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Thursday, May 28, 2015

腫瘤免疫微環境(macrophage/ neutrophil) 如何加速癌轉移 (MMP9)!

Tumor surroundings are shown to affect progression of different cancer subtypes Mikala Egeblad's team showed in mice that the progression of different types of breast cancer was influenced differently by the tissue -- the so-called tumor microenvironment -- in which the tumor is embedded. The tumor microenvironment and it turns out it's no different for cancer cells. In work published today in Neoplasia, a team of researchers led by Associate Professor Mikala Egeblad at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) found that two different mouse models of breast cancer progressed differently based on characteristics of the tumor microenvironment - the area of tissue in which the tumor is embedded. The tumor microenvironment includes cells and extracellular molecules that support the tumor's growth. Egeblad and her team looked at two types of breast cancer driven by different mutations, and found very different microenvironments. One common factor was the presence of an extracellular protein called matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9). It was expressed at similar levels in tumors from both breast cancer mouse models. MMP9 previously has been linked to the progression of many types of cancers. When the researchers deleted the Mmp9 gene, they found that the absence of the MMP9 protein delayed tumor onset only in one mouse model, and had no effect in the other model. Egeblad and her team found that whether MMP9 promoted cancer or not depended on the tumor microenvironment. Specifically, on the presence of another molecule that MMP9 is known to act on, called insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1). "If IGFBP-1 is not there, MMP9 didn't really have an effect, but if it's there, then MMP9 has a role," says Egeblad. This suggests that IGFBP-1 interacts with MMP9 to promote tumor formation. IGFBP-1 binds insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), which play a role in promoting cancer proliferation. "IGFBP-1 keeps the growth factors sequestered so they can't act on the cancer cells and can't make them proliferate," Egeblad says. "But if MMP9 is present, it degrades these IGFBPs and releases the growth factors." The release of the IGFs then accelerates cancer progression. Egeblad and her team looked in human cancer databases to see if the interaction between MMP9 and IGFBPs predicted breast cancer prognosis in humans. "We found that IGF-binding proteins are associated with a good prognosis, but if MMP9 is also present, there's no longer good association with survival," Egeblad says. The study's results have implications for anti-cancer drugs that target MMPs, and may explain why previous clinical trials using MMP inhibitors have failed, Egeblad says. "Maybe you can actually think about using these inhibitors if you better understand their biology," she says. The new study suggests that trials of MMP inhibitors could focus on patients whose tumor microenvironment contains IGFBPs, she says. More broadly, the research suggests that it may not be enough to see if a particular drug target is present in a certain type of cancer; researchers may also need to look for the presence of the molecules that the drug target acts upon. "It complicates things, but I think biologically it makes a lot of sense. You really need to dig deep and understand mechanistically what the target does," Egeblad says. The lab's next goal is to look more generally at the differences in microenvironments in different types of cancer. "What we're starting to learn now is that the microenvironments are different in different tumors, and that there is really a very intricate interplay between what's driving the mutations in cancer cells and the type of microenvironment they build around themselves," Egeblad says.

More information: "Presence of insulin-like growth factor binding proteins correlates with tumor-promoting effects of matrix metalloproteinase 9 in breast cancer " appears online in Neoplasia on May 27, 2105, 2015. The authors are: Jae-Hyun Park, Ph.D.; Morten G Rasch, Ph.D.; Jing Qiu; Ida K Lund, Ph.D.; Mikala Egeblad.



 


MMP9 promotes tumor progression in several mouse models of cancer. Therefore, we next compared the effect of MMP9 on tumor progression between our two models of different breast cancer subtypes, focusing on high-grade carcinomas. We found that in both subtype models, cells infiltrating the central, necrotic areas of the tumors and cells located in the stroma at the periphery of the tumors expressed MMP9. These MMP9-expressing cells co-expressed either the neutrophil/monocyte marker or the macrophage marker (Figure 3, A and B). The percentages of macrophages and neutrophils that expressed MMP9 were similar between the models (53-60% of neutrophils and 7% of macrophages; Figure 3, C and D). However, consistent with the very limited infiltration of neutrophils in the MMTV-Neu model (Figure 1C), most of the MMP9-expressing cells were macrophages in the MMTV-Neu model, while most of the MMP9-expressing cells were neutrophils in the C3(1)-Tag model (Figure 3, E and F).



