Worldwide News

The development of antibodies and associated technologies continues to drive high-value deals, according to a recent report in Nature.1 Using data provided by DealForma for the period 1 January 2022 to 16 June 2023, Nature analysed the deal trends in the field. In 2022, there were 156 antibody-focused deals with a value of $57.3 billion, […]

A new licensing agreement between Vita Therapeutics and MilliporeSigma (the US and Canada Life Science business of Merck) will see Vita leverage MilliporeSigma’s foundational CRISPR patents to advance its preclinical asset VTA-100 for limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD2A). VTA-100 utilises this CRISPR genome editing technology to insert a functional copy of the Calpain 3 (CAPN3) gene, […]

AI drug discovery company Optibrium has acquired 3D drug design specialist BioPharmics. BioPharmics’ CEO, Dr Ajay Jain, and Director of Applied Science, Dr Ann Cleves, will join the Optibrium team, respectively focusing on R&D and Application Science in the newly-created BioPharmics Division. BioPharmics has developed a series of algorithms and software for 3D ligand-based and […]

TherageniX and the University of Nottingham have been awarded a £995,000 ($1,252,585) grant from Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency. The funding will support the development of the company’s gene therapy in a powder, a non-viral gene delivery system to improve tissue regeneration following surgery. TherageniX will initially focus on orthopaedic applications, with the aim […]

The eleventh eBook of the Hamilton series ‘Analytical Methods for Viral Vector Development and Manufacturing in Gene Therapy’ is now available. Download the eBook to learn about: Gene therapy: history, viral vectors and the role of CDMOs Automation of analytical assays during viral vector development and manufacturing The solutions that Hamilton offers to customers working […]

Australian clinical-stage pharmaceutical company ENA Respiratory has been awarded an additional $3.8 million contract from the US Department of Defense (DOD) to support ongoing research and development of INNA-051, a first-in-class, intranasal, innate immune modulator for the prevention of complications associated with respiratory viral infections in at-risk populations.   The new funding adds to the $4.38 […]

BenevolentAI has dosed the first patients in Phase I first-in-human studies of its oral phosphodiesterase 10 (PDE10) inhibitor, BEN-8744, intended for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). The topline data readout from this study is expected in the first quarter of 2024.  UC is a chronic disease that causes inflammation and ulceration of the inner […]

The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended Elfabrio (pegunigalsidase alfa) as an option for treating Fabry disease (or alpha-galactosidase deficiency). The drug is recommended for use on the NHS under the terms of a confidential commercial agreement. Pegunigalsidase alfa is a novel enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) administered via intravenous infusion […]

A new eBook is now available from Malvern Panalytical: ‘Faster, more accurate and deeper insight: How to make the switch to label-free interaction analysis.’ Label-free interaction analysis takes discovery to a new level. It removes inaccuracies and inefficiencies, but it also uncovers a new layer of insight into the kinetic activity and binding specificity of […]

It’s not unusual for such a dynamic industry to have regular shake-ups in senior leadership, especially as innovative new technologies create brand new roles. The last couple of months have seen a number of high-profile job moves in drug discovery. Dr Robert Kirby, COO and Dr Edward Stevens, CSO Metrion Biosciences Kirby has been promoted […]

A considerable roadblock in the successful triaging of new therapeutics for liver and metabolic related diseases is the reliability and effectiveness of pre-clinical disease models. Methods employing animal models may have limited success in replicating liver diseases, primarily because of species-specific differences, furthermore, the utilisation of animal models to simulate liver disease phenotypes frequently leads […]

Longevity biotech clock.bio has launched with $4 million in funding to develop regenerative medicines to prevent and treat age-related diseases. The company says its immediate objective is to decode all rejuvenation programmes present in human cells, to build an atlas of disease and rejuvenation targets for clinical translation. “We have a bold mission of extending […]

The latest episode of the DDW Highlights podcast is now available to listen to below. DDW’s Megan Thomas narrates five key stories of the week to keep DDW subscribers up-to-date on the latest industry updates.  This week’s headline news features a stem-cell derived Parkinson’s therapy, a monoclonal antibody for head and neck cancer, an estrogen receptor degrader for […]

SLAS2024 event partner DDW will be the exclusive sponsor for the SLAS Ignite Theater, hosting its own free to attend seminar series, ‘Innovation & technology: from lab to patient’. Join DDW at SLAS2024 in Boston on 5 and 6 February 2024 to explore how drug discovery technology is driving innovation from bench to bedside. Inspired […]

Kadans’ London Innovation Centre at Canary Wharf, London has launched its wet lab innovation and flexible workspace centre and welcomed a new tenant. AviadoBio, a gene therapy company developing medicines for neurodegenerative disorders, will establish laboratory and office presence at the Innovation Centre. The Innovation Centre has enabled the rapid growth of the life sciences […]

A new whitepaper has introduced the concept of ‘cross-over’ options in cancer clinical trials, as a way to make trials more patient-centric in design. ‘Cross-over arms in oncology clinical trials: An important consideration for patients’ was published by the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation (CCF) with the aim of opening new doors for patients with limited treatment options. […]