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 4 Feb 2020

Swiss Biotech Raises €16M to Treat Autism Spectrum Disorder

Stalicla has bagged €16.3M in a Series A round to test drugs repurposed using AI for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder in phase I. The round consists of a recent €7M (CHF 7.7M) closing and an initial first tranche of €9.3M (CHF 10M) raised last year. The investors in the latest closing were not […]

February 4, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 3 Feb 2020

CureVac Bids to Develop First mRNA Coronavirus Vaccine

RNA vaccine developer CureVac will receive a grant of up to €8.3M from a global partnership to develop an mRNA vaccine against the new coronavirus strain from China. The agreement follows on from an existing collaboration launched in 2019, when the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, or CEPI, granted CureVac €30M to develop facilities that […]

February 3, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 1 Feb 2020

Cardior Pharmaceuticals’ Heart Failure Drug Shows Curative Potential

German biotech company Cardior Pharmaceuticals’ candidate heart failure drug has the potential to stop the condition in its tracks, according to early studies in animal models. At present, treatments for heart failure, including ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, and diuretics, target the symptoms of the disease, such as high blood pressure, rather than the actual cause. […]

February 1, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 31 Jan 2020

AI-Designed Drug Enters Phase I to Treat OCD

A drug designed by the UK firm Exscientia using AI-powered software has entered into a phase I clinical trial for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder, commonly known as OCD. The clinical development of the drug will be carried out by Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, Exscientia’s Japanese collaborator. The drug took just 12 months to get to […]

January 31, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Startup Scout 31 Jan 2020

This Cancer Immunotherapy Attacks the Sugar Coat of Tumor Cells

The Portuguese company CellmAbs is developing cancer immunotherapies that prevent tumor cells from evading the immune system by hitting sugar molecules on their surface. Mission: To develop drugs that bind with a type of sugar molecules only found on the surface of cancer cells called aberrant glycans. Some of these aberrant glycans are able to […]

January 31, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 30 Jan 2020

Austrian Genomics Company Joins Fight Against Coronavirus

Ares Genetics will use next-generation sequencing technology from the Chinese genomics company BGI Group to track and control the spread of a new coronavirus originating in China. A new strain of coronavirus, dubbed 2019-nCoV and originating in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has caused widespread concern in recent weeks. While only 20% of people with […]

January 30, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 29 Jan 2020

Oxitec Unveils First Field Trial Results for Crop-Protecting GM Moths

A study led by Oxitec has shown for the first time that diamondback moths genetically engineered to produce only male offspring can survive in the wild, a solution that shows promise for cutting populations of the crop pest. Caterpillars of the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella are one of the most destructive pests for growers of […]

January 29, 2020 - 4 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 28 Jan 2020

A Future Gene Therapy Could Be Delivered in Tiny ‘Nanocontainers’

A Swiss research group has developed tiny plastic particles that could carry gene therapies to the center of the cell with less risk of getting attacked by the immune system than conventional gene therapies. The majority of gene therapies in use today are delivered to the DNA of target cells using viral vectors. While efficient […]

January 28, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

cancer vaccine cancer immunotherapy ervaxx

News and Trends 27 Jan 2020

UK Startup Snaps up Potential Universal Cancer Immunotherapy

The cancer vaccine developer Ervaxx has licensed a preclinical-stage ‘universal’ cancer immunotherapy based on the recent discovery of a new strain of immune T-cells at Cardiff University, UK. Last week, a team led by researchers at Cardiff University published research about T-cells capable of hunting a wide range of cancers including leukemia and melanoma. Experiments […]

January 27, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 24 Jan 2020

€6M Seed Round to Develop First Urine Test for Kidney Cancer

The Swedish biotech Elypta has raised a seed round worth €6.1M to fund a clinical trial of a urine test for signs of recurrent kidney cancer, which could improve patient follow-up after surgery. The seed round was led by the Swedish VC firm Industrifonden. Other investors in the round included the VC impact fund of […]

January 24, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

brain cancer glioblastoma divide and conquer

News and Trends 23 Jan 2020

Merck Spinout Bags €15M Series A to Tackle Cancer and Fibrosis

iOnctura, a spinout from Merck KGaA, has raised €15M to take its cancer and fibrosis drugs to phase I clinical trials. The Series A round was co-led by new investors INKEF Capital and VI Partners. The founding investor of iOnctura, M Ventures — the corporate venture arm of Merck — also contributed to the round, […]

January 23, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

thyroid eye disease graves disease horizon therapeutics

News and Trends 22 Jan 2020

FDA Greenlights First Treatment for Rare Autoimmune Eye Disease

An antibody drug developed by the Irish biopharma Horizon Therapeutics has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of adults with the rare autoimmune condition thyroid eye disease. The approval of the drug came ahead of schedule, with the decision originally expected in March. The drug, a monoclonal antibody, is branded as Tepezza. Thyroid […]

January 22, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

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Jonathan Smith

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Articles by Jonathan Smith

Swiss Biotech Raises €16M to Treat Autism Spectrum Disorder

CureVac Bids to Develop First mRNA Coronavirus Vaccine

Cardior Pharmaceuticals’ Heart Failure Drug Shows Curative Potential

AI-Designed Drug Enters Phase I to Treat OCD

This Cancer Immunotherapy Attacks the Sugar Coat of Tumor Cells

Austrian Genomics Company Joins Fight Against Coronavirus

Oxitec Unveils First Field Trial Results for Crop-Protecting GM Moths

A Future Gene Therapy Could Be Delivered in Tiny ‘Nanocontainers’

UK Startup Snaps up Potential Universal Cancer Immunotherapy

€6M Seed Round to Develop First Urine Test for Kidney Cancer

Merck Spinout Bags €15M Series A to Tackle Cancer and Fibrosis

FDA Greenlights First Treatment for Rare Autoimmune Eye 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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Articles by Jonathan Smith

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