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House of Lords Science and Technology CommitteeSub-Committee II
http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/lords_s_t_select/evidence2.cfm
Genomic MedicineOral Evidence
Audio and video webcast recordings of public meetings are available at www.parliamentlive.tv for 365 days.
------------------------------------------------------
Written Evidence
Memorandum by GenoMed Inc, April 2008
Summary
Genomic medicine will clearly revolutionize the practice of medicine. Medical genomics makes patients the ideal experimental subjects. For good reasons at the time, governments turned away from clinical research in the 1960s, preferring to focus on mechanistic studies in subhuman model systems. Clinical research was left to the research pharmaceutical industry. Unfortunately, the research pharmaceutical industry is on its last legs, and is in no position to develop genomic medicine.
To take full advantage of genomic medicine, the NHS will have to take a leadership role. Every GP will need to participate in a quality improvement (QI) program to better his or her patient outcomes. The existing technology is adequate. Because the research pharmaceutical industry already has more targets than it can handle, the NHS may need to become a “virtual” pharmaceutical company itself.
There will be obvious rewards, in terms of revenues and clinical outcomes, if the NHS takes such a proactive approach.
Introduction
The House of Lords Science and Technology sub-committee on genomic medicine is quite correct in believing that genomic medicine is a new field that could have tremendous impact on the daily practice of medicine. The sub-committee’s questions, reproduced below, are thoughtful. But they presume a rosier picture than actually exists.
The experience of a practitioner who still sees patients (as a general internist) and CEO of a medical genomics company may be valuable for the sub-committee to consider.
My comments are based on 15 years’ of wandering in the desert of genomic medicine (1-11). It has been a desert in every sense of the word: there has been virtually no research funding, no professional or academic collaboration, and no business model. And, of course, there is no scientific precedent—those in the field are making it up as we go along. The sub-committee’s questions about “regulation” make it clear that you understand that.
There is no doubt that genomic medicine will revolutionize the practice of medicine, sooner or later. So far, the medical establishment has managed to make it later (9).
The medical system, like any highly lucrative industry, profits from the status quo. Genomic medicine, by revealing the map for common diseases, makes it simple to inhibit disease pathways. It is certainly not rocket science! If over activity of an enzyme such as angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) is behind a disease (2), then using an ACE inhibitor should help. Indeed, it does (1,5,7,10).
Genomic medicine already makes it possible for ordinary GPs to conquer diseases which still baffle government and non-profit funding agencies.
Most common diseases could be solved in the next few years. However, if the medical establishment has its way, they won’t be. Clinical outcomes won’t improve, but a few labs in a few prestigious universities will continue to be awarded enormous funds to perform mind-boggling but irrelevant tours de force, such as sequencing tumor genomes.
Today’s news illustrates the trend perfectly: http://www.genomeweb.com/issues/news/146282-1.html. The Wellcome Trust will spend
USD 60 million on whole genome association studies using the Affymetrix 1 million SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) chip. This, notwithstanding the fact that earlier versions of Affymetrix’s chip containing 100K, 300K, 500K, and 600K SNPs haven’t worked, and that linkage techniques haven’t worked for polygenic diseases for the past 25 years (see below).
An alternative future
It is already possible, using the right fishing net, to find thousands of disease-associated SNPs. In 2004, we found roughly 5,000 SNPs for each of six different cancers in whites (Caucasians): breast, colon, lung, ovary, pancreas, and prostate. That was with a fishing net of some 20,000 SNPs that covered one-third of the genome. We now have a SNPnet™ of 80,000 SNPs that covers the entire human genome.
It must be said, however, that our SNPs come from a public database (dbSNP), and so apply only to Caucasian patients. To find SNPs for other ethnic groups—people of African ancestry, Asians, and mixed populations such as Brazilians—will require the construction of a separate dbSNP for each ethnic group.
The SNPs that we found are mostly located within 10 kb of a discrete gene. The disease-associated version of the SNP (susceptibility allele) presumably causes differential gene expression relative to the protective allele: over expression of oncogenes, under expression of tumor suppressors.
The traditional, mechanistic model of biomedical research would next require the construction of promoters containing the SNP, linked to reporter genes such as luciferase or CAT, in order to test exactly what the SNP does in various model systems. This could easily take 3-5 years and several hundred thousand pounds per SNP. Afterwards, the gene affected by the SNP would be explored for its role in tumorigenesis. This could easily take decades. For example, the role of BRCA1 and 2 is still not understood more than a decade after their discovery. The same is true for the CF gene, the PKD gene, etc. Discovery of these genes hasn’t yet led to drugs for treating patients.
Let us agree at the outset that the first goal of genomic medicine is improvement of clinical outcomes. Let us also agree that time is of the essence. Ultimately, a disease-causing gene is only significant if inhibiting it has a positive effect on the disease. Genomic medicine provides so many good targets that one can skip the promoter-bashing experiments mentioned above, and race ahead to designing drugs. Those with the lowest toxicity/efficacy ratio can be tested in animal models, without bothering to work out the exact cellular mechanism involved. That can be left to academic labs able to devote time to the subject.
In other words, the NHS can push for better clinical outcomes, while the MRC continues to fund basic research into mechanism.
An alternative focus: QI
Quality improvement (QI) is still missing from healthcare. In most industries, research is intimately tied to QI. Not so in medicine. Since 1948, as research has gotten more basic and less clinical, progress in clinical medicine has ground to a halt. More progress was achieved in medicine in the 1930s, arguably, than in all the years since the War on Cancer was declared in the US by President Nixon in 1972. Cancer survival rates have not improved for most common adult cancers. Nobody understands why stomach
cancer rates have been falling. The decrease certainly can’t be duplicated yet in other cancers.
The House of Lords Science and Technology sub-committee has a historical opportunity to use genomic medicine as a tool to improve quality in the NHS. The tool is certainly reliable enough. It will mean better patient outcomes and lower costs immediately—5% within the first 12 months of adoption, with greater savings over time. Cardiovascular disease can already be delayed, if not arrested (1,2). The remaining frontiers are oncology, followed by neurodegenerative diseases and crippling psychiatric diseases like schizophrenia and autism.
The NHS could use its unique resources to create the molecular diagnostics and genomics-based therapeutics of the next century or two. This would provide a revenue stream (river, really) for the NHS just when it needs fiscal help the most: as the Baby Boomers age and rely on it more heavily.
Molecular Diagnostics
The 5,000 SNPs we’ve already found for six cancers in whites are sufficient to predict 2/3 of cancers in whites. Little additional work is required—perhaps GBP 1.5 million over a 3 year period—to achieve FDA approval. A prospective trial could be performed at little cost over the next 5-10 years demonstrating that early diagnosis could actually lower cancer mortality.
ACE inhibitors or ARBs could be tried to delay or even prevent tumor growth (2) in patients detected to be at high risk for a particular cancer. So could one or more existing medications directed at some of the thousands of oncogenes we have already discovered.
In addition, already established radiological techniques (ultrasound, MRI) could be used to identify tumors while they were still small and surgically resectable for a cure.
Therapeutics
Until now, pharmaceutical companies have identified a disease pathway and then found inhibitors to interfere with the pathway. The emphasis has been on efficacy. Toxicity only becomes an issue later. This is backwards, since 99.9% of efficacious drugs fail because of toxicity. From a business point of view, this approach has been disastrous. The cost of bringing a new drug to market is now USD 1 billion and 12 years; it is only going up.
The few remaining research pharmaceutical companies can no longer tolerate any failure. They eschew basic science, instead asking biotechnology companies to present them with Phase III-approved drugs.
The only problem is that it costs GBP 250 million to get through Phase III. Nobody in their right mind would invest that much in a biotech company. Biotech companies are one-trick ponies whose drugs fail at the rate of 99.9%, the same failure rate as Big Pharma (research pharmaceutical companies).
With medical genomics, many thousands of participating genes can be identified at once. If one believes in the power of genomic epidemiology, then one can assume that most, if not all, of the associated genes are causative, as we have found for ACE (1-11). In other words, one can take efficacy for granted. Then one can screen out molecules based on toxicity. 99.9% of compounds will continue to fail because they are too toxic.
The 0.1% of compounds that pass toxicity assays can then be worked up for clinical trials. Starting with 3,000 drugs directed against 3,000 different targets should still result in 3 satisfactory drugs. Genomics can take the failure out of the pharmaceutical industry, and restore its pipeline.
Note that genotyping patients in order to market a toxic drug is a bad idea. It is much less expensive to discard a drug because of toxicity in an early in vitro assay than to (a) establish its mechanism of toxicity in humans; (b) find the human genetics behind this toxicity; (c) validate the toxicity test in a patient population, and (d) try to recoup all of the additional research costs by charging extra for the drug.
It still takes many years to bring a new chemical entity to market. In the meanwhile, already existing drugs can be repurposed, perhaps in combination. The genes associated with the disease determine which drugs to try. So many thousands of genes are involved with each disease that it’s already possible to find several dozen known drugs, with established toxicity profiles.
Stage IV cancer patients, whose prognosis is grim, could be used to test cocktails of already existing, non-toxic drugs. Cocktails may work better than single agents. Blocking multiple steps partially may limit the overall flux through the disease pathway specifically, effectively, and without toxicity, the goals of “kind” chemotherapy. Like the Lilliputians bringing down Gulliver with hundreds of weak ligatures, it may be possible to inhibit overall flux through a cancer-causing pathway using relatively weak inhibitors rather than the powerful cellular poisons currently employed.
Incomplete inhibition should limit toxicity. An inhibitor that blocked only 50% of the activity of a protein, combined with 6 other loose inhibitors, would nevertheless block overall flux through a pathway that relied on all 7 proteins by >99% (1/2[7] = 1/128 <1%).
New drugs
New chemical entities (NCE’s) can be developed if absolutely necessary—if no combination of already existing and known drugs works. But the cost and probable toxicity of NCE’s should make them the last resort of any healthcare system whose goal is QI.
Nevertheless, the UK is in an ideal position for drug discovery and drug development. It could easily harness the MRC and NHS to become a “peer-reviewed virtual pharmaceutical company™.” The MRC could continue to fund basic scientific programs into understanding drug mechanism, whilst the NHS could supply patients for Phase I-III testing.
