Business of Biotechniques 2022
Welcome to the 2022 Business of BioTechniques blog sponsored by Zyme Communications. This feature highlights the latest news and industry collaborations, from products and services to important upcoming events and key information in the biotech industry.
To keep up with industry news, don’t miss our monthly updates!
November update
The past few months have seen a number of industry collaborations across the biotech and drug discovery sectors, therapeutic developments, and continued progress of COVID-19 diagnostic and research products. Growth in the life science industry continues, highlighted by company expansions, scientific advancement, and key company appointments.
Industry developments in SARS-CoV-2 & COVID-19
The Native Antigen Company expands its range of Omicron antigens to include BA.5 variant
The Native Antigen Company, part of LGC Clinical Diagnostics and one of the world’s leading suppliers of reagents that enables research into diagnostics and vaccines for emerging and endemic infectious diseases announced the commercial launch of its latest SARS-CoV-2 antigens for the newly designated Omicron BA.5 variant. The Company’s new range of RBD (receptor binding domain) antigens will support scientists in the research and development of in vitro diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines for the current variant of concern. The Native Antigen Company’s BA.5 specific antigens add to its existing range of Omicron reagents, supporting cutting-edge research into the variant to facilitate the development of more effective serological assays and vaccines.
Drug discovery & development
PhoreMost enters multi-target collaboration with targeted protein degradation leader Arvinas
PhoreMost, the UK-based biopharmaceutical company dedicated to ‘Drugging the Undruggable®’ disease targets, has entered into a multi-target collaboration with Arvinas, an industry leader in targeted protein degradation. Under the terms of the agreement, PhoreMost will receive research funding and will be eligible for pre-clinical, clinical, and commercial milestones.
PhoreMost will deploy its in-house expertise and next-generation phenotypic screening platform, SITESEEKER®, toward multiple high-value therapeutic targets. The output from SITESEEKER screening campaigns will be used to drive degrader drug discovery in oncology and neurodegeneration using Arvinas’s proprietary PROTAC® Discovery Engine platform.
Ubiquigent obtains exclusive license for UbiSite technology to stregthen its specialist drug discovery services
Ubiquigent, a drug discovery and development company harnessing novel deubiquitylase (DUB) modulators as new therapeutics for areas of high unmet medical need, has signed an exclusive license with the University of Southern Denmark for its UbiSite® technology. UbiSite will form a new component in Ubiquigent’s DUB and ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) focused drug discovery platform, providing a fully supported ubiquitomics service to facilitate target identification, target validation, and compound mechanism of action.
UbiSite technology uses an antibody specific to the C-terminal of ubiquitin for the capture and further identification of protein ubiquitylation sites in cell and tissue samples, enabling a more detailed analysis to reveal deeper insights into the ubiquitome. The validated, ready-to-use service can distinguish between ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like modifications, such as SUMO, Nedd8 and ISG15 on lysine residues, as well as on serine and threonine residues which have only recently been identified.
Optibrium and Lhasa Limited advance predictive modelling for drug-metabolizing enzymes
Optibrium and Lhasa, two of the leading developers of software and artificial intelligence solutions for drug discovery and development, published a peer-reviewed study in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. In the paper, ‘Predicting Regioselectivity of AO, CYP, FMO and UGT Metabolism Using Quantum Mechanical Simulations and Machine Learning’, the team combined existing experimental results, quantum mechanics and machine learning to build predictive models for drug metabolism. The research will underpin the development of new capabilities for StarDrop™, enabling users to better determine the metabolic fate of drug candidates and further streamline the preclinical drug discovery process, improving drug design and reducing toxicity and costs.
In October, Optibrium announced the opening of its US subsidiary, Optibrium Inc., and the promotion of Dr Tamsin Mansley to President of the new subsidiary to lead its US-based team and business operations. The opening strengthens the Company’s direct sales, technical and application support for new and existing US customers, expanding the global presence and customer base of Optibrium’s StarDrop and Augmented Chemistry® platforms.
Sphere Fluidics opens new laboratory facilities at Granta Park in Cambridgeshire, UK
Sphere Fluidics, a company developing single cell analysis systems underpinned by its patented picodroplet technology, opened a new state-of-the-art facility in Granta Park, Cambridgeshire, UK, to support the Company’s growth. Doubling overall capacity, the laboratories enable the team’s accelerated expansion, and the development of new, innovative products. The new facilities accommodate recent hires to Sphere Fluidics’ commercial and leadership team, as well as preparing for further recruitment by the end of the year. The second phase, due to complete by the end of the 2023, will expand the Company’s footprint further to around 30,000 sq ft.
Astrea Bioseparations introduces Nereus LentiHERO, a fit-for-purpose solution for lentiviral vector purification
Astrea Bioseparations, a leading provider of novel purification and separation tools supporting the development of next-generation therapeutics, announced the commercial launch of its Nereus LentiHERO™ lentiviral vector (LVV) purification technology. Incorporating AstreAdept™, the Company’s proprietary nanofiber material, this novel solution addresses the challenges associated with purifying the large and fragile products used in cell and gene therapy.
AstreAdept is a proprietary bioseparations material that utilizes cutting-edge nanofiber technology which enables biologics manufacturers to reduce process times, increase process efficiency, reduce buffer consumption, and consequently improve waste treatment costs. As a result, greener, faster, and more cost-effective bioprocessing workflows are possible.
Diagnostics
Bio-Rad introduces Pioneer Antibody Discovery Platform for therapeutic development
Bio-Rad Laboratories, a global leader in life science research and clinical diagnostic products, introduced the Pioneer Antibody Discovery Platform, a new antibody discovery service specifically designed to develop best-in-class biologic candidates. The Pioneer Platform features a state-of-the-art phage display library engineered to include more than 200 billion unique sequences and capable of identifying high-affinity antibody candidates using the newly developed proprietary SpyDisplay selection technology. The Pioneer Antibody Library is optimized for candidates that are suitable for drug development.
Yourgene Health receives HSA approval for IONA Nx NIPT Workflow in Singapore
Yourgene Health, a leading international molecular diagnostics group, has received Health Sciences Authority (HSA) approval for its IONA® Nx NIPT Workflow in Singapore. The prenatal screening workflow has been authorised for use in clinical laboratories, providing them with a fully automated and cost-effective testing solution to establish their own fast, accurate and quality-assured non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) service. Yourgene’s optimized NIPT solution enables efficient workflows, helping to save laboratories time, money and enhance their performance.
Software and AI
Pangaea Data awarded top tier co-sell partnership status by Microsoft
Pangaea Data, provider of a novel AI-driven product for characterizing patients by mapping their journeys and disease trajectories in a privacy-preserving and scalable manner, has been awarded top tier co-sell partnership status by Microsoft, its highest level partner designation. Microsoft has also extended this status by making Pangaea a transactable solution through the Azure marketplace. With a joint global go-to-market co-selling strategy, the Microsoft co-sell program enables Pangaea to work together with Microsoft’s sales organization to rapidly accelerate the sales and usage of Pangaea’s novel AI-driven product on Microsoft Azure.
