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Business Wire
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Agenus to Highlight Emerging Survival Plateaus with Botensilimab/Balstilimab in Oral Presentation of Study in Refractory Patients Across Five Tumor Types at ESMO 2025
LEXINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Agenus Inc. (Nasdaq: AGEN), a leader in immuno-oncology, today announced that four abstracts highlighting clinical progress across its botensilimab and balstilimab immunotherapy programs have been accepted for presentation at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2025, taking place in Berlin, Germany from October 17-21. The highlight is an oral presentation that will feature emerging survival plateaus from a study of botensilimab plus balstilimab in 343 evaluable patients with refractory metastatic solid tumors across five tumor types. Three additional poster presentations will feature data from investigator-sponsored studies in cervical cancer, MSS metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), and non-melanoma skin cancers, underscoring the broad potential of botensilimab and balstilimab based combinations in difficult-to-treat cancers. Presentation Details: 1. Oral Presentation Title: Emerging survival plateaus with botensilimab and balstilimab: Pan tumor data from a large phase 1b trial of advanced solid tumors Presenting Author: Dr. Michael Gordon; HonorHealth Research Institute-AZ, USA Mini Oral Session: Investigational Immunotherapy Session Date: Session Time: 2:00-3:00 PM CEST / 8:00-9:30 AM EDT Location: Hall 5.2 Abstract Number: 3220 2. Poster Presentation Title: Efficacy and safety of balstilimab with or without zalifrelimab in recurrent cervical cancer: Results from the global phase 2 RaPiDs trial Presenting Author: Dr. David O'Malley; The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center- OH, USA Session Date: Saturday, October 18, 2025 Session Time: 12:00-12:45 PM CEST / 6:00-6:45 AM EDT Location: Hall 25 Abstract Number: 2952 Poster Number: 1164P 3. Presentation Title: A Phase I trial of botensilimab, balstilimab and regorafenib (BBR) in chemotherapy-resistant patients with microsatellite stable (MSS) metastatic colorectal cancer Presenting Author: Dr. Marwan Fakih; City of Hope- CA, USA Session Date: Sunday, October 19, 2025 Session Time: 12:00-12:45 PM CEST / 6:00-6:45 AM EDT Location: Hall 25 Abstract Number: 6197 Poster Number: 851P 4. Presentation Title: A phase 2, open label study to evaluate the safety and clinical activity of balstilimab in patients with advanced/metastatic non-melanoma skin cancers (AGENONMELA) Presenting Author: Dr. Iwona Lugowska; Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute and Oncology Center - Poland Session Date: Monday, October 20, 2025 Session Time: 12:00-12:45 PM CEST / 6:00-6:45 AM EDT Location: Hall 25 Abstract Number: 7273 Poster Number: 1662P Expand About Agenus Agenus is a leading immuno-oncology company targeting cancer with a comprehensive pipeline of immunological agents. The company was founded in 1994 with a mission to expand patient populations benefiting from cancer immunotherapy through combination approaches, using a broad repertoire of antibody therapeutics, adoptive cell therapies (through MiNK Therapeutics) and adjuvants (through SaponiQx). Agenus has robust end-to-end development capabilities, across commercial and clinical cGMP manufacturing facilities, research and discovery, and a global clinical operations footprint. Agenus is headquartered in Lexington, MA. For more information, visit or @agenus_bio. Information that may be important to investors will be routinely posted on our website and social media channels. About Botensilimab (BOT) Botensilimab is a multifunctional, human Fc enhanced CTLA-4 blocking antibody designed to boost both innate and adaptive anti-tumor immune responses. Its novel design leverages mechanisms of action to extend immunotherapy benefits to 'cold' tumors which generally respond poorly to standard of care or are refractory to conventional PD-1/CTLA-4 therapies and investigational therapies. Botensilimab augments immune responses across a wide range of tumor types by priming and activating T cells, downregulating intratumoral regulatory T cells, activating myeloid cells and inducing long-term memory responses. Botensilimab alone, or in combination with Agenus' investigational PD-1 antibody, balstilimab, has shown clinical responses across nine metastatic, late-line cancers. Approximately 1,200 patients have been treated across the botensilimab/balstilimab program in phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials. For more information about botensilimab trials, visit About Balstilimab (BAL) Balstilimab is a novel, fully human monoclonal immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) designed to block PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1) from interacting with its ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2. It has been evaluated in >900 patients to date and has demonstrated clinical activity and a favorable tolerability profile in several tumor types. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding its botensilimab and balstilimab programs, expected regulatory timelines and filings, and any other statements containing the words "may," "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "hopes," "intends," "plans," "forecasts," "estimates," "will," 'establish,' 'potential,' 'superiority,' 'best in class,' and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, the factors described under the Risk Factors section of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2024, and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Agenus cautions investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this release. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and Agenus undertakes no obligation to update or revise the statements, other than to the extent required by law. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Expand
News18
22-07-2025
- Health
- News18
Frequent Nightmares Linked To Faster Ageing, Premature Death: Study
