Heart attack damage reduced by shielded stem cells Stem cell capsules implanted on heart surface improve function in four weeks
HOUSTON – (Aug. 18, 2020) – Bioengineers and surgeons from Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) have shown that shielding stem cells with a novel biomaterial improves the cells' ability to heal heart injuries caused by heart attacks.
In a study using rodents, a team led by Rice's Omid Veiseh and Baylor's Ravi Ghanta showed it could make capsules of wound-healing mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and implant them next to wounded hearts using minimally invasive techniques. Within four weeks, heart healing was 2.5 times greater in animals treated with shielded stem cells than those treated with nonshielded stem cells, the researchers found.
The study is available online in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal Biomaterials Science.
Someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds in the United States. In each case, an artery that supplies blood to the heart becomes blocked and heart muscle tissue dies due to lack of blood. Hearts damaged by heart attacks pump less efficiently, and scar tissue from heart attack wounds can further reduce heart function.
"What we're trying to do is produce enough wound-healing chemicals called reparative factors at these sites so that damaged tissue is repaired and restored, as healthy tissue, and dead tissue scars don't form," said Veiseh, an assistant professor of bioengineering and CPRIT Scholar in Cancer Research at Rice.
Ghanta, associate professor of surgery at Baylor, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Harris Health's Ben Taub Hospital and co-lead author of the study, said prior studies have shown that MSCs, a type of adult stem cell produced in blood marrow, can promote tissue repair after a heart attack. But in clinical trials of MSCs, "cell viability has been a consistent challenge," Ghanta said.
"Many of the cells die after transplantation," he said. "Initially, researchers had hoped that stem cells would become heart cells, but that has not appeared to be the case. Rather, the cells release healing factors that enable repair and reduce the extent of the injury. By utilizing this shielded therapy approach, we aimed to improve this benefit by keeping them alive longer and in greater numbers."
A few MSC lines have been approved for human use, but Veiseh said transplant rejection has contributed to their lack of viability in trials.
"They're allogenic, meaning that they're not from the same recipient," he said. "The immune system perceives them as foreign. And so very rapidly, the immune system starts chewing at them and clearing them out."
Veiseh has spent years developing encapsulation technologies that are specifically designed not to activate the body's immune system. He co-founded Sigilon Therapeutics, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based biotech company that is developing encapsulated cell therapeutics for chronic diseases. Trials of Sigilon's treatment for hemophilia A are expected to enter the cliniclater this year.
"The immune system doesn't recognize our hydrogels as foreign, and doesn't initiate a reaction against the hydrogel," Veiseh said. "So we can load MSCs within these hydrogels, and the MSCs live well in the hydrogels. They also secrete the same reparative factors that they normally do, and because the hydrogels are porous, the wound-healing factors just diffuse out."
In previous studies, Veiseh and colleagues have shown that similar capsules can keep insulin-producing islet cells alive and thriving in rodents for more than six months. In the heart study, study co-lead author Samira Aghlara-Fotovat, a Rice bioengineering graduate student in Veiseh's lab, created 1.5-millimeter capsules that each contained about 30,000 MSCs. Several of the capsules were placed alongside wounded sections of heart muscle in animals that had experienced a heart attack. The study compared rates of heart healing in animals treated with shielded and unshielded stem cells, as well as an untreated control group.
"We can deliver the capsules through a catheter port system, and that's how we imagine they would be administered in a human patient," Veiseh said. "You could insert a catheter to the area outside of the heart and inject through the catheter using minimally invasive, image-guided techniques."
Veiseh said capsules in the study were held in place by the pericardium, a membrane that sheaths the heart. Tests at two weeks showed that MSCs were alive and thriving inside the implanted spheres.
More than 800,000 Americans have hearts attacks each year, and Ghanta is hopeful that encapsulated MSCs can one day be used to treat some of them.
"With further development, this combination of biomaterials and stem cells could be useful in delivering reparative therapy to heart attack patients," he said.
Veiseh said the pathway to regulatory approval could be streamlined as well.
"Clinical grade, allogenic MSCs are commercially available and are actively being used in patients for a range of applications," he said.
Veiseh credited Aghlara-Fotovat with doing much of the work on the project.
