Alnylam Pharmaceuticals has new data from the open-label extension (OLE) period of the ENVISION Phase 3 study This shows the long-term therapeutic benefit of givosiran in patients with acute hepatic porphyria (AHP)—an orphan disease that can be life threatening. The results were presented by study investigator Eliane Sardh, MD, during a webinar hosted by Alnylam. […]

Continuing to challenge the current HIV treatment paradigm, data presented will investigate new and innovative treatment options for people living with HIV. ViiV Healthcare will be presenting over 20 abstracts during next week at the 23rd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2020: Virtual), being held 6-10 July. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference will be […]

The UK based AI start-up is offering all researchers free use of Galactic, its cloud-based web tool, to support biomedical research while lab access is restricted around the world. According to Biorelate, the cognitive computing platform behind Galactic can speed up the research process by collecting and curating more than 30 million biomedical research text […]

Start Codon, life science and healthcare business accelerator, has showcased its first cohort of start-ups. The company aims to minimise risk and translate early stage research into successful start-ups, ready for funding and partnership. Start Codon has been working closely with four life science and healthcare companies that were enrolled into the programme in February […]

Start-up iLoF (Intelligent Lab on Fiber), uses artificial intelligence (AI) and biophotonics to detect neurogenerative biomarkers and optimise the clinical trial selection process for diseases such as Alzheimer’s. iLoF also won the EIT Health Wild Card competition in 2019 and has secured $1 million in investment from Microsoft’s Venture Fund, M12 and Mayfield Fund. Following […]

A novel machine learning model developed by researchers at Michigan State University suggests that mutations to the SARS-CoV-2 genome have made the virus more infectious. The model, developed by lead researcher Guowei Wei, professor in the departments of Mathematics and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, analysed SARS-CoV-2 genotyping from more than 20,000 viral genome samples. The researchers analysed […]

By Dr Jamie Freeman Base editing is a potentially transformative technology for engineering DNA in cells that has the potential to generate knockouts or correct certain errors or mutations in the DNA for applications such as cell or gene therapies. Compared with currently-available gene editing methodologies such as CRISPR/Cas9, which creates ‘cuts’ in the gene […]

PerkinElmer has released a series of Explorer workstations for SARS-CoV-2 testing capable of preparing and running up to 10,000 COVID-19 tests per day. These modular and scalable workstations enable laboratories to ramp up SARS-CoV-2 testing capacity quickly to generate results. Currently many laboratories are unable to deliver COVID-19 testing results in a timely manner. Slow […]

AnteoTech has developed proof-of-concept COVID-19 antigen and Flu A&B point-of-care lateral flow tests. These can detect the presence of SARS-Cov-2 and influenza in less than 15 minutes. The tests use AnteoTech’s patented AnteoBind activated europium technology and provide significantly higher sensitivity than that offered by currently available COVID-19 tests. AnteoTech intends for the tests to […]

THE COVID-19 RACE how mouse models will help researchers cross the finish line By Dr Megan MacBride The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 virus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, have fuelled significant shifts in preclinical research across the globe. Amid the worldwide health emergency created by high infection rates, rapid transmission spread and relatively high mortality […]

Evotec and Centogene have expanded their drug discovery partnership related to the protein target glucocerebrosidase (GBA) with a focus on Gaucher disease. This is a genetic and relatively common lysosomal storage disorder. The parties intend to develop a treatment option for the majority of patients whereas currently available treatments are individualised for each patient depending […]

Chemspec Europe, which was scheduled to take place in Cologne, Germany from 11 to 12 November 2020 has been postponed. Its new dates are 19 – 20 May 2021. The exhibition will occupy Hall 12.1 at Messe Frankfurt in Germany. This decision was taken after extensive conversations with all exhibitors and partners over recent weeks […]

19 August 2020 Image: CDC Bespoke custom contract service offers rapid access to broad range of high-quality antigen panels for influenza A and B viruses The Native Antigen Company has introduced a custom contract service to rapidly develop antigen panels for influenza A and B viruses. This new service offers scientists access to high-quality proteins […]

A study early in the global coronavirus pandemic evidenced the benefits of using steroids to combat COVID-19 According to researchers at the UK’s University of Huddersfield, a study from early in the global coronavirus pandemic that evidenced the benefits of using steroids to combat COVID-19 in severely ill patients could have saved lives, Dr Hamid Merchant […]

Bold Therapeutics has released data on the novel antiviral BOLD-100. In a series of experiments conducted by Dr Stephen Barr, Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Western University, BOLD-100 and remdesivir were tested head-to-head in a cytopathic effect assay against a live Wuhan strain of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) in Vero E6 cells. […]

18 August 2020 Image: Drew Hays Scientists at EPFL have demonstrated the mechanism that allows cells to fight off viral DNA without triggering an immune response against their own genetic material. Viruses multiply by injecting their DNA into a host cell. Once it enters the intracellular fluid, this foreign material triggers a defense mechanism known […]