Funding, the rate-limiting step, could come from financial institutions hitherto not involved in pharmaceutical research, but anxious to participate in the industry, now that Big Pharma is becoming extinct.
The research pharmaceutical industry has been undergoing massive consolidation since the late 1980s, so that only a few large pharmaceutical companies are left. Evidently, the industry can no longer support as many players as it used to. The reason for this is that managed care has been limiting the use of branded drugs since the early 1980s, such that they now occupy only 30% of the market. The use of generic drugs continues to increase every year.
The fewer the drug companies left, the larger they get. The larger they are, the more risk-averse they have become. Pfizer lost 20% of its market capitalization over the failure of its HDL-raising drug last fall. Drug companies are punished in the market-place for any failures. Their response has been to let biotech companies fail instead. As a result, Big Pharma’s pipelines have dried up. A huge vacuum is opening up in the pharmaceutical industry, precisely when genomics has finally made it possible to solve diseases.
Research partnership
The MRC and NHS could perform the preclinical and clinical work necessary for new drug discovery. Routine pre-clinical assays, such as absorption/detoxification/metabolism/excretion/toxicity (ADMETox), could be subcontracted to companies specializing in this work, as could chemical manufacturing. A company like GenoMed could easily supply the drug targets.
In return for its participation, the NHS could retain partial ownership of any intellectual property it helped to develop, especially new drugs. They would provide an ongoing revenue stream for the NHS during their patent life.
It light of the above discussion, I would like to try to answer the specific questions below.
Policy Framework
Who is in charge of setting and reviewing policy in this area?
In the US, the NIH and FDA.
Who provides scientific advice on policy development?
In the US, the NIH and White House Office of Science Technology and Policy. Congress is not terribly involved. The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee is to be commended for its involvement in genomic medicine.
Who monitors and anticipates potential scientific developments and their relevance to future policy?
In the US, it appears to be the NIH and HHS. The NIH just asked for outside guidance on genomic medicine, but it is pretty clear what they want to hear. The MRC would be just as closed-minded. Again, the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee is to be commended for taking up the topic themselves.
How effective are these mechanisms?
Not at all. Healthcare has remained stagnant for the past 28 years that I’ve been a practicing physician. Thiazide diuretics are still the first line treatment for hypertension. Just as in the 1920s, glucose control remains the mainstay of treatment for diabetes, yet complications arise at the same rates as 30 years ago.
Does the existing regulatory and advisory framework provide for optimal development and translation of new technologies?
Not at all. It takes 17 years for a new treatment to make its way into the clinic. I have personal experience that a new treatment doesn’t even get reported for going on 6
years now (1). Penicillin at least made the news soon after discovery, even if it wasn’t widely available for a decade. In this case, the drugs are already available, but nobody has breathed a word about the “recipe” for preventing end-stage renal disease. Healthcare has become, for all intents and purposes, anti-innovative at its core.
Are there any regulatory gaps?
Not particularly. What’s interesting is that not all tumor-expression data is useful: estrogen receptor status of breast cancers makes a big difference on treatment and prognosis, but not so EGFr status of breast and lung cancers, etc. Nevertheless, anti-EGFr treatments, although horribly expensive, are prescribed and paid for. If anything, the system is too lenient about paying for expensive medication which does little to improve clinical outcomes.
In what way is science and clinical policy decision-making informed by social, ethical and legal considerations?
They need to be informed by clinical considerations above all. Ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) have, if anything, strangled genomic research in the US. Having to get informed consent for stored samples, when the patients may have already died, seems quite unnecessary. Who could possibly be hurt by using the tissue? Such misplaced solicitude has set the field back by several decades. Our duty is to patients with the disease now who need to be helped.
How does the framework compare internationally?
Internationally, the field of genomic medicine is in its infancy. No healthcare system has a meaningful QI program in place. Clinical outcomes are still not even reported, so how can they be improved? Samples are being stored in BioBanks, but there is no funding for any but a handful of labs to access them.
Research and Scientific Development
What is the state of the science?
A “master” disease gene has been found (2) but not applied to the population yet. Its application alone should save 5% of healthcare costs within the first 12 months, and perhaps 30% over 10 years (2).
Genes for 6 cancers in whites have been found, proving that GenoMed knows how to find causative genes for all cancers and perhaps all polygenic, common diseases. In theory, we could do this for any ethnic group, not just Caucasians, although we’d need to replicate dbSNP in each ethnic group.
What new developments are there?
Linkage disequilibrium approaches, which worked well for single-gene, so-called Mendelian disorders, have not worked at all well for polygenic diseases. A recent NEJM article, for example, found a single TGF-beta dependent gene after scanning cardiovascular disease patients for 600,000 SNPs (12). An association strategy using functional rather than neutral, “marker” SNPs is far better suited to polygenic diseases.
We have evidence that (a) there are some 10,000 participating genes per polygenic disease; (b) each gene may have more than one SNP involved; (c)
consequently, the signal from any one SNP is vanishingly small. In fact, there is no linkage disequilibrium between two SNPs only 17 bases apart. One SNP, at -789 in the ecNOS promoter, has a strong [p<10(-21)] association with Disease A (NIDDM, but not diabetic nephropathy), whereas another SNP at -772 has a similarly strong [p<10(-23)] association with Disease B (diabetic nephropathy) but not Disease A (NIDDM).
Finding disease-causing polymorphisms in a sea of 3 billion letters is like fishing for cod in the Atlantic Ocean. It helps to know where the fish like to congregate. Putting down nets every 10 meters across the Ocean is a very expensive and inefficient approach. Not surprisingly, whole genome association studies have yielded little for the past two decades. Yet the pediatric geneticists and genetic statisticians who succeeded at solving single gene diseases remain in control of the funding and the overall scientific strategy for adult, polygenic diseases.
What is the rate of change?
Little new since the CF gene was discovered 25 yrs ago. Affymetrix is putting out a 1 M SNP chip, since earlier versions haven’t worked. Ultimately, a 3 M SNP chip will be required, since that’s the minimum number of SNPs in the Caucasian human genome. There is a much more efficient way to find disease-associated SNPs!
Who is taking the lead in the consideration and co-ordination of research and the development of new technologies?
New technology is not necessary. Existing technology is adequate, if only there were adequate funding. Waiting for new technology would be like Isabella calling off Columbus until somebody discovered the diesel engine.
How effective is the policy and investment framework in supporting research in this area?
Rather ineffective. The same expensive approach to polygenic diseases that has failed for the past 25 years continues to be funded by both the governments of the UK and the US. Big Pharma has followed suit, compounding the loss of money and time. The field is considered to be too complicated for any other approach to work. If the experts all say that linkage disequilibrium is the only way to proceed, why should a private investor believe otherwise? How could a small start-up company possibly be right when the best and the brightest names in science are unanimous in pursuing the same, albeit unsuccessful, approach?
As a result, the field is in serious danger of going nowhere. When will government finally contemplate an alternative approach? Only after the 3 M SNP chip fails? Only after the 6 M SNP chip fails?
The biggest danger right now is that we’ll languish in the current state of clinical ignorance for another 50 years for lack of investment.
How does research in the UK compare internationally?
No better or worse than anybody else. Many countries are collecting BioBanks—Iceland, for the sole benefit of DeCODE; Estonia, etc. What nobody has yet done is actually solve any diseases. Or, if they’re solved (1), there has been no interest in applying the solution (9).
How much collaboration is there?
None as yet.
What are the current research priorities?
In oncology, the NIH plans to use the $300K sequencing machines left over from the genome sequencing effort to sequence individual tumor genomes—the equivalent of trying to inhibit the formation of snow by carefully photographing individual snowflakes.
What is the role of industry?
Industry is currently the public’s only hope—not Big Pharma, but small biotech companies like GenoMed. Pediatric geneticists and genetic statisticians are unfortunately in control of government funding, meaning that government is currently completely out of the competition. The only problem is that there is absolutely no funding for small biotech companies to carry the day.
How much cross-sector collaboration takes place?
Very little at present. Nil. There is intense disdain and distrust of industry by academia. On the other hand, academia has valuable—but replaceable—resources which could help industry. The good (and bad) news is that cancer patients can be found anywhere. Prestige matters very little. If the UK doesn’t embrace the plan I propose, they will become irrelevant bystanders. Any healthcare system in the world can carry out this plan, and partners in drug discovery and development can be found in many countries, including India, China, etc. The pieces of a “virtual” pharmaceutical company are easy to assemble. The technology is already available. Funding has become the rate-limiting step.
Data Use and Interpretation
Is genomic information published, annotated and presented in a useful way?
For most diseases, it doesn’t yet exist.
Should there be a common, public database?
Most of the $5-8 B a year pursuing disease-causing genomic polymorphisms would say no—that’s what they’re trying to discover. It would be like nationalizing the gold mines while the Forty-Niners were still flocking to California.
If so, who should fund, and have responsibility for, such an initiative?
The database will direct all of medicine for the next century at least. It will form the basis of molecular diagnostics as well as the pharmaceutical industry. For the government to run this program would require an extraordinary investment of funds and patience. Truly, it would be the “cathedral project” of the current century. But it would require a substantial change in direction. That’s unlikely without a test first. A competition to achieve pre-defined milestones over a short, say 2 year period, could be arranged, for example, identification of at least 10 disease-causing genes. Winners would be allowed to proceed; the losers would not.
Who should provide the framework for optimal evaluation of data and translational opportunities?
The data is easy to evaluate according to current scientific guidelines. There is a grave danger in making any one entity the Data Tsar, since in the history of science the Data Tsar usually turns out to be wrong. What is the sensitivity and the specificity of the test? Does the diagnostic chip actually lower mortality in a prospective study? Can the results be replicated by other groups? These are standard questions which can be published in any number of already existing journals.
What policy and funding mechanisms are in place for recognising and utilising potential opportunities?
Both in the US (NIH) and the UK (MRC), there is currently no policy for funding anything but me-too science. Nor is there any meaningful funding for clinical research. Genomic medicine creates hundreds of clinical hypotheses which all beg to be tested in actual patients.