"She basically executed the vision," he said. "She developed the hydrogel formulation, the concept of how to package the MSCs within the hydrogel, and she did all the in vitro validation work to show that MSCs remained viable in the capsules."
Aghlara-Fotovat is co-mentored by Ghanta and worked in his lab at Baylor alongside research assistant Aarthi Pugazenthi, including assisting in rodent surgeries and experiments.
"What attracted me to the project was the unmet clinical need in (heart attack) recovery," Aghlara-Fotovat said. "Using hydrogels to deliver therapeutics was an exciting approach that aimed to overcome many challenges in the field of drug delivery. I also saw a clear path to translation into the clinic, which is the ultimate goal of my Ph.D."
"I think one of the things that attracts students to my lab in particular is the opportunity to do translational work," Veiseh said. "We work closely with physicians like Dr. Ghanta to address relevant problems to human health."
Study co-authors include Maria Jarvis, Sudip Mukherjee and Andrea Hernandez, all of Rice; and Pugazenthi, Christopher Ryan, Vivek Singh and Megumi Mathison, all of Baylor. The research was supported by an American Association of Thoracic Surgery Research Award, the Baylor College of Medicine Cardiovascular Research Institute, the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (RR160047), the National Institutes of Health (1R01DK120459), a Rice University Academy Fellowship, the Emerson Collective and the National Institutes of Health/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Research Training Program in Cardiovascular Surgery (T32 HL139430).
-30-
Links and resources:
The DOI of the Biomaterials Science paper is: 10.1039/D0BM00855A
https://news-network.rice.edu/news/files/2020/08/0817_CARDIOREPAIR-sm422-lg.jpg CAPTION: Sudip Mukherjee, a postdoctoral research associate at Rice University, displays a vial of alginate capsules loaded with mesenchymal stem cells. A study on rodents found that afour-week treatment with the capsules repaired most of the cardiac muscle damage caused by a heart attack. (Photo by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University)
Balance Your Life with Sustainably Produced Ayurveda Supplements
Tribe Organics is more than a supplement company; it is a way of life.
Tribe Organics mindfully selects and sustainably produces Ayurveda supplements for the pace of modern living. The company promotes health, wellness, and a harmonic balance with nature. Their wish is for all Tribe members to enjoy life, the greatest adventure of all.
The company was founded by two close friends who share a passion for the beauty of nature, and who value being active and enjoying the benefits of sports and wellness. The pair realized they didn’t want to follow the status quo, where they witnessed many of the world’s problems rooted in a disconnection with nature. The spirit of Tribe Organics was born to re-establish a balance between nature, mind and body and encourage others to do the same.
This spirit is carried out through the organization’s values as well as the wellness products that they produce and sell. The highest-grade ingredients are mindfully selected to have an extensive background of scientific research and certificates, ensuring that the purity and safety of the products are following the gudelines of the ancient Ayurvedic practices. Tribe’s top supplements include:
Organic KSM-66® Ashwagandha- Reduces stress, anxiety, worry and tension, improves sleep quality, enhances memory and mental clarity, imroves athletic performance and cardiovascular health, supports thyroid and adrenal function.
Turmeric Curcumin C3® Complex - Boosts mood, supercharges brain function, defends against stress and fatigue, promotes liver health and body detox.
Boswellia Complex – Fights inflammation, Improves joint health and mobility, promotes a healthy respiratory system, promotes healthy skin, and supports female reproductive health.
Organic Moringa - Boosts energy, stimulates nervous and digestive systems, helps manage weight, improves vision health, and promotes liver health.
The maximum health benefits from these natural ingredients are preserved through careful sourcing and manufacturing. Tribe intends to educate the planet’s current and future inhabitants on how to consciously love and respect Mother Nature. The company leads by example, by providing organic products that are sustainably sourced and harvested, promoting a healthy lifestile, care about others, and promoting environmental awareness at the same time.
The results of these supplements are both physical and mental. Tribe Organics believes that balance is the key to living a healthy and conscious life, and the supplements provide a balance of mind and body that customers can feel.
Victor Galán and Eduardo Oliver, the CEOs and co-founders of Tribe Organics, say, “Tribe is not a supplement company.” They add, “Tribe is the drumming, the heartbeat, the adventure that calls you forward into the real, the genuine, and the true. It is the life you’ve always been meaning to live.”