Dr Vibhor Gupta, CEO and Founder of Pangaea, said: “We launched Pangaea to help improve patient outcomes by providing clinicians across the global pharmaceutical and healthcare industry the ability to characterize patient journeys and disease trajectories by unlocking and summarizing clinical insights from their records in a privacy-preserving and scalable manner. Achieving co-sell ready status reflects our growing relationship with Microsoft through the value we have generated for clinicians and patients since joining the Microsoft for Startups program.”
Clinical trials
FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific PRIME-XV Stem Freezls DMSO-Free cryopreservation medium to be used in FDA-authorized clinical trial
FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific, a world leader in the development and manufacture of serum-free and chemically defined cell culture media for bioproduction and cell therapy manufacturing, announced that its PRIME-XV Stem FreezIS DMSO-Free cryopreservation medium is to be used as an excipient in an FDA-authorized clinical trial conducted by Vitro Biopharma.
Vitro Biopharma is an innovative biotechnology company targeting autoimmune diseases and inflammatory disorders that are derived from culture-expanded mesenchymal stem cells sourced from the Wharton’s jelly of umbilical cords. In the United States, Vitro Biopharma is authorized to conduct a clinical trial under a U.S. Food and Drug Administration Investigational New Drug application to assess the safety and efficacy of AlloRx Stem Cell therapy in Pitt Hopkins syndrome.
People
Ubiquigent appoints Dr Sheelagh Frame, CSO, to its Board of Directors and Dr Hozefa Amijee as Head of Business Development
Optibrium strengthens global AI drug discovery software operations with three key appointments
September update
The September edition of Business of BioTechniques includes news of high-profile collaborations in drug discovery and diagnostics, program developments in DNA synthesis, and new product releases in flow cytometry and cell culture media. We also detail clinical trial progression in cancer therapy and outline key company appointments.
Drug discovery & development
Bio-Rad introduces anti-evolocumab antibodies for use in preclinical and clinical drug development
Bio-Rad Laboratories, a global leader in life science research and clinical diagnostic products, introduced a range of type 1 antibodies that inhibit the binding of evolocumab (Repatha®) to its target, human proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), a protein that has been shown to play a key role in the regulation of cholesterol levels. These sequence-defined, recombinant antibodies are suitable for developing highly selective and sensitive pharmacokinetic (PK) and anti-drug antibody (ADA) assays for evolocumab and its biosimilars. The new range of five anti-evolocumab antibodies includes fully human IgG1 clones and TrailBlazer Antibodies with a SpyTag incorporated into their heavy chain, enabling site-directed conjugation or fast-switching to a bivalent Fab or a full-length Ig-like format within an hour.
PhoreMost enters multi-project drug target discovery collaboration with Roche
PhoreMost, the UK-based biopharmaceutical company dedicated to “drugging the undruggable” disease targets has entered into a multi-project target discovery collaboration with Roche, one of the world’s leading biotechnology companies. Under the terms of the agreement, PhoreMost will receive an upfront payment and is eligible for preclinical success-based milestones.
PhoreMost will deploy its in-house expertise and next-generation phenotypic screening platform, SITESEEKER®, toward disease-relevant pathways nominated by Roche. Novel targets identified will be further validated and characterized by Roche’s R&D organization, and any SITESEEKER-based probes would become the starting point for drug discovery efforts across a set of disease pathways in immunology and hematology.
Avacta announces Phase I clinical study of AVA6000 to advance to the fourth cohort
Early this month, Avacta, a clinical stage drug company and developer of powerful diagnostics based on its innovative Affimer® and pre|CISION™ platforms, announced that the first-in-human Phase I trial (ALS-6000-101) of AVA6000 Pro-doxorubicin will advance to the fourth dose cohort of patients following a positive review of the safety and tolerability data from the dosing of the third cohort. Avacta’s Safety Data Monitoring Committee (SDMC), comprised of clinicians currently recruiting patients, has completed its review of the safety data from the third cohort dosed with AVA6000 at 160mg/m2 in the ongoing Phase I trial. Following this review, the SDMC has recommended that the clinical trial continues as planned and escalates to the next dose of AVA6000 at 200mg/m2.
Following this, the Company also announced that the US Food and Drug Administration has granted Orphan Drug Designation to AVA6000, for treatment of soft tissue sarcoma.
AVA6000 is a form of the generic chemotherapy doxorubicin that has been modified using the pre|CISION technology so that it is activated predominantly in the tumor with the aim of sparing healthy tissue from exposure and improving the safety, tolerability and efficacy of the drug. Doxorubicin has a market size that is expected to grow to $1.38bn by 2024, and is widely used as part of the standard of care in several cancer types.
Flow cytometry
Bio-Rad extends range of StarBright Violet and ultraviolet dyes for multiplex flow cytometry
Bio-Rad also extended its range of StarBright Dyes to provide greater flexibility in multicolor flow cytometry panels. The StarBright Violet 760, StarBright UltraViolet 575, and StarBright UltraViolet 605 Dyes offer improved brightness with narrow excitation and emission profiles for precise resolution.
The Bio-Rad range of StarBright Dyes provides researchers with highly stable, validated flow antibodies conjugated to proprietary fluorescent nanoparticles and specific to key immunophenotyping targets, supporting multiplex flow cytometry panels in immunology research.
Diagnostics
Global Access Diagnostics acquires manufacturing rights for IT-LEISH rapid diagnostic test from Bio-Rad Laboratories
Global Access Diagnostics (GADx), a social enterprise prioritizing equitable access to diagnostics and driving local manufacturing, has acquired the manufacturing rights for the IT-LEISH rapid diagnostic test (RDT) for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) from Bio-Rad, a global leader in life science research and clinical diagnostic products.
IT-LEISH is a high-performance, immuno-chromatographic RDT that is used for the diagnosis of VL, a life-threatening vector-borne disease transmitted by phlebotomine sandflies. Early VL diagnosis is a vital component of controlling the disease which can be fatal if left untreated, and the IT-LEISH product has been independently verified as the most sensitive test available on the market, especially in East African and South American settings.
Following the legal manufacturer status from Bio-Rad, IT-LEISH will be available directly from GADx in April 2023. The Companies are currently working together on the technology transfer of the test.
Synthetic biology
Evonetix commences early access program for DNA synthesized by thermal control on its semiconductor chip
Evonetix, the synthetic biology company bringing semiconductor technology to DNA synthesis, has achieved thermally controlled DNA synthesis on the surface of its custom semiconductor chips. Demonstrating thermally controlled DNA synthesis on its semiconductor chip proves Evonetix’s core technology and paves the way to deploy benchtop DNA synthesis platforms suitable for use in any lab, changing how DNA is accessed, made, and used by researchers. The Company will now look to scale up the parallel synthesis capacity of its semiconductor chips and prepare for the first release of Evonetix DNA to end users later in 2022.
Cell culture
FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific launches Heavy Oil for Embryo Culture: optimized protection for the IVF laboratory
FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific, a world leader in the innovation, development, and manufacture of cell culture media and assisted reproductive technologies, has launched of its Heavy Oil for Embryo Culture, a sterile mineral oil with an optimal weight viscosity that provides the ideal balance between ease of use and protection.
