccine, met all primary objectives in its pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial in older adults. Both vaccine candidates incorporateNovavax' proprietary saponin-based Matrix-M adjuvant to enhance the immune response and stimulate high levels of neutralizing antibodies.

For more information, visit http://www.novavax.com and connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd.Driven by the philanthropic philosophy of affordable vaccines,Serum Institute of India Pvt, Ltd.is the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by number of doses produced and sold globally (more than 1.5 billion doses), supplying the world's least expensive and WHO-accredited vaccines to as many as 170 countries. It was founded in 1966 with the aim of manufacturing lifesaving immunobiological drugs including vaccines worldwide. With a strong commitment towards global health, the institute's objective has been proliferated by bringing down the prices of newer vaccines such as such as Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Hib, BCG, r-Hepatitis B, Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccines. SII is credited with bringing world-class technology toIndia, through its state-of-the-art equipped multifunctional production facility in Manjari,Pune; association with Zipline and government agencies to transform emergency medicine and critical care along with spearheading the race of vaccine development against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Forward-Looking Statements Statements herein relating to the future of Novavax, its operating plans and prospects, its partnerships, the ongoing development of NVX-CoV2373 and other Novavax vaccine product candidates, the scope, timing and outcome of future regulatory filings and actions, the role that COVAVAX may play in increasing vaccination rates in the Philippines, the expected timing of vaccine shipments, and the role that Novavax may play in helping control the COVID-19 pandemic around the globe are forward-looking statements. Novavax cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include challenges satisfying, alone or together with partners, various safety, efficacy, and product characterization requirements, including those related to process qualification and assay validation, necessary to satisfy applicable regulatory authorities; difficulty obtaining scarce raw materials and supplies; resource constraints, including human capital and manufacturing capacity, on the ability of Novavax to pursue planned regulatory pathways; challenges meeting contractual requirements under agreements with multiple commercial, governmental, and other entities; and those other risk factors identified in the "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of Novavax' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). We caution investors not to place considerable reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this press release. You are encouraged to read our filings with the SEC, available at http://www.sec.gov and http://www.novavax.com, for a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this document, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any of the statements. Our business is subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, including those referenced above. Investors, potential investors, and others should give careful consideration to these risks and uncertainties.

Contacts:

InvestorsNovavax, Inc. Erika Schultz | 240-268-2022[emailprotected]

Solebury TroutAlexandra Roy | 617-221-9197[emailprotected]

MediaNovavaxLaura Keenan Lindsey | 202-709-7521 Ali Chartan | 240-720-7804[emailprotected]

Serum Institute of India Mayank Sen | +919867974055[emailprotected]

SOURCE Novavax, Inc.

http://www.novavax.com

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Novavax and Serum Institute of India Receive Emergency Use Authorization for COVID-19 Vaccine in the Philippines - PRNewswire

It is fair to say that Denis Villeneuves adaption of Frank Herberts classic sci-fi novel Dune has been a critical and commercial success. A sequel, which will cover the second half of the novel, has already been given the green light. A sizable part of the movies success comes from how faithful it is to the source material. After all, Dune is considered one of the greatest sci-fi novels ever written. To think they were qualified to improve on that would have been a phenomenal act of hubris on the part of the screenwriters. For the most part, they avoided that pitfall. That said, the constraints of cinema versus the written word did mean that some of the rich detail packed into Herberts surprisingly short novel did not make it onto the screen. Which is where we come in. Dune is set in a speculative distant future in which humanity has spread out to colonise the stars. Sentient life was never discovered, but there are aliens of the animal or flora kind. By the time the story kicks off, humanity is so far removed from Earth that most have forgotten it ever existed and become natives of the new planets they moved to, planets that are often at odds with one another. Caladan, ruled by the Atreides family, and Giedi Prime, home of the Harkonnens, are two such planets. They are both part of a larger empire ruled from the planet Kaitain, from which House Corrino has ruled for some ten thousand years by the time of the movie.

The Corrinos and Emperor Shaddam are one of the things that didnt make the cut in Villeneuves Dune. References are made to them, and we are told that the Emperor is concerned with how popular Duke Leto Atreides has become and the possibility that he might make a play for the throne. We see the prison planet on which the empires elite troops, the Sardaukar, are trained when the Harkonnen forces are bolstered by the inclusion of these fearsome warriors. This is enough to get the general gist of the plot, though appearances from Shaddam and his court are missed. Which is a pity, for Shaddam is not the one-note villain he might seem and actually quite likes Leto, and his court includes important characters like Princess Irulan and Count Fenring, the latter of which is as much a result of the Bene Gesserit breeding program as our protagonist Paul. That breeding program and the reasoning behind it is another thing that isnt fleshed out as much as it was in the book. That Paul and the Bene Gesserit have super-human abilities is established well, with scenes such as the Gom Jabbar test being adapted in full. But there is more of an explanation as to why humanity came to such a point.

