News and Trends 3 Jun 2019 Belgian and US Biotechs Team up to Reduce CAR T Side Effects The diagnostics company Biocartis is collaborating with Kite Pharma to monitor the progress of CAR T-cell therapies in patients to better manage side effects. CAR T-cell therapies have revolutionized the way we treat cancer. Instead of giving the patient a classical drug, companies can inject them with living, genetically engineered cells that kill cancer cells. […] June 3, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 3 Jun 2019 ‘CRISPR Babies’ Might Be at Risk of Dying Younger Update (01/10/2019): The scientists behind the study have declared that the results were based on erroneous data, meaning the mutation they studied has a weaker effect on mortality than initially reported. A new study highlights the issues that can result from modifying human DNA without sufficient understanding of how it can impact our health. Last […] June 3, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 3 Jun 2019 Dutch Company Raises €28M to Push Cancer Cell Therapy to European Market The Dutch Kiadis Pharma has raised €27.6M in a private placement to fund the clinical development of immune cell therapies treating blood cancer. The money will fund phase III trials of Kiadis’ lead candidate cell therapy for blood cancer, aimed to get European approval by the end of 2019. In addition, the cash will boost […] June 3, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
Startup Scout 31 May 2019 This Biotech Treats a Neurological Autoimmune Disorder Using DNA We’re jumping into Poland this week. Pure Biologics is a biotech based in Wrocław developing DNA molecules that could treat the incurable neurological condition Devic’s disease with fewer side effects than existing treatments. Mission: To develop a treatment that makes an existing treatment for Devic’s disease, plasmapheresis, more targeted and with fewer side effects than […] May 31, 2019 - 4 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
Interview 30 May 2019 Taking Inspiration from Plants to Prevent Mold from Ruining Crops Olga Dubey founded the Swiss startup Agrosustain with the intention to bring forth a natural alternative to chemical pesticides against mold. She shares how it all started and her company’s plans to end the massive amounts of food waste that mold is responsible for. “Mold is everywhere, so it’s something that is very hard to […] May 30, 2019 - 4 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 29 May 2019 After Unexpected Setback, GenSight Seeks Approval for Blindness Gene Therapy The French biotech GenSight will apply for regulatory approval for its gene therapy despite the treatment unexpectedly resulting in the improvement of the eyes treated with a placebo in a phase III trial. GenSight is developing a gene therapy designed to treat progressive vision loss caused by the rare genetic condition Leber hereditary optic neuropathy. […] May 29, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 29 May 2019 €60M Investment to Boost Oxford Biomedica’s Gene and Cell Therapies The Danish investor Novo Holdings is handing Oxford Biomedica up to €60.6M (£53.5M) to develop gene and cell therapies treating cancer and genetic blindness. The investment will bag Novo Holdings a stake of up to 10.1% in the UK biotech. Oxford Biomedica will use the money to repay a loan totalling €49M ($55M) from the […] May 29, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
More News! 28 May 2019 Nanomedicine Company Launches in France to Improve Drug Safety The French nanomedicine biotech Nanobiotix is spinning out a subsidiary company developing nanoparticles that can enhance a drug’s effectiveness and decrease side effects. Called Curadigm, the spinout will be developing nanotechnology with the potential to make low drug doses more effective at treating different conditions, which could make treatments cheaper and with fewer side effects […] May 28, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
Interview 28 May 2019 Getting Ahead of the Pack in the CAR-T Field Celyad is one of many companies in the immuno-oncology field seeking to take the lead in the development of a new generation of CAR-T cell therapy that outperforms its predecessors Yescarta and Kymriah in both efficacy and safety. Filippo Petti, CEO of Celyad, shares the company’s strategy to get ahead in such a crowded field. […] May 28, 2019 - 6 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 28 May 2019 Viral Vaccines Could Be Weapons Against Alzheimer’s Disease Scientists in Sweden have found that some viruses can increase the buildup of protein ‘plaques’ linked to Alzheimer’s disease, a discovery that could lead to new vaccines treating the condition. According to Kariem Ezzat, one of the lead researchers based in Stockholm University, the group is looking for industrial collaborators to develop vaccines against viruses […] May 28, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
More News! 24 May 2019 French Pharma Acquires Israeli Microalgae Biotech The French pharmaceutical manufacturer Solabia has acquired the Israeli biotech Algatech, which grows microalgae to produce bio-sourced food additives. The financial details of the acquisition were undisclosed. The incoming financial backing from Solabia will fuel the expansion of Algatech’s manufacturing muscle and research programs, which are based in the deserts of Israel. The acquisition represents […] May 24, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
Startup Scout 24 May 2019 This Biotech Uses Gene Editing to Count Chickens Before They Hatch In the city of Jerusalem, eggXYt is developing gene edited chickens whose male chicks fluoresce inside the egg. This could prevent the suffering of billions of male chicks in the egg-production industry, which are currently culled after hatching. Mission: To develop a gene edited breed of chickens whose sex can be determined before hatching using […] May 24, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email