SAN FRANCISCO, April 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Gordian Biotechnology, an in vivo drug discovery and development company, today announced its platform that enables patient predictive, in vivo screening of hundreds of gene targets for FDA-recognized diseases of aging at a scale never before possible.

The company has raised $60 million to date from investors including The Longevity Fund, Arctica Ventures, Athos Service GmbH, Gigafund, Founders Fund, Fifty Years, and former Novartis CEO Thomas Ebeling.

Gordian's Osteoarthritis (OA) program has screened hundreds of therapies in horses that acquired OA naturally and advanced dozens of therapies into human ex vivo validation studies. The results of these ex vivo studies matched screen predictions with 80% accuracy, and several hits progressed to additional testing and optimization. Gordian presented these findings at the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) World Congress last week.

In proof of concept experiments during initial development, Gordian introduced a pooled library of 50 gene therapies into a mouse model of metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). The therapies were evaluated using the company's proprietary in vivo screening platform, which successfully recapitulated 13 out of 16 clinical outcomes for targets where clinical data exists.

Today, Gordian is completing in vivo screens of thousands of novel single and multi-target therapies across four indications in highly representative animal models across multiple species.

"Gordian leverages recent advancements in single-cell sequencing and gene therapy to discover and predict what drugs will be successful in a way that would have been inconceivable just five years ago," said co-founder and CEO Francisco LePort. "Our ultimate goal is to help people wake up every day, more capable than the one before."

The first and only platform of its kind

Screening in vivo lets Gordian run the equivalent of hundreds of preclinical experiments in a matter of months and at a small fraction of the cost of traditional preclinical studies. Thus, enormous amounts of in vivo data are obtained at the beginning of the discovery process in animal models that would otherwise be impractical to use, allowing only the most efficacious therapeutics to move into development and clinical trials.

The Gordian platform consists of three proprietary components working in concert:

"Our most severe unmet medical needs are the result of aging. This is due to the complexities of the aging body, often involving multiple comorbidities at once, making research and development especially challenging and expensive," said Martin Borch Jensen, Gordian co-founder and chief scientific officer. "Gordian is creating a future in which age-related ailments are treated and cured as effectively as infectious diseases today."

Aging is the ultimate risk factor for humans, the most expensive, yet research is under-funded.

"Age-related diseases are incredibly complex, and a living animal, ideally one that is aged and acquired the disease naturally, is the only experimental system that can capture this complexity," said Laura Deming, a partner at The Longevity Fund and Gordian investor. "Our ability to understand these diseases is bottlenecked by the rate we can run tests in these living systems. Scaling that rate by over 100 fold is really exciting and is a huge leap toward curing age-related disease."

In addition to MASH and OA, Gordian's current focus indications include heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and pulmonary fibrosis. The platform is capable of discovering therapies for a long list of complex diseases. The company seeks to partner with pharmaceutical companies to develop drugs as well as move therapeutics into the clinic internally.

LePort and Borch Jensen studied and worked in separate scientific fields in different parts of the world before meeting in early 2018 as a result of their shared interest in longevity entrepreneurship. They founded Gordian in October of that year.

Follow Gordian on LinkedIn and X and visit http://www.gordian.bio for more information.

Photos and video available at https://gordian.bio/media-assets

Media Contact gordian@perchpartners.com

About Gordian Biotechnology Founded in 2018 and headquartered in San Francisco, Gordian is an in vivo drug discovery and development company whose mission is to cure age-related diseases. Named for solving intractable problems by changing the rules, the company has developed an innovative in vivo screening platform that tests thousands of gene therapies and predicts clinical outcomes with unprecedented accuracy and efficiency. The Gordian Platform comprises three proprietary components working in concert to drive predictive ability. Mosaic Screening is the Gordian method of pooled in vivo screening, Patient Avatars are animals most representative of humans, and Pythia is an analysis methodology that combines Gordian screening data with existing human data and uses machine learning to maximize predictive power. The company is funded by world-renowned investors including The Longevity Fund, Athos Service GmbH, Gigafund, Founders Fund, and former Novartis CEO Thomas Ebeling. Gordian: Creating Time.

