GHP / 2018 Technology Awards 5 g Barron Biomedical “The expression of many genes changes with the resection of the tumour from the body because the blood oxygen supply is interrupted and the temperature of the resected tumour falls to the room temperature. A lot of research works have failed in identifying reproducible gene expression biomarkers because they started with biopsies obtained under non-controlled temperature and oxygen changes. This hampers the use of gene expression in diagnosis and in predictive medicine. But also, in drug discovery, the samples to identify new targets are non- controlled biopsies or cell cultures, which do not reflect the exact tumour gene expression in the body and can lead to artefactual targets. To solve this problem, we have developed a method to obtain biopsies a few seconds after resection, conserving the Genuine Tumour Gene Expression for years. For the use of our method in the clinical environment we plan the R&D of a device for the collection of high qualitative samples delivering reliable gene expression data for diagnosis, prediction medicine and drug discovery. We invite partners in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry as well as investors to support and take part in this project.” Additionally, Dr. Barron outlines the 2nd project, called “Personalization of Chemotherapies”. “Targeted therapies represent a progress in medicine because of their higher specificity and reduced toxicity compared to chemotherapies (CTx). However, CTx remain rooted in the oncological practice for substantial reasons: they are much cheaper, they are part of the treatment guidelines, and they save lives. In poor countries the vast majority of cancer patients receive only chemotherapies. In wealthy countries their use is huge (in Germany 2.7 million of prescriptions for CTx and 2.9 million for targeted therapies were reported for 2016). Nevertheless, the current NGS panels personalize only targeted therapies. For millions of patients receiving chemotherapies worldwide, prediction oncology has no answers, and nobody can distinguish the non- responders before therapy, with fatal effects for the patients and their communities. Seeking to deal with this issue, we have a project to identify and develop NGS panels able to indicate the chemotherapeutic drug with the highest success chances for the individual patient. We already have clinical partners and will seek for funding soon.” This will be beneficial for the future of the oncology market, as recently Coherent Market Insights evaluated the global precision medicine market at US$ 45,721 million in 2016 and expected a CAGR of 9.9% during 2017-2025. This market growth is driven by the increase in several parameters: the number of cancer cases worldwide, the funding for cancer research, the knowledge in cancer biology, the number of targeted drugs and the development of sequencing technologies. Drug discovery dominates the market, but gene sequencing is expected to grow because of favourable FDA guidelines to validate sequencing tests, the need to reduce the high costs of targeted drugs by excluding non-responders, and the empowering of the patient in the digital era. Working in such a research driven field, Barron Biomedical is proud to be based in Berlin, the vibrant capital of Europe’s largest economy. The headquarters is located a few minutes from the Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, the University Hospital Charitè CBF and the Free University of Berlin. The laboratory is in Adlershof, the largest and most modern Science and Technology Park in Germany, hosting ten research Institutions, about 1,100 Hi-Tech enterprises and the Departments of Computer Science, Mathematics, Chemistry, and others of the Humboldt University. Both locations bring the company in contact with cutting-edge research and technologies as well as with many talented students and scientists from all areas required for the company’s HR needs: molecular genetics, bioinformatics, oncology, pathology and computer science. Looking to the future, Dr. Barron’s vision is for the firm to continue to adapt and innovate to meet the ever-evolving needs of its market, as he is proud to conclude. “As we look ahead, our company faces the future with optimism. Our USP is the Comprehensive Analysis service, which evaluates many targets and elucidates the altered molecular mechanisms, allowing the identification of the Achilles heel of the individual cancer. Our research projects “Genuine Tumour Gene Expression” and “Personalization of Chemotherapies” address urgent needs with social impact and a global market. We are very grateful for any generous donation and for any proposal for partnership or investment that can drive our projects forward. Ultimately, Barron Biomedical will remain innovative, open to new technologies and agile, in order to respond to the changes of the dynamic health market in the digital age. And we will seek collaborations and relations with all actors of the health system: patients, physicians, pharmaceutical companies, academic research, insurances and public agencies. Then, a drop of water alone does not quench thirst, but many drops keep us alive and well.” Contact Details: Company: Barron Biomedical Contact: Dr. Carlos Barron Email:
[email protected] Address: Schuetzallee 53, 14169 Berlin, Germany Website: www.barron-biomedical.com