Biotechnology

News round-up for 11-15 September by DDW Digital Content Editor Diana Spencer. Spanning artificial intelligence, theranostics, radiopharmaceuticals, quantum simulation and small regulatory RNA, the top stories this week all cover cutting-edge technologies and techniques making a huge impact on modern drug discovery and development. The headlines: Pharma must embrace an AI future says new report […]

Emeritus Professor Ian Frazer, University of Queensland and Director of Microba, has been announced as the Millis Oration keynote speaker for AusBiotech 2023. The title of his presentation will be ‘Navigating the future: Predictions and potential of Australian biotechnology’. He will share his assessment of the sector’s current state and predictions for Australian biotechnology, and […]

In the In Conversation With series, a part of the free DDW podcast, DDW speaks with members of the drug discovery industry about their work and how it helps turn science into business.    In this latest episode, DDW’s Megan Thomas is in conversation with Dr Bruce Bloom, Chief Collaboration Officer at Healx, a biotechnology company using AI drug discovery […]

In the In Conversation With series, a part of the free DDW podcast, DDW speaks with members of the drug discovery industry about their work and how it helps turn science into business.    In this latest episode, DDW’s Megan Thomas is in conversation with Dr Bruce Bloom, Chief Collaboration Officer at Healx, a biotechnology company using AI drug discovery […]

This is the latest episode of the free DDW narrated podcast, “A business case for drug discovery”, which covers three articles written for Volume 23, Issue 3 – Summer 2022 of DDW. They are called “A deal in the making”, “Why project management holds the key to efficient drug development”, and “Transcending expectations for cell & […]

MinervaX, a Danish biotechnology company developing a novel, prophylactic vaccine against Group B Streptococcus (GBS), has completed enrolment and initial dosing in its Phase I clinical vaccine trial in older adults. The trial is taking place at CEVAC (Centre for Vaccinology), Ghent University, Belgium.  GBS is most commonly associated with pregnant women and newborn babies. […]

Invizius, a biotechnology company developing second generation therapies for a range of complement-driven autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, has recruited its 300th patient to the ‘Angry Blood’ study.   This is a significant milestone in its novel kinetic study to identify patients with elevated complement responses during haemodialysis (HD), so-called ‘angry blood,’ who may have a […]

The LSX World Congress 2023 took place at the Business Design Centre in London, UK in May 2023. DDW’s Megan Thomas comments on the event.   New approaches to partnering   In this event in the Biotech track, Clive Cookson, Science Editor at the Financial Times, interviewed John McDonald, Corporate Vice President, Global R&D Business Development, Novo […]

Redx, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing novel, small molecule, targeted therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and fibrotic disease, announced preclinical data for its lead fibrosis asset, RXC007, and the Discodin Domain Receptor (DDR)1/2 discovery programme.   The data were from preclinical models of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and triple negative breast […]

This is the latest episode of the free DDW narrated podcast, “The impact of technology on drug discovery”. It covers two articles written for Volume 23, Issue 2 – Spring 2022 of DDW. They are called “Talking Tech” and “Rejuvenation biotech: Can this company make age a thing of the past?” With Covid-19 taking so […]

The first quarter of 2023 has seen deal flow continue for UK life science and biotech companies at all stages of development, new data from the UK BioIndustry Association and Clarivate shows. As global macro-economic headwinds, suppressed public markets and political uncertainty weighed on investor confidence, venture investment remained steady, with private UK biotechs securing […]

Granular Therapeutics, a UK-based biotech company specialising in precision biologic therapies for treating mast cell driven disorders, announced clinical candidate selection for its lead programme which has demonstrated promising results in initial preclinical studies.  Granular Therapeutics has now commenced proof-of-concept (POC) and IND-enabling studies as it prepares for clinical development.   Since starting work on these […]

DDW Editor Reece Armstrong speaks to Howard Davis, CEO of clinical stage oncology company, Akamis Bio, about its work in developing a gene therapy to treat pancreatic cancer.    In February this year, Akamis Bio announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) to include a clinical collaboration with the […]

Salipro Biotech, in collaboration with AstraZeneca, has published data from a study which describes a novel method to directly extract membrane proteins from cells into lipid Salipro nanoparticles, enabling structure-function analysis using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) for challenging drug targets. The scientists extracted and purified functional membrane proteins directly from cells […]

Destiny Pharma, a UK-based clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the development of novel medicines to prevent life threatening infections, has published landmark XF-73 clinical data in the US peer reviewed journal Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.    The paper was published by Dr. Julie Mangino (Professor Emeritus, Division of Infectious Diseases, at The Ohio State […]

iOnctura, a clinical stage biotechnology company developing breakthrough therapies for patients suffering with cancer, has been awarded the innovative medicine designation, the Innovation Passport, for roginolisib, for the treatment of metastatic uveal melanoma by the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).  Roginolisib is a first-in-class, non-ATP-competitive, allosteric modulator of PI3Kd which prevents tumour proliferation […]