News for January 2020

News Archive

UK withdrawal from the EU on 31 January 2020 UK withdrawal from the EU on 31 January 2020

The United Kingdom will formally leave the European Union on 31 January 2020 and will become a third country to the EU. On 1 February 2020 a transition period will start which is due to end on 31 December 2020.

Pinpointing rare disease mutations Pinpointing rare disease mutations

New resource that categorises genes essential for supporting life could be used to identify rare disease mutations

Stopping sperm in its tracks - latest progress in the hunt for a male contraceptive Stopping sperm in its tracks - latest progress in the hunt for a male contraceptive

Researchers at the University of Dundee have developed an unrivalled, fully automated robotic screening system which allows them to rapidly test the effect of drugs and other chemicals on human sperm.

New antiviral materials made from sugar have been developed to destroy viruses on contact and may help in the fight against viral outbreaks. New antiviral materials made from sugar have been developed to destroy viruses on contact and may help in the fight against viral outbreaks.

This new development from a collaborative team of international scientists shows promise for the treatment of herpes simplex (cold sore virus), respiratory syncytial virus, hepatitis C, HIV, and Zika virus to name a few. The team have demonstrated success treating a range of viruses in the lab – including respiratory infections to genital herpes.

Nasal spray medicine for treatment-resistant depression not recommended by NICE Nasal spray medicine for treatment-resistant depression not recommended by NICE

A nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression has not been recommended by NICE because of uncertainties over its clinical and cost effectiveness.

BHF announces shortlist for £30m research prize at start of defining decade for CVD BHF announces shortlist for £30m research prize at start of defining decade for CVD

Proposals feature a soft robotic heart, cure for genetic heart disease, heart attack vaccine and next generation health tech

Doubts raised about effectiveness of HPV vaccines Doubts raised about effectiveness of HPV vaccines

A new analysis of the clinical trials of HPV vaccines to prevent cervical cancer raises doubts about the vaccines’ effectiveness. The analysis, published by the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, assessed 12 published Phase 2 and 3 randomised controlled efficacy trials of the HPV vaccines Cervarix and Gardasil.

The Current issue of “The view from here” is concerned with We are family The Current issue of “The view from here” is concerned with We are family

The topic of this month’s newsletter from Drug Discovery Today is “We are family”.

Horizon Discovery to provide access to novel base editing technology Horizon Discovery to provide access to novel base editing technology

Next-generation gene editing system has applications in development of cell and gene therapies. Base editing builds on CRISPR offering and will expand Horizon’s research tools and services. Horizon seeks partners to assess and shape platform development

New name announced for the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre’s automated platform for Just in Time pharmaceutical manufacture New name announced for the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre’s automated platform for Just in Time pharmaceutical manufacture

Innovation Centre’s automated platform for Just in Time pharmaceutical manufacture

Evonetix collaborates with imec to scale-up chip-based technology production for third generation DNA synthesis platform Evonetix collaborates with imec to scale-up chip-based technology production for third generation DNA synthesis platform

CAMBRIDGE, UK, and LEUVEN, Belgium, 13 January 2020 – EVONETIX LTD (‘Evonetix’), the synthetic biology company developing a desktop platform for scalable, high-fidelity and rapid gene synthesis, today announced it has partnered with imec, a world-leading research and innovation hub active in the fields of nanoelectronics and digital technologies, to increase production of Evonetix’s proprietary microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based silicon chips, enabling the platform to be manufactured at a commercial scale. The novel silicon chip is a key component of Evonetix’s desktop DNA platform which, once fully developed, will facilitate and enable the rapidly growing field of synthetic biology.

EIT Health drives European healthcare innovation forward, awarding almost €6 million to pioneering start-ups EIT Health drives European healthcare innovation forward, awarding almost €6 million to pioneering start-ups

The participants of the EIT Health Headstart Programme will receive strong regional support and integration into the ecosystem, as well as funding to bring their innovations to the market. Headstart start-ups address disease areas and challenges from Parkinson’s to obesity, with the innovations spanning the categories of medtech, digital health and biotech.

Avacta and Daewoong Pharmaceutical Form Immunotherapy Focused Joint Venture Avacta and Daewoong Pharmaceutical Form Immunotherapy Focused Joint Venture

Joint Venture to develop next generation cell and gene therapies incorporating Affimer proteins

A new effort to tackle tuberculosis A new effort to tackle tuberculosis

Researchers at the University of Dundee are aiming to make a breakthrough against tuberculosis.

Scientists receive research funding from FDA to use advanced tools for assessment of drug delivery to the skin Scientists receive research funding from FDA to use advanced tools for assessment of drug delivery to the skin

Collaboration of researchers will improve imaging methods to assess extent of drug delivery to the skin – including creams and lotions for conditions like eczema

Eli Lilly and Company in Collaboration with Strateos, Inc. Launch Remote-Controlled Robotic Cloud Lab Eli Lilly and Company in Collaboration with Strateos, Inc. Launch Remote-Controlled Robotic Cloud Lab

Web-based platform provides broad access to the first-ever cloud laboratory to integrate automated biology and chemistry research capabilities in a closed-loop system that enables an accelerated design-make-test-analyze cycle

Enterprise Therapeutics publishes paper on novel therapeutic approach for treatment of all cystic fibrosis patients Enterprise Therapeutics publishes paper on novel therapeutic approach for treatment of all cystic fibrosis patients

“TMEM16A Potentiation: A Novel Therapeutic Approach for the Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis” published in American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. The paper, Co-authored by researchers from University of Sussex, University of North Carolina and University of Miami, demonstrates first in class TMEM16A chloride channel potentiators, to accelerate mucociliary clearance

PhoreMost and Boehringer Ingelheim enter multi-project drug discovery collaboration

PhoreMost to deploy its SITESEEKER platform to identify novel targets for Boehringer Ingelheim’s discovery programmes

£1 million project launch to monitor ex-footballers for early signs of dementia £1 million project launch to monitor ex-footballers for early signs of dementia

Researchers at the University of East Anglia are crowd-funding a new project to test former professional football players for early signs of dementia.