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SOURCE Gordian Biotechnology

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Gordian Biotechnology Introduces High-Throughput In Vivo Screening Platform to Discover Therapies and Better ... - BioSpace

UK High Court invalidates two patents due to overwhelming evidence supplied by defendant | Biotech firm files same claims in Netherlands division of UPC on same day.

The UK High Court has declared two patents held by Advanced Cell Diagnostics (ACD), a Bio-Techne brand invalid, following a dispute with Molecular Instruments.

ACD alleged in 2022 that Molecular Instruments HCR 3.0 technology infringed two of its European (UK) patents (EP 2,500,439 and EP 1,910,572).

The patents describe methods, kits and products for detecting nucleic acids in individual cells andidentifying rare cells from large heterogeneous cell populations, and underpin ACDs RNAscope in-situ hybridisation (ISH) technology.

ACD owns patents covering various features of its RNAscope technology, which it says is the gold standard for ISH technology.

According to Bio-Techne, ISH technology leverages dynamic nanotechnology to enable small amplification components to first penetrate a biological sample without interacting, and then autonomously grow bright amplification polymers at the site of RNA targets within the sample.

But in his judgment delivered in the UK Patents Court on Wednesday, April 23, Justice Richard Meade rejected ACDs claim of infringement, ruling that both of ACDs patents are invalid and obvious and finding that Molecular Instruments primary evidence is really overwhelming in this case.

He also said: Had the patents been valid, EP572 but not EP439 would have been infringed by the acts to be considered at this trial.

Molecular Instruments CEO Harry Choi said in a statement: Our goal is to empower biologists, bioengineers, drug developers, and diagnostics developers by providing them with next-generation molecular tools that enable breakthroughs in their projects.

We felt compelled to fight this lawsuit to protect the ability of our customers to continue their research, as many customers working in challenging imaging settings cannot perform their experiments with any other technology.

This judgment in our favour ensures that UK researchers will not be denied access to our game-changing HCR imaging platform.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Bio-Techne said: ACD disagrees with this decision and is considering its options for appeal," as reported by GenomeWeb.

Its worth noting that the Patents Court of the High Court of England and Wales did in fact find that Molecular Instruments would have infringed ACDs intellectual property had it been found valid.

ACD will continue to protect its intellectual property and commercial investments and, to that effect, has just filed an additional lawsuit against Molecular Instruments in Europes Unified Patent Court."

Bio-Techne also noted that the UPC covers multiple countries within the EU and that the UK decision will not be precedential.

Parallel EU suit

On the same day as the UK judgment, Bio-Techne filed a lawsuit at the Unified Patent Court (UPC), alleging infringement of the same two patents by Molecular Instruments.

The lawsuit was filed at the Local Division of the Court of First Instance in The Hague, Netherlands, to halt the infringement of its patented RNAscope ISH technology by Molecular Instruments in key European markets.

Bio-Techne describes itself as a pioneer in spatial biology, with its broad portfolio of more than 50,000 unique RNAscope ISH probes across more than 400 species.

Kim Kelderman, president and CEO of Bio-Techne, said in a statement that the company has made substantial investments to become the global leader in the rapidly growing spatial biology industry, including the development and application of its RNAscope technology.

He added that the company had also acquired Lunaphore, which added the fully automated, high-throughput, hyperplex COMET platform to the portfolio.

We will continue to diligently monitor the spatial biology industry, as well as all of the areas where we operate, for violators of our intellectual property and vigorously defend our position against any potential offenders.

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Bio-Techne loses UK patent bid and heads to UPC - Life Sciences Intellectual Property Review

The Swiss biotech sector proved robust growth in 2023. Revenues in 2023 increased by CHF500m to CHF7.3bn. Capital investment grew to CHF2bn - just betweeen 2021 (CHF3.4bn) and 2022 (CHF1.3bn).

