Alchemab has appointed Jane Osbourn as Chief Executive Officer Alchemab Therapeutics has appointed Jane Osbourn, the company’s Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, as Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board. Osbourn brings over 30 years of biopharmaceutical industry experience to the role. Prior to co-founding Alchemab in 2019, she served as Vice President of…
The centre aims to discover new drug targets for diseases such as Parkinson’s and hypertension The UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Medical Research Council (MRC) has awarded £27.4m to a University of Dundee-based cell signalling and disease research centre to continue its studies into diseases such as Parkinson’s, Crohn’s and hypertension. The MRC Protein Phosphorylation…
ABPI has appointed Russell Abberley as Acting President The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has appointed Russell Abberley as Acting President. Abberley, who is General Manager of Amgen UK and Ireland, has over 25 years of life sciences industry experience across a range of geographies. He has been serving on the ABPI Board…
The decision is expected to facilitate timely access to Bavarian Nordic’s Imvanex The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that it has added Bavarian Nordic’s mpox vaccine to its list of prequalified vaccines. The decision is expected to facilitate timely and increased access to Imvanex (MVA-BN), which is now the first mpox vaccine to be…
Innovative immunotherapy drug HTL0039732 shows potential in trials Nxera Pharma and Cancer Research UK are set to present their ongoing Phase 1/2a clinical trial of the cancer immunotherapy drug HTL0039732 at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2024 in Barcelona. The trial, led by Dr Debashis Sarker from Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS…
GlobalData emphasises importance of Improved clinical trials World Sepsis Day, observed annually on 13 September, aims to raise awareness about sepsis, a life-threatening condition that claims millions of lives each year. Sepsis results from a dysregulated immune response to infection, and currently, no drugs specifically target its underlying causes. GlobalData, a leading data and analytics…
Chemistry is the cornerstone of modern civilisation, playing a crucial role in virtually every aspect of our lives. From the food we eat and the water we drink to the medicines which save lives and the clothes we wear; the impact of chemistry is omnipresent. However, this influence does come with a significant environmental cost.…
Promising results for novel orexin agonist in sleep-deprived volunteers Nxera Pharma, formerly known as Sosei Group, has announced that its partner, Centessa Pharmaceuticals, has reported encouraging interim results from a Phase 1 clinical trial of ORX750. The novel orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) agonist was tested in acutely sleep-deprived healthy volunteers. The trial revealed that ORX750…
New study highlights potential benefits of menopausal hormone therapy A recent study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry suggests that menopausal hormone therapy (HRT) may reduce the risk of psychosis relapse in menopausal women. The research, led by Bodyl Brand from the University of Oxford, in collaboration with experts from universities in the Netherlands,…
New evidence highlights AI’s potential in early lung cancer detection At the IASLC 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer in San Diego, a new study has demonstrated that AI-powered chest X-ray interpretation can identify lung nodules that may develop into early-stage lung cancers nearly three years before symptoms appear. The study, conducted at Phrapokklao Hospital’s…
Patients with relapsed multiple myeloma gain access to life-extending therapy The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has approved Tecvayli – also known as teclistamab – for patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM), making Scotland the first UK nation to accept this innovative treatment within its full licensed indication. Patients in Scotland who have received…
Critically ill individuals will benefit from futuristic tech APL, one of Sweden’s largest manufacturers of extemporaneous medicines and a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), has announced a partnership with CurifyLabs, a Finnish health tech company specializing in personalized medicine manufacturing solutions. This collaboration aims to enhance the administration of medicines to children and…
Molecular imaging agent 99mTc-maraciclatide to aid in disease prognostication Serac Healthcare, a clinical radiopharmaceutical company, and the University of Exeter have announced the commencement of a Phase II study involving a novel molecular SPECT imaging agent, 99mTc-maraciclatide. This study, named ‘PRospective Evaluation of Interstitial Lung Disease progression with quantitative CT (PREDICT-ILD)’, has successfully scanned its…
Research suggests that LLMs could be used to support trainee doctors, nurses and GPs The chatbot ChatGPT performed better than trainee doctors in assessing complex cases of respiratory disease in areas such as cystic fibrosis, asthma, and chest infections, according to a study presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Vienna, Austria. The…
Enhancing HCP engagement – on-demand strategies from Veeva Speed and relevance are crucial in interactions between biopharma companies and healthcare professionals (HCPs). Data from the Digital Health Coalition reveals that only 27% of HCPs find biopharma communications relevant and personalised. To bridge this gap, companies have turned to on-demand engagement strategies that cater to HCPs’…
AbbVie has appointed Steve Hopkinson as UK Vice President AbbVie has appointed Steve Hopkinson as Vice President and General Manager, UK. Steve will succeed Todd Manning, who retires from AbbVie after 28 years, the last five of which have been in the UK Vice President and General Manager role. Steve joined AbbVie in 2014 as UK Specialty Business Unit Director. He…
New treatment could simplify diabetes management for millions Eli Lilly and Company has announced promising results from two phase 3 clinical trials, QWINT-1 and QWINT-3, evaluating the efficacy of once-weekly insulin efsitora alfa (efsitora) in adults with type 2 diabetes. The trials demonstrated that efsitora provides a similar reduction in HbA1C levels compared to daily…
Leonie Goddard is Practice Manager, Strategic Insights at Veeva Systems Ethos Veeva is the global leader in cloud software for the life sciences industry. Committed to innovation, product excellence and customer success, Veeva serves more than 1,000 customers, ranging from the world’s largest biopharmaceutical companies to emerging biotechs. As a public benefit corporation, Veeva is…
Pre-clinical data of VTX-806 in demonstrated normalisation of metabolic parameters Vivet Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech company developing novel gene therapies for rare liver metabolic disorders, has announced that the European Commission has granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) to VTX-806, its gene therapy product for the treatment of Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis (CTX). Pre-clinical studies of VTX-806, an…
New biomarker test aims to improve early-stage melanoma treatment AMLo Biosciences has announced the successful receipt of the UKCA mark for AMBLor, a groundbreaking histopathological biomarker test for identifying early-stage melanomas at low risk of progression. This in vitro diagnostic (IVD) test can reliably stratify non-ulcerated AJCC stage I-II melanomas, potentially sparing patients from further…
Mogrify has appointed Dr Jonathan Appleby as Chief Scientific Officer Mogrify has announced the appointment of Dr Jonathan Appleby as Chief Scientific Officer. With decades of industry experience in translating both conventional and advanced therapeutic medicines, Jonathan will lead advancement of the Company’s therapeutic programmes in areas including otology, ophthalmology and diabetes toward and into clinical development. Jonathan…
Curve has appointed Simon Jones as Chief Operating Officer Curve Therapeutics has announced the appointment of Simon Jones as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer. Simon has over 20 years of experience in the biotech and pharma sector. He joins from SpyBiotech, where he headed the Finance and Operations functions, during which time the company successfully took…
Cellular Origins has appointed Geoffrey Hodge to its board Cellular Origins has announced the appointment of Geoffrey Hodge to its board as Non-Executive Director. Leveraging extensive expertise, knowledge and experience in cell therapy and biomanufacturing, Geoff’s appointment will strengthen the company’s strategic vision and technical capability to deliver accelerated growth and continued commercial success. Geoffrey was most recently…
VectorY has appointed Adam Rosenberg as the new Chair of the Board. VectorY Therapeutics has announced the appointment of Adam Rosenberg as the new Chair of the Board. Adam brings over 20 years of experience in building and leading life sciences companies, primarily in the neuroscience space. He replaces Dr Carlo Incerti who is stepping down from the…
