Biotechnology Sector

Annual Drug Patent Expirations for SYMBICORT Symbicort is a drug marketed by Astrazeneca and is included in one NDA. It is available from three suppliers. There are ten patents protecting… The post New patent for Astrazeneca drug SYMBICORT appeared fir... The post New patent for Astrazeneca drug SYMBICORT appeared first on Biotechblog.

Annual Drug Patent Expirations for SPRAVATO Spravato is a drug marketed by Janssen Pharms and is included in one NDA. It is available from one supplier. There are four patents… The post New patent for Janssen Pharms drug SPRAVATO appeared first on Drug... The post New patent for Janssen Pharms drug SPRAVATO appeared first on Biotechblog.

Annual Drug Patent Expirations for XOFLUZA Xofluza is a drug marketed by Genentech Inc and is included in two NDAs. It is available from two suppliers. There are seven patents… The post New patent for Genentech Inc drug XOFLUZA appeared first on DrugPa... The post New patent for Genentech Inc drug XOFLUZA appeared first on Biotechblog.

Annual Drug Patent Expirations for NATROBA Natroba is a drug marketed by Parapro Llc and is included in one NDA. It is available from two suppliers. There is one patent… The post New patent for Parapro Llc drug NATROBA appeared first on DrugPatentWatch... The post New patent for Parapro Llc drug NATROBA appeared first on Biotechblog.

This chart shows the pharmaceutical companies with the most patents in Malaysia. Patents must be filed in each country (or, in some cases regional patent office) where patent protection is… The post Which pharmaceutical companies have the most drug pat... The post Which pharmaceutical companies have the most drug patents in Malaysia? appeared first on Biotechblog.

For over a decade, scientists have attempted to synthesize a new form of carbon called graphyne with limited success. That endeavor is now at an end, though, thanks to new research from the University of Colorado Boulder. Credit: Yiming Hu For over a decade, scientists have attempted to synthesize a new form of carbon called

How effective environmental measures in agriculture are for biodiversity and wild bee populations depends on various factors and your perspective. This is shown by agroecologists from the University of Göttingen, Germany and the Centre for Ecological Research in Vácrátót, Hungary. The research team found that when assessing the effectiveness of different measures, whether in the

Technology has allowed us to immerse ourselves in a world of sights and sounds from the comfort of our home, but there’s something missing: touch. Credit: Shihan Lu Technology has allowed us to immerse ourselves in a world of sights and sounds from the comfort of our home, but there’s something missing: touch. Tactile sensation

Forming metal into the shapes needed for various purposes can be done in many ways, including casting, machining, rolling, and forging. These processes affect the sizes and shapes of the tiny crystalline grains that make up the bulk metal, whether it be steel, aluminum or other widely used metals and alloys. Credit: Image courtesy of

Amsterdam, May 20, 2022 – The Journal of Parkinson’s Disease (JPD), published by IOS Press, is pleased to announce the appointment of new co-Editor-in-Chief, Lorraine V. Kalia, MD, PhD, FRCPC. Dr. Kalia joins co-Editor-in-Chief Bas Bloem, MD, PhD, FRCPE, and an eminent international editorial board, who are dedicated to the continuing success of the world’s

Army scientists determined that the body’s own natural immune response contributes to disease severity in mice infected with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), which causes a widespread tick-borne viral infection in humans. Their work, published May 19, 2022 in PLoS Pathogens, provides a deeper understanding of how the virus causes disease and forms a basis

Abu Dhabi, UAE, May 20, 2022:  New research by a team of researchers at the NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Smart Materials Lab published today in the journal Nature Communications demonstrates that organic crystals, a new class of smart engineering materials, can serve as efficient and sustainable energy conversion materials for advanced technologies such as robotics

Mysterious fast radio bursts release as much energy in one second as the Sun pours out in a year and are among the most puzzling phenomena in the universe.  Now researchers at Princeton University, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) and the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have simulated and proposed