Unfortunately, the NIH and MRC have left clinical trials to research pharmaceutical companies, beginning in the 1960s. Since the 1980s, generic drugs have captured more and more of the pharmaceutical market. Currently, 70% of the drugs purchased by healthcare plans are generic. As a result, the market for branded drugs is shrinking, and research pharmaceutical companies are going out of business. A massive consolidation has been underway in the research pharmaceutical market since the late 1980s. There have been virtually no Phase IV trials since the early 1990s.
This would be an ideal time to establish a clinically oriented funding mechanism. It should be part of the NHS itself, rather than the MRC. It should consist of the following components:
1. Reporting outcomes as they currently are.
Outcomes can’t be improved if we don’t know where we’re starting from. How well do diabetics do in Mr. X’s practice? How many go on dialysis? How long before dialysis? How many have heart attacks? How many lose their limbs? How many go blind?
The next level of inquiry will be comparative. Why do the diabetics in Mr Y’s practice do better than Mr X’s? Is there anything Ms Y does differently than Mr X? Can we all learn something from Ms Y, or will her hard-won insight be lost to the ages?
2. Pharmacoepidemiology.
Medical genomics raises a huge number of clinical hypotheses. For example, genomic epidemiology suggests that ACE inhibitors and ARBs may be useful for at least 150 common diseases. Review of patients’ prescriptions can quickly contribute information. Do patients taking an ACE inhibitor or ARB also take, for example, more or less tamoxifen than you’d expect for breast cancer? Tysabri for multiple sclerosis? Characteristic drug X for disease Y? If the odds ratio of taking an ACEI/ARB and characteristic drug X is above 1, then ACEI/ARBs lead to that disease. If the odds ratio is
less than 1, then ACEI/ARBs protect against that disease, in keeping with the genomic epidemiologic data. Prospective trials in actual patients with disease Y are next in order.
3. Molecular diagnostics.
(see discussion above)
4. Phase IV trials of existing medications, including “cocktails.”
(see discussion above)
5. New drug discovery and development.
(see discussion above).
Is other medical information recorded in a suitable format to allow optimal interpretation of genomic data?
If it’s on paper, it’s good enough. Obviously, electronic medical records would make it easier than having to pull charts. But there’s no point spending valuable time and money on developing electronic medical records. Use the money and time to find disease-causing genes and test new treatments instead.
Medicine has a long tradition of unnecessary make-work, such as the attempt at perfect blood glucose control in diabetics. Just because something can be done doesn’t mean that it should be done. Only if it drastically improves clinical outcomes should patients and physicians bother.
How should genomic data be brought together with other health information?
Genomic data should simply be part of the medical chart, like other health information. In principle, genomic data is no different from any other test result.
What are the implications of the generation and storage of genome data on personal data security and privacy, and on its potential use or abuse in employment and insurance? How should these be addressed?
Anti-discrimination laws in the US (the Americans with Disabilities Act) and the UK already prevent discriminating on the basis of a person’s genetic make-up. Health insurance in the UK doesn’t discriminate at all, since the NHS accepts all comers, regardless of pre-existing conditions.
Genomic data will actually make it easier to achieve better clinical outcomes. Insurance companies will become more profitable by using it. They would be silly to ignore it or, worse still, punish consumers because of it.
Translation
What opportunities are there for diagnostics, therapeutics and prognostics - now and in the future?
Tremendous opportunities for all three (please see above).
Who is responsible for translation to clinical practice?
At the moment, industry, since a business case can be made for improving patient outcomes and saving healthcare costs. And government has distanced itself from clinically relevant research since the 1960s.
Given the pace of technological advance, how 'future-proof' is healthcare investment in this area?
Finding disease-associated genomic polymorphisms is completely ‘future-proof’—they need only be found once in a species’ lifetime. They will not change. In other words, getting the answer right is worthwhile; the technology for getting the answer is irrelevant.
How does the UK compare to other countries and what lessons can be learnt?
At the moment, no better or worse off than anybody else. The first healthcare system that embraces a new approach will become the global leader in genomic-based medicine.
How meaningful are genetic tests which use genome variation data?
They are the best method of pre-symptomatic diagnosis.
What progress has been made in the regulation of such tests?
Nobody has them yet, so regulating them hasn’t been much of an issue. The BRCA1/2 tests were approved before it became apparent that they predict only 5% of breast cancer in white women. It had been hoped that they accounted for more sporadic cases. In general, families get their diseases in a different way than the bulk of the population, making linkage analysis even less useful for the general population.
A large, ethnically diverse healthcare system like the NHS is in a relatively unique position to work out accurate values for genomic tests for the world’s major ethnicities: their sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value, cost-effectiveness, effect on mortality, etc.
Biomarkers and Epidemiology
In what way do genome-wide association studies contribute to the identification of biomarkers?
Surprisingly little. See, e.g., the recent largely negative search for cardiovascular disease-causing genes using 600K SNPs published in the NEJM. A single TGF-beta dependent gene was unequivocally found (12). This was already obvious in 1992 (see 1 for ref.).
We’re told to wait for the 1 M SNP chip, just as we were told, when the 100K SNP chip failed, to wait for the 600K SNP chip. A 1 M SNP chip has marker SNPs roughly every 3,000 base pairs. Yet we have evidence that two SNPs only 17 base pairs apart are completely unlinked. Continuing to pursue the same, extraordinarily expensive approach without at least exploring other avenues is poor scientific strategy. Any scientist running his/her own laboratory would have given up on this particular line of attack long ago. It’s surprising to me that the UK, which prided itself on clever rather than brute-force experimental approaches when I was a student at Oxford in the mid-1970s, is still copying everybody else 25 years later.
How is the study of genetic factors and biomarkers integrated for translational purposes? A healthcare system that wanted to improve clinical outcomes could easily do this. But the first step would be to try to optimize clinical outcomes. The NHS doesn’t even report outcomes yet. No health system does. Reporting health outcomes would be an invaluable first step for quality improvement (QI), irrespective of genomic medicine.
What impact will genomic data have on data emerging from projects such as UK Biobank, Generation Scotland and other biobanks?
The Biobanks are not as useful as directed patient collections for specific diseases. A directed strategy would be much more efficient than exhaustive sample collection. Collecting samples does not solve the disease.
Use of genomic information in a healthcare setting
What impact will genomic information have on the classification of disease?
It will be critical as an early warning system for otherwise lethal diseases, such as cancer. It may help in the treatment of currently untreatable diseases. But it won’t necessarily help much with classification—other than to show that one gene may be involved in many different diseases.
How will it affect disease aetiology and diagnostic labels?
A single gene can cause multiple diseases. Genomics may break down barriers between clinical divisions. Genomics is tending to “lump” diseases together, rather than slice diseases into ever finer categories.
How useful will genomic information be as part of individualised medical advice?
Critical for assessing cancer risk and detecting cancer while still early. Probably not very important in determining specific treatment. We’ve found that everybody responds to an ACE inhibitor, for example, regardless of ACE I/D genotype (1). Similarly, people without a particular SNP in gene X may still respond to an inhibitor of gene X simply because the overall disease pathway involves gene X. We still don’t understand what a disease pathway looks like, whether it’s common to all patients with the same clinical diagnosis, etc. We’ll only know how disease pathways work once we get clinical experience trying to interrupt them. To pretend otherwise at this point would be dishonest.
What provisions are there for ensuring that the individual will be able to understand and manage genomic information, uncertainty and risk?
The general provision that any information be told in a way that a 2nd grader can understand it. Genomic medicine will be the GP’s duty to explain to the patient. Those establishing new tests will need to make the test intelligible to the GP.
Should there be a regulatory code (mandatory or voluntary) covering the provision of this advice?
There’s no sense regulating something that doesn’t even exist yet. Plus, the people presumably doing the regulating—trained genetic counselors—studied Mendelian
genetics. Polygenic diseases have not been fully characterized yet, let alone understood. So it makes little sense to have Mendelian geneticists regulating people on material they don’t understand themselves.
What are the implications of developments in genomic technologies for the training of medical specialists and other health professionals?
With luck, genomics will elevate the GP and make sub-specialists redundant.
Are there any gaps that need addressing?
Geriatrics, but genomic medicine doesn’t change population demographics.
What is the assessment and planning for future needs in capacity?
If genomics can increase life expectancy by a decade, people are going to have to agree to die at home once they reach 100, rather than in hospital. That’s the only way for a healthcare system to save money.
References
1: Moskowitz DW. From pharmacogenomics to improved patient outcomes: angiotensin I-converting enzyme as an example. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2002;4(4):519-32.
PMID: 12396747. (For PDF file, click on paper #1 at: http://www.genomed.com/index.cfm?action=investor&drill=publications)
2: Moskowitz DW. Is angiotensin I-converting enzyme a "master" disease gene? Diabetes Technol Ther. 2002;4(5):683-711. PMID: 12458570 (For PDF file, click on paper #2 at: http://www.genomed.com/index.cfm?action=investor&drill=publications)
3: Moskowitz DW. Is "somatic" angiotensin I-converting enzyme a mechanosensor? Diabetes Technol Ther. 2002;4(6):841-58. PMID: 12685804 (For PDF file, click on paper #3 at: http://www.genomed.com/index.cfm?action=investor&drill=publications)
4: Moskowitz DW. Pathophysiologic implications of angiotensin I-converting enzyme as a mechanosensor: diabetes. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2003;5(2):189-99. PMID: 12871609 (For PDF file, click on paper #4 at: http://www.genomed.com/index.cfm?action=investor&drill=publications)
5: Moskowitz DW, Johnson FE. The central role of angiotensin I-converting enzyme in vertebrate pathophysiology. Curr Top Med Chem. 2004;4(13):1433-54. PMID: 15379656 (For PDF file, click on paper #6 at: http://www.genomed.com/index.cfm?action=investor&drill=publications)
6: Moskowitz DW. Acute oxygen-sensing mechanisms. N Engl J Med. 2006 Mar 2;354(9):975-7. PMID: 16510756
7: Williams RM, Moskowitz DW. The prevention of pain from sickle cell disease using trandolapril. J Natl Med Assoc 2007 Mar; 99(3):276-8 (http://www.nmanet.org/images/uploads/Publications/CR0276.pdf)
8: ACE inhibitors and ARBs (angiotensin II receptor blockers) may turn out to be general viral antidotes, as described in Section 2151 of the Project BioShield II Act of April 28, 2005 (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s109-975), reproduced below:
CHAPTER 5--REPORT AND ADMINISTRATION
SEC. 2151. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary for Medical Readiness and Response of the Department of Homeland Security and the Director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease of the National Institutes of Health, shall submit a report to Congress that describes alternatives to traditional vaccines and anti-viral therapeutics for viral diseases, including negative immunomodulation compounds that partially suppress a macrophage-dependent innate immune response of an individual to viral pathogens, in order to decrease morbidity and mortality from an excessive immune response.