Optibrium has appointed James Halle as Chief Commercial Officer Optibrium has announced the appointment of James Halle as Chief Commercial Officer. James brings extensive software experience in the pharma industry and will guide the commercial success of the company. With 20 years’ experience in business leadership, James will be responsible for driving global sales, marketing and customer success…
A bold new opportunity to address research challenges So, now we have a new Government, there is a new opportunity to address the challenges we have created for international collaboration in pharmaceutical research. Brexit kicked our amazing life sciences industry back decades as we lost our international standing as an intellectual powerhouse. We used to…
The partnership will improve care for patients with pancreatic cancer myTomorrows, a global health technology company connecting patients with all possible treatment options, has announced a new partnership with Pancreatic Cancer Europe, a multi-stakeholder platform that brings together experts from all over Europe to improve care for patients with pancreatic cancer. Through the new partnership,…
However the company will not continue developing the candidate Acelyrin has shared positive results from a late-stage study of its IL-17A inhibitor izokibep in hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), but has said it will not be moving forward with the asset in this indication. Estimated to affect about 1% of the population in most studied countries, HS…
The spread of multiple bacteria could be tracked simultaneously through sequencing method Using a genomic approach, researchers have developed a way to simultaneously track the spread of multiple common antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospitals. Current methods culture and sequence all pathogens separately so the new sequencing technique could help to prevent and manage hospital infections more…
Over 135,000 people have signed a petition to prioritise a national screening programme The charity Prostate Cancer Research (PCR) has launched a national campaign, calling for a screening programme to improve survival rates and quality of life for men in the UK. The ‘Proactive For Your Prostate’ campaign is calling for recent advances in prostate…
The grant will support clinical trials of rare disease therapy for leukodystrophy Oxford-based SynaptixBio has been awarded a £2m BioMedical Catalyst grant from Innovate UK to support first-in-human clinical trials of its therapeutic targeting H-ABC, the most severe form of TUBB4A leukodystrophy. In November 2023, SynaptixBio received an earlier grant from Innovate UK to expand…
The conference will be held in Basel, Switzerland from 26-28 August Press release: The Association for Medical Education in Europe AMEE 2024 conference will be held in Basel, Switzerland, from 26-28 August. The conference brings together experts and specialists in medical education and healthcare from around the world. King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre…
Most cases go undetected until an advanced stage, as the disease rarely causes early symptoms The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved Astellas Pharma’s Vyloy (zolbetuximab) as part of a first-line combination treatment for a subset of gastric cancer patients. The monoclonal antibody has been authorised for use alongside chemotherapy to treat…
200,000 people in the UK have what is considered a ‘hidden’ lung condition Bronchiectasis is the third most common lung condition in the UK but despite this, it is sometimes seen as a ‘hidden’ disease due to a lack of public awareness, investment and research. Now a multi-million-pound clinical trial is set to start in…
The company’s Cell & Gene Therapy Centre can now offer a full range of GMP services Press release: eXmoor pharma, the full-service cell and gene therapy (CGT) manufacturing partner, announced it has received a Manufacturing and Import Authorisation for Investigational Medicinal Products (MIA(IMP)) licence from the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), authorising…
Globally 400,000 children are impacted every year by cancers that include leukaemia and lymphoma UK’s Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) Children’s Charity and the Oliver Patch Project in the US have come together with Innovative Trials to form two strategic partnerships to accelerate research into childhood cancers. Innovative Trials has been working with the Oliver…
The new test takes an average of 13 hours to identify the correct treatment compared to several days with current methods Press release: QuantaMatrix, a clinical microbiology diagnostics company in Seoul, South Korea, has developed an all-in-one antimicrobial testing technology, ‘uRAST (Ultra-Rapid Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing), and the findings have been published in the scientific journal…
Osteoporosis currently affects 3.8 million people in the UK, particularly impacting older women after menopause Theramex’s Eladynos (abaloparatide) has been recommended by the National Institute for Health Care and Research (NICE) for treating bone disease after menopause. More than 14,000 people in the UK seek treatment for osteoporosis after menopause, and these patients will benefit…
In the UK study, researchers analysed 2,023 bowel cancers from the 100,000 Genomes Project Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer globally, with more than 44,000 new cases of the disease diagnosed in the UK every year. Now a study led by the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), the University of Oxford…
The contract concerns profiling Immunoglobulin E autoantibodies in blood serum Oncimmune, an autoantibody profiling company providing research services to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry to enable the delivery of precision medicine, has announced a new contract with a global pharma company. Following a successful pilot carried out for a major pharmaceutical company, Oncimmune has entered…
Children accounted for the majority of mpox cases and deaths in the DRC since June 2023 Researchers from McMaster University have received $6.7m from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to assess the effectiveness of a smallpox vaccine in providing protection against mpox after post-exposure. Beginning in…
This form of cancer was responsible for 1.9 million diagnosed cases worldwide in 2020 A study led by researchers at the University of Leeds has revealed that a new artificial intelligence (AI) test to determine the risk of recurring bowel cancers could help patients avoid chemotherapy. The findings published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology…
The study yielded over one million dose-responsive curves for existing cancer drugs Researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have successfully mapped the interactions of over 100 active substances with around 8,000 proteins to help identify previously unknown benefits of existing drugs. Published in Nature Biotechnology, researchers yielded more than one million dose-responsive curves,…
Combined, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis affect over 500,000 people in the UK Researchers from Newcastle University, Great North Children’s Hospital, Cambridge University Hospital and the universities of Cambridge and Oxford have identified a new disease-inducing mechanism for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that self-directed…
The findings could improve cancer treatment and drug delivery to treat tumours Researchers from King’s College London’s (KCL) School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging sciences, along with partners at the University of Michigan, the Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale in Paris, Norway and Germany, are using shear waves to map…
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction makes up 50% of all UK heart failure cases A study led by King’s College London (KCL) has revealed that Black patients are less likely to be underdiagnosed with a common type of heart failure when using artificial intelligence (AI), compared to in routine practice. The research, funded by…
The rare, peripheral neuropathy disease affects nearly three million people globally The CMT Research Foundation (CMTRF) has invested in a research project based at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, US, to develop new vehicles for delivering gene therapies to treat several types of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT). The new project aims to improve the treatment efficacy and safety…
The V-ATPase protein, V1H, was found to be involved in the process of raising the alarm Scientists at the Francis Crick Institute have revealed how cells ‘raise the alarm’ when acids leak out of their compartments if damaged or infected with bacteria or a virus, which could be useful in developing new drugs. The study…
A second dose of the vaccine lowered the incidence of conditions such as heart attack or stroke Researchers from the Universities of Cambridge, Bristol and Edinburgh have suggested that COVID-19 vaccinations could lower the incidence of arterial thromboses. The study, published in Nature Communications, was supported by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) Data Science Centre…
