Category Archives: Biotechnology

The Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center on Wednesday broke ground on a long-awaited expansion that will add laboratories, office space and at least 100 new jobs to its campus in Buckingham. "This has become a real state resource," said biotechnology center President Timothy Block. "We can't exist in these two buildings anymore. We need to grow." Because of the center's success, it's been a draw for scientists and entrepreneurs throughout the region. Lab space is at a premium, and there's a waiting list for tenants. The new wing is already 40 percent leased, Block said. The first tenant, contract research organization FlowMetric Inc., credits the center with its growth. The company now has three dozen employees. "I could have set up my company in New Jersey. But there was no place that was quite like this, and that has continued for us," said CEO Ren Capocasale. "This center is why I do what I do." While construction likely won't begin until the summer, biotech center officials chose Wednesday for the ceremonial groundbreaking in part because it also happened to be the 96th birthday of Joshua Feldstein, a longtime supporter for whom a wing of the center is named. Feldstein was on hand … Continue reading →

April 13, 2017 20:00 ET | Source: M3 Biotechnology SEATTLE, April 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the first investor in M3 Biotechnology, the Alzheimers Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) helped validate the therapeutic potential of M3s drug candidate for Alzheimers disease. With a second investment of $1.4 million, the ADDF is now providing key funds to support the launch of human trials this year. While current drugs for Alzheimers disease only provide symptomatic relief, M3s small molecule therapeutics have the potential to be truly disease-modifying. By re-establishing lost connections between brain cells, these therapies may halt the course of the disease. M3 is now in the process of planning a first-in-humans Phase 1a clinical trial for its lead candidate, NDX-1017, to evaluate its safety and determine optimal dosing range. ADDFs first investment spurred others, including many private investors and Washington state-based venture groups W Fund and WRF Capital. These investments evidenced the faith in our potential, which helped us make it past the valley of death for drug development and raise nearly $14 million in additional funding, said Leen Kawas, M3s CEO. The most noteworthy new investor in M3 is Dolby Family Ventures, which invests in technology and life sciences. … Continue reading →

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Separation Systems for Commercial Biotechnology" report to their offering. The market for bioseparation systems is growing rapidly across all regions. Bioseparation purifies biological products on a large-scale. The report focuses on the global market of bioseparation systems and provides an updated review, including basic design and its applications, in various arenas of biomedical and life science research. The bioseparation techniques that are covered in this report are chromatography, centrifugation, electrophoresis, membrane filtration, flow cytometry, microarray, lab-on-a-chip, biochip, and magnetic separation. Among chromatography techniques, liquid chromatography is the most active market. Also included in the report are relevant patent analysis and comprehensive profiles of companies that lead the bioseparation systems market. Key players include Thermo Fisher Scientific, Agilent Technologies Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories, Danaher Corp., Qiagen N.V., Merck KGaA GmbH, and Waters Corp. among others. Key Topics Covered: 1: Introduction 2: Summary and highlights 3: Overview - History of biotechnology - Classification of biomolecular separation systems in biotechnology - New methods of biomolecular separations - Molecular classes of biomolecular separation - End users of biotechnology separation systems 4: New Developments - Mergers and acquisitions 5: Market Analysis - Market by type - … Continue reading →

When it comes to getting biotechnology innovations to market, with commercial protection, it can be tough. Around three quarters of patent applications normally fail to cut it. Although biotechnology is recognised as being important for the economy and society, it can also be highly controversial attracting public protests The European Patent Office (EPO) has faced opposition in the past, for instance, over patents relating to processes for re-engineering genes, for use in medical research into cancer treatment. These processes could apply to various animals, including great apes and that became a magnet for criticism from animal rights campaigners. The number of patent filings for biotechnology increased by 0.3 percent in 2016, to 5,744 making it the tenth largest sector in its field. Youris.com spoke to Benoit Battistelli, President of the EPO, about the role of patent protection and how it can aid biotechnology innovation and the wider bioeconomy despite the obstacles faced by some. How much of a focus is the bioeconomy for patents and what are some of the key developments? Biosciences play an important role in patent applications at the EPO, given the growing convergence of technologies, which is widely responsible for technical progress in a wide number … Continue reading →

SEATTLE, April 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the first investor in M3 Biotechnology, the Alzheimers Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) helped validate the therapeutic potential of M3s drug candidate for Alzheimers disease. With a second investment of $1.4 million, the ADDF is now providing key funds to support the launch of human trials this year. While current drugs for Alzheimers disease only provide symptomatic relief, M3s small molecule therapeutics have the potential to be truly disease-modifying. By re-establishing lost connections between brain cells, these therapies may halt the course of the disease. M3 is now in the process of planning a first-in-humans Phase 1a clinical trial for its lead candidate, NDX-1017, to evaluate its safety and determine optimal dosing range. ADDFs first investment spurred others, including many private investors and Washington state-based venture groups W Fund and WRF Capital. These investments evidenced the faith in our potential, which helped us make it past the valley of death for drug development and raise nearly $14 million in additional funding, said Leen Kawas, M3s CEO. The most noteworthy new investor in M3 is Dolby Family Ventures, which invests in technology and life sciences. The fund makes early stage investments in the most … Continue reading →