Common concerns within the IVF Laboratory for embryo development during in vitro culture include media evaporation, changes in osmolality, and pH shifts due to the small volume of media used. Heavy Oil for Embryo Culture addresses those concerns with the ideal viscosity to provide an optimal in vitro environment for embryo development. To ensure the utmost quality, each raw material lot of Heavy Oil for Embryo Culture is validated using FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific’s genetic mouse embryo assay MEGA, a bioassay with increased sensitivity for detecting embryotoxic materials when compared to traditional mouse embryo assays.
People
H.E.L Group strengthens leadership team to focus on new product development and enhanced customer support
July update
This month’s Business of BioTechniques blog highlights industry collaborations and developments in diagnostic technologies as well as cell and gene therapies and outlines new product launches supporting drug development and production. Growth in the life science industry continues, highlighted by significant funding and investment, new research facilities, and key company appointments.
Drug discovery & development
Bio-Rad extends range of anti-idiotypic antibodies for bioanalysis and drug monitoring
Bio-Rad Laboratories, a global leader of life science research and clinical diagnostic products, extended its range of recombinant monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibodies with the introduction of antibodies specific to brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris), secukinumab (Cosentyx), and the secukinumab–interleukin 17A (IL-17A) drug-target complex. These sequence-defined antibodies are suitable for developing highly selective and sensitive pharmacokinetic (PK) and anti-drug antibody (ADA) assays for brentuximab vedotin, secukinumab, and their biosimilars.
LG Chem renews license triggering payment to Avacta
Avacta, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative cancer therapies and powerful diagnostics based on its proprietary Affimer® and pre|CISION™ platforms, announced that LG Chem Life Sciences (LG Chem), the life sciences division of the South Korean LG Group, has exercised its renewal option as part of the ongoing collaboration with Avacta, triggering a license renewal fee payment to Avacta of $2 million.
Under the terms of the agreement, LG Chem has the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize, on a global basis, Avacta’s Affimer PD-L1 inhibitor with Affimer XT™ serum half-life extension for a range of indications. LG Chem has exercised its license renewal option and will progress the PD-L1/XT candidate by commencing pre-clinical studies which are intended to form the basis of an Investigational New Drug submission.
CN Bio opens new laboratory facilities to extend organ-on-a-chip contract research services capabilities
CN Bio, a leading organ-on-a-chip Company (OOC) that designs and manufactures single-and multi-organ microphysiological systems, has opened new laboratory facilities at Cambridge Science Park, dedicated to its contract research services. The Company’s laboratory space has been doubled in response to the increasing market demand for OOC services as the technology gains traction within drug discovery and development programs.
Bio-Rad launches Foresight Pro Columns for biotherapeutic production
Bio-Rad launched its CHT™ prepacked Foresight Pro Columns, designed to support downstream process-scale chromatography applications across different stages of biological drug development and production. Foresight Pro Columns are manufactured in a controlled ISO Class 7 cleanroom, providing good manufacturing practice (GMP) ready columns. These columns are packed with CHT Ceramic Hydroxyapatite Media, a rigid mixed-mode support with unique separation properties used for the purification of biomolecules.
Bio-Rad also introduced its EconoFit Low-Pressure Prepacked Chromatography Column Packs to support resin screening experiments in the development of protein purification workflows. Bio-Rad’s range of EconoFit Columns provides a wide selection of resins in a prepacked format, allowing customers to simply screen resins and select the optimal chemistry for different target molecules.
Diagnostics
Global Access Diagnostics (GADx) formed to expand affordable access to advanced rapid diagnostic technologies
Global Access Health, a social enterprise dedicated to providing affordable medical products for global health, formally introduced its first portfolio company, Global Access Diagnostics (GADx). GADx has been created to address gaps in the global provision of diagnostics with a focus on expanding affordable access to quality tests. The Company combines expertise in rapid diagnostics development from Mologic Ltd with low-cost manufacturing and scale-up capability of sister company, Global Access Diagnostics (GAD).
GADx is a social enterprise where all surplus is re-invested to deliver quality and affordable diagnostics to those in most need. This includes transferring diagnostic technology to low-middle income countries, delivering tests such as COVID-19 to communities in need, and developing tests for neglected diseases such as dengue, bilharzia, and river blindness.
Yourgene Health launches LightBench Detect for fetal fraction enrichment
Yourgene Health, a leading international molecular diagnostics group, introduced LightBench® Detect, the latest addition to its Ranger® Technology instrumentation portfolio. The Company has worked closely with its clinical laboratory partners to develop size selection methodologies optimized for improving the performance of liquid biopsy workflows, most notably non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). The LightBench Detect helps NIPT providers to reduce no-call rates by optimizing average fetal fraction. Leveraging the unique size selection capabilities of Ranger Technology, the LightBench Detect also enables laboratories to consider the use of EDTA blood collection tubes (BCTs) instead of expensive specialized preservation BCTs in their workflows to help reduce overall costs.
Genomics, transcriptomics & proteomics
Bio-Rad introduces CFX Opus Deepwell Real-Time PCR detection system
Bio-Rad Laboratories introduced the CFX Opus Deepwell Real-Time PCR Detection System to support researchers in developing nucleic acid detection assays.
The CFX Opus Deepwell System is the latest addition to the Bio-Rad portfolio of CFX Opus Real-Time PCR instruments. With a 96-well block and the largest reaction volume available in the CFX Opus range — up to 125 µl — the CFX Opus Deepwell System offers accurate, precise, and reliable quantification to support assay development.
Software & laboratory automation
H.E.L Group releases iso-BTC+ calorimeter for isothermal battery performance testing
H.E.L Group, a global developer and manufacturer of innovative laboratory tools for process optimization, safety, and scale-up, announced the release of iso-BTC+, the latest addition to its battery testing portfolio. The iso-BTC+ isothermal calorimeter defines cell, battery or pack thermal performance and characteristics under normal and extended use conditions. Built on the Company’s proven iso-BTC technology, the iso-BTC+ completes the picture on battery thermal performance, to maximize safe operational limits and establish optimal working parameters of cells.
Optibrium receives further investment from Kester Capital
Optibrium, a developer of software for drug discovery, has secured further investment from existing investors Kester Capital, a leading UK mid-market private equity firm. The investment will be used to further develop and commercialize Optibrium’s computer-aided drug discovery technologies, with future appointments to the senior leadership team and continued expansion across Europe and the United States, including a recent move to a new head office in Cambridge, UK.
The funding follows the initial investment by Kester Capital in February 2021 and reflects the success of the business as it demonstrates ARR growth in excess of 25% for the last 3 years. Recent opportunities to collaborate with strategic partners, the development of the latest generative chemistry technology and roll-out of innovative new software features, have catalyzed the growth of Optibrium’s customer base.
Cell & gene therapy
FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific acquires exclusive license for artificial intelligence for IVF
FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific, a world leader in the innovation, development, and manufacture of cell culture media and assisted reproductive technologies (ART), has exclusively licensed the intellectual property relating to artificial intelligence (AI) for image-based evaluation of human embryos to improve in-vitro fertilization (IVF) success rates. The technology was developed and patented jointly by investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital with expertise in artificial intelligence, biomedical engineering and IVF.
FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific also opened its new Armstrong R&D Cell Culture Center of Excellence in June, more than doubling the R&D facility’s footprint.