Bowel cancer was the most common cancer to be identified in both men and women Researchers from University College London (UCL) have found that common routine blood tests could be used to speed up and improve early cancer diagnosis for patients in a new study published in PLOS Medicine. Researchers analysed data from more than…
In the UK, there are an estimated 11 million people living with a neurological condition Researchers from King’s College London have developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) brain imaging model in collaboration with University College London (UCL) which is realistic and accurate enough to use in medical research. Published in Nature Medicine Intelligence, the three-dimensional,…
The study revealed that 13% of patients have a genetic form of the neurological disease A US study supported by the Parkinson’s Foundation has revealed that genetic variants associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD) are more common than researchers previously thought. The PD GENEration study published in the journal Brain has been testing for clinically relevant…
EU AI Act – challenges and opportunities for pharmaceuticals
Lung cancer accounts for an estimated two million global diagnoses and 1.8 million deaths Researchers from the University of Leeds have developed a new class of ‘magnetic vine robots’, which have the potential to transform cancer diagnosis and treatment for patients. Engineers, scientists and clinicians from the university’s STORM Lab and Future Manufacturing Processes Research…
The study predicted the development of conditions including Alzheimer’s and heart disease Researchers from the University of Edinburgh, along with commercial collaborators Optima Partners and Biogen, have revealed that artificial intelligence (AI) insights can predict a person’s disease’s development a decade in advance. Using AI and machine learning tools to identify protein patterns in the…
Type 1 diabetes accounts for approximately 10% of diabetes cases in the UK A new study led by researchers from Cardiff University, King’s College London (KCL), Swansea University and the University of Calgary has revealed that Janssen’s psoriasis drug, Stelara (ustekinumab), shows promise in treating childhood diabetes. Published in Nature Medicine and funded by a…
Researchers aim to explore and investigate axonal dysfunction in neurodegeneration The Medical Research Council and the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association have awarded researchers from King’s College London (KCL) and University College London (UCL) £3.9m to investigate an early disease pathology in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The team aims to explore…
Cardiovascular diseases currently affect around seven million people in the UK, including coronary heart disease The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has awarded five research projects more than £800,000 as part of its Healthcare Innovation Awards to improve the delivery of vital healthcare for patients. Comprising artificial intelligence (AI) and stethoscopes to offer digital access to…
Neurological conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, are the leading cause of ill health globally Researchers from the University of Glasgow, in collaboration with Tel Aviv University, along with international researchers, have revealed that brain parasites could be used to deliver drugs to the brain to treat cognitive disorders. In the study published in Nature Microbiology, researchers…
Bowel cancer, the third most common cancer type worldwide, is the second most common cause of cancer death Researchers from ETH Zurich, Switzerland, have revealed how colorectal cancer cells colonise the liver, which could help to develop future treatments that can be a hindrance to the formation of often fatal metastases. The study published in…
Head and neck cancer is currently recognised as the sixth most common cancer globally Researchers from Guy’s and St Thomas’ and King’s College London (KCL) have revealed a certain type of bacteria is toxic for head and neck cancer and could potentially lead to better outcomes for patients. Published in Cancer Communications, the research was…
Cancer is estimated to affect more than three million people living in the UK, according to Macmillan Cancer Support Researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have revealed in a study that CAR-enhancer (CAR-E) therapy could help patients overcome cancer relapse. In the findings published in Nature Biotechnology, researchers report on a technique to prevent relapse…
The third leading cause of cancer mortality accounts for over 700,000 deaths every year A study conducted by researchers from the National Cancer Institute (NIH) has revealed that non-statin cholesterol drugs could reduce the risk of liver cancer. Published in the American Cancer Society’s CANCER, researchers looked for associations between five types of non-stain cholesterol-lowering…
Combined, ovarian and breast cancer affect over 60,000 women in the UK every year Researchers from Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) have revealed that women treated for ovarian cancer caused by an inherited fault gene have a lower risk of developing breast cancer following treatment. The study published in Genetics in Medicine was supported…
The collaboration aims to develop new medicines to reduce chronic kidney disease in Scotland NHS Scotland, AstraZeneca (AZ) and the Universities of Glasgow and Dundee have entered into a partnership to accelerate research into treating chronic kidney disease (CKD). The collaboration aims to develop new medicines to slow down the progression of CKD, build infrastructure…
The latest collaboration marks Apollo’s sixth agreement with a research institution Apollo Therapeutics and the University of Oxford have entered into a drug discovery and development collaboration to translate breakthroughs by biomedical researchers at Oxford. As part of the deal, Apollo will identify and assess novel, validated therapeutic targets from Oxford’s researchers to potentially become…
Quantum-based technologies will explore infectious diseases, cancer and dementia The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has announced the launch of two new hubs to be delivered by Imperial College London (ICL), the Universities of Cambridge and Birmingham, to transform early disease diagnosis in the UK. These hubs are supported as part of a…
The rapidly progressive neurological condition affects around 5,000 people in the UK Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) and Dementias Platforms UK (DPUK) have received £2m in funding to launch a new initiative to accelerate motor neurone disease research. Supported by the UK Dementia Research Institute, the MND Research Data Catalyst is funded by the…
The findings could support investigations into human genetics and various complex diseases Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the University of Cambridge and AstraZeneca have revealed new insights into widespread ‘gene misbehaviour’ in healthy populations. The study published in the American Journal of Human Genetics reveals how the human genetic code operates, which could support…
The neurodegenerative condition is recognised as the most common form of dementia A study conducted by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has revealed how specific cells and circuits become vulnerable and resilient to cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), despite clear signs of disease pathology. Published in Nature, researchers measured gene expression…
Coronary heart disease is the most common form of heart and circulatory disease Researchers from the University of Edinburgh, in collaboration with Heriot-Watt University, have revealed that artificial blood vessels printed using novel 3D printing technology could transform the treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The findings published in Advanced Materials Technologies demonstrate that artificial blood…
The life-threatening medical condition affects 100,000 people in the UK every year Researchers from Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) and the University of Bristol have revealed two proteins that could contribute to stroke recurrence or other major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). Published in Stroke, the study has identified new genetic markers in inflammation…
The truth hurts. B2B healthcare advertising frequently misses the mark. As someone who leads a healthcare division at a creative agency, that’s hard for me to say, but it’s not just me saying it. I recently sat down with a group of primary and secondary physicians for a no-holds-barred discussion on how Pharma and MedTech…
Affecting over 250,000 people, bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK Researchers from Imperial College London have revealed that a single screening test can reduce bowel cancer deaths by a quarter, as well as the chances of developing bowel cancer, for up to 21 years. Published in The Lancet Gastroenterology and…
Conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s affect over one million people in the UK Researchers from King’s College London (KCL), along with other collaborators, have found that ageing cells could reveal early signs of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Published in Aging Cell, the findings could provide a wider picture of…
Researchers predicted the onset of 67 diseases, out-performing current standard models A study conducted in partnership between University College London (UCL), GSK, Queen Mary University of London, Cambridge University and the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité Universitätsmedizin, Germany, has revealed that proteins in the blood could predict the onset of many diverse diseases. The…
The new Human Gut Microbiome Atlas could help treat conditions including IBS and AMR Researchers from King’s College London (KCL) have developed a new gut microbiome atlas in collaboration with MetaGenoPolis and the Science for Life Laboratory to help better understand how microorganisms in the gut impact disease. Published in Genome Research, the Human Gut…
The research will help to better understand how this pathway is coordinated in the cell The Medical Research Council (MRC) has awarded £1.2m to Giulia Zanetti, head of the Membrane Architecture Laboratory at the Francis Crick Institute, University College London and Birkbeck College, to understand complex secretory processes inside animal cells. Using advanced microscopy techniques,…
The neurodegenerative disease is currently the most common cause of dementia A study led by the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) and University College London (UCL) has suggested targeting amyloid beta production in one cell type in the brain could improve early disease outcomes, with fewer side effects, in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Published in…
Cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease, currently affects around seven million people in the UK A new study published in Nature Medicine, led by the University of Birmingham’s cardAIc group, has revealed that over-the-counter wearable trackers provide clinically useful information for patients living with heart disease. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) – conditions that affect the heart…
Primary sclerosing cholangitis is estimated to affect one in 100,000 people worldwide annually A new clinical trial led by the University of Birmingham aims to determine whether faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) can correct gut microbiome imbalances in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a rare liver disease. If successful, the new treatment could offer PSC patients an…
Accreditation recognises ‘continued professional development’ opportunities As part of the Healthcare Communications Association’s partnership with this year’s PharmaTimes Communications Awards, we can now confirm that the competition has been HCA CPD Accredited. HCA CPD Accreditation recognises and endorses quality ‘continued professional development’ opportunities within our sector, awarding them HCA CPD Accredited status. Following the prestigious…
LT-HSCs replenish blood cells after treatment for blood cancers, such as leukaemia Scientists from the University of Glasgow have developed the first bioengineered bone marrow model that supports human stem cells, which are crucial for bone marrow transplants and in vitro study work. Published in Nature Communications, the new model replicates the key aspects of…
Chronic pelvic pain is a disabling condition that affects around one in four women worldwide A study led by the University of Edinburgh in collaboration with the University of Oxford has found that a pain gene carried by women with chronic pelvic pain makes them more likely to respond well to Pfizer’s painkilling drug, Neurontin…
The most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in the UK leads to over 12,000 annual deaths A study led by researchers from the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and the Royal Marden NHS Foundation Trust has revealed a new tool that can predict the recurrence of prostate cancer more than a decade ahead. Published in…
The new technology can generate a target infection within 30 minutes to two hours Researchers from McMaster University, with support from experts at Université Laval, Canada, have developed a new way to make lifesaving bacteriophages (phages) easier to use, more transportable and more accessible to patients who need them most. A phage, commonly used in…
Exonate has appointed Dr Rafiq Hasan as Non-Executive Director. Exonate has announced the expansion of its Board with the appointment of Dr Rafiq Hasan as Non-Executive Director. Rafiq brings extensive expertise in ophthalmology, specifically within the diabetic eye disease sector, from his years in global pharmaceutical businesses. The appointment further strengthens the Board of Directors as the Company continues to…
Almost 50% of adults living with type 1 diabetes experience high levels of diabetes distress The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and Diabetes UK have partnered, investing nearly £3m, to develop research to treat and prevent type 1 diabetes (T1D) distress. The new funding, awarded to Professor Jackie Sturt at King’s College…
Affecting parts of the body involving breathing, RTIs impact one in five people in England A new trial led by researchers from the University of Southampton in partnership with the University of Bristol has revealed that over-the-counter nasal sprays could help to reduce upper respiratory tract infections (RTIs), as well as the use of antibiotics.…
The serious, rare condition is responsible for up to 7% of all neonatal deaths globally Researchers from the University of Birmingham are developing a new blood-free test to help identify children across the Global South missing immunity to tetanus and other essential vaccines. Supported by £1.1m of funding by the Medical Research Council, the low-cost,…
The progressive neurodegenerative disease affects more than 55 million people globally Innovate UK has awarded £4m through its Contracts for Innovation to four UK companies for research into dementia diagnosis. As part of the Bio-Hermes-002 study led by the US-based Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation (GAP) in partnership with Novo Nordisk, the organisations will evaluate blood-based…
The awards celebrated both medical affairs and nursing professionals in the industry The PharmaTimes Medical & Scientific Awards (MSEA) and the Nursing Industry Excellence Awards (NIEA) celebrated professionals within medical affairs and the outstanding work of nursing professionals in the industry on 11 July. Taking place at the Royal Horseguards Hotel in London, the event…
Macmillan Cancer Support estimates that cancer affects over three million people in the UK A new policy review produced by cancer doctors and experts from across the UK, including King’s College London (KCL), has revealed the ten biggest cancer challenges facing the new UK government. Published in the Lancet Oncology, the review highlights the time-critical…
The ESRC EquaDem Network Plus aims to improve disparities in diagnosis and care Dementia researchers from the University of Liverpool have been awarded £1.5m to establish the first-ever national network for dementia inequalities in diagnosis and care. The new network is just one of four dementia networks that have benefited from £5.5m funding from the…
The neurodegenerative condition currently affects more than 944,000 people in the UK University College London (UCL) and the University of Exeter are set to co-lead a new national Dementia Network Plus initiative supported by more than £1.7m in funding. The Sustainable Prevention, Innovation and Involvement NETwork (SPIINNET) will help to reduce dementia risk and improve…
Around one in five dementia hospitalisations are due to potentially preventable causes The UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI), in collaboration with the NHS, aims to conduct a new two-year study to prepare its digitally-enabled dementia care platform, Minder, to be integrated into health and social care services. Funded by LifeArc, the study will enable…
The serious, progressive kidney disease affects nearly 850 million people worldwide The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has accepted Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly’s Jardiance (empagliflozin) for use within NHS Scotland to treat adult patients living with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The regulator has indicated the therapy for adult CKD patients who are receiving optimised standard…
Myricx Bio’s therapies include treatments for breast, lung and colorectal cancer The Francis Crick Institute and Imperial College London (ICL) cancer therapy spinout, Myricx Bio, has raised £90m in series A financing to advance its novel cancer treatments into clinical development. The investment will help to develop the company’s therapies to treat a range of…
The progressive neurodegenerative condition affects around 153,000 people in the UK Mission Therapeutics has been awarded $5.2m in funding from Parkinson’s UK’s Virtual Biotech programme and the Michael J. Fox Foundation to advance a potential treatment for early-stage Parkinson’s disease (PD). The funding will help support the company’s ongoing phase 1 programme, which consists of…