Neoplasia, May 2015Volume 17, Issue 5, Pages 421–433

跨世代溶癌病毒疫苗FDA 將核准!!! Amgen 皰疹病毒 抗皮膚癌 (T-VEC, Talimogene Laherparepvec)

FDA panel gives a thumbs up to Amgen's T-Vec for melanoma  April 29, 2015 | By John Carroll  Amgen's regulatory team for talimogene laherparepvec (T-Vec) was grilled by a group of outside FDA experts who picked up on some major questions regarding the Phase III melanoma study that was used to back its new drug application. A vigorous defense of the drug, though, helped make a winning case for the therapy, which was ultimately supported by all but one member of the panel. There was considerable sentiment in favor of restricting the drug to certain patient groups, with some of the panelists expressing their frustration that they couldn't register a vote regarding the low likelihood that the drug would work for visceral (internal) tumors or later-stage patients. At the end of the day, though, the expanded panel voted 22 to 1 that the drug has a favorable risk/benefit profile. T-Vec is injected directly into tumors, where it replicates and then ideally ruptures the tumor cells. The rupture causes the release of antigens which in turn spur the immune system response--a kind of one-two punch that represents a different approach to treating melanoma. "There are clearly patients in my clinic I'd like to use this for," noted Patrick Hwu, a professor in the department of Melanoma Medical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center who voted to support T-Vec. A number of the experts noted that the more "arrows" they had in their therapeutic quiver, the better off patients would be. The final decision is being left in the hands of the FDA, though today's vote would make T-Vec an odds-on favorite for approval. If so, Amgen ($AMGN) is on track to score several possible approvals this year, marking some advances after analysts like Geoffrey Porges have criticized the Big Biotech's development strategy and heavy research costs. The day started with FDA reviewers offering some skeptical remarks about their interpretation of the late-stage data. "The evidence that talimogene has a systemic effect was limited and difficult to calculate," FDA reviewer Robert Le told the committee. In particular, committee members noted that there were widely different response rates among different subgroups in the study. For Le, "first line or less advanced patients may have responded better." "Subjects with small lesions may be more likely to respond," he added, "larger lesions less likely." Abigail Luo, who specifically focused on mixed survival benefits, also raised concerns about the removal of 7 patients from the control arm. That change may have skewed the results in favor of the drug arm, raising the prospect that investigator bias may have played a role in shaping the results. And her review "increases uncertainty of overall survival benefits" for the drug arm, though patients in the drug arm did live more than 4 months longer on average than the comparator arm. Another concern was viral "shedding," in which healthcare workers and others could be exposed and infected by the live herpes simplex virus used in T-Vec.

Amgen applied for full approval of T-Vec based on durable response. Amgen execs noted that the comparator treatment in the study, GM-CSF, has some effect, which may have influenced results as well. So overall, the observed results do give an idea of who benefits the most from T-Vec, they noted. Subgroup analysis--which tends to raise all sorts of issues related to statistical significance--also showed some dramatic differences in response, with first-line patients, for example, doing better than second-line patients. Amgen had some big factors playing in its favor. The experts, like the agency, lean heavily on the side of providing physicians and patients as many treatment choices as possible, particularly in the absence of serious toxicity issues. Treating late-stage cancer patients isn't an ideal world, and attitudes to safety and efficacy can be far more flexible in oncology than, say, chronic diseases. The agency also keeps an open mind when it comes to last-ditch efforts, after other treatments have failed.

"Metastatic melanoma continues to be a major challenge to patients and caregivers," Amgen stated after the vote Wednesday. "It is a complex and heterogeneous disease that often requires the use of multiple treatment modalities. Despite recent advances, the five-year survival rate for metastatic melanoma is still unacceptably low and nearly 10,000 patients are expected to die in the U.S. this year. It is clear from today's discussion that the committee recognized the importance of the need for new therapeutic options for patients with metastatic melanoma. We look forward to talking with the FDA about how to best make talimogene laherparepvec monotherapy available to patients as they complete their review of the Biologics License Application."


治療皮膚癌 基改皰疹病毒試驗見成效  2015-05-27 18:51:51根據今天公布的臨床試驗結果,基因改造的皰疹病毒可有效對抗皮膚癌。法新社華盛頓27日報導,研究結果顯示,以T-VECTalimogene Laherparepvec)藥物治療後,患者存活時間可大大增加,這可望讓美國與歐洲藥物管制機構核准。試驗中超過16%的病患接受施打後,出現維持超過半年的治療反應;相較之下,對照組只有2%的病患可達相同效果。(陳淑娟編)【中央網路報】