The Swiss Biotech Report 2024 commissioned by the Swiss Biotech Association and co-published with EY on the occasion of the Swiss Biotech Day demonstrates a clear post-pandemic growth of the Swiss biotech sector. With an annual revenue of CHF7.3bn, Swiss biotechs hit new records, even higher than during the pandemic (2021: CHF6.7bn; 2022: CHF6.8bn). According to the authors of the report on the 2023 industry performance indicators, this is partly due to "significant collaboration and licensing agreements" in which Swiss biotech companies successfully collaborated with Big Pharma. On the other hand, product sales were boosted by a record number of approvals by Swissmedic, EMA, FDA and other regulatory authorities across the globe. These approvals included ground-breaking novel therapies, for example from CRISPR Therapeutics AG, Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, and Basilea Pharmaceutica AG.

In a difficult global financing environment, Oculis SA and MoonLake Immunotherapeutics AG, recorded the largest capital inflows of public Swiss companies: Ophthalmic diseases specialist Oculis SA secured US$144m through a SPAC transaction with follow-on financing on Nasdaq. MoonLake Immunotherapeutics AG, which had its Nasdaq debut in April 2022 through a SPAC merger, baged a US$415m follow-on financing. While the mood on the stock markets has remained poor for the industry since the end of the pandemic, some privately financed biotech companies tapped into good sources of financing in 2023: CNS specialist Noema Pharma AG got CHF103m through a Series B financing, cancer and reverse fibrosis drug developer Alentis Therapeutics AG secured CHF94m, healthy aging biotech Rejuveron Life Sciences AG cashed in CHF67m, Swiss-Italian MVA specialist Nouscom AG raised CHF 65m and gene therapy platform specialist NewBiologix SA has an inflow of CHF45m.

Frederik Schmachtenberg (EY) co-author of the Swiss Biotech Report pointed out that the average of these private financing rounds had increased by around 40% compared to previous year. Overall, the total investment amount in private and listed companies in 2023 showed that the ups and downs of the coronavirus years and the sharp dip in 2022 have thus been overcome. There is more hope for the future, even if framework conditions such as any interest rate decisions by the central banks are currently highly unpredictable.

Michael Altorfer, President of the Swiss Biotechnology Association, emphasised the high export share of the Swiss life sciences and biotech industry. "Switzerland helps the world with its products, but we are also helped by the global community," said Altorfer. Internationalisation would therefore be a fundamental topic for this industry and Switzerland, as evidenced by the high level of international interest in Swiss Biotech Day. Over 1,000 participants from outside Switzerland accounted for almost half of the total of 2,500 registrations. Several cluster organisations from Germany - Rhineland-Palatinate, Munich/Bavaria and Saxony/Saxony-Anhalt - have also set up international delegations in the conference centre's "Global Village" to promote their region and cross-border cooperation with Switzerland.

All companies represented at the Swiss Biotech Day and BIO-Europe show in the field of RNA drugs, diagnostics, services & R&D laboratory hardware and materials are hereby invited to send their URL, geodata and contact details (incl address) for a story "RNA across Europe" in the nextEuropean Biotechnology Magazine toa.macht(at)biocom.deby Tuesday, 7 May. It is planned to print a map of European RNA players in the next issue (publication date 23 May 2024, advertising deadline 10 May 2024) and to publish an interactive map of all RNA players online ateuropean-biotechnology.com. Make your expertise visible and put your company on the map!

Please meet us at Swiss Biotech Day at Booth#8Aor drop an email tomarketing(at)biocom.de.

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Swiss Biotech Report reporting record turnover - European Biotechnology News

L to R: Gib Coerper, Alachua Mayor; Mark Glickman, President & CEO, BioFlorida; Seth Lane, Executive Vice President of Real Estate + Development, Concept Companies; TJ Villamil, President of Business Development, FloridaCommerce and President of International Commerce, SelectFlorida, Inc.

Press release from BioFlorida

ALACHUA, Fla. More than 500 life science professionals gathered at Momentum Labs | Alachua on April 25 for BioFloridas 19th Annual Celebration of Biotechnology. This lively community event offered attendees the opportunity to connect with industry leaders, learn about new innovations, and explore the bountiful career opportunities this rapidly growing field provides locally and across the state.

With over 100 interactive exhibits from emerging biotech companies, research institutions, and economic development groups, the celebration highlighted the breadth and momentum of Floridas life sciences sector.