An insightful cross-disciplinary team of University of Hawai‘i (UH) at Mānoa researchers, working for over a decade, published a study recently revealing that a key number of hours of darkness during the lunar cycle triggers mature “Hawaiian box jellyfish” (Alatina alata) to swim to leeward O‘ahu shores to spawn. Credit: Angel Yanagihara An insightful cross-disciplinary

Scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego, the University of São Paulo and UC Santa Cruz collaborated to discover and validate the enzymes responsible for the production of one of the most toxic and fast-acting neurotoxins associated with freshwater harmful algal blooms in lakes and ponds.  Credit: Brittany Edelmann

Leesburg, VA, May 19, 2022—According to ARRS’ American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR), axillary lymphadenopathy detected by breast ultrasound after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination lasts longer than reported in initial vaccine clinical trials. Credit: American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS), American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR Leesburg, VA, May 19, 2022—According to ARRS’ American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR), axillary

Besides planting milkweed in the garden, people interested in helping monarch butterflies might want to turn off the porch light. Credit: Michael Miller Besides planting milkweed in the garden, people interested in helping monarch butterflies might want to turn off the porch light. Biologists at the University of Cincinnati say nighttime light pollution can interfere

Unlike fictional laser swords, real laser beams do not interact with each other when they cross – unless the beams meet within a suitable material allowing for nonlinear light-matter interaction. In such a case, wave mixing can give rise to beams with changed colors and directions. Credit: Anne Riemann, Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. Unlike fictional laser

LA JOLLA, CA—Preventing atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of heart disease, means scientists need to understand how immune cells drive inflammation in the arteries. Credit: La Jolla Institute for Immunology LA JOLLA, CA—Preventing atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of heart disease, means scientists need to understand how immune cells drive inflammation in the arteries. The challenge is

Zymeworks rejects All Blue's $773M offer as an 'opportunistic' public attack aarmstrong Fri, 05/20/2022 - 10:53

Not an 'excellent outcome' for Athersys stock as stem cell therapy misses endpoint in Japanese trial jwaldron Fri, 05/20/2022 - 09:45

100% overall survival data for gene therapy fuel Rocket for flight to regulators aarmstrong Fri, 05/20/2022 - 09:41

After a year of slumping stock prices, Zealand Pharma is striking back, as its peptide drug improved blood sugar control in infants with the rare disease congenital hyperinsulinemia in a phase III trial.  In late 2020, the Danish firm Zealand Pharma A/S hit a big obstacle when its peptide drug dasiglucagon failed to treat the rare condition congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) in a phase III trial. The company’s stock price dropped by 10% in reaction to the news, and only continued downwards the following year as massive volatility struck biotech stocks around the world. Even the FDA approval of dasiglucagon for the treatment of low blood sugar levels in diabetes in May 2021 failed to reverse Zealand Pharma’s woes. Earlier this year, the company revealed slower sales expectations of the product than it had hoped and made large layoffs in its US operation. This week, however, things took a positive turn for the firm, as dasiglucagon met the goal of a second phase III trial treating children in hospital with CHI. The post Zealand Pharma’s drug for rare metabolic disease smashes phase III appeared first on Labiotech.eu. © Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Death triggers FDA hold on Foghorn blood cancer clinical trial, shrouding timing of data drop ntaylor Fri, 05/20/2022 - 06:15

Bayer pulls plug on $670M CAR-T cell therapy pact with Atara in wake of patient death ntaylor Fri, 05/20/2022 - 05:17

Annual Drug Patent Expirations for ZERBAXA Zerbaxa is a drug marketed by Cubist Pharms Llc and is included in one NDA. It is available from one supplier. There are thirteen… The post New patent for Cubist Pharms drug ZERBAXA appeared first on DrugPaten... The post New patent for Cubist Pharms drug ZERBAXA appeared first on Biotechblog.

