News and Trends 5 Sep 2018 RNA Therapy Improves Vision in Patients with Rare Genetic Blindness Dutch company ProQR has released data from a Phase I/II trial showing its RNA therapy can improve the vision of people with a rare form of hereditary blindness. The clinical trial recruited 10 people with the rare disease Leber’s congenital amaurosis 10. Caused by mutations in a gene called CEP290, this condition leads to […] September 5, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 4 Sep 2018 The EMA Approves the First Nanobody from Ablynx Update: The EMA has officially approved Cablivi for the treatment of adults with acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, following its earlier recommendation in June. The drug has also been accepted for priority review by the US FDA, with a decision due on 6 Feb 2019. Published 29.6.18 Just a few months after Sanofi acquired Ablynx in a multi-billion euro […] September 4, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Editorial Team Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 3 Sep 2018 Oxford Biotech Raises €40M to Deliver Drugs to Hard-to-Reach Targets Evox Therapeutics has raised £35.5M (€39.4M) in a Series B fundraising that has been backed, among others, by the venture arm of Google’s parent company. A spin-out from the University of Oxford and the Karolinska Institute, Evox Therapeutics has raised a large round that will fund the development of its drug delivery technology to […] September 3, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 1 Sep 2018 A Symphony Inspired by the Microbes Living on Us British artist Victoria Shennan has created a musical composition based on the microorganisms that form an essential part of us. We are just starting to realize the huge role that microorganisms play in our well-being and the proper functioning of our bodies. Research on the human microbiome in the last decade has linked the […] September 1, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 31 Aug 2018 Vertex Partners Oxford Genome Analysis Firm To Develop New Personalized Therapies Genomics, a company using machine learning to analyze genetic data, is partnering with precision medicine specialists Vertex Pharmaceuticals to develop new therapies in a 3-year collaboration. The agreement marks the closing of the Oxford-based company’s €28M (£25M) series B fundraising round, as Vertex has also invested €11.7M (£10.5M) in Genomics. If the collaboration is successful […] August 31, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Helen Albert Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 30 Aug 2018 First RNAi Drug Approved in Europe After 20 Years of Research The first ever RNA interference (RNAi) drug, used to treat polyneuropathy in patients with hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis, has been given marketing approval by the European Commision. The approval follows that of the US FDA who gave the green light to US biotech Alnylam Pharmaceutical’s Onpattro (patisiran) earlier this month following positive Phase III findings in […] August 30, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Helen Albert Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 29 Aug 2018 Women’s Health Biotech Raises €28M to Fund Phase II Menopause Drug Trial UK-biotech KaNDy Therapeutics closed a £25M (€28M) series C round to help finance the upcoming Phase IIb trial of its lead candidate for treating symptoms of the menopause. Unlike other therapies aimed at treating the same symptoms, KaNDy’s drug (NT-814) is not based on hormone replacement therapy, which can take a long time to be […] August 29, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Helen Albert Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 29 Aug 2018 Affimed Collaborates with Genentech in Cancer Immunotherapy Deal Worth €4.4B The German biotech will partner with Genentech, part of the Roche Group, to develop targeted cancer therapies that engage both innate and adaptive immune cells. Affimed will receive €82M ($96M) upfront from the US giant to develop its immunotherapy ROCK (Redirected Optimized Cell Killing) platform, which uses both natural killer cells and T-cells to target […] August 29, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Helen Albert Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 28 Aug 2018 Update: Gilead and Novartis’s CAR T-Cell Therapies Approved in Europe Update: Following on from earlier approvals in the US, the European Commission announced it has given marketing approval for both Gilead’s Yescarta and Novartis’s Kymriah for treatment of patients with various forms of blood cancer. Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel) can be used to treat adults with a relapsed or refractory form of the blood cancer diffuse large […] August 28, 2018 - 4 minutesmins - By Editorial Team Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 25 Aug 2018 Are Fungi the Answer to a More Sustainable Future? The exhibition Fungal Futures, in Belgium, showcases multiple objects that are made using fungi, offering a peek into a future of sustainable materials. We are in dire need of sustainable materials that provide an environmentally-friendly alternative to plastic and other materials that cause pollution and end up crowding landfills. The solution could be fungi. These […] August 25, 2018 - 5 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 22 Aug 2018 Swedish Biotech Breaks Barrier to Diagnosis with Rheumatoid Arthritis Test A blood test developed by Swedish-biotech Immunovia and scientists from Linköping University accurately diagnoses patients with rheumatoid arthritis even if they test negative for two common biomarkers. The current gold standard test for rheumatoid arthritis, which affects 5-7 million people in the US and Europe, misses a substantial number of people who have the condition. […] August 22, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Helen Albert Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 17 Aug 2018 Novo Nordisk Buys British ‘Smart’ Insulin Diabetes Biotech in deal worth €702M Novo Nordisk acquired the UK biotech Ziylo, which develops glucose-responsive insulin treatments for diabetes that act in response to changes in blood sugar levels. The Danish big-pharma, which is already a big player in the diabetes space, acquired the full rights to Ziylo’s technology in a deal worth up to €702M ($800M). Novo will use the […] August 17, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Alexander Burik Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email