Tribe Organics was founded by Eduardo and Victor, two close friends for twenty years who share a passion for nature and its beauty. They love being active and enjoy the benefits of sports and wellness. The belief behind Tribe is that we are all one people, one family, one tribe, and that we are an extension of mother nature.
At a certain point in their lives, they realized they didn’t want to follow the status quo anymore. They knew that many, if not most, of the world’s problems are rooted in our disconnection with nature. Most people have stepped out of the harmonic ways of nature, which ultimately is balance, and have been feeling its negative effects.
Eduardo and Victor wanted to re-establish that balance, specifically between mind and body, and to encourage others to do the same. This was when the spirit of Tribe Organics was born. They combined passion for nature and wellness with a love for the world’s tribe to create more than healthy products.
Tribe mindfully selects the highest-grade ingredients and sustainably produces Ayurvedic supplements for the pace of modern living. The company provides people with products and a community that will enhance their lives in ways that they can feel both physically and mentally.
Tribe is not a supplement company. Tribe is the drumming. The heartbeat. The adventure that calls you forward into the real. The genuine. The true. The life you’ve always been meaning to live.
Follow Tribe Organics on Instagram at @tribe_organics
Canada Health Infoway and Loblaw Companies Limited Reach Agreement to Advance e-Prescribing
TORONTO, Aug. 18, 2020 /CNW/ - Canada Health Infoway (Infoway) and Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw) are pleased to announce that they have reached an agreement to advance e-prescribing in Canada.
Under the agreement, Shoppers Drug Mart, Loblaw retail pharmacies and QHR Technologies' AccuroEMR®, Canada's largest single electronic medical record platform, will work towards connecting with PrescribeIT®, Infoway's national e-prescribing service.
As a first step in the initiative, Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaw will begin to roll out PrescribeIT® in pharmacies already using software that is integrated with PrescribeIT®.
"This agreement will accelerate the adoption of e-prescribing in Canada, bringing significant benefits to patients, prescribers and health care systems across the country," said Ashesh Desai, Executive Vice President Pharmacy and Healthcare Businesses at Shoppers Drug Mart.
"PrescribeIT® has shown tremendous momentum since it launched," said Michael Green, President and CEO of Infoway. "This is an important expansion for PrescribeIT® and will help extend the benefits of the service more broadly."
Loblaw will continue to operate FreedomRx, the e-prescribing and messaging platform that is currently available predominantly to Loblaw and Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacies and physicians using AccuroEMR® as their electronic medical records system.
About Canada Health Infoway
Infoway helps to improve the health of Canadians by working with partners to accelerate the development, adoption and effective use of digital health across Canada. Through our investments, we help deliver better quality and access to care and more efficient delivery of health services for patients and clinicians. Infoway is an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government. Visit www.infoway-inforoute.ca.
About PrescribeIT®
Canada Health Infoway is working with Health Canada, the provinces and territories, and industry stakeholders to develop, operate and maintain the national e-prescribing service known as PrescribeIT®. PrescribeIT® will serve all Canadians, pharmacies and prescribers and provide safer and more effective medication management by enabling prescribers to transmit a prescription electronically between a prescriber's electronic medical record (EMR) and the pharmacy management system (PMS) of a patient's pharmacy of choice. PrescribeIT® will protect Canadians' personal health information from being sold or used for commercial activities. Visit www.PrescribeIT.ca.
About Loblaw Companies Limited Loblaw is Canada's food and pharmacy leader, and the nation's largest retailer. Loblaw provides Canadians with grocery, pharmacy, health and beauty, apparel, general merchandise, financial services and wireless mobile products and services. With more than 2,400 corporate, franchised and Associate-owned locations, Loblaw, its franchisees and associate-owners employ approximately 200,000 full- and part-time employees, making it one of Canada's largest private sector employers.
Loblaw's purpose – Live Life Well® – puts first the needs and well-being of Canadians who make one billion transactions annually in the company's stores. Loblaw is positioned to meet and exceed those needs in many ways: convenient locations; more than 1,050 grocery stores that span the value spectrum from discount to specialty; full-service pharmacies at nearly 1,400 Shoppers Drug Mart® and Pharmaprix® locations and close to 500 Loblaw locations; PC Financial® services; affordable Joe Fresh® fashion and family apparel; and three of Canada's top-consumer brands in Life Brand, no name® and President's Choice. For more information, visit Loblaw's website at www.loblaw.ca.
