July 2020 Volume 16, Issue 7

Volume 16, Issue 7 | July 2020
July 2020
In this Issue
Research & Development

DDN Webinar: A CRISPR Focus on Editing
Recent advances push the gene-editing platform from analytic resource to therapeutic solution.
DDN Webinar: Synthetic DNA Technologies Enable Fast and Responsive Antibody-based Therapeutics and Diagnostics for SARS-CoV-2
Utilizing its proprietary DNA technology to write synthetic libraries, Twist Biopharma provides end-to-end antibody discovery and optimization solutions for the biotechnology industry.
DDN Webinar: Repurposing in a crisis: Tackling the COVID-19 wildfire
While the race for a vaccine targeting the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is expected to take another year or so, there is an increasingly urgent need to fight the disease in those already infected.
A closer look at splicing
Roswell Park study finds aggressive prostate cancer marked by abnormal RNA splicingDiscovery

A Network Approach to Target Validation
Walter Kolch, co-founder and director of Systems Biology Ireland discusses the merits of a network approach to target validation and why probing clinical samples early is critical to increasing drug development success.
OSE brings CLEC-1 to AACRR
CLEC-1 is a new therapeutic target for immuno-oncology.The research program focuses on developing a cancer immunotherapy targeting CLEC-1, a newly identified C-type lectin receptor, to block suppressive functions of myeloid cells and restore antitumor response to T lymphocytes. Suppressive myeloid cells have the ability to accumulate in the tumor microenvironment and deregulate the immune activation of T lymphocytes.

AI yields new antibiotic
In their new study, the researchers also identified several other promising antibiotic candidates, which they plan to test further. They believe the model could also be used to design new drugs, based on what it has learned about chemical structures that enable drugs to kill bacteria.

IONTAS announces collaboration
Partnership with Inotrem will seek to identify novel immunotherapy targets
When in ROME...
ROME Therapeutics launches with a focus on repeatome-based drug discoveryClinical Trials

Mastering MS
New drug could be 50 to 100 times more potent than existing options
Endogenous treatment for NASH
Axcella reports that AXA1125 performed well in models of NASH and diabetes
Accelerating clinical trials
Royal Philips initiative will run patient-centric clinical trials, reaching those who are sheltered at home
BRIDGE-ing the gap in Fabry disease
Protalix’s pegunigalsidase alfa posts strong results in Phase 3 BRIDGE trial
A boost to sorafenib?
MiNA presents results from study of MTL CEBPA in combo with sorafenib in liver cancer
Mixed results
MD Anderson touts candidate for lung and ovarian cancer, but breast therapeutic falls shortContract Services

CROs create COVID partnership
U.K companies seek to provide drug discovery and development services despite pandemic restrictions
Antibody aid
CROs FairJourney Biologics and Iontas join forces to expedite identifying antibodies to fight COVID-19
The future face of clinical trials?
PPD offers digital solutions amid the COVID-19 pandemic
An API boost
Evonik announces first stage of program to increase contract manufacturing in GermanyDiagnostics

SEEK and ye shall find
Thrive’s blood test reportedly identifies multiple types of cancer
TAPS aims for gold (standard)
Base Genomics raises $11M to develop and commercialize epigenetic technology for early detection of cancer
Testing for COVID-19
Avacta and Adeptrix collaborate on new antigen test to identify coronavirus
Signature, please
Gene signature found for poor response to standard chemotherapy in rare uterine cancerBusiness & Government Policy

NMPA approves Optune for glioblastoma
Adding Optune to chemotherapy more than doubled five-year overall survival rate
On the cutting edge
A roundup of instrumentation, software and other tools and technology news
Foresight and Van Heron form strategic alliance
Partnership aims to improve drug and enzyme discovery, bioremediation, cell culture work and more
Q&A: Branching out with RNA-targeting Cas systems
DDN speaks with two senior executives at Locarna to find out more about RNA-targeting Cas systems and how they work
Patent Docs: U.S. Trade Representative Releases 2020 Special 301 Report
Once again this year, the report highlights compulsory licensing as a particular concern with regard to pharmaceuticals and medical devicesPreclinical

Upregulating to success
Specially designed fusion protein ALKS 4230 could target many solid tumors
Antibacterial activity against MRSA
New class of antibiotics seems to have broad-spectrum antibacterial potential
Targeting GALC in Krabbe disease
Passage Bio presents data from animal models injected with AAVhu68Editor's Focus

Editor’s Focus: Don’t rush a vaccine
Even with caution and care, sometimes vaccination goes awry, so we need to make sure we do it right for SARS-CoV-2 and not simply do it fastCommentary

Out of order: All in?
Representation and diversity in life-sciences research matters as much in preclinical as it does in trials
Guest Commentary: A new wave of genomic medicine
A look at work to bring us medicines that target regulatory regions of the genome to control the expression of genesSpecial Reports

Special Report on Organ Models: All in
Is model complexity helping or hindering adoption?Feature

Focus Feature on SARS-CoV-2: Continuing the COVID fight
In this roundup of recent COVID-19 research news, we take a look at new insights into coronavirus mutation that may inform therapeutic research, discuss the idea of a global approach to a vaccine and more

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