In Depth 7 Nov 2018 Biohacking: Democratization of Science or Just a Quirky Hobby? The biohacking movement is making scientific research accessible to everyone under the form of low-cost community labs. What does it mean to be a biohacker and how is it changing the way we do science? Scientific research is undoubtedly an arduous endeavor. One that requires highly trained and skilled scientists and that can only be […] November 7, 2018 - 5 minutesmins - By External Contributor Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 7 Nov 2018 Solid Phase II Performance for French Autoimmune Liver Disease Drug Genkyotex’s small molecule therapy had encouraging short-term effects on patients with the autoimmune liver disease primary biliary cholangitis in a Phase II trial. Over six weeks, the drug reduced the blood levels of a liver disease biomarker molecule by up to 23% in 92 participants. In patients with late-stage disease, who have few treatments available, […] November 7, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 6 Nov 2018 First Potential Vaccine for Chikungunya Virus Flies Through Phase II The mosquito-borne chikungunya virus may one day have a vaccine, as an Austrian biotech’s lead candidate gets positive results in Phase II. Themis Bioscience measured the blood levels of antibodies against the company’s vaccine in 263 healthy volunteers. Four weeks after injections of its lead candidate vaccine, the participants had produced antibodies to protect themselves […] November 6, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 6 Nov 2018 Potential HIV Treatment Shows Early Stage Promise According to Phase I/IIa trial results from an Israeli biotech, an HIV drug reduced patients’ HIV levels by up to 99%, and might one day become a new treatment for the infection. The trial, run by Zion Medical, found that the synthetic peptide drug reduced the level of viral RNA in patients’ blood by up to […] November 6, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 5 Nov 2018 Series C Bags German Company €17M for Irregular Heartbeat Treatment Omeicos Therapeutics has secured €17M in a Series C round to fund clinical development of its lead treatment for irregular heartbeat. Robert Fischer, CEO of the German biopharmaceutical company, told me that getting the attention of investors such as the Dutch company Forbion, which led the round, was just as helpful as the money itself. […] November 5, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 5 Nov 2018 DNA Repair Treatment Shows Early Promise for Treating Cancer Paris-based Onxeo has proved in humans the potential of a cancer treatment that interferes with DNA repair mechanisms. The therapy has potential to work in a wide range of tumors without cancer cells becoming resistant. Onxeo has reported preliminary results from an ongoing Phase I trial in which six different doses will be tested. […] November 5, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 2 Nov 2018 Gut Bacteria Treatment Shows Promise for Rare Genetic Kidney Condition The Swedish biotech Oxthera reported positive preliminary Phase II results using its gut bacteria treatment, Oxabact, in patients with a rare genetic condition that causes kidney failure. The results came from an interim analysis one year into a three-year trial, where Oxthera is testing its gut microbiome treatment on patients with primary hyperoxaluria type […] November 2, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
Startup Scout 2 Nov 2018 This Biotech Uses Metal Alloys to Reshape Your Bones We venture up to the North European climes of Finland this week. In the city of Espoo, Synoste is developing bone lengthening devices made of smart malleable materials. Mission: To modernize bone lengthening devices with new techniques such as using malleable metals with wireless control. People born with discrepancies in limb length often suffer from […] November 2, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 1 Nov 2018 Llama Antibodies Could Be the Key to Universal Flu Prevention Researchers have developed a new approach to prevent the flu that can protect against all seasonal strains of the virus. It also has potential to be effective for those that cannot get vaccinated. In a paper published in Science today, researchers at Janssen and The Scripps Research Institute have revealed a new approach to prevent […] November 1, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 1 Nov 2018 Gene Therapy Company’s IPO Shoots it to Billion-Euro Biotech List Orchard Therapeutics, a British company developing gene therapy for rare genetic diseases, has launched its Nasdaq IPO and is now reportedly worth $1.25B (€1B). This IPO propels Orchard to the handful of European biotechs worth €1B or more. The new money might help with the marketing and manufacture of Strimvelis, an EMA-approved gene therapy for […] November 1, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 31 Oct 2018 Forget Daily Pills: HIV Could Be Treated With Monthly Injections A monthly antiviral injection may be as good as daily HIV drugs for suppressing infections, reports the British biotech ViiV Healthcare. This could make the treatment of HIV easier for patients and improve compliance. In the first five months of a Phase IIb trial, the company gave 274 HIV-infected adults three daily oral antiretrovirals. After […] October 31, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 31 Oct 2018 Multiple Myeloma Antibody Therapy Achieves Positive Phase III Results An antibody therapy for the blood cancer multiple myeloma achieved positive results at Phase III, decreasing the risk of the disease getting worse and patient death by 45% in a Phase III trial. The blockbuster antibody daratumumab, developed by Janssen using a license from the Danish company Genmab, was given to patients in combination with […] October 31, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email