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 14 Nov 2019

Cellectis’ Off-the-Shelf CAR T-Cell Therapy Shows Solid Tumor Potential

An off-the-shelf, gene edited CAR T-cell therapy, developed by the French biotech Cellectis, could be used to tackle solid tumors, which have so far been beyond the reach of other CAR T-cell therapies. The approved CAR T-cell therapies Kymriah and Yescarta contain genetically modified immune T-cells that can fight certain types of blood cancer. However, […]

November 14, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

bone marrow transplant blood cancer kiadis pharma cell therapy

News and Trends 13 Nov 2019

Mass Layoffs as Dutch Biotech Cancels Phase III Cell Therapy Trial

The Dutch company Kiadis Pharma has discontinued the development of a cell therapy in blood cancer, laid off half of its workforce, and switched focus to other, less advanced cell therapy programs. The abandoned phase III trial was testing Kiadis Pharma’s lead cell therapy for the treatment of graft-versus-host disease, a complication of stem cell […]

November 13, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 12 Nov 2019

First Results Out for Off-the-Shelf CAR-T Therapy in Solid Tumors

The Belgian company Celyad has released the first interim clinical efficacy data for an off-the-shelf CAR T-cell immunotherapy in solid tumors. The interim results come from an ongoing phase I trial in patients with colorectal cancer. Of the 12 patients given Celyad’s CAR T-cell immunotherapy so far, six have seen their tumors shrink. The therapy […]

November 12, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 11 Nov 2019

Argenx Raises Whopping €502M in Global Offering

The Dutch biotech argenx, which develops antibody drugs to treat autoimmune diseases and cancer, has raised an eye-watering €502M ($557M) in a global offering on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange and Euronext Brussels. Argenx’s global offering was launched last week. It consists of a private placement in Europe as well as a public offering in the […]

November 11, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

mereo biopharma brittle bone disease osteogenesis imperfecta

More News! 11 Nov 2019

Mereo BioPharma’s Brittle Bone Disease Drug Stumbles in Phase II

The lead drug of the UK company Mereo BioPharma has achieved mixed results in a phase IIb trial in adults with the genetic condition osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease. Mereo tested different doses of its antibody drug in 112 adults with osteogenesis imperfecta in a 12-month phase IIb trial. The drug failed […]

November 11, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

More News! 7 Nov 2019

Avantium Builds 10-Ton Demonstration Plant to Produce Bioplastics

The Dutch bioplastics company Avantium has opened a demonstration plant capable of producing 10 tons per year of mono-ethylene glycol (MEG), a compound used to make plastics, using plants as the starting material. Construction of Avantium’s plant began at Chemie Park Delfzijl, the Netherlands, last year. The plant will extract carbohydrates from agricultural waste and […]

November 7, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

centogene rare diseases diagnostic ipo nasdaq

News and Trends 7 Nov 2019

€51M Nasdaq IPO Will Fund Centogene’s Rare Disease Diagnostics

The German company Centogene has raised €50.6M ($56M) in an IPO on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange to fund the development of diagnostics technology that could improve the treatment of rare diseases. The fundraise fell under Centogene’s target value of €54M ($60M). A part of the proceeds will fuel the development of biomarkers that Centogene will […]

November 7, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

cancer vaccine virus ervaxx cell therapy

News and Trends 6 Nov 2019

UK Biotech Launched to Target ‘Dark Antigens’ with Cancer Vaccines

The London-based startup Ervaxx has launched with a €15.8M Series A round to develop cancer vaccines and cell therapies that target ‘dark antigens’ — normally silent genes in the genome that are expressed in cancer cells. Ervaxx’s Series A round was funded by the transatlantic venture capital firm SV Health Investors, as well as an […]

November 6, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 5 Nov 2019

UK Scientists Speed up Brain Cancer Diagnosis with AI

A technique combining a blood test with artificial intelligence (AI), developed by the UK company ClinSpec Diagnostics, could help to prioritize which patients need to be scanned for brain cancer. A team led by researchers at the University of Strathclyde and the University of Edinburgh, UK, trialed the technology on blood samples from 400 people […]

November 5, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 4 Nov 2019

Finnish Genetics Study Provides Clues for Treating Type 2 Diabetes

A genetic mutation common to Finnish populations has been found to protect against type 2 diabetes by increasing insulin in the blood, providing a potential target for new drugs. The mutation is found in at least 0.2% of the population in western Finland, whereas it only appears in 0.02% of other European populations. The mutation […]

November 4, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

cuantec scampi glasgow recycling bioplastic

Startup Scout 1 Nov 2019

This Biotech Turns Seafood Waste into Packaging Using Microbes

The Scottish company CuanTec is developing an energy-efficient way to recycle seafood shells into food packaging via bacterial fermentation, which could reduce plastic waste. Mission: To turn the thrown away shells of langoustines into antimicrobial food packaging. This would cut down both on food waste tipping and modern society’s reliance on plastics. CuanTec was founded […]

November 1, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 31 Oct 2019

European Project Launches to Tailor Autoimmune Disease Treatments

Public and private organizations across Europe will pool their resources in an €80M project to discover biomarkers that can predict which patients will respond best to treatments for autoimmune diseases. The project is called Taxonomy, Treatments, Targets and Remission, or 3TR for short, and is funded by the EU’s Innovative Medicines Initiative for the next […]

October 31, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

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Jonathan Smith

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Articles by Jonathan Smith

Cellectis’ Off-the-Shelf CAR T-Cell Therapy Shows Solid Tumor Potential

Mass Layoffs as Dutch Biotech Cancels Phase III Cell Therapy Trial

First Results Out for Off-the-Shelf CAR-T Therapy in Solid Tumors

Argenx Raises Whopping €502M in Global Offering

Mereo BioPharma’s Brittle Bone Disease Drug Stumbles in Phase II

Avantium Builds 10-Ton Demonstration Plant to Produce Bioplastics

€51M Nasdaq IPO Will Fund Centogene’s Rare Disease Diagnostics

UK Biotech Launched to Target ‘Dark Antigens’ with Cancer Vaccines

UK Scientists Speed up Brain Cancer Diagnosis with AI

Finnish Genetics Study Provides Clues for Treating Type 2 Diabetes

This Biotech Turns Seafood Waste into Packaging Using Microbes

European Project Launches to Tailor Autoimmune Disease Treatments

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

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