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 20 Feb 2020

Immatics Partners GSK in Deal Worth €1B to Develop Cancer Therapies

The German biotech Immatics will partner with GSK and could receive more than €1B from the big pharma for developing cancer immunotherapies based on engineered immune T-cells. Immatics will collaborate with GSK to develop two T-cell therapies that express a protein engineered to detect cancer antigens and kill cancer cells. In return, Immatics will receive […]

February 20, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 19 Feb 2020

Belgian Biotech Raises €50M to Make Gene Therapy Manufacturing Cheaper

An equity investment worth up to €50M will push to market Univercells’ manufacturing technology, which is designed to reduce the costs of viral vector production for gene therapies. The investment comes from Gamma Biosciences, an investment platform supported by the US investor KKR. Gamma Biosciences aims to acquire and invest in businesses developing gene and […]

February 19, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 17 Feb 2020

UK Biotech Closes €50M Series A for GPCR Drug Discovery

Oxford-based OMass Therapeutics has extended its Series A round by €33M to fund the spectrometry-assisted development of drugs targeting G protein-coupled receptors. OMass Therapeutics’s Series A initially raised €17M in late 2018. The new funds bring this up to €50M (£41.5M). Investors in the most recent fundraise included the UK VC firm Syncona — which […]

February 17, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

novadiscovery in silico clinical trial ai

Startup Scout 14 Feb 2020

Novadiscovery Carries out Clinical Trials using AI and Simulations

Novadiscovery, based in Lyon, France, is developing AI-based simulation technology to predict clinical trial outcomes and cut their running costs. Mission: To predict the outcomes of clinical trials in silico using a combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and computational models of the biology underlying the disease. Clinical trials cost the healthcare industry billions of euros […]

February 14, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

automation arctoris molecule drug discovery

News and Trends 13 Feb 2020

UK-Swiss Collaboration to Boost Biotech Profits with Automation

A partnership between the UK lab automation company Arctoris and Swiss software firm Molecule aims to make it easier to share drug intellectual property in a time of declining returns in pharma. The pharmaceutical industry is struggling with the rising costs of developing new drugs. In fact, the return on investment for drug discovery is […]

February 13, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 12 Feb 2020

Charcoal-Based Treatment Can Protect Gut Microbiome from Antibiotics

Ingestible pellets containing a charcoal-like treatment — designed by the French company Da Volterra — can stop the microbiome from being disrupted in hospitalized patients treated with antibiotics. The treatment also showed the potential to reduce the risk of Clostridium difficile gut infections in a phase II trial. When patients are given antibiotics for infections, […]

February 12, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

stilla technologies pcr molecular diagnostics

News and Trends 11 Feb 2020

French Biotech Raises €20M to Make Precision Molecular Diagnostics

Stilla Technologies has raised a €20M Series C round to fund its mission to produce next-generation microchips that make molecular diagnostics more precise and user-friendly than currently available lab technology. Contributors to the round included Stilla’s existing investors, such as Illumina Ventures, Kurma Partners and Idinvest Partners. Stilla also added the Chinese company TUS-Holdings to […]

February 11, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

lysosomal storage disorders azafaros rare disease

News and Trends 10 Feb 2020

First-in-Class Drug For Inherited Metabolic Diseases Funded with €25M

The Dutch startup Azafaros has raised €25M in Series A funding to push its drug for inherited lysosomal storage disorders into phase I. The round was led by the Dutch VC firm Forbion. Other investors participating in the round included the Swiss firm BioMedPartners and the Dutch company BioGeneration Ventures, which was Azafaros’ founding investor […]

February 10, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

sigrid therapeutics type 2 diabetes sweden

Startup Scout 7 Feb 2020

Sigrid Therapeutics Prevents Type 2 Diabetes Using Silica Powder in the Gut

In Stockholm, Sweden, Sigrid Therapeutics is developing an ingestible silica powder that can treat type 2 diabetes and obesity without being absorbed in the gut. Mission: To produce the first prophylactic silica-based treatment for type 2 diabetes that does not enter the bloodstream. Some people have higher blood sugar levels than normal, but not high […]

February 7, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 7 Feb 2020

EU Project Set up to Fight Alzheimer’s Disease with Lasers

A project has launched with a €3.6M grant to treat neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease by making brain cells controllable with red light. There are currently no treatments approved that can slow the progression of neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease. Treatments approved to alleviate the symptoms only help a small […]

February 7, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 6 Feb 2020

Valbiotis Teams up with Nestlé to Reduce Type 2 Diabetes Risk

In a deal worth up to €67M, industry giant Nestlé Health Science will have the global rights to commercialize Valbiotis’ food supplement for lowering the rate of type 2 diabetes in people at high risk of developing the condition. Under the terms of the deal, the French biotech will receive an upfront payment of €4.7M […]

February 6, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Interview 5 Feb 2020

Harnessing Genetic Suppression to Treat Rare Disease

Through quirks of genetics, some people are naturally resilient to heritable diseases. Thijn Brummelkamp, Managing Director and founder of the Dutch startup Scenic Biotech, explains how the company is using this genetic resilience to treat rare diseases and cancer. Heritable diseases result from genetic mutations that cause essential proteins in the body to malfunction. For […]

February 5, 2020 - 5 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

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Jonathan Smith

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Articles by Jonathan Smith

Immatics Partners GSK in Deal Worth €1B to Develop Cancer Therapies

Belgian Biotech Raises €50M to Make Gene Therapy Manufacturing Cheaper

UK Biotech Closes €50M Series A for GPCR Drug Discovery

Novadiscovery Carries out Clinical Trials using AI and Simulations

UK-Swiss Collaboration to Boost Biotech Profits with Automation

Charcoal-Based Treatment Can Protect Gut Microbiome from Antibiotics

French Biotech Raises €20M to Make Precision Molecular Diagnostics

First-in-Class Drug For Inherited Metabolic Diseases Funded with €25M

Sigrid Therapeutics Prevents Type 2 Diabetes Using Silica Powder in the Gut

EU Project Set up to Fight Alzheimer’s Disease with Lasers

Valbiotis Teams up with Nestlé to Reduce Type 2 Diabetes Risk

Harnessing Genetic Suppression to Treat Rare Disease

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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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