Amgen to Acquire BioVex for Up To $1B, to Obtain Cancer-Killing Virus Therapy Luke Timmerman  1/24/2011 Amgen is sticking its scientific neck out, and potentially $1 billion of its cash, to buy a company in Woburn, MA that hopes to deliver the first FDA-approved virus engineered to specifically kill cancer cells. Thousand Oaks, CA-based Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) said today it has agreed to pay $425 million upfront, plus another $575 million in additional development and sales milestones, to obtain privately-held BioVex. Amgen, which has significant research and development operations in South San Francisco, Seattle, and Cambridge, MA, said it expects to close this deal before the end of March. BioVex, which we last wrote about in November 2009, raised $70 million in venture capital that year to carry out the final steps of development with its oncolytic virus therapy. BioVex is seeking to harness decades of science, in which researchers have sought to genetically modify viruses to replicate inside tumors, while sparing healthy tissue. Once inside, the treatment (OncoVex GM-CSF) is supposed to cause tumor cells to burst. But it doesn't stop there—it is also designed to provoke the immune system to mount an attack in the cancerous growth itself, and hunt down any cancer cells that have spread throughout the body. BioVex, as I noted in these pages just over a year ago, has attracted interest from scientists and investors based largely on one study of 50 patients with forms of melanoma, a deadly skin cancer, that have spread through the body. That study found that 13 of the 50 patients (26 percent) had their tumors shrink after they got the BioVex treatment. Even more interesting, eight of the 13 initial responders had their tumors completely disappear, and their responses were long-lasting. Although patients who entered the trial had terminal diagnoses, usually giving them six to nine months to live, according to BioVex CEO Philip Astley-Sparke, more than half of the patients were alive after one year (58 percent) and two years (52 percent), according to data presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology in June 2009. Side effects were mostly mild-to-moderate flu-like symptoms, researchers said. The company is now in the midst of gathering more proof from a Phase III clinical trial which, if successful, could be the basis for it to win FDA approval of the first such oncolytic virus therapy. BioVex is running a trial expected to enroll as many as 430 patients, according to a posting on clinicaltrials.gov. The goal will be to show the BioVex drug offers an advantage in tumor shrinkage that lasts six months or more, compared to an immune-boosting compound."OncoVex has demonstrated encouraging anti-tumor activity in clinical studies for the treatment of melanoma and head and neck cancer, and BioVex is currently enrolling patients into pivotal Phase 3 trials in both indications," said Roger Perlmutter, Amgen's executive vice president of R&D, in a statement. "Amgen is particularly excited about joining with BioVex and its talented staff to focus on advancing this late-stage investigational therapy, with the hope of bringing it to market within the next few years." No one has ever developed such an oncolytic virus treatment for cancer, although many, such as South San Francisco-based Cell Genesys, have tried before. While BioVex may have the candidate most advanced in clinical trials at the moment, it's not the only company generating new interest in the field. San Francisco-based Jennerex Biotherapeutics, led by a veteran of the early days at Emeryville, CA-based Onyx Pharmaceuticals, is also hot on the trail. So is Calgary, Canada-based Oncolytics Biotech. Amgen has been pushing for years to become a bigger player in anti-tumor drug development, after making its fortune largely on treating some of the side effects of cancer chemotherapy. It won FDA approval in 2006 for panitumumab (Vectibix), and saw limited success. Last year, it followed that up with an FDA clearance of denosumab (Xgeva) as a treatment for bone-related tumors. We'll find out soon enough whether this new bet on oncolytic viral therapy puts Amgen on the leading edge of a new field of science, or ends up being a costly debacle.

Biovex  Formed in 1999, Biovex is a private biotech company, based near Oxford, developing a new class of potent vaccines to treat and prevent cancer and certain viral diseases. The company has two vaccine platforms; OncoVEX and ImmunoVEX, and a functional genomics platform for gene target validation in neurons and other tissues (NeuroVEX). The Company`s lead product has completed Phase I clinical trials with Phase II studies in melanoma, breast cancer and head and neck cancer begun in October 2006. Amgen acquired Biovex in February 2011





Source:   Wikipedia



健保署2014 醫療費用6000億_TOP 10花費: 慢性腎衰竭453億點/ 牙科389億點/ 糖尿病249億點/ 高血壓231億點/ 成人急性上呼吸道衰竭144億點/ 椎間盤突出及下背痛135億點/ 肺炎126億點/ 精神疾病119億點/ 腦出血118億點

醫療費用排名 洗腎第一 發稿時間:2015/05/27 19:48 最新更新:2015/05/27 19:48 (中央社記者龍珮寧台北27日電)健保署公佈去年醫療費用支出,全年約6000億元以上,第一名是洗腎,其次是牙科及糖尿病。整體都有成長,糖尿病成長8%最多。中央健康保險署企劃組專門委員王復中表示,去年醫院申報的醫療用品整體費用約超過新台幣6000億元,健保點值約6150億點,每點約0.9元、慢性腎衰竭是10.82,整體醫療用品支出高於前一年。同時,健保署公佈前十名依次為慢性腎衰竭(453億點)、牙科相關(389億點)、糖尿病(249億點)、高血壓(231億點)、成人急性上呼吸道衰竭(144億點)、椎間盤突出及下背痛(135億點)、肺炎(126億點)、精神疾病(119億點)、腦出血(118億點)。王復中說明,排序和前一年差不多,只是高血壓與呼吸道感染互換。總體而言、較前年成長1-3%,比較明顯差距是糖尿病成長8%,原因可能病人增加,由於疾病不可逆而投入較多資源,也可能有其他原因。慢性病及重大傷病佔比高。台大醫院腎臟科醫師姜至綱說,糖尿病健保給付增加,與藥物推陳出新有關。目前洗腎患者有7萬多人,其中45%是糖尿病患,洗腎是果,糖尿病是因,應控制血壓、血糖、血脂,惡化就來不及了。王復中說,全民健保開辦至今已20年,已累積相當多的醫療相關資料,健保署已在「政府資料開放平臺」建置120項資料集,如前述資料來自「國人全民健康保險就醫疾病資訊」,此資料集可查詢健保醫療費用前20大疾病及其占率、成長率排名變化。

”唐獎”出錢 給科技部做面子 !!! 陳振川: 怪怪的!

