- | SOTIO
C&G Therapy Manufacturing Automation: Making The Most Of Today’s Opportunities
SOTIO — highlighted a variety of ways the industry could address the high cost of making these therapies. Despite the fact each of these experts is focused on different types of cell therapies (allogenic and/or autologous) and therapeutic indications, their mindset was strikingly aligned around just how innovative a simplified C&G therapy manufacturing process would be.
- | Vaxart
Could a potential oral COVID vaccine be the new alternative to a vaccination shot?
If you’re not a fan of needles, how about a vaccine you take with a glass of water? That’s what San Francisco biotechnology company Vaxart is working on.
- | Acepodia
Taiwan’s Acepodia closes Series B with the promise of conjugating antibodies and off-the-shelf NK cells
Acepodia closed its Series B round Tuesday morning, hoping to build upon CEO Sonny Hsiao’s work from when he was a biologist at UC Berkeley. The biotech plans to use the funds to advance its lead program through the end of a Phase I trial and launch a Phase II study, as well as to get two other candidates into the clinic.
- | Check-Cap
Q: Putting aside COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics, what do you think will be the most significant development in the industry in 2021?
A relevant topic in the healthcare space that has arisen amid the COVID-19 pandemic is the alarming drop in cancer screening rates globally due to limited access of patients to hospitals settings and cancellations of non-elective procedures, which will inevitably result in increased cancer deaths in coming years. The pandemic has reemphasized the relevance of the advancement of patient-friendly solutions that can help diagnose the warning signs of cancer effectively, while also reducing the need of hospital visits and invasive procedures. I believe that, in 2021, we will continue to see efforts from biotech and medical technology companies to improve performance of current patient-friendly screening tools, to offer increased sensitivity and specificity while ensuring patient compliance. For some cancers, such as colorectal cancer, this is particularly relevant, since screening for and later removal of benign colorectal polyps can in fact prevent development of the disease and later cancer.
- | Aridis Pharmaceuticals
Developing Accessible Monoclonal Antibodies to Treat COVID-19 with Vu Truong Aridis Pharmaceuticals
Vu Truong, CEO, Aridis Pharmaceuticals is taking on the challenge of making an inhaled monoclonal antibody to treat COVID-19 to allow for the easier patient access. Drawing on their work in infectious diseases and with a number of monoclonal antibodies candidates to treat bacteria infection associated with superbugs and antibiotic resistance, Aridis is finding ways to overcome lack of usage of similar potent antibodies from Regeneron and Eli Lilly to combat the coronavirus.
- | CalciMedica
Aveo teams with Bristol Myers after surprise FDA approval; CalciMedica lines up $21M raise to advance Covid-19 candidate
California-based CalciMedica closed a Series D round on Thursday to advance its portfolio of calcium release-activated calcium (CRAC) inhibitors, including Auxora, which is being tested in both Covid-19 and acute pancreatitis patients.
- | Vaxart
The US Has 3 Covid Vaccines—Testing New Ones Is Complicated
The push abroad raises fresh concerns over clinical trials exploiting economically developing nations. Vaxart, maker of a potential Covid vaccine that comes in tablet form, is gearing up for a Phase II trial. The company plans to consult foreign ministries of health and ethics committees to set up ethical trials. That might include a crossover study that guarantees the vaccine for all participants, says Sean Tucker, the company’s chief scientific officer.
