The Commission study on Novel Genomic Techniques (NGTs) underlines that plants resulting from NGTs have the potential to contribute to a more sustainable food system and support the objectives of the European Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy. At the same time, the study finds that the current GMO legislation, adopted in 2001, is not fit for purpose for these innovative technologies.

IP U.S. reverses stance, backs giving poorer countries access to COVID vaccine patents:
President Joe Biden in May threw his support behind waiving intellectual property rights
for COVID-19 vaccines – very much to the surprise of the biotech world.

The life sciences industry stepped up its pace in the last year to rapidly fill a void in the fight against COVID-19. Solis BioDyne is one of many companies that have experienced a dramatic increase in demand for its solutions during the pandemic – especially for products used in COVID-19 diagnostic tests. The company knew it needed to ramp up production. And time was not on their side.

Senti Biosciences and Bayer subsidiary BlueRock Therapeutics form strategic partnership to combine iPSC and gene circuit-engineered cell therapy platforms.

German-US Anticalin specialist Pieris Pharmaceuticals has bagged $20m upfront for a strategic R&D and license agreement with Genentech, the US branch of Swiss Roche AG.

 

 

Life science associations are calling for ATMPs to be exempted from the strict EU GMO rules, as their different legal interpretations in EU member states are delaying applications for multicentre clinical trials.

Isolating cells from whole blood or LRS cones carries the risk of red blood cell (RBC) contamination, which can have deleterious effects on downstream cell cultures.

Adeno-associated viruses (AAV) have revolutionised gene therapies as safe and effective gene shuttles. The growing demand for AAV vectors now requires an industrialised process throughout pre-clinical development that involves comprehensive monitoring from production to patient to ensure safety and efficacy of the therapeutic agent and reduce cost of goods.

APEIRON Biologics’ recombinant ACE2 APN01 has been selected to participate in the US ACTIV study. ACTIV is aimed to speed up development of the best COVID-19 meds.

Danish Novo Holdings A/S has led an oversubscribed US$125m Series C into the cancer antibody specialist Hummingbird Bioscience.