Biotech bi-weekly: 2025 launches with a deluge of industry partnerships
This edition of the biotech bi-weekly sees the year kick off with a flurry of new industry partnerships and C-suite personnel changes alongside the launch of a series of new assays for the investigation of neurodegenerative diseases and a media for the purification of biomolecules.
Products
Beckman Coulter introduces cutting-edge research use only assays for neurodegenerative disease research
Beckman Coulter Diagnostics (CA, USA), a global leader in advanced diagnostics, today announced availability of new research use only blood-based biomarker immunoassays designed to advance neurodegenerative disease research. These assays are intended to assess p-Tau217, GFAP, NfL and APOE ε4 biomarkers, which are emerging as the most important biomarkers in neurodegenerative diseases research, including interventional clinical trials.
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Bio-Rad launches Nuvia wPrime 2A Media for biomolecule purification
Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (CA, USA) a global leader in life science research and clinical diagnostics products, today announced the launch of Nuvia wPrime 2A Media, a scalable weak anion exchange and hydrophobic interaction (AEX-HIC) mixed-mode chromatography resin for small- to large-scale biomolecule purification. Bio-Rad’s partners in the resin’s development successfully used the resin to remove host cell proteins, high and low molecular weight aggregates and impurities, DNA from monoclonal and bispecific antibodies, and adeno-associated virus.
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Identifying and delivering high quality dPCR data
This cheat sheet from Bio-Rad aims to ensure that every experiment yields reliable results by enabling you to understand what defines good vs. bad dPCR data.
Publications and partnerships
PacBio and Radboud UMC announce remarkable study results using HiFi Long Read Sequencing to help advance rare disease diagnostics
PacBio (CA, USA), a leading provider of highly accurate long-read sequencing solutions, announced a significant publication from Radboud University Medical Center (Nijmegen, Netherlands) and its research partners in the American Journal of Human Genetics. The study demonstrates the impact of PacBio’s HiFi long-read sequencing technology in identifying genetic causes of rare diseases, illustrating the feasibility of potentially replacing multiple diagnostic tests with a single, more comprehensive approach.
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Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Olink Platform selected for world’s largest human proteome study
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (MA, USA), the world leader in serving science, today announced the UK Biobank Pharma Proteomics Project (UKB-PPP) has selected its Olink® Explore Platform to support the world’s largest human proteomics study of its kind. UKB-PPP aims to analyze more than 5,400 proteins from 600,000 samples to fuel the discovery of new protein biomarkers that can be used to predict, diagnose and treat diseases.
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Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies and FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific collaborate to accelerate T-cell expansion for cell therapy developers
Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies (Terumo BCT; CO, USA) and FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific (CA, USA) have announced a strategic collaboration to help accelerate T-cell expansion using Fujifilm’s PRIME-XV® T-Cell Expansion Media on Terumo BCT’s Quantum Flex™ Cell Expansion System. By using systems that work together, this collaboration offers an optimized workflow solution with a ready-to-use process, aimed at reducing the barriers in scaling T cell expansion.
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CN Bio signs strategic partnership with Primetech Corporation to establish distribution channel for OOC solutions in Japan
CN Bio (Cambridge, UK), a leading provider of Organ-on-a-chip (OOC) systems and solutions that accelerate drug discovery and development workflows, announced it has entered into a strategic partnership with Japanese life sciences research equipment distributor, Primetech (Tokyo, Japan). In response to rapidly growing demand for the Company’s OOC solutions, the agreement establishes a new regional distribution network in Japan, providing customers streamlined access to localized support and technical expertise, and solidifies CN Bio’s presence in this key market.
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Iktos and Cube Biotech announce launch of small molecule AI drug discovery collaboration
Iktos (Paris, France), a leader in AI and robotics for drug design, and Cube Biotech (Monheim, Germany), a pioneer in membrane protein production and purification technologies, announced a strategic collaboration to discover novel small molecule agonists of the amylin receptor.
