Janssen Announces Health Canada Approval of DARZALEX®* SC, a New Subcutaneous Formulation for the Treatment of Patients with Multiple Myeloma

DARZALEX^® SC reduces administration time from hours to minutes and demonstrates consistent efficacy with a reduction in administration-related reactions compared to intravenous DARZALEX^® (daratumumab)

TORONTO, Aug. 4, 2020 /CNW/ - The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson announced today that Health Canada has approved DARZALEX^® SC (daratumumab), a new subcutaneous formulation of daratumumab.¹DARZALEX^® SC is approved in four regimens across five indications in patients with multiple myeloma, most notably newly diagnosed, transplant-ineligible patients as well as relapsed or refractory patients. As a fixed-dose formulation, DARZALEX^®SC can be administered over approximately three to five minutes, significantly less time than intravenous (IV) DARZALEX^®, which is administered over hours.² DARZALEX^® SC is the only subcutaneous CD38-directed antibody approved in the treatment of multiple myeloma.

In the Phase 3 COLUMBA study published in The Lancet, DARZALEX^® SC demonstrated a consistent overall response rate (ORR) and pharmacokinetics and a similar safety profile compared with IV DARZALEX^® in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. In addition, there was a nearly two-thirds reduction in systemic administration-related reactions (ARRs) for DARZALEX^® SC compared to IV DARZALEX^® (13 per cent vs. 34 per cent, respectively).³

"DARZALEX^® has become a backbone therapy in the treatment of multiple myeloma, supported by a robust body of evidence in both the frontline and relapsed and refractory settings," says Dr. Darrell White, Hematologist, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, Halifax. "With this new subcutaneous formulation, not only is treatment much more convenient for patients, but it will also play a very important role in reducing wait times and the burden on our busy healthcare system, especially during this time."

The approval is based on data from the Phase 3 COLUMBA and Phase 2 PLEIADES studies.^4,5 In the COLUMBA study, the ORR was non-inferior for patients taking DARZALEX^® SC as monotherapy compared to those taking IV DARZALEX^® as monotherapy (41 per cent vs. 37 per cent, respectively). ⁶ Additionally, in the Phase 2 PLEIADES study evaluating the efficacy and safety of DARZALEX^® SC in combination therapies, objective responses were demonstrated in combination with bortezomib, melphalan and prednisone (D-VMP) in newly diagnosed transplant ineligible patients. In addition, objective responses were demonstrated in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone (D-Rd) in relapsed or refractory patients who received one prior line of therapy.⁷ In a pooled safety population of 490 patients who received DARZALEX^® SC as monotherapy or in combination, the ARR rate was 11 per cent.⁸

DARZALEX^® SC is approved in all current IV indications including (1) in combination with bortezomib, melphalan and prednisone in newly diagnosed patients who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant, (2) in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone in newly diagnosed patients who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant and in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy, (3) in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone in patients who have received at least one prior therapy, and (4) as monotherapy, in patients who have received at least three prior lines of therapy including a proteasome inhibitor (PI) and an immunomodulatory agent or who are double-refractory to a PI and an immunomodulatory agent.⁹

Active discussions are ongoing with public insurers to determine how DARZALEX^® SC can be made accessible for both relapsed or refractory patients as well as newly diagnosed, transplant ineligible patients.

"This approval exemplifies Janssen's mission and commitment to bringing together passion, science and ingenuity to advance novel solutions for patients," said Mathai Mammen, M.D., Ph.D., Global Head, Janssen Research & Development, LLC. 

