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 Dec 2019

Amarin’s Triglyceride-Lowering Drug Gets Second FDA Nod to Tackle Cardiovascular Disease

A treatment developed by the Irish company Amarin has become the first FDA-approved drug to lower the risk of strokes and heart attacks when combined with statins in patients with high levels of circulating fat molecules called triglycerides. To be eligible for Vascepa, patients must also either have established cardiovascular disease, or type 2 diabetes […]

December 16, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Best in Biotech 16 Dec 2019

10 Holiday Gifts for the Biotechnologist in Your Life

Socks and sweaters are great gifts for Christmas, but sometimes, a bit of biotech love goes a long way. Here’s a list of cool holiday gifts to get for your biotech friends and family. Whether it’s a fancy genetics shoulder bag, a cuddly immune cell, or glow-in-the-dark mushrooms, you have this holiday sorted. DNA-shaped […]

December 16, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 13 Dec 2019

Transgene’s Cancer Vaccine Abandoned after Phase II Fail

French biotech Transgene has ceased the development of a therapeutic cancer vaccine that failed to shrink tumors in patients with lung cancer in a phase II trial. In the phase II trial, Transgene tested its therapeutic cancer vaccine in combination with chemotherapy and the checkpoint inhibitor drug nivolumab, marketed as Opdivo. The treatment failed to […]

December 13, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

antibiotic resistance iterum therapeutics

News and Trends 12 Dec 2019

Iterum Therapeutics Reels from Antibiotic Phase III Fail

An antibiotic candidate developed by the Irish company Iterum Therapeutics has failed to meet the main goal of a phase III trial, a blow for efforts to meet the challenge of global antibiotic resistance. Iterum Therapeutics’ drug sulopenem was tested in a phase III trial that recruited 674 patients suffering from complicated intra-abdominal infections. These […]

December 12, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

cancer immunotherapy immunos therapeutics

News and Trends 11 Dec 2019

€14M Series A to Fund Cancer Immunotherapy Boosting Checkpoint Inhibitors

The Swiss biotech ImmunOs Therapeutics has raised a Series A round of €13.7M (CHF 15M) that will fund the first human trials of its cancer immunotherapy that could improve the response of cancer patients to checkpoint inhibitors. The round was co-led by the Swiss life sciences venture capital firm BioMedPartners and by Pfizer Ventures. The […]

December 11, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Interview 11 Dec 2019

Collaboration Between Founders and Investors Primes Biotech Startups for Success

How can entrepreneurs work with investors to maximize the chances of their company succeeding? Venture capital partner Nanna Lüneborg and biotech entrepreneur Mai-Britt Zocca spoke at Labiotech Refresh in Copenhagen about their experiences in founding IO Biotech, a Danish biotech startup that develops cancer immunotherapies. Zocca and Lüneborg were both involved in setting up IO […]

December 11, 2019 - 5 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

More News! 10 Dec 2019

ObsEva’s Oral Treatment for Uterine Fibroids Nails Phase III

An oral drug developed by the Swiss company ObsEva was shown to reduce menstrual bleeding and pain caused by uterine fibroids. The phase III trial tested ObsEva’s drug candidate linzagolix in 535 women suffering from heavy menstrual bleeding caused by benign tumors in the uterus called uterine fibroids. The effects of the drug were compared […]

December 10, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

dna data storage self replicating machine

News and Trends 9 Dec 2019

Scientists Use DNA Data Storage to Hide Information in Everyday Objects

Scientists have developed a method for storing DNA data in 3D-printed objects, which could one day allow machines to replicate themselves. The group, based at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, as well as in Israel and the US, began by synthesizing DNA molecules that encode blueprints of the Stanford bunny, a rabbit-shaped object commonly used in testing […]

December 9, 2019 - 4 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

colorectal cancer mologen cancer immunotherapy

News and Trends 6 Dec 2019

Update: Cancer Immunotherapy Biotech Files for Insolvency

Update (06/12/2019): Following the phase III failure of its immunotherapy drug for colorectal cancer in the summer, the German company Mologen has filed for insolvency. Published 06/08/2019 A DNA immunotherapy drug developed by the German company Mologen has failed to improve the survival of patients with colorectal cancer in a phase III trial. The phase […]

December 6, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

acute heart failure 4teen4 pharmaceuticals

More News! 5 Dec 2019

German Biotech Raises €7M Series A to Treat Acute Heart Failure

4TEEN4 Pharmaceuticals has raised a Series A round of €6.9M to fuel the development of a first-in-class antibody drug that could reduce mortality in acute heart failure. The round was led by Brandenburg Kapital, a subsidiary of the German investment bank Investitionsbank des Landes Brandenburg. Other investors in the round, including business angels and private […]

December 5, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 4 Dec 2019

€48M Series B Fuels Immunotherapies for Cancer and Autoimmune Diseases

ImCheck Therapeutics has raised a Series B round worth €48M to fund the development of first-in-class immunotherapies that treat cancer and autoimmune diseases by targeting a rare type of immune cells called a gamma delta T-cell. ImCheck Therapeutics’ Series B round was led by Pfizer Ventures — the venture capital arm of the big pharma […]

December 4, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

More News! 3 Dec 2019

Sensorion’s Vertigo Drug Abandoned in Phase II

A small molecule drug developed by the French company Sensorion has proven ineffective in a phase IIb trial for the treatment of a rare vertigo condition, leading the company to close down the development of the drug. The phase IIb trial tested Sensorion’s lead drug in 105 patients with the rare condition acute unilateral vestibulopathy, […]

December 3, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

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Jonathan Smith

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Articles by Jonathan Smith

Amarin’s Triglyceride-Lowering Drug Gets Second FDA Nod to Tackle Cardiovascular Disease

10 Holiday Gifts for the Biotechnologist in Your Life

Transgene’s Cancer Vaccine Abandoned after Phase II Fail

Iterum Therapeutics Reels from Antibiotic Phase III Fail

€14M Series A to Fund Cancer Immunotherapy Boosting Checkpoint Inhibitors

Collaboration Between Founders and Investors Primes Biotech Startups for Success

ObsEva’s Oral Treatment for Uterine Fibroids Nails Phase III

Scientists Use DNA Data Storage to Hide Information in Everyday Objects

Update: Cancer Immunotherapy Biotech Files for Insolvency

German Biotech Raises €7M Series A to Treat Acute Heart Failure

€48M Series B Fuels Immunotherapies for Cancer and Autoimmune Diseases

Sensorion’s Vertigo Drug Abandoned in Phase II

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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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