News and Trends 22 Jun 2022 Rensselaer researchers make face masks to fight viruses Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY, have developed N95 surgical face masks that are not just barriers to bacteria and viruses, but can also destroy them. The team said the antiviral, antibacterial masks can be worn for longer, creating less waste as the masks do not need to be replaced as frequently. Helen […] June 22, 2022 - 3 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 21 Jun 2022 Therorna funding to accelerate circRNA-based platform Therorna Inc., a Chinese biotech company specializing in the development of circular RNA (circRNA) technology-based new vaccines and therapies, including for COVID-19, has completed a $42 million series A financing round. The funding was co-led by MSA Capital, with participation from Sherpa Healthcare Partners, 3H Health Investment, and existing investors Quan Capital and Cenova Capital. […] June 21, 2022 - 2 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 21 Jun 2022 Elektrofi raises $40M to develop drug formulation and delivery pipeline Boston, U.S.-based biotech Elektrofi has completed a $40 million series B funding round. The company, which focuses on drug formulation and delivery, will use a portion of the proceeds to establish a centralized manufacturing line to support multiple upcoming clinical trials. The company also aims to double staff numbers over the next 12-18 months to […] June 21, 2022 - 2 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 21 Jun 2022 New agreement could lead to first African-owned COVID-19 vaccine A year after the creation of the mRNA Vaccine Technology Transfer Hub, two biotech companies – Afrigen Biologics and the Univercells Group – are set to work together. The agreement intends to pave the way for the development of the first African-owned COVID-19 vaccine. The collaboration will focus on the development of a novel mRNA […] June 21, 2022 - 4 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 8 Jun 2022 New COVID antibody cocktail developed French biotech contract research organization ProteoGenix, Aseem Healthcare, and life sciences consultancy agency Trident Biopharm Solutions have combined on a new antibody cocktail effective against major variants of SARS-CoV-2. The cocktail of four human neutralizing antibodies (AH-5-COV) was generated by screening the plasma of a COVID-19 survivor using ProteoGenix’s phage display platform. The new treatment […] June 8, 2022 - 2 minutesmins - By Jim Cornall Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 20 Apr 2022 Valneva’s Covid-19 Vaccine Reaches UK Market with EU In Sights A Covid-19 vaccine developed by the French company Valneva has received the green light from the UK’s drug regulator. The EMA, meanwhile, is proving harder to convince. The UK’s relationship with the French vaccine developer Valneva has run hot and cold over the past two years. In 2020, the UK government invested in Valneva’s manufacturing […] April 20, 2022 - 4 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 5 Apr 2022 WHO Beefs up Worldwide Genomic Surveillance to Prevent Pandemics The World Health Organization has released a 10-year plan to monitor the genetic make-up of pathogens across the globe. The strategy highlights how far genomics has come during the Covid-19 pandemic and how far there is to go. The past two years have seen unprecedented global collaboration as researchers raced to better understand the epidemiology, […] April 5, 2022 - 4 minutesmins - By Anita Chakraverty Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 1 Apr 2022 Europe Shuns Russian Covid-19 Vaccines as Ukraine War Continues In the last two years, Russian Covid-19 vaccine makers had a tough time penetrating the European market with their flagship vaccine, Sputnik V. This year, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has likely dashed Sputnik V’s chances of reaching Europe anytime soon. Just months after the Covid-19 pandemic began, Russia was the first country to approve a […] April 1, 2022 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 15 Feb 2022 Next-Gen Covid-19 Vaccines and Drugs Crowd into Late-Stage Trials Despite the widespread rollout of vaccines over 2021, the Covid-19 pandemic remains a threat to healthcare systems worldwide. Numerous treatments and vaccines are hitting the late-stage pipeline, which could greatly expand the anti-Covid-19 arsenal. Two years ago, the Covid-19 pandemic swept the world and left economic disruption, healthcare crises, and widespread lockdowns in its wake. […] February 15, 2022 - 7 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 1 Feb 2022 Ethris Raises €23M to Make Inhaled Respiratory Therapies from mRNA Thanks to Covid-19 vaccines, messenger RNA (mRNA) technology has reached the mainstream. With a €23.4M Series B round, the German firm Ethris is riding the mRNA buzz by developing inhalable mRNA therapies for respiratory diseases. As Covid-19 mRNA vaccines entered the market for the first time in 2020, the wide potential of mRNA technology became […] February 1, 2022 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
Best in Biotech 22 Dec 2021 The Biggest European Biotech News of 2021 In spite of the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the European biotech industry has emerged stronger than ever this year. These were the key moments for the sector in 2021. The year 2021 has seen skyrocketing fortunes for many European biotech players. Investment firms, for instance, raised far more funding than in 2020, which […] December 22, 2021 - 10 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 25 Nov 2021 Despite New Approvals, Covid-19 Treatments Lag Behind Vaccines The EU recently added two drugs to its list of approved Covid-19 treatments. Yet with vaccines often in the spotlight, treatment options available to doctors remain few. Earlier this month, the European Commission gave its stamp of approval to two antibody treatments for Covid-19: regdanvimab from the South Korean firm Celltrion Healthcare, and a blend […] November 25, 2021 - 6 minutesmins - By Victor Kotsev Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email