About the COLUMBA Study 
The randomised, open-label, multicenter Phase 3 COLUMBA study included 522 patients (median age of 67 years) with multiple myeloma who had received at least three prior lines of therapy including a proteasome inhibitor (PI) and an immunomodulatory drug (IMiD), or whose disease was refractory to both a PI and an ImiD. In the arm that received DARZALEX^® SC (n=263), patients received a fixed dose of DARZALEX^® SC 1,800 milligrams (mg), co-formulated with recombinant human hyaluronidase PH20 (rHuPH20) 2,000 Units per milliliter (U/mL), subcutaneously weekly for Cycles 1 – 2, every two weeks for Cycles 3 – 6 and every four weeks for Cycle 7 and thereafter. In the IV DARZALEX^® arm (n=259), patients received DARZALEX^® for IV infusion 16 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) weekly for Cycles 1 – 2, every two weeks for Cycles 3 – 6 and every four weeks for Cycle 7 and thereafter. Each cycle was 28 days. In the arm that received DARZALEX^® SC, it was given in a fixed volume of 15 mL over three to five minutes; the median injection time was five minutes. In the arm that received the IV administration, the median durations of the first, second and subsequent IV DARZALEX^® infusions were 7.0, 4.3 and 3.4 hours, respectively. Patients in both arms continued treatment until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.^10,11

About the PLEIADES Study 
The non-randomised, open-label, parallel assignment Phase 2 PLEIADES study included adults with multiple myeloma, including 67 patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who were treated with 1,800 mg of DARZALEX^® SC in combination with bortezomib, melphalan, and prednisone (D-VMP) and 65 patients with relapsed or refractory disease who were treated with 1,800 mg of DARZALEX^® SC plus lenalidomide and dexamethasone (D-Rd). The primary endpoint for the D-VMP and D- Rd cohorts was overall response rate.¹²

About DARZALEX^® and DARZALEX^® SC
DARZALEX^® is the first CD38-directed monoclonal antibody (mAb) approved to treat multiple myeloma and in 2020, DARZALEX^® SC (daratumumab) follows as the only subcutaneous CD38-directed antibody approved to treat patients with multiple myeloma.¹³ It binds to CD38, a surface protein highly expressed across multiple myeloma cells.¹⁴ DARZALEX^® induces tumor cell death through cell lysis via multiple immune-mediated mechanisms of action, including complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP).¹⁵ DARZALEX^® has also demonstrated immunomodulatory effects such as increasing CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells counts, which may contribute to clinical response.¹⁶ 

In August 2012, Janssen Biotech, Inc. and Genmab A/S entered a worldwide agreement, which granted Janssen an exclusive license to develop, manufacture and commercialize DARZALEX^®. Janssen Inc. commercializes DARZALEX^® and DARZALEX^® SC in Canada. For full Prescribing Information and more information about DARZALEX^® and DARZALEX^® SC, please visit www.janssen.com/canada.  

About Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma is an incurable blood cancer that affects a type of white blood cell called plasma cells, which are found in the bone marrow.¹⁷ When damaged, these plasma cells rapidly spread and replace normal cells with tumors in the bone marrow. In 2020, it is estimated that 3,400 Canadians will be diagnosed with multiple myeloma and there will be 1,600 deaths associated with the disease.¹⁸ While some patients with multiple myeloma have no symptoms in the early stages, patients are diagnosed due to symptoms that can include bone disease or pain, anemia, calcium elevation, and kidney problems.¹⁹

About the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson 
At Janssen, we're creating a future where disease is a thing of the past. We're the Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, working tirelessly to make that future a reality for patients everywhere by fighting sickness with science, improving access with ingenuity, and healing hopelessness with heart. We focus on areas of medicine where we can make the biggest difference: Cardiovascular & Metabolism, Immunology, Infectious Diseases & Vaccines, Neuroscience, Oncology, and Pulmonary Hypertension. 

Learn more at www.janssen.com/canada. Follow us at @JanssenCanada. Janssen Inc. is a member of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. 

*All trademark rights used under license. 
**Dr. White was not compensated for any media work. He has been compensated as a consultant.

Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding DARZALEX^® SC. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Janssen Inc., any of the other Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies and/or Johnson & Johnson. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: challenges and uncertainties inherent in product research and development, including the uncertainty of clinical success and of obtaining regulatory approvals; uncertainty of commercial success; manufacturing difficulties and delays; competition, including technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges to patents; product efficacy or safety concerns resulting in product recalls or regulatory action; changes in behavior and spending patterns of purchasers of health care products and services; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; and trends toward health care cost containment. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson & Johnson's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2019, including in the sections captioned "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors," and in the company's most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and the company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov, www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson & Johnson. None of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies nor Johnson & Johnson undertakes to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments.

References:

SOURCE Janssen Inc.

Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory Association (EORLA) and Roche Diagnostics join forces for seroprevalence study for SARS-CoV-2

EORLA to use Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody test that helps determine exposition to the virus and development of antibodies

OTTAWA, ON, Aug. 4, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - Roche Diagnostics, a division of Hoffmann-La Roche Limited, and the Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory Association (EORLA) are pleased to announce a major collaborative research initiative on SARS-CoV-2 serology. The EORLA research team will conduct a randomized seroprevalence study of 4,400 people in Eastern Ontario to identify how many have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 and for how long those antibodies remain detectable in the body. 

"Our objective is to establish an estimate of the number of Eastern Ontario residents who have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2, but may not be aware of their exposure," said Dr. Christopher McCudden, Deputy Chief Medical/Scientific Officer at EORLA and leader of the study. "We will aim to quantify this exposure first among high-risk hospital out-patients. They are mobile, living in the community, but still need to come to hospital for regular blood tests and follow-up." 

The study is also intended to learn more about the pattern by which the amount of antibodies rises and falls over time in SARS-CoV-2 patients. By doing so, EORLA researchers hope to determine the longevity of antibody production in patients, critically important to pandemic response and recovery planning, with wide applications and benefits both regionally and nationally. The study will cover the Champlain Region of Ontario, which includes the National Capital Region and communities east of Algonquin park between the Quebec and New York state borders.

"We are proud to partner with the EORLA for this seroprevalence study using Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody test, which we are confident will bring reliable results to better manage the COVID-19 health crisis in Ontario," said Michele D'Elia, Medical Director of Roche Diagnostics. "This study will help answer key questions about COVID-19 epidemiology and immunity and is one of our many efforts across the country to help better understand the dynamics of the pandemic in Canada."

Study results will be invaluable to workers in long-term care homes, regional health centres and hospitals, and the community at large. Further, the study could provide a better understanding of the extent of herd immunity.

About antibody testing 
An antibody test, also called a serology test, is used to determine whether a person might have mounted an immune response against a pathogen or not. In the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, antibody tests need to be able to specifically detect antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 with no cross-reactivity to other similar coronaviruses, which could generate a false positive result and thus wrongly indicate potential COVID infection. A false positive result happens when a person receives a positive test result, when they should have received a negative result. False positives are particularly critical when we do not know how many people in a given population have been exposed to the virus.

About EORLA 
The Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory Association (EORLA) is a member-owned, non-profit organization encompassing the operation of 18 licensed, acute-care, hospital-based clinical laboratories that service clinical programs across the Champlain Region of Eastern Ontario. A leading, innovative model of integrated laboratory practices in the province, the purpose of EORLA is to deliver patient-focused, consistent, high-quality and cost-effective hospital-based laboratory services to meet the needs of the region's patients. EORLA laboratories provide diagnostic testing to both hospital inpatients and registered outpatients, performing a total of approximately 13 million tests annually.  Comprehensive testing in the disciplines of Anatomic Pathology, Biochemistry, Transfusion Medicine, Hematopathology, and Microbiology/Virology is performed. For more information, visit www.eorla.ca.

About Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 serology test¹  
Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 is an immunoassay for the in-vitro qualitative detection of antibodies (including IgG) to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in human serum and plasma. Through a blood sample, the test, which is based on an in-solution double-antigen sandwich format, can detect antibodies to the new coronavirus causing COVID-19, which could signal whether a person has already been infected and potentially developed immunity to the virus. Based on the measurement of a total of 10,453 samples, the Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 assay has 99.80% specificity and shows no cross-reactivity to the four human coronaviruses causing common cold. This means it can lower the chance of false positives due to the detection of similar antibodies that may be present in an individual, but are specific for coronaviruses other than SARS-CoV-2. Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 detected antibodies with 99.5% sensitivity in samples taken 14 days after a PCR-confirmed infection. The importance of specificity and sensitivity of a particular test will be dependent on its purpose and disease prevalence within a given population. 

About Roche 
Roche is a global pioneer in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics focused on advancing science to improve people's lives. The combined strengths of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics under one roof have made Roche the leader in personalized healthcare – a strategy that aims to fit the right treatment to each patient in the best way possible. Roche is the world's largest biotech company, with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, ophthalmology and diseases of the central nervous system. Roche is also the world leader in in vitro diagnostics and tissue-based cancer diagnostics, and a frontrunner in diabetes management. For more information, please visit www.roche.com.

SOURCE Roche Diagnostics

Hogan Pharmacy Ready to Implement Provincial Government Call for Medication Safety Technology for Long-Term Care Now

Ready to Provide Automated Dispensing Cabinets and Registered Pharmacy Technicians Today to All Ontario Long Term Care Homes, Keeping Insulin & Fentanyl Locked Away

Hogan Pharmacy Partners Ltd. 
704-B Eagle Street North, 
Cambridge, ON
hoganpharmacypartners.com
1-888-223-1011

CAMBRIDGE, ON, Aug. 4, 2020 /CNW/ - Hogan Pharmacy Partners applauds Premier Ford and Minister Fullerton's announcement of the Medication Safety Technology Program to make significant improvements to the Long-Term Care Pharmacy System and to the way that Ontario's Seniors receive their medications. Hogan Pharmacy Partners has been sharing its medication safety technologies with the Ministry since 2018 to support Ontario in its vision to improve the quality of life and care for all of Ontario's most valuable elders. 

"Most Ontario Nursing Homes rely on already tragically overworked Nurses to manage all of the medications in Nursing Homes," says Hogan's Vice President, Becky Agar. "And potentially fatal medications like insulin and fentanyl are literally still being stored in plastic lockboxes with a hardware-store padlock. It's no surprise that narcotics and insulin go missing in so many Nursing Homes every day in Ontario."

"We've already heard from the Wettlaufer Inquiry and the Canadian Armed Forces Report during their stay in Ontario Homes during COVID-19 that our Nurses need the support of Profiled Dispensing Cabinets to make medication administration safer for Residents and easier for them to give high-risk medications and to protect Residents from accidental harm and those who wish to do them harm on purpose."

Becky Agar continues, "When Ontario Families start returning to visit their loved ones in Nursing Homes, they need to start asking direct questions now about how medications are being stored in the Home, and what their Nursing Home's plan is to bring in Profiled Dispensing Cabinets and 24-Hour Pharmacists to keep their loved ones safe as soon as possible."

Founded in 2015, Hogan Pharmacy Partners was the first Long-Term Care Pharmacy to use Automated Dispensing Cabinets and is still the ONLY Pharmacy that makes sure that these cabinets are tailored to specifically identify each individual Resident and their individual medication record. Hogan Pharmacy is also the first Long-Term Care Pharmacy to employ full-time Pharmacy Technicians in Long-Term Care Homes, working daily to support hard-working Nurses as they care for Ontario's Seniors. Recognized by Justice Gillese and the Long Term Care Inquiry in 2018 as a Leader in Medication Safety, our award-winning Pharmacist-Led Medication Reconciliation has been shown to help Ontario Nursing Home Residents take fewer medications and have an improved quality of life, and allows Long-Term Care Nurses to spend more time with their Residents, a cornerstone service that Hogan Pharmacy provides to all of our Partner Nursing Homes. Every Hogan-supplied medication is accessed only by fingerprint, with no missing insulin doses or runaway narcotics in a Hogan-run Nursing Home.

