August 2018- Volume 14, Issue 8
In this Issue
Business & Government Policy
For your approval
For your approval
A collection of recent regulatory approvals and other actions globally
On the cutting edge
On the cutting edge
A roundup of instrumentation, software and other tools and technology news
Attacking arthritis
Attacking arthritis
University of Birmingham forms spinout to develop new therapeutic target for RA
Making progress
Making progress
A roundup of recent pharma/biotech milestones
Research & Development
An antibiotic fix with F6?
An antibiotic fix with F6?
Purdue researchers identify antibacterial compound that is less prone to antibiotic resistance
Evonetix gains £1.3M for gene synthesis project
Evonetix gains £1.3M for gene synthesis project
Innovate UK funding will support development of a novel enzymatic process for DNA synthesis
A new bladder cancer biomarker
A new bladder cancer biomarker
Mount Sinai researchers use data science and genomics to help determine best treatment options
Methyldopa mechanism
Methyldopa mechanism
Small-molecule approach blocks autoimmunity in type 1 diabetes
Shedding some light on the 5-8-5 scaffold
Shedding some light on the 5-8-5 scaffold
A new approach from FSU could help researchers unlock a promising but hard to synthesize molecular structure
Discovery
Teaming up to understand single-molecule science
Teaming up to understand single-molecule science
Trio of partners seek a deeper understanding of biology and early-stage drug development
Agenus discovery enhances activity of cancer-fighting antibodies
Agenus discovery enhances activity of cancer-fighting antibodies
Findings published in Cancer Cell; company’s next-generation anti-CTLA-4 antibody slated for IND in 2018
Sonnet completes discovery phase of immuno-oncology program
Sonnet completes discovery phase of immuno-oncology program
Along with this comes the initiation of CMC development of platform assets
AMSBIO launches new screening company
AMSBIO launches new screening company
Joint venture with University of Strathclyde looks toward developing a new kind of microfluidics platform
Testing therapeutic potential
Testing therapeutic potential
TSRI chemists design ‘miniecosystems’ to test drug function
Contract Services
CDMO invests in ‘solid’ growth
CDMO invests in ‘solid’ growth
JPS announces major investment and facility expansion, focused on oral solid dose manufacturing
A new mouse for Deerfield
A new mouse for Deerfield
Acquisition of Ablexis sets stage for market expansion with AlivaMab Mouse and founding of AlivaMab Discovery Services
Novacap completes acquisition of PCI
Novacap completes acquisition of PCI
With the purchase, the company expands its pharmaceutical offerings in the U.S.
Clinical Trials
Good to go with INDIGO-1
Good to go with INDIGO-1
Gemphire reports notable reductions in triglyceride levels in Phase 2b trial of gemcabene
‘PROMISE’-ing results against migraine
‘PROMISE’-ing results against migraine
Data demonstrate eptinezumab efficacy further improved at one year after third and fourth quarterly infusions
‘ADAPT’ or fail?
‘ADAPT’ or fail?
Biotargeting system aims to drive clinical trial success in cancer studies
Positive Phase 2 Data for bardoxolone methyl in CKD
Positive Phase 2 Data for bardoxolone methyl in CKD
Significant improvement in kidney function maintained in Alport syndrome patients after 48 weeks
Looking for order in chaos
Looking for order in chaos
Data integration key to faster clinical trials
Preclinical
A model that mimics
A model that mimics
New mouse model could illuminate autism subtype
Touring the oncology landscape
Touring the oncology landscape
A roundup of recent preclinical cancer research
Parkinson’s potential
Parkinson’s potential
MANF protein proves capable of protecting dopaminergic neurons, staving off motor dysfunction
A loss for liver disease?
A loss for liver disease?
Conatus Pharmaceuticals’ pan-caspase inhibitor emricasan improves survival and portal hypertension in a mouse model of cirrhosis
Diagnostics
AI imaging
AI imaging
Progenics shares data supporting imaging analysis technology in prostate cancer
Precision medicine and pancreatic cancer
Precision medicine and pancreatic cancer
Evidence shows patients benefit from molecular profiling
New tools for Alzheimer’s
New tools for Alzheimer’s
Coalition of philanthropists commit more than $30 million for better ways to diagnose Alzheimer's disease
Can microRNA solve a big AD problem?
Can microRNA solve a big AD problem?
Researchers at Indiana University think they might be on to a simple, early test for Alzheimer's disease
Special Reports
Special Report on Drug Delivery: Penetrating the impenetrable
Special Report on Drug Delivery: Penetrating the impenetrable
Researchers are working hard to find novel and interesting ways to overcome problems of getting across the blood-brain barrier
Feature
Show Preview: Basel Life/EMBO
Show Preview: Basel Life/EMBO
Lively times ahead at Basel Life, as the annual congress gets set to bridge the worlds of science and business, focusing on European life sciences
Editor's Focus
Editor’s Focus: Science isn’t always friendly, but it isn’t the enemy
Editor’s Focus: Science isn’t always friendly, but it isn’t the enemy
Somewhere along the line, it became sort of "popular" to denigrate science and scientists, and it's time to turn that trend around
Commentary
Listening to the chemistry talk
Listening to the chemistry talk
Medicine is moving decade by decade to be more information-rich and constrained by the resulting increases in cost from advances in both the physics and the chemistry; the tools in the black bag of 1960 are not enough for today’s best result
Guest Commentary: How genomic testing is redefining cancer research
Guest Commentary: How genomic testing is redefining cancer research
Improved genomic sequencing techniques are increasing the rigor of the clinical development process and genomic profiling is helping to identify new therapeutic targets as well as biomarkers of treatment response
Q&A
Q&A: GigaGen growth and the NIH
Q&A: GigaGen growth and the NIH
GigaGen CEO discusses how NIH programs and funding help early-stage companies such as GigaGen get up and running, providing support in clinical and commercial spheres
