AviTrap: A novel solution to achieve complete biotinylation.

Site specific biotinylation of AviTagged recombinant proteins using BirA enzyme is a widely used protein labeling technology. However, due to the incomplete biotinylation reactions and the lack of a purification method specific for the biotinylated proteins, it is challenging to purify the biotinylated sample when mixed with the non-biotinylated byproduct. Here, we have developed a monoclonal antibody that specifically recognizes the non-biotinylated AviTag but not the biotinylated sequence. After a ten-minute incubation with the resin that is conjugated with the antibody, the non-biotinylated AviTagged protein is trapped on the resin while the fully biotinylated material freely passes through. Therefore, our AviTrap (anti-AviTag antibody conjugated resin) provides an efficient solution for enriching biotinylated AviTagged proteins via a simple one-step purification.

An International Real-World Analysis of the Efficacy and Safety of Lorlatinib Through Early or Expanded Access Programs in Patients With Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor-Refractory ALK-Positive or ROS1-Positive NSCLC.

INTRODUCTION: Lorlatinib, a next-generation central nervous system-penetrant ALK/ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), is approved to treat TKI-refractory ALK-positive (ALK+) NSCLC based on results from a phase 2 study. METHODS: A real-world analysis was performed on ALK+ or ROS1-positive (ROS1+) patients with NSCLC enrolled in lorlatinib early or expanded access programs in Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United States. RESULTS: A total of 95 patients with NSCLC (76 ALK+ and 19 ROS1+) were analyzed. Among ALK+ patients treated with less than two previous TKIs, two or more previous TKIs, and three or more previous TKIs, the objective response rates (ORR) and median progression-free survival (mPFS) were 42% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 26-59; n = 38) and not reached (NR) (95% CI: 4.5-NR; n = 45), 35% (95% CI: 22-49; n = 55) and 11.2 months (95% CI: 4.5-NR; n = 66), and 18% (95% CI: 4-43; n = 17) and 6.5 months (95% CI: 3.5-11.6; n = 21), respectively. The ORRs and mPFSs were 13% (95% CI: 0-53; n = 8) and 9.2 months (95% CI: 3.3-NR; n = 9) for patients treated with one second-generation ALK TKI as the only ALK TKI received. For ROS1+ patients, ORRs and mPFSs were 41% (95% CI: 18-67; n = 17) and 11.9 months (95% CI: 6.4-NR; n = 19). The intracranial ORRs were 35% (95% CI: 22-49) and 55% (95% CI: 23-83) for 52 ALK+ and 11 ROS1+ patients. mPFS was 9.3 months (95% CI: 1.0-NR; n = 13) for patients with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis. No new safety signals were noted. CONCLUSION: Lorlatinib exhibited meaningful activity in TKI-refractory ALK+ or ROS1+ patients with NSCLC enrolled in early or expanded access programs.

Complementary medicines in pregnancy: recommendations and information sources of healthcare professionals in Australia.

Background The use of oral complementary and alternative medicines, including herbal supplements, has been increasing in pregnant women worldwide despite limited safety data. The decision of healthcare professionals to recommend these products to pregnant patients is controversial and not well documented. Objective To explore the recommendations and information sources that healthcare professionals use to determine the safety of oral non-prescribed supplements during pregnancy. Setting An Australian metropolitan maternity hospital. Method An electronic survey was distributed to doctors, midwives, pharmacists, dietitians, lactation consultants and physiotherapists. Main outcome measure The nature of recommendations and information sources that healthcare professionals use to determine the safety of oral non-prescribed supplements during pregnancy. Results Responses were received from 54 healthcare professionals. Forty of 54 (74.1%) were concerned about the safety of their patients' supplements, while 35 of 54 (64.8%) felt that they had access to trustworthy safety information. Supplements most commonly recommended as safe to use were ginger (40.7%), probiotics (29.6%) and raspberry leaf (22.2%). Participants specifically requested further safety information for raspberry leaf, evening primrose oil, fish oil, probiotics, ginger, vitamin C, valerian, turmeric, blue cohosh and colloidal silver. Written resources most frequently consulted included MIMS® (61.1%) and 'Google Searches' (29.6%), and healthcare professionals most referred to were pharmacists (74.1%), doctors (22.2%), and naturopaths or herbalists (3.7%). Conclusion The recommendations of maternity heath care professionals and quality of information sources used varied. Further education and access to unbiased safety information is required to empower healthcare professionals to provide informed recommendations to pregnant patients.