Ontario Long-Term Care Residents deserve the safest, most trusted medication systems in the Homes where they live. Hogan Pharmacy Partners again salutes the significant investment the Province is making to improve the lives of all Ontario Long-Term Care Residents.

SOURCE Hogan Pharmacy Partners Ltd.

Long-term maternal Viagra treatment worsens growth-restriction in baby sheep

Peer reviewed                                                  Experimental study                                      Animals 

UNDER STRICT EMBARGO UNTIL 01.00 GMT 5 AUGUST 2020 

Not for publication or broadcast before this time 

New research published today in The Journal of Physiology shows that giving sildenafil (Viagra), which cause blood vessels to dilate, impairs the fetus’ ability to redirect blood flow to essential organs in response to low levels of oxygen, impeding fetal growth. This study was conducted in an animal model of growth restriction where placental blood flow is restricted. 

It is well accepted that in a fetus, in response to low levels of oxygen throughout the body (called hypoxia) blood flow is redirected to essential organs (such as the brain and heart) and away from non-essential organs, to help sustain life.  

This new finding about giving pregnant sheep Viagra was especially important because while this study was being conducted, a large clinical study was investigating maternal sildenafil in pregnancies affected by fetal growth restriction as a potential treatment to improve fetal growth and correct impaired placental function by increasing blood flow.  

This clinical study was halted early, following evidence that maternal Viagra treatment resulted in increased morbidity in babies. However, the mechanisms behind the increased morbidity was not understood.  

Our study provides crucial insight into a potential mechanism underlying the increased morbidity. We show that prenatal sildenafil lowered levels of oxygen in the fetal blood, but despite this, the fetus did not respond by redirecting blood to essential organs. This finding may underlie the adverse outcomes observed clinically. 

Viagra is a well-known drug that dilates blood vessels and its ability to increase blood flow to certain areas has been well described in other medical conditions. Therefore, the investigation into its potential for improving fetal growth by increasing placental blood flow, was warranted. 

However, we show that Viagra can cross the placenta and have effects on the fetus. The results of our study highlighted the importance of thorough pre-clinical investigation in large animal models prior to the initiation of large clinical trials.  

Our study replicated the impaired placental function that was observed clinically, in fetal sheep as a pre-clinical model. Using sheep as a model organism, we were able to implant monitoring equipment into these fetal sheep to monitor changes in both maternal and fetal blood flow and physiology in response to low oxygen levels in the blood and Viagra treatment.  

A key difference between our study and the previously discussed clinical trials, and a limitation, is the way we delivered the Viagra. Clinical studies involved oral administration to the mother, whereas we delivered sildenafil intravenously, which may have resulted in different circulating levels of the drug in the blood. Additionally, while our study demonstrates the effects of sildenafil in a growth restricted fetus, we could not investigate the effect of sildenafil on a healthy fetus.        

First author Ishmael Inocencio said: 

“A key finding of our study was the unexpected exacerbation of growth restriction following Viagra treatment. This has important implications for the danger of administering this drug to pregnant women.”  

Notes for Editors 

1. Full paper title: Link to paper https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1113/JP279248 (link will only work after the embargo date. Before then, please email the press office for a copy of the paper) 

2. The Journal of Physiology publishes advances in physiology which increase our understanding of how our bodies function in health and disease. http://jp.physoc.org  

3. The Physiological Society brings together over 4,000 scientists from over 60 countries. The Society promotes physiology with the public and parliament alike. It supports physiologists by organising world-class conferences and offering grants for research and also publishes the latest developments in the field in its three leading scientific journals, The Journal of Physiology, Experimental Physiology and Physiological Reports. www.physoc.org  

Internist warns about trending “health foods” that are misleading and potentially dangerous

www.drsunithaposina.com

The free time “lockdown” has brought to households across the nation has many spending more time at home, on their phones and on social media, looking up new diets or recipes to stay healthy. However, certain foods and ingredients that are trending on social media as “healthy” can be extremely misleading and even harmful. New York-based Board-certified internist, Dr. Sunitha D. Posina, has listed some of the most well-known ‘health foods’ and how they might not always live up to the hype. 