Last Updated: Research by European Academy of Neurology links frequent nightmares to faster ageing and higher premature death risk, due to stress responses disrupting sleep and cellular ageing. If you're someone who gets regular nightmares, beware; it may be a sign of something more serious. They could be a sign of a deeper health challenge brewing inside your body. Research presented in June at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2025 has linked frequent nightmares to faster biological ageing and a higher risk of premature death. Researchers, the first to associate the two, believe regular experience of excess stress, anxiety and panic in sleep signals unusually faster ageing in an individual, who could be three times more prone to premature demise. 'Our sleeping brains cannot distinguish dreams from reality. That's why nightmares often wake us up sweating, gasping for breath, and with our hearts pounding – because our fight-or-flight response has been triggered. This stress reaction can be even more intense than anything we experience while awake," said Abidemi Otaiku, a neuroscientist at Imperial College London and the author of a forthcoming study revealed by the EAN press release. 'Nightmares lead to prolonged elevations of cortisol, a stress hormone closely linked to faster cellular ageing. For those who frequently experience nightmares, this cumulative stress may significantly impact the ageing process." 'Additionally, nightmares disrupt both sleep quality and duration, impairing the body's essential overnight cellular restoration and repair. The combined effects of chronic stress and disrupted sleep likely contribute to the accelerated ageing of our cells and bodies." Tracking the frequency of nightmares reported by parents and relatives among children and adults for the period of up to 19 years, researchers found that these have undergone accelerated biological ageing. The study also claimed that adults who suffered weekly nightmares were also more than three times as likely to die before the age of 70, with faster biological ageing increasing the early mortality risk by 40 per cent. Among participants tracked for the study, researchers found that the link between chronic nightmares and faster ageing was strong and consistent irrespective of their sex, age, mental health status and ethnicity. To measure the biological age of these individuals, researchers looked at people's telomeres, the protective end caps of chromosomes. The shorter the telomeres, the greater the biological age. The study suggests weekly nightmares reflect a deeper worry, but even less frequent nightmares that may arrive once a month could also be raising an alarm bell. view comments First Published: July 22, 2025, 13:16 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
South Wales Guardian
01-07-2025
- Health
- South Wales Guardian
Girls and black children face inequalities in transplant treatment, study shows
Academics found that some children in need of a kidney transplant are facing inequalities in their care. Black children are less likely to be put on the transplant waiting list, as are those from more deprived backgrounds, researchers from the University of Bristol found. There are currently 137 children aged 17 and under on the kidney transplant waiting list in the UK. Researchers set out to examine whether inequalities exist in access to kidney transplantation among children in the UK by analysing the UK Renal Registry and NHS Blood and Transplant data between 1996 and 2020. They found that girls were 12% less likely to be put on a transplant waiting list compared to boys. Children from the poorest backgrounds were 33% less likely to be put on the waiting list compared to those from the wealthiest. And black children were 19% less likely to be put on the waiting list compared to their white peers. Once children are on the waiting list, the disparities related to gender and income appeared to reduce, but disadvantages for black children persisted. 'We were particularly struck by how early these disparities appear in the transplant process,' said Dr Alice James, lead author of the study. 'It's not just about who gets a transplant, but who even gets considered in the first place. 'Those from black ethnic backgrounds face systemic disadvantages even after being placed on the waitlist, including fewer living donor opportunities.' When looking at kidney transplants given by a living donor within two years of being on the waiting list, the odds of getting a transplant are lower among those from poorer backgrounds and children of black or Asian ethnicity, according to the study, which has been presented to the ESOT (European Society for Organ Transplantation) Congress 2025. Dr James added: 'It is notable – and particularly disquieting – that such disparities are evident even in a paediatric population within a universal healthcare system like the NHS. 'The persistent disadvantage faced by children from black ethnic backgrounds even after wait-listing is especially striking, suggesting systemic or cultural barriers that extend beyond access alone.' On gender inequalities seen in the study, she added: 'The gender disparity in wait-listing, with girls being less likely to be wait-listed, may reflect implicit gender biases in clinical decision-making, differences in parental advocacy, or variation in disease presentation and severity between sexes. 'There may also be social factors influencing clinicians' assumptions about transplant suitability or family engagement in the transplantation process. 'While evidence is limited in paediatric populations, adult studies suggest that women are often perceived as less suitable candidates due to comorbidities or psychosocial factors— perceptions that may inadvertently extend to female children.' Fiona Loud, policy director at Kidney Care UK, said: 'This research is shocking and it's not good enough to see such heartbreaking inequalities so early in life. 'There are around 1,000 children receiving kidney replacement therapy via either dialysis or transplant in the UK. 'This is a relatively small number which should mean we have a real opportunity to change this and make sure we improve things for the future for children and young people. 'But right now it is very hard for families whose children have kidney failure. 'More work needs to be done to explore local barriers and raise awareness of the value and importance of living kidney donation through personalised and community education programmes.' Professor Derek Manas, medical director for organ and tissue donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, which is responsible for allocating organs to people on the list, said: 'These results will help hospital clinical teams across the UK to further understand and mitigate this issue. 'NHS Blood and Transplant does not decide which individual patients are added to the transplant waiting list, but we do manage how organs are allocated to patients and the research found that once patients are on the waiting list, they had equitable access to donations, irrespective of ethnicity or deprivation. 