Jonathan Smith, Author at Labiotech.eu

About

Reporter for Labiotech. I hail from the UK. I was born in Bristol, studied Neuroscience in the University of Bristol, and trained mice in Eisai, Hertfordshire, for one year. I then tickled locusts for my Ph.D. at the University of Leicester, before eventually ending up here!
Out of the office, I travel, play video games and board games, drink beer and play the piano.

Articles by Jonathan Smith

Startup Scout 17 Apr 2020

Amphista Therapeutics Is Silencing Disease Proteins to Treat Cancer

Amphista Therapeutics, based in Glasgow, Scotland, is the latest company to develop drugs called PROTACs, which are designed to make the cell degrade harmful proteins to treat cancer. Small molecule drugs have shown incredible potential for the treatment of cancer by blocking harmful proteins in the cell. However, many promising protein targets for cancer treatments […]

April 17, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 16 Apr 2020

Irish Biotech Raises €18M to Develop Non-Viral Cell Therapy Technology

The Irish company Avectas has closed a Series C round to develop cell therapies that don’t need viral vectors — a common bottleneck in cell therapy manufacturing. The fundraise of approximately €18M brings Avectas’ total equity funding to around €37M. The round was led by the company’s current shareholders, which include the serial life sciences […]

April 16, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

neurofibromatosis healx ai drug repurposing

News and Trends 15 Apr 2020

Healx Deploys AI Drug Discovery Technology Against Rare Nerve Disease

The AI-driven drug repurposing company Healx has teamed up with the global Children’s Tumor Foundation (CTF) to develop new treatments for the genetic disease neurofibromatosis type 1, right after the FDA approved the first-ever drug for the condition. In the collaboration, the UK biotech will use its AI-driven pharmacology expertise to speed a candidate drug […]

April 15, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Expert Advice 6 Apr 2020

How Investors Can Prepare for the Digitization of Biotech

For a few decades, the worlds of biotech and digital technology have been on separate paths. Franck Lescure, Partner at the French VC firm Elaia Partners, explains how the two fields are now colliding and how investors need to catch up. At first glance, digital technology and biotech are widely different fields, each with their […]

April 6, 2020 - 6 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

novartis avexis zolgensma fda data manipulation

News and Trends 2 Apr 2020

Update: FDA Imposes No Penalties for Novartis Data Manipulation Scandal

Update (02/04/2020): The FDA has concluded an investigation into a data manipulation scandal surrounding the approval of Novartis’ gene therapy Zolgensma, and has decided against sanctions. The FDA launched an investigation into the manipulated data surrounding the gene therapy application last year, and recently reported that the investigated data violations didn’t meet the threshold for […]

April 2, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 31 Mar 2020

Update: AM-Pharma Increases Acute Kidney Injury Phase III Funds to €163M

Update (31/03/2020): AM-Pharma has raised an extra €47M on top of an existing €116M equity round to fund an upcoming phase III trial of a treatment for acute kidney injury. The money will help the Dutch biotech to prepare for its upcoming phase III trial of a protein drug for acute kidney injury, which is […]

March 31, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

In Depth 30 Mar 2020

Could mRNA Vaccines Fulfill Their Potential Against Coronavirus?

The first vaccine against coronavirus disease could one day be made of mRNA. How is mRNA showing promise against the pandemic, and what could it signify for the mRNA field? The global number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases has passed 600,000 and is threatening to bring healthcare systems worldwide to their knees. To control the […]

March 30, 2020 - 7 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

valo therapeutics oxford finland cancer immunotherapy

Startup Scout 27 Mar 2020

This Startup is Making a Cancer Vaccine out of Viruses

Valo Therapeutics is operating both in the UK and Finland to develop a cancer vaccine based on a virus designed to kill tumors. Mission: To combine two different immunotherapy techniques — oncolytic viruses and cancer vaccines — into one treatment for solid tumors. Immunotherapy has transformed the cancer treatment landscape, offering therapies such as checkpoint […]

March 27, 2020 - 4 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

alzheimers disease phase iii UK 1 e1557338331863

News and Trends 24 Mar 2020

Eli Lilly Sweetens AC Immune Alzheimer’s Treatment Deal by €38M

A deal between Swiss biotech AC Immune and Eli Lilly to develop an oral Alzheimer’s disease drug has increased in worth by €38M with a new milestone payment. AC Immune and Eli Lilly modified a deal signed in late 2018 to co-develop a small molecule treatment to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Specifically, the […]

March 24, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 23 Mar 2020

ViiV Healthcare’s Monthly HIV Injection Gains First Approval in Canada

A monthly two-drug injection developed by the GSK spinoff ViiV Healthcare has been approved for the treatment of HIV in Canada, which could replace the need for daily antiretroviral pills. The treatment — branded as Cabenuva and developed in collaboration with Janssen — was approved by Health Canada to suppress HIV in adults with stable […]

March 23, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 20 Mar 2020

Themis and Institut Pasteur Join Coronavirus Vaccine Hunt

The Austrian biotech Themis — specializing in vaccines for infectious and insect-borne diseases — has jumped on the coronavirus vaccine bandwagon along with the Institut Pasteur and other international partners. The collaboration will be led by the Parisian Institut Pasteur, whose vaccine technology — in this case modifying a measles virus vector to carry coronavirus […]

March 20, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 17 Mar 2020

CureVac Receives €80M from EU to Fund Coronavirus Vaccine Amid US Dispute

The German biotech CureVac — which is developing an mRNA vaccine against coronavirus — has been granted up to €80M by the European Commission, shortly after a dispute erupted over an alleged acquisition offer from the US. The money was awarded to help CureVac quickly scale up the production of its candidate Covid-19 vaccine. It […]

March 17, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

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Jonathan Smith

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Articles by Jonathan Smith

Amphista Therapeutics Is Silencing Disease Proteins to Treat Cancer

Irish Biotech Raises €18M to Develop Non-Viral Cell Therapy Technology

Healx Deploys AI Drug Discovery Technology Against Rare Nerve Disease

How Investors Can Prepare for the Digitization of Biotech

Update: FDA Imposes No Penalties for Novartis Data Manipulation Scandal

Update: AM-Pharma Increases Acute Kidney Injury Phase III Funds to €163M

Could mRNA Vaccines Fulfill Their Potential Against Coronavirus?

This Startup is Making a Cancer Vaccine out of Viruses

Eli Lilly Sweetens AC Immune Alzheimer’s Treatment Deal by €38M

ViiV Healthcare’s Monthly HIV Injection Gains First Approval in Canada

Themis and Institut Pasteur Join Coronavirus Vaccine Hunt

CureVac Receives €80M from EU to Fund Coronavirus Vaccine Amid US Dispute

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Catalonia: A biotech hub going from strength to strength, with Barcelona at its core

Top biotech deals of February 2025

Grab your free report on 3D organoids and explore their future potential

These 7 biotechs are shaping the next generation of endometriosis care

Connect with decision-makers and researchers worldwide for collaborative opportunities

Subscribe to our newsletter

Advertise with us

Catalonia: A biotech hub going from strength to strength, with Barcelona at its core

Top biotech deals of February 2025

Grab your free report on 3D organoids and explore their future potential

These 7 biotechs are shaping the next generation of endometriosis care

Connect with decision-makers and researchers worldwide for collaborative opportunities

Subscribe to our newsletter

Advertise with us

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