Mogrify and Astellas announce collaboration to conduct research on in vivo regenerative medicine approaches to address sensorineural hearing loss
Mogrify, a biopharmaceutical company transforming the lives of patients through a novel class of in vivo reprogramming therapies, and Astellas Pharma Inc., a leader in regenerative medicine, have executed a collaborative research agreement on in vivo regenerative medicine approaches to address sensorineural hearing loss. Utilizing Mogrify’s proprietary direct cellular reprogramming platform, the collaboration will seek to identify novel combinations of transcription factors involved in cell differentiation to generate new cochlear hair cells.
Spirea raises £2.4 M ($3M) to develop antibody drug conjugates in cancer
Spirea, a Cambridge company created to advance a new generation of antibody drug conjugate (ADC) therapeutics, has secured funding of £2.4 million with investments from high-profile UK and US investors. Spirea will use the funds to initiate its pipeline of superior and differentiated ADCs in the treatment of solid tumors where there is a high unmet need.
Orbit Discovery awarded Innovate UK grant to expand high throughput cell-based functional screening platform capabilities in peptide drug discovery
Orbit Discovery, a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering candidate peptide therapeutics harnessing proprietary affinity and cell-based functional screening platforms, has been awarded a Smart grant by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency. Totaling £472,000, the grant will facilitate the implementation of droplet-based microfluidics for cell-based functional screening and significantly expand the capabilities and throughput of Orbit’s peptide display platform.
Clinical trials
Avacta announces second dose escalation in the phase l clinical study of AVA6000 Pro-doxorubicin
Avacta announced that the first-in-human Phase I trial (ALS-6000-101) of AVA6000 Pro-doxorubicin will advance to the third dose cohort following a positive review of the safety data from the dosing of the second cohort.
Avacta’s Safety Data Monitoring Committee (SDMC), comprised of clinicians currently recruiting patients, has completed its review of the safety data from the second cohort dosed with AVA6000 at 120mg/m2 in the ongoing Phase I trial. Following this review, the SDMC has recommended that the clinical trial continues as planned and escalates to the next dose of AVA6000 at 160mg/m2. AVA6000 is a novel form of doxorubicin that has been modified with Avacta’s pre|CISION™ FAP-activated delivery platform to improve its safety and therapeutic index.
People
Evonetix appoints Colin McCracken as Chief Executive Officer
Closed Loop Medicine appoints David Van Sickle as Non-Executive Director and Simon Ramsden as Chief Financial Officer
Centauri Therapeutics strengthens senior leadership team with three key appointments
Ubiquigent apoints Professor Helen Walden and Professor John Davis to Scientific Advisory Board
seqWELL appoints Dr Amy Liao to Board of Directors
May update
The latest Business of BioTechniques blog highlights strategic partnerships in biopharmaceutical manufacturing and R&D collaborations in next-generation sequencing and informatics. Expansions and new facilities continue to support the growth and development of companies in the UK and US, along with senior leadership and business development appointments.
Industry development in SARS-CoV-2 & COVID-19
Mologic and Alamar Biosciences collaborate to develop a next generation COVID-19 antigen test
Alamar Biosciences, a platform company focused on transforming the field of proteomics to enable the early detection of cancer and other diseases, and Mologic, part of the recently formed social enterprise Global Access Health and a leading developer of lateral flow and rapid diagnostic tests, announced a collaboration to utilize Alamar’s novel antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein for Mologic’s future COVID-19 RDTs.
Mologic has already launched COVID-19 antigen tests (“COVIOS” for personal self-testing) based on its lateral flow assay technology, utilizing high affinity, paired antibodies specific for the SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein antigen. Second generation tests with even greater sensitivity are now in development leveraging the latest generation of engineered antibodies with ultra-high affinity, discovered through Alamar’s proprietary Attobody™ platform, together with Mologic’s novel electronic lateral flow immunoassay (eLFIA) technology.
Genomics, transcriptomics & proteomics
Bio-Rad launches CFX Duet Real-Time PCR System
Bio-Rad Laboratories, a global leader of life science research and clinical diagnostic products, introduced the CFX Duet Real-Time PCR System to
support researchers in developing singleplex and duplex quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays.
The CFX Duet System offers the robust thermal performance and proprietary, accurate optical shuttle system of Bio-Rad’s CFX Opus System, with thermal gradient functionality to enable optimization in fewer runs. The CFX Duet is a two-color system that is factory calibrated for common dyes and, without the need for passive reference dyes, allows the precise quantification of up to two targets in genotyping and multiple gene expression analyses. An additional fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) mode supports protein melt analysis for basic protein characterization.
Evonetix granted patent for binary assembly method for gene synthesis
Evonetix, the synthetic biology company bringing semiconductor technology to DNA synthesis, has been granted a European patent covering its unique Binary Assembly method for gene synthesis. The patent (EP 3688189 B1) further strengthens Evonetix’s IP portfolio and is a key milestone in the Company’s strategy to simplify gene synthesis for users and enable a new generation of in-lab DNA synthesis platforms. In April 2022, Evonetix was granted patent EP3551331B1 in Europe for its proprietary thermal control technology for DNA synthesis.
Bio-Rad launches SEQuoia Express Stranded RNA Library Prep Kit at AGBT 2022
Bio-Rad Laboratories also announced the launch of the SEQuoia Express Stranded RNA Library Prep Kit at the Advances in Genome Biology and Technology (AGBT) General Meeting. The kit provides biopharmaceutical and research scientists with an easy-to-use solution for constructing robust libraries to support efficient RNA-Seq workflows for comprehensive transcriptome profiling.
The SEQuoia Express Stranded RNA Library Prep Kit offers a cost-effective and automation-friendly solution to the current challenges in library generation. The three-tube kit uses a novel reverse transcriptase alongside a ligation-free adaptor addition chemistry to yield a reproducible, quantitative RNA-Seq library in three hours.
SeqWell and Element Biosciences partner to demonstrate sequencing performance of multiplexed plexWell technology with the AVITI System
seqWell, a global provider of genomic library workflow solutions including the plexWell™ next-generation sequencing (NGS) multiplexing technology, has partnered with Element Biosciences Inc., developer of the Element AVITI™ System. seqWell and Element have collaborated to demonstrate multiplexed library preparation and sequencing for hundreds of samples using plexWell products with Element’s next-generation benchtop sequencer, the AVITI System.
Earlier in May, the California Conservation Genomics Project, CCGP, a state-funded initiative led by The University of California aiming to produce the most comprehensive, multispecies, genomic dataset ever assembled to help manage regional biodiversity, chose seqWell’s NGS library preparation technologies to scale and accelerate its conservation genomics research.
Drug discovery and development
Axol Bioscience introduces CiPA-validated human stem cell-derived ventricular cardiomyocytes to help improve drug discovery
Axol Bioscience, an established provider of iPSC-derived cells, media, and characterization services for life science discovery, announced that its human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived ventricular cardiomyocytes have undergone comprehensive in vitro pro-arrhythmia assay (CiPA) validation. Using this assay, the cells were shown to be suitable for measuring cardiotoxicity, offering scientists a robust cardiac model for drug discovery and screening.
Axol’s human iPSC-derived ventricular cardiomyocytes are manufactured at scale according to strict quality control standards using ISO 9001-accredited quality management systems, providing a continuous source of cells from the same genetic background for use in multiple experiments. This offers a physiologically relevant in vitro research model of human heart cells to reliably and repeatably test drug candidates for cardiotoxicity at scale.
