News and Trends 4 Dec 2018 Microbiome Therapy Shows Early Promise in Cancer Patients A clinical trial run by MaaT Pharma has shown that restoring the microbiome of patients undergoing chemotherapy has potential to improve the outcome of patients with the blood cancer acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The microbes living in our gut can have a big influence on the success of cancer treatments. Some microorganisms are known to […] December 4, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 3 Dec 2018 First-in-Class Cancer Drug Gets €50M Boost The biopharmaceutical company Aprea Therapeutics has raised €50M to fund a Phase III trial of its first-in-class cancer drug candidate, which kills tumor cells by restoring the function of a key anti-cancer protein called p53. Aprea’s planned Phase III trial will test the company’s lead candidate small molecule drug combined with the chemotherapy drug azacitidine. […] December 3, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 30 Nov 2018 Update: UK Biotech Scores £5M Series A to Boost Next-Generation Cancer Antibodies Update (30/11/2018): IGEM Therapeutics has increased the total raised in Series A to £5M (€5.6M) with the participation of two new investors, Alsa Holdings and UCL Technology Fund. The funding will go towards the development of a new generation of antibody drugs for cancer. Published on 20/06/2017 IGEM Therapeutics has raised £2M (€2.3M) in Series A […] November 30, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Melanie De Almeida Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 30 Nov 2018 Swedish Researchers Recycle Industrial Food Waste to Grow Fungi Researchers at the University of Borås, Sweden, are undertaking a project to turn food waste into new materials, fuel and food by growing fungi. The accumulation of waste and the depletion of natural resources are two big environmental problems. Fungi could help us tackle both by transforming waste into useful materials. Swedish researchers are looking […] November 30, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 27 Nov 2018 Berlin Biotech Raises €24M to Progress Septic Shock Candidate to Clinic Adrenomed closed a €24M Series D round to fund further development of its antibody drug that treats septic shock by preventing excessive fluid loss and preserving the blood vessel walls. Wellington Partners and HBM Healthcare Investments, who specialize in investing in life science companies, joined existing shareholders to lead the fundraising round. Sepsis and resulting […] November 27, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Helen Albert Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 26 Nov 2018 Smart Asthma Inhaler Fails Phase III It is bad news for asthma sufferers, as a UK biotech has abandoned the development of its smart inhaler after finding that it was no better than placebo in a Phase III trial. Over 52 weeks of treatment, the company Vectura tested whether the inhaler reduced the worsening of asthma symptoms, such as wheezing and […] November 26, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 26 Nov 2018 First Gene Therapy for Inherited Blindness Approved in Europe Novartis has received approval for Luxturna, a gene therapy that can restore vision in people with a specific genetic mutation that causes progressive vision loss. The therapy is indicated for people with mutations in the two copies of a gene, called RPE65, that cause retinal cells to die over time, resulting in progressive loss of […] November 26, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 25 Nov 2018 Would You Wear Human Leather with ‘Designer DNA’? Artist Tina Gorjanc is working on a human leather collection that aims to highlight the shortcomings of laws that allow human biological material to be marketed without permission. Gorjanc has projected a whole fashion line, labeled ‘Pure Human’, that includes jackets and handbags made with lab-grown skin from the renowned fashion designer Alexander McQueen. Originally […] November 25, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 21 Nov 2018 Leo Pharma Enters Partnership to Develop Topical Treatment for Rare Skin Cancer The Danish company Leo Pharma and the US biotech PellePharm have joined forces to develop a topical treatment for rare forms of skin cancer. In the partnership, dermatology specialist Leo Pharma is paying PellePharm €61M. This is to fund a Phase III trial of PellePharm’s topical drug to treat the skin cancer Gorlin syndrome, which has no […] November 21, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 20 Nov 2018 French Firm Gets Funding to Sell More Precise DNA Quantification System Paris-based Stilla Technologies has raised €16M in a Series A round to sell and develop a high-precision PCR system for DNA quantification with promising applications in diagnostics. The substantial round was led by Illumina Ventures, the investor arm of the gene sequencing giant Illumina. With the funds, Stilla Technologies plans to accelerate sales of its […] November 20, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 20 Nov 2018 Genentech and Immunocore Expand Partnership to Develop Cancer Immunotherapy Immunocore and the US biotech giant Genentech are building on their existing partnership to boost the clinical development of Immunocore’s immunotherapy for treating solid tumors. In the agreement, Genentech, a member of the Roche group, will pay UK-based Immunocore €87.3M ($100M) in an upfront payment and further undisclosed milestone payments as the immunotherapy progresses towards […] November 20, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 19 Nov 2018 Silk Biomaterial Could Regenerate the Brain After a Stroke A group of researchers in Spain has developed a silk biomaterial that can increase the survival of transplanted stem cells into the brain, improving recovery after a stroke or brain injury. The nervous system has limited capacity to recover after an injury, such as those produced by a stroke or brain trauma. Stem cell transplants […] November 19, 2018 - 4 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email