News and Trends 6 Mar 2018 French Biotech Uses Natural Peptides to Boost Plant Growth and Immunity Micropep Technologies, a Toulouse-based biotech, has raised €4M to develop peptides that boost plant growth and disease resistance by regulating gene expression. Micropep Technologies has raised a Series A funding with the support of two new investors, Sofinnova Partners, the largest industrial biotech fund in the world, and Irdi Soridec Gestion. The company aims to use the funding […] March 6, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Alexander Burik Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 5 Mar 2018 Danish Biotech Starts Phase III Atopic Dermatitis Trial With Failed Asthma Treatment Danish biotech LEO Pharma started a Phase III trial in atopic dermatitis with an antibody that AstraZeneca dropped after failing two Phase III trials in asthma. LEO Pharma is taking over the development of the antibody tralokinumab from AstraZeneca to treat atopic dermatitis after the drug failed multiple Phase III studies for treating asthma. In […] March 5, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Alexander Burik Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 5 Mar 2018 Swiss Company Hits Another Slump with a Failed Multiple Sclerosis Trial Just months after the EMA rejected its therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Swiss company Santhera reports negative data for its multiple sclerosis drug. Santhera Pharmaceuticals has reported this morning that a first clinical trial in patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) failed to prove the company’s drug to have any effect on the progression of […] March 5, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 2 Mar 2018 London Biotech Uses Unique Double Mechanism of Action to Treat Cystic Fibrosis Verona Pharma obtained positive Phase IIa trial results for a unique cystic fibrosis drug that inhibits two disease-related enzymes simultaneously, showing promise for treating a high unmet patient need. Verona Pharma, based in London, UK, aims to improve the lives of people with chronic respiratory diseases. Verona states their Phase IIa data provide grounds to […] March 2, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Alexander Burik Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 1 Mar 2018 Biosensors Bring HIV Test to Patients for Instant Results A report on the use of biosensors in molecular disease diagnostics states the technology could significantly reduce the spread of HIV. A report by Cambridge-based IDTechEx analyzed important trends in the field of medical biosensors. Their results suggest the technology could reduce the spread of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases in general by cutting the time taken to send tests to a […] March 1, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Alexander Burik Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 1 Mar 2018 Doudna and Charpentier Get Second CRISPR Patent in Europe Just a month after the European Patent Office revoked a CRISPR patent from the competitors of Doudna and Charpentier, they have been granted a second patent that covers a new form of the popular gene editing tool. The European Patent Office has granted CRISPR co-inventor Emmanuelle Charpentier, together with the University of California and the University […] March 1, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 1 Mar 2018 Could This Parisian Biotech Startup’s Cancer Treatment Compete With Merck and Novartis? Stimunity, a Parisian biotech, secured a 2M€ seed investment to develop a cancer treatment that could compete with that of big players such as Merck and Novartis. Stimunity is a preclinical-stage startup company which develops drugs targeting a new cell signalling pathway to treat cancer. The company secured funding from Portage, a US-Canadian firm that […] March 1, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Alexander Burik Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 1 Mar 2018 How is Actelion Spin-Off Idorsia Doing One Year Later? Actelion’s spin-off Idorsia was blessed with a large pipeline and a healthy bank balance. How has the biotech’s first year of business gone? Just over a year ago, Actelion, the largest biotech in Europe at the time, was snapped up by Johnson & Johnson for a massive €27.9Bn. “This deal is unique: J&J gets its […] March 1, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 28 Feb 2018 Yet Another Checkpoint Inhibitor Goes to Trial with Bavarian Nordic’s Cancer Vaccine Bavarian Nordic and AstraZeneca collaborate on a treatment that uses a cancer vaccine along with a checkpoint inhibitor to treat colorectal and pancreatic cancer. Notably, this is the third checkpoint inhibitor to be tested with Bavarian Nordic’s vaccine. A Phase I/II trial will evaluate the safety and efficacy of using Bavarian Nordic’s cancer vaccine CV301 in […] February 28, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Alexander Burik Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 28 Feb 2018 Novo Holdings Pumps €135M into New Antibiotic Development to Fight Resistance Novo Holdings has launched a $165M (€135M) impact fund to support companies that are developing new drugs to overcome antibiotic resistance. Novo Holdings manages the assets of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, which invests money in companies that are working on scientific, humanitarian, and social projects. The company has launched a fund to develop new treatments for infections […] February 28, 2018 - 3 minutesmins - By Alex Dale Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 28 Feb 2018 Now We Know How the Brain Controls Pain, Better Analgesia Should Be on the Way Researchers at the University of Cambridge believe that they have found the region of the brain that is responsible for pain relief, which should help future drug development efforts. Scientists at the University of Cambridge have identified the area of the brain that is responsible for pain relief, which could boost the development of alternative […] February 28, 2018 - 4 minutesmins - By Alex Dale Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 28 Feb 2018 Like Finding a Needle in a Haystack: How Are Biotechs Fighting Rare Diseases? Rare diseases affect fewer than 1 in 2,000 people in Europe and less than 200,000 Americans at any given time. A lack of financial incentive has put pharma off but biotechs are keen to step in and develop treatments and cures. Over 6,000 rare diseases affect up to 30 million people in the EU alone, which highlights […] February 28, 2018 - 8 minutesmins - By Alex Dale Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email