More than 176,000 people in the UK are living with a stoma, according to NHS data Coloplast has announced the launch of its world-first digital leakage notification system, Heylo, to benefit patients living with a stoma. The new system is now available through the NHS to help alleviate the physical and mental burden of leakage…
Affecting around 3,755 young people in the UK every year, leukaemia is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in children Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, Great Ormond Street Hospital and the University of Cambridge have revealed that whole genome sequencing (WGS) can improve the clinical care of children with cancer.…
Frontier Science Scotland appoints Prof Bjoern Schelter as a Director to its Board of Trustees Frontier Science Scotland has announced the appointment of Professor Bjoern Schelter as a new Director to its Board of Trustees. Bjoern brings valuable strategic insights into the Company’s core capabilities across clinical trials including data management, biostatistical analysis and quality assurance. Bjoern is CEO of…
The neurodegenerative disease currently affects more than 200,000 people worldwide NeuroSense Therapeutics has announced positive mid-stage results of its lead drug candidate, PrimeC, in people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The phase 2b PARADIGM study has been evaluating PrimeC, a fixed-dose combination of two US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs, Bayer’s ciprofloxacin, a…
Pneumococcus is the leading cause of pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis worldwide A study, published in Nature, has revealed a new way to map the spread and evolution of pathogens, as well as their response to vaccines and antibiotics, using anonymised mobile phone data, to help predict and prevent future outbreaks. The study involved researchers from…
The progressive neurological condition affects around 153,000 people in the UK Herantis Pharma has been awarded €3.6m in funding from Parkinson’s UK’s Virtual Biotech programme and the Michael J. Fox Foundation to finance its early-stage clinical trial in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and its ongoing biomarker project. The phase 1b clinical trial is evaluating the tolerability…
Aggressive prostate cancer accounts for up to 15% of all prostate cancer diagnoses Scientists from the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) have revealed new inherited genetic mutations in a long-term study that are associated with aggressive prostate cancer. Published in the European Urology Oncology, findings from the UK Genetic Prostate Cancer Study (UKGPCS ) could…
Chronic migraine is a neurological condition estimated to affect up to 2.2% of people globally A study led by researchers at King’s College London (KCL) and funded by AbbVie has revealed that a headache drug helps to prevent the overuse of acute migraine medication. Published in Neurology, AbbVie’s Qulipta (atogepant) was shown to be effective…
Dementias, including Alzheimer’s disease, are estimated to affect 944,000 people in the UK Researchers from University College London (UCL) have revealed that cardiovascular health could be the biggest risk factor associated with future dementia. Published in the Lancet Public Health, the study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s Three Schools’…
Kronos Bio has appointed Deborah Knobelman as Chief Operating Officer Kronos Bio has appointed Deborah Knobelman as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. She will oversee the finance, accounting, business development, investor relations and corporate strategy functions. Deborah was previously Chief Financial Officer and head of corporate development for Senti Bio, a biotechnology company that utilised a synthetic biology platform…
As research advances, allowing scientists to more clearly pinpoint the underlying causes of disease, new drugs are becoming more precise and highly targeted. At the same time, regulatory requirements in clinical development have become more stringent, with new therapies having to meet more specific criteria before they are approved. Keeping pace with this evolving landscape…
The challenge of continuously raising prostate cancer awareness
Weight loss drugs are the word on the street and it’s getting serious With all the noise surrounding ‘miracle’ weight loss drugs recently, it is easy to lose sight of their clinical implications – for good and ill. First, the good. Without question, GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 R+) have had a significant clinical impact, improving…
The neurodegenerative condition currently affects around 153,000 people in the UK Parkinson’s UK has awarded nearly £100,000 to researchers at Imperial College London (ICL) to develop a new drug for Parkinson’s disease (PD) through the charity’s drug accelerator award grant scheme. Researchers will use a computer-based programme to simulate good targets for new drugs to…
The study found an increase in incidence among young people and people from deprived areas A study conducted by European researchers from the University of Glasgow, the University of Oxford, KU Leuven and the University of Leicester has revealed the shifting trends and persistent challenges in heart health and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the UK.…
Lennox-Gastaut syndrome affects up to 5% of children living with paediatric epilepsy A new study sponsored by University College London (UCL) has begun, making it the UK’s first ever deep brain stimulation (DBS) trial for children with epilepsy. In collaboration between Great Ormond Street Hospital, UCL, King’s College London, the University of Oxford and Amber…
Langerhans cell histiocytosis currently affects around one in 200,000 children in the UK A new collaboration between Newcastle University, the Wellcome Sanger Institute (Sanger) and the SKAN Research Trust (SKAN) aims to investigate early mutations in blood stem cells for a rare blood disorder. The research project aims to use advanced stem cell genomic analysis…
AD is the most common form of dementia, which affects over 944,000 people in the UK Researchers from the University of Sheffield’s Institute of Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) and scientists from the UK Dementia Research Institute, Cambridge, have revealed how a protein interaction with a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) can increase the risk of developing…
The initiative’s proposals aim to tackle current challenges in health research and innovation The Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) has launched a new call for proposals, which include topics on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and arthritis, as part of the total budget worth €96.5m to tackle challenges in health research and innovation. As part of the total…
An estimated 27% of patients globally living with diabetes will be affected by retinopathy A study conducted by Oxford Population Health has demonstrated that a cholesterol-lowering drug could help reduce the risk of eye disease in people living with diabetes. The Lowering Events in Non-proliferative retinopathy in Scotland (LENS) trial has been investigating the effect…
Atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries affect 42% of adults living without heart disease Researchers from the University of Bristol have revealed a new disease-driving mechanism that could help treat the development of atherosclerosis. The new therapeutic, IMSET, is being developed by researchers at the Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences (THS) and is being supported…
The initiative aims to improve African pandemics, outbreaks, preparedness and responses The EU, its Member States and European financial institutions have announced a more than €750m contribution to the newly launched African Vaccines Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA) as part of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy. Over the next decade, the AVMA aims to purchase more than…
The manifesto calls on the next UK government to make dementia a key health priority Alzheimer’s Society, Dementia UK, Alzheimer’s Research UK, the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) and Alzheimer Scotland have collaborated to create a new manifesto for dementia, ahead of the 2024 general election (4 July). The new manifesto, ‘Dementia: a manifesto’,…
Medulloblastoma is responsible for around 52 new cases in children in the UK every year A new study led by Newcastle University and the University of Birmingham has revealed that a new ten-minute brain scan could reduce diagnosis waiting times for paediatrics living with brain cancer. Published in eBioMedicine, the study was funded by Children…
Cancer was estimated to be responsible for more than 18 million cases worldwide in 2020 Leuko, founded by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has developed an at-home white blood cell monitor to help doctors non-invasively monitor cancer patients’ health during chemotherapy. The PointCheck device provides an easy-to-use way of recording immune health…