Annual Drug Patent Expirations for SOLOSEC Solosec is a drug marketed by Lupin and is included in one NDA. It is available from one supplier. There are seven patents protecting… The post New patent for LUPIN drug SOLOSEC appeared first on DrugPatentWat... The post New patent for LUPIN drug SOLOSEC appeared first on Biotechblog.

Annual Drug Patent Expirations for ADASUVE Adasuve is a drug marketed by Alexza Pharms and is included in one NDA. There are seven patents protecting this drug. Drug patent litigation… The post New patent expiration for Alexza Pharms drug ADASUVE appea... The post New patent expiration for Alexza Pharms drug ADASUVE appeared first on Biotechblog.

Annual Drug Patent Expirations for CAPLYTA Caplyta is a drug marketed by Intra-cellular and is included in one NDA. There are thirteen patents protecting this drug. CAPLYTA drug price trends.… The post New patent for Intra-cellular drug CAPLYTA appeare... The post New patent for Intra-cellular drug CAPLYTA appeared first on Biotechblog.

Annual Drug Patent Expirations for ALUNBRIG Alunbrig is a drug marketed by Takeda Pharms Usa and is included in one NDA. It is available from one supplier. There are four… The post New patent for Takeda Pharms drug ALUNBRIG appeared first on DrugPatent... The post New patent for Takeda Pharms drug ALUNBRIG appeared first on Biotechblog.

Chutes & Ladders—Aquestive CEO heads for the exits while seizure med remains in regulatory limbo mbayer Thu, 05/19/2022 - 15:21

Evotec and Sernova are set to join forces to advance a beta cell replacement therapy to treat insulin-dependent diabetes. As part of the deal, Evotec will make a €20M equity investment in Sernova. Germany-based Evotec and Canada’s Sernova have agreed on a partnership to develop and commercialize an implantable diabetes therapy based on beta cell replacement. The companies aim to combine Evotec’s cell-cluster production with Sernova’s implantable cell pouch device to produce an off-the-shelf treatment that could end the need for insulin injections. “We’re getting closer and closer to making a functional cure for insulin-dependent patients a reality,” Cord Dohrmann, Evotec’s chief scientific officer, told us. “We’re extremely excited and optimistic.” The goal is to be able to treat both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.  In type 1 diabetes, beta cells are destroyed by the immune system, and patients require regular life-long injections of the glucose-lowering hormone insulin. In type 2 diabetes, beta cells are functionally impaired, and the deterioration of the cells can eventually create a need for insulin injections. The post Evotec, Sernova in partnership to develop beta cell diabetes therapy appeared first on Labiotech.eu. © Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Inceptor Bio to use $37M series A to nudge CAR-T toward clinic, establish manufacturing base jwaldron Thu, 05/19/2022 - 09:40

Amgen celebrates 25 years of deCODE Genetics as partnership evolves from discovery to development mbayer Thu, 05/19/2022 - 08:48

Enanta sinks to multiyear low as phase 2b RSV trial flames out ntaylor Thu, 05/19/2022 - 06:45

The UK company F2G Ltd. has announced a strategic collaboration with Japanese pharmaceutical company Shionogi & Co. Ltd. to develop and commercialize olorofim, an antifungal treatment for invasive fungal infections, in Europe and Asia. The deal centers on olorofim, F2G’s oral antifungal therapy for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis, an infection that can be deadly for people with weakened immune systems. A spokesperson for F2G told us the collaboration covers China, Japan, Australia, and other major markets.  Under the terms of the agreement, Shionogi will conduct the clinical trials and subsequent registration and commercialization of olorofim for invasive aspergillosis in Europe and Asia. Shionogi will make an upfront payment to F2G of $100M and share development costs in global studies. F2G will also be eligible to receive additional regulatory and commercial milestones of up to $380M, as well as double-digit royalties on net sales. “By joining forces with Shionogi, F2G will be able to progress the development of olorofim with a partner that has a proven track record in global drug and business development,” F2G’s spokesperson said.  The post F2G enlists Shionogi to bring antifungal treatment to Europe and Asia appeared first on Labiotech.eu. © Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Nanobiotix scales down R&D plan, freezes hiring to close gap between cash runway and phase 3 data ntaylor Thu, 05/19/2022 - 05:52