9. Moskowitz, DW. Promoting dialysis alternative. Letter. ACP Observer, Dec. 2006 (http://www.acponline.org/journals/news/dec06/letters.htm)
10. Daily KC and Moskowitz DW. Unusually long MS remission with losartan. (Submitted).
11. Moskowitz DW. Hypertension, thermotolerance, and the "African gene": an hypothesis. Clin Exp Hypertens. 1996 Jan;18(1):1-19. PMID: 8822230
12. Samani NJ et al. Genomewide Association Analysis of Coronary Artery Disease. New Engl J Med 357(5):443-453, August 2, 2007.
It's Time to Get Serious--No More Mr. Nice Guy
Dear Loyal and Stalwart Supporters of GenoMed,
You are one of the best assets of the company.
It's time for us to earn revenues.
It's also time for guerilla marketing.
So if you see any independent retail pharmacies in your neighborhood, could you please send me their telephone number?
It's taken me 11 years, but I've finally figured out who our business partners are: independent retail pharmacists who are trying to survive financially. They're being squeezed by the chain drugstores, as well as the mail-order pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). We can increase their revenues, and they can help us prevent 90% of dialysis (http://tinyurl.com/nodialysis).
So please send me the names and locations of any independent retail pharmacies you happen to drive past.
Thanks!
No more Mr. Nice Guy. It's time for us to get serious about public health.
Best regards,
Dave Moskowitz MD
CEO & Chief Medical Officer
GenoMed, Inc.
www.genomed.com
tel. 314.983.9938
dwmoskowitz@genomed.com
GMED (on OTC Pink Sheets)
GenoMed Partners with Jennifer's Pharmacy in Clayton, MO
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
David W. Moskowitz MD
CEO, GenoMed
dwmoskowitz@genomed.com
Tel. 314.983.9938
Jennifer Rich RPh
CEO, Jennifer's Pharmacy
Jennifer@jenniferspharmacy.com
Tel. 314.862.7400
ST. LOUIS—July 8, 2009—GenoMed® (OTC Pink Sheets GMED.PK), the Public Health Company™, announced today that it has partnered with Jennifer's Pharmacy of Clayton, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis as part of GenoMed's plan to make the US dialysis-free by 2014 (http://tinyurl.com/nodialysis).
Jennifer's Pharmacy will educate its customers with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, as well as emphysema about GenoMed's Clinical Outcomes Improvement Program (COIP®).
David W. Moskowitz, MD FACP, GenoMed's CEO and Chief Medical Officer, said "Education is key if we are to prevent kidney failure. We're delighted that Jennifer's Pharmacy is as eager as we are to serve their clients' health needs. We look forward to a long and fruitful association with Jennifer's Pharmacy and their clients."
Said Jennifer Rich, RPh, CEO of Jennifer's Pharmacy, "We're happy to do our part to help our customers live a healthier and longer life. Being healthy also means preventing future health problems. We are excited to be able to work with Dr. Moskowitz."
About GenoMed
GenoMed is a Next Generation Disease Management company that aims to deliver the best patient outcomes at the lowest possible cost. As the only Public Health Company™ in the world, GenoMed aims to arrest diabetes, hypertension, and emphysema everywhere on earth. Please contact Dr. Moskowitz (see above for contact info) if you have one of these diseases.
About Jennifer's Pharmacy & Soda Shoppe
As the only independent retail pharmacy in the city of Clayton, Missouri, Jennifer's Pharmacy has already attracted a strong and loyal following.
House of Lords Issues Report on Genomics; GenoMed Part of It
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
David W. Moskowitz MD
CEO, GenoMed
dwmoskowitz@genomed.com
Tel. 314.983.9938
ST. LOUIS—July 7, 2009—GenoMed® (OTC Pink Sheets GMED.PK), the Public Health Company™, announced today that it is part of a white paper which the House of Lords Subcommittee on Genomics and Medicine issued today.
The House of Lords Committee on Science and Technology, Subcommittee on Genomic Medicine, issued a white paper today which encourages the National Health Service to make use of the advances in genomic medicine sooner rather than later (http://tinyurl.com/HouseOfLordsGenomicReport).
GenoMed contributed to this report (http://tinyurl.com/GMEDwhitepaper), identifying specific ways in which any patient population could take advantage of what's already known about genomic medicine.
David W. Moskowitz, MD FACP, GenoMed's CEO, said "We're delighted to have our contribution included in the House of Lords' White Paper. As the pioneer in bringing genomic medicine to the clinic, GenoMed is in a unique position to improve patient outcomes and lower healthcare costs. Our program to eliminate dialysis around the world by 2014 is a perfect example (http://tinyurl.com/nodialysis)."
Added Dr. Moskowitz, "I hope the British National Health Service, as well as Medical Directors in charge of patient populations everywhere, read the House of Lords' White Paper. Together, we can make our dream of eliminating 90% of kidney failure in 5 years a reality."
About GenoMed
GenoMed is a Next Generation Disease Management company that aims to deliver the best patient outcomes at the lowest possible cost. As the only Public Health Company™ in the world, GenoMed aims to arrest diabetes, hypertension, and emphysema globally. No genotyping is required for these diseases. Please contact Dr. Moskowitz if you have one of these diseases.
About the House of Lords
The House of Lords began phasing out life-time, hereditary membership under the leadership of Prime Minister Tony Blair, and replacing peers with experts who had achieved distinction in their respective fields. This has enabled the House of Lords to provide expert advice to the House of Commons and the Executive Branch of British government, including the National Health Service.
GenoMed forms international partnerships for diabetes prevention
St. Louis Business Journal - by Angela Mueller
Friday, June 26, 2009
GenoMed Inc. is partnering with three companies in the Philippines to help bring a diabetes prevention and management program to the country.
GenoMed, a St. Louis-based medical genomics company, is teaming up with Internet services firm LaSalTech, telecommunications firm Globe Telecom Inc., and retail drug company Mercury Drug to help Filipino patients manage and prevent diabetes via a text messaging and cell phone service. For a flat fee of about $20 a year, patients will be able to be in weekly text and e-mail contact with physicians who would help them use a disease management program developed by GenoMed to help diabetic and potentially diabetic patients avoid dialysis.
Dr. David Moskowitz, chairman and CEO of GenoMed, said he expects the service to launch around July 1.
Moskowitz initially connected with the Filipino partner companies via the LinkedIn social media site. He mentioned an upcoming trip to Malaysia on his LinkedIn profile, and a dialysis nurse from the Philippines contacted him and helped connect him with Rolando Dizon, chairman of LaSalTech.
UPDATE (Philippines)/CEO Q&A from the company's web site:
In light of the 10 + 10 and free in five announcements, please provide an update on progress in the Philippines so that we better understand the potential there.
Thank you.
We had been hoping to get buy-in from several big hitters--a telecom company, the major drugstore chain, as well as a medical school. None of them has been forthcoming, despite great initial promise. It may be premature to move on, but I am--lives are at stake. So we're now going after independent retail pharmacists in the Philippines as we are in every other country. They're the ideal marketers for the following reasons:
1. They're already in the business of dispensing medications, unlike telecom companies which have never been involved in healthcare before.
2. They're struggling to survive against the big chains and the mail-order pharmacies.
3. Being small, the owner can make his/her own decisions, and not defer to an army of lawyers, as happened at the telecom company.
Thanks for your excellent question.
Best regards,
Dave Moskowitz MD
CEO, GenoMed
*Swine flu has infected as many as 1million Americans
*The U.S. count includes 3,065 hospitalizations and 127 deaths.
By MIKE STOBBE, AP Medical Writer Mike Stobbe, Ap Medical Writer – 20 mins ago
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090625/ap_on_he_me/us_med_swine_flu
Flu shuts down more schools
MANILA, Philippines
Updated June 25, 2009 12:00 AM
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=480788&publicationSubCategoryId=63
GenoMed Partners with Retail Pharmacy in Cameroon, Central Africa
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
David W. Moskowitz MD
CEO, GenoMed
dwmoskowitz@genomed.com
Tel. 314.983.9938
Donald Njikam PharmD
CEO, Kaya Holdings
donald.njikam@gmail.com
Tel. 813.546.2209 (U.S.)
+237.22.31.49.08 (Cameroon)
ST. LOUIS—June 23, 2009—GenoMed® (OTC Pink Sheets GMED.PK), the Public Health Company™, announced today that it has partnered with Pharmacie Principale, a retail pharmacy in Yaounde, the capital city of Cameroon, in Central Africa.
Pharmacie Principale will educate its customers with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and emphysema about GenoMed's Clinical Outcomes Improvement Program (COIP®).
In addition, Pharmacie Principale will tell patients about GenoMed's Phase IV trials for serious diseases such as metastatic cancer, sickle cell disease, HIV, ebola, dengue, etc.
David W. Moskowitz, MD FACP, GenoMed's CEO and Chief Medical Officer, said "Education is key. We're delighted that Pharmacie Principale is as eager as we are to serve their clients' health needs. We look forward to a long and fruitful association with Pharmacie Principale and their clients."
Said Donald Njikam, PharmD, CEO of Kaya Holdings, which owns Pharmacie Principale, "We're excited to use our pharmacy to educate our customers about state-of-the-art healthcare techniques. Retail pharmacies are a tremendous resource. So far, GenoMed is the only company I know of that recognizes their full potential."