'The transplant community has come a long way in ensuring equity once listed but this study confirms we all have more to do. 'Kidneys also need to be matched and people from the same ethnicity are more likely to be a match. 'There are currently not enough donors from black and Asian backgrounds and we urge people to show their support for donation on the NHS Organ Donor Register and to tell their families they want to donate.' An NHS England spokesperson said: 'The decision to place somebody on the transplant list should never be affected by their gender, ethnicity or family income and this analysis is a stark reminder that, whilst we have made progress on tackling health inequalities, much remains to be done – and this will be at the heart of the 10 Year Health Plan. 'More widely, we know kidney failure disproportionately impacts people from Black African and Black Caribbean heritage so we would always encourage more donors from these backgrounds to come forward, and we have recently launched a new simple genetic blood test for these groups to help reduce the risk of kidney failure.'
Leader Live
01-07-2025
- Health
- Leader Live
Girls and black children face inequalities in transplant treatment, study shows
Academics found that some children in need of a kidney transplant are facing inequalities in their care. Black children are less likely to be put on the transplant waiting list, as are those from more deprived backgrounds, researchers from the University of Bristol found. There are currently 137 children aged 17 and under on the kidney transplant waiting list in the UK. Researchers set out to examine whether inequalities exist in access to kidney transplantation among children in the UK by analysing the UK Renal Registry and NHS Blood and Transplant data between 1996 and 2020. They found that girls were 12% less likely to be put on a transplant waiting list compared to boys. Children from the poorest backgrounds were 33% less likely to be put on the waiting list compared to those from the wealthiest. And black children were 19% less likely to be put on the waiting list compared to their white peers. Once children are on the waiting list, the disparities related to gender and income appeared to reduce, but disadvantages for black children persisted. 'We were particularly struck by how early these disparities appear in the transplant process,' said Dr Alice James, lead author of the study. 'It's not just about who gets a transplant, but who even gets considered in the first place. 'Those from black ethnic backgrounds face systemic disadvantages even after being placed on the waitlist, including fewer living donor opportunities.' When looking at kidney transplants given by a living donor within two years of being on the waiting list, the odds of getting a transplant are lower among those from poorer backgrounds and children of black or Asian ethnicity, according to the study, which has been presented to the ESOT (European Society for Organ Transplantation) Congress 2025. Dr James added: 'It is notable – and particularly disquieting – that such disparities are evident even in a paediatric population within a universal healthcare system like the NHS. 'The persistent disadvantage faced by children from black ethnic backgrounds even after wait-listing is especially striking, suggesting systemic or cultural barriers that extend beyond access alone.' On gender inequalities seen in the study, she added: 'The gender disparity in wait-listing, with girls being less likely to be wait-listed, may reflect implicit gender biases in clinical decision-making, differences in parental advocacy, or variation in disease presentation and severity between sexes. 'There may also be social factors influencing clinicians' assumptions about transplant suitability or family engagement in the transplantation process. 'While evidence is limited in paediatric populations, adult studies suggest that women are often perceived as less suitable candidates due to comorbidities or psychosocial factors— perceptions that may inadvertently extend to female children.' Fiona Loud, policy director at Kidney Care UK, said: 'This research is shocking and it's not good enough to see such heartbreaking inequalities so early in life. 'There are around 1,000 children receiving kidney replacement therapy via either dialysis or transplant in the UK. 'This is a relatively small number which should mean we have a real opportunity to change this and make sure we improve things for the future for children and young people. 'But right now it is very hard for families whose children have kidney failure. 'More work needs to be done to explore local barriers and raise awareness of the value and importance of living kidney donation through personalised and community education programmes.' Professor Derek Manas, medical director for organ and tissue donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, which is responsible for allocating organs to people on the list, said: 'These results will help hospital clinical teams across the UK to further understand and mitigate this issue. 'NHS Blood and Transplant does not decide which individual patients are added to the transplant waiting list, but we do manage how organs are allocated to patients and the research found that once patients are on the waiting list, they had equitable access to donations, irrespective of ethnicity or deprivation. 'The transplant community has come a long way in ensuring equity once listed but this study confirms we all have more to do. 'Kidneys also need to be matched and people from the same ethnicity are more likely to be a match. 'There are currently not enough donors from black and Asian backgrounds and we urge people to show their support for donation on the NHS Organ Donor Register and to tell their families they want to donate.' An NHS England spokesperson said: 'The decision to place somebody on the transplant list should never be affected by their gender, ethnicity or family income and this analysis is a stark reminder that, whilst we have made progress on tackling health inequalities, much remains to be done – and this will be at the heart of the 10 Year Health Plan. 'More widely, we know kidney failure disproportionately impacts people from Black African and Black Caribbean heritage so we would always encourage more donors from these backgrounds to come forward, and we have recently launched a new simple genetic blood test for these groups to help reduce the risk of kidney failure.'