According to WHO, cardiovascular diseases are responsible for 17.9 million annual deaths Researchers from Innsbruck Medical University, Austria, have developed a new treatment that could regenerate the heart tissue of patients following bypass surgery. Published in the European Heart Journal, the study was funded by the VASCage Research Centre on Vascular Ageing and Stroke, along…
The method provides a more accurate and ethical approach to drug testing for medicines Researchers from King’s College London (KCL) have created a mini lab-grown liver model that promises a new, more effective and ethical way of drug testing for medicines. Uniquely created using liver cells combined with synthetic nanoscaffolds, the approach offers a promising…
The lifelong inflammatory bowel disease affects around one in every 350 people in the UK Researchers from the University of Cambridge have grown ‘mini-guts’ in the lab to help understand and identify the best treatment for patients living with Crohn’s disease. Published in the journal Gut, researchers used cells from inflamed guts to grow more…
The progressive neurodegenerative condition affects more than ten million people worldwide Researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine have revealed that a cancer drug could be used to target a Parkinson’s disease (PD)-causing protein that drives the spread of alpha-synuclein, a key hallmark of the neurological condition. Published in Nature Communications, the study reveals how the protein…
The serious condition is responsible for approximately 11 million deaths worldwide every year Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the University of Oxford and collaborators have revealed that genetic makeup could help determine the best treatment options for sepsis patients. Published in Cell Genomics, findings from the study could potentially lead to the development of…
Congenital melanocytic naevus syndrome can cover up to 80% of the bodies of children Researchers from the Francis Crick Institute, University College London (UCL) Great Ormond Street Institute for Child Health and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH) have created a new genetic therapy to alleviate debilitating moles in a rare skin condition. Published…
Stroke causes over seven million new cases annually, ranking second in leading global mortality Researchers from King’s College London (KCL) and the University of Helsinki, Finland, have identified a link between gum disease and young-onset stroke in patients. Recently published in the Journal of Dental Research, the study revealed that severe gum disease, otherwise known…
The progressive neurological disorder currently affects more than 200,000 people worldwide The University Medical Center (UMC) Utrecht, Netherlands, has announced that it has enrolled its first patient in a new study to identify biomarkers of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), in collaboration with VectorY Therapeutics. Findings from the longitudinal study could support the development of VectorY’s…
The installation will double the capacity of cancer genomic testing using robotic automation The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust has launched the UK’s first ever genome testing facility at the Sharjah Clinical Genomics Laboratory in the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s Centre for Molecular Pathology, Royal Marsden, to increase genomic testing capacity for…
NSCLC accounts for around 85% of all lung cancer cases, particularly in non-smoking patients Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute, University College London (UCL) and AstraZeneca (AZ) have revealed why targeted treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) fails for some cancer patients. Published in Nature Communications, the study demonstrated how lung cancer cells with…
AMR is designated as one of the top ten global public health threats facing humanity by WHO Sysmex Astrego AB, a subsidiary of Sysmex Corporation, has been awarded the UK’s Longitude Prize on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) for the development of its rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing technology, the PA-100 AST System, to tackle the global threat…
Technology is key to recruiting and retaining clinical trial participants
The donation will help scientists and clinicians collaborate and make new advances in research Imperial College London (ICL) has received a £10m donation from the Victor Dahdaleh Charitable Foundation to advance heart and lung research at ICL’s Hammersmith Hospital Campus. The donation will help to refurbish the Dr Victor Phillip Dahdaleh building and create the…
Two support cells, microglia and astrocytes, were found to communicate with each other Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute, University College London’s UK Dementia Research Institute and the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research have revealed how brain cell communication is linked to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Using mouse models with AD, the study…
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease are responsible for more than 30 million cases globally Lucy Therapeutics (LucyTx) has announced it has raised $12.5m in additional funding to develop potentially new drugs and advance the company’s research programmes for neurological diseases. The funding, provided by existing investors, Engine Ventures and Safar Partners, with recent participation from the…
The leading cause of cancer globally accounts for an estimated 1.8 million deaths annually Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and other institutions have developed and validated a liquid biopsy test using artificial intelligence (AI) to help identify lung cancer earlier. The new study published in Cancer Discovery demonstrated that the new blood…
Accounting for 4% of all cases, kidney cancer is currently the sixth most common cancer diagnosed in the UK The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and OncoHost have partnered to research and identify biomarkers for renal cell carcinoma (RCC), a form of kidney cancer. The collaboration aims to create a proteomic plasma profile by providing OncoHost with…
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a rare condition that affects up to 1,000 children in the UK Researchers from University College London (UCL) and Great Ormond Street Hospital have developed a new blood test that could identify children with a potentially fatal, hereditary heart condition. The research, co-funded by LifeArc and Action Medical Research, was published in…
What can pharma do to proactively take on climate change?
Phase 2 trial reveals significant improvement in MASH patients Boehringer Ingelheim has unveiled promising results from a Phase II trial of survodutide, demonstrating a notable improvement in liver fibrosis among patients. The sub-analysis indicated that up to 64.5% of adults with moderate to advanced scarring (fibrosis stages F2 and F3) experienced an improvement without worsening…
Early-stage endometriosis now visible through non-invasive imaging In a significant advancement for endometriosis diagnosis, Serac Healthcare, in collaboration with the University of Oxford, has presented new data showcasing the effectiveness of 99mTc-maraciclatide in imaging the earliest stage of the disease. The DETECT study’s findings, presented by Dr. Tatjana Gibbons at the European Endometriosis Congress, reveal…
Innovative antibody discovery could lead to new Parkinson’s treatments Cambridge-based Alchemab Therapeutics has been awarded a substantial grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation to propel its research into Parkinson’s disease (PD). The $595,000 grant will support Alchemab’s exploration of antibodies targeting prostaglandin biology, a novel approach that could transform PD treatment. Alchemab’s research focuses…
Inebilizumab shows sound efficacy in landmark research Amgen has announced a breakthrough in the treatment of Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) with its phase 3 clinical trial of inebilizumab showing an 87% reduction in disease flares. This significant result marks the first randomized, placebo-controlled trial to demonstrate a benefit in IgG4-RD, a rare and often devastating…
Extended phase 2 study highlights macrophage cell therapy’s efficacy Resolution Therapeutics Limited, in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, has presented compelling clinical data at the EASL Congress 2024 in Milan, Italy, showcasing the significant potential of macrophage cell therapy for treating advanced liver cirrhosis. The MATCH Phase 2 study, led by Dr Paul Brennan…
Phase 3 research suggests a significant leap forward in myeloma management Sanofi’s Sarclisa, a novel treatment for multiple myeloma, has demonstrated a substantial improvement in progression-free survival for patients ineligible for transplant. The phase 3 IMROZ study revealed that Sarclisa (also known as isatuximab), combined with a VRd regimen, reduced the risk of disease progression…
Positive clinical data from phase 1 study presented at ASCO annual meeting invoX Pharma Limited has presented updated findings from its phase 1 study of FS222, showcasing significant anti-tumour activity in patients with advanced solid tumours. The data, revealed at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, highlights FS222’s potential as a ground-breaking…
