Poseida Therapeutics steps back into the box for IPO

Poseida Therapeutics (PSTX) has filed a new preliminary prospectus for a $115M IPO.

The San Diego, CA-based biotech develops cell and gene therapies based on its proprietary platforms, including its non-viral piggyBac DNA Modification System, Cas-CLOVER site-specific gene editing system and nanoparticle- and AAV-based gene delivery technologies.

Lead candidate is Phase 2-stage P-BCMA-101, an autologous CAR-T therapy for the potential treatment of multiple myeloma. If the results are positive, the data may be sufficient to support accelerated approval in the U.S.

Candidate #2 is Phase 1-stage P-PSMA-101, an autologous CAR-T for castration-resistant prostate cancer.

2019 Financials: Operating Expenses: $85.5M (+104%); Net Loss: ($86.5M) (-95%); Cash Burn: ($64.4M) (-69%).

The company was on deck for its U.S. debut in January 2019 but pulled back after raising $142M in a series C round including $75M from Novartis (NYSE:NVS).

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3584758-poseida-therapeutics-steps-back-box-for-ipo

Andrew Lloyd Webber: UK government wants musicals ‘without any singing’

Next time you go see “The Phantom of the Opera,” if British officials have their way, you might listen to the small-talk of the night.
Andrew Lloyd Webber told BBC Radio 4 Friday that a government official bizarrely suggested that West End musicals come back “without any singing” to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
“I don’t know what’s going to be in the report on theater that’s coming out on Monday,” the Tony-winning composer, 72, said of next week’s announcement. “But I sincerely hope it doesn’t contain some of the things that I’ve seen in some of their advice — one of which was a brilliant one for musicals: that you’re not allowed to sing.”
Group singing is considered by many scientists to be a dangerous activity, due to the large amount of heavy breathing and potentially infectious droplets it can cause.
Knowing this, Lloyd Webber also revealed he plans to test out an antiviral fog machine and thermal imaging scanner, to sense audience members with high temperatures, at the London Palladium where his classic musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” would have been performed this summer. The technologies have proven safe and successful for a South Korean production of “Phantom.”
“What I hope to do is to demonstrate to the British government what has happened in Korea at the London Palladium, hopefully in the first week of July,” he told the program.
But London’s showman, producer Michael Harrison, tells The Post that his popular “Joseph” revival, starring Jac Yarrow and Jason Donovan, is ready to return to the Palladium in summer 2021, full-steam ahead.
“It’s the show people will need after this,” he says.
Harrison also did not rule out the return of his raucous annual Christmas pantomime at the 2,300-seat Palladium in December.
In venting his frustrations, Lloyd Webber joins many British theater professionals who are pressuring the government for increased support during a difficult moment for their industry.
Producer Cameron Mackintosh said that all of his shows — “Phantom,” “Mary Poppins,” “Hamilton” and “Les Miserables” — would not reopen until 2021. And “Harry Potter” producer Sonia Friedman wrote in the Telegraph in May that the British theater was on the “brink of total collapse.”
https://nypost.com/2020/06/19/andrew-lloyd-webber-uk-government-wants-musicals-without-any-singing/

Flurry of positive coronavirus tests in athletes hurts U.S. restart plans

Hopes that sport in the United States might soon return to business as usual suffered a blow on Friday as athletes from golf to hockey tested positive for the novel coronavirus, triggering a shutdown of some facilities.

The PGA Tour, which only restarted last week after a three-month COVID-19-forced hiatus, confirmed its first positive test, removing Nick Watney from second-round play at the RBC Heritage in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
Over a 24-hour period, Major League Soccer (MLS), National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL) and Major League Baseball (MLB) confirmed positive tests, and those sports pondered return-to-play scenarios. Leagues are doing extensive testing for coronavirus even among players not showing symptoms.
This followed leading U.S. health official Dr. Anthony Fauci on Thursday casting doubt on whether the NFL would get on the field this season.
The MLS and NBA were paying particularly close attention to Friday’s events as many of the positive tests occurred in Florida where both leagues have announced plans to restart their seasons at Orlando’s Walt Disney World.
Florida is one of several U.S. states where COVID-19 cases have recently surged.
The MLS is scheduled to return on July 8 with a World Cup-style tournament featuring all 26 teams. The league, which has said that the health and safety of players and staff were the priority, did not immediately respond to questions about whether the spike in Florida cases would prompt a rethink of those plans.

