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

News and Trends 5 Nov 2019

UK Scientists Speed up Brain Cancer Diagnosis with AI

A technique combining a blood test with artificial intelligence (AI), developed by the UK company ClinSpec Diagnostics, could help to prioritize which patients need to be scanned for brain cancer. A team led by researchers at the University of Strathclyde and the University of Edinburgh, UK, trialed the technology on blood samples from 400 people […]

November 5, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 4 Nov 2019

Finnish Genetics Study Provides Clues for Treating Type 2 Diabetes

A genetic mutation common to Finnish populations has been found to protect against type 2 diabetes by increasing insulin in the blood, providing a potential target for new drugs. The mutation is found in at least 0.2% of the population in western Finland, whereas it only appears in 0.02% of other European populations. The mutation […]

November 4, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

cuantec scampi glasgow recycling bioplastic

Startup Scout 1 Nov 2019

This Biotech Turns Seafood Waste into Packaging Using Microbes

The Scottish company CuanTec is developing an energy-efficient way to recycle seafood shells into food packaging via bacterial fermentation, which could reduce plastic waste. Mission: To turn the thrown away shells of langoustines into antimicrobial food packaging. This would cut down both on food waste tipping and modern society’s reliance on plastics. CuanTec was founded […]

November 1, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 31 Oct 2019

European Project Launches to Tailor Autoimmune Disease Treatments

Public and private organizations across Europe will pool their resources in an €80M project to discover biomarkers that can predict which patients will respond best to treatments for autoimmune diseases. The project is called Taxonomy, Treatments, Targets and Remission, or 3TR for short, and is funded by the EU’s Innovative Medicines Initiative for the next […]

October 31, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

spinal muscular atrophy zolgensma novartis gene therapy

News and Trends 30 Oct 2019

Trial Testing Spinal Application of Zolgensma Put on Hold by FDA

The FDA has placed a partial hold on clinical trials testing a new application method for Zolgensma, Novartis’ gene therapy for the genetic disease spinal muscular atrophy, after it showed the potential to cause serious side effects in animal models. Spinal muscular atrophy is a life-threatening condition that usually arises when the patient is between […]

October 30, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 29 Oct 2019

MorphoSys and Galapagos’ Eczema Drug Abandoned at Phase II

Development of MorphoSys, Galapagos, and Novartis’ first-in-class antibody drug has been discontinued during a phase II trial after an interim analysis suggested it wouldn’t meet its main endpoint of reducing eczema symptoms. The drug was being developed to treat the inflammatory skin condition atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema. It arose from a collaboration between […]

October 29, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

More News! 28 Oct 2019

UK Company Synthesizes Long DNA Molecules with 85% Accuracy

The UK biotech Camena Bioscience has proven it can synthesize long DNA molecules with more accuracy than traditional chemical synthesis. Camena tested its technology’s ability to accurately synthesize DNA molecules with a length of 300 nucleotides — the building blocks of DNA. Using Camena’s technology, 85% of the synthesized DNA molecules were accurate to the […]

October 28, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

biorelate artificial intelligence cell gene therapy

Startup Scout 25 Oct 2019

This UK AI Tool Researches Diseases for Drug Discovery Companies

The Manchester-based company Biorelate is developing artificial intelligence (AI) technology that can collect biological data from the internet and speed up the drug discovery process. Mission: Develop AI technology that trawls the web for disease and drug data and collects it together like researchers would do manually in drug discovery. Biorelate’s product is able to […]

October 25, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

alzheimers disease treatment vivoryon therapeutics

News and Trends 24 Oct 2019

German Alzheimer’s Drug Backed with €43M After Biogen’s Surprise Turnaround

The German company Vivoryon Therapeutics has raised €43M on Euronext Amsterdam to fund a phase IIb trial of a drug that could slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by blocking toxic forms of the protein amyloid-beta. Vivoryon Therapeutics, previously known as Probiodrug, raised the money using a rights offering and a private placement on Euronext […]

October 24, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 22 Oct 2019

Austrian Biotech Will Develop Viral Protein For Vaginal Infection

The Austrian biotech company PhagoMed Biopharma is developing a viral protein that could one day treat the common condition bacterial vaginosis without disrupting the microbiome as traditional antibiotics do. The preclinical drug candidate is derived from a protein called an endolysin. Endolysins are made by bacteria-hunting viruses called bacteriophages and kill bacteria by rupturing the […]

October 22, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

paris ermium therapeutics autoimmune disease

Startup Scout 18 Oct 2019

This Biotech Fights Autoimmune Disease with Rare Immune Cells

We come to the biotech hub of Paris, France, where the biotech Ermium Therapeutics is developing treatments for autoimmune diseases that don’t suppress the whole immune system as current treatments do. Mission: To develop small molecule drugs for autoimmune conditions such as lupus by selectively blocking the activity of a rare type of immune cells […]

October 18, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

More News! 17 Oct 2019

Sofinnova Partners Raises €333M for its Newest Life Sciences-Focused Fund

Sofinnova Partners, Europe’s largest VC focused on life sciences, has raised €333M to fund early-stage healthcare companies, bringing the total capital managed by the firm to €2B. Sofinnova Partners aims to invest around two-thirds of the new fund, called Sofinnova Capital IX, in European life science companies. The other third will be invested globally, with […]

October 17, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

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