Balaji Srinivasan, who was hired as a general partner by Andreessen Horowitz to help the firm move into new areas, has spearheaded the firm’s first major foray into health-care investing with a $23 million Series B round for digital therapy companyOmada Health, Tim Hay reports for VentureWire. Though Andreessen has backed several consumer-facing health technology companies, the funding for Omada was the first double-digit venture capital round for a company with clinically proven, prescription-based products,  and it’s Andreessen’s first board seat at such a company.

Read more: 
http://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/2014/04/09/the-daily-startup-andreessen-horowitz-makes-major-foray-into-health-care//#the-daily-startup-andreessen-horowitz-makes-major-foray-into-health-care

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. April 7, 2014 - OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: OMED), a clinical- stage company developing novel therapeutics that target cancer stem cells (CSCs), or tumor-initiating cells, today announced data from an oral presentation and eight poster presentations at the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA April 5-9, 2014. The research presented at AACR highlighted OncoMed’s drug discovery platforms along with preclinical and biomarker discoveries on its clinical-stage product candidates and several emerging product candidates. A brief summary of each presentation is provided below.

“The nine presentations at this year’s AACR Annual Meeting demonstrate the breadth and depth of OncoMed’s preclinical research and discovery work. Encompassing many of our clinical and preclinical stage candidates, data being presented this week highlight the potent anti-cancer stem cell activity seen across our portfolio, the opportunities to combine our compounds with standard-of-care, and our ongoing biomarker identification efforts being applied to programs in clinical development,” said John Lewicki, PhD, Executive Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer. 

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REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Feb. 18, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:OMED), a clinical-stage company developing novel therapeutics that target cancer stem cells (CSCs), or tumor-initiating cells, today announced that it has started a multi-center Phase 1b clinical trial of OMP-54F28 (Fzd8-Fc) with sorafenib (Nexavar®) in hepatocellular cancer (HCC). OMP-54F28 is a first-in-class Wnt-pathway-targeting decoy receptor and is part of OncoMed's collaboration with Bayer Pharma AG (Bayer). This is the second of three Phase 1b trials for OMP-54F28 to begin patient enrollment; earlier this year OncoMed initiated a Phase 1b of OMP-54F28 with nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane®) and gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer.

Read More: http://www.4-traders.com/ONCOMED-PHARMACEUTICALS-I-13644077/news/Oncomed-Pharmaceuticals-Inc--OncoMed-Pharmaceuticals-Initiates-Second-Phase-1b-Clinical-Trial-for-O-18022674/

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Feb. 20, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:OMED), a clinical-stage company developing novel therapeutics that target cancer stem cells (CSCs), or tumor-initiating cells, today announced the initiation of patient treatment for its third multi-center Phase 1b clinical trial of OMP-54F28 (Fzd8-Fc) with carboplatin and paclitaxel in patients with platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer. OMP-54F28 is a first-in-class decoy receptor targeting the Wnt pathway and is part of OncoMed's collaboration with Bayer Pharma AG (Bayer). 

With the commencement of this clinical study, all six of OncoMed's planned Phase 1b clinical trials for its proprietary Wnt-pathway-targeting compounds, vantictumab (OMP-18R5) and OMP-54F28, are now enrolling patients. Earlier this year OncoMed initiated two separate Phase 1b clinical trials of OMP-54F28 with nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane®) and gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer, and with sorafenib (Nexavar®) in hepatocellular cancer. During the fourth quarter of 2013, OncoMed initiated three Phase 1b trials for its anti-Frizzled antibody, vantictumab; in combination with paclitaxel in breast cancer, with nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer, and with docetaxel in non-small cell lung cancer.

"With the initiation of our Phase 1b study of OMP-54F28 in ovarian cancer, we have now achieved our goal of six open Phase 1b combination trials for our two anti-cancer stem cell clinical candidates that target the Wnt pathway," said Paul J. Hastings, OncoMed's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Both candidates have demonstrated promising early data and these Phase 1b combination studies will provide critical data for Bayer to exercise their option to license OMP-54F28 and vantictumab and for the planning and execution of Phase 2 clinical studies."