比照諾貝爾/唐獎補助三級跳 科技部修法惹議 2015-05-28 〔記者湯佳玲、吳柏軒/台北報導〕為了補助自詡為「東方諾貝爾」的唐獎,科技部竟修法將其得主來台短訪禮遇比照諾貝爾獎,補助頭等艙機票與每天一萬三千元生活費,遭學界批評「才一屆的唐獎,怎麼跟具百年歷史的諾貝爾獎相比!」
得主來台短訪禮遇比照諾貝爾 學界轟怎麼比 以往國際科技人士受學研機構之邀來台短期訪問,科技部補助共分為三等級,最高等級是創立超過百年的諾貝爾獎(Nobel Prize)級,與之同級者還有國際學術界相當推崇的沃爾夫獎(Wolf Prize1976年創立)、費爾滋獎(Fields Medal1936年首次頒獎);其次是國家院士級學者,再來是一般學研機構的學者專家。機票補助各為頭等艙、商務艙、經濟艙,日支酬金各為一萬三千餘元、一萬一千餘元、六千餘元。 科技部上月修正「科技部補助邀請國際科技人士短期訪問作業要點」,新增將才設立不到三年、由潤泰集團總裁尹衍樑捐資創立的「唐獎」納入最高等級類別,與諾貝爾獎同級。這個修法過程引發「砲聲隆隆」,反對者認為,唐獎迄今才頒發一次,難以媲美行之百年的諾貝爾獎等經國際學術界普遍認同的大獎,其學術權威性及公信力尚待時間驗證;也有人質疑,最高等級中,「唯獨唐獎最不具國際知名度」。
科技部︰推廣台灣學術地位 並非壞事 科技部次長林一平坦言,國家學術美譽不可能一步登天,任何一個獎項都需要一段時間的累積;將唐獎比照諾貝爾獎是為推廣台灣學術地位,並非壞事。每個國家都努力贊助本國的學術獎項,以提高國際能見度。中研院副院長王瑜表示「贊成」對唐獎補助,唐獎成立初衷就是希望能涵蓋到諾貝爾獎不及的領域,樂見政府加入推廣,「好事一樁,為何不做?以後若發現不妥,隨時修改也行。」 中研院院士陳建德認為,唐獎和諾貝爾獎彰顯的領域不同,首屆得主雖是頗受學界肯定的「好名單」,但畢竟才一屆、未經足夠時間考驗,科技部直接修訂拉高標準,可想見會引起反彈。 陳建德建議,不如由唐獎基金會或尹衍樑反過來每年捐助科技部兩百萬元,再由科技部以國家名義補助唐獎的學者,不必額外動用到人民納稅錢,將可「贏了面子、又得裡子」 唐獎基金會執行長陳振川則表示,科技部是政府單位,本就有其推動科教政策,補助學者來訪即其中一環。基金會該做的國際交流還是會做,但若要民間去捐贈補助政府政策,感覺「怪怪的!」

寶僑(P&G)/ 萊雅 各自搶進 組織3D列印!!

寶僑 搶進3D生化列印市場 20150527 04:10 記者鍾志恆/綜合外電報導 金融時報報導,3D列印早已不再是一般人印像中應用於廉價塑像和小玩意,其應用技術已進入列印活的人體組織領域。全球最大日用品生產商寶僑(P&G)也投入這個領域,藉此找出更快和更便宜方法來測試其產品效果。寶僑周二在新加坡發起一項大競賽,邀請全球各大專學院提出3D生化列印應用的研究計畫。寶僑負責全球生命科學開放創新業務的盧克(Elena Lurie-Luke)說,希望能研究出生化列印的各種可能,因為這是非常巨大的新興領域。生化列印的運作,是以人工培殖的人體細胞來製造生物墨水(bio-ink),然後把生物墨水灌入裝有壓縮噴嘴注射器的墨水匣來列印。3D生物列印機會一層層列印來堆疊出細胞的形態,再以水凝膠包覆,充當撐托著細胞的框架。當列印出來的人體組織能自然成長後,就會抽掉水凝膠。寶僑並非唯一著眼這項新興技術的公司,法國化妝品集團萊雅5月初,就跟美國新創立的生物列印公司Organovo合作,研發3D列印人體皮膚的技術。萊雅在2011年已於法國里昂成立實驗室,專注生產試管內的皮膚組織,讓化妝品不再依靠動物來測試。盧克說,由於寶僑有大量保養品產品,因此已發展出多個不同試管內皮膚組織的模型。只要寶僑不斷創新和有新工具的協助,生物列印將大有可為。不少藥廠也在開發生物列印技術,以加快醫藥研發與測試速度。全球首家上市3D生物列印公司Organovo,已針對醫藥研究和臨床實驗研發出活的肝組織。雖然專家相信,終有一天能以3D生物列印供移殖用的人體器官,但由於該技術仍在研發階段的初期,因此列印人體器官的技術在未來20年內不可能實現。

經濟部3D列印研發聯盟 (東台精機/嘉鋼/精剛/工研院)