Inter Miami said on Thursday that one of their players had tested positive for the virus.
MLB’s Philadelphia Phillies shut down their Clearwater, Florida, site after five players tested positive while just down the road in Dunedin, the Toronto Blue Jays shuttered training facilities after a player presented symptoms.
The San Francisco Giants closed their spring training facility in Scottsdale, Arizona after a visitor and one family member exhibited symptoms. The Giants said they had tested others who have been at the facility and are awaiting results.
Los Angeles Angels general manager Billy Eppler said two players had tested positive for COVID-19, but did not disclose if they were on the major league roster, citing medical privacy law, the LA Times reported here
In Tampa, the NHL Lightning closed their arena after three players tested positive.
The NHL on Friday said that since June 8, when teams were permitted to open their training facilities, over 200 players have undergone multiple tests and 11 have tested positive.
All of the players who tested positive have been self-isolating, the league said.

Even the UFC, who were one of the first sports to resume operations when they staged a mixed martial arts card in Jacksonville, Florida on May 9, are considering another shutdown in wake of the spike.
“I told you guys going into this thing, I’m always thinking about what’s next,” said UFC President Dana White in a report by MMA Junkie. “And I’m planning for a second shutdown, that it will happen again.
“I’m always thinking about the worst.”
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-sport-usa/flurry-of-positive-coronavirus-tests-in-athletes-hurts-u-s-restart-plans-idUSKBN23R003

Beijing tests food and parcel couriers as coronavirus checks widen

Officials in Beijing are carrying out tests to detect traces of coronavirus on all food and parcel delivery workers in an effort to rein in a new outbreak, state-backed media reported on Saturday.

Officials in the Chinese capital have been expanding nucleic acid testing across the city of 20 million since a cluster of infections linked to a food wholesale market erupted just over a week ago.
The outbreak, the first in Beijing in months, has now surpassed previous peak numbers in the city in early February.
A nucleic acid test involves a swab sample taken from the back of a person’s throat or respiratory tract, and the sample is then tested for the presence of the coronavirus’ genome.
Testing was initially focused on residential areas near the sprawling Xinfadi market and on people who worked or shopped there.

Officials are now targeting the tens of thousands of delivery personnel who regularly traverse the city, where fleets of motorised pedicabs and scooters ridden by couriers delivering parcels and food are a common sight.
Workers at SF Express, China’s second biggest courier firm, arrived in batches at testing points in Beijing on Friday evening, Beijing News reported.
Food delivery firm Meituan Dianping (3690.HK) confirmed that all of its riders in the city would be tested and those who had carried out deliveries in high-risk areas would be temporarily taken off duty, undergo nucleic acid tests and be quarantined at home for 14 days.
Customers will be able to view details on disinfection of the delivery package and their courier’s body temperature online, Meituan said on its Wechat account.
Beijing News said that all couriers in the city would be tested by next week.

Officials have highlighted the risk of contamination through packaging in Beijing, which reported 22 new cases on Friday. The capital has now recorded more than 200 locally transmitted infections since June 11.
Officials have been testing people working in catering, including restaurant staff, as well as imported food after the virus was found on chopping boards at Xinfadi used to handle salmon.