Following our recent acquisition by Inova, our team is expanding! We’re very excited to welcome three new hires to join our international team: Jim, former Editor at DairyReporter, is joining us as Editor-in-Chief. As a music composer, photographer, and podcaster, he is looking to bring in loads of creative energy and explore fun ways to talk about biotech! Omnia, joining from Egypt, is a real bookworm (do check out the books she recommends below). She is most amazed by the different writing styles an Editor can encounter everyday and sees it as a source of inspiration for her own writing. Omnia, let us know when you’re publishing your first book 😉  Alban, former Key Account Manager at Inova, was looking for a chance to fulfill his ambition in helping the biopharma industry connect and collaborate, and then he met us! Alban will be leading the Sales team and helping our partners brainstorm best strategies to realize their science and make an impact.   The post Meet the Future Makers of Labiotech appeared first on Labiotech.eu. © Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Merck to pay up to $1.4B in cancer deal with Kelun, but details are scarce mbayer Wed, 05/18/2022 - 15:26

J&J-backed Locus closes $35M financing to push CRISPR-based antibacterial drug into phase 2/3 gmasson Wed, 05/18/2022 - 15:08

Applied Molecular Transport's co-founder exits along with 40% of staff as early pipeline activity paused gmasson Wed, 05/18/2022 - 11:11

'We just don’t have the studies': New report details critical diversity shortcomings in US clinical research aarmstrong Wed, 05/18/2022 - 10:08

Flagship Pioneering unfurls cell signaling company Sonata Therapeutics jwaldron Wed, 05/18/2022 - 09:39

Barber buzzes into Aquestive CEO post as Kendall leaves amid FDA delay ntaylor Wed, 05/18/2022 - 08:36

With lead gene therapy nearing the clinic, SwanBio leans heavily on Syncona to close $56M series B ntaylor Wed, 05/18/2022 - 07:30

UPDATE: Pfizer, Sarepta team with fellow DMD gene therapy makers to get to the bottom of adverse events aarmstrong Tue, 05/17/2022 - 15:06

As biotech investment slows following a record-breaking year, the Paris-based Sofinnova Partners has landed a €1B collaboration deal with the US investment heavyweight Apollo to nurture life sciences companies. Cementing the trend for transatlantic deals between biotech investors, the US asset manager Apollo has entered into a billion-Euro partnership with the European venture capitalist (VC) Sofinnova Partners. The financial and strategic partnership follows a spate of activity in which other European life science VCs have been snapped up by global giants.  In April, global investor Carlyle took over Abingworth and gained control of €1.9B ($2B) in assets under the management of the UK investment firm. Also, in November last year, Sweden’s EQT absorbed the Dutch VC Life Sciences Partners (LSP), with approximately €2.2B of assets under management, for an upfront payment of €450M.  The latest financial and strategic partnership will see Apollo gain a 20% stake in Europe’s largest VC specializing in the life sciences. In return, Apollo will commit up to €1B into Sofinnova’s investment funds, The post US Giant Apollo Bags Billion-Euro Partnership with Sofinnova appeared first on Labiotech.eu. © Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

FDA has change of heart, plans to convene advisory meeting for Cytokinetics' cardiac med mbayer Tue, 05/17/2022 - 10:35

Ampio's years of troubles come to a head with internal investigation, trio of COVID trial failures aarmstrong Tue, 05/17/2022 - 09:18

Scholar Rock in a hard place as biotech lays off 25% of staff, narrows pipeline and loses CMO jwaldron Tue, 05/17/2022 - 09:15

