Chang Gung Memorial Hospital first in Taiwan to use Varian RapidArc(TM)

One of the largest hospital groups in Taiwan, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Linkou has begun treatments using a new, faster form of radiotherapy that potentially enables doctors to improve outcomes while extending modern care to more patients. According to the hospital, a 50-year-old male patient with head and neck cancer was the first patient in Taiwan to be treated using RapidArc(TM) technology from Varian Medical Systems.

Dr. Ji-Hong Hong M.D., director of the hospital’s department of radiation oncology, carried out the pioneering treatment conducted the procedure in just two and half minutes using two arcs, or rotations, of the machine around the patient. This is in comparison to conventional IMRT (intensity modulated radiotherapy) treatments, which would have taken 8 to 10 minutes, according to the doctor.

Varian's RapidArc(TM) System. Picture from Varian Medical Systems.

“Along with prostate cancer, head and neck tumors are the most common cancer treated with radiotherapy in Taiwan and we feel patients with these forms of cancer will be the main beneficiaries of RapidArc,” says Dr. Hong. “The first patient received radiotherapy using RapidArc for tumors at the base of his tongue and right neck node metastasis. It was quite a complex treatment but delivery was very quick and efficient, with reduced dose to healthy tissue. We were extremely happy with the performance.”

Chang Gung Memorial Hospital’s department of radiation oncology treats up to 300 patients each day and sees between 2,600 and 3,000 new cancer patients each year. Such a heavy workload results in mounting waiting lists and Dr. Hong believes RapidArc is a good way to relieve pressure on these waiting lists without compromising the quality of the treatments offered.

Polartechnics looks to Shareholders to Raise Funds

Polartechnics, the Australian manufacturer of diagnostic kits for cervical cancer and melanoma, announced yesterday that it will launch a Share Purchase Plan (SPP) in February 2009 to present shareholders of the company, entitling them to acquire additional parcels of ordinary fully paid shares in the company. Under the plan, each eligible shareholder, irrespective of their current size of shares held, will be to purchase up to A$5,00o worth of new Polartechnics ordinary shares. Issue price for shares offered under the scheme will be A$0.11 per share, representing a 19.94% discount to the average traded market price recorded between 16th to 20th February 2009.

“We have overcome the challenges from scaling up our manufacturing to full production capacity putting us in a strong position to meet our sales forecasts for TruScreen. Additionally we have signed major distribution agreements for our new self-sampling products,” said Polartechnics Chairman, Robert Hunter.

According to the press release from the company, funds from the SPP will be funneled as working capital and for the continued expansion that will help the company distribute their products in a greater number of markets.

Taiwanese Scientists uses Silicates for Bone Regeneration

Biomaterials scientists in Taiwan have developed a quick-setting cement that could help broken bones to regenerate. This could probably replace calcium phosphates that were developed over 20 years ago as alternatives to polymer-based cements for mending damaged bones.

A biocompatible layer of bone-like apatite nodules forms on the cement's surface when it is immersed in a physiological solution

By using silicate rather than phosphate, a team led by Shinn-Jyh Ding at Chung-Shan Medical University, Taichung, has developed a quick-setting cement with promising biological properties. Earlier calcium silicate formulations had setting times of over an hour, which is too long for clinical applications, says Ding, but the new cement sets in just five minutes. This could make it a good candidate for bone replacements, he adds, because a biocompatible layer of bone-like apatite nodules forms on the cement’s surface when it is immersed in a physiological solution. Ding also mentions that in-vitro tests conducted suggest that the cement should encourage the growth of osteoblasts, the cells that are responsible for generating bone tissue, opening up the possibility of its use as an implant material.

Future research by the group, says Ding, will focus on improving the injectability and durability of the cement, which he suggests might be achieved by adding natural materials such as gelatin and chitosan.

Jake Barralet, a specialist in bioceramics at McGill University, Montreal, Canada, says that materials that stimulate tissue repair are the ‘next big thing’ in regenerative medicine. ‘It is not yet clear precisely what material parameters cause cell differentiation and tissue regeneration in bone, but this work broadens our knowledge in this growing field, and I look forward to reading further studies by this group,’ he says.

Takeda and XOMA expands Collaboration on Antibody Research

XOMA Ltd and Takeda Pharmaceutical expanded their present research collaboration allowing Takeda with access to multiple antibody technologies, including a suite of research and development technologies and integrated information and data management systems. According to the press release, XOMA will receive a $29 million expansion fee and may receive potential milestones and royalties on antibody products. XOMA may incur an estimated $7.5 million for taxes and other costs related to the expanded collaboration.

Both companies initiated a collaboration in November 2006, whereby XOMA will use its extensive collection of antibody phage display libraries and antibody optimization technologies to discover therapeutic antibodies in multiple therapeutic areas. XOMA’s activities may also include preclinical studies to support regulatory filings, cell line and process development, and production of antibodies for initial clinical trials. Meanwhile, Takeda is responsible for clinical trials and commercialization of drugs after IND submission, and has manufacturing rights once a product enters into phase 2 clinical trials.

The collaboration calls for Takeda to make up-front and milestone payments to XOMA, fund XOMA’s R&D activities including manufacturing of the antibodies for preclinical and early clinical supplies, and pay royalties to XOMA on sales of products resulting from the collaboration. In February 2007, the collaboration was expanded to increase the number of potential therapeutic antibody programs.

“This collaboration expansion is intended to help accelerate Takeda’s corporate goal of building a world class, highly competitive antibody product pipeline by augmenting its already significant in-house capabilities located in San Francisco and Osaka,” said Shigenori Ohkawa, PhD, General Manager of Pharmaceutical Research Division of Takeda. “With the antibody technologies of XOMA, we will further complement our antibody research activities for the creation of new drugs.”