The news summaries appearing in BIO SmartBrief are based on original information from news organizations and are produced by SmartBrief, Inc., an independent e-mail newsletter publisher. The information is not compiled or summarized by BIO. Questions and comments should be directed to SmartBrief at bio@smartbrief.com.

Today's Top Story

• Vaccine could work against 90% of cancer types
  Vaxil BioTherapeutics and researchers from Tel Aviv University developed a therapeutic vaccine that allows a person's immune system to detect and destroy cancer cells. The vaccine targets MUC1, a molecule found in 90% of all cancer types that can help the immune system identify tumors. In a safety trial involving 10 patients with multiple myeloma, seven patients who received the vaccine had better immunity against cancer cells, and the others had no detectable cancer after treatment ended. The Telegraph (London) (4/8)     

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Health Care & Policy

• Presage and Millennium unite to develop cancer drug combos
  Presage Biosciences and Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Co. signed a research deal to identify novel cancer drug combinations for treatment of solid tumors. The agreement gives Millennium access to Presage's technology that allows multiple threads of drug candidates to be placed directly into a tumor. Presage will receive an upfront payment and research funding, plus development and regulatory milestone fees. Mass High Tech (Boston) (4/6)     

• PGen partners with American CryoStem on cellular treatments
  American CryoStem and Protein Genomics agreed to develop cellular treatments for the wound-healing and regenerative-therapy markets, focusing on injuries and difficult-to-treat conditions. The collaboration will draw on Elastatropin, a human-based protein patented by PGen, and adipose-derived stem cells and patented stromal cell culture media from American. Pharmaceutical Business Review Online (4/6)     

• AVI considers seeking partner for Duchenne muscular dystrophy drug
  AVI Biopharma is rethinking sole development of a drug candidate for Duchenne muscular dystrophy after midstage-trial results failed to impress investors. "I'm considering different options than I might have previously, in terms of considering a partnership," CEO Chris Garabedian said. Xconomy/Seattle (4/6)     

• Autism screening test is available for infants
  IntegraGen has introduced a genetic test, called ARISk, which is used to determine the risk of autism spectrum disorder in children from 6 to 30 months in age. The gender-specific assay will be provided only through autism doctors, pediatricians and child neurologists, company CEO Bernard Courtieu said. Mass High Tech (Boston) (4/5)     

• Experts create stem cell line that may aid in diabetes research
  Researchers at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics created a line of human stem cells that may help generate insulin-producing beta cells. The new stem cell line may also serve as a modeling tool to examine how human diseases progress, researchers reported in Cell/Stem Cell. MedCityNews.com (4/5)     

• Experts ID genes that trigger common childhood obesity
  Mutations in two common genes, OLFM4 and HOXB5, might predispose children to common forms of obesity, according to an analysis of 14 genomewide association studies published in Nature Genetics. The genes were active in extremely obese children and were identifiable but weaker in adults, suggesting that the genes have the most impact early in life, the lead researcher said. HealthDay News (4/9)     

Company & Financial News

• Prolor hopes to get $75M in offering
  Prolor Biotech will seek to raise $75 million by offering shares, according to an SEC filing. The money could be used for clinical trials of the company's long-lasting human growth hormone in adults and children. Globes (Israel) (4/8)     

• BioMarCare receives $900,000 for cancer biomarker development
  The Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation awarded BioMarCare Technologies a $900,000 grant for its joint project with Ariadne Diagnostics to develop a panel of biomarkers to help predict how well drugs that inhibit EGF receptors will work in individual colon cancer patients. Globes (Israel) (4/8)     

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Food & Agriculture

• Biotech cotton with longer fibers developed in China
  Chinese researchers have developed a biotech cotton whose fibers are an average of at least 3 millimeters longer than those of other varieties. Textiles made of short-fiber cotton have poor tensile strength, making them less competitive. Shanghai Daily (China) (4/5)     

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by BIO SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Personalized drugs that change outcomes attract VC (MedCityNews.com)

• Product cost becomes key in biotech drug development (Xconomy)

• Biotech sector sees increased funding for 1st quarter (BioWorld Online)

• Amgen and AstraZeneca partner on 5 biotech drugs (Reuters)

• Study: Genome sequencing does not definitively predict disease (The New York Times (tiered subscription model))

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Industrial & Environmental

• Algae-based-fuel plant in Australia nears completion
  Algae.Tec is getting ready to open its algae-based fuel production facility in Australia by the end of the month. The facility is ready to receive the bioreactors that are being built in Atlanta. Algae.Tec is also planning to develop another plant in Sri Lanka. Biofuels-News.com (U.K.) (4/5)     

News from BIO

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