Software & laboratory automation
Dotmatics Biology Solution for Antibody Discovery streamlines data collection and workflows to accelerate antibody research and therapies
Dotmatics, a leader in R&D scientific software connecting science, data, and decision-making, released its Biology Solution for Antibody Discovery, a unique end-to-end software and data management package. The antibody workflow combines Dotmatics’ enterprise scientific platform with advanced applications software used routinely in antibody discovery laboratories including Geneious, SnapGene, and GraphPad Prism. The fully integrated solution will streamline data collection and processing of the antibody discovery workflow, facilitating a pathway to more effective and efficient discovery, and accelerating progress towards potentially life-changing therapies for patients.
In addition, Dotmatics has been selected by Umicore Corporate Research and Development, which is part of global materials technology and recycling company Umicore, as informatics partner for its Corporate R&D (CRD) digitalization project. The strategic agreement to implement core elements of Dotmatics’ R&D innovation platform within CRD, including electronic laboratory notebook (ELN), initially covers over 200 users and is set to run over the next five years.
Cell & gene therapy
AffyXell expands its strategic partnership with GenScript ProBio
Avacta, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative cancer therapies and powerful diagnostics based on its proprietary Affimer® and pre|CISION™ platforms, announced that AffyXell, its joint venture with South Korean drug maker Daewoong Pharmaceutical, has expanded its strategic partnership with GenScript ProBio, a leading biopharmaceutical manufacturer.
AffyXell, developing the next generation of cell and gene therapies based on mesenchymal stem cells which incorporate Affimer immunotherapies. This new class of stem cell therapy is designed to produce Affimer proteins, in situ in the body, that reduce inflammatory or autoimmune responses to the stem cell therapy to potentially enhance their therapeutic effects.
Avacta recently relocated its Therapeutics division to a new headquarters at Scale Space, in Imperial College’s White City Campus, London. The new headquarters, which will see Avacta be part of a life science cluster at the west London site, brings together its research and development teams to support the continued growth of the Company’s pre-clinical and clinical development pipelines of innovative cancer therapies.
FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific completes construction of bioprocessing Innovation and Collaboration Center in China
FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific, Inc., a world leader in the development and manufacture of serum-free and chemically defined cell culture media for bioproduction and cell therapy manufacturing, has completed its Innovation and Collaboration Center in Suzhou New District, China.
Construction of the new Innovation and Collaboration Center began in December 2021 and is now open to facilitate collaboration between experts and customers for the tailored design of upstream cell culture processes that can meet individual biomanufacturing needs. The new facility will provide the local resources and expertise needed to optimize cell culture media and associated workflows to support commercial production of new drugs in China’s rapidly expanding market.
People
CN Bio appoints Dr Paul Brooks as Chief Business Officer
Sphere Fluidics strengthens commercial team with three new senior hires
Dotmatics strengthens leadership team as it continues to invest in organization capabilities and accelerate growth
Metrion Biosciences appoints Dr Benedetta Montagnini as Head of European Business Development
April update
This months’ Business of BioTechniques outlines a number of industry collaborations across the synthetic biology, biotech, and drug discovery sectors. Several companies that have secured investment and early-stage funding to facilitate growth and development, and news of company expansions supporting the growing biotech and pharmaceutical markets.
Drug discovery & development
Bio-Rad introduces anti-cemiplimab antibodies
Bio-Rad Laboratories, a global leader of life science research and clinical diagnostic products, introduced a range of antibodies that are specific to cemiplimab (Libtayo) and inhibit the binding of the drug to its target, human programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1). These ready-made antibodies are suitable for developing selective and sensitive assays for bioanalysis and drug monitoring of cemiplimab.
CN Bio introduces PhysioMimix NASH ‘in-a-box’ reagent kit
CN Bio, a leading Organ-on-a-chip Company (OOC) that designs and manufactures single- and multi- organ microphysiological systems (MPS), introduced its PhysioMimix™ ‘in-a-box’ reagent kit for Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the most severe form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Previously only accessible via its contract research services, CN Bio’s best-in-class NASH in vitro model supports the urgent development of therapeutics to treat this emerging global healthcare priority.
Sphere Fluidics receives 2022 Europe Technology Innovation Leadership Award
Sphere Fluidics, a company developing single cell analysis systems underpinned by its patented picodroplet technology, has been recognized by Frost & Sullivan with the 2022 Europe Technology Innovation Leadership Award. Sphere Fluidics’ main research implementation platform includes microfluidic pumps, lasers for fluorescence assays, and biochips that generate, sort, and pick out picoliter volume droplets. The platform allows faster and more cost-effective development of new biopharmaceuticals. It also improves monoclonal antibody screening, cell line development, and overall research efficiency across cell therapy, synthetic biology, single-cell diagnostics, and single-cell genome editing applications.
Flow cytometry
Bio-Rad enhances multiplex flow cytometry with three new StarBright UltraViolet Dyes
Bio-Rad Laboratories, introduced three StarBright™ Dyes designed for use with a 355 nanometer UV laser in flow cytometry applications. StarBright UltraViolet 510, 665, and 795 Dyes offer exceptional brightness with narrow excitation and emission profiles for precise resolution, expanding Bio-Rad’s range to provide greater flexibility in multicolor flow cytometry panels.
Software and laboratory automation
Dotmatics, previously Insightful Science, set to transform the future of scientific software and data management
Dotmatics, a company that provides scientific informatics software to drive the automation of lab data workflows and accelerate critical R&D discovery was announced as the formal name and brand for the combined entities of Insightful Science and Dotmatics. As the Insightful Science brand is retired, the new Dotmatics company is now inclusive of the Dotmatics’ enterprise scientific platform and many of scientists’ favorite applications including SnapGene, Geneious, and GraphPad Prism to offer end-to-end solutions for biology, chemistry, and formulations research and development.
Arrayjet introduces Mercury range of next-generation microarrays printers
Arrayjet, a leading provider of inkjet liquid-handling solutions, introduced Mercury, a new core range of five instruments for ultra-low-volume liquid dispensing. The new print dispensers offer radically improved functionality and reliability, with further enhanced speed and precision. Available in a range of output capacities from 25 to 1000 slides, Mercury instruments can be used for a wide range of microarray and microfluidics applications within pharmaceutical, diagnostic and life science workflows.
Synthetic biology
Evonetix granted patent for technology enabling thermally controlled DNA synthesis
Evonetix, the synthetic biology company bringing semiconductor technology to DNA synthesis, has been granted patent EP3551331B1 in Europe for its proprietary thermal control technology for DNA synthesis, as well as the design and manufacture of its silicon chips. This patent extends Evonetix’s IP portfolio and is a key step in the Company’s strategy to develop a benchtop DNA synthesis platform, to change how DNA is accessed, made, and used. Their novel approach to parallel DNA synthesis is underpinned by precise, independent, control of temperature at thousands of individual synthesis sites across the surface of a silicon chip.
