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

diabeloop artificial pancreas type 1 diabetes

News and Trends 2 Dec 2019

€31M Series B Funds Rollout of Artificial Pancreas in Type 1 Diabetes

The French biotech Diabeloop has raised €31M to launch an artificial pancreas device designed to automatically control the blood glucose levels of type 1 diabetes patients. According to Diabeloop, this is the biggest Series B round raised by a European company developing therapies that use artificial intelligence. The round was led by the French family […]

December 2, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

contraception medincell bill and melinda gates foundation

More News! 29 Nov 2019

MedinCell Granted €17M to Develop Cheap Long-Acting Contraception

The French company MedinCell has received a €17.3M ($19M) grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to advance its long-acting contraceptive implant to human trials. The grant is a follow-on to a €3.2M endowment from the Gates Foundation in 2017 to fuel early preclinical development of the implant. The additional funds will help MedinCell […]

November 29, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

vigeneron germany gene therapy adenoviral vector

More News! 28 Nov 2019

German Biotech to Develop Next-Generation Gene Therapy for Blindness

The German biotech ViGeneron has raised an undisclosed sum in a Series A round to fund the development of an ophthalmic gene therapy that could deliver bigger DNA sequences into a wider range of cells than current technology. The round was led by two Chinese investors, the VC firm Sequoia Capital China and the pharma […]

November 28, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

fragrance coniferol renewable plant waste

News and Trends 27 Nov 2019

Scientists Turn Crop Waste into Fragrances with Microbes

A team of researchers in Brazil and the UK has developed a fermentation technique to turn plant waste, such as wheat straw, into a valuable chemical used in the fragrance industry. In a study published in the journal Green Chemistry, the scientists used engineered Escherichia coli bacteria to break down sugar cane and wheat straw, […]

November 27, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

lupus autoimmune disease neutrophil citryll

More News! 26 Nov 2019

Rare Inflammatory Disease Drug Beats Immunosuppressants in Phase III

A small molecule drug developed by the US company ChemoCentryx and its Swiss partner Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma (VFMCRP) was more effective at treating a rare inflammatory vascular disease than current treatments in a phase III trial. The drug avacopan was trialed in 331 patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis. This life-threatening condition […]

November 26, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 25 Nov 2019

Novartis Enters RNA Therapeutics with Medicines Company Merger

Novartis is to acquire The Medicines Company and its late-stage RNA interference drug designed to protect against cardiovascular disease in twice-yearly shots. Novartis will pay €8.8B ($9.7B) to acquire The Medicines Company, which is based in the US and focuses on developing the RNA drug inclisiran for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and renal impairment. […]

November 25, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 22 Nov 2019

ViiV Healthcare Licenses Long-Acting Antibody to Attack Hidden HIV

The UK company ViiV Healthcare will begin a phase IIa trial of an antibody licensed from the National Institutes of Health in the US that could block HIV transmission for longer than current antiretroviral therapies. The antibody is currently in an ongoing phase I trial run by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, […]

November 22, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

More News! 20 Nov 2019

Spanish Researchers Produce Straws Made of Bacterial Bioplastic

An industry-academia collaboration in Spain has developed drinking straws based on a bioplastic produced by bacteria that are expected to enter the market in the next few months. The collaboration includes the company Ocenic Resins and the academic institutions Jaume I University and the Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, all based in Spain. The […]

November 20, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

More News! 20 Nov 2019

€39M Series B to Fund Biopolymers for Surgery and Implants

The French company Tissium has raised a €38.8M Series B round to fund the development of polymers that can be used to repair blood vessels and nerves. Contributing to the round were newcomers to Tissium such as the European Investment Fund and returning investors such as the investment bank Bpifrance and French life sciences […]

November 20, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

crispr therapeutics vertex beta thalassemia

News and Trends 19 Nov 2019

CRISPR Cell Therapy Shows Early Promise for Treating Blood Disorders

CRISPR Therapeutics and its US partner Vertex Pharmaceuticals have released the first clinical results for a cell therapy made using the gene editing tool CRISPR/Cas9 in patients with genetic blood disorders. The interim results concern two patients enrolled in different phase I/II clinical trials testing the same therapy in two blood disorders: transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia and […]

November 19, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 19 Nov 2019

US-French Deal to Tailor Ultrasound Therapy to Brain Cancer Patients

The French company CarThera has teamed up with the US firm Kiyatec to study the effects on individual patients of an ultrasound therapy to deliver brain cancer drugs to the brain. Under the agreement, Kiyatec will test the effects of chemotherapy on cells taken from CarThera’s ongoing phase I/II trial in patients with brain cancer. […]

November 19, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 18 Nov 2019

Update: Single-Shot Vaccine for Chikungunya Lasts for a Year in Phase I

Update (18/11/2019): French biotech Valneva has revealed additional phase I results concerning its experimental chikungunya vaccine; all 68 patients that were given a single injection of the vaccine showed sustained protection after 12 months. The company is currently running a phase II study and plans to launch a pivotal phase III trial next year. Update […]

November 18, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Knowledge hub

Categories

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

Top biotech deals of February 2025

Approaches

Therapeutic areas

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

These 7 biotechs are shaping the next generation of endometriosis care

R&D

BD

World biotech leaders

Connect with decision-makers and researchers worldwide for collaborative opportunities

Company

Join Us

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

Jonathan Smith

About

Articles by Jonathan Smith

€31M Series B Funds Rollout of Artificial Pancreas in Type 1 Diabetes

MedinCell Granted €17M to Develop Cheap Long-Acting Contraception

German Biotech to Develop Next-Generation Gene Therapy for Blindness

Scientists Turn Crop Waste into Fragrances with Microbes

Rare Inflammatory Disease Drug Beats Immunosuppressants in Phase III

Novartis Enters RNA Therapeutics with Medicines Company Merger

ViiV Healthcare Licenses Long-Acting Antibody to Attack Hidden HIV

Spanish Researchers Produce Straws Made of Bacterial Bioplastic

€39M Series B to Fund Biopolymers for Surgery and Implants

CRISPR Cell Therapy Shows Early Promise for Treating Blood Disorders

US-French Deal to Tailor Ultrasound Therapy to Brain Cancer Patients

Update: Single-Shot Vaccine for Chikungunya Lasts for a Year in Phase I

Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest biotech news!

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

About

Articles by Jonathan Smith

Subscribe to our newsletter

Get the latest biotech news directly to your inbox!

Newsletter Signup - Footer

Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest biotech news!