If you would like to interview Dr. Posina on the following or any other health and beauty related topics, please email Katherine Rothman at katherine@kmrcommunications.com. 

1. Hard seltzer 

Hard-seltzers have grown in popularity as a ‘good choice’ for health-conscious consumers with low carbohydrate and calorie content. But in reality, a refreshing alcoholic drink that’s lighter in calories and feels less filling may make it easier to imbibe more. 

No matter the calorie count, overconsumption of alcohol and binge drinking has a long list of long-term health effects.

2. Plant-based alternatives to meat

While some can be higher in certain vitamins and minerals than animal meat (they’re added during processing), they can also be higher in sodium and carbohydrates. 

However, not all meats are made the same. Always check the nutritional label to avoid being misled into buying a product you think is better for you than meat. 

3. Celery as a miracle vegetable

Despite what social media says about the ‘miracle juice’, there isn’t any evidence to support the end-all-be-all claims (prevent cancer, lowers cholesterol, prevent digestive disorders, help lose weight, and promote clear skin) influencers and celebrities made. 

Celery juice is virtually void of fiber, which is what helps make people feel full and aids weight loss, thanks to the juicing process. While drinking the juice doesn’t do any harm per se, it’s not the magical detoxifier, and cleanser everyone thinks it is. 

4. Gluten-free when you don’t need to be

To imitate the flavor and texture of wheat gluten, companies will use corn, oat, and rice flours, which aren’t necessarily healthier for you. 

Suppose you don’t have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. In that case, you might end up with nutritional deficiencies as fortified bread, whole wheat and cereals are a significant source of B vitamins and fiber. 

Other common health trends Dr. Posina can but is not limited to comment on:

• Weight loss teas
• The Keto Diet
• Gluten-free 
• Vegan 
• Smoothie Bowls
• Juicing
• The Pegan diet
• Drinking turpentine for the common cold
• Activated charcoal products
• ‘Diet’ ice cream (ie. Halo Top)
• Raw food diets

About Dr. Posina:

Dr. Sunitha D. Posina, M.D. is a renowned board-certified physician in Internal Medicine in Stony Brook, New York. Dr. Posina was born in a small town in India before moving to the Tri-State area at a young age. An early love for science, skincare, and philanthropy fueled her determination to study medicine. Initially, Dr. Posina began her undergraduate studies at Rutgers University in Biology and Economics prior to starting her medical training at the PSI Med School in the heart of Southern India. Her medical training in India gave her an opportunity to learn about the potential synergistic benefits of combining eastern therapies with western medicine. As such, subsequent to her medical training, she pursued her post-graduate training in Internal Medicine at Stony Brook University Hospital, the largest academic medical center in Long Island, New York.

In addition to her extensive training in internal medicine, Dr. Posina has completed multiple dermatology rotations treating patients with hyperpigmentation, acne, hair loss, and vitiligo. She is also certified in anti-aging therapies such as stem-cell therapy, integrative weight loss training, aesthetic procedures such as platelet-rich plasma therapy, advanced hair restoration therapy, personalized medical-grade chemical peels, designing medical-grade facials, skin-rejuvenating laser therapies, and Intravenous Vitamin infusions. 

Due to her extensive exposure to community medical outreach nationally and internationally, she has a command of socio-economic barriers that affect vulnerable populations that are at higher risk for chronic diseases. Dr. Posina has also been a strong advocate for community education on chronic illnesses that plague our society such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension.

