News and Trends 1 Nov 2018 Llama Antibodies Could Be the Key to Universal Flu Prevention Researchers have developed a new approach to prevent the flu that can protect against all seasonal strains of the virus. It also has potential to be effective for those that cannot get vaccinated. In a paper published in Science today, researchers at Janssen and The Scripps Research Institute have revealed a new approach to prevent […] November 1, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 1 Nov 2018 Gene Therapy Company’s IPO Shoots it to Billion-Euro Biotech List Orchard Therapeutics, a British company developing gene therapy for rare genetic diseases, has launched its Nasdaq IPO and is now reportedly worth $1.25B (€1B). This IPO propels Orchard to the handful of European biotechs worth €1B or more. The new money might help with the marketing and manufacture of Strimvelis, an EMA-approved gene therapy for […] November 1, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 31 Oct 2018 Forget Daily Pills: HIV Could Be Treated With Monthly Injections A monthly antiviral injection may be as good as daily HIV drugs for suppressing infections, reports the British biotech ViiV Healthcare. This could make the treatment of HIV easier for patients and improve compliance. In the first five months of a Phase IIb trial, the company gave 274 HIV-infected adults three daily oral antiretrovirals. After […] October 31, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 31 Oct 2018 Multiple Myeloma Antibody Therapy Achieves Positive Phase III Results An antibody therapy for the blood cancer multiple myeloma achieved positive results at Phase III, decreasing the risk of the disease getting worse and patient death by 45% in a Phase III trial. The blockbuster antibody daratumumab, developed by Janssen using a license from the Danish company Genmab, was given to patients in combination with […] October 31, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 29 Oct 2018 Tree Bark Could be a Sustainable Source of Adhesives and Sugars Researchers at the Technical Research Centre of Finland are making it easier to process spare tree bark into useful resins and sugars. In Finland, three million tonnes of bark is produced from softwood trees such as firs and pines, and, despite its potential as a source of industrial products, a lot is thrown away. “Bark […] October 29, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 27 Oct 2018 How Will Biotech Influence the Technology of the Future? Dutch designer Nicole Spit looks into the future of consumer biotech products with a series of speculative design objects being exhibited at the Dutch Design Week. Biotechnology is already revolutionizing healthcare. Soon, it might also take over our daily lives, but are we ready for it? Designer Nicole Spit wants to make us think about […] October 27, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 26 Oct 2018 BASF Will Use CRISPR to Gene-Edit Crops and Microbes The German chemical giant BASF has obtained a non-exclusive license from the US Broad Institute for the use of CRISPR-Cpf1 gene-editing technology in agricultural and microbiological applications. CRISPR-Cas9 is a fast and easy technique for editing the genome that has gained worldwide fame. It has the potential for use in many applications such as in […] October 26, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 26 Oct 2018 Danish Biotech Closes €79M Series C to Develop Inhaled Lung Disease Drug The Danish company Galecto Biotech can breathe a contented sigh. Its Series C funding round has raised €79M to finance a Phase II/III trial of its inhaled drug for a deadly lung disease. The amount raised is 30% higher than the company’s initial €60M goal, Galecto’s CEO, Hans Schambye, told me. “Being able to raise […] October 26, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 25 Oct 2018 Invisible Eye Glucose Monitor Accurately Measures Sugar Levels In a small trial in the Netherlands, Dutch firm NovioSense has shown that its device for measuring blood sugar levels through tear fluid is comparable to current continuous glucose sensors. Currently, the standard method for people with diabetes to measure their blood sugar requires finger pricking multiple times per day, which can be painful and […] October 25, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 25 Oct 2018 Parkinson’s Disease Gene Therapy Clinical Trial Launched in UK A gene therapy for Parkinson’s disease developed by Swiss biotech Axovant has been used on the first patient in a Phase I/II trial at University College London. Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease, caused by a lack of the neurochemical dopamine in regions of the brain handling motor functions causing debilitating symptoms such as rigidity […] October 25, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 24 Oct 2018 UK Microbiome Company Gets Financial Boost for Live Bacterial Therapy UK-based Microbiotica has received a £4M investment from Seventure’s fund dedicated to investments in the microbiome space. With Seventure coming on board as a new investor, Microbiotica has now raised a total of £12M since its foundation in 2016. The company, a spin-out of the Sanger Institute in Cambridge, seeks to find and exploit precise […] October 24, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 24 Oct 2018 15-Minute Cardiovascular Blood Test to Sell Across Europe French diagnostics company Magnisense has raised €5M to expand the sales of its emergency tests for heart attack and heart failure, which can be performed at home in just 15 minutes. The diagnostic technology developed by Magnisense, called MiAG, uses magnetic nanoparticles to detect extremely low quantities of cardiovascular biomarkers in the blood. “MiAG allows […] October 24, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email