Aiming to be biggest biotech in Boston, Vertex plots 500-person cell, gene therapy R&D center ntaylor Tue, 05/17/2022 - 07:34

During drug development, biologics often fail to transition from the preclinical to the clinical stage, resulting in huge losses in time and money. We explore how choosing the right expression system and optimizing a method known as transient protein expression may offer a potential solution.  Bioproduction is the use of living systems to produce complex therapeutic drugs such as antibodies or enzymes. These living systems, which include bacterial, yeast, and mammalian cells, are referred to as expression hosts, and the resulting drug, a biologic.  During bioproduction, a plasmid — an engineered genetic construct — is delivered to the host cell. The plasmid contains instructions on how to translate the genetic information using the host’s own machinery, and enabling successful protein production. The entire set-up, consisting of the host cells, plasmid, and conditions used to enable bioproduction, is known as a protein expression system. The importance of choosing an optimal expression system The drug discovery and development process is often lengthy, spanning over 10 years on average. The post Optimizing Bioproduction Using Transient Expression Systems appeared first on Labiotech.eu. © Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Remix closes $70M funding with pipeline 'really humming,' but to what tune? mbayer Mon, 05/16/2022 - 16:24

The stock price of the French Covid-19 vaccine maker Valneva has been knocked down by 20% as the company faces losing a supply contract with the European Commission. Despite receiving a glowing marketing authorization from the UK’s drug regulator in April this year, Valneva is struggling to gain traction with its Covid-19 vaccine in the EU. Just days after Valneva’s win in the UK last month, the EMA declined to recommend the approval of the vaccine until undisclosed questions were addressed surrounding the application. This week, Valneva faces further pressure from the European Commission (EC). The two partners had inked a supply contract for almost 27 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine in late 2021, and the EC had the right to cancel the deal if Valneva’s vaccine hadn’t been greenlit by the end of April. According to a public statement, the firm will lose the EC supply contract unless either the vaccine gains EU approval, or Valneva proposes an “acceptable remediation plan,” by mid-June. The post Valneva’s Covid-19 Vaccine Contract in Dire Straits as EU Approval Lags appeared first on Labiotech.eu. © Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

The cosmetics industry is looking for greener ingredients as consumers demand more sustainable products. According to Jon Kratochvil at ERS Genomics, which licenses out patents belonging to the gene editing pioneers Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna, CRISPR-Cas9 could one day meet the demand for alternatives. The global cosmetics industry is worth more than €480B ($500B), but relies on ingredients that are unsustainable and cause harm to plant and animal life. Some products are sourced from animals directly and many others cause harm indirectly by persisting and accumulating in the environment. Growing awareness of this problem among consumers has fueled a demand for something different, with green cosmetics emerging as a strong new trend in the beauty industry. In Europe, the natural cosmetics market generated almost €2B in revenue in 2020, expected to rise to almost €3B by 2025. Globally, this market is predicted to be worth €46B ($48B) by 2025.  Consumers are increasingly seeking products with plant-derived, ‘natural’ ingredients and turning away from those containing animal-derived or environmentally damaging components. The post CRISPR Can Help The Switch To Sustainable Cosmetics appeared first on Labiotech.eu. © Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Domain Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company in France and Canada developing cancer immunotherapies targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), has closed a €39M ($42M) Series A financing round to move its lead candidate to clinical trials. The approval of the first immune checkpoint inhibitor treatments in 2014 proved a gamechanger for cancer immunotherapy as they prevented tumors from hijacking and escaping the immune system. The hunt is now on for new classes of checkpoint inhibitors and one emerging target is proteins on the cell surface called GPCRs, some of which help tumors to block the attacks of immune cells.  Domain Therapeutics’ €39M funding round this week, co-led by Panacea Venture, CTI Life Sciences, and 3B Future Health Fund, is a step forward for the French-Canadian startup as it seeks to prevent tumors from evading the immune system. The firm’s strategy is to find drugs that can block GPCRs involved in the process such as EP4R and CCR8.  The company will use the financing to launch the clinical development of its lead EP4R antagonist; The post Domain Therapeutics Bags €39M to Block GPCRs in Cancer Immunotherapy appeared first on Labiotech.eu. © Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