First time viewers might have noticed that the technology in Dune is an odd combination of advanced yet archaic. That they use melee weapons in favor of projectiles is explained in detail by the personal shields deflecting anything that comes towards a wearer too fast. What isnt as well explained is the lack of computerised technology. You would think a society that far in the future would have advanced AI and such, but Dune very much does not. Herbert addressed this in the books. You see, far in the past there were such things. Robots, artificial intelligences and other technologies. But they proved too powerful and rebellious, resulting in a galactic war known as the Butlerian Jihad. This was a time period in which a fellow named Butler did his best John Connor impression and led humanity in a war against the machines. Well, technically John Connor did his best Butler impression, since Dune came first, but I digress. The point is that AI and anything resembling it is strictly outlawed in the Dune setting.

This is why the technology is not as smooth or complex as might be seen in a setting like Star Trek. And it is also part of the reason that groups like the Bene Gesserit have resorted to genetic engineering. In order to replace computers and the other advanced machines that are no longer allowed, humanity has taken steps to change themselves into something that can replace those things. Part of that is the creation of a group called the mentats. We meet Duke Letos mentat, Thufir Hawat, but the movie fails to offer an explanation for who he is and what he does. All we see is a brief scene of his eyes rolling back in his head while he swiftly does some sums for the Duke. There is more that should have been said and seen of him, for not only is Thufir an interesting character whose fate was worth showing, but the mentats themselves are important to the setting. They are essentially the biological replacements for computers, humans who have been conditioned through training, drugs and genetic alteration to give them perfect recall and fast mental processing. The movie did not explain this, or mention that Paul himself has been given mentat training in addition to his training with his mother Jessica and the Atreides war masters.

Another, even bigger omission, is the Spacing Guild itself. This is the organization whose mutated, spice-addicted Engineers have a complete monopoly on space travel. Their prescient abilities allow them to navigate through space without the need of a computer. Naturally, having a monopoly on space travel in an intergalactic empire has made the Spacing Guild massively wealthy and powerful, so much so that they think nothing of making demands of the Emperor himself. That the spice they need is found only on Arrakis, aka Dune, is why the planet is fought over so fiercely. This wasnt given the emphasis in the movie that it was in the books, unfortunately, perhaps leaving viewers confused as to why a mostly barren planet is so desired. In addition, while you might have thought Stellan Skarsgards Baron Harkonnen a disturbing villainunderstandably!you might be surprised to learn that the book version is even worse. He is, after all, an open paedophile, who laments not being able to turn Paul Atreides into his sex slave. Even with these omissions, Dune is still a great movie. But even a great movie can rarely measure up to a great book, so if you liked what you saw and find yourself wanting more you should absolutely read the books. They are packed with even more richly cool sci-fi than youve already seen.

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What the Dune Movie Didn't Tell You - TVOvermind

The biomedical field is constantly working to make new medical solutions that can help treat patients with various illnesses and conditions. Today, there are numerous medical solutions used today to help ease medical treatment for patients. These solutions include new medical devices, implants, software used to run medical equipment, and information technology systems.

The following are some of the most popular medical technologies that are used today:

Information technologies are another type of technology used today in medicine. For example, imaging systems let doctors examine patients like never before by allowing them to see inside a persons body without performing surgery first. One famous example of this type of medical solution is 3-D imaging software that uses pictures taken with an X-ray machine to give doctors a model to track health changes over time. Another example includes using information technology systems to control medical equipment or devices through smartphone computer programming or apps.

This type of technology allows doctors to use medical equipment with greater accuracy and helps make their work easier. For example, different types of imaging software help provide more transparent images for radiologists when they read X-rays and MRIs. This helps with making a diagnosis quicker. Thats why most hospitals would prefer to work with Wound Care, a web-based EHR tool. Such tools help record patient vitals and wound assessments to track each patients progress and provide better treatment.

These products can be used as medical solutions for people who want to check their health but dont want to visit a doctors office. Wearable health technologies include everything from smartwatches that measure heart rate and blood pressure functions to fitness trackers that help wearers monitor daily activity levels. Even Google has made its smart contact lenses that can track glucose levels for people with diabetes. However, these devices are designed specifically for individuals suffering from chronic diseases such as arthritis or Parkinsons disease in many cases.