Added Dr. Njikam, "I'm surprised that Dr. Moskowitz's published results have received such little attention in the US. His techniques are simple enough for any pharmacy to implement. We are collaborating closely by email on each patient in a form of tele-medicine and by so doing making expert health care consultations easily accessible to patients in the developing world at a fraction of the cost."
About GenoMed
GenoMed is a Next Generation Disease Management company that aims to deliver the best patient outcomes at the lowest possible cost. As the only Public Health Company™ in the world, GenoMed aims to arrest diabetes, hypertension, and emphysema everywhere on earth. Please contact Dr. Moskowitz if you have one of these diseases.
About Kaya Holdings/Pharmacie Principale
Pharmacie Principale is an independent retail pharmacy in the capital city of Yaounde, Cameroon, Central Africa. National law prevents anyone from owning more than a single pharmacy, so there are no pharmacy chains in Cameroon. Pharmacie Principale wants to make available the best healthcare possible to its customers by providing the same cutting edge therapy available to US patients delivered by U.S based specialists through telemedicine.
TMI proudly supports Genomed, Inc. and his CEO's remarkable initiative providing free on-line medical consultation.
http://www.technicalmedical.com/en/tmi_news.html
BIT Life Sciences' 2nd Annual World Summit of Antivirals 2009
Full Scientific Program
http://www.bioevent.cn/articledetail.asp?meetingid=1378&classid=869
Theme: Meeting the Health Challenges in the Globalization
Time: July 18-20, 2009
Place: Lobby of Beijing International Convention Center, Beijing, China July 17, 2009
Track3-4: Antiviral Immunomodulator/Immunostimu-lants and Other Protein Therapeutic
Time: July 20, 2009, Monday, 13:30-17:30
Session Chair: Dr. David W. Moskowitz, Chairman, CEO & Chief Medical Officer, GenoMed, Inc., USA
Title: A General ViralAntidote
Can you guess what is coming next?...$ ."15"-"20"??(:?)
GenoMed Launches "10 + 10" Global Marketing Campaign
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
David W. Moskowitz MD
CEO, GenoMed
dwmoskowitz@genomed.com
Tel. 314.983.9938
ST. LOUIS—June 19, 2009—GenoMed® (OTC Pink Sheets GMED.PK), the Public Health Company™, announced today that it is launching a world-wide marketing campaign to increase its clients' lifespan by 10 years while rewarding its marketers with 10% of the patient revenues they bring in.
GenoMed published a series of papers in 2002-2004 showing that overactivity of angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) was behind three-quarters of common diseases—heart disease, almost all cancers, autoimmune diseases, even some infectious diseases, etc. The company's CEO, David Moskowitz MD FACP, was able to reverse early stage kidney failure due to diabetes or high blood pressure, the two main causes of heart disease. It's quite likely that heart disease itself could be reversed. Thus, it is reasonable to estimate that proper inhibition of tissue ACE, if begun in time, could add a decade of life to patients.
GenoMed has published in the peer-reviewed medical literature a safe and effective way to inhibit tissue ACE. There is no medical or legal impediment to applying this method to any patient population on earth.
The problem has been to communicate these findings to the patients who need to know-- the world's 2 billion adults—at a time when public health no longer takes care of patients, and medicine has completely lost its nerve.
David W. Moskowitz, MD FACP, GenoMed's CEO and Chief Medical Officer, said "Education is key. There's no point finding the major aging gene for all vertebrates—which we believe ACE to be—and have our discovery still be a secret seven years later. We need help getting the word out. In a word, we need a global marketing campaign. We can't rely on public health officials, so we'll go to the grass roots."
Dr. Moskowitz continued, "We ask that people refer their friends and family who have high blood pressure, diabetes, or emphysema. We'll work with the patient for two months or so, at a cost of $75 per month ($7.50/month for poor people). That should get the patient on the right dose of the right ACE inhibitor and start them on the right path to live an extra 10 years."
Dr. Moskowitz ended by saying, "In return, we commit to paying our marketers 10% of what we earn as a result of their efforts. In the First World, people can expect to make an average of $15 per referral; in the Third World, $1.50. So you not only do right by your family and friends, you make a little money on the side. And who couldn't use a little extra money nowadays?"
About GenoMed
GenoMed is a Next Generation Disease Management company that aims to deliver the best patient outcomes at the lowest possible cost. As the only Public Health Company™ in the world, GenoMed aims to arrest diabetes, hypertension, and emphysema everywhere on earth. Please contact Dr. Moskowitz if you have one of these diseases.
GenoMed Launches "Dialysis-Free in Five" Campaign
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
David W. Moskowitz MD
CEO, GenoMed
dwmoskowitz@genomed.com
Tel. 314.983.9938
ST. LOUIS—June 18, 2009—GenoMed® (OTC Pink Sheets GMED.PK), the Public Health Company™, announced today that it is launching a world-wide campaign to eradicate kidney dialysis by 2014.
GenoMed published in 2002 how to reverse early-stage kidney failure in patients with type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure. Globally, these two diseases cause over 90% of kidney failure that requires dialysis with the kidney machine.
David W. Moskowitz, MD FACP, GenoMed's CEO and Chief Medical Officer, said "Education is all that's needed to eliminate 90% of new cases of kidney failure. We have to get to patients with diabetes or high blood pressure before their serum creatinine is 2. Most patients have no idea what their serum creatinine is. But it's more important than their cholesterol. You've already lost half your kidney function when your serum creatinine is 2 [mg/dl]. In four years, unless you go on our program, you'll be on dialysis."
Dr. Moskowitz continued, "There are currently 300,000 people on dialysis in the US. Every year, 100,000 more Americans go on dialysis. If we could take care of the 80 million Americans with diabetes or high blood pressure, we could cut this number down to 10,000 new patients a year. With 25,000 kidney transplants a year in the US, there'd be more than enough kidneys available for every one of these patients to get a kidney transplant. That's why our slogan is 'Dialysis-free in Five.'"
Dr. Moskowitz ended by saying, "We call on everybody seeing patients, especially primary care providers and pharmacists, to help us reach our goal of 'Free in Five.' All it takes is a blood pressure cuff and our recipe. The drugs we use are generic and every drugstore carries them. The only thing lacking is awareness. Fortunately, in the Internet Age, everybody's message can finally be heard."
About GenoMed
GenoMed is a Next Generation Disease Management company that aims to deliver the best patient outcomes at the lowest possible cost. As the only Public Health Company™, GenoMed aims to arrest diabetes, hypertension, and emphysema everywhere on earth. Please contact Dr. Moskowitz if you have one of these diseases.
Medical Alerts and News Portal Philippines
http://medalerts.blogspot.com/#uds-search-results
Tuesday, June 17, 2009
A report on ABS CBN states that a new AH1N1 strain has been reported in Brazil. The new strain called A/Sao Paulo/1454/H1N1 by the Adolfo Lutz Bacteriological Institute, has a mutation characterized by alterations in the Hemagglutinin protein.
Scientists the world over are concerned about mutation because it was this a mutation which causes the 1918 Spanish Flu to kill millions all over the world.
Read more about it on the ABS website
http://abs-cbnnews.com/world/06/17/09/brazil-finds-new-strain-h1n1-virus
50-th International Conference on Health & Science Communications ...
June 17 - 20
Featured Speakers
http://www.hesca.org/stlouis/?page_id=365
GENEVA - The World Health Organization declared a swine flu pandemic Thursday — the first global flu epidemic in 41 years — as infections in the United States, Europe, Australia, South America and elsewhere climbed to nearly 30,000 cases.
The long-awaited pandemic announcement is scientific confirmation that a new flu virus has emerged and is quickly circling the globe. WHO will now ask drugmakers to speed up production of a swine flu vaccine. The declaration will also prompt governments to devote more money toward efforts to contain the virus.
WHO chief Dr. Margaret Chan made the announcement Thursday after the U.N. agency held an emergency meeting with flu experts. Chan said she was moving the world to phase 6 — the agency's highest alert level — which means a pandemic, or global epidemic, is under way.
"The world is moving into the early days of its first influenza pandemic in the 21st century," Chan told reporters. "The (swine flu) virus is now unstoppable."
“However, we do not expect to see a sudden and dramatic jump in the number of severe and fatal infections,” she added.
Live coverage
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/31250295#31250295
Philippine university suspends classes after student gets swine flu
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/health/news/article_1481106.php
Swine flu cases found in all 50 states in U.S.
Virus blamed for 17 deaths nationwide; actual infections may reach 200,000
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30919716/
The virus, which spreads easily and causes mostly mild disease, has been diagnosed in 17,564 people in 64 countries, killing 115, according to the World Health Organization.
It was newly found this week in patients in Bulgaria, Vietnam and Jamaica.
Although H1N1 swine flu appears mild, it affects mostly older children and young adults, and experts worry it could change into a more dangerous form.
The Next Big Thing: Personalized Medicin
forbes.com/Adviser Soapbox
Jim Oberweis, The Oberweis Report, 05.28.09, 12:40 PM EDT
Following in the footsteps of tech, biotech and the Internet, genomics is shaping up to be the next investing boom.
The argument can be made that the surge of biotech development in the 1980s and 1990s was a result of increased government funding for programs like the National Institutes of Health, which bridged the gap between the academically possible and the commercially profitable.
From 1983 to 1993, the budget of the NIH increased 158%, rising from $4 billion to $10 billion. From 1993 to 2003, that budget increased another 163% to $27 billion. In addition to opening its purse strings, Congress also passed a series of laws that fostered the ability to profit from biotech discoveries.
In particular, the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980 permitted universities and small businesses to patent discoveries that evolved from NIH-funded research. Indeed, I think the biotech boom was a direct consequence of rising National Health Institute funding, cheap equity capital, and the ability to patent NIH-funded discoveries.
Under the Obama administration, NIH funding will explode once again, and there is a possibility that a similar wave of innovation will follow. In the last five years, under President Bush, NIH funding remained flat at $27 billion to $29 billion annually. The recently passed U.S. stimulus plan allocates $10.4 billion in additional NIH funding to be spent before September 2010, a windfall equaling roughly 30% of the annual budget.
In addition to the immediate flush of cash, the allocation demonstrates the new administration's commitment to public science funding. Research and academic institutions will benefit, as will the companies that support them.
