News and Trends 27 Mar 2018 Stem Cell Therapy for Crohn’s Disease Approved in Europe Developed by TiGenix, Alofisel is the first stem cell therapy made out of donor stem cells to receive a marketing authorization in Europe. The European Commission has approved Alofisel (darvadstrocel), a stem cell therapy to treat complex perianal fistulas — one of the most disabling complications of Crohn’s disease. The cell therapy represents an alternative to multiple surgeries […] March 27, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
More News! 26 Mar 2018 Attacking an Ancient Virus Slows Multiple Sclerosis in Phase II GeNeuro has released Phase IIb data showing that its antibody can reduce brain damage in patients with multiple sclerosis by going after an unusual target: a virus that has been in our genome since ancient times. Paris-based biotech GeNeuro has reported that a treatment it is developing in partnership with Servier has potential to treat […] March 26, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 26 Mar 2018 New Antibiotic for Urinary Tract Infections Gets Positive Phase II Results Allecra Therapeutics has obtained positive Phase II study results for its new urinary tract infection antibiotic, supporting the launch of a Phase III trial. Allecra Therapeutics, a French-German biotech, has obtained positive Phase II trial results for its lead antibiotic candidate for treating urinary tract infections. The drug, AAU101, was given to patients intravenously with cefepemine, another antibiotic […] March 26, 2018 - 1 minutemin - By Alexander Burik Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
Best in Biotech 26 Mar 2018 The 10 Biotech Venture Capital Firms in Europe to Watch in 2018 Who’s funding the biotech industry in Europe? I’ve gathered a list of some of the most active European biotech venture capital firms that will be setting the pace of the industry this year. Biotech can do great things, from curing deadly diseases to helping make the plastics industry more sustainable. But there is a common […] March 26, 2018 - 7 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 23 Mar 2018 Biotech VC Goes After Disrupting Animal Health and Nutrition The French biotech VC Seventure, known for its investments in microbiome health, has launched a €24M fund focused on companies developing animal health and nutrition applications. A new venture capital fund called AVF has been launched today to support animal health and nutrition companies. With €24M at its first closing, the fund created by Seventure Partners in partnership […] March 23, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Alexander Burik Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 23 Mar 2018 Researchers Give Sight to the Blind With Stem Cell Patch UK researchers have successfully restored vision in two blind patients by transplanting a stem cell patch into their eyes. Scientists at University College London and Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, have used a stem cell patch to successfully restore vision in two patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in a Phase I trial. Following the stem […] March 23, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Alexander Burik Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 22 Mar 2018 French Biotech Signs a Deal to Fight Antibiotic Resistance Deinove is licensing a portfolio of antibiotics for multi-drug resistant bacteria from Redx Pharma. Deinove, based in Montpellier, France, has signed an agreement to use synthetic molecules developed by UK biotech Redx to treat lethal anitbiotic-resistant infections. Redx’s molecules are a new class of antibiotics targeting an enzyme involved in bacterial DNA replication in Gram-negative bacteria. Deinove plans to […] March 22, 2018 - 1 minutemin - By Alexander Burik Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 21 Mar 2018 A Personalized Genetic Test for Breast Cancer Arrives in Europe Agendia will launch a next-generation sequencing test in the EU to determine the chances of metastasis in breast cancer patients. Agendia, a US-Dutch biotech specializing in personalized medicine and molecular diagnostics, has obtained CE marking for the MammaPrint BluePrint Kit, a diagnostic device for breast cancer that uses next-generation sequencing technology. The kit can help clinicians identify […] March 21, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Alexander Burik Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
Interview 21 Mar 2018 Do Phages Hold the Key to Modulating the Microbiome? The human microbiome is emerging as a target for treating a wide range of diseases, but it’s still a young field and there are lots of unknowns. Philip discussed with the CEO of BiomX whether phages may be the key to targeting specific bacterial strains in the microbiome. In the last decade, scientists have found […] March 21, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Alexander Burik Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 20 Mar 2018 DNA Sequencing Unicorn Oxford Nanopore Raises £100M Round at £1.5Bn Valuation Undeterred by competitors, Oxford Nanopore, one of the few unicorns in the biotech space, has secured £100M (€113M) to continue growing its unique next-generation sequencing platform. Oxford Nanopore is one of the best-funded biotechs in Europe, having raised £507.3M (€578M) in total, and famous for its “DNA-reading gadget the size of a Mars bar that sells for $1,000.” The company plans to […] March 20, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Alexander Burik Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 20 Mar 2018 Oxford Firm Develops Better Test for ALS Diagnosis Oxford BioDynamics has presented data from a new diagnostic test that could help not just diagnose ALS but also help patients get a personalized treatment. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuron disease whose diagnosis comes with the hard news that most patients die merely within 3 to 5 years of diagnosis. One of […] March 20, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
Interview 20 Mar 2018 Why It’s the Best Time to Be in Cell and Gene Therapy Cell and gene therapies are here, and they’re here to stay. We stopped to chat about the future of the field with Alexander Vos last week at Bio Europe Spring. The cell and gene therapy space has been given a big boost in the last couple of years. Since 2016, GSK’s gene therapy Strimvelis is available […] March 20, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email