Gender Pay Gap Confirmed Among Physicians
TORONTO, Aug. 18, 2020 /CNW/ - In the largest study of its type in Canada, the Ontario Medical Association has identified a 15.6% unexplained pay gap between male and female doctors.
The OMA examined OHIP billings from 2017-18 which included nearly all doctors practising in Ontario and adjusted for certain factors, such as years of experience and work outside of business hours, to create an apples-to-apples comparison and found a gap of 15.6% in daily billings that it cannot explain.
"The gender pay gap is an unfortunate reality that crosses all sectors" said OMA CEO Allan O'Dette. "With this report we can start to address how it impacts physicians. Hopefully, this work will lead to better equity not only for doctors but for all women."
Significant variation in the unexplained billings gap was identified across specialty, geography, and practice setting (private vs. hospital). These differences may be important to understanding how to better combat pay inequities.
The unexplained gap was the highest among general and family practice physicians at 19% and lowest among surgeons at 10.2%. The gap was highest in a semi-urban setting (19.8%), and lowest in rural settings (10.1%) with urban landing in the middle (13.5%).
"Pay Equity is essential to ensuring that we have a diverse medical profession" said OMA President Dr. Samantha Hill. "We have seen in many sectors that there are huge benefits to end users when there is increased diversity. It would follow that patient outcomes will be improved by diversity in their physicians."
Further study is needed into the definitive causes of the unexplained gap as well as potential solutions. Possible drivers have been identified during physician consultations including, patient characteristics, referral networks, fee codes and coding practices, mix of services, and other factors reflecting societal gender-biased expectations and systemic discrimination. OMA leadership is committed to deeper dives into identifying the causes and working towards system-level approaches to solutions.
There are four recommendations in the paper:
OMA Leads Schedule of Benefits Reform The OMA should take a leadership role to revise the Schedule of Benefits in a way that better reflects the work required to perform each service. Any revisions should be considered through a gender lens to ensure that all physicians and patients are advantaged equally by the changes proposed.
OMA Advocates for Pay Equity The OMA should launch an advocacy campaign directed toward health system partners (e.g., hospitals, medical schools, etc.) to raise awareness about the gender pay/billing gap in medicine. The campaign could promote fair and equitable career advancement in medicine and institutional policies that promote equal pay for equal work.
OMA Advocates for Expanding Opportunities for Female Physicians The OMA should work to expand opportunities for female physicians (e.g., leadership development and networking opportunities) and medical learners (e.g., mentorship opportunities and career planning). The OMA should take steps to ensure female learners are not subjected to a hidden curriculum of inherent bias.
OMA Advocates for Improved Benefits for Ontario Physicians The OMA should advocate for access to benefits and supports similar to those enjoyed by other professionals (e.g., improved parental benefits would lessen financial burden associated with family formation and would benefit both male and female physicians).
About the OMA
The Ontario Medical Association represents Ontario's 43,000 plus physicians, medical students and retired physicians, advocating for and supporting doctors while strengthening the leadership role of doctors in caring for patients. Our vision is to be the trusted voice in transforming Ontario's health-care system.
SOURCE Ontario Medical Association
Gifted Storyteller’s Journey with Parkinson’s and Other Challenges of a Long Life
Boston, MA, August 18, 2020 — When Parkinson’s disease descended like a dense fog on master storyteller John J. Clayton, he was forced to pivot his perspective, change his expectations and write from a place he calls “… both alive and not alive. Like a kind of ghost …”
Parkinson's Blues: Stories of My Life begins with the arrival of the dark unexpected. In a Monty Python skit, someone in a drab living room complains about being nagged by questions. “I didn’t expect the Spanish Inquisition,” he complains. Suddenly Michael Palin, in red 16th century costume, bursts into the room. “Nobody Expects the Spanish Inquisition!” he shrieks.
Who expects the onset of Parkinson’s? Or cancer? Or stroke? Or the loss of a child? The terrible surprise—the life we didn’t expect—isn’t limited to Parkinson’s. It’s the existential condition of everyone’s life. In fourteen sketches, John J. Clayton links the experience of PD with the experience of childhood sickness, family battles, the struggle to make a good life out of a painful life. The sketches express the hope that we can grow spiritually in the midst of the terrible.