工研院發表金屬3D列印設備上網時間: 20150528日經濟部雷射光谷試量產工場再添利器!工研院發表第一台國人自製的雷射金屬3D列印設備及材料,結合台南市金銀珠寶商業同業公會及國內設計師設計能量,發表超過503D列印金工文創作品。 工研院發表的金屬3D列印設備,較進口設備降低一半成本,將在雷射光谷試量產工場提供國內業者開發試製各式金工飾品及工件。東台精機、精剛及嘉鋼公司預計與工研院合作,投入生產金屬3D列印設備及材料,加速國內3D列印產業發展。3D列印可列印之材料從塑膠到金屬,產業之應用範圍不再侷限於傳統模型打樣或翻模鑄造,已可直接製作功能性之商品與零組件;其中金屬3D列印可直接應用於汽車、航太零組件、特殊水路模具、客製化醫材及文創珠寶等民生消費產品。工研院發表的金屬3D列印設備,可製作10公分及25公分立方體積工件,以金屬粉末經雷射燒熔層層疊加成型,成品精細度可達50毫微米(相當於頭髮的半徑)、緻密度達99%,以鈦合金粉末製作,拉伸強度達950MPa以上,已達醫材等級規格需求,可用於製作結構繁複的金工飾品、金屬模具、醫材和零組件。工研院近年已用金屬3D列印技術協助國內廠商開發LED燈具、光學鏡片與汽車零件模具,在醫材方面則協助廠商設計製作手術器械、手術導板,並與院內生醫所、國內教學醫院合作具仿生結構之3D列印骨釘,正進行動物試驗中。國內東台精機、嘉鋼及精剛公司在工研院輔導下,甫通過經濟部A+企業創新研發淬鍊計畫,將共組研發聯盟投入金屬3D列印商業型設備及材料的開發。根據Wohlers Associates市場報告,2014年為全世界3D列印成長幅度最大的一年,3D列印服務與系統及材料的產值達41.03億美元,較2013年成長35.2%;其中美國佔38.1%最多,其次是日本的9.3%、大陸9.2%與德國的8.7%,台灣僅佔1.6%,並預估2016年市場會達到73.12億美元,預估20203D列印市場總產值更超過210億美元,未來仍有很強的成長空間。其中,尤以高階金屬3D列印產品的總產值成長最具爆發力,2014年總共賣出543台,相較2013年成長54.7%。特別是單價在40萬到180萬美元的高階金屬3D列印產品設備,將是未來工業4.0或物聯網即時客製限量生產的利器。波音公司已把超過15種,總數高達1萬個3D列印零件安裝於飛機上,奇異航空(GE Aviation)更預期到2020年,以3D列印製作的燃料噴嘴將有10萬個,相關的應用未來商機可期。

 

韓國有MERS 國光疫苗也受惠??

國光 疫苗概念股成交放大 20150528 04:10 方明 國光生技(4142)受韓國新SARS疫情再次蔓延影響,再度受到市場注意,昨(27)日股價以高盤開出後,一路狹幅震盪走高,收盤大漲1.6元,以漲停板24.65元作收,成交量放大至2,572張。國光生技為國內疫苗大廠,2003SARS衝擊台灣,國光生技就有應邀參與政府疫苗開發計畫研究,如今新SARS疫情再次在國外蔓延,讓國光搭上此波疫苗概念股列車。國光股價最低來到21.5元後打出小底部,雖昨日帶量長紅,短期5日均線翻揚,短期有機會挑戰季線27元關卡,但上檔30元以上賣壓不輕。

MERS: 中東呼吸症候群冠狀病毒感染症(Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. Coronavirus [MERS-CoV]

天士力 複方丹參滴丸 帶出雲計算大健康 格局

透视天士力"健康中国"背后的云基因 20150527 "健康中国"是今年政府工作报告中令人眼前一亮的新提法, "健康是群众的基本需求,我们要不断提高医疗卫生水平,打造健康中 国。"总理的承诺犹言在耳,这也对医药行业创新发展提出了更高的要求。在"健康中国"大背景下,医药行业改革全面转轨快车道,凭借拳 头产品复方丹参滴丸而享誉海内外的天士力集团顺势提出"一个核心带两翼"的大健康产业布局。 从当初的军转民企业到如今发展成为业集科研、制造、物流为一体的大健康产业集群,1994年成立至今21年间,天士力集团始终引领 国内医药企业改革新风,在利用先进云计算服务提升传统制药企业生产力方面走出了一条数字创新特色之路。