Dr Vinay Rale shares his thoughts with BioSpectrum on current biotech education and the academia-industry gap Dr Vinay Rale, Director, Symbiosis School of Biomedical Sciences (SSBS) Brief recapitulation of genesis of Biotechnology in India A quick recapitulation of the genesis of Biotechnology in India will not be out of place to apprise the lay public. We essentially (and blindly) followed the USA in 1985 in initiating Biotechnology programs at Master's level at six select universities across India. In the 1970s, the ability to modify DNA molecules and the realization of the power of genetic engineering led prominent universities in the US to convince their Government to allocate huge funds to start Biotechnology' - a term newly coined by them. The Indian model, first at Masters level, to cater to the need for trained manpower for the anticipated boom in the Biotechnology industry was supported by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). Very soon a large number of institutions both in private and public sector followed suit to attract students. The wildfire spread to undergraduate programs equally rapidly. However, this led to two major disadvantages - the relegation of basic courses in Life Sciences such as Microbiology, Biochemistry, Zoology and Botany and … Continue reading →

Biotech Prof. Benjamin Ubi, the President, (BSN), says the adoption of biotechnology will facilitate sustainable agricultural production in the country. Ubi made the declaration in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday He said that the adoption of biotechnology applications was the panacea to the current food challenges facing the country. Biotechnology, including genetic engineering and production of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), provides powerful tools for the sustainable development of agriculture, fishery and forestry, as well as meeting the food needs of the population. GMOs currently account for about 16 per cent of the worlds crops, particularly crops like soybean, maize, cotton and canola, and there are indications that the growing trend will continue. So, we must eat what we grow and grow what we eat. This means we ought to produce more and agricultural biotechnology is a tool for achieving this, he said. Ubi also pledged the support of the BSN for the efforts of National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) to harness the potential of modern biotechnology. READ: Kwara International Vocational Centre gets equipment BSN, as a stakeholder in biosafety, will continue to support NBMA; we should all be rest assured that no biotechnology … Continue reading →

By Nicolas Chahine, InvestorPlace Contributor|Apr 13, 2017, 12:59 pm EDT The iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology Index (ETF) (NASDAQ:IBB) has been under technical pressure. For the past few weeks, IBB shares have been building a bearish head-and-shoulders pattern. To catch that breakdown I shared a trade that will do it for free, and its working already. In the short term, the IBB ETF is tight, suggesting that a sizable move should be coming. But with no major changes in the thesis, the breakout from the current squeeze is more likely up than down. So for that reason, I want to book my small profits in the bearish setup and reset a long IBB trade for the next year. The Bet: Sell the IBB Jan 2018 $240/$235 credit put spread. This is a bullish trade for which I collect 90 cents per contract to open. I have a 90% theoretical chance of having it expire for maximum gains. If IBB shares close above $240, this trade would yield 20% on money risked. By taking this risk, I accept the fact that IBB shares could fall $20 or more in the next few weeks. But with a 20% price buffer and the amount of … Continue reading →

SECAUCUS, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Caligor Opco LLC, which specializes in early access to medicines and drug life-cycle management, today announced that it will provide regulatory and logistical management for Puma Biotechnologys (PBYI) expanded access program (EAP) for its investigational breast cancer therapy, PB272 (neratinib), in the United States. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permits expanded access to investigational drugs for treatment use for patients with serious or immediately life-threatening diseases or conditions who do not otherwise qualify for participation in a clinical trial and lack satisfactory therapeutic alternatives. The EAP will provide access to neratinib for the treatment of early stage HER2-positive breast cancer (extended adjuvant setting), HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer and HER2-mutated solid tumors. Patients must not be able to participate in any ongoing neratinib clinical trial to qualify for the EAP. Caligor also is providing regulatory, logistical, and supply chain support for Pumas Managed Access Program for neratinib outside the United States. We are gratified by the trust and confidence Puma has placed in us, said Tammy Bishop, Caligors Chief Commercial Officer. Within the past year, the FDA has introduced a streamlined application process and new guidance designed to improve its expanded access programs, and those initiatives … Continue reading →

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --ReadCoor, Inc. today announced that an article appearing in the April 2017 issue of Nature Biotechnology named the company among the 10 leading academic spinouts for 2016. Each year the journal identifies and features companies originating from academic institutions who have generated significant initial funding and who in the editors' assessment have demonstrated novel, potentially disruptive technology. In the words of the journal, "We believe these [ventures] represent some of the best science coming out of academia in 2016." "It is a tremendous honor to be included in this group of amazing technologies and companies," said Shawn Marcell, ReadCoor co-founder and CEO. "The team at ReadCoor is excited to deliver on the promise this revolutionary platform holds." The ReadCoor platform, called FISSEQ Fluorescent In-Situ Sequencing is the first application of in-situ spatial sequencing. ReadCoor was founded in 2014 by Richard Terry and George Church at the Harvard Wyss Institute, to bring Fluorescent In-Situ Sequencing into mainstream research use. Several key applications are being advanced including pathogen detection under a grant provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, brain mapping or neural connectomics funded by IARPA, and drug development in areas such as central … Continue reading →