Cell culture
Cell Guidance Systems and Manchester BIOGEL collaborate to launch PODS-PeptiGels for 3D cell culture
Cell Guidance Systems, a specialist in the control, manipulation, and monitoring of cells, both in vitro and in vivo, and Manchester BIOGEL, a biotechnology company specializing in the design and manufacture of 3D synthetic peptide hydrogels, announced a collaboration to launch PODS®-PeptiGels®. The new kit combines the benefits of two existing innovative cell culture technologies — synthetic peptide hydrogels (PeptiGels) and a range of sustained release growth factors (PODS) — to provide a reproducible and highly adaptable environment for 3D cell culture.
Cell culture Finance, funding & acquisitions
Avacta announces AffyXell joint venture milestone and increased equity stake
Avacta, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative cancer therapies and powerful diagnostics based on its proprietary Affimer® and pre|CISION™ platforms, announced a milestone equity payment had been triggered resulting in an increase in Avacta’s shareholding in AffyXell Therapeutics, a joint venture between Avacta and Daewoong Pharmaceutical in South Korea. Avacta has successfully developed and characterized Affimer proteins against the first target for AffyXell and has now transferred intellectual property relating to Affimer proteins against that target into AffyXell, triggering an agreed milestone in the joint venture agreement.
Previously, AffyXell entered into a collaboration agreement with Biocytogen and the Korea Non-clinical Technology Support Center. The collaboration aims to develop new immune disease in vivo models and carry out proof-of-concept and toxicity testing of AffyXell’s drug candidates using the developed disease models.
Fujifilm completes acquisition of Shenandoah Biotechnology
FUJIFILM Corporation announced that FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific, Inc., a world leader in the development and manufacture of serum-free and chemically defined cell culture media for life science research, bioproduction, and cell therapy manufacturing, completed the acquisition of Shenandoah Biotechnology, Inc., a leading manufacturer of recombinant proteins.
Shenandoah Biotechnology’s portfolio of recombinant proteins complements FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific, Inc.’s advanced cell culture solutions and expertise in bioprocessing, which will provide customers with a single point of access for their life science research, discovery, and cell and gene therapy needs.
Axol Bioscience raises £3.2 million GBP (c. $4.2 million USD)
Axol Bioscience, an established provider of iPSC-derived cells, media, and characterization services for life science discovery, has raised £3.2 million GBP (circa $4.2 million USD) in the extension of its previous funding round, bringing the total raised to £7 million GBP (circa $9.2 million USD). The round was led by existing investors Calculus Capital, Par Equity and Scottish Enterprise, with support from Meltwind, including early investor Dr Jonathan Milner.
Liam Taylor, CEO, Axol Bioscience, commented: “At Axol, we’re setting a new standard in iPSC [induced pluripotent stem cell] quality and manufacture. This investment enables us to continue to build and apply our quality-driven mindset to develop robust, reliable, ready-to-use iPSCs for pre-clinical R&D and drug development, as well as to focus on the expansion of our commercial team.”
Codexis and seqWell announces strategic investment and partnership initiation
Codexis, Inc. and seqWell, Inc. have initiated a strategic partnership and investment to accelerate the commercialization of seqWell’s genomics workflow solutions. Codexis, a leading enzyme engineering company enabling the promise of synthetic biology, and seqWell, a developer of transformative library preparation products for demanding genomics applications, plan to collaborate on using Codexis’ CodeEvolver® platform technology for enzyme optimization with seqWell’s growing portfolio of genomics workflow and library preparation products. As part of this partnership, Codexis led seqWell’s $7 million Series C financing with a $5 million investment. This collaboration and investment enable seqWell to continue rapidly advancing its commercialization of new and existing products in the fast-growing genomics and next-generation sequencing library prep market.
Clinical trials
Closed Loop Medicine announces completion of precision medicine clinical trials for patients with high blood pressure
Closed Loop Medicine, a leader in the development of single prescription drug plus digital therapy (DTx) combination products to enable precision dosing and care, reported that the last patient has completed participation in a clinical trial investigating the Company’s integrated precision care product solution for patients with hypertension.
The trial, called PERSONAL COVID BP, was part-funded by Innovate UK and run by the William Harvey Clinical Research Centre at Queen Mary University of London. Two hundred patients with hypertension completed the 14 weeks’ treatment phase as well as the required 2–4 weeks’ follow up period. The study aims to validate development of a novel combination product that links a drug to a smart phone app, enabling patients to personalize and optimize their therapy regimen to treat hypertension and prevent heart attacks and stroke.
People
Evonetix appoints Paul Beastall as Chair of Board of Directors
Avacta appoints Dr Christina Coughlin as Non-Executive Director
Insightful Science bolsters executive team with senior sales and marketing expertise to accelerate growth initiatives
ELRIG UK establishes Scientific Advisory Board
March update
The latest Business of Biotechniques showcases several companies that have secured investment and early-stage funding to facilitate growth and development, including AI-powered diagnostics and drug screening technology. Also highlighted are new software releases of scientific workflow and drug discovery platforms as well as product launches including anti-idiotypic antibodies, and technologies to support DNA and peptide synthesis.
Drug discovery & development 
Bio-Rad Laboratories, a global leader of life science research and clinical diagnostic products, introduced a range of anti-daratumumab antibodies that are specific for daratumumab (Darzalex) and inhibit the binding of the drug to its target, CD38. These highly specific and high-affinity recombinant antibodies are suitable for bioanalysis and drug monitoring of daratumumab and its biosimilars.
Bio-Rad also launched anti-pertuzumab antibodies, four inhibitory antibodies that are highly specific to pertuzumab (Perjeta). These ready-made antibodies inhibit the binding of the drug to its target, human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2), enabling researchers to develop highly selective and sensitive assays for bioanalysis and drug monitoring of pertuzumab and its biosimilars.
The antibodies are generated using the Human Combinatorial Antibody Libraries (HuCAL®) and CysDisplay®, a proprietary method of phage display, along with guided selection methods to obtain highly targeted reagents. The recombinant production method ensures a consistent and secure supply.
Orbit Discovery and WuXi AppTec sign agreement to access peptide discovery and optimization technologies 
Orbit Discovery, a ground-breaking peptide discovery company has commenced a partnership with WuXi AppTec, a leading global provider of R&D and manufacturing services that enable the global pharmaceutical and healthcare industry. Orbit will combine its leading peptide discovery platform and experience with WuXi AppTec’s downstream capabilities. Specifically, Orbit gains access to WuXi AppTec’s expertise in peptide optimization, peptide production and manufacturing to help its Partners obtain clinically relevant data packs and materials in a rapid timeframe. Orbit will also utilize other capabilities within WuXi AppTec, in particular their expertise in cell line and assay development and biophysical analysis.
Antiverse collaborates with a top 20 pharma company to identify antibody drug candidates using AI augmented drug discovery platform
Antiverse, a biotechnology company developing a computational antibody drug discovery platform, announced a partnership with a top 20 pharma company with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. The collaboration has been successful in identifying antibody candidates for a target of interest, with greater diversity (2.3x) and accuracy compared to alternative bioinformatics pipeline selection methods.
Gyros Protein Technologies introduces PurePep Sonata+ peptide synthetizer
Gyros Protein Technologies, a leading provider of peptide synthesizers and reagents and a pioneer in automated nanoliter-scale immunoassays, have launched PurePep® Sonata®+, a mid-pilot scale peptide synthesizer. The new system is an upgraded version of the Company’s previous model, Sonata® XT, known for its reliability and robustness, to further strengthen the Company’s offering.