Read more: http://investor.shareholder.com/oncomed/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=827061

During a Stanford MedX Live panel on healthcare entrepreneurship Tuesday night, someone on Twitter posed an important question: How can we better incorporate the patient’s voice into the development of healthcare IT?

Adrian James is co-founder of Omada Health, a venture-backed digital health company that designed a 16-week diabetes prevention program to help at-risk people develop healthier habits through social support, data tracking, personalized coaching and structured learning. It’s based on the Diabetes Prevention Program, which was tested in a 3,200-subject study and demonstrated that people with pre-diabetes could cut their risk of disease progression by losing weight through exercise and diet changes.

The former designer at IDEO explained that one of the first steps in creating Omada Health was getting user feedback, even before there was a product.

“We literally went out with a single printed piece of paper – it was this concept that we might be able to match people with pre-diabetes into small groups and usher them, in a virtual setting, through this clinical trial,” he said.

“We’d walk with people through their homes, we’d hear their story, and then we’d put this concept in their hands and just let them tell us about what it was.”

Read more: http://medcitynews.com/2014/02/bringing-patients-design-process-heres-two-digital-health-startups/#ixzz2uT9bGERh

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Feb. 18, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OMED), a clinical-stage company developing novel therapeutics that target cancer stem cells (CSCs), or tumor-initiating cells, today announced that it has started a multi-center Phase 1b clinical trial of OMP-54F28 (Fzd8-Fc) with sorafenib (Nexavar(R)) in hepatocellular cancer (HCC). OMP-54F28 is a first-in-class Wnt-pathway-targeting decoy receptor and is part of OncoMed's collaboration with Bayer Pharma AG (Bayer). This is the second of three Phase 1b trials for OMP-54F28 to begin patient enrollment; earlier this year OncoMed initiated a Phase 1b of OMP-54F28 with nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane(R)) and gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer.

The Phase 1b clinical trial is a dose-escalation study of OMP-54F28 in combination with sorafenib in patients with first-line locally advanced or metastatic HCC. Primary objectives of the trial are to evaluate safety of this combination regimen and determine a recommended Phase 2 dose for OMP-54F28 in combination with sorafenib. Key secondary and exploratory objectives include evaluation of the pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of OMP-54F28, as well as the efficacy of this combination. Tumor tissue from patients will be used to explore predictive biomarker hypotheses related to the efficacy of OMP-54F28.

Safi Shahda, M.D., Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine at Indiana University in Indianapolis, IN, is the principal investigator who treated the first patient enrolled in this study. Dr. Shahda commented, "Hepatocellular cancer is a devastating form of liver cancer that is a significant cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Patients with more advanced disease have very few treatment options. OMP-54F28 holds the potential to make a real difference for these patients as it was designed to attack so-called cancer stem cells that can generate new cancer cells and are particularly resistant to currently available cancer drugs."

Read more: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/oncomed-pharmaceuticals-initiates-second-phase-133000941.html

BATON ROUGE – Many of us know a family member, friend or other loved one who is living with diabetes. There are 27 million Americans who have diabetes, and Louisiana has the second-highest diabetes mortality rate in the nation. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is taking a leading role in addressing this condition, becoming the first health insurance company and employer in Louisiana to implement an online diabetes prevention program, called Prevent, in partnership with Omada Health.

While the seriousness and potential effects of diabetes are widely reported, many people are unaware of an even more common problem: prediabetes.  

Prediabetes, as the name implies, is considered the early warning stage for diabetes. People with prediabetes have higher-than-normal blood sugar levels, which can cause kidney, nerve or eye damage. And 70 percent of people who have prediabetes will eventually develop Type 2 diabetes. But, most people who have prediabetes—90 percent—do not even know they have it. This is unfortunate, as one in three Americans, or 87 million, are living with prediabetes, and they could reduce or eliminate their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by making moderate lifestyle changes like exercising, eating a healthier diet and losing weight. Research shows people who participate in diabetes prevention programs can reduce their risk for Type 2 diabetes by 58 to 71 percent.

