Gene therapy

22 July 2020 Image: ThisisEngineering RAEng Thermo Fisher Scientific’s latest launch has been designed to allow fast cGMP-compatible cell and gene therapy manufacturing. Developed as the first-ever all-inclusive solution to simplify and optimise the cGMP equipment installation and validation process, the Thermo Scientific Cell Therapy Systems (CTS) Series Laboratory Equipment is a range of key […]

The next critical phase for The University of Queensland’s (UQ) COVID-19 vaccine is underway, with the research effort moving out of the lab and into human trials. Healthy adult volunteers have received the first dose of the vaccine at the Brisbane clinic of phase 1 clinical trials specialist, Nucleus Network. UQ vaccine project co-leader Professor […]

Cancer Research UK is planning to become a leaner, more focused organisation following the impact of COVID-19 on its fundraising income. The charity is making difficult decisions to reduce how much it spends on beating cancer, its operations and the number of staff following an anticipated £300 million decline in fundraising income over the next […]

Image: Fusion Medical Automation Initially designed to target the published CDC and WHO consensus sequences, the AccuPlex SARS-CoV-2 Verification Panel and Reference Material Kit are available with full SARS-CoV-2 viral genome coverage. This expansion allows for compatibility with any SARS-CoV-2 assay target, while maintaining the safety features and performance monitoring advantages of AccuPlex technology. LGC’s […]

Scientists in academic centres and companies around the world desperately search for novel therapeutics and vaccines to treat and prevent COVID-19. However, with lockdowns and limited access to laboratories, researchers are being forced to work from home, putting research continuity at risk. To help scientists continue their R&D, and ensure research continuity, Arctoris has established […]

14 July 2020 SCIEX has celebrated its 50th anniversary with a digital product launch. SCIEX virtual product experience introduced products that enable customers to Run Fast, Go Beyond and Power Up. “Half a century ago, SCIEX set out with a mission to develop analytical technologies for aerospace. Today, our technologies cover analysis of environmental hazards, […]

Cobra Biologics has produced and supplied two further DNA plasmids for the production of CombiGene’s gene therapy drug candidate CG01, which is being developed for the treatment of drug-resistant focal epilepsy. This completes delivery of all plasmids required to progress to the next phase of the project. The production of CG01, is dependent on manufactured […]

Clinician scientists at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ireland, have begun a clinical trial of a promising therapy for critically ill COVID-19 patients in intensive care. In a paper published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the team, led by RCSI Professors Gerry McElvaney and Ger Curley, describe changes in […]

30 June 2020 Image: National Cancer Institute The San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget) and Genespire have published data highlighting progress in the development of an improved targeted gene replacement technology in human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in Nature Biotechnology. The paper, entitled Efficient gene editing of human long-term hematopoietic stem cells validated by […]

29 June 2020 Image: National Cancer Institute A type of drug already used to treat breast and ovarian cancer, called a PARP inhibitor, may be useful in treating children with high-risk neuroblastoma, a childhood tumour with a low survival rate, a new study suggests. Neuroblastoma is a cancer which arises from nerve cells in either […]

25 June 2020 Teknova has appointed Stephen Gunstream as chief executive officer. Gunstream has nearly 20 years of experience in the life sciences industry, including positions as Vice President and General Manager for the research and clinical business at BD Biosciences and Chief Commercial Officer at Integrated DNA Technologies. He joins Teknova as the company looks to […]

Avacta Group has announced that the first Affimer-based rapid test strips to detect SARS-COV-2 spike protein have been developed and evaluated by partners at Cytiva (formerly GE Healthcare Life Sciences) and show positive initial performance data. In mid-May Avacta provided Affimer reagents that are specific to the SARS-COV-2 spike protein to Cytiva which has now […]

Taconic Biosciences has announced an exclusive agreement with the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) to distribute humanised ACE2 mice for coronavirus research. The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, uses the ACE2 receptor to enter cells, causing infection. Due to differences between the mouse and human ACE2 receptors, normal laboratory mice cannot be […]

19 June 2020 AFFiRiS has announced that detailed results of the phase 1 clinical program with its lead candidate PD01 in early PD patients were published in the peer-reviewed journal The Lancet Neurology. Results of the phase 1 clinical program with AFFiRiS’ lead candidate PD01 in early Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients have been published in […]

Avacta Group, in collaboration with the Centre for Virus Research at the University of Glasgow, has shown that Affimer reagents which bind to the SARS-COV-2 virus spike protein, prevent infection of human cells by a SARS-COV-2 model virus and therefore provide a potential therapy for COVID-19 infection. Avacta Group, in collaboration with the Centre for […]

Cobra Biologics will provide GMP manufacture of the adenovirus vector-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate AZD1222, previously known as ChAdOx1 n-CoV-19. Cobra Biologics, part of the Cognate BioServices family, an international CDMO for biologics and pharmaceuticals, has signed a supply agreement with AstraZeneca UK to provide GMP manufacture of the adenovirus vector-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate AZD1222, previously known as […]