Software and laboratory automation
Dotmatics releases Platform 22.1
Dotmatics, an Insightful Science company that provides scientific informatics software to drive the automation of lab data workflows and accelerate critical R&D discovery, has released Dotmatics Platform 22.1. Dotmatics Platform is the common framework that underpins the Company’s web-based scientific applications and allows them to work together to provide users with seamless end-to-end workflows.
The latest release, and first for 2022, builds on the inherent capability of Dotmatics Platform for deployment in the Cloud or on premise with an open architecture that enables workflows to include third-party software integration. Dotmatics Platform 22.1 offers advanced features for users, with enhancements to individual applications to further streamline R&D processes and facilitate collaboration, flexibility and access.
Optibrium adds augmented intelligence for compound design to its StarDrop small molecule drug discovery software
Optibrium, a leading developer of software for drug discovery, announced the release of the latest version of StarDrop™, its comprehensive software platform for small molecule design, optimization and data analysis. More than 160 organizations currently use StarDrop, including many of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies. The new release introduces Inspyra™, a module that dynamically learns from chemists’ expert knowledge and feedback to guide automated compound design methods, creating a powerful “augmented intelligence” to accelerate the discovery of high-quality drug candidates.
Synthetic biology
Evonetix demonstrates novel enzymatic DNA synthetis method
Evonetix, the synthetic biology company bringing semiconductor technology to DNA synthesis, has achieved enzymatic DNA synthesis capability with its proprietary, thermally controlled synthesis chemistry. The culmination of a three-year development program, supported by Innovate UK and in collaboration with Durham University, the results demonstrate that Evonetix’s unique, semiconductor array-based platform is compatible with both chemical and enzymatic DNA synthesis, enabling the production of scarless DNA sequences that are directly compatible with downstream processing.
Cell & gene therapy
WuXi ATU announces launch of TESSA technology to improve scalability and accessibility of cell and gene therapies
WuXi Advanced Therapies (WuXi ATU), a wholly owned subsidiary of WuXi AppTec, announced the launch of Tetracycline-Enabled Self-Silencing Adenovirus (TESSA™). This technology is a state-of-the-art novel process for transfection-free, scalable manufacture of adeno-associated virus (AAV) at GMP grade. Developed by OXGENE in the United Kingdom, a WuXi Advanced Therapies company, TESSA will expedite AAV manufacturing and significantly reduce the cost for manufacturing cell and gene therapies, enabling global customers to deliver more accessible therapeutics to patients as quickly as possible.
The new data published in Nature Communications supports the benefits of this technology.
Finance, funding & acquisitions
Centauri Therapeutics closes £24 million GBP Series A investment round
Centauri Therapeutics, an immunotherapy company founded by Animatrix Founders LLP and focused on the treatment of infectious diseases, announced the close of its £24 million GBP (c. 32 million USD) Series A investment round. The funds will support the continued advancement of the Company’s antimicrobial resistance research and development, using the Alphamer® platform to identify and progress novel antibacterial candidates through first-in-human trials, for difficult-to-treat infections.
Centauri secured equity funding from Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, Evotec SE, and Novo Holdings REPAIR Impact Fund. Existing investors include founding investor Animatrix Founders LLP (via its company LAK Holdings LLP), as well as Kent Life Science LLP and Wren Capital.
Semarion raises £2.14 GBP ($2.89 million USD) seed funding
Semarion, a University of Cambridge spin-out company from the Cavendish Laboratory combining materials engineering and cell biology to tackle unmet drug screening needs, has closed a £2.14 million GBP seed funding round. The investment round was led by Parkwalk Advisors, with the University of Cambridge Seed Funds, Martlet Capital, and angel investors also contributing to the fundraise. The funding will support the commercial development of Semarion’s SemaCyte® cell assaying platform. It will also enable further expansion of the team, as Semarion recruits scientists and engineers, and establishes additional research partnerships with biopharma partners for bespoke solutions to cell screening challenges.
OxDX raises £2.6M pre-seed funding to develop AI powered rapid diagnostic technology
OxDX, a University of Oxford spin out building instant pathogen tests using super-resolution microscopy and machine learning, has raised £2.6m in pre-seed funding for its AI powered diagnostic technology that can recognize and identify specific species and strains of viruses, bacteria and other pathogens within a sample in seconds. The initial funding was co-led by IQ Capital and Ahren Innovation Capital with participation from Science Creates Ventures, and will be used to expand the team and further validate the technology with development partners.
Flow Eighteen38 receives €5 million EUR (c.$5.58 million USD) to expand production and biophysical capabilities
Flow Eighteen38, a protein sciences division created to facilitate and accelerate antibody characterization and protein purification projects, announced a €5 million EUR (c.$5.58 million USD) investment into its protein production and biophysical characterization capabilities and services from its parent company, FairJourney Biologics, leaders in the discovery and optimization of antibodies.
The investment will be used to develop a dedicated, fit-for-purpose laboratory, designed to host a range of new and bespoke, state-of-the-art equipment to double protein purification capacity.
Clinical trials
Avacta announces dose escalation in the phase I clinical study of AVA6000 Pro-doxorubicin
Avacta, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative cancer therapies and powerful diagnostics based on its proprietary Affimer® and pre|CISION™ platforms, announced that the first-in-human Phase I trial (ALS-6000-101) of AVA6000 Pro-doxorubicin will advance to the next dose cohort following a positive review of the safety data from the dosing of the first cohort.
Avacta’s Safety Data Monitoring Committee (SDMC), comprised of clinicians currently recruiting patients, has completed its review of the safety data from the first cohort dosed with AVA6000 at 80mg/m2 in the ongoing Phase I trial. Following this review, the SDMC has recommended that the clinical trial continues as planned and escalates to the next dose of AVA6000 at 120mg/m2.
Conferences & events
OBN invites life science companies, industry leaders and investors to BioTrinity 2022
OBN, the membership organization that supports the life sciences industry, is delighted to invite Life Science professionals and companies to attend BioTrinity 2022 in London, UK, from 26–27th April.
BioTrinity remains one of the only industry conferences being delivered in person this year and offers a blend of focused scientific updates, targeted business insights, 1-1 partnering opportunities as well as live and in-person networking to promote collaboration across the Life Sciences sector. The event will provide a platform for delegates to connect with experts from industry, academia, and investment, along with global pharmaceutical organizations.
People
PhoreMost promotes Dr Neil Torbett to Chief Executive Officer
Enterprise Therapeutics appoints Dr Niyati Prasad as Chief Medical Officer
Phico Therapeutics establishes Scientific Advisory Board
February update
The latest Business of BioTechniques blog outlines news of research collaborations to progress oncology therapies and pre-clinical advancement of novel cancer treatments. We also highlight drug discovery and development targeting auto-immune and infectious diseases, and company expansions supporting the growing biotech and pharmaceutical markets.
COVID-19 and other infectious diseases
Bio-Rad introduces Bio-Plex Pro human SARAS-CoV-2 Variant Neutralization Antibody Assays to quickly measure neutralizing antibodies against SARAS-CoV-2 virus
Bio-Rad Laboratories, a global leader of life science research and clinical diagnostic products, recently introduced the Bio-Plex™ Pro Human SARS-CoV-2 Variant Neutralization Antibody Assays, for research use only. The assays allow scientists to measure neutralizing antibodies quickly and efficiently against wild-type and significant variants of SARS-CoV-2 virus. Scientists developing vaccines and therapeutics can determine the efficacy of their product from development through all the clinical phases.