Dr. Posina is an experienced internist, specialized in the management of acutely-ill hospitalized patients at several medical centers in the Northeast. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, she worked on the frontlines by taking care of critically ill patients with coronavirus in New York, the nation’s first epicenter. 

The much-awaited launch of her extensively researched skincare line is a fusion of traditional eastern medicine with modern science. The product line is an amalgamation of love, purity, and science with maximum efficacy. Dr. Posina considers herself “the beauty internist” due to her knowledge of anti-aging, and her love of all things beauty-related as well as her extensive background in Internal Medicine. She places an emphasis on keeping her patients youthful-looking and feeling by treating them from the inside out so they are not simply “visually youthful” but internally as well. 

Get Two Fan-Favorite LUXIE Beauty Sets for the Price of One During the Annual Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (Early Access Starts August 4th)

Experience superior performance and cruelty-free, luxurious design with the Ultimate Face Set and Ultimate Eye Set, featuring everything necessary to crush 2020’s hottest looks

Campbell, CA – (August 4th, 2020): On August 4th, get early access to discounts on some of the most coveted beauty tools from LUXIE during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. Created by a makeup lover for makeup lovers, LUXIE offers a complete cruelty-free collection of sustainably crafted, high-performing cosmetic tools. Their entirely vegan, hypoallergenic makeup brush is adored by fans around the world, featuring ultra-soft, synthetic bristles designed to outperform the top-tier animal hair varieties. Now, get in on the season’s hottest beauty deals, including the LUXIE Ultimate Face Set (a $78 value for $35) and the LUXIE Ultimate Eye Set (a $58 value for $30), featuring everything necessary to re-create the best and boldest looks of 2020.  

Achieve a natural makeup look fast with the Ultimate Face Set from LUXIE (a $58 value for $30). Made with the signature Rose Gold ferrule and pink handle, along with the company’s luxuriously soft, cruelty-free synthetic bristles, each brush in this versatile collection is built to perform. This four-brush set features:

• The LUXIE 513 Cream Highlight Brush: designed to accentuate your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, and your cupid's bow
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Create a variety of soft or glam looks with ease using the LUXIE Ultimate Eye Set (a $78 value for $35). Includes four of the brand’s most popular cruelty-free, synthetic eye brushes encased in the brand’s signature Rose Gold ferrule and pink handle. Designed to help makeup novices and experts alike master any look with precision, this must-have set includes:

• The LUXIE 208 Crease Blending Brush: define your crease with dark colors, without leaving behind harsh lines
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For a limited time, get access to two fan-favorite, multi-purpose sets from LUXIE offered at a special price during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (early access starts August 4th). Shop the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale online at Nordstrom.com. Learn more about the company that believes “when you look good and do good, you feel good” at LuxieBeauty.com, and follow LUXIE on Instagram @LuxieBeauty for the latest makeup tutorials and product releases, plus top lifestyle and beauty inspo. 

# # #

About LUXIE:

Since 2014, LUXIE has grown from an indie brand to a global phenomenon beloved by top US influencers and beauty lovers alike. Sourcing the best components from around the world, the female-founded company developed one of the first high-performing, cruelty-free, and 100% vegan makeup brushes. Today, their complete collection features a wide array of multi-use beauty tools that combine sleek design with problem-solving functionality, including signature brushes made with premium soft, synthetic bristles. Headquartered in San Jose, California, LUXIE is available in retail stores across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Led by CEO Conor Riley and Chairman of the Board, Claudia Poccia - known for her work with Shiseido, Bare Escentuals, Stila, and Laura Mercier - the LUXIE team is constantly innovating in a non-stop effort to deliver flawless perfection. They strive to partner with exceptional retailers, influencers, and industry leaders who share their core environmental and community values, along with an authentic passion for next-generation beauty products. Learn more at LuxieBeauty.com and follow on Instagram @LuxieBeauty.