BioFloridas Celebration of Biotechnology offers the local and statewide community an opportunity to meet an ever-growing number of new biopharmaceutical and medtech companies as well as industry leaders, says BioFlorida President and CEO, Mark Glickman. This steady industry growth has been achieved thanks to a collaborative, nurturing environment.

Brief remarks were also shared by key figures including Seth Lane from Concept Companies; Alachua Mayor Gib Coerper; and FloridaCommerce executive TJ Villamil, who encouraged attendees to leverage state resources that actively support life sciences ventures.

This years event also debuted the Talent Table, focused entirely on training programs, academic pathways, internships, and jobs. With demand outpacing supply for many skilled positions, the opportunity to connect directly with employers, educators, and workforce development leaders proved invaluable especially for young professionals and career changers.

Community events like BioFloridas Celebration of Biotechnology allow professionals and prospective talent to plug into this momentum while fueling even faster expansion. For more information on future BioFlorida events, visit http://www.BioFlorida.com.

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19th Annual BioFlorida Celebration of Biotechnology highlights booming industry and career opportunities in Northeast ... - Alachua Chronicle

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., April 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UNITY Biotechnology, Inc. (UNITY) [NASDAQ: UBX], a biotechnology company developing therapeutics to slow, halt, or reverse diseases of aging, today announced that the Company will present two poster presentations at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2024 Annual Meeting being held on May 5-9, 2024 in Seattle, Washington.

ARVO 2024 Presentation Details:

Title: Effect of Patient Baseline Characteristics on Response to UBX1325, a Novel Senolytic Candidate For Patients With DME: BEHOLD Phase 2 Study 48 weeks follow-up Posterboard Number: B0103 Date & Time: Monday, May 6, 2024 at 8:30 10:15 a.m. PDT Location: Exhibit Hall - Seattle Convention Center Presenter: Dante Joseph Pieramici, M.D., California Retina Consultants

Title: Senolytic drug candidate in wet AMD demonstrates benefit with Multifocal ERG testing Posterboard Number: B0391 Date & Time: Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at 2:15 4:00 p.m. PDT Location: Exhibit Hall - Seattle Convention Center Presenter: Raj K. Maturi, M.D., Midwest Eye Institute

Additional presentation details and abstracts are available on the ARVO 2024 website here.

About UNITY UNITY is developing a new class of therapeutics to slow, halt, or reverse diseases of aging. UNITYs current focus is on creating medicines to selectively eliminate or modulate senescent cells and thereby provide transformative benefit inage-relatedophthalmologic and neurologic diseases. More information is available atwww.unitybiotechnology.comor follow us onX andLinkedIn.

Media Contact Inizio Evoke Comms Katherine Smith Katherine.Smith@inizioevoke.com

Investor Contact LifeSci Advisors, LLC Joyce Allaire jallaire@lifesciadvisors.com

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UNITY Biotechnology Announces Upcoming Presentations at the ARVO 2024 Annual Meeting - GlobeNewswire

K. rhaeticus culture conditions and culturing approaches

Two culture media were used in this study to culture K. rhaeticus. HS-glucose media (2% glucose, 10gl1 yeast extract, 10gl1 peptone, 2.7gl1 Na2HPO4 and 1.3gl1 citric acid, pH 5.65.8) and coconut water media (coconut water (Vita Coco), 0.05% (vol/vol) acetic acid). Coconut water media was sterilized by filtration, except in situations where more than 1l was required. In those situations, media supplements were sterilized separately and combined with coconut water, which had been opened and decanted out with aseptic technique, in the culturing container.

When K. rhaeticus was cultured on solid media, HS-glucose media was always used and supplemented with 1.5% agar. K. rhaeticus liquid cultures fell into the following two separate approaches: shaking cultures and stationary cultures. In shaking cultures, the media in use was supplemented with 2% (vol/vol) cellulase (Sigma-Aldrich, C2730) to allow for turbid growth without clumping. In stationary culture, where the goal is pellicle formation, media would be supplemented with 1% (vol/vol) ethanol to enhance pellicle production. In both approaches, where antibiotics were required for plasmid maintenance, media was supplemented with 340gml1 chloramphenicol or 200gml1 spectinomycin.

