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

News and Trends 16 Mar 2020

Coronavirus Delays Sensorion’s Hearing Loss Phase II Trial

The French company Sensorion has been forced to delay a phase II trial in people with hearing loss due to slow patient recruitment amid the current coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. The clinical trial is designed to test Sensorion’s lead candidate drug in people with sudden sensorineural hearing loss, a rare disorder where the patient can […]

March 16, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Startup Scout 13 Mar 2020

This Startup Hits Hidden Proteins to Make Cancer Immunotherapies

With one foot in Belgium and another in the US, Orionis Biosciences combines US and European talent to develop cancer immunotherapies targeting difficult protein targets. Mission: To fight cancer with two technologies. The first is modifying immune proteins called cytokines to trigger the body to produce specific immune cells against a tumor. The second is […]

March 13, 2020 - 4 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

multiple sclerosis neuron sheath medday Pharma

News and Trends 11 Mar 2020

Phase III Fail for MedDay’s Multiple Sclerosis Treatment

A drug developed by the French company MedDay Pharmaceuticals has failed to treat progressive forms of multiple sclerosis in a phase III trial. The 642 patients recruited into the trial received either a placebo or a high dose of pharmaceutical-grade Biotin, also known as vitamin B₇. The patients had various forms of the autoimmune condition […]

March 11, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 11 Mar 2020

Update: Carmat’s Artificial Heart Reaches Two Year Milestone

Update (11/03/2020): In a record first, Carmat announced today that one patient in its artificial heart trial has had the device implanted for 2 years. “Passing a two-year period of individual functioning is very encouraging, and confirms the capacity of our device to provide long-term support, which is one of our two key objectives along […]

March 11, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Startup Scout 6 Mar 2020

This Startup Is Developing a DIY Biomarker Diagnostics Kit

The Swedish medical device startup Qlife is developing a diagnostic kit that patients can use at home to better control chronic diseases. Mission: To make convenient diagnostics for patients with a home-use kit that they can use to monitor blood biomarkers in chronic conditions such as arthritis. Chronic disorders such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes […]

March 6, 2020 - 4 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 5 Mar 2020

Drug Development Costs Lower Than Pharma Companies Claim

A team of UK and Belgian scientists has reported that drug companies spend up to €1.3B less on drug development than previously suggested, which raises questions about high drug prices set by some biotech and pharma companies. The study, published in the journal JAMA, took publicly available data from pharma company financial reports with the […]

March 5, 2020 - 4 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

london ori biotech cell therapy manufacturing

Startup Scout 28 Feb 2020

This Startup Is Automating the Manufacture of Gene and Cell Therapies

In London, the firm Ori Biotech is developing an automated way to manufacture gene and cell therapies, a bottleneck for many biotech companies. Mission: To develop a robotic system to automate the labor-intensive tasks involved in manufacturing cell and gene therapies, such as gene transduction and cell expansion. Gene and cell therapies are maturing as […]

February 28, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 27 Feb 2020

Scientists Connect Brain Cells to Machines Over the Internet

An international group of researchers has set up a brain-machine interface between cultured nerve cells and electronic chips linked over the internet, which could lead to the development of AI implants for treating neurological disorders. As described in a study published in Nature Scientific Reports, the team set up a system where cultured rat nerve […]

February 27, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

scipio bioscience single cell sequencing

News and Trends 26 Feb 2020

French Startup Raises €6M to Develop Cheap Single-Cell Sequencing Kits

Scipio bioscience has raised €6M in a Series A round to launch cost-effective single-cell RNA sequencing kits, which could have big potential in profiling cells for research and clinical diagnostics. The round was led by M Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Merck. Other investors in the round included Seventure Partners’ seed fund Quadrivum […]

February 26, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 25 Feb 2020

European Researchers to Make Light Bulbs using Bacteria

A team of scientists from Austria, Spain, and Italy is working to make LED light bulbs out of proteins produced by bacteria. Light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, are widely seen as a key tool for making lighting eco-friendly because they are more energy-efficient than traditional bulbs. However, the coatings of these devices — designed to absorb […]

February 25, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 25 Feb 2020

Update: Janssen and Maze Jump on Board Finnish Genomics Project

Update (25/02/2020): Janssen and the US company Maze Therapeutics are the latest pharma companies to sign up as partners in the public-private genomics collaboration FinnGen. FinnGen’s pharma partners now total 11, including Sanofi and GSK, which joined early last year. Published 23/01/2019: Sanofi and GSK have joined up with a project collecting genomic and health […]

February 25, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Startup Scout 21 Feb 2020

This Startup is Developing Anti-Aging Antibodies

The Heidelberg-based startup Velabs Therapeutics aims to make anti-aging drugs that selectively destroy ‘aged’ cells in the body. Mission: To develop antibody drugs using microfluidics technology that can kill old or ‘senescent’ cells, which have been linked to the development of age-related conditions such as cardiovascular disease, dementia, and macular degeneration. While there are various […]

February 21, 2020 - 4 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

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Jonathan Smith

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Articles by Jonathan Smith

Coronavirus Delays Sensorion’s Hearing Loss Phase II Trial

This Startup Hits Hidden Proteins to Make Cancer Immunotherapies

Phase III Fail for MedDay’s Multiple Sclerosis Treatment

Update: Carmat’s Artificial Heart Reaches Two Year Milestone

This Startup Is Developing a DIY Biomarker Diagnostics Kit

Drug Development Costs Lower Than Pharma Companies Claim

This Startup Is Automating the Manufacture of Gene and Cell Therapies

Scientists Connect Brain Cells to Machines Over the Internet

French Startup Raises €6M to Develop Cheap Single-Cell Sequencing Kits

European Researchers to Make Light Bulbs using Bacteria

Update: Janssen and Maze Jump on Board Finnish Genomics Project

This Startup is Developing Anti-Aging Antibodies

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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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Articles by Jonathan Smith

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