This article will be freely available to view in May 2022. Labiotech members have exclusive access before it is unlocked. Private biotech investments in Europe were on a steady decline in April 2022 as biotech public markets continued to disappoint. The top funding rounds were dominated by UK and Swiss firms targeting genetic diseases and cancer. April 2022 provided no relief for the European biotech industry as public stock markets remain anemic. Though flush with cash from 2021, private biotech investors are also cautious as they expect troubles to hit venture capital investments in biotech companies. European and Israeli biotech companies raised €450.6M across 33 deals in April 2022. This is lower than the totals from January, February, and March, and continues a steady monthly decline in European private biotech investments.  As in March 2022, there were no initial public offerings (IPOs) by any European biotech companies in April. One UK firm, Okyo Pharma, registered its intent to list in the US, The post The Top European Biotech Investments in April 2022 appeared first on Labiotech.eu. © Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

The French startup creator eureKARE has set up a special purposes acquisition company (SPAC) with the ambition to merge multiple European contract development and manufacturing organizations into a heavyweight serving developers of gene therapies, protein drugs, and microbiome therapeutics. Over the last few years, record levels of funding have flowed into the biotech industry, particularly to players developing gene and cell therapies. This has been echoed by a skyrocketing demand for contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) that can handle the production of complex biological products such as protein drugs and cell therapies.  The biotech CDMO market is dominated by five major players: Lonza, Boehringer Ingelheim, WuXi Biologics, Catalent, and Samsung Biologics. However, the big five focus primarily on manufacturing on large scales, which doesn’t suit small biotechs testing their cell and gene therapies in early-stage clinical trials. The French startup creator eureKARE aims to fill in the manufacturing needs of small biotechs across their clinical development pipeline. The firm has set up eureKING, The post eureKARE Launches €150M Merger to Form Cell and Gene Therapy CDMO appeared first on Labiotech.eu. © Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Large-panel cancer cell line screening can help find the right fit between a specific cancer cell and a therapeutic molecule, leading to the development of effective treatments. How can robust quality control, real-time screening methods, and a set of unique screening panels address current screening challenges?   Human cell lines have been used in drug development for decades. Today, large-panel cancer cell line screening can help identify cancer cell lines that respond to therapeutic compounds. Such screening methods use large quantities of genetically diverse cell lines from various cancer types to test novel drug candidates. Because of variability between human cancer cell lines, obtaining uniform screening results can pose a challenge. Coordinating screening within designated time frames can be difficult as well.  “Other challenges in preclinical compound screening include cost, genomic instability of cell lines, and demonstrating strong correlation between in vitro and in vivo preclinical screening data with clinical trials,” explained ZhengZheng Bao, Director at Crown Bioscience.  Nevertheless, there are ways in which current screening technologies are addressing these issues. The post Cancer Cell Line Screening: A Compass for Drug Discovery appeared first on Labiotech.eu. © Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