To facilitate consistency when inoculating multiple pellicles, K. rhaeticus cells would be grown in shaking growth conditions until turbid, normalized in OD600 across samples, pelleted by centrifugation and washed in the subsequent media to remove cellulase. The washed cells were used as a preculture and added, at a ratio of 1:25, into the culturing container and left in stationary conditions at 30C to form pellicles. In the case of forming large pellicles consistently (>25cm2), a glycerol aliquot approach was used. The K. rhaeticus strain of interest would be grown, shaking at 30C in 100ml of HS-glucose media until it reached an OD600 of ~0.6 to 1. At this point, the cells would be pelleted by centrifugation, washed in HS-glucose media, before being pelleted again and resuspended in 10ml of HS-glucose media containing 25% glycerol. The resuspended cells would be separated into 1ml aliquots and stored at 80C until use. When used, an aliquot would be thawed and added to the media in the final culturing container.

DNA parts and plasmids used in this study are listed in the supplementary materials. E. coli Turbo (NEB) cells were used for plasmid construction. The tyr1 DNA sequence was ordered from Twist Bioscience, with compatible 3 and 5 overhangs for entry into the KTK via Golden Gate Cloning. Constitutive tyrosinase constructs were built using the KTK. The procedures and protocols for working with the KTK are described in ref. 26. Plasmids containing the various versions of the Opto-T7RNAP system were kindly sent to us by A. Baumschlager and M. Khammash from ETH Zrich. Due to the presence of multiple KTK-incompatible restriction sites in the T7-Opto coding sequences, Gibson cloning was used to build both the pOpto-T7RNAP*(563-F2)-target plasmid and the five pOpto-T7RNAP suicide plasmids for genomic integration. The primers for Gibson cloning are listed in the supplementary materials.

K. rhaeticus electrocompetent cells were prepared as in ref. 24. K. rhaeticus cells were transformed using electroporation and selected for HS-glucose agar plates containing either 340gml1 chloramphenicol or 500gml1 spectinomycin, depending on the plasmid selection marker in use. Note, here a higher concentration of spectinomycin is used during normal culturing. Genetic constructs that were integrated into the chromosome of K. rhaeticus were done so by homologous recombination using a pUC19 suicide plasmid, as described in ref. 26.

Melanated pellicles were produced using a two-step approach. First, a tyr1 expression strain would be inoculated into a sterile culture container. Typically, 24-well deep well plates (Axygen) were used to make small pellicles. Each well contained 5ml of growth media and was inoculated at a ratio of 1:25 with preculture. Growth media was enriched with 0.5gl1 l-tyrosine and 10M CuSO4 to promote the highest eumelanin production. Once the pellicles had reached the desired thickness, they were collected, placed in a bath of sterile dH2O and washed for 1min by gently shaking by hand. The washed pellicles are then passed into a bath of eumelanin development buffer. A large ratio of buffer to pellicle was used, that is, one pellicle in 25ml of buffer in a 50-ml falcon tube; this was to prevent the overwhelming of the buffer by remaining acid in the pellicle. The pellicle would be allowed to produce eumelanin at >30C in shaking conditions over 24h.

To produce the melanated pellicle used to make the wallet, a 200300 Eurobox container was sterilized and filled with 3l of coconut water media supplemented with 0.5gl1 l-tyrosine, 10M CuSO4 and 1% ethanol. The media was inoculated with a 1ml K. rhaeticus ctyr1 glycerol aliquot and covered in a paper towel before being placed into a stationary incubator set to 30C. After 10days of growth, the pellicle was collected, washed briefly in dH2O before being placed in a 300400mm Eurobox containing 2l of concentrated eumelanin development buffer (10 PBS). The development container was then placed into a shaking incubator set to 45C and allowed to produce eumelanin over 2days, at which point the cellulose had become completely black. The melanated cellulose was then washed again to remove excess eumelanin development buffer before being autoclaved. To make the material pliable after drying, the cellulose sheet was left in a 5% glycerol solution. This glycerol process may improve the strength of dried BC by maintaining some of the properties of wet BC, by preventing hornification55. The sample was then pressed to remove bulk water and air-dried for 24h. This process typically leads to around a 98% reduction in mass due to the removal of water.