WHOLE COMMUNITIES TO BE TESTED

A total of 2.3 million nucleic acid tests had been carried out in Beijing as of 0600 local time on Saturday (2200 GMT on Friday), Zhang Qiang, an official from Beijing’s municipal committee, said at a news conference.
Residents of 40 communities under lockdown in the capital are required to self-isolate at home to avoid possible further transmission of the virus, Zhang said.
Those that do not comply will be centrally quarantined for 14 days, after which they should take another nucleic acid test and are free to leave if the result is negative, he added.

In Dongcheng district in the eastern part of Beijing, two Reuters journalists received notice on Friday that everyone living in their communities would be tested, even though they were in low-risk areas.
Dongcheng currently has four neighbourhoods designated as medium-risk, while there are now 34 medium-risk neighbourhoods across the whole city.
Mainland China saw 27 new confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday, with four imported and the other local transmission reported in the northern Hebei province that surrounds Beijing.
There were no new deaths recorded on Friday, leaving the death toll at 4,634.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-china/beijing-tests-food-and-parcel-couriers-as-coronavirus-checks-widen-idUSKBN23R06P

Healthcare to get growth bump in COVID-19 influenced Russell remake

The U.S. healthcare sector looks set for a bulked up profile in growth indexes when FTSE Russell reconstitutes its stock indexes late next Friday, an annual event that historically creates one of the biggest trading volume days of the year.

The Russell rebalance becomes final on the fourth Friday every June, after markets close. Stocks are added or deleted from Russell’s family of indexes, including the Russell 1000 large cap and Russell 2000 small cap, prompting fund managers to adjust portfolios to reflect new weightings and components.
Russell bases the placesment in the indexes on a number of factors, including market capitalization, voting rights requirements and country of domicile.
Telegraphing the reconstitution can create additional buying and selling stocks. Some investors may use the additional liquidity to take advantage of any resulting price dislocations, or to adjust the holdings in their portfolios, especially in smaller companies that have much lower liquidity.
The resulting surge in trading volume crests right before the market close. FTSE Russell says more than $15 trillion is currently benchmarked to its indexes globally and about $9 trillion to its U.S. indexes.
“I’m already at the spot where I will be happy when Russell is behind us because it is an emotionally elevated day, everybody has to really be on their toes, there is a lot of messages and a lot of traffic coming down,” said Gordon Charlop, a managing director at Rosenblatt Securities in New York.
The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq, because of the scale of the revamp, reinforces the rules for trades on the close and contingency plans in the event of unusual market conditions. During the June 2019 reconstitution, Nasdaq said 1.279 billion shares representing $42.59 billion were executed in its “closing cross” in 1.14 seconds across Nasdaq listed stocks.

This year’s reconstitution is also influenced by market volatility generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. While other index providers delayed rebalancing that was scheduled for earlier in the year, FTSE Russell has moved forward with the reconstitution as originally scheduled.
“Our policy team did consult the market on whether any temporary measures were needed to accommodate the market volatility and the overwhelming feedback was that it wasn’t required and we should proceed according to the published rules,” said Catherine Yoshimoto, director, product management at FTSE Russell.
The influence of the novel coronavirus will also create more movement between the indexes than in recent years. Virtu Financial estimates turnover across the Russell 3000 to be $57 billion compared with the $35 billion last year.
In addition, the coronavirus has aided the strong performance of healthcare stocks and other names that have benefited from the “stay at home” environment, some of which are likely to be added directly, or promoted to, the large cap Russell 1000.
Lori Calvasina, head of U.S. Equity Strategy at RBC Capital Markets anticipates nearly half of the stocks being promoted to the Russell 1000 from the Russell 2000 will be healthcare names.
Teladoc, which offers virtual healthcare services, has risen more than 130% this year and is widely expected to be promoted to the Russell large cap index. Home fitness provider Peloton is seen as being added directly to the Russell 1000. Of the six initial public offerings being added to the Russell 2000, all belong to the healthcare space.
Jefferies anticipates the healthcare weight in the Russell 2000 to decrease by 1.7% as a result of these promotions, while forecasting the healthcare weight in the Russell 2000 growth index at 33%, with 17% due to biotech names.

