- | Sotio
Unum’s CAR-T tech—and research team—lands at Czech biotech Sotio for $8.1M
It’s no secret that Unum Therapeutics has had a tough run—in March, the company cut more than half its staff and wound down its clinical work in a bid to shore up a preclinical CAR-T prospect. Now, that program, along with the technology behind it, has found a new home: Sotio, a Prague-based biotech developing multiple types of cancer treatments.

- | Fountain Therapeutics
Healthy aging – it’s still all about diet and exercise. For now
This work ultimately led to the creation of Fountain Therapeutics, where he is a co-founder – and continues to drive a significant amount of the research conducted at his Stanford lab.

- | Bionano
Bionano Genomics Acquisition Adds a CLIA-Certified Lab to its Novel Technology Platform
When Bionano Genomics acquired Lineagen, Inc. in August, the genomic analysis company gained the final piece it needed to provide comprehensive structural variation detection for researchers and drug developers and a reimbursement pathway for clinicians who want to use its technology to replace cytogenetic tests to diagnose cancers and rare diseases.

- | Valneva
What if the First Coronavirus Vaccines Aren’t the Best?
Valneva makes vaccines from inactivated viruses that are killed with chemicals. Jonas Salk and other early vaccine makers found this recipe to work well. Chinese vaccine makers already have three such coronavirus vaccines in Phase 3 trials, but Dr. Lingelbach still sees an opportunity for Valneva making its own.

- | NantKwest
The Inside Story Of Biotech’s Barnum And His Covid Cures
Patrick Soon-Shiong knows when he realized that the Covid-19 pandemic was going to pose a serious threat. It was February 24, and the part-owner of the L.A. Lakers was at the Staples Center in Los Angeles for Kobe Bryant’s memorial service.

- | Orchestra BioMed
Driving Biomedical Innovation and Partnerships in Interventional Cardiology with David Hochman Orchestra BioMed
David Hochman, CEO and Founder, Orchestra BioMed is bringing a partnership model to promote healthcare innovation particularly in the field of drug eluting balloons. Their lead product Virtue Sirolimus Angiofusion Balloon (SAB) is delivering an established therapeutic agent in interventional cardiology during balloon angioplasty without needing a stent permanent implant. This unique drug delivery solution encapsulates the drug in a balloon that has no coating and delivers the drug through micropores in the balloon to deliver the intended dose.

- | Acepodia
Immunotherapy Developer Acepodia Hopes to Slash Cell Therapy Manufacturing Costs
“Empowering” natural killer (NK) cells to destroy tumors could cut the cost of cell therapies, according to a company developing the technology. Acepodia has started Phase I trials of its lead drug candidate, a cancer treatment based on a new cell therapy platform. Antibody Cell Conjugation (ACC) uses “molecular Velcro” to attach tumor-fighting antibodies to the surface of proprietary NK cells.

- | Cue Biopharma
Company Spotlight: Cue Biopharma Innovates in the Immunotherapy Space with its Immuno-STAT Platform
Immunotherapy continues to be a burgeoning field, with immune-based therapies being among the leading treatments being developed in areas such as oncology and autoimmunity.