Through 14 eloquent stories — all of which underscore that Clayton’s gift and spirit remain fully intact — Clayton links the onset of Parkinson’s disease with other unexpected, and challenging experiences.
Parkinson’s Blues explores the anticipated pain and unexpected comedy of Parkinson’s in a manner that is deep, graceful and dignified.
Author John J. Clayton has published nine volumes of fiction, both novels and short stories. His collection of interwoven short stories, Minyan, was published in September 2016; his collection Many Seconds into the Future in 2014. Mitzvah Man, his fourth novel, arrived in 2011.
Clayton’s stories have appeared in AGNI, Virginia Quarterly Review, TriQuarterly, Sewanee Review, over twenty times in Commentary, in Notre Dame Review, Missouri Review and The Journal. Two personal essays have been recently published in Jewish Review of Books. His stories have won prizes in O.Henry Prize Stories, Best American Short Stories, and the Pushcart Prize anthology. His Radiance, a collection of stories, was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award.
Clayton grew up in New York City; received his B.A. at Columbia, his M.A. at NYU and his Ph.D. at Indiana. For much of his career he taught modern literature and fiction writing as professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He has also written two books of literary criticism: Saul Bellow: In Defense of Man and Gestures of Healing, a psychological study of the modern novel.
Room 217 Foundation and music therapists across the county are available for Skype, Facetime, Zoom, and Phoner Interviews
With a recent report from Mental Health Research Canada citing the rate of anxiety quadrupling in the wake of COVID-19, an increasing number of Canadians are seeking additional tools to ease their days. One such resource has been Canadian health arts organization Room 217 Foundation and the newly expanded release of their highly innovative non-pharmacological music care collections for digital streaming — available now.
Room 217 music is produced with defined therapeutic and artistic values, including familiar songs and sounds in comforting styles, 60-minute continuous play, with a mix of instrumental-only and albums with vocals — both gently arranged for up to six voices or instruments. Tempos are paced between 54 - 72 beats per minute to entrain with a resting heart rate, and the collections have been streamed upwards of 500,000 times since launching.
“Since we’ve been under social isolation rules, there has been all kinds of social chatter about people experiencing sleep disturbances, sadness, anxiety and depression,” says Room 217 Foundation Executive Director Bev Foster. “Living with these weights on our shoulders, especially as we are socially isolated from the people we love and who support us, is affecting many people’s mental health.
“Our library offers demonstrated relief for care providers, family members, frontline workers, and self-care alike.”
Initially designed as an accessible comfort tool in the resource kits of nursing and care staff, volunteers, hospices, palliative care units, long-term care and assisted living homes, Room 217’s increased availability offers unprecedented access for home and personal use within families.
A world leader in music care, Room 217’s expanded digital availability adds to already more than 45,000+ copies sold worldwide, and includes this season’s newest releases: Collection 3: Diverse Sounds, Collection 4: Boomer Tracks.
Also available are Collection 1: Soul Comfort and Collection 2: Memorable Moments. Each collection features six full-length albums.
“Room 217 Music Collections were initially designed to be a cost-effective comfort tool to meet the psychosocial and spiritual needs of persons in palliative and end-of-life care,” Foster shares. “We are forerunners in bringing the caregiver, especially the family caregiver as a vital care partner, into the music and health sector.
“Our Music Collections can be used in self-care, too — especially among those suffering forms of insomnia, burnout, compassion fatigue, or increased anxiety and depression.”
Her recommendations? “If you’re experiencing trouble sleeping, I’d start with Gentle Waters, British Invasion, or Lotus Blossom,” she offers. “My favourite for starting the day off is Road Trip, and Broadway Melodies, and Bamboo Garden is perfect if you’re trying to focus while working or reset in the afternoon.”
Promoting sleep and a general sense of peacefulness, Room 217 Music Collections have been proven to help alleviate agitation and anxiety, provide comfort and a distraction from pain, make eating more enjoyable, assist in closure and relationship completion, enhance communications through reminiscence, and more, as well as de-stress caregivers and make care and dying spaces beautiful.
Since its creation, Room 217 has dedicated itself to be a world- and industry-leader wholly focused on developing, producing and delivering research-informed music care products, education, training, and research.
