BEND, Ore. - St. Charles Bend announced Monday it is the first hospital in Oregon to offer a new treatment program for patients at risk for stroke due to blockages in their neck arteries.

The minimally invasive procedure, called TransCarotid Artery Revascularization or TCAR, utilizes a new FDA-approved neuroprotection system that temporarily reverses blood flow in the artery during the procedure. Dangerous bits of plaque and blood clots that could dislodge and otherwise travel to the brain and cause a stroke are safely diverted away while a dedicated transcarotid stent is inserted to open and stabilize the blockage. 

Prior to TCAR, the main treatment option for severe carotid artery disease was an open surgical procedure called carotid endarterectomy.

Read More: ​http://www.ktvz.com/news/st-charles-first-oregon-hospital-to-offer-carotid-artery-procedure/499916097

Q1 Cash Balance of $156.9M — Cash Through Q3 2019

Phase 2 Demcizumab DENALI Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Trial Did Not Meet Endpoints

Focused on Immuno-Oncology Pipeline and Celgene Collaboration Programs

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., May 08, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OncoMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:OMED), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel anti-cancer therapeutics, today announced first quarter financial results.  As of March 31, 2017, cash, and short-term investments totaled $156.9 million.

"We continue to drive forward our strong immuno-oncology R&D pipeline, including anti-TIGIT, wholly-owned GITRL-Fc trimer, and our novel undisclosed immuno-oncology discovery programs — as well as advancing programs in our Celgene collaboration to $98 million in potential opt-in payments within the next two years," said Paul J. Hastings, OncoMed's Chairman and CEO.  "With more than two years cash, we are dedicated to advancing our pipeline while exploring partnering opportunities to advance all of our programs."

Read More: www.oncomed.com/invest/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=1025195

Phase 1a Study Will Assess Novel Checkpoint Inhibitor as a Single Agent in Solid Tumors

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., May 04, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OncoMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:OMED), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel anti-cancer therapeutics, announced today that the first patient has been dosed in the company's Phase 1a clinical trial of anti-TIGIT (OMP-313M32).  Anti-TIGIT is an investigational immuno-oncology therapeutic candidate intended to block suppression of the immune system in tumors and enable immune system anti-tumor activity, similar to marketed checkpoint inhibitors that target the PD-L1-PD-1 axis.
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"The first wave of immuno-oncology agents demonstrated that disabling immune suppression mechanisms in tumors can enable the body's immune system to fight cancers with good efficacy. Still, available immunotherapies have limited results for many cancer patients, and there remains a pressing need for new agents and combinations to improve outcomes," said Johanna Bendell, M.D., Associate Director of the Drug Development Program at Sarah Cannon Research Institute and a lead investigator for the Phase 1a anti-TIGIT study.  "The immuno-suppressive receptor TIGIT is expressed on many different tumor types, giving us reason to believe that an anti-TIGIT antibody, such as OncoMed's OMP-313M32, has potential for broad activity in cancer patients. I look forward to seeing its performance in the clinic."

Read More: http://www.oncomed.com/invest/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=1024817

Outset Medical announced it received $76.5 million in Series C equity funding. A new investor, funds advised by T. Rowe Price Associates Inc., led the round, which also included participation from existing investors Fidelity Management & Research Company, Partner Fund Management LP, Warburg Pincus, Perceptive Advisors and The Vertical Group.

Outset’s technology, the Tablo Hemodialysis System, is aimed at clinics who want to develop the self-care option for patients. It can also be used in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities.

The company will use proceeds from the financing to expand the commercial introduction of the Tablo System in acute and chronic care markets in the United States.

Read More: ​http://www.nephrologynews.com/outset-medical-gets-financing-expand-introduction-tablo-dialysis-machine/

Financing to Expand U.S. Commercial Introduction and Manufacturing

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Outset Medical, a commercial-stage company delivering first-of-its-kind technology into the $13 billion global dialysis market, today announced $76.5 million in Series C equity funding. A new investor, funds advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., led the round, which also included participation from existing investors Fidelity Management & Research Company, Partner Fund Management LP, Warburg Pincus, Perceptive Advisors and The Vertical Group.

Outset’s technology, the Tablo™ Hemodialysis System, is the first novel dialysis system to reach the U.S. market in more than 15 years. The system can be used flexibly across a range of clinical settings from dialysis clinics to hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. The company will use proceeds from the financing to expand the commercial introduction of the Tablo System in acute and chronic care markets in the United States.

Read More: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170503005383/en/Outset-Medical-Announces-76.5-Million-Funding-Innovative

I heard Omada Health president Sean Duffy on an April 13, 2017 NEJM Catalyst webinar reference the road by which non-pharmacological, integrative diabetes care gained coverage. Duffy, a “high tech high touch” Bay Area entrepreneur, displayed his literally out-of-the-box thinking elsewhere in the webinar when he urged the medical industry to “build a pervasive culture in which in-person visits are a last resort.” Might this interesting executive’s experience offer insights for those who realize that lack of coverage for non-pharmacologic, integrative pain treatment is a massive barrier to human health? I set up an interview.
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First, however, I looked into the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) that Duffy said provides the data foundation for Omada’s now 50-state program. The 2002 DPP study compared a multi-modal integrative diabetes strategy - diet, physical activity and behavior modification - with the drug Metformin. The integrative arm performed with such success that research was halted early so public benefit could immediately commence.