Collaboration yields promising Barriolide therapy Enterothelin EpiEndo Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, and AlveoliX, an innovator in organ-on-chip technology, have announced significant advancements in their joint project, the EpicoliX Project, to develop a novel treatment for ulcerative colitis (UC). Supported by Eurostars, the Icelandic Technology Development Fund, and Innosuisse, the project has identified Enterothelin, a…
The platform will be used to diagnose and treat cancers, including lung and brain tumours A new international study led by King’s College London (KCL) researchers is developing a radiotheranostic platform called SMARTdrugs for the diagnosis and treatment of aggressive forms of cancer. With partners in Munich, Zurich, San Sebastian and Utrecht, the study has…
Bone cancer affects more than 150,000 people in the UK and is often resistant to chemotherapy A new type of immunotherapy developed by researchers from University College London (UCL) has demonstrated promising preclinical results in treating bone cancer. Published in Science Translational Medicine, the OPS-gdT treatment platform outperformed conventional immunotherapy when controlling the growth of…
The CVLP platform will speed up access to BioNTech and Genentech’s mRNA personalised cancer vaccines The NHS has announced that it has treated its first patient in England with a personalised cancer vaccine in a clinical trial as part of NHS England’s new Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad (CVLP). Following the launch of the trial, thousands…
The projects will focus on a range of research areas, including Down’s syndrome and ALS The Francis Crick Institute has announced six new partnerships with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with support from the Medical Research Council (MRC) focused on innovative discovery projects led by Crick researchers. Supported by an MRC Business Engagement Fund Award,…
Affecting the immune system, various forms of SCID are estimated to affect one in 75,000 to 100,000 newborns A new study led by Newcastle University has identified the genetic changes that are responsible for rare childhood immune disorders that can leave newborns with little to no immune defence against infections. Published in Science Immunology, the…
The first phase of the programme will be in place in hospitals across the UK by March 2025 The NHS has announced the roll out of Martha’s Rule across 143 hospital sites across the UK to test its implementation as part of a major patient safety initiative by March 2025. The scheme is named after…
The proposals will help MedTech developers access NHS funding to fast-track products NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have announced a new plan to adopt innovative medical technologies to provide faster access to NICE-recommended products and improve patient outcomes. The proposals set out a route for MedTech developers to…
Affecting more than 7 million people in the UK, cardiovascular diseases are conditions that affect the heart or circulation The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has awarded a total of £35m in funding to nine universities across the UK to help strengthen world-leading cardiovascular disease research. Provided through BHF’s Research Excellence Awards scheme, the funding will…
The MRC BRC and the MDU will use the funding and cutting-edge research to improve public health until March 2029 The Medical Research Council (MRC) has awarded two medical research units based at the University of Cambridge a total of £30m in funding for the next five years. Scientists based at the MRC Biostatistics Unit…
The project will validate two minimally invasive biomarkers for ALS: MMP-9 and TIMP-1 LifeArc and the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI) have partnered to identify, validate and develop new clinical tools for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and motor neurone disease (MND) prognosis and drug development. As part of LifeArc’s MND Translational Challenge, the project…
JHU083 reduced tumour growth and triggered tumour cell death in mice Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery have revealed that a novel therapy can reprogramme immune cells to shrink hard-to-treat prostate and bladder cancers. Published in the journal Cancer Immunology Research, researchers found that the drug, JHU083, reduced…
The conference will take place on 23 to 24 October at Vienna AirportCity FlyPharma Vienna 2024’s agenda is now live on the conference website. As the global pharmaceutical landscape continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, FlyPharma remains at the forefront, set to address the critical collaboration of pharmaceuticals and air cargo. The highly anticipated…
The lifelong autoimmune disease affects more than 150,000 people living in the UK A new King’s Doctoral Training Centre at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London (KCL) has been launched to investigate symptom management for multiple sclerosis (MS) without using drugs. Funded by the MS Society, the new training…
Why a global approach can accelerate innovation Rare diseases are a global public health priority: approximately 400 million people are affected across the globe1 and many conditions are progressive, life-limiting and incurable. The journey to diagnosis may take five years or more2 and there are no meaningful treatments for 90% of the 10,000 different rare…
Navigating regulatory and safety hurdles in global clinical trials In the dynamic global drug development industry, achieving success requires more than just innovative therapies – it demands meticulous planning and steadfast adherence to regulatory and safety standards. For executives in small- to mid-sized pharmaceutical or biotech companies, the journey from concept to market launch is…
Patient-centricity, involvement or engagement? Greater patient-centricity in the medicines research and development process can benefit everyone, from patients to industry to policymakers. There are growing calls to action from the public and within pharma, and many are taking active steps to achieve it. However, industry approaches are still fragmented and inconsistent. In the complex and…
A shift in collaborative academia-industry clinical trials The collective landscape of academia-industry clinical trials is undergoing a period of transformation in response to last year’s O’Shaughnessy Review. Birmingham – a prominent hub for clinical trials – is spearheading this change through the University of Birmingham’s Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit (CRCTU) and the Precision…
BOBI Awards 2024 – celebrating excellence in healthcare business insights The BHBIA has recognised the achievements of the UK’s healthcare business insights industry at this year’s Best of Business Intelligence (BOBI) Awards Ceremony, which took place at the Hilton London Wembley.BOBI Chair, Wilf Iliffe, from 14 Four Analytics and Boehringer Ingelheim’s Kelly West compèred the…
The partnership will provide six MRC clinical fellows with industry placement opportunities The Medical Research Council (MRC) and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca (AZ) have partnered to provide six MRC clinical fellows with industry placement opportunities for clinical research. As part of AZ’s BioPharmaceuticals Research and Development (R&D) business, the partnership aims to help the UK further…
High-grade gliomas are rare, malignant tumours which account for up to 12% of all childhood brain tumours Researchers in the US and UK are exploring a new type of cancer treatment as part of a £1.1m funded project by combining a herpes virus with a cancer vaccine to cure brain cancer in children. The project…
The nanocage technology combines both mRNA and traditional virus-based vaccines to create virus-like efficacious vaccines A new technology developed by researchers from King’s College London (KCL) could provide a new way of delivering drugs to advance next-generation treatments to prevent and treat a variety of diseases. Published in the nanotechnology journal Small, the ‘plug and…
Currently the third most common cancer in the UK, lung cancer affects 40,000 people annually Researchers from the University of Liverpool and Queen Mary University of London have demonstrated further evidence of the benefits of lung cancer screening across socioeconomic groups in a new study published in Lancet Regional Health Europe. Funded by the National…
The network will support the development, evaluation and adoption of innovative health and care technology The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has awarded an NIHR HealthTech Research Centre (HRC) Network £5m to provide national coordination and leadership for NIHR HRCs to advance health innovations. Hosted by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust…
The funding aims to reduce health inequalities in these groups and save more lives The Community Grants Programme led by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) has dedicated £600,000 to address the shortage of organ and blood donors from black, Asian and mixed ethnic backgrounds. The funding builds on the ongoing commitment by the government and…
