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 26 Sep 2019

Positive Phase III Results for Narcolepsy Drug with Low Cardiovascular Risk

The narcolepsy drug, developed by Irish company Jazz Pharmaceuticals, has a lower salt content than the current treatment Xyrem, making it more suitable for patients at risk of cardiovascular disease. In a 200-patient phase III trial that finished in July, Jazz Pharmaceutical’s experimental drug was able to reduce the number of cataplexy attacks and the […]

September 26, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 25 Sep 2019

Danish Smallpox Vaccine Gets FDA Approval to Fight Bioterrorism

A vaccine developed by the Danish company Bavarian Nordic has received FDA approval to prevent infections by monkeypox, as well as protect against the threat of a smallpox bioterror attack. This approval makes Bavarian Nordic’s vaccine the only approved vaccine in the world for preventing monkeypox, a rare viral infection that is similar to smallpox […]

September 25, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 25 Sep 2019

German Biotech Will Develop Carbohydrate-Targeting Cancer Treatments

The German startup Tacalyx has raised €7M in a seed round to fund the preclinical development of first-in-class carbohydrate-targeting antibody drugs for the treatment of cancer. The round was co-led by the Germany-based Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund and the French VC firm Kurma Partners. Tacalyx will use the money to generate a lead candidate antibody […]

September 25, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 24 Sep 2019

Rare Metal Could Turbocharge Cancer Light Therapies

A team of European and Chinese researchers has developed a light-activated cancer therapy containing the rare metal iridium that could potentially activate the immune system against cancer. In a study published in Nature Chemistry, the drug killed multiple types of cancer cells in a dish when activated by red light. The study also revealed that […]

September 24, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

mallinckrodt burns treatment stratagraft

News and Trends 24 Sep 2019

Lab-Grown Skin as Good as Skin Grafts for Burns at Phase III

Mallinckrodt’s treatment made of artificial skin tissue called Stratagraft closed over 80% of second-degree burn wounds in a phase III trial, matching the effectiveness of skin grafts. Mallinckrodt recruited 71 patients with second-degree burns who were eligible for skin grafts into the trial. Each patient received the artificial skin graft on some areas of burned […]

September 24, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

More News! 23 Sep 2019

AC Immune Gets €28M from Eli Lilly as Alzheimer’s Drug Hits Phase I

AC Immune will receive €27.6M (CHF 30M) from big pharma Eli Lilly as it begins a phase I trial of its first-in-class Alzheimer’s disease drug. This is the first milestone payment in a deal worth up to €1.6B (CHF 1.7B), which Eli Lilly and AC Immune signed to develop drugs for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative […]

September 23, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

novo nordisk type 2 diabetes semaglutide

News and Trends 23 Sep 2019

FDA Greenlights First Oral Version of Novo Nordisk’s Type 2 Diabetes Drug

The first oral drug for type 2 diabetes belonging to the class of GLP-1 agonists, developed by Novo Nordisk, has got the go-ahead from the FDA. The Danish company is known for its blockbuster injectable drug in the same class — liraglutide — that is now one of the most highly prescribed drugs in the […]

September 23, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

khondrion netherlands melas syndrome inherited diseases

Startup Scout 20 Sep 2019

This Biotech Targets Mitochondria to Treat Inherited Diseases

As we come to the end of the global Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week, it’s time to visit Khondrion. This Dutch company is developing drugs to treat rare diseases such as MELAS syndrome by targeting defective mitochondria. Mission: To develop small molecule drugs able to treat Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathy, Lactic Acidosis, and Stroke-like episodes (MELAS) syndrome. This […]

September 20, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

breathomix breath diagnostics lung cancer

News and Trends 19 Sep 2019

Dutch ‘Electronic Nose’ Predicts Cancer Immunotherapy Success

A diagnostic device measuring chemicals in the breath, developed by the Dutch company Breathomix, was able to identify lung cancer patients that wouldn’t respond to cancer immunotherapy with unprecedented accuracy. Researchers at the University of Amsterdam tested the device on 143 lung cancer patients, who were going to receive immunotherapy in the form of the […]

September 19, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

brain cancer glioblastoma divide and conquer

News and Trends 18 Sep 2019

UK Cancer Biotech Raises €11M Series A to Break Up Brain Tumors

The Cambridge-based company Divide and Conquer has raised €11.3M (£10M) to develop a treatment that breaks up glioblastoma tumors, exposing them to attack by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. With this Series A round, funded by the UK VC firm Medicxi, Divide and Conquer has exited stealth mode a year after its foundation. The company will use […]

September 18, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

More News! 18 Sep 2019

€15M to Take Swiss Biotech’s Liver Cirrhosis Treatment to Phase II

Versantis has raised a Series B of €14.6M (CHF 16M) to advance its treatment for late-stage liver cirrhosis to a phase IIa trial. The money will finance the completion of an ongoing phase I trial of Versantis’ lead candidate for the condition decompensated liver cirrhosis. Following this, the company will use the funds to launch […]

September 18, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 17 Sep 2019

UK Biotech to Fight Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria with €8M Grant

The UK biotech Procarta Biosystems has received a grant worth up to €8.3M from the nonprofit US partnership CARB-X to develop drugs that kill antibiotic-resistant pathogens while sparing benign bacteria in the gut. The total funding includes €2M upfront and up to an extra €6.3M that Procarta will receive if it hits unspecified milestones. Procarta […]

September 17, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

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Jonathan Smith

About

Articles by Jonathan Smith

Positive Phase III Results for Narcolepsy Drug with Low Cardiovascular Risk

Danish Smallpox Vaccine Gets FDA Approval to Fight Bioterrorism

German Biotech Will Develop Carbohydrate-Targeting Cancer Treatments

Rare Metal Could Turbocharge Cancer Light Therapies

Lab-Grown Skin as Good as Skin Grafts for Burns at Phase III

AC Immune Gets €28M from Eli Lilly as Alzheimer’s Drug Hits Phase I

FDA Greenlights First Oral Version of Novo Nordisk’s Type 2 Diabetes Drug

This Biotech Targets Mitochondria to Treat Inherited Diseases

Dutch ‘Electronic Nose’ Predicts Cancer Immunotherapy Success

UK Cancer Biotech Raises €11M Series A to Break Up Brain Tumors

€15M to Take Swiss Biotech’s Liver Cirrhosis Treatment to Phase II

UK Biotech to Fight Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria with €8M Grant

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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