云计算驱动数字创新 在外人看来,天士力产品线涵盖现代中药、化学药、生物药、特色专科医疗、保健品、健康食品等诸多领域,旗下拥有100多家公司业务遍及海内外,很难用一个简单的概念做出定义。不过在天士力制药集团股份有限公司董事局主席闫希军眼中,天士力孜孜以求的正是 " 好一盒药、一瓶水、一杯茶、一樽酒、一套健康管理方案"。这看似简单的描述和那份成竹在胸的淡定源自资本引擎和数字驱动完美结合带 来的创新动力。 构建畅通无障碍的数字化平台,天士力不仅走在同行业前列,更做出了一系列大胆的有益尝试。天士力集团与微软公司在公有云服务 进行深度合作,通过部署由世纪互联运营的微软Office 365和微软Azure云服务,不仅为构建数字化平台带来有益补充,更为公司大力推进国 际化战略奠定了坚实的技术基础。 随着公司业务的迅猛发展,天士力的办公网络遍布了全球以及国内多个重点城市,这就使得上下游业务单元之间的互动协同变得越来 越重要。以办公室为中心,桌面系统为处理工具的传统办公方式已经不足以支撑企业扩张的需求,如何更好地与这些分支取得有效的沟通 成为了一大问题。依托微软Office 365公有云服务,天士力迅速建立起建立跨地点、地区甚至跨国界的沟通和协作能力,并以最快速的方式 满足企业的移动办公需求,为新业务的扩张提供弹性的部署方式。 对于Office 365云服务为公司打造数字化平台带来的改变,闫希军感受颇深:"在使用Office 365之前,天士力所有子公司的沟通方式相 对来说比较简单,然而,电话、面谈开会这些传统的沟通方式已经不能满足公司业务飞速发展和现代化管理的需要。"现在有了Office 365 Lync Online以后,不管员工人在何处,都可以通过在线视频会议进行沟通非常便捷",闫希军说道。此外,包括天士力集团内部的一些远程 教学,基本上现在也是以远程(视频)的方式来沟通的。 Office 365不仅为天士力集团员工简化了工作流程,还为公司节省了一大笔开支。部署微软Office365云服务之后,天士力IT部门对公司 原有的办公平台进行了整体的集成和改造。如今,天士力集团所属的每一个员工都可以利用手机、平板电脑等移动设备进行日常沟通和处 理工作,大大提高了员工的工作效率,尤其是ERP的和电商平台项目组,彼此之间的沟通更畅通,云南、陕西、辽宁、山东等分公司也获 益其中。

混合云部署带来更多可能性 在过去的很长一段时间内,天士力的IT基础架构还是以面向本地为首选的建设思路,公司自建数据中心的稳定性和性能都存在一些限 制。传统的自建机房和IDC部署方式已不能满足企业飞速发展的需求。尽早探索混合云的实现方式,并在未来将IT系统整体迁移到公有云平 台是天士力考虑的首要课题之一。 作为中国地区首家部署微软StorSimple云存储服务的企业,StorSimple与微软Azure云服务的结合为天士力带来了量身定制的混合云存储 解决方案,微软Azure云服务良好的系统扩展性和伸缩性,为天士力业务系统提供更大规模的高可用存储,同时确保关键性业务系统灾备万 无一失。 在闫希军看来, StorSimple与微软Azure云服务的结合提供了独一无二的混合云存储解决方案,可以同时满足主存储、归档存储和灾难 恢复的需求。这一方案极大优化了天士力总体存储成本以及对数据的保护,为天士力形成了一套完整的数据备份体系。"从系统架构层面来 看,颠覆了我们过去的传统做法,在简化架构的同时做到了更好的易用性,并为业务创新和精准营销带来更多可能性",闫希军表示。 从搭建企业移动办公云平台到部署切合自身发展的混合云,面对"健康中国"带来的新机遇,天士力正在"从传统走向现代,从中国走向 世界",借力微软公有云服务,天士力的大健康产业集群之路将越走越宽。

上海醫藥(華宇) 全面布局 丹參 PK 天士力

上海醫藥投資設立丹參產地公司 切入藥材產業鏈前端15527日香港, 2015527 - (亞太商訊) - 上海醫藥旗下華宇公司出資貨幣資金500萬元投資設立山東丹參產地公司。新設公司將主要負責丹參基地種植、丹參收購加工等業務。上海醫藥方面表示,投資設立丹參公司,符合公司控制資源的戰略發展要求。公司成立後,將為集團內使用丹參作為原料使用的針劑、口服劑及飲片供應提供保障基礎。2014年底,上海醫藥宣佈重組大理中穀紅豆杉生物,業內對此的解讀為,加強原料戰略佈局,實施產業鏈的向下延伸整合。時隔幾月,上藥設立丹參產地公司,其考量亦不難理解,乃是要著手產業鏈前端,佈局中藥材資源開發產業。丹參是治療心腦血管疾病的常用中藥材,目前,全國藥用需求量在20,000噸以上。上藥在全國丹參主產區山東建立產地公司,不僅便於採購、產地加工也可降低成本。更重要的是,通過GAP基地及大宗藥材商品基地建設,切入藥材前端產業鏈,可進一步促進上藥丹參等藥材品種的業務增長,鞏固細分領域的競爭優勢。除丹參產地外,山東亦是蟬蛻、金銀花、徐長卿、瓜蔞、桔梗、山楂、黃芩等品種的主要產區,因此,除採購丹參外,上藥此次新設公司也可在山東收購、加工具有上述地產優勢的品種,擴大業務範圍,並適時開展金銀花、銀杏葉、山楂等的GAP體系建設,掌控中藥材源頭含量。