Avacta announces AffiDX® SARS-CoV-2 antigen lateral flow test receives CE mark for consumer self-testing
Avacta, the developer of Affimer® biotherapeutics and reagents, reported that the AffiDX® SARS-CoV-2 antigen lateral flow test has received a CE mark for use as a consumer self-test in the UK and EU. Avacta partnered with Medusa Healthcare to obtain regulatory approval for the AffiDX antigen test for consumer self-testing and has now received the CE mark from a European Notified Body. Avacta has an exclusive arrangement with Medusa to commercialize the consumer self-test product globally.
Avacta also announced the AffiDx SARS-CoV-2 antigen lateral flow test detects the Omicron variant and provided a further update stating that while the AffiDX antigen test is effective at identifying high viral loads of Omicron, the sensitivity of the test is reduced at lower viral loads when compared with the sensitivity of the AffiDX test with previous SARS-CoV-2 variants.
The Native Antigen Company expands range of Norovirus-like particles
The Native Antigen Company, part of LGC Clinical Diagnostics and one of the world’s leading suppliers of reagents that enables research into diagnostics and vaccines for emerging and endemic infectious diseases, has expanded its range of norovirus-like particles, with the addition of six new reagents, including four which are unique to the market. These virus-like particles are suitable for studies of norovirus protein structure and the research and development of vaccines and in vitro diagnostic assays.
Drug discovery & development
PhoreMost announces research collaborations to advance cancer therapies
PhoreMost, a UK-based biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing drugs against intractable disease targets, has entered collaboration agreements with Polaris Quantum Biotech, a North Carolina-based quantum computing drug design company, and NeoCura Bio-Medical Technology, a leading RNA-based drug research and development company in China.
Under the terms of the agreement with Polaris Quantum Biotech, the POLARISqb Tachyon™ quantum computing platform will be used to scan billions of molecules from a large chemical space, to find novel molecular drugs, based on the information obtained from PhoreMost’s SITESEEKER® phenotypic screening platform. Together, this partnership aims to discover and develop the next generation of oncology therapies.
As part of the collaboration with NeoCura, PhoreMost’s SITESEEKER phenotypic screening platform and NeoCura’s full-process RNA drug design platform will be used to investigate the cellular delivery and efficacy of encoded targeted peptides. In this way, the research aims to inform and advance the research and development of innovative anti-cancer therapies.
PhoreMost recently relocated its headquarters to Unity Campus, a high-specification technology and innovation park, owned by leading regional property developers and investors, Howard Group, in south Cambridge.
Avacta selects second pre l CISION pro-drug candidate for development
Avacta, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative cancer therapies and powerful diagnostics based on its proprietary Affimer and pre|CISION™ platforms, announced the next pre|CISION drug candidate, AVA3996, has been selected for pre-clinical development with a view to a first-in-human Phase I clinical trial beginning in the second half of 2023.
Avacta’s pre|CISION chemistry is used to modify chemotherapy drugs to render them inactive in the circulation until they enter the tumor micro-environment where they are activated by an enzyme called fibroblast activation protein α (FAP). This enzyme is in high abundance in most solid tumors but, crucially, not in healthy tissues. The pre|CISION platform, therefore, offers a way to reduce systemic exposure to, and improve the safety of, these effective and affordable cancer drugs. In this way, the pre|CISION platform is intended to increase the tolerability of chemotherapies and achieve better clinical outcomes for patients.
Metrion Bioscience and Bioqube Ventures collaborate on venture creation project to identify novel ion channel inhibitors for autoimmune diseases
Metrion Biosciences, the specialist ion channel contract research and drug discovery company, and Bioqube Ventures, a specialist European life sciences investment firm, have entered a collaboration, backed by Bioqube Factory Fund I, to incubate a drug discovery research project targeting autoimmune diseases.
Under the terms of the collaboration, Bioqube and Metrion will advance a lead series of previously identified highly potent and selective small molecule inhibitors of the human Kv1.3 potassium ion channel to enable further development. Activation of this voltage-gated ion channel in effector memory T-cells is thought to be an early and necessary step in the development of auto-immune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus nephritis, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, and many others.
Software and laboratory automation
Insightful Science acquires Omiq to add cloud-based machine learning to its flow cytometry capabilities
Insightful Science, the software company enabling the Cloud for Scientific Discovery, has acquired Omiq Inc., a company specialized in data science SaaS solutions for high dimensional flow cytometry and quantitative multi-omics data. The company’s principal product, OMIQ, is a flexible cloud platform enabling researchers to identify drug or therapeutic interactions with a biological system through the tracking of biomarkers within lab samples. OMIQ provides impressive efficiencies to research organizations working with flow cytometry data through its novel combination of high-performance analytical power, centralized GxP compliant framework, and modern user-focused design.
In December, Insightful Science completed the transaction to acquire Protein Metrics, Inc., a leading provider of biopharmaceutical protein characterization and proteomics analysis software. The acquisition expands the Company’s R&D value chain to widen the biopharmaceutical protein analysis arena, unblocking data analysis bottlenecks currently associated with large-scale protein studies.
Optibrium shows deep learning to succesfully predict human panel-based sensory preception of novel compounds used for flavors and fragrances
Optibrium, a leading provider of software and artificial intelligence solutions for drug discovery, have published a peer-reviewed study in the Journal of Computer-Aided Molecular Design, “Imputation of sensory properties using deep learning”. In collaboration with International Flavors & Fragrances, a global leader in co-creating sensorial experiences, and Intellegens, an AI company, the team applied Optibrium’s Augmented Chemistry® platform to predict human panel-based assessments, including sensory properties, such as odor intensity and odor detection threshold.
H.E.L Group expands operations in India
H.E.L Group, a global developer and manufacturer of innovative laboratory tools for process optimization, safety, and scale-up, has expanded its operations in India, with an increased focus on high growth areas of biotech and battery testing industries. The move will see the creation of a wholly owned subsidiary, H.E.L India, which will provide direct sales and marketing, service, and support operations to customers in India from February 2022. To support India’s growing biotech and pharmaceutical markets, H.E.L will create a dedicated regional hub to provide in-country support directly to customers. H.E.L Group also announced the appointment of Rajeev Kumria as General Manager of H.E.L India.
Cell culture
FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific opens European manufacturing facility
FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific, a world leader in the innovation, development, and manufacture of cell culture media and assisted reproductive technologies, opened a new manufacturing facility in Tilburg, the Netherlands. The facility provides state-of-the-art Life Science manufacturing and joins locations in the U.S. and Japan to enable increased production capacity of cell culture media products, acting as a hub for both European and global markets.
Opening this third manufacturing facility fulfils an important step in the Company’s long-term plans to secure its production capacity to meet the growing needs of the market and customers worldwide. The facility’s location in central Europe positions it as a source of local supply for increased efficiency and cost-savings in shipping, as well as securing the supply chain.
People
Samsara Therapeutics establishes Scientific Advisory Board
SAB Members, Samsara Therapeutics:
Author details
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