#12 - I spy fresh funding and computational collaborations
The coffee break biotech roundup, by SomX.
Good morning my eagle-eyed readers,
This week’s biotech news brings funding for the UK’s life sciences sector, RNA-driven cancer therapies, and India is setting its sights on a $300 billion bioeconomy; meanwhile, EyePoint is facing some eye-watering scrutiny from the FDA.
And finally, Danish researchers are cracking the code on protein design.
Keep those eyes peeled,
Dodo
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Discover 🔍
🇬🇧 UK government partners with pharma on new £400M life science infusion (Endpoints): Jolly good news for the UK’s biopharma sector! A hefty 75% of the £400 million will go toward setting up 18 new clinical trial hubs, with another 20% earmarked for bolstering domestic manufacturing and 5% for sprucing up healthtech systems. This collaboration with the ABPI promises to fast-track the next-gen treatments for NHS patients while ensuring medicines remain accessible and affordable.
Our take: This hefty investment bolsters the UK as a global biotech leader, even amidst pesky post-Brexit hurdles. By modernising clinical infrastructure and ramping up domestic manufacturing, the government is paving the way for a more resilient life sciences sector. Such foresight could ensure the NHS prospers on the world healthcare stage – but we’ll just have to wait and see.
🧬 Bayer partners with RNA drugmaker to develop new cancer therapies (Biopharma drive): Bayer has struck a promising collaboration with NextRNA Therapeutics, potentially worth a handsome $547 million, to develop novel small molecule drugs targeting cancers driven by dysregulated long non-coding RNA. The deal includes access to NextRNA’s computational software, NextMap, and aims to tackle cancer indications with high unmet need. One program is already in preclinical testing, with Bayer poised to select another target for joint development.
Our take: Well, I say, this partnership not only broadens and future-proofs Bayer’s oncology horizons, but also cements the shift of big pharma partnering with boutique biotech firms. By delving into the lesser-known territory of long non-coding RNAs, Bayer demonstrates the growing appreciation for RNA-based therapies and the push for more personalised treatments using computational drug discovery platforms – an emerging trend.
👀 EyePoint dinged with FDA warning letter over manufacturing shortfalls tied to eye implant (Fierce Pharma): EyePoint is in a bit of a bind with Yutiq, their single-injection implant for the treatment of eye inflammation. The FDA’s own eagle eyes caught inconsistencies in production, subpar written procedures, and facility maintenance lapses. EyePoint assures that they are committed to resolving these issues and only affect Yutiq. However, recent problems with lead candidate Duravyu, which failed to adequately improve patient scores, leave one wondering about EyePoint’s next steps.
Our take: My word, EyePoint’s situation shows how manufacturing rigour is a vital and key differentiator in biotech’s competitive landscape. A lapse here can lead to regulatory hurdles that derail even the most promising therapies. Tightening the screws is essential for safeguarding their future – without doing so, they risk falling behind in an unforgiving market…
🇮🇳 Policy push for India’s bioeconomy (Nature): India’s bioeconomy has soared from $10B in 2014 to over $130B in 2024. Now, with the newly proposed BioE3 policy, the goal is to reach $300B by 2030 by boosting biomanufacturing hubs and biofoundries. The plan targets six key areas: bio-based chemicals, biopolymers and enzymes, smart proteins and functional foods, precision biotherapeutics, climate-resilient agriculture, carbon capture, and marine and space research. However, experts say the real challenge will be scaling up from lab to market.
Our take: This push is a rather astute manoeuvre – positioning India as a frontrunner in the burgeoning green bioeconomy. By focusing on sustainable biomanufacturing, India isn’t merely catching up; it’s setting a benchmark that even established biotech economies might envy. However, scaling up will be no small feat. I wonder if the required infrastructure, investment, and talent will keep pace…
And finally…
🤖 Researchers present AI-guided protein design tool (European Biotechnology Magazine): Danish scientists at the University of Copenhagen have crafted a rather ingenious algorithm to predict the structure of intrinsically disordered proteins – a notoriously elusive class tied to neurodegenerative diseases. This clever model predicts the structure of these proteins, potentially expanding the toolkit for creating novel therapeutic proteins and overcoming a longstanding conundrum in computational protein design.
Our take: Well, this is all rather impressive, isn’t it? An AI-guided tool for designing intrinsically disordered proteins is quite an achievement. By uncovering the mechanisms behind misfolded protein accumulation, we’re one step closer towards developing therapeutics for conditions like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases – fields that have long presented significant challenges in drug discovery.
Tune in 🎧
🌱 A tough ending, new beginnings and China–US biopharma relations
BioSpace dives into the highs and lows in biotech range from Tome Biosciences' winding down operations to the launch of Borealis Biosciences and GondolaBio. Plus, the latest news in US–China biopharma relation.
🇩🇪 New German biotech spins out to develop radiotherapeutics
Join Jim Cornall on Beyond Biotech as he chats with Andreas Eckert, founder of Pentixapharm, about the company's spinout, innovative radiotherapeutic pipeline, and its recent acquisition of Glycotope’s target discovery business.
🎂 Jerry McLaughlin, CEO Life Biosciences
Max Brennen interviews Jerry McLaughlin, CEO of Life Biosciences, about his impressive career journey from big pharma to biotech startups and the innovative work at Life Biosciences focused on extending healthy human lifespan.
Apply ✍️
🛡️ Airlock Coordinator, Genomics England – Ready to protect critical data? As an Airlock Coordinator, you’ll ensure secure data exchange within the Trusted Research Environment, supporting researchers worldwide while upholding the highest standards of data protection.
🧠 Intern Biomedical Data Scientist, Orakl Oncology – Love digging into data? With sharp analytical skills and passion for clinical trials, you’ll help explore groundbreaking tumour avatar research, advancing the future of cancer treatment with every dataset you tackle.
🏭 Head of Manufacturing: Cell Therapy, Takeda – A master of manufacturing? With your cGMP expertise, you’ll lead a top-tier team, steering operations and innovation to drive transformative cell therapies to patients.
RSVP 📆
🧠 11.09 | Intelligent Health | Basel, Switzerland: Featuring conversations on AI in medicine, and highlighting the companies and innovations driving adoption across biotech, pharma and healthtech.
🔬 14.09 | The Power of Bioengineering | London, UK: UCL Bioengineering lecturer Alvena Kureshi will share how leading-edge innovations in bioengineering are revolutionising our approach to wound care.
🏆 26.09 | Endpoints 11 | Boston, US: Join Endpoints at their annual awards event, for an evening of fireside chats and editorial conversations. Plus, network with the most promising biotechs in the industry.
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