Researchers at the University of Illinois and the Agency for Science, Technology & Research in Singapore are using the gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 to uncover potentially useful drug compounds. The team has used CRISPR-Cas9 to turn on “silent” gene clusters in Streptomyces and express genes that naturally produce drug compounds to be used as antibiotics or […]
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Frequency raises $32m in Series A for hearing loss therapy
Frequency Therapeutics said today that it closed a $32 million Series A round, led by CoBro Ventures. Morningside Ventures, Emigrant Capital Corp., Korean Investment Partnership, Alexandria Real Estate Equities and other groups also invested in the round. The company has developed a proprietary combination of small molecule drugs that they plan to inject in the ear, […]
Adgero touts data for photodynamic drug-device combo
Adgero Biopharmaceuticals touted positive clinical data from studies of its late-stage photodynamic therapy platform for the treatment of cutaneous oncology indications, including unresectable metastatic breast cancer. The Princeton, N.J.-based company’s REM-001 therapy consists of a laser light source, a light delivery device and a photosensitizer drug. The therapy has been evaluated in 4 Phase II/III clinical […]
European countries vie to host drug agency after Brexit
The European Medicines Agency said it has heard from 21 countries that want to host the London-based regulator once Britain leaves. The EMA is preparing to leave its headquarters as a result of Brexit and the agency’s executive director reportedly said they are hoping for a quick decision on its new location. The location will […]
Cytori wins FDA nod for cell therapy pilot trial
Cytori Therapeutics (NSDQ:CYTX) said today that the FDA approved an Investigational Device Exemption for a pilot trial of the company’s cell therapy in patients with thermal burn injury. The Relief trial is a part of Cytori’s ongoing R&D efforts under its contract with the U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services’ Biomedical Advanced Research and […]
Canadian government, JDRF ink $30m partnership to support diabetes research
Canada’s Minister of Health, Jane Philpott, said today that the Canadian Institutes of Health Research inked a $30 million partnership with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to support clinical research for Type I diabetes. Both groups have agreed to invest $15 million to the deal. “The government of Canada recognizes the impact that Type I diabetes […]
Report: Fresenius set to buy generics maker Akorn
German healthcare group Fresenius SE (NYSE:FMS) reportedly said last week that it is in talks with generic drugmaker Akorn Inc. (NSDQ:AKRX) for a potential takeover. Akorn shares jumped 10% to $32.60 on news of the potential bid. Fresenius said in a statement that there is no guarantee that any deal will happen as a result of […]
Bellerophon touts effects of inhaled nitric oxide in pulmonary arterial hypertension
Bellerophon Therapeutics (NSDQ:BLPH) presented data for its INOpulse nitric oxide device in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension at the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation’s annual meeting. Researchers studied the effects of pulsed inhaled nitric oxide, delivered by the INOpulse device in 10 patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension both before and after exercise. The […]
After review of patient deaths, European regulators OK Actelion’s Uptravi
The European Medicines Agency told doctors today that they can continue to prescribe Actelion‘s (VTX:ATLN) pulmonary arterial hypertension drug, Uptravi. The regulatory body initiated a safety review in January after 5 patients in France died and docs were asked to stop prescribing the drug. Regulators reported that their review did not suggest an increase in mortality […]
Patients twice as likely to take anticoagulants with artificial intelligence platform
Researchers from the Stern Stroke Center at Montefiore Medical Center published trial results this week showing that stroke survivors were twice as likely to take anticoagulants when using an artificial intelligence platform compared to patients receiving standard therapies. The AI platform, AiCure, features software algorithms on smartphones that confirm patient identify, medication and drug ingestion. […]