Synthetic biology and genetic engineering tools are a technology used to treat illnesses or conditions that affect organs in the body. For example, if a patient has heart disease, they may need a new heart valve. In this case, doctors can use synthetic biology and genetic engineering tools to create a different kind of heart valve from those typically made from cow tissue. These valves have been tested on animals, and now researchers are testing them on humans as well.

Laboratory-grown organs are another medical solution used to help treat patients who need transplants for certain diseases or conditions that may have caused organ failure. A typical example is how stem cells taken from bone marrow can be turned into blood cells and then used to help treat patients with leukemia. Other types of laboratory-grown organs being tested in clinical trials today include partially functional livers and lungs grown from stem cells.

Medical equipment is another technology doctors can use when treating patients. For example, medical imaging devices like CT scanners and MRI machines help provide images of the bodys internal structures for diagnosis so doctors can see problems most other methods cannot detect. Another type of medical equipment includes surgical robots that can be moved by a computer program to perform surgery on a patient. This reduces the need for an incision since some procedures only require small openings or ones that heal very well without stitches or staples closing them up afterward.

Stem cells and stem cell therapies are a type of medical solution used to treat patients who have conditions that can be life-threatening or cause other severe complications. For example, patients with leukemia may need transplanted blood cells from healthy donors. In this case, doctors can use stem cells to develop those types of blood cells that will provide the best chance of curing the patients cancer without harming their body.

Other examples include using cord blood stem cells from newborns to make different kinds of healthy blood and immune system cells for older children and adults with certain diseases or using skin or other non-embryonic stem cells to make insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells for people diagnosed with diabetes Type 1.

Overall, biomedical technologies have been beneficial in making it easier for doctors to diagnose and treat their patients. Thanks to these technologies, many patients can live long, healthy lives with their illnesses or conditions under control. As technology continues advancing over time, even more, advanced solutions will come out, which should further help improve patient care. However, the use of new medical solutions must be approved by a doctor before being used on a patient.

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What Are New Medical Solutions That Can Help Treat Patients? - iLounge

The SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRM IST) has opened applications for admissions to its engineering courses for the academic year 2022. The universityhas begun the registrations for the Joint Engineering Entrance Exam (SRMJEEE) at the official portal - srmist.edu.in.

The online application is for admission to BTech programmes offered across SRM campuses including Chennai (Kattankulathur, Vadapalani, Ramapuram, Tiruchirappalli, and Delhi - NCR Campus - Ghaziabad (UP), SRM University - Sonepat, Haryana and SRM University, AP - Andhra Pradesh.

Also read|WBJEE 2022 Applications to Begin in December, Engineering Entrance in April

Eduction: Candidates must clear the boards with a minimum of 50per cent in aggregate in PCM. For those who wish to pursue, BTechinbiotechnology, biotechnology w/s in genetic engineering, biotechnology w/s in regenerative medicine, and biomedical engineering must clear class 12 with a minimum of 50per cent in aggregate in PCM/PMB/PCB.

Age: Candidates must have attained the age of 16 years and 6 months as of July 31 of the calendar year in which the 12th board examination is to be held.

Step 1: Go to the officialwebsite of SRM IST

Step 2: On the homepage, click on the Registrationlink

Step 3: Enter your name, a valid email id, and mobile number to register yourself

Step 4: Validate the OTP received on the registered mobile number

Step 5: Log in and complete the application form

Step 6: Upload required documents a scanned copy of photograph and signature

Step 7: Pay the application fee

Step 8: Download and take a print out of the filled application form for further use

Read|List of Top Engineering Colleges in India & Abroad

The applicants will have to payan application fee of Rs 1200.Ifany candidate wishes to take SRMJEEE more than one time,he/she will have to pay Rs 600 for each phase.

Candidates will be selected on the basis of the written test. The exam will be held for 2 hours and 30 minutes. It will feature multiple-choice questions (MCQs)from physics, chemistry, mathematics, English, and aptitude. A total of 125 questions will be given. One mark will be provided for each correct answer. There is no negative marking. Meanwhile, candidates who have qualified in IIT JEE Main/SAT will be admitted directly even if the candidate doesnt take SRMJEEE.

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SRMJEEE 2022 Registrations Begin: From Eligibility to Exam Pattern to Steps to Apply - News18