The firm sees the weighting for healthcare increasing by 5.9% in the Russell Midcap growth index and 1% in the Russell 1000 growth index.
“Obviously healthcare is the cure to this pandemic, so anything and everything in healthcare has generally worked pretty well,” said Steve DeSanctis, equity strategist at Jefferies in New York.
“There are so many companies that are trying stuff. Who knows who is going to win or lose out of this?”
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-stocks-weekahead/wall-street-week-ahead-healthcare-to-get-growth-bump-in-covid-19-influenced-russell-remake-idUSKBN23Q2UK

Is it safe to go to a salon amid the coronavirus? What you need to know

Phase Two means it’s time for a new ‘do.
New Yorkers who botched their own bang jobs or gave into the boxed dye aisle at their local drugstore are anxious to get back into the salon chair for cut, styling and color appointments when most barbershops and hair salons open Monday. But many are wondering: Are salons safe during this stage in the coronavirus pandemic?
“Personally, I’ll be glad to get rid of the gray in my hair,” says Danielle Ompad, an NYU professor and infectious disease epidemiologist. “But from a public health perspective, I’m still concerned.”
While some states have thrown the doors open to everything from waxing studios to spas, New York City, where COVID-19 hit the hardest, is reopening more slowly.
Even though you might be able to head to your salon soon, you’ll have to wait a little longer for face-to-face treatments like manicures and facials — but that doesn’t mean the experience will be the same as it was before the pandemic. You’ll have to take some precautions, according to Ompad.
Here’s what you should know before booking an appointment:

Call before to check social-distancing protocols

While salons have to follow strict guidelines, such as operating at 50 percent capacity and disinfecting workstations between customers per NY state, each business will have slightly different protocols. “I would call to have a conversation about what they feel comfortable doing,” says Ompad, who estimates a quick trim would be more straightforward for a haircutter than a labor-intensive dye job. Above all, according to Ompad, “Pay attention, but don’t be paranoid.”
That means skipping gloves if you’re a customer. “I worry they can be counter-productive when not used properly,” Ompad says, and asking your salon how they plan on maintaining distance between customers and reducing the spread of germs. They may ask you to make an appointment whereas before you would have been a walk-in, or to wait outside the building before your appointment to ensure social distancing. Bring a hat and apply sunscreen in case you have to wait outside.

Keep your mask on throughout your service

The key to keeping germs to yourself is wearing a mask “that’s well-fitted and worn properly,” says Ompad. Read: snug, and covering your nose.
Since some services can take a few hours and masks can get sweaty, Ompad recommends taking a breather in the back of the salon. “You can take your mask off if you go to the back of the store and if no one is around. Just make sure to put it back on when someone comes near you,” she says. “Hopefully the salon will have AC on.” You can also ask the salon to keep windows and doors open to help air circulate.
It’s also a good idea to bring a mask that won’t get in the way of your snip. Skip the ones that tie behind your head — instead go for the ones with the ear loops — and if you’re hoping for highlights, “maybe use a disposable one so you don’t get color on it.”

Avoid common areas and refreshments

After months of at-home beauty hacks, it can be tempting to indulge in salon luxuries like a glass of Champagne or a magazine.
Still, it’s better to skip the tea and water, for your sake and the salon employees. Decline any refreshments so you can keep your mask on. “Bring your own drink and reading material,” suggests Ompad, who notes that a best practice is washing your hands right when you get inside, and after touching any objects, like a cup or plate, that you didn’t bring yourself.

