News and Trends 28 Jan 2019 New UK Policy Benefits Biotechs Waging War on Superbugs Among other measures, the new policy changes the way companies are reimbursed for antimicrobial drugs, which is expected to increase investment in biotech and the interest of big pharma in tackling antimicrobial resistance. Antimicrobial resistance is a huge problem. More and more pathogens are becoming resistant to antibiotics, as seen in the rising number of […] January 28, 2019 - 4 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 28 Jan 2019 Update: US District Court Rules Against MorphoSys’ Cancer Immunotherapy Patents Update (01/02/2019): MorphoSys has agreed to end its long-running legal battle with Genmab and Janssen, after the US District Court of Delaware declared three of its cancer immunotherapy patents invalid. MorphoSys began the dispute over Darzalex (daratumumab), Genmab and Janssen’s approved antibody therapy for the blood cancer multiple myeloma. MorphoSys alleged that Darzalex infringed on three of […] January 28, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Dani Bancroft Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 25 Jan 2019 Swiss-Italian Biotech Bags Antibody Deals with Three Big Pharma The Swiss-Italian company Philogen has announced three different partnerships with Novartis, Celgene, and Janssen to develop new forms of immunotherapy and small molecule drugs. Philogen develops immunocytokines, which are antibodies that are fused with proteins that modify the immune system to fight diseases such as cancer. For example, this treatment can bind to tumors and activate […] January 25, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 23 Jan 2019 Update: The FDA Green-lights Clinical Trials for Huntington’s Disease Gene Therapy Update (23/01/2019): The FDA has given uniQure regulatory clearance to begin a phase I/II trial of its gene therapy for Huntington’s disease. uniQure is planning to launch the trial in the US in late 2019. Published on 23/01/2018: The EMA has given uniQure’s gene therapy candidate for Huntington’s disease Orphan Medicinal Product Designation, which the […] January 23, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Alex Dale Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 22 Jan 2019 MinervaX Latest Beneficiary of Novo’s Antimicrobial Resistance Fund The Novo Holdings REPAIR Impact Fund, launched to fight antimicrobial resistance, has invested €4.4M in the Danish company MinervaX to help fund the phase I trial of a vaccine that could protect newborn babies from streptococcal infections. The Novo Holdings REPAIR Impact Fund aims to combat the growing menace of pathogens resistant to antimicrobial drugs, such as […] January 22, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 18 Jan 2019 Biotech Partnership Raises €7.5M to Recycle Plastics With Enzymes The French biotechs Carbios and Toulouse White Biotechnology have been awarded €7.5M to industrialize their plastic recycling programme, which uses enzymes to break down waste. The funding comes from the public initiative Investments for the Future Program, which is aimed to foster innovation in French industries. The €7.5M is to be paid in installments over […] January 18, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 17 Jan 2019 Scientists Create Prosthetic Ears Using 3D Bioprinting Swiss researchers are developing cellulose-based materials for 3D bioprinting, which could lead to implants such as prosthetic ears. 3D-printed implants have big potential in the field of regenerative medicine. Although still at an early stage, this technology is enabling the development of customized prosthetics, such as skin and joint cartilage. One big focus in […] January 17, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 15 Jan 2019 Sanofi Obtains License for French Company’s Antibody Engineering Platform Sanofi has signed a licensing deal with French biotech Biomunex, whose antibody technology has the potential to develop new immunotherapy treatments for cancer and infectious diseases. Sanofi will give Biomunex an upfront payment, along with further installments upon achieving key development milestones. The amounts have not been disclosed. Biomunex is able to make a wide variety […] January 15, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 15 Jan 2019 Huntington’s Could Be Diagnosed in Five Minutes With This Lab-on-a-Chip Using a lab-on-a-chip device, Swiss scientists have found a way to diagnose the neurodegenerative condition Huntington’s disease from DNA in the blood in just five minutes, rather than the five hours currently required. When carrying out the diagnosis of Huntington’s patients, the patient’s DNA is typically extracted from white blood cells. Regions of the […] January 15, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 14 Jan 2019 Update: French Biotech Considers Takeover After Failed Leukemia Drug Trial Update (14/01/2019): An anonymous French company on Euronext has made an offer to take over Hybrigenics Pharma. This takeover bid could be good news for Hybrigenics, which has been planning to dissolve the company after the failed Phase II trial of its only candidate, a treatment for acute myeloid leukemia. The financial details of the offer […] January 14, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 10 Jan 2019 This Retinal Implant Lets Visually-Impaired Patients See Patterns An electronic chip from French company Pixium Vision, inserted behind the retina to treat age-related macular degeneration, has shown excellent results in a small clinical trial. The five patients in the feasibility study suffered from dry age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of visual impairment in people over 65 in Europe. In this incurable […] January 10, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 8 Jan 2019 Topical Gene Therapy Shows Early Promise for Inherited Skin Disease A gene therapy applied to the skin, developed by UK company Amryt Pharma, showed positive preclinical results for the treatment of a rare genetic skin disease. The disease, called recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), is one of a group of diseases in which sufferers have mutations in proteins vital to the integrity of the […] January 8, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email