“Music care is the intentional use of music by anyone to improve health and well-being,” Foster explains. “Music care integrates sound, silence and music into the circle of care, paying close attention to how interpersonal connection and human contact is enhanced through musical associations.
“I’ve been so encouraged by the number of videos shared since the start of COVID-19 featuring singing and music as a coping mechanism,” she continues. “In addition to tapping music for stress or emotional relief, it can be used to celebrate, feel connected, and as a means of expression.
“There’s even history on the use of music in other pandemics.”
Room 217 is a Canadian music-based health arts organization and social enterprise providing innovative approaches to well-being through a philosophy of music care. Collaborating with a top-notch team of skilled music educators, music therapists, music and health researchers, and community musicians and artists, the organization produces and delivers music care products, education, and training to help carers integrate music into their regular practice to enhance quality of life and improve the care experience.
In its 11 years of groundbreaking work, the impact Room 217 Foundation has had on those both receiving and providing care is immense. Through the development of numerous music care conferences, education platforms and products currently implemented within care settings across the country and around the world — including the Pathways Singing Program for dementia care, Conversation Cards for music sharing, Recollections for reminiscence, and Music Collections for palliative and end-of-life care — the Foundation is considered a national and international leader within the industry.
Room 217 Music Collections 1 - 4 are available now.
DUPIXENT® (dupilumab injection) now approved by Health Canada for severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis
First biologic approved in Canada for adults with severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP)1
Third indication for DUPIXENT® in Canada following moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in adults and adolescents2
MISSISSAUGA, ON, Aug. 18, 2020 /CNW/ - Sanofi Canada announced today that Health Canada approved a new indication for DUPIXENT® (dupilumab injection), as an add-on maintenance treatment with intranasal corticosteroids in adult patients with severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) inadequately controlled by systemic corticosteroids and/or surgery,3 making it the first biologic for the treatment of this disease in Canada.4
CRSwNP is a chronic, type 2 inflammatory disease of the upper airway that obstructs the sinuses and nasal passages. It can lead to breathing difficulties, nasal congestion and discharge, reduced or loss of sense of smell and taste and facial pressure.5
"At Sanofi Genzyme, we are committed to making a difference for patients by introducing innovative therapies that address unmet needs. The approval of Dupixent® for CRSwNP provides patients with the first biologic treatment to address the type 2 inflammation that underlies this debilitating disease," says Marissa Poole, Country Lead, Sanofi Canada and General Manager, Sanofi Genzyme Canada.
DUPIXENT® is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits the signaling of the interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-13 (IL-13) proteins6 and is not an immunosuppressant. Data from DUPIXENT® clinical trials have shown that IL-4 and IL-13 are key drivers of the type 2 inflammation that plays a major role in atopic dermatitis and CRSwNP.
"Current standard of care therapies for CRSwNP use combinations of intranasal and systemic corticosteroids, with endoscopic sinus surgery, or ESS, used to treat patients not controlled by medication. Unfortunately, surgery is not universally effective, and in certain instances, disease can recur in as little as six months after surgery,"says Dr. Martin Desrosiers, Clinical Professor, Program Director, ORL-HNS, Université de Montréal. "Until now, therapeutic options for patients with surgery-unresponsive disease has been repeat surgery, with some patients undergoing as many as 10 previous surgeries. In clinical trials, DUPIXENT® has shown the capacity to control disease in this hard to treat group of patients, without resorting to surgery. The availability of DUPIXENT® thus provides a welcome new treatment option to help Canadian patients living with the burden of uncontrolled CRSwNP."
About the DUPIXENT® Clinical Program
The Health Canada approval is based on two pivotal Phase 3 trials (the 24-week SINUS-24 and 52-week SINUS-52) that evaluated DUPIXENT® 300 mg every two weeks plus standard-of-care intranasal corticosteroids compared to placebo plus intranasal corticosteroids.7 In these trials, patients treated with DUPIXENT® achieved statistically significant improvements in all primary and secondary endpoints at 24 weeks.8 Treatment effects on nasal congestion and loss of smell were observed with the first assessment at 4 weeks and showed continued improvement for the duration of the trials.9 In the CRSwNP clinical trials, the common (at least 1%) adverse events in the DUPIXENT® group were inflammation of the eye and eyelids (conjunctivitis), high count of certain white blood cells (eosinophilia), injection site reactions and injection site swelling.10
About DUPIXENT®
DUPIXENT® was first approved by Health Canada on November 30, 2017 and remains the only biologic medicine for the treatment of adult patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis whose disease is not adequately controlled with topical prescription therapies or when those therapies are not advisable.11 In September 2019, Health Canada expanded the approval to include adolescents aged 12 years and older.12
DUPIXENT® is jointly developed by Sanofi and Regeneron under a global collaboration agreement.