No area is better positioned to benefit than genomics and personalized medicine. With knowledge of an individual's genetic makeup, doctors will prescribe drugs with far better understanding of their efficacy for that particular individual.
The cost of obtaining one's genotype through entire genome sequencing is plummeting: Sequencing cost $300 million in 2003, $1 million in 2007, $60,000 in 2008, is currently under $10,000, and will likely fall below $1,000 by the end of this year. Once below $300, gene sequencing will be cheap enough to be part of routine medical care. With costs this low, personalized medicine is just around the corner.
Just as with biotechs, making money from genomics could well prove elusive. Undoubtedly, genomics will produce an explosion of innovation. But finding the winners in advance is tricky business. Just like makers of picks and axes during the 18th-century California gold rush, makers of the tools that facilitate fast, cheap gene sequencing may be the safest bet.
http://www.forbes.com/2009/05/28/illumina-life-genomics-personal-finance-guru-insight-nih-genes.html
Swine Flu Is Spreading Wider Than Official Data Show
http://bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601124&sid=agHVPFaC5R.M&refer=home
BACOLOD CITY, May 26 (PNA)
GenoMed, LaSalTech sign pact for preventive medicine venture
...Last month, GenoMed has announced that it has been in discussions to purchase Offshore HRM, a medical coding company which recently established a 200-person call center in Bacolod.
Moskowitz said GenoMed is engaged in two major activities, managing patients and doing research, and Offshore HRM will allow their company to manage patients on a large scale, and help them market to patients in the Philippines where there is an extremely high prevalence rate of diabetes.
Offshore HRM, which recently trained the Philippines’ first five medical coding professionals, will also recruit Filipino physicians and nurses and train them in GenoMed's algorithms to take care of paying patients. (PNA)
enjoy reading the story in full>>>>>>>>>>>
http://positivenewsmedia.net/am2/publish/Health_21/GenoMed_LaSalTech_sign_pact_for_preventive_medicine_venture.shtml
we can sweep the global market...>>>
If we can provide state-of-the-art healthcare to the poorest Filipino, we can sweep the global market.
— dwmoskowitz (@dwmoskowitz) May 18, 2009
Besides the Philippines, we're also in talks with Colombia...>>> http://twitter.com/dwmoskowitz
Looking To Test All -Time High
Outstanding Shares 249,506,760 as of Mar 31, 2008
-and at .04, the market cap is only $9,980,270.
GMED has had its ups and downs and even been as high as $.30+ ...
Now, we have even more intellectual property & more opportunities…
It's just a matter of time,
sam
…should break .016 easy based on accumulation.
…stock price was 1/2 cents a share in 2003, the year before we took in a little over $1.1 million in funding and stock price briefly soared up to 30+ cents…
Just as Microsoft brought us the Age of Personal Computing, GenoMed intends to be the leader in the Era of Genome-based Preventive Molecular Medicine.
Clinical Outcomes Improvement Program (COIP®).
http://www.thelatestmedicaltreatment.com/
>
Venture to introduce ‘molecular medicine’
BACOLOD — GenoMed, a Missouri-based "disease management" company, has partnered with Bacolod-based Internet services firm LaSalTech in a venture that will introduce preventive molecular medicine to the Philippines and later to other countries.
LaSalTech will serve as the "anchor partner" for a GenoMed Filipino venture that will include GenoMed, Inc., a public US company, and LaSalTech, Inc., a private Philippine company, a joint statement said.
David Moskowitz, GenoMed chief executive officer, arrived in Bacolod last week to sign a memorandum of understanding with LaSalTech represented by its chairman Bro. Rolando Dizon.
"The venture will include GenoMed’s protocols to keep diabetic and hypertensive patients off the kidney machine, a telecom company to help us market and deliver our medical advice by cellphone, call centers to answer patients’ questions in real time, and a generic drug company to offer the drugs we use at a price low enough for even the poorest Filipino to afford," Mr. Moskowitz said in a statement.
Globe Telecom, Inc. will help deliver GenoMed protocols by cellphone, the company executive said, while a "catastrophic hospitalization" insurance firm will also be a partner.
Talks with additional partners, including a generic drug company and a chain of pharmacies, will be held this week.
"In the future, we’d like to add a network of discount physicians, clinical laboratories, dentists and optometrists. Retail pharmacists could check patients’ blood pressures if doctors were too busy," Mr. Moskowitz said.
Mr. Dizon told reporters that LaSalTech is assisting GenoMed in the organization and management of the venture, including tapping potential partners.
GenoMed acknowledged that foreign companies like itself are limited by Philippine laws to a maximum of 40% ownership in any joint venture.
But the company has found many potential Filipino partners after only a month, Mr. Moskowitz noted.
Last month, GenoMed announced it was in talks to purchase Offshore HRM, a medical coding company which recently established a 200-man call center in Bacolod.
With GenoMed engaged in two major activities — managing patients and doing research — Offshore HRM will allow the company to manage patients on a large scale, and help market services to patients in the Philippines where there is an extremely high prevalence of diabetes, Mr. Moskowitz said. — Nanette L. Guadalquiver
19,530 new twitter followers in 30 days? Check it out http://twitter.com/dwmoskowitz
US swine flu deaths hit double-digits
http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/national/dpg_Swine_Flu_US_Deaths_fc_20090521_2502191
The World Health Organization says swine flu has sickened more than 10,000 people in 41 countries and killed at least 80.
"This is a great day for GenoMed's shareholders. We finally get a chance to show our stuff in a nation of 90 million."
http://genomed.com/investor/dsp_investor.cfm
WHO seeks swine flu shot help for poor nations
Vaccine will still take months to produce, longer than expected, officials say
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30823371/
Japanese junior high school students wear masks as precaution against swine flu during a school tour at the upper house of the Parliament in Tokyo, Japan, Tuesday, May 19, 2009.
Swine flu 'may infect two billion'
14 hours ago
Up to two billion people could be infected by swine flu if the current outbreak turns into a pandemic lasting two years, the World Health Organisation (Who) has said.
Who flu chief Keiji Fukuda said the historical record of flu pandemics indicates one third of the world's population gets infected in such outbreaks.
But he added: "This is a benchmark from the past. Please do not interpret this as a prediction for the future."
Mr Fukuda said: "If you look at past pandemics, it would be a reasonable estimate to say perhaps a third of the world's population would get infected with this virus."
With the current total population of more than six billion, that would mean an infection total of two billion, he said.
But he added the world has changed since pandemics of earlier generations, and experts are unable to predict if the impact will be greater or smaller.
"We don't really know," said Mr Fukuda. "This is a benchmark from the past. Please do not interpret this as a prediction for the future."
Chris Smith, a flu virologist at Cambridge University, said the two billion estimate was possible.
"That doesn't sound too outlandish to me for the simple reason that this is a very infectious virus," he said. "You're talking about a virus that no one in the population has seen before and therefore everyone is immunologically vulnerable.
"Therefore it's highly likely that once it starts to spread, people will catch it. And since the majority of the world's population are in contact with one another, you're going to get quite a lot of spread."
Stock Stations Thursday, May 7, 2009
http://www.microcapalliance.com/stations/default.asp?sid=64
elephants breed about every seven years ...
BioShield II Act SEC. 2151. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary for Medical Readiness and Response of the Department of Homeland Security and the Director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease of the National Institutes of Health, shall submit a report to Congress that describes alternatives to traditional vaccines and anti-viral therapeutics for viral diseases, including negative immunomodulation compounds that partially suppress a macrophage-dependent innate immune response of an individual to viral pathogens, in order to decrease morbidity and mortality from an excessive immune response.
======================
Department Of Homeland Security
DHS Sets Guidelines For Possible Swine Flu Quarantines
Read the whole story: CBS News
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/04/28/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4975598.shtml
From Voice of America - "Dr. David Moskowitz is the CEO of GenoMed in St. Louis, Missouri. He describes GenoMed as a disease management company that prefers using readily available generic drugs. He says, 'We've been interested in the idea that viruses kill more because people overdo their immune response, rather than having too weak an immune response.' He says if that's the case, people's immune response can be reduced a few notches by using common blood pressure medication: 'They gently immunosuppress you, much more gently than, say, prednisone or steroids. So we've been using them for any viral disease we can get our hands on. We've been using it on West Nile (virus) in people and horses and birds since 2003 with good results – about a 70% treatment efficacy rate.'"
Statement by WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan
29 April 2009
Swine influenza
Ladies and gentlemen,
Based on assessment of all available information, and following several expert consultations, I have decided to raise the current level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 4 to phase 5.
Influenza pandemics must be taken seriously precisely because of their capacity to spread rapidly to every country in the world.
On the positive side, the world is better prepared for an influenza pandemic than at any time in history.
Preparedness measures undertaken because of the threat from H5N1 avian influenza were an investment, and we are now benefitting from this investment.
For the first time in history, we can track the evolution of a pandemic in real-time.
I thank countries who are making the results of their investigations publicly available. This helps us understand the disease.
I am impressed by the work being done by affected countries as they deal with the current outbreaks.
I also want to thank the governments of the USA and Canada for their support to WHO, and to Mexico.
Let me remind you. New diseases are, by definition, poorly understood. Influenza viruses are notorious for their rapid mutation and unpredictable behaviour.
WHO and health authorities in affected countries will not have all the answers immediately, but we will get them.
WHO will be tracking the pandemic at the epidemiological, clinical, and virological levels.
The results of these ongoing assessments will be issued as public health advice, and made publicly available.
All countries should immediately activate their pandemic preparedness plans. Countries should remain on high alert for unusual outbreaks of influenza-like illness and severe pneumonia.
At this stage, effective and essential measures include heightened surveillance, early detection and treatment of cases, and infection control in all health facilities.
This change to a higher phase of alert is a signal to governments, to ministries of health and other ministries, to the pharmaceutical industry and the business community that certain actions should now be undertaken with increased urgency, and at an accelerated pace.
I have reached out to donor countries, to UNITAID, to the GAVI Alliance, the World Bank and others to mobilize resources.
I have reached out to companies manufacturing antiviral drugs to assess capacity and all options for ramping up production.