Cmbio acquires Eagle Genomics’ assets to enhance multi-omics software and AI/ML capabilities of its digital biology platform
Cmbio® (Copenhagen, Denmark), a global leader in multi-omics science and digital biology, is pleased to announce the purchase of the e[datascientist]™ software platform through an Asset Sale Agreement with CBW Recovery LLP and Eagle Genomics Limited (In Administration; Cambridge, UK).
Ziccum AB files for bankruptcy
The board of directors of Ziccum AB (Lund, Sweeden), on 10 January 2025, resolved to file for bankruptcy on behalf of the Company to manage the financial situation that has occurred. The application for bankruptcy will be submitted to Lund District Court.
The decision is based on a thorough assessment of alternatives, considering the current financial situation, and the board has reached the overall conclusion that the Company does not have enough financing to fulfil outstanding obligations and continue operations. The Company completed a rights issue in fourth quarter 2024 where the proceeds gained were significantly lower than expected. Meanwhile, other sources of financing are judged inadequate to maintain continued Company operations, as the current investor Global Corporate Finance has chosen to decline the Company’s request for continued financing according to the existing agreement.
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Geneoscopy closes $105M in Series C funding round to power next generation of gastrointestinal diagnostic tests
Geneoscopy, Inc., a life sciences company focused on developing diagnostic tests for the advancement of gastrointestinal health, announced the closing of a Series C funding round raising $105 million on 8 January 2025. Bio-Rad Laboratories led the financing and was joined by Petrichor, Labcorp, Morningside Ventures, Lightchain Capital, NT Investments, Granger Management and Mercy Health, Tri Locum Partners, and others.
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Leica Biosystems and Indica Labs announce significant strategic investment and creation of digital pathology platform
Leica Biosystems (Nussloch, Germany), a global leader in anatomic and digital pathology solutions, and Indica Labs (NM, USA), a global leader in AI-powered digital pathology software, announced that Leica Biosystems has agreed to make a significant strategic investment in Indica Labs. This partnership has the potential to accelerate AI-enabled companion diagnostics and support discoveries and treatments based on discrete or complex biomarker expression profiles, which are not discernible by the human eye.
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CTC-derived organoids establish new tool for investigation of metastasis
The successful cultivation of stable CTC-derived organoids has enabled an investigation into methods of survival and resistance in cancer cells.
People
PrecisionLife appoints Bill Keating as Chief Commercial Officer, Diagnostics and Healthcare
PrecisionLife (Oxford, UK), a leading precision medicine company focused on complex chronic diseases, announces the appointment of Bill Keating as Chief Commercial Officer, Diagnostics and Healthcare, to lead the commercialization of precision medicine applications from its range of innovative new Mechanostic® tests in complex chronic diseases.
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Elsevier appoints Stuart Whayman as President of Corporate Markets
Elsevier (Amsterdam, The Netherlands), a global leader in scientific information and analytics, announced the appointment of Stuart Whayman as President of Corporate Markets effective January 6, 2025. Mr. Whayman will report to Kumsal Bayazit, CEO of Elsevier, and will lead the global business that provides advanced scientific and technical information, data and decision support solutions for innovation to R&D-focused organizations across various industries, including pharmaceuticals and chemicals.
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Ajay Gannerkote named President at Integrated DNA Technologies
Global genomics solutions leader Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT; IA, USA) has appointed Ajay Gannerkote as president, effective immediately. With a track record of driving growth and transformation across myriad sectors – including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, imaging and healthcare providers – Gannerkote will lead IDT and continue advancing its mission of accelerating the pace of genomics.
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Abzena strengthens board with appointment of biopharma industry leader, Moncef Slaoui
Abzena (Cambridge, UK), the leading end-to-end integrated CDMO + CRO for complex biologics and bioconjugates, has today announced the appointment of Moncef Slaoui, PhD, to its Board of Directors. A highly accomplished leader in the biopharmaceutical industry with over 40 years’ experience, Slaoui has held numerous executive leadership and board level positions, to help drug development companies through high phases of growth.