About Sanofi
Sanofi is dedicated to supporting people through their health challenges. We are a global biopharmaceutical company focused on human health. We prevent illness with vaccines, provide innovative treatments to fight pain and ease suffering. We stand by the few who suffer from rare diseases and the millions with long-term chronic conditions.
With more than 100,000 people in 100 countries, Sanofi is transforming scientific innovation into healthcare solutions around the globe.
Sanofi entities in Canada employ approximately 2,000 people. In 2018, we invested more than $127 million in R&D in Canada, creating jobs, business and opportunity throughout the country.
1 DUPIXENT® Canada Product Monograph. August 12, 2020.
2 DUPIXENT® Canada Product Monograph. August 12, 2020.
3 DUPIXENT® Canada Product Monograph. August 12, 2020.
4 DUPIXENT® Canada Product Monograph. August 12, 2020.
5Can Fam Physician. 2013;59(12):1275-81, e528-34
6 DUPIXENT® Canada Product Monograph. August 12, 2020.
7 DUPIXENT® Canada Product Monograph. August 12, 2020.
8 DUPIXENT® Canada Product Monograph. August 12, 2020.
9 DUPIXENT® Canada Product Monograph. August 12, 2020.
10 DUPIXENT® Canada Product Monograph. August 12, 2020.
11 DUPIXENT® Canada Product Monograph. August 12, 2020.
12 DUPIXENT® Canada Product Monograph. August 12, 2020.
SOURCE Sanofi Canada
St. Jude pediatric cancer expert warns: We can’t allow COVID-19 to disrupt child immunizations
Child immunizations plummeted during pandemic; but now is the time to immunize children returning to virtual or in-person school
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – As families with school-aged children prepare for the start of another academic year, now is the time to ensure children get their recommended vaccinations.
“We do not want to allow COVID-19 to disrupt our immunity against other diseases, such as measles, mumps, rubella and whooping cough. And we do not want to allow COVID-19 to derail our progress in preventing HPV cancers through vaccination. Get your child vaccinated today,” Brandt said. “The coronavirus pandemic has had an especially dramatic effect on HPV vaccination rates, which are already lower than ideal in many regions of the United States.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood immunization rates have plummeted during the pandemic. As governors issued stay-at-home orders, many parents have canceled or postponed vaccinations. The CDC has recommendations for how vaccines can be safely administered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health care providers are demonstrating great creativity and flexibility to safely meet the needs of their patients, Brandt said. For example, some pediatricians are doing parking lot visits for parents who have concerns about bringing their children into the office. Others are designating specific days or hours for well-child visits to make sure their patients remain up to date on vaccines.
“The HPV vaccine is a safe and effective way to prevent six types of cancer in men and women. Around 80% of people will get an HPV infection in their lifetime; through HPV vaccination today, we can help protect children from cancers later in life,” Brandt said.
The CDC recommends HPV vaccination for all 11- and 12-year-olds, beginning in children as young as 9 years old. For those vaccinated before age 15, only two doses are needed. Three doses are required for those aged 15 and older. HPV vaccination is just one of the vaccines recommended for this age group. Tdap and meningococcal vaccines plus the seasonal influenza vaccine also are recommended and can be given safely at the same time.
Media Advisory - CMPA hosts expert panel - Lessons in virtual care from the COVID-19 pandemic
OTTAWA, ON, Aug. 18, 2020 /CNW/ - The Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) will host a virtual Education Session titled Virtual Care in Canada: Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic on Monday, August 24, 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic abruptly changed the healthcare landscape, unexpectedly driving many physicians to adopt virtual care. As the uptake of virtual care continues to surge, it is crucial that physicians learn how to leverage the opportunities virtual care provides and navigate the challenges to ensure a safe virtual care experience for patients.