Respect your stylist as an essential worker

“If you’re coughing, sneezing or drippy, even if you think it’s allergies, it’s not fair to put that stress on the service provider,” says Ompad, who adds, “if people get sick in a salon, they’re going to be shut down again.”
Before venturing out, be honest with your stylist about your level of exposure, and, if you’ve been in big groups or feel sick, stay home. “I would wait a couple of weeks before making an appointment if I went to a protest or a rally,” says Ompad. “It’s not cool to expose other people if you think you’ve been exposed.”
Also, consider tipping more than you normally would.
Service providers are potentially risking their health to treat you, says Ompad. “They deserve our utmost respect and care.”
https://nypost.com/2020/06/19/are-salons-safe-amid-the-coronavirus-what-you-need-to-know/

MMR vaccine could protect against the worst symptoms of COVID-19

Administering the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine could serve as a preventive measure to dampen septic inflammation associated with COVID-19 infection, say a team of experts in this week’s mBio, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology. Long-time collaborators and spouses Dr. Paul Fidel, Jr., Department Chair, Oral and Craniofacial Biology, and Associate Dean for Research, Louisiana State University Health School of Dentistry and Dr. Mairi Noverr Professor of Microbiology & Immunology at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans co-authored the perspective article based on ideas stemming from research in their labs. Vaccination with MMR in immunocompetent individuals has no contraindications and may be especially effective for health care workers who can easily be exposed to COVID-19, say the researchers.
“Live attenuated vaccines seemingly have some nonspecific benefits as well as immunity to the target pathogen. A clinical trial with MMR in high-risk populations may provide a low-risk-high-reward preventive measure in saving lives during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Fidel. “While we are conducting the clinical trials, I don’t think it’s going to hurt anybody to have an MMR vaccine that would protect against the measles, mumps, and rubella with this potential added benefit of helping against COVID-19.”
Mounting evidence demonstrates that live attenuated vaccines provide nonspecific protection against lethal infections unrelated to the target pathogen of the vaccine by inducing trained nonspecific innate immune cells for improved host responses against subsequent infections. Live attenuated vaccines induce nonspecific effects representing “trained innate immunity” by training leukocyte (immune system cells) precursors in the bone marrow to function more effectively against broader infectious insults.
In Dr. Noverr’s laboratory, in collaboration with Dr. Fidel, vaccination with a live attenuated fungal strain-induced trained innate protection against lethal polymicrobial sepsis. The protection was mediated by long-lived myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) previously reported inhibiting septic inflammation and mortality in several experimental models. The researchers say that an MMR vaccine should be able to induce MDSCs that can inhibit or reduce the severe lung inflammation/sepsis associated with COVID-19. Mortality in COVID-19 cases is strongly associated with progressive lung inflammation and eventual sepsis.
Recent events provide support for the researchers’ hypothesis. The milder symptoms seen in the 955 sailors on the U.S.S Roosevelt who tested positive for COVID-19 (only one hospitalization) may have been a consequence of the fact that the MMR vaccinations are given to all U.S. Navy recruits. In addition, epidemiological data suggest a correlation between people in geographical locations who routinely receive the MMR vaccine and reduced COVID-19 death rates. COVID-19 has not had a big impact on children, and the researchers hypothesize that one reason children are protected against viral infections that induce sepsis is their more recent and more frequent exposures to live attenuated vaccines that can also induce the trained suppressive MDSCs that limit inflammation and sepsis.
The researchers propose a clinical trial to test whether the MMR vaccine can protect against COVID-19, but in the meantime, they suggest that all adults, especially health care workers and individuals in nursing homes get the MMR vaccine. “If adults got the MMR as a child they likely still have some level of antibodies against measles, mumps, and rubella, but probably not the myeloid-derived suppressor cells,” said Dr. Fidel. “While the MDSCs are long-lived, they are not life-long cells. So, a booster MMR would enhance the antibodies to measles, mumps, and rubella and reinitiate the MDSCs. We would hope that the MDSCs induced by the MMR would have a fairly good life-span to get through the critical time of the pandemic.”
Dr. Noverr was recently awarded a “Fast Grant” (part of Emergent Ventures at the Mercatus Center, George Mason University) to test the efficacy of MMR directly in a nonhuman primate model of COVID-19 infection.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-06/asfm-mvc061620.php