Jonathan Smith, Author at Labiotech.eu

About

Reporter for Labiotech. I hail from the UK. I was born in Bristol, studied Neuroscience in the University of Bristol, and trained mice in Eisai, Hertfordshire, for one year. I then tickled locusts for my Ph.D. at the University of Leicester, before eventually ending up here!
Out of the office, I travel, play video games and board games, drink beer and play the piano.

Articles by Jonathan Smith

In Depth 5 Dec 2022

The biggest private biotech investments in November 2022

The companies Emalex Biosciences, Osler Diagnostics and TauRx Pharmaceuticals bagged the biggest biotech investments in November 2022. Around the world, oncology and cell therapy players attracted the biggest funding rounds. We’re approaching the December holidays and, while lower than in 2021, biotech stocks overall have stayed relatively flat in the last few months. In the […]

December 5, 2022 - 4 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Best in Biotech 1 Dec 2022

Five apps powering the future of at-home HIV tests

The smartphone revolution is providing a promising tool to combat the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic. We’ve listed five HIV test apps in development that could help people carry out at-home HIV tests and prevent the spread of the infection. The COVID-19 pandemic in the last two years has demonstrated how vital rapid diagnostic tests […]

December 1, 2022 - 8 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

immutep checkpoint inhibitor lag 3 cancer

Interview 29 Nov 2022

LAG-3: The next big checkpoint inhibitor target

Since their first approval a decade ago, immune checkpoint inhibitors have been gaining momentum in the treatment of cancer. The Australian-French firm Immutep explains why the immune checkpoint target LAG-3 is ripe for innovation in the space. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized the field of immuno-oncology in the last decade, especially since the approval of […]

November 29, 2022 - 7 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Miquel Vila Perelló gene therapy SpliceBio

Interview 28 Nov 2022

Breaking barriers to gene therapies for childhood rare diseases

The majority of known rare genetic diseases affect children, and gene therapies could help them live normal lives. Miquel Vila-Perelló, CEO and co-founder of the Spanish biotech SpliceBio, outlines how its technology could widen the range of genetic diseases treatable with gene therapies. Last week, World Children’s Day was celebrated as a means to improve […]

November 28, 2022 - 5 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 24 Nov 2022

Gene therapy approval “game changer” in hemophilia B treatment

The approval of CSL’s gene therapy Hemgenix has ushered in a new era for hemophilia B treatment. With the addition of other approvals like Rocktavian and Upstaza, 2022 could be a turning point for the broader gene therapy field. Earlier this week, etranacogene dezaparvovec (Hemgenix) made history as the first gene therapy approved by the […]

November 24, 2022 - 7 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Ulrich dauer vivoryon alzheimers disease

Interview 23 Nov 2022

What recent mixed clinical results can teach about Alzheimer’s disease

2022 has provided mixed fortunes for companies aiming to slow Alzheimer’s disease. Ulrich Dauer, CEO of the German biotech Vivoryon, explains the lessons these events provide. The quest for a treatment to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease has endured decades of disappointments. The most common treatment strategy — clearing up harmful deposits, or “plaques,” […]

November 23, 2022 - 7 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Startup Scout 21 Nov 2022

Osivax is designing future-proof influenza and Covid vaccines

Viruses causing influenza and COVID-19 continually evolve to escape our vaccine protections. The French firm Osivax is developing vaccines that are harder for the viruses to evade. Many life-saving vaccines have been developed and approved to protect against viral infections including COVID-19 and influenza. Commercially available vaccines typically activate the production of antibodies against fragments […]

November 21, 2022 - 5 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Best in Biotech 17 Nov 2022

The hottest private biotech companies in Canada

Canada is well known for biotech innovations, with expertise in genomics, cell therapies and liquid biopsy. Here is a list of private healthcare biotech companies that have attracted big cash in Canada in the past two years. Canada has one of the top 10 biggest economies in the world. The developed country boasts rich forests, […]

November 17, 2022 - 6 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Best in Biotech 16 Nov 2022

Six biotech stocks trading below cash right now

The biotech stock market is currently in a tough spot, with many companies facing suppressed valuations. We’ve listed six public companies trading with a market cap below their cash in hand. A range of factors are driving down company valuations in the public biotech market, such as soaring inflation, geopolitical instability and the threat of […]

November 16, 2022 - 6 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Startup Scout 15 Nov 2022

Nagi Bioscience tests drugs on worms using microfluidics

The Swiss startup Nagi Bioscience aims to speed up drug and chemical safety testing by automating research on a worm called Caenorhabditis elegans. For companies developing a drug or chemical product, there are many ways to predict the safety of their compound in humans. They can test the drugs in cell cultures, which are cheap […]

November 15, 2022 - 5 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Interview 14 Nov 2022

MaaT Pharma: leading the charge in microbiome therapeutics

The first generation of microbiome therapeutics is hitting its first approvals. Savita Bernal, chief business officer at the French biotech MaaT Pharma outlines the firm’s efforts to blaze a trail in clinical testing and manufacturing in the new field. The microbiome world recently made a regulatory step forward as Australia greenlit a stool transplant developed […]

November 14, 2022 - 5 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Startup Scout 10 Nov 2022

ResQ Biotech is using bacteria to discover Alzheimer’s treatments

Protein misfolding underlies many incurable conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The Greek startup ResQ Biotech is harnessing bacteria to test potential peptide treatments for these diseases. There are many diseases that involve the faulty processing of proteins in the cell, leading the proteins to clump together and damage the tissue. […]

November 10, 2022 - 4 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

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