Join the webcast to hear from our distinguished panel of experts as they share their different viewpoints to explore appropriate use of virtual care, telehealth, and digital platforms:
Dr. Guylaine Lefebvre, Managing Director, Safe Medical Care (Moderator)
Mr. Seamus Blackmore, Atlantic Canada, Health Consulting Leader, Deloitte (Keynote Speaker)
Dr. Darren Larsen, Chief Medical Officer, OntarioMD
Dr. Heidi Oetter, Registrar and CEO, College of Physicians & Surgeons of BC
Mr. Daniel Boivin, CMPA General Counsel, Partner, Gowling WLG
Members of the media interested in attending the CMPA's first virtual Education Session will need to contact Noëlla LeBlanc, Manager, Communication Services to obtain login information. One-on-one interviews with panelists can be secured in advance of the Session.
Date:
Monday, August 24, 2020
Time:
Education Session—2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST
About the CMPA
The CMPA delivers efficient, high quality physician-to-physician advice and assistance in medical-legal matters, including the provision of appropriate compensation to patients injured by negligent medical care (fault in Québec). Our evidence-based products and services enhance the safety of medical care, reducing unnecessary harm and costs.
As Canada's largest physician organization and with the support of our over 100,000 physician members, the CMPA collaborates, advocates, and effects positive change on important healthcare and medical-legal issues. The Association is governed by an elected Council of physicians.
SOURCE Canadian Medical Protective Association
Switch Health delivers solutions for safe air travel, announces partnership with Pure Health for travel between Canada and the UAE
First-of-its-kind partnership in Canada to provide testing for Emirates & Etihad travellers.
TORONTO, Aug. 17, 2020 /CNW/ - Switch Health, a Canadian company and industry leader in COVID-19 testing initiatives, is pleased to announce its partnership with Pure Health, the largest laboratory network in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to bring safe travel to passengers flying from Canada to the UAE. This first-of-its-kind partnership in Canada will provide polymerase chain reaction (PCR) COVID-19 testing conducted pre-departure to allow for safe and reliable air travel for those travelling to the UAE.
Switch Health is pleased to be chosen as Pure Health's Canadian testing arm and is thrilled to be a part of the resumption of air travel that will kick start the global economy. "Pure Health, in partnership with the UAE government, is leading the way on air travel in a COVID-19 world. Switch Health is pleased to be a part of a worldwide collaborative effort to open up global tourism and business, and we look forward to expanding such services for Canadian airlines," says Dilian Stoyanov, CEO of Switch Health.
As of August 1, all travellers entering the UAE are required to undergo a pre-departure COVID-19 PCR test. Pre-departure testing, conducted by Switch Health, reassures travellers of their safety while on the aircraft. Upon landing in the UAE, travellers will again be tested for COVID-19 through Pure Health's on-site airport testing clinics.
Switch Health currently has five (5) travel clinics across the Greater Toronto Area that provide accessible COVID-19 testing. After airline ticket purchase, travellers will be prompted to book appointments for testing at a nearby Switch Health travel clinic through the web portal https://screening.purehealth.ae/. In order to board the aircraft, travellers must present a negative COVID-19 result valid 96 hours before departure. Switch Health is rapidly increasing the number of collection centres across Canada to improve access to COVID-19 testing for Etihad and Emirates airline travellers and is expanding such options for other airlines and destinations.
About Switch Health Switch Health, a Toronto-based decentralized healthcare company, has quickly become an industry leader in COVID-19 testing initiatives. Established in early 2017, Switch Health has made a name for itself in connected disease management technologies. COVID-19 has accelerated the company's long-term goals of creating better patient care, beginning with mobile COVID-19 testing. Switch Health is revolutionizing patient care through decentralized diagnostics and testing options that democratize patient health information, making care more accessible. For more details about Switch Health, please visit www.switchhealth.ca.
About Pure Health Pure Health, a UAE-based laboratory operator and operator of the largest network of laboratories in the GCC, was assigned by the UAE Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship to conduct PCR tests for passengers entering UAE airports prior to their departure from global cities. To date, Pure Health has a network of over 500 partner laboratories worldwide and holds the largest laboratory network for COVID-19 testing in the Middle East. For more details on Pure Health, please visit www.purehealth.ae.
