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 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 10 Feb 2022 Global Team-up Cuts Genomics Costs to Fight Salmonella Infections An international academic team has made strides in carrying out genome sequencing faster and more cheaply in low- and middle- income nations. This could improve the control of potentially lethal salmonella infections and propel research into vaccines. As the price of DNA sequencing continues to fall, genomics and bioinformatics firms are drawing ever more attention […] February 10, 2022 - 6 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 3 Feb 2022 The Top European Biotech Investments in January 2022 Viral infection treatments, cell therapy, and artificial intelligence led biotech investments in January 2022 as the European sector took a collective breather from December’s funding frenzy. European biotech investments started 2022 at a modest level compared to the huge cash flow seen in November and December 2021. While December 2021 saw almost €1.6B money raised, […] February 3, 2022 - 3 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
News and Trends 7 Jan 2022 French Project to Tackle Antibiotic Resistance with Biotech and Economics A team of French organizations led by the biotech firm Antabio has launched a €17M project to deploy therapeutic, diagnostic, and economic innovations in the battle against antibiotic resistance. The project, dubbed ARPEGE, involves four partners covering a variety of disciplines: the antibiotics developer Antabio; the diagnostics heavyweight bioMérieux; the university hospital group Hospices Civils […] January 7, 2022 - 4 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
News and Trends 21 Sep 2021 Europe’s Antibiotic Investments Stagnate As Resistance Crisis Looms Despite the urgent danger of antibiotic resistance, investments into European biotech antibiotic players have remained flat. However, growing regulatory and societal awareness could spell fresh investments in the coming years. Over the last decade, pressure has been mounting on healthcare systems as infectious microbes become harder and harder to fight with antibiotics. Some strains of […] September 21, 2021 - 7 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 6 Sep 2021 Why We Desperately Need to Develop New Antifungals While serious fungal infections are rare, there is a limited number of approved drugs to treat them, and they may not always work due to the rise of antimicrobial resistance. Despite the challenges, researchers are starting to add new weapons to the arsenal to protect us against these microscopic invaders. Developing effective antifungals is a […] September 6, 2021 - 10 minutesmins - By Helen Albert Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 19 Aug 2021 Chikungunya Vaccine First to Succeed in Phase III Trial In a significant step in the fight against tropical disease, the mosquito-borne viral disease chikungunya may become preventable with a new vaccine candidate from French biotech Valneva that just passed phase III trials. The results of the phase III trial revealed that a single dose of the live attenuated vaccine developed by Valneva induced the […] August 19, 2021 - 3 minutesmins - By Victor Kotsev Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 17 Aug 2021 Sanofi’s Translate Bio Buyout Shows Growing Hunger for mRNA Technology Sanofi’s acquisition of its partner Translate Bio is a clear sign that pharmaceutical companies are interested in messenger RNA technologies beyond Covid-19. Based in Boston, US, Translate Bio develops mRNA therapies for a range of conditions, including respiratory, liver, and infectious diseases. The company’s €2.7B ($3.2B) buyout, announced by Sanofi earlier this month, seems a […] August 17, 2021 - 5 minutesmins - By Mark Zipkin Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
Best in Biotech 30 Jun 2021 Scotland’s Top 10 Biotech Companies to Watch Out For Scotland has a thriving life sciences ecosystem with strengths in oncology, genetic engineering, and industrial biotech. Let’s pick up the bagpipes as we tour the top 10 biotech companies in Scotland. Scotland is the UK’s second-most populous country, boasting picturesque scenery, a rich history, and a strong focus on sustainability. There is a diverse range […] June 30, 2021 - 11 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email