In just a few years, exosomes have started gaining recognition as a solution to deliver treatments safely and effectively, and as a new approach to regenerative medicine.  For hundreds of millions of years, multicellular organisms have faced many of the same challenges that biotechnology is grappling with today: how best to shuttle biomolecules to and between cells in a targeted and reliable way. Without these abilities, living systems would be ‘every cell for itself’, and cell-to-cell communication and coordination would be nearly impossible.  Basic research has revealed that much of this cell-to-cell delivery is carried out by exosomes — tiny lipid bubbles only around 30-100 nanometers across. While small in size and simple in structure, exosomes play crucial roles in fundamental cellular processes such as the regeneration of damaged tissues.   Over the eons, through constant evolutionary R&D, nature has created and optimized these nanocapsules for delivering molecules between and across tissues throughout the body. Today, their elegance and effectiveness at ferrying cargo and sending cellular messages far surpass any human inventions, The post Exosome Therapy: Borrowing from Nature’s Toolbox appeared first on Labiotech.eu. © Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Tapping into the increasingly sophisticated market for meat alternatives, the Swedish synthetic biology startup Melt&Marble has raised €5M in seed financing to fund the development of a fermented fat ingredient that mimics the complex properties of beef fat. Companies are racing to enhance the flavor, melt, and mouthfeel of meat alternative products such as plant-based meat. To reach this goal, startups hailing from countries including Belgium, France, Spain, the UK, and Australia are creating animal fat alternatives using techniques that range from fermentation to cell culture to the adaptation of existing plant oils. The common aim is to provide an environmentally friendly, healthier fat ingredient that, in some cases, may even improve the planet’s biodiversity by reducing reliance on traditional plant-based sources such as coconut and palm oil. This week, Melt&Marble raised a €5M seed round to scale up technology that can brew fat ingredients like beer. The company produces the fats by feeding plant sugars to engineered strains of yeast. By selecting the type of enzymes made by the yeast, The post Melt&Marble Gains €5M to Brew Fat Alternatives Using Engineered Yeast appeared first on Labiotech.eu. © Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

As big pharma companies flock to drugs that destroy harmful proteins, the UK protein degradation specialist Amphista Therapeutics has bagged two landmark collaboration deals with the heavyweights Bristol Myers Squibb and Merck. Big pharma companies are piling onto biotechs developing drugs that can cause the destruction of target proteins in the cell — a field known as protein degradation. In 2021, players in this space such as Arvinas, Vividion, and Dunad caught the attention of the likes of Novartis, Pfizer, and Bayer in billion-euro deals. This week, the UK firm Amphista hit the jackpot with two separate big pharma collaboration deals, each worth close to €1B. The first is a deal to co-discover protein-degrading drugs with Bristol Myers Squibb and includes €28.4M upfront and up to €1.2M in developmental milestone payments. The second centers on the development of three protein degraders with the German giant Merck for the treatment of cancer and immunological conditions. Amphista can expect €39M upfront from Merck in addition to up to €893.5M in development milestone payments. The post Amphista Lands Megadeals to Smash Cancer using Protein Degradation appeared first on Labiotech.eu. © Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

The German firm Tubulis has raised a €60M Series B round to advance cancer drugs called antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) to clinical trials. This takes place as the ADC space is heating up with rapid approvals and investment deals. ADCs are the product of attempts to make more selective, safer versions of traditional chemotherapy. They consist of toxic drugs attached by a so-called ‘linker’ molecule to an antibody that can guide them to tumor cells. This drug class has been researched for decades, but has only come into its own in the last few years with the rapid-fire approvals of drugs including Blenrep, Todelvy, Enhertu, and more. “There is high momentum in the ADC space and it is exciting to see the increase in ADC approvals and to see that these molecules provide benefit for patients,” said Dominik Schumacher, CEO of the German ADC player Tubulis. As enthusiasm mounts in ADCs, Tubulis raised a €60M Series B round this week led by newcomer Andera Partners. The post Tubulis Rides Investment Wave in ADCs with €60M Series B appeared first on Labiotech.eu. © Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Human societies today are based around knowledge economies, where knowledge is currency and where quick, innovative solutions for problems are in high demand. We explore why innovation ecosystems that nurture varied skill sets, collaborative environments, and diverse perspectives are earning a reputation as centers for accelerating innovative solutions. Knowledge economies are systems that capitalize on scientific discoveries and applied research. As civilization progresses, we edge closer to building and thriving in such economies. Today, knowledge is harnessed into product innovation, with the goal of solving societal problems and building sustainable growth opportunities. The 21st century shift towards open innovation Within the scientific world, knowledge sharing and collective problem-solving can lead to quick development of optimal solutions. However, almost counter-intuitively, the academic ideal of ‘publish or perish’ has led to strict guarding of intellectual property and a natural resistance to sharing one’s best ideas with others. Until very recently, innovating purely within the constraints of one’s own organization was regarded as the norm. However, the push from economic globalization and technological change, The post How Open Ecosystems Encourage Knowledge Sharing and Accelerate Scientific Innovation appeared first on Labiotech.eu. © Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

