Research & Science

For a quarter of a century, gene therapy has been stymied, largely because the patient's immune system attacks the treatment as a suspected rogue - or because it actually does turn rogue. Now, University of Pennsylvania researchers have convincingly shown that they can overcome these formidable obstacles.

The University of Pennsylvania has received a gift of $25 million to start a research center focused on the treatment and prevention of cancers linked to certain hereditary gene mutations, the Philadelphia institution said Tuesday.

A radioactive compound that lights up plaques in the brain to help diagnose Alzheimer's disease has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in patients being evaluated for Alzheimer's and other causes of cognitive decline.

PHILADELPHIA - (February 22, 2012) – When Vascular Magnetics raised $7 million in Series A financing this month, it demonstrated more than the potential of the start-up company’s proprietary, magnetically targeted drug delivery system for the treatment of peripheral artery disease (PAD). It also proved the power of Philadelphia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

MyHeartMap challenge will create nation’s first crowdsourced citywide registry of automated external defibrillators, awarding $10,000 to participant who locates largest number of lifesaving devices.

The National Business Incubation Association has awarded the NBIA Soft Landings International Incubator designation to the University City Science Center in Philadelphia.

The University City Science Center started off the new year by welcoming four new companies into its Port Business Incubator in Philadelphia, PA. Three of the four companies, Immunocore, Kwelia and MedCity Media have taken desk space in the Bullpen, the Port’s newest co-working space, which opened in November 2011. Pharmaceutical Press is occupying office space in the Port’s Hubert J. P. Schoemaker Lab at 3624 Market Street.

The Pediatric Cancer Summit at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia gave childhood cancer advocacy and community fundraising groups and members of the media the opportunity to listen to five of CHOP’s scientific experts discuss their work.

Philadelphia Business Journal
by Joanna Sullivan, Special to the Business Journal

The University of Pennsylvania Health System is trying to woo Baltimore-area residents battling cancer and late-stage heart disease with its first ad campaign in Maryland.

Penn Medicine’s campaign speaks directly to potential patients with the message that life-saving therapies are just 90 miles away in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Business Journal
by Peter Key, Reporter

The Wistar Institute said Thursday it has received an award of up to $4.7 million from an English charity to develop a drug against cancers caused by the Epstein-Barr virus.