I have also reached out to influenza vaccine manufacturers that can contribute to the production of a pandemic vaccine.
The biggest question, right now, is this: how severe will the pandemic be, especially now at the start?
It is possible that the full clinical spectrum of this disease goes from mild illness to severe disease. We need to continue to monitor the evolution of the situation to get the specific information and data we need to answer this question.
From past experience, we also know that influenza may cause mild disease in affluent countries, but more severe disease, with higher mortality, in developing countries.
No matter what the situation is, the international community should treat this as a window of opportunity to ramp up preparedness and response.
Above all, this is an opportunity for global solidarity as we look for responses and solutions that benefit all countries, all of humanity. After all, it really is all of humanity that is under threat during a pandemic.
As I have said, we do not have all the answers right now, but we will get them.
Thank you.
-------------------------------
Related links
Watch the video [wmv, 7min 13 sec] http://whovideo.vo.msecnd.net/streaming/SWINE_FLU_PRESS_CONF_29APR2009_INTRO.wmv
Listen to the audio [mp3 57 Mb] http://whoterrance.vo.msecnd.net/mediacentre/audio/press_briefings/VPC_29APR2009swine_influenza_2.mp3
Influenza A(H1N1) - full coverage http://www.who.int/entity/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html
Current WHO phase of pandemic alert http://www.who.int/entity/csr/disease/avian_influenza/phase/en/index.html
International Health Regulations (IHR) http://www.who.int/entity/ihr/en/index.html
H1N1 Flu Update with HHS Sec. Kathleen Sebelius
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/secretarywebcast.html
Top US Researcher says Some Swine Flu Deaths may be due to Overactive Immune System.
By Joe DeCapua
Washington, DC
28 April 2009
The head of a US research firm says the deaths caused by the swine flu outbreak may be partly due to an overactive immune system – not a weakened one.
Dr. David Moskowitz is the CEO of GenoMed in St. Louis, Missouri. He describes GenoMed as a disease management company that prefers using readily available generic drugs. He says, "We've been interested in the idea that viruses kill more because people overdo their immune response, rather than having too weak an immune response." He says if that's the case, people's immune response can be reduced a few notches by using common blood pressure medication: "They gently immunosuppress you, much more gently than, say, prednisone or steroids. So we've been using them for any viral disease we can get our hands on. We've been using it on West Nile (virus) in people and horses and birds since 2003 with good results – about a 70% treatment efficacy rate."
Travelers at the Los Angeles International Airport, 27 Apr 2009
Moskowitz says the high immune response is caused by what's called a cytokine storm, a "tremendous outpouring of cytokines, of factors released by white cells that get other white cells really jazzed up." He says, "It's these white cells…that basically…turn the lung into a totally cellular organ like a liver, so it can't exchange gas anymore."
"People have always said with West Nile it's exactly the same group that dies, these young, healthy people from 20 to 50 that get hit the worst. So there's this old-school virology dogma that says you only get sick if your immune system is weak, and yet they've never been able to explain why healthy people cutting the grass are the ones who get West Nile every summer or why, in the 1918 flu epidemic it was young soldiers who all died. And the answer is, sure, if you're totally immunosuppressed, you're at risk for getting a viral infection, but the general population (that) actually dies from a viral disease are overdoing their immune response, not under doing it."
The researcher says there are anti-viral drugs that are effective against the Swine Flu virus but they're expensive and not widely available. The blood pressure drugs the company uses for West Nile haven't been shown yet to work for swine flu, so clinical trials are necessary. But he says these drugs are safe, cheap and available.
Feedback
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In time, people will see how this can help the world. Then this will fly again.
The 50th International Conference on Health & Science Communications
Featured Speakers
http://www.hesca.org/stlouis/?page_id=365
Hopefully GMED is a part of the action here
Obama Administration: Out With the 'Swine,' In With the 'H1N1 Virus'
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/04/obama-adminis-5.html
$1.5 billion in emergency funding
Yeah, this could be huge if they urge Obama. Won't be pennies either.
GMED GOING TO .04-.05
THIS IS GETTING SERIOUS WITH THE DEATH OF A CHILD IN THE US!!!
WELL GMED CEO SAID THAT HE HAS THE CURE NOW USE IT
Swine Flu Public Service Announcements (PSAs)
CDC PSAs provide timely messages about what you can do to protect yourself and your family.
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/psa/
Swine Influenza (Flu)
Swine Flu website last updated April 29, 03:30 AM ET
U.S. Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection
(As of April 28, 2009, 11:00 AM ET) State # of laboratory
confirmed cases
California 10 cases
Kansas 2 cases
New York City 45 cases
Ohio 1 case
Texas 6 cases
TOTAL COUNT 64 cases
International Human Cases of Swine Flu Infection
See: World Health Organization
The human swine flu outbreak continues to grow in the United States and internationally. Today, CDC reports additional cases of confirmed swine influenza and a number of hospitalizations of swine flu patients. Internationally, the situation is more serious too, with additional countries reporting confirmed cases of swine flu. In response to the intensifying outbreak, the World Health Organization raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 4. A Phase 4 alert is characterized by confirmed person-to-person spread of a new influenza virus able to cause “community-level” outbreaks.” The increase in the pandemic alert phase indicates that the likelihood of a pandemic has increased.
CDC has activated its emergency operations center to coordinate the agency’s emergency response. CDC ’s goals are to reduce transmission and illness severity, and provide information to help health care providers, public health officials and the public address the challenges posed by this swine influenza virus. Yesterday, CDC issued a travel warning recommending that people avoid non-essential travel to Mexico. CDC continues to issue interim guidance daily on the website and through health alert network notices. CDC’s Division of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) is releasing one-quarter of its antiviral drugs, personal protective equipment, and respiratory protection devices to help states respond to the outbreak.
The swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is susceptible to the prescription antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir. This is a rapidly evolving situation and CDC will provide updated guidance and new information as it becomes available.
Lets hope the Obama administration gives him a chance to show the world what he can do.
GenoMed Urges President Bush to Avoid Costly Avian Flu Mistake
"We applaud President Bush for his concern, but his course of action is ill advised. Neither vaccines nor antiviral drugs work, and neither should be relied on ahead of our own anti-viral approach, which uses safe, already existing drugs present in every drug store on earth. Our approach, which is included in BioShield II, has already achieved over 80% treatment success in West Nile virus encephalitis and should be equally effective against avian influenza. All we need is the email address of a physician in Southeast Asia with a bird flu patient to test it."
http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/291730/genomed_urges_president_bush_to_avoid_costly_avian_flu_mistake/
Experts are nervous that, as a new strain, the swine flu will be harder to stop because there aren't any vaccines to fight it.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/28/regular.flu/index.html
What's the link to swine flu here?
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Shares outstanding per the transfer agent 02/02/09: 221,170,711
04/27/09: Genomed Swine Flu Play?
http://www.cyperus.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/01-15-2004/0002090287&EDATE=
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/34202.php
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/10713.php
Annals Publishes GenoMed, Inc. Approach To Avian Influenza
http://www.biospace.com/news_story.aspx?NewsEntityId=34330
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/33141.php
GenoMed CEO Invited to Lecture at University of Chicago About Bird Flu
GenoMed’s WNV Treatment May Work for Avian Influenza
http://avianflu.futurehs.com/?p=804
Genomed - Preventive Molecular Medicine
Before posting on this board, please read the GMED BOARD LAW at the bottom of this iBox.
GenoMed, Inc.
9666 Olive Blvd.
Suite 310
St. Louis, MO 63132
USA
314-983-9933
Ticker Symbol: GMED
Website: http://genomed.com and http://www.thelatestmedicaltreatment.com/
GenoMed is a Next Generation DMtm company that uses medical genomics to improve patient outcomes. GenoMed is working to translate knowledge of medical genomics--the study of which genes cause disease--into clinical practice. We combine biotechnology with Disease Management (DM). We develop new and better drugs, we use existing drugs for new disease indications, and we uncover disease before symptoms arise. By studying disease genes, we hope to make medicine more proactive and disease prevention more effective.
Our goal is nothing short of a medical revolution: we aim to change the way medicine is practiced. Just as Microsoft brought us the Age of Personal Computing, GenoMed intends to be a leader in the Era of Genome-based Preventive Molecular Medicine. Indeed, we believe that our patent-pending ACE inhibitor treatment, if widely applied, could save 50% of healthcare costs worldwide over the next decade.
per http://www.thelatestmedicaltreatment.com/,
"Our goal is nothing short of a medical revolution: we aim to change the way medicine is practiced. Instead of waiting for symptoms to develop, we intend to diagnose disease before any signs are visible. Just as Microsoft brought us the Age of Personal Computing, GenoMed intends to be the leader in the Era of Genome-based Preventive Molecular Medicine."
12/08:Is the Era of Personalized Medicine (Almost) Really Here?
"...President-Elect Obama is promising to throw his weight behind personalized medicine in the upcoming administration says AP"
"...while in the Senate, Obama sponsored a personalized medicine bill himself that promoted the R&D necessary to develop genetic tests for certain drugs and to develop a "biobank" of information for researchers and federal funding for this research as well, says AP."
source: http://blog.bioethics.net/2008/12/is-the-era-of-personalized-medicine-almost-really/
"Master" Disease Gene/Fountain of Youth?
GenoMed has discovered and applied for patent protection on a treatment that could have wide-ranging use for over 150 common diseases that currently carry a dismal prognosis. These include diabetes and its complications (which affects 20 million in the United States alone), high blood pressure and its complications (which affects 60 million in the U.S.); emphysema and other smoking-related diseases; and many other serious diseases, including infection with HIV and progression to AIDS, common solid cancers such as lung, colon, pancreas, liver, and kidney; cancers of the blood-stream such as chronic leukemias, multiple myeloma, and lymphomas; and immune-mediated diseases such as multiple sclerosis, degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis) and rheumatoid arthritis.