 

專職篩選藥物 AI 機器人

機器人跨足醫界!「夏娃」靠人工智慧發明瘧疾新藥 作者 Sharon Shih | 發布日期 2015  05  27  英國牛津大學曾在 2013 年發表了一份名為「就業的未來」(The Future Of Employment)研究報告,提到最容易被機器人給取代的人類工作:如法律助理、個人金融顧問、程式設計師等,洋洋灑灑列了一長列名單,但如果醫藥界以為可以隔岸觀火,對人工智慧崛起視若無睹,接下來的訊息可能會讓你傷點腦筋。 英國劍橋大學和曼徹斯特大學合作開發出機器人科學家(Robot scientist)──「夏娃」(Eve),她專長在於推動新型藥物的發明,讓新藥開發速度更快、價格更低廉。其實早在 2009 年,科學家就嘗試將人工智慧介入科學,當時阿伯里斯特威斯(Aberystwyth and Cambridge University researchers)和劍橋大學的研究人員設計了「亞當(Adam)」,這是第一個能獨立發現新科學知識的機器人。亞當專職研究麵包中的酵母菌,其內建所有關於酵母菌的生理學知識,然後就像人類科學家一樣,訂定目標反覆實驗出個結果,而這過程是不須人類介入,完全靠機器智慧獨力完成。 然而這只是一個原型機(Prototype),它的創造者羅斯金(Ross King)博士為亞當打造出一個更優質的機器人伴侶「夏娃」,應用於早期藥物研發設計。談起現今的藥物研發,從發現到成為真正有用的新藥,都非常費時、耗費金錢。當一個具有藥理活性的先導藥物(Lead compound)被開發出來,需再試驗千百種衍生物讓先導藥物的結構和活性關係(Quantitative StructureActivity Relationship,簡稱 QSAR)更明確,經過優化之後的藥物必須評估活性、毒性、安定性、藥物動力學,再選出候選藥物(Candidate)進入下一階段臨床試驗,這之中的篩檢規模龐大,也因此製藥界著手自動化發展。 每天能篩選萬種化合物而 2.0 版的機器人科學家夏娃,強化人工智慧的功能,專長就在於「自動辨別藥物」和「主動學習」。她會就觀察設定一個假說,之後反覆測試。和傳統自動化篩選的不同點在於,夏娃一開始隨機選擇資料庫中的一個子集,找出第一個測試成功的化合物,之後經過多次反覆測試以降低假陽性結果的概率,並根據早期篩選的經驗紀錄,再利用統計學和機器學習程序來分析藥物與生物體結構的相互反應,並在過程中學習成功的經驗,藉此設計出更好的衍生物以提高藥效、降低副作用。雖然目前夏娃還沒有自行合成化合物的能力,但她每天可自動化篩選超過一萬種化合物,這能降低成本和不確定性,並且節省研發時間。此外,夏娃可以非常精確地記錄包含實驗構思、執行細節,且所有過程都是數位化保存,對於日後其他新藥開發非常有幫助。有感於近年來開發新藥常偏重於心血管疾病、抗癌或婦女疾病(乳癌、骨質疏鬆)類,研發團隊率先著手在全球需求量大的熱帶疾病藥物開發,根據皇家學會期刊登載,夏娃在一個大約含有 1,500 種經臨床批准應用的化合物庫中進行測試,她找出一種抗癌化合物 TNP-470,能夠同時抑制疾間日瘧原蟲(Plasmodium vivax)體內必需酶──二氫葉酸還原酶(dihydrofolate reductase, DHFR), 阻斷瘧原蟲繁衍,進而達到藥物治療目的。 儘管有科學家指出夏娃發明出來的瘧疾新藥,效果比不上現有既存的藥物,也有藥物探索專家批評這僅是就現有資料用電腦去組合出結果,並非真的突破性藥物的發展。但不可否認的,一個好的藥物可能需要 10 年、數十億美金才能創造出來,在這漫長的研發期間,可能已有數百萬人罹病受苦,或者現有藥物已出現抗藥性。當人工智慧介入藥品研發,人類科學家能更專注於新醫療發明,能更大為降低研發藥物的成本和時間,如此一些真正被人們需要但較不具經濟價值的藥物比如寄生蟲、瘧疾等熱帶疾病,或者治療罕見疾病的孤兒藥(Orphan drug),也許就不再被製藥市場給邊緣化。

BioTaiwan 2015台灣生技月 620家參展商攤位成長趨緩 !