In addition to helping patients, biotech companies need to focus on the commercial potential of their work. Stephanie Bewick at Destiny Pharma outlines her experiences of how a Chief Business Officer maximizes their company’s commercial appeal and lands deals in the biotech industry.    Stephanie Bewick began her career as an academic researcher before spending more than two decades in business development. She has occupied senior positions in biotech companies such as Summit Therapeutics as well as mid-sized pharma firms such as Mayne Pharma. In this time, she has negotiated and closed transactions ranging from the early research phase to late-stage clinical development.  In 2021, Bewick became the Chief Business Officer (CBO) of Destiny Pharma, a UK biotech focusing on novel medicines for infectious diseases. What led you to take up the role of CBO? Becoming a CBO is something that happens after a long time of being in business development. I came out of academia after my PhD, which I think a lot of people do. The post Chief Business Officers: Shedding Light on Biotech’s Dealmakers appeared first on Labiotech.eu. © Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

The Danish National Genome Center has teamed up with the UK firm Lifebit to improve the access and sharing of genomic data as the nation moves towards the adoption of personalized medicine. Personalized medicine is capturing the attention of healthcare authorities across the world. By harvesting genome sequences from patient populations, researchers can mine vast datasets to find the most cost-effective and safest treatments for people with a particular genetic makeup. Initiatives such as the EU-wide EP PerMed, Genomics England, and the Danish National Genome Center (DNGC) are working to usher in the transition to data-guided medicine. However, there are often many different centers and biobanks analyzing patient health data using different software and methods, creating a fragmented system. It can also be difficult to move data between centers without compromising patient privacy and security. This week, the DNGC enlisted the UK firm Lifebit to overcome typical data sharing challenges with its cloud-based software. Lifebit virtually connects data providers such as genomics facilities and biobanks in a so-called federated system. The post Denmark Recruits Lifebit to Boost Personalized Medicine with Genomics appeared first on Labiotech.eu. © Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

The UK firm OMass Therapeutics has unveiled a €90M (£75.5M) Series B financing to bankroll the development of small molecules against so-called ‘undruggable’ targets, including one that sank Quench Bio last year. In 2020, Quench Bio captured the imagination of investors with the US firm’s ambition to develop a new class of anti-inflammatory drugs. The startup aimed to block the protein gasdermin D, which is linked to a host of conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Unfortunately, Quench Bio’s dream came to an end last year after the company concluded that the target was undruggable and ceased operations. Undeterred by Quench’s experience, the UK player OMass Therapeutics raised a €90M Series B round this week to finance its own shot at gasdermin D. The round proceeds will progress OMass’ pipeline towards phase I testing. The five main programs include a gasdermin D blocker for inflammatory diseases in addition to treatments for the genetic disorder congenital adrenal hyperplasia, inflammatory bowel disease, forms of epilepsy, The post OMass Therapeutics Takes on ‘Undruggable’ Proteins with €90M Series B appeared first on Labiotech.eu. © Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Labiotech UG and Labiotech.eu with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Agilex Biolabs Doubles in Size with Launch of New Large Molecule Facility as It Expands Its U.S. Presence mwen Fri, 04/22/2022 - 13:41

Fierce Biotech Layoff Tracker: Agios slims R&D operations, Scholar Rock in a hard place aarmstrong Thu, 03/31/2022 - 16:21

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