GenoMed has found that over-activity of a single enzyme, angiotensin I-converting enzyme ("ACE"), may be behind these diseases. The logical treatment is effective inhibition of the ACE enzyme, using the correct dose of the correct ACE inhibitor. As a class, ACE inhibitors have been in widespread use since the 1970's, and have a very well-known safety profile. The company has so far had dramatically positive results in the following diseases:
1. Chronic kidney failure due to adult-onset diabetes
2. Chronic kidney failure due to high blood pressure
3. Poor circulation due to high blood pressure
4. End-stage emphysema
5. Psoriasis
GenoMed Completes First Version of Healthchip(r) for Cancer Prediction
ST. LOUIS, April 20, 2005 -- GenoMed, Inc. (Pink Sheets GMED) a Next Generation Disease Management company, said today that it has constructed a Healthchip® which may serve as an early warning system for the top six common cancers in whites: breast, colon, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate.
GenoMed's Healthchip® is made up of many single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). In internal testing, the Healthchip® correctly identified the type of cancer in 85% of cases. None of the normals were misdiagnosed. More testing is required to confirm these results.
The well known breast cancer genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, account for only 5% of breast cancers in white women. GenoMed's SNPs may pick up the remaining 95% of sporadic breast cancer cases in white women, i.e. in women without a strong family history of breast cancer.
Said Dr. David Moskowitz, GenoMed's chairman and chief executive officer, "It's important for any screening test to have as few false positives as possible. GenoMed's Healthchip® currently has none."
The test for mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes costs about $1,200, has been available for about a decade, and has been reimbursed by a handful of insurance plans for the past few years. GenoMed's test is currently available for research purposes only, and is not yet reimbursable by any health plan. Please contact Dr. Moskowitz at dwmoskowitz@genomed.com to inquire about GenoMed's testing program.
SEC Filings - GenoMed files
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/sec.asp?BzID=571
GenoMed has the solution to the coming pandemic.
April 19, 2006 - GenoMed to Offer Free Mumps Trial http://tools.thestreet.com/rmy/quotes.html?pg=qcn&guid={3D6172DA-7BE1-495A-9696-E13B4F9E8A9A}&am....
February 1, 2006 - GenoMed's Formula for Better Healthcare at Half the Price = GenoMed + President Bush's HSAs
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=14065&GoTopage=1&am....
January 11, 2006- Turkish Brothers With Virus But No Symtoms Confirm GenoMed's Approach to Bird Flu
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=13849&GoTopage=1&am....
December 29, 2005 - Q & A page. Many of us find it incredible that your solution to the Avian flu problem has not been accepted in mainsteam circles. We are sure it will be in thefuture. Have you been able recently to make progress in this area?
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/QAForum.asp?BzID=571
November 14, 2005 - 'Cytokine Storm' Paper Confirms GenoMed's Approach to Avian Flu
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=12769&GoTopage=1&am....
September 16, 2005 - GenoMed's WNV Treatment May Work for Avian Influenza; GenoMed Tries to Help President Bush Avoid Avian Flu Mistake
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=11695&GoTopage=2&am....
scientists say bird flu provokes an excessive immune reaction (Reuters)
Investor Relations:
David Moskowitz MD, MA(Oxon.), FACP
Chief Medical Officer
dwmoskowitz@genomed.com
Phone: (314) 983-9933
Fax: (314) 983-9939
News:
June 26, 2006- GenoMed Can Explain Link Between West Nile, Diabetes/Hypertension
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=16056&GoTopage=1&am....
June 21, 2006- GenoMedGenoMed CEO Invited to Lecture at University of Chicago about Bird Flu
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=15953&GoTopage=1&am....
June 5, 2006- GenoMed, West Nile Virus, and Counting Crows
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=15818&GoTopage=1&am....
May 2, 2006- MO Rep. Mott Oxford Congratulates GenoMed on Reversing Kidney Failure
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=15384&GoTopage=1&am....
April 12, 2006- GenoMed Awarded Second Patent, for Avoiding Dialysis in Acute Kidney Failure
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=15006&GoTopage=1&am....
March 9, 2006- GenoMed Agrees to Distribute Healthcare to India for Under $150 Per Patient Per Year
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=15006&GoTopage=1&am....
March 1, 2006- GenoMed Awarded Second Patent, for Avoiding Dialysis in Acute Kidney Failure
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=14428&GoTopage=1&am....
February 23, 2006- GenoMed Trial Results: Multiple Sclerosis—From Two Relapses a Year to None in 16 Months
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=14330&GoTopage=1&am....
February 22, 2006- GenoMed Trial Results: Sickle Cell Disease—From Daily Pain to None
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=14329&GoTopage=1&am....
February 21, 2006- GenoMed Trial Results: HIV--Viral Load Goes to Zero
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=14327&GoTopage=1&am....
November 28, 2005 - GenoMed Considers Offering Low-Cost Health Insurance to America's Uninsured
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=13128&GoTopage=1&am....
November 14, 2005 - 'Cytokine Storm' Paper Confirms GenoMed's Approach to Avian Flu
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=12769&GoTopage=1&am....
October 28, 2005 - GenoMed Scores 14th Victory Treating Neuroinvasive West Nile Virus in Humans
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=12531&GoTopage=2&am....
September 16, 2005 - GenoMed's WNV Treatment May Work for Avian Influenza; GenoMed Tries to Help President Bush Avoid Avian Flu Mistake
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=11695&GoTopage=2&am....
July 26, 2005 - GenoMed Submits 50th Provisional Patent
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=10830&GoTopage=2&am....
July 25, 2005 - GenoMed's Observation of Major Racial Difference in Prostate Cancer Confirmed
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=10805&GoTopage=2&am....
July 13, 2005 - GenoMed Joins International Disease Management Alliance
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=10498&GoTopage=2&am....
June 29, 2005 - GenoMed CEO Testifies Before Missouri Medicaid Reform Commission
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=10216&GoTopage=2&am....
June 24, 2005 - GenoMed's WNV Treatment Abruptly Stopped, Patient Deteriorates
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=10147&GoTopage=3&am....
June 21, 2005 - GenoMed's Method to Prevent Most Kidney Dialysis Featured on IKIDNEY.COM
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=9973&GoTopage=3&....
June 16, 2005 - GenoMed Treats Its First Presumptive West Nile Virus Patient of 2005
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=9944&GoTopage=3&....
June 14, 2005 - GenoMed to be Awarded Second Patent, for Treating Acute Kidney Failure Without Dialysis
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=9926&GoTopage=3&....
June 07, 2005 - GenoMed Announces 3rd Year of its West Nile Virus Trial; Now Part of BioShield II
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=9862&GoTopage=3&....
May 26, 2005 - GenoMed to be Awarded First Patent: Hastening Lung Maturation in Newborns.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050526/cgth017.html?.v=10
May 03, 2005 - BioShield II Specifically Mentions GenoMed's Antiviral Approach.
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=8988&GoTopage=4&....
April 20, 2005 - GenoMed Completes First Version of Healthchip(r) for Cancer Prediction.
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=9175&GoTopage=1&....
April 07, 2005 - GenoMed Offers Treatment to Combat Effects of Smoking.
http://tools.thestreet.com/rmy/quotes.html?pg=qcn&guid={819BED6A-86DF-4818-A5AD-D832773CD614}&am....
April 05, 2005 - GenoMed Speaks Today at 1st Annual World Congress Leadership Summit on Disease Management and Chronic Care
http://tools.thestreet.com/rmy/quotes.html?pg=qcn&guid={D1BC492A-545E-4CC5-9876-B2C310E49644}&am....
Mar. 31, 2005 - GenoMed, Inc. Issues Clarification
GenoMed, Inc. (Pink Sheets: GMED) has been advised that one or more Internet websites are recommending the purchase of the Company's stock, and that unsolicited electronic mail has been circulated encouraging the purchase of the Company's stock. The Company is not responsible for, and is unaware of the source of, such Internet activity and makes no comment about the accuracy of such communications. The Company's management does not comment on research reports or rumors concerning the Company's activities or stock price.
Mar. 24, 2005 - GenoMed's Dr. David Moskowitz Featured on Wall Street Reporter
http://www.wallstreetreporter.com/profiles/GenoMed.html
Mar. 10, 2005 - GenoMed, Inc. Says New Medicare Legislation May Accelerate Acceptance of Its Therapy.
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=8721&GoTopage=1&....
Mar 03, 2005 - GenoMed Finds Thousands of Cancer-Associated Genotypes.
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=8643&GoTopage=1&....
Feb 23, 2005 - GENOMED THERAPY COULD REDUCE HELATHCARE COSTS.
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=8521&GoTopage=1&....
Feb 15, 2005 - GENOMED INC. FILES PATENT APPLICATION Company Identifies Two Additional Cancer-Related Genes.
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=8280&GoTopage=1&....
Jan 20, 2005 - West Nile Virus Encephalitis Victim's Family Wants to Increase Public Awareness of GenoMed's Clinical Trial.
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=7901&GoTopage=1&....
Jan 13, 2005 - GenoMed Finds Two Genes Linked to Common Cancers.
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=7910&GoTopage=1&....
Dec 13, 2004 - UC Irvine Researcher Confirms GenoMed’s Patent-Pending Discovery: ACE is Major Aging Gene, ACE Inhibition is Partial “Fountain of Youth”
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=7652&GoTopage=1&....
July 13, 2004 - GenoMed and Italian NIH to Collaborate in Finding a Cure for Bird Flu in Poultry
http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary.asp?BzID=571&ResLibraryID=6534&GoTopage=7&....
July 06, 2004 - GenoMed Applies for Listing on American Stock Exchange
Recent Publications
1. From Pharmacogenomics to Improved Patient Outcomes: Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme as an Example
http://www.genomed.com/pdf/diabetes.technology.therapeutics.pdf
2. Is Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme a "Master" Disease Gene?
http://www.genomed.com/pdf/is.angiotensin.pdf
3. Is "Somatic" Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme a Mechanosensor?
http://www.genomed.com/pdf/Is.ACE.a.Mechanosensor.pdf
4. Pathophysiologic Implications of Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme as a Mechanosensor: Diabetes
http://www.genomed.com/pdf/Pathophysiologic.pdf
5. Why AT1R blockade makes sense for SARS
http://www.genomed.com/pdf/AT1RSARS.pdf
6. The Central Role of Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme in Vertebrate Pathophysiology
http://www.genomed.com/pdf/ACE_vertebrate_pathophysiology.pdf
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