February 2017- Volume 13, Issue 2
In this Issue
Research & Development
Minimizing memory loss
Minimizing memory loss
TSRI scientists uncover potential clues regarding Alzheimer’s disease
Exploring immuno-oncology potential
Exploring immuno-oncology potential
Alliance between Pieris Pharmaceuticals and Servier aimed at bispecific therapeutics
Targeting TIGIT
Targeting TIGIT
Compugen discloses its cancer immunotherapy program that seeks to combine TIGIT and CGEN-15029 work
A flick of the switch
A flick of the switch
Newly discovered ‘off-switches’ for CRISPR-Cas9 could mean safer, more specific gene editing
Business & Government Policy
Breaking down gluten
Breaking down gluten
Takeda helps PvP tackle celiac disease
Fighting the rise of antimicrobial resistance
Fighting the rise of antimicrobial resistance
U.K.’s Auspherix sets stage for new direction in developing antibacterials
On the cutting edge
On the cutting edge
A roundup of instrumentation, software and other tools and technology news
NCI launches new drug formulary
NCI launches new drug formulary
Effort is intended to help expedite use of agents in clinical trials
Discovery
Agilent and Transcriptic team up
Agilent and Transcriptic team up
Aim is to provide a broad, convenient solution for synthetic and discovery biology research
Another feather for Watson’s hat
Another feather for Watson’s hat
IBM teams up with Pfizer to use Watson for cancer drug discovery
A ‘crystal’ clear look at CCR2
A ‘crystal’ clear look at CCR2
Skaggs team offers new structural biology insight into promising inflammation target
Global drug discovery technologies trends
Global drug discovery technologies trends
The Global Drug Discovery Technologies Market is poised to grow at a compound annual growth rate of around 12.2 percent over the next decade
Putting the BiTE on cancer
Putting the BiTE on cancer
Amgen and Immatics combine expertise to develop next-generation, T cell-engaging bispecific immunotherapies
Diagnostics
Videssa victory
Videssa victory
Provista Diagnostics reveals positive findings for its blood-based breast cancer test
Clinical Genomics launches Colvera
Clinical Genomics launches Colvera
Blood-based test is intended for early detection of colorectal cancer
Liquid biopsy in the palm of your hand
Liquid biopsy in the palm of your hand
Two Pore Guys and UCSF collaborate on study with first handheld device for cancer monitoring
Contract Services
ERT acquires Exco InTouch
ERT acquires Exco InTouch
Merging of two companies opens up possibilities in the ‘bring your own device’ market
ClinTec wins scale-up business award
ClinTec wins scale-up business award
In addition, company CEO was a finalist for entrepreneur award
Enamine and Pcovery extend discovery collaboration
Enamine and Pcovery extend discovery collaboration
A key focus is discovery of new drugs for the treatment of invasive fungal infections
Preclinical
Masitinib on muscles
Masitinib on muscles
Compound may protect muscles and nerves in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis sufferers
Progress on prostate and breast with AEB3103
Progress on prostate and breast with AEB3103
Aeglea BioTherapeutics finds product candidate effective in slowing cancer growth
Skin in the game
Skin in the game
Preclinical data show Novan’s SB414 could be promising for treating psoriasis
A Kinoid collaboration
A Kinoid collaboration
Neovacs, Sunnybrook Research Institute unite for immunotherapy preclinical development and proof of concept
Clinical Trials
‘Unusual’ antibody
‘Unusual’ antibody
Bird Rock Bio starts first-in-human clinical trial for namacizumab, enters two collaborations
Addressing lactose intolerance via the microbiome
Addressing lactose intolerance via the microbiome
Ritter Pharmaceuticals publishes Phase 2a lactose intolerance clinical trial data
Optimistic news for FCS and FPL patients
Optimistic news for FCS and FPL patients
Akcea and Ionis announce auspicious results from COMPASS study
Good news for GEN-003
Good news for GEN-003
Six-month results for genital herpes therapy are positive; Genocea on course to begin Phase 3 in Q4
Special Reports
Special Report on Cell Biology: Cytometry for all
Special Report on Cell Biology: Cytometry for all
As applications broaden, footprints shrink
Feature
Cancer Research News Focus: A tour of the developing cancer landscape
Cancer Research News Focus: A tour of the developing cancer landscape
From reproducibility to genomic data sets to the best countries for research, plus a look at what some specific companies and institutions are doing
Society of Toxicology Show Preview: SOT heads to Baltimore
Society of Toxicology Show Preview: SOT heads to Baltimore
After eight years, the Society of Toxicology brings its annual meeting back to ‘Charm City’
Editor's Focus
Cannabinoid research speeding up its pace
Cannabinoid research speeding up its pace
In this month's editorial, I studiously avoided almost all of the easy and very tempting puns related to marijuana because the truth is that cannabis-related research is serious business these days; in fact, it long has been, but now it is getting more respect and attention
Commentary
The irreproducibility of published science
The irreproducibility of published science
Yes, there are issues and problems around the issue of reproducibility in scientific studies, and they need to be addressed; at the same time, there are reasons this area is challenging, and there is no reason to denigrate science overall because of it
Guest Commentary: Validating antibodies-- The good, the bad and the necessary
Guest Commentary: Validating antibodies-- The good, the bad and the necessary
Although there are no universally accepted guidelines to ensure that antibodies have been properly validated, there are steps that can (and should) be taken by both the antibody industry and the researchers who use antibodies to improve that situation
Q&A
Q&A: The importance of oxygen in cell cultures
Q&A: The importance of oxygen in cell cultures
Panasonic Healthcare’s Carl Radosevich talks oxygenation and cell culturing with DDNews