Read more: http://www.bcbs.com/healthcare-news/plans/bcbsla-joins-with-omada-health-to-offer-cutting-edge-diabetes-prevention-program.html#/%23blue-cross-and-blue-shield-of-louisiana-joins-with-omada-health-to-offer-cutting-edge-diabetes-prevention-program

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Feb. 3, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:OMED), a clinical-stage company developing novel therapeutics that target cancer stem cells (CSCs), or tumor-initiating cells, today announced the issuance of its fourth broad U.S. patent relating to antibodies that target the RSPO-LGR cancer stem cell pathway. The new patent, U.S. Patent No. 8,628,774, covers certain methods of treating cancer with antibodies that bind human leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor (LGR) proteins and either disrupt the binding of such proteins to their ligands, the R-spondin (RSPO) proteins, or disrupt RSPO activation of LGR signaling.  RSPO-LGR pathway patents previously granted to OncoMed include U.S. Patent Nos. 8,158,757, 8,158,758 and 8,540,989.

OncoMed's broad RSPO-LGR pathway patents stem from patent applications filed after OncoMed scientists made certain key discoveries about the RSPO-LGR pathway several years ago. Since then, OncoMed has identified multiple antibodies targeting the RSPO-LGR pathway and demonstrated the activity of these antibodies in preclinical studies.  An Investigational New Drug (IND) filing for anti-RSPO3, OncoMed's first antibody targeting the RSPO-LGR pathway, is planned for late 2014 or early 2015. OncoMed's RSPO-LGR pathway programs are part of OncoMed's recent collaboration with Celgene Corporation. 

"OncoMed's latest broad RSPO-LGR pathway patent is a great addition to our extensive IP portfolio," said Paul J. Hastings, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of OncoMed.  "RSPO-LGR is a potentially important cancer stem cell pathway and our research programs have generated a number of antibodies, including anti-RSPO3, with encouraging anti-CSC preclinical data."

Read more: 
http://investor.shareholder.com/oncomed/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=822732
http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20140203-905337.html

MENLO PARK, CA – January 27, 2014 – AtheroMed, a developer of innovative catheter technologies for treating peripheral artery disease (PAD), today announced that it has received FDA clearance to market the Phoenix Atherectomy System®, which allows physicians to treat PAD with a low profile atherectomy catheter that continuously removes diseased material as it is debulked and does not require specialized capital equipment.
“Peripheral artery disease, especially lesions located below the knee, can be challenging to treat, even with currently available technologies,” said Dr. Thomas Davis, Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab and Director of Peripheral Interventions and Disease at St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit, MI. “My experience with the Phoenix device during the EASE clinical study was extremely positive, and I am excited that the device is now available as it will allow me to debulk small vessels that I may not have been able to treat in the past.”

Read more: http://www.atheromedinc.com/atheromed-announces-fda-clearance-to-market-the-phoenix-atherectomy-system-for-treating-peripheral-artery-disease/

MALVERN, Pa., Jan. 21, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TetraLogic Pharmaceuticals Corporation (Nasdaq:TLOG) today announced that it has entered into a research collaboration with the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research to examine TetraLogic's SMAC-Mimetic birinapant in viral infections. Preclinical studies performed at the WEHI have indicated that SMAC-Mimetics decrease the viral burden in mice with human Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) by inducing apoptosis of virally infected hepatocytes while sparing the non-infected cells.

TetraLogic has entered into a license agreement with WEHI for worldwide exclusive rights to a patent application filed by the institute relating to a method of treating intracellular infections involving the administration of an Inhibitor of Apoptosis (IAP) antagonist.

"Our work with TetraLogic, if successful, will provide a truly novel approach," said Professor Douglas Hilton, Director, WEHI. "This is further evidence of our commitment to perform research that has a direct impact on the lives of patients."

"We are very excited about this collaboration and look forward to further progress in the research program with WEHI," said Mr. Kevin Buchi, CEO of TetraLogic. "This is an opportunity to build on pioneering basic research to attack infectious disease with a completely novel therapeutic approach."

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. 

Read more: http://ir.tetralogicpharma.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=820211