Rhyl Journal
01-07-2025
- Health
- Rhyl Journal
Girls and black children face inequalities in transplant treatment, study shows
Academics found that some children in need of a kidney transplant are facing inequalities in their care. Black children are less likely to be put on the transplant waiting list, as are those from more deprived backgrounds, researchers from the University of Bristol found. There are currently 137 children aged 17 and under on the kidney transplant waiting list in the UK. Researchers set out to examine whether inequalities exist in access to kidney transplantation among children in the UK by analysing the UK Renal Registry and NHS Blood and Transplant data between 1996 and 2020. They found that girls were 12% less likely to be put on a transplant waiting list compared to boys. Children from the poorest backgrounds were 33% less likely to be put on the waiting list compared to those from the wealthiest. And black children were 19% less likely to be put on the waiting list compared to their white peers. Once children are on the waiting list, the disparities related to gender and income appeared to reduce, but disadvantages for black children persisted. 'We were particularly struck by how early these disparities appear in the transplant process,' said Dr Alice James, lead author of the study. 'It's not just about who gets a transplant, but who even gets considered in the first place. 'Those from black ethnic backgrounds face systemic disadvantages even after being placed on the waitlist, including fewer living donor opportunities.' When looking at kidney transplants given by a living donor within two years of being on the waiting list, the odds of getting a transplant are lower among those from poorer backgrounds and children of black or Asian ethnicity, according to the study, which has been presented to the ESOT (European Society for Organ Transplantation) Congress 2025. Dr James added: 'It is notable – and particularly disquieting – that such disparities are evident even in a paediatric population within a universal healthcare system like the NHS. 'The persistent disadvantage faced by children from black ethnic backgrounds even after wait-listing is especially striking, suggesting systemic or cultural barriers that extend beyond access alone.' On gender inequalities seen in the study, she added: 'The gender disparity in wait-listing, with girls being less likely to be wait-listed, may reflect implicit gender biases in clinical decision-making, differences in parental advocacy, or variation in disease presentation and severity between sexes. 'There may also be social factors influencing clinicians' assumptions about transplant suitability or family engagement in the transplantation process. 'While evidence is limited in paediatric populations, adult studies suggest that women are often perceived as less suitable candidates due to comorbidities or psychosocial factors— perceptions that may inadvertently extend to female children.' Fiona Loud, policy director at Kidney Care UK, said: 'This research is shocking and it's not good enough to see such heartbreaking inequalities so early in life. 'There are around 1,000 children receiving kidney replacement therapy via either dialysis or transplant in the UK. 'This is a relatively small number which should mean we have a real opportunity to change this and make sure we improve things for the future for children and young people. 'But right now it is very hard for families whose children have kidney failure. 'More work needs to be done to explore local barriers and raise awareness of the value and importance of living kidney donation through personalised and community education programmes.' Professor Derek Manas, medical director for organ and tissue donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, which is responsible for allocating organs to people on the list, said: 'These results will help hospital clinical teams across the UK to further understand and mitigate this issue. 'NHS Blood and Transplant does not decide which individual patients are added to the transplant waiting list, but we do manage how organs are allocated to patients and the research found that once patients are on the waiting list, they had equitable access to donations, irrespective of ethnicity or deprivation. 'The transplant community has come a long way in ensuring equity once listed but this study confirms we all have more to do. 'Kidneys also need to be matched and people from the same ethnicity are more likely to be a match. 'There are currently not enough donors from black and Asian backgrounds and we urge people to show their support for donation on the NHS Organ Donor Register and to tell their families they want to donate.' An NHS England spokesperson said: 'The decision to place somebody on the transplant list should never be affected by their gender, ethnicity or family income and this analysis is a stark reminder that, whilst we have made progress on tackling health inequalities, much remains to be done – and this will be at the heart of the 10 Year Health Plan. 'More widely, we know kidney failure disproportionately impacts people from Black African and Black Caribbean heritage so we would always encourage more donors from these backgrounds to come forward, and we have recently launched a new simple genetic blood test for these groups to help reduce the risk of kidney failure.'