Read More: www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/omada-healths-duffy-on-integrative-diabetes-coverages_us_57910576e4b0a1917a6e3e06

Extends Projected Cash Runway through Q3 2019 to Focus on Clinical-Stage Programs and Immuno-Oncology Discovery and Development

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., April 24, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OncoMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:OMED), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel anti-cancer therapeutics, announced today a significant reduction in its workforce to focus internal efforts on the advancement of three clinical-stage programs to key milestones and continued immuno-oncology drug discovery and development, while seeking to partner select pipeline assets. 

OncoMed will reduce its workforce by approximately 50 percent, resulting in 64 remaining full-time employees.  Through implementation of the plan announced today, OncoMed expects to realize significant cost savings of approximately $60 million over the next two years associated with personnel and operating expenses.  The company anticipates having sufficient cash to fund operations through Q3 2019, excluding any revenue generated from existing partnerships or potential new partnering arrangements. 
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Read More: http://www.oncomed.com/invest/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=1022595

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., April 17, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:OMED), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel anti-cancer stem cell and immuno-oncology therapeutics, today reported top-line results from the company's randomized 145-patient Phase 2 PINNACLE clinical trial of tarextumab (anti-Notch2/3, OMP-59R5) in combination with etoposide plus either cisplatin or carboplatin chemotherapy ("chemotherapy") in previously untreated patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer.  Results for the combination of tarextumab plus chemotherapy were undifferentiated from those of chemotherapy plus placebo, and therefore the trial did not meet its primary endpoint of progression-free survival or secondary endpoints of overall survival and biomarkers reflective of Notch pathway gene activation.

"Small cell lung cancer is a very difficult-to-treat disease and unfortunately, tarextumab did not show benefit over placebo in this Phase 2 trial," said Paul J. Hastings, OncoMed's Chairman and CEO.  "We deeply appreciate the participation by the investigators and staff, patients and caregivers who all contributed to the conduct and completion of this Phase 2 clinical trial."

OncoMed also announced today that it will discontinue enrollment in the Phase 1b clinical trial of brontictuzumab (anti-Notch1, OMP-52M51) in combination with trifluridine/tipiracil (Lonsurf®) in third-line colorectal cancer patients.  The combination of brontictuzumab plus chemotherapy was not tolerable in this patient population.

Read More: http://www.oncomed.com/invest/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=1021452

Complex aortic arch configurations and internal carotid artery (ICA) tortuosity were bad news for carotid artery stenting, but not endarterectomy, according to an MRI substudy of the International Carotid Stenting Study (ICSS).

New ischemic brain lesions on diffusion-weighted MRI after treatment were found in 51% of cases after stenting and 16% of cases after surgery (OR 6.0, 95% CI 2.9-12.4), the paper in the May 2017 issue of Stroke showed.

With carotid artery stenting, Leo Bonati, MD, of University Hospital Basel in Switzerland, and colleagues found age-independent predictors for new brain lesions to be aortic arch configuration type 2 or 3 (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.1-7.1) and an ICA angle of 60º or higher (OR 4.1, 95% CI 1.7-10.1).

Those whose largest ICA angle was at least 60º had a 12-fold higher risk of strokes during stenting over their peers with smaller ICA angles (OR 11.8, 95% CI 4.1-34.1).

Read More: ​​https://www.medpagetoday.com/cardiology/atherosclerosis/64568

Forrest General Hospital became the first hospital in Mississippi to use the transcarotid artery revascularization method of carotid stenting on Feb. 27.

The procedure was performed by Edgar Guzman, MD, FACS, RPVI, vascular surgeon at Forrest General Hospital.
TCAR is a new treatment option for carotid artery disease that prevents stroke during the procedure by temporarily reversing blood flow in the carotid artery. This prevents debris from traveling to the brain and causing a stroke. During the procedure, physicians implant a stent to treat the blockage and lower the patient’s risk of future stroke. After the stent is placed successfully to stabilize the plaque in the carotid artery, flow reversal is turned off and blood flow to the brain resumes in its normal direction.

“In this particular case, the patient had a previous surgical reconstruction and abnormalities of the blood vessels making traditional carotid stenting impossible," said Guzman. "TCAR allowed the team to overcome both issues, while at the same time reducing the risk of stroke via reversal of flow in the carotid artery. At the end of the procedure, the filter in the system had captured significant debris that would have caused a stroke had they reached the brain."

Read More: http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/local/2017/04/12/fgh-becomes-first-state-perform-tcar-procedure/100391240/