台灣生技月 聚焦精準醫療 20150528 04:10 記者杜蕙蓉/台北報導 2015台灣生技月(BioTaiwan 2015)將於72226日登場,首發的「BioBusiness Asia Conference BBA亞洲生技商機高峰論壇)」,今年聚焦「精準醫療」發展趨勢。在看好生技產業發展下,今年攤位增加至1,250個再創新高,而參觀人數初估將首度突破10萬大關。2015台灣生技月籌備委員會主任委員、生物產業發展協會名譽理事長李鍾熙表示,今年年初,美國總統歐巴馬提出推動精準醫療計畫,讓「精準醫療」成為目前國際最熱門的焦點,也是全球生醫產業將來必走方向。此次論壇也吸引知名趨勢大師、各跨國藥廠高層來台共襄盛舉,顯現台灣生技產業受到國際重視。李鍾熙表示,精準醫療目標在追求用更準確的診斷來配對更好藥物,找出最經濟有效的個人化醫療。但因為族群有不同基因型態,所以「精準醫療」是具有地區性特色和需求的產業,亦是台灣生技產業可發展的利基。另外,今年活動持續擴大國際化,不僅國際跨國大藥廠包括NovartisAstraZenecaTakedaPfizerSanofiJ&JGSK等高層將出席發表相關專題演講,國際知名創投─日本大和創投、維梧資本,以及WHO、日本、韓國產官學研也將出席盛會。李鍾熙強調,「這次BBA會議特別邀請各國產、官、學嘉賓演講,目標是希望台灣更能在亞太市場建立具優勢的產業定位與發展方向。」他同時指出,台灣、大陸各具不同能量,兩岸如何整合合作、共創大亞洲市場,也是大家關切的議題,大會的另一場「兩岸生醫產業合作研討會」將關注此議題。

 

 

Forbes等級! 世界最有錢醫生(黃馨祥_Abraxane發明人) 生技月開講!!!

免疫專家將開講 2015-05-28 00:20:46 經濟日報 記者黃文奇/台北報導 黃馨祥在富比世(Forbes)全球富豪榜上有名,被譽為「世界上最有錢的醫生」,也是全球生技專家。今年生技月的亞洲投資論壇(BBA)計劃邀請美國生技圈知名科學家黃馨祥來台。業界認為,以他在抗癌、精準醫學領域的貢獻,參加生技展除具有指標意義,或許也將為台灣帶來合作契機。 黃馨祥在免疫與抗癌領域的成績早受人矚目,他發明的抗轉移性乳腺癌新藥Abraxane,是美國食品藥物管理局(FDA)批准該領域疾病治療藥物的首例。黃馨祥雖然聞名遐邇,但在華人圈的知名度不高,他早年是南非移民、發跡於美國,雖然是華裔,但很少涉足大中華區,在個人生技領域的成就上,被譽為在華人中與比爾蓋茲最接近的人。他是醫師、科學家、加州大學洛杉磯分校講座教授,專長領域是當紅的分子生物、免疫學等,因此他也是困難疾病的專家,包括腫瘤與糖尿病等。雖然他擁有多重身分,但最令人津津樂道是美國華裔首富的地位。黃馨祥熱愛籃球,也是美國NBA職籃湖人隊的大股東之一1993年,他在世界上首次把胰腺細胞移植,用於治療糖尿病;另外,他也把蛋白奈米顆粒運轉技術用於治療轉移性乳腺癌,花十年的時間發明抗癌新藥Abraxane

李鍾熙: 2015生技展神秘嘉賓 身份不透露

六國際創投 生技展覓黑馬 2015-05-28 00:15:41 經濟日報 記者黃文奇/台北報導大型基金將指點未來投資標的 可望引進更多活水 業者:將掀新一波產業熱潮2015台灣國際生技月暨大展將於722日登場,生技展籌備委員會主席李鍾熙說,今年特別邀請五、六個國際大型生技投資基金,如國發基金與日本大和證券集團合組的「大和台日生技創投基金」,說明未來投資生物科技領域的標的與藍圖。業界認為,可望帶起一波台灣生技投資熱。今年生技展活動持續擴大國際化,跨國大藥廠包括NovartisAstraZenecaTakedaPfizerSanofiJ&JGSK等高層將發表相關專題演講,國際知名創投日本大和創投、維梧資本(VIVO)等,以及WHO、日本、南韓產官學研也將共襄盛舉。今年主辦單位規劃首日的「亞洲生技投資論壇(BBA)」是一大亮點。李鍾熙說,過去的BBA較為學術性,今年重點會比較偏向「投資」,希望為台灣生技產業發展引進更多活水。今年生技展使用攤位上看1,250個、預期吸引12萬參觀人次,有機會比去年成長二成,再創新高。主辦單位指出,今年BBA邀請美國生技公司NantHealth創辦人暨執行長黃馨祥(Patrick Soon-Shiong)來台演講,主題為「健康照護的未來願景」。業界指出,黃馨祥也是多家生技公司的創辦人,擁有外科醫師資格,也是加州大學洛杉磯分校講座教授,專長微生物學、免疫學,分子遺傳學,生物工程等。李鍾熙說,近幾年生技展原在南港展覽館舉辦,但BBA在信義區的君悅飯店,由於中信南港總部大樓已經啟用,且有適當的場所,為讓BBA與生技展更具連結性,決議在此地舉行。李鍾熙說,這次除在南港舉行,邀請的致詞貴賓中,大會正在邀請一位神秘嘉賓,身份暫時不能透露,但會讓大家有耳目一新的感覺。