Both drugs have the potential to offer a disease-modifying approach to the lung disease Vicore Pharma and Endeavor BioMedicines have shared new data from two mid-stage clinical trials of two therapies that show promise in treating patients living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Vicore’s buloxibutid and Endeavor’s ENV-101 could provide new ways of treating this…
Globally affecting 4% of the population, autoimmune diseases mistakenly attack healthy cells, tissues and organs in the body Researchers from King’s College London’s (KCL) Peter Gorer department of immunobiology have identified key features of autoimmune diseases that are present in the gut at sites where bacteria normally meet the immune system. The study revealed that…
Spread through Anopheles mosquitoes, the disease affected around 249 million people globally in 2022 Researchers from the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Interdisciplinary Research Group (IRG) at Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, have identified a link…
Areas include health research across life stages, from paediatrics to health ageing and resilience The University of Liverpool and McMaster University have announced an institutional strategic partnership, offering £300,000 in seed funding to nine selected projects to support the development of collaborations in key areas of research. The areas of research include health research across…
The OptiZest study aims to investigate a personalised dose of Zestril in these patients Closed Loop Medicine and Pharmanovia have announced the initiation of a new study and patient recruitment to investigate a precision medicine combination therapy in patients living with hypertension. Supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the OptiZest study…
The cardiovascular disease, pulmonary arterial hypertension, affects around 6,500 people in the UK Researchers from Imperial College London (ICL), the Alan Turing Institute and the Universities of Sheffield and Nottingham are aiming to develop and test the first-ever ‘digital twin’ heart models for chronically ill NHS pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients to determine whether they…
The condition is the ninth most common cancer in the UK and affects 12,300 people annually The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission (TJBCM) have announced a new innovative package of research funding to stimulate brain tumour research in adults, children and young people. The announcement…
The autoimmune disease, which affects 1.5 million people in the US, causes the body’s immune system to attack its own tissues Researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine have revealed that certain combinations of antiviral proteins are responsible for symptoms and affect treatment outcomes for patients with lupus. Published in Cell Reports Medicine, researchers suggest that the…
Heart failure is a cardiovascular disease that affects more than 64 million people worldwide A study led by researchers from the University of Glasgow has revealed that a brand-new heart failure monitoring device could be used to monitor patients and help prevent hospital admissions. Published in the European Journal of Heart Failure and presented at…
More than 3,000 people in England were affected by Strep A between September 2022 and May 2023 A new analysis led by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Imperial College London (ICL) has confirmed that a variant called M1UK played a key role in the global increase of group A Streptococcus (Strep A) infections.…
Both awards are open for entry until 17 May 2024 and the live awards ceremony will take place on 11 July 2024 PharmaTimes is excited to announce the re-launch of two exciting awards: the Medical & Scientific Awards (MSEA) and the Nursing Industry Excellence Awards (NIEA), which will both culminate in an awards ceremony on…
Bioluminescence used MRI to observe the dilation of luciferase in engineered blood vessels Engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a new technique using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect light deep in the brain, which could benefit future studies of the development and communication of brain cells. Published in Nature Biomedical…
The sandbox will help to inform future AI Airlock projects and influence future AlaMD guidance The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has launched AI Airlock, a new regulatory sandbox, to address the challenges of regulating medical devices that use artificial intelligence (AI). In alignment with the regulator’s goal for the UK to be…
For the second month in a row, the NHS has met the 28-day faster diagnosis target for cancer The NHS has announced, for the second month in a row, that it has met the 28-day faster diagnosis target for cancer as well as faster ambulance responses to call outs compared to March 2024. The announcement…
The subtype accounts for 20% of all T-cell leukaemias, a rare form of blood cancer which produces too many abnormal T-cells OneChain Immunotherapeutics (OCI), a biotechnology company that specialises in developing CAR T cell therapies for oncological diseases, has announced that the CARxALL clinical trial has dosed its first cortical T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (coT-ALL)…
Anticancer drugs will be responsible for 90% of nearly 612,000 predicted US cancer deaths in 2024 Oregon Therapeutics and Lantern Pharma have entered into a strategic artificial intelligence (AI)-driven collaboration to optimise the development of a protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) inhibitor drug candidate for a variety of novel and targeted cancer indications. XCE853 is being…
Gossamer’s seralutinib is designed to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension and other indications Chiesi Group and Gossamer Bio have announced a global collaboration and license agreement to develop and commercialise seralutinib to treat respiratory diseases. Chiesi will support Gossamer’s ongoing work for seralutinib in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), as well as its development in pulmonary hypertension…
The findings could potentially lead to new therapies and could stop the growth of cancers Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists have revealed a molecular pathway that lures cells down a path of genome duplication, a hallmark of cancer cells, which could potentially lead to new therapies and could stop the growth of cancers. Published in Science,…
The rare and fatal progressive neurodegenerative disease is estimated to affect 5,000 people in the UK The Francis Crick Institute and Broken String Biosciences have announced a new collaboration to advance research in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The partnership aims to advance the understanding of genomic instability in the development of the neurodegenerative disease. Affecting…
The chronic brain disease that causes seizures currently affects around 600,000 people living in the UK The NHS has announced that it will be rolling out a new laser beam therapy this June to help prevent seizures in patients living with epilepsy. The new fibre optic laser therapy called laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) works…
The INTerpath-001 trial is evaluating Moderna/Merck’s mRNA-4157 in combination with Merck’s Keytruda A phase 3 international trial evaluating a new personalised immunotherapy treatment for melanoma has recruited its first patients at University College London Hospitals (UCLH) NHS Foundation Trust. Results from the phase 2 study evaluating Moderna and Merck & Co’s – known as MSD…
Neurological disorders, such as epilepsy or chronic pain, affect over three billion people worldwide Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed small, flexible devices, combining electronics and soft robotics, to help treat a range of neurological conditions, including epilepsy and chronic pain. Published in Nature Materials, the nerve cuff implant has the ability to…
Despite ever increasing funding, clinical trials in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) continue to struggle. PBC is an often silent, rare disease which means recruitment can be slow, impeding enrolment timelines and reducing the ability of researchers to develop new treatments. What is PBC? PBC is an autoimmune condition affecting a person’s bile ducts and liver.…
Bacteroides fragilis in the gut improves immunity and immunotherapy treatment responses Researchers from the Francis Crick Institute, the National Cancer Institute of the US National Institutes of Health and Aalborg University in Denmark have revealed that vitamin D encourages the growth of a type of gut bacteria in mice, which provides better cancer immunity. The…
The inherited disorder is caused by genetic mutations that affects haemoglobin production Nova Laboratories’ Xromi (hydroxycarbamide) has received approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the European Commission to extend the indication for vaso-occlusive complications of sickle cell disease (SCD) to infants from nine months of age. SCD is a group of…