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

osteoarthritis stem cell regenerative medicine

News and Trends 12 Mar 2019

Stem Cells and Hydrogel Make Potential Osteoarthritis Treatment

Scientists from the Netherlands have received a €600,000 grant to test a treatment for osteoarthritis in humans that combines hydrogels and stem cells to help the knee joint heal. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage in joints such as the knees breaks down, causing stiffness and pain. There is no cure at the moment, and most current […]

March 12, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

geneuro multiple sclerosis neuron viral dna

News and Trends 12 Mar 2019

Blocking Hidden Viral Protein Shows Promise for Treating Multiple Sclerosis

An antibody that blocks the action of a hidden viral protein encoded by our genome shows encouraging signs of slowing down the progression of multiple sclerosis, according to the Swiss biotech GeNeuro which carried out the research. GeNeuro’s monoclonal antibody drug targets the hidden viral protein because it’s linked to the occurrence of multiple sclerosis, […]

March 12, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 8 Mar 2019

HIV Drug Shows Promise for Treating Ulcerative Colitis Patients

A small molecule drug, developed by the company Abivax for treating HIV, has also shown promise for patients with the inflammatory bowel disease ulcerative colitis, reducing the disease severity consistently for over six months. Abivax tested the drug on patients with moderate-to-severe cases of ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel condition that causes rectal bleeding and […]

March 8, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

influenza virus antiviral drugs atriva therapeutics germany tuebingen 1

News and Trends 8 Mar 2019

Flu Resistant to Antivirals? This Biotech Has a Drug for That

We are visiting the medieval German city of Tübingen this week. It hosts the biotech Atriva Therapeutics, which is developing antiviral drugs for influenza that can circumvent drug resistance. Mission: To make antiviral drugs that, unlike conventional drugs, target the host cell instead of the virus. This can prevent the virus from building resistance to […]

March 8, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 6 Mar 2019

Second Patient Achieves HIV Remission After Bone Marrow Transplant to Treat Cancer

For the second time in history, an HIV-positive patient with blood cancer has achieved HIV remission following a customized bone marrow transplant to treat their cancer from an HIV-resistant donor. The HIV-positive patient received a bone marrow transplant to treat the blood cancer Hodgkin’s lymphoma, from which he also suffered. The researchers used this cancer […]

March 6, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 5 Mar 2019

Seventure Continues Microbiome Investment Success with Second Fund

After the success of the world’s first fund dedicated to companies in nutrition, digital health, and the microbiome, the French venture capital firm Seventure Partners has completed the first closing of a second microbiome fund, which is expected to total €200M. The fund is the successor to Seventure’s Health for Life Capital fund, which was […]

March 5, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

More News! 4 Mar 2019

Swiss Biotech Raises €8.8M to Progress Regenerative Stroke Treatment

The Swiss company NovaGo has raised €8.8M (CHF 10M) in Series A funding to develop one of the first therapies to help the nervous system regenerate after a stroke. Novago develops antibodies that inhibit Nogo-A, a key molecule that stops nerve cells from growing new connections in the adult brain and spinal cord. This lets […]

March 4, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

biogen nightstar therapeutics gene therapy ophthalmology

News and Trends 4 Mar 2019

Biogen Acquires UK Biotech Developing Gene Therapy for Blindness

The big US biotech Biogen has agreed to acquire Nightstar Therapeutics for €773M ($877M), including Nightstar’s candidate gene therapies for inherited blindness. Expected to be complete by mid-2019, Biogen’s acquisition of Nightstar bags it the UK company’s most advanced program. Currently in phase III, the therapy targets choroidemia, an incurable genetic condition which causes progressive […]

March 4, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 1 Mar 2019

Rapid Response mRNA Vaccine Facility Gets €30M Funding

An mRNA vaccine facility, run by the German biotech CureVac, has received a €30M development grant to rapidly manufacture vaccines for regions hit by outbreaks of rabies, yellow fever and emerging diseases. CureVac is a company that develops vaccines made of mRNA, a molecule that lets cells translate genes into proteins. The company’s drug candidates […]

March 1, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 1 Mar 2019

Update: Hansa Biopharma Applies for EMA Market Approval for Kidney Transplant Drug

Update (01/03/2019): Hansa Biopharma (previously named Hansa Medical) has filed an application for marketing authorization for imlifidase with the EMA also for use in patients undergoing kidney transplants. Update (18/10/2018): Imlifidase has just been given Fast Track Designation by the FDA for application in transplantation. The designation should accelerate the treatment through the FDA’s regulatory process, with […]

March 1, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

aquaporin water purification membrane copenhagen skyline

Startup Scout 1 Mar 2019

This Biotech Uses Bacterial Proteins to Purify Water Faster

Aquaporin is a company named after a protein that transports water molecules across a cell membrane. With these water channels, the Danish biotech is able to purify water 50% faster than conventional technology. Mission: To use water channel proteins to purify water in applications such as cleaning drinking water, desalination and industrial wastewater treatment. As […]

March 1, 2019 - 4 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

hookipa cancer vaccine hiv cytomegalovirus

News and Trends 28 Feb 2019

Austrian Biotech Raises €33.2M to Fund Cancer Vaccines

A Series D round of €33.2M ($37.4M) is to help the biotech Hookipa advance the clinical development of therapeutic vaccines for virus-based cancers, as well as a prophylactic vaccine for cytomegalovirus, which can infect patients undergoing organ transplants. Currently at the preclinical stage, Hookipa’s therapeutic vaccines are designed to tackle cancers that are caused […]

February 28, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

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