April 2020- Volume 16, Issue 4
In this Issue
Research & Development
Digging into diabetes
Digging into diabetes
Researchers are gaining new insights into the mechanisms behind diabetes
Shank3 and hypersensitivity
Shank3 and hypersensitivity
New study may help people with autism
Astrocytes, Alzheimer’s and autism
Astrocytes, Alzheimer’s and autism
Location of cells in the brain could determine neurological disorders
Boning up on HSCs
Boning up on HSCs
Mount Sinai researchers use stem cells to improve bone marrow transplantation
A consortium against COVID
A consortium against COVID
The newly established COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium unites government, public health and research organizations to conduct sequencing studies of the virus and its transmission
Business & Government Policy
Patent Docs: The question of expert testimony in patent cases
Patent Docs: The question of expert testimony in patent cases
Patent Docs' Kevin Noonan talks about the potential peril of using a layperson to provide expert testimony
Eppendorf acquires centrifuge business from Koki
Eppendorf acquires centrifuge business from Koki
Company says deal makes it a global full-line provider of high-performance premium centrifuges
A new holding for Catalent
A new holding for Catalent
MaSTherCell acquisition to complement and strengthen company’s gene therapy offerings
On the cutting edge
On the cutting edge
A roundup of instrumentation, software and other tools and technology news
Three-way deal focuses on new ways to beat cancer
Three-way deal focuses on new ways to beat cancer
Phio Pharmaceuticals and Helmholtz Zentrum München to collaborate with Medigene
Commentary
Guests Commentary: The importance of the pharmaceutical composition analyzer
Guests Commentary: The importance of the pharmaceutical composition analyzer
An accurate analyzer can provide simultaneous analysis of entire composition of samples for precision and security
Metrics gone wild: Biomarkers that don’t mark
Metrics gone wild: Biomarkers that don’t mark
Counting publications is appealing in its simplicity and we all do that. The capacity for words and numbers no longer depends on paper and ink; a consequence of this system (for biomarkers and other research) may well relate to irreproducible scientific papers going viral, often from the most prestigious journals
Editor's Focus
Editor’s Focus: In this industry, we must stand strong against COVID-19
Editor’s Focus: In this industry, we must stand strong against COVID-19
There have been challenges and missteps in the handing of the COVID-19 pandemic and now is the time for all parties (academic, private, governmental and otherwise) to step up and show commitment and compassion
New class of drug conjugate
New class of drug conjugate
Avacta combines two of its proprietary tools to create TMACs against cancer
New class of drug conjugate
New class of drug conjugate
Avacta combines two of its proprietary tools to create TMACs against cancer
Clinical Trials
Under the umbrella
Under the umbrella
Cytel touts basket and umbrella trial design
Datacubed offers tech free for virtual COVID-19 studies
Datacubed offers tech free for virtual COVID-19 studies
Advanced mHealth technology firm offers study teams identification solutions in real-time
AI on the attack
AI on the attack
Biofourmis’ remote monitoring platform may provide new insights to fight COVID-19
One step at a time
One step at a time
Results of CDNF trial take Herantis a step closer to possible cure for Parkinson’s disease
MS highs and lows in the clinic
MS highs and lows in the clinic
Companies see progress and setbacks as they advance therapeutic candidates against multiple sclerosis
Discovery
Answering questions about APA
Answering questions about APA
Researchers shine light on how regulatory mechanism impacts pancreatic cancer
Entering a discovery-stage collaboration
Entering a discovery-stage collaboration
BI and Trutino Biosciences to explore cancer immunology with novel cytokine platform
Molecular fishing
Molecular fishing
Technique finds and measures individual molecules in blood
A new company takes aim at MS
A new company takes aim at MS
Pheno Therapeutics is targeted toward treatments for multiple sclerosis
Putting all your experiments in one basket
Putting all your experiments in one basket
Purdue team develops collapsible basket array to speed compound screening
Special Reports
Special Report on Neuroscience: On good behavior
Special Report on Neuroscience: On good behavior
To translate to humans, neurobehavioral models must first translate to animals
Diagnostics
Can microbes diagnose cancer?
Can microbes diagnose cancer?
Researchers seek to improve on liquid biopsy trend and less-invasive oncology diagnostics
Adipose-ing a solution
Adipose-ing a solution
Visceral fat can predict liver fibrosis and fibrosis progression in people with HIV
Mindful of the babies
Mindful of the babies
InfanDx to develop diagnostics for newborns at risk for cerebral palsy, other brain injuries
Contract Services
Spaulding awarded contract with FDA
Spaulding awarded contract with FDA
Multiple clinical trials will address a variety of therapeutic areas
Working toward a COVID vaccine
Working toward a COVID vaccine
Organizations combine strengths to address outbreak pathogens, including novel coronavirus
Preclinical
Working toward a broad-spectrum therapy
Working toward a broad-spectrum therapy
Ocugen’s gene therapy candidate shows potential in five different models of retinitis pigmentosa
A ‘shock and kill’ approach
A ‘shock and kill’ approach
Combo therapy could produce long-term HIV remission even without ART
A new method for modified NK cells
A new method for modified NK cells
GEMoaB publishes preclinical proof-of-concept data on UniCAR-modified off-the-shelf natural killer cells
Feature
Focus Feature: COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2
Focus Feature: COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2
Coverage of efforts to develop vaccines against the virus, research on potential therapeutics for COVID-19 and work being conducted on diagnostics to detect SARS-CoV-2 infection
