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 5 Jul 2019

French Biotech’s Plant Extract Cuts Blood Glucose in Prediabetic People

A plant extract developed by the French biotech Valbiotis is the first food supplement to reduce blood glucose levels in people at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In a phase IIa trial, Valbiotis compared its food supplement with a placebo in 51 people with prediabetes. After six months, the supplement had reduced blood […]

July 5, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

melanoma yukin therapeutics antibody cancer nice

Startup Scout 5 Jul 2019

This Biotech Helps the Immune System to Infiltrate and Destroy Tumors

The Nice-based biotech company Yukin Therapeutics is developing drugs that can work together with checkpoint inhibitors to help the immune system smash tumors such as melanoma. Mission: To develop a drug that can change the tumor microenvironment to allow the immune system to infiltrate and destroy the tumor more effectively. This could give a big […]

July 5, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

lupus autoimmune disease neutrophil citryll

News and Trends 4 Jul 2019

Dutch Antibodies for Autoimmune Diseases Boosted by €15M Series A

The Dutch biotech Citryll has raised €15M to develop antibodies that could fight autoimmune and inflammatory diseases more effectively than current treatments by inhibiting the innate immune system. The Series A funds will be used to launch the clinical development of Citryll’s lead antibody, which is designed to treat the autoimmune condition lupus. The money […]

July 4, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

amoeba biocontol rust disease agriculture

More News! 4 Jul 2019

First Eco-Friendly Treatment Stops Fungal Crop Disease

An eco-friendly antifungal treatment developed by the French biotech Amoéba has reduced rust infections in legumes by 85% in a recent field trial. Rust is a plant disease caused by fungi that is very hard to treat. Although chemical fungicides can be used against it, these are often expensive and harmful to other organisms, including […]

July 4, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

News and Trends 3 Jul 2019

EU Approves Two-Drug Pill as First-Line Treatment for HIV

The two-drug pill Dovato, developed by the UK company ViiV Healthcare, has been approved as a first-line treatment for HIV, potentially causing fewer long-term side effects than current three-drug antiretroviral regimens. HIV patients currently need to take three or more antiretroviral drugs per day to keep the infection at bay. As they get older, these […]

July 3, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

acne s biomedic skinbiotherapeutics skin microbiome

News and Trends 2 Jul 2019

Microbiome Food Supplement Improves Metabolic Syndrome in Overweight People

A food supplement made from bacteria, developed by a Belgian research group, has improved symptoms of the metabolic syndrome including insulin resistance and high blood cholesterol levels in overweight volunteers at risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The metabolic syndrome is a collection of conditions including high blood cholesterol, insulin resistance and high […]

July 2, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

Startup Scout 28 Jun 2019

This Biotech Makes Dyes from Agricultural Waste Using Microbes

Welcome to Norwich, UK, where Colorifix converts agricultural waste products into dyes using microbes, reducing the water and energy required to produce the dyes. Mission: To make textile dyes more sustainable by replacing chemical methods with microbial fermentation. Dyes are an essential part of the textile and fashion industries. The majority of dyes today are […]

June 28, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

More News! 26 Jun 2019

Carbios Raises €14.5M to Build Plant to Make 100% Recycled Plastic

The French bioplastics biotech Carbios has raised €14.5M through a placing of shares in order to fund the construction of a demonstration plant that will use enzymes to make 100% recycled plastics. Around 75% of the proceeds will fund the demonstration plant, which is due to be fully operational by the end of next year. […]

June 26, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

erytech sqz biosciences cell therapy off the shelf

News and Trends 25 Jun 2019

US and French Biotech Partnership to Develop Off-the-Shelf Cell Therapies

The French biotech Erytech will license its red blood cell drug encapsulation technology to the US cell therapy company SQZ Biotechnologies for up to €50M. The partners plan to develop off-the-shelf cell therapies combining Erytech’s red blood cell drug encapsulation with SQZ Biotechnologies’ technology, which engineers immune cells to attack or protect specific disease targets. […]

June 25, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

nash liver fibrosis genfit terns pharmaceuticals organ

News and Trends 25 Jun 2019

Genfit’s NASH Drug to Be Developed in China in Deal Worth up to €200M

The US-Chinese company Terns Pharmaceuticals will develop and commercialize Genfit’s phase III drug elafibranor for the chronic liver disease NASH in China. As part of the deal, Genfit will receive a €31M ($35M) upfront fee and up to €170M ($193M) in developmental milestone payments. The two companies will also collaborate on other development programs for […]

June 25, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

heart disease cardiovascular disease cholesterol zora biosciences

News and Trends 24 Jun 2019

Diagnostic Test Beats ‘Bad’ Cholesterol at Predicting Heart Attacks

A study run by the Finnish diagnostics biotech Zora Biosciences has found two biomarkers that are better at predicting heart attacks and deaths in patients with coronary heart disease than the current gold standard — measuring ‘bad’ cholesterol in the blood. To assess the risk of death or heart attacks in people with coronary […]

June 24, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

fecal transplant maat pharma fda enterobiotix

News and Trends 21 Jun 2019

Will US Fecal Transplant Death Impact European Biotech?

The death of a US patient from complications after a fecal transplant last week could have a major impact on microbiome research in Europe. The microbiome is a field with big potential for treating disease by targeting imbalances in the patient’s gut flora, such as by giving patients the stool bacteria of a healthy person […]

June 21, 2019 - 2 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

French Biotech’s Plant Extract Cuts Blood Glucose in Prediabetic People

This Biotech Helps the Immune System to Infiltrate and Destroy Tumors

Dutch Antibodies for Autoimmune Diseases Boosted by €15M Series A

First Eco-Friendly Treatment Stops Fungal Crop Disease

EU Approves Two-Drug Pill as First-Line Treatment for HIV

Microbiome Food Supplement Improves Metabolic Syndrome in Overweight People

This Biotech Makes Dyes from Agricultural Waste Using Microbes

Carbios Raises €14.5M to Build Plant to Make 100% Recycled Plastic

US and French Biotech Partnership to Develop Off-the-Shelf Cell Therapies

Genfit’s NASH Drug to Be Developed in China in Deal Worth up to €200M

Diagnostic Test Beats ‘Bad’ Cholesterol at Predicting Heart Attacks

Will US Fecal Transplant Death Impact European Biotech?

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!