To produce the melanated pellicle used to make the shoe, a custom-shaped vessel, containing an apparatus that held a network of tightly strung yarn, was sterilized and filled with 2l of coconut water media supplemented with 0.5gl1 l-tyrosine, 10M CuSO4, 340gml1 chloramphenicol and 1% ethanol. The media was inoculated with a ~500ml precultured K. rhaeticus ptyr1 pellicle. To accommodate the fed-batch procedure and unique vessel size necessary to incorporate the yarn apparatus, the culture was left to grow at room temperature in stationary conditions, until a thin pellicle had formed. At this point, fresh coconut water media supplemented with 0.5gl1 l-tyrosine, 10M CuSO4, 340gml1 chloramphenicol and 1% ethanol was added, to raise the pellicle to just below the level of the tensed yarn. After a longer growth period of 2weeks due to lower temperature, the media was drained and replaced with concentrated eumelanin development buffer (10 PBS). The full container was placed into a shaking incubator set to 30rpm, and developed at 30C for 1day, at which point the pellicle had become completely black. The vessel was then drained of eumelanin development buffer, replaced with 70% ethanol and left overnight to sterilize. The ethanol was replaced with a 5% glycerol solution before the melanated cellulose was removed from the apparatus and wrapped around a shoe-shaped mold (last) to air-dry at 45C for 24h. Once air-dried, the shoe upper and last were placed onto a sole and photographed.

The eumelanin production assay uses a 384-square-well microtiter plate as a reaction plate. An OT-2 liquid handling robot (Opentrons) was used to prepare these reaction plates for the assay. Development buffer was placed into a deep well plate, from which 40l was transferred to each well in the reaction plate using an eight-channel 300l OT-2 Gen2 pipette. The reaction plate was kept at 4C to slow eumelanin production during plate preparation using the OT-2 thermo-module. Cells and supernatant potentially containing tyrosinase were placed into a 96-well plate. Cells were mixed in one round of aspiration using an eight-channel 20l OT-2 Gen2 pipette before 10l of cells were transferred into each well of the 384-well plate. Once full, the reaction plate was centrifuged for 10s to draw liquid to the bottom of the wells before being sealed with a Breath-Easy sealing membrane. The reaction plate was placed into a plate reader and heated to 45C to accelerate eumelanin production and prevent potential cell growth from affecting optical density readings. To measure cell density in the reaction plate, an initial measurement at OD600 is taken, after which OD405 measurements are taken every 10min for 12h, while the plate is shaken at high speed.

K. rhaeticus ptyr1, K.rhaeticus tyr1, and wild-type K. rhaeticus starter cultures were grown in 3ml of HS-glucose media, with 2% cellulase, 0.5gl1 tyrosine, 10M CuSO4 and, if appropriate, 340gml1 chloramphenicol, in shaking conditions for 24h. The cultures were normalized for OD600 and inoculated into shaking flasks containing 25ml of the same prior media for 48h. At this point, the cells were pelleted by centrifugation and the supernatant was transferred to a separate container on ice. The supernatant was sterilized using a 0.2-m filter and the pH was adjusted to pH 7 by 1M NaOH titration. The cell pellets were resuspended in eumelanin development buffer and 10l of the resulting mixture was placed into a 384-well plate alongside pH-adjusted supernatant samples and pH-adjusted cell cultures. Once full, the reaction plate was centrifuged for 10s to draw liquid to the bottom of the wells before being sealed with a Breath-Easy sealing membrane. Assay plate was run using the same protocol as used in the Eumelanin production assay.

K. rhaeticus ptyr1 was inoculated into a 24-well deep well plate, with each well containing 5ml of HS-glucose media, with 0.5gl1 tyrosine, 10M CuSO4 and 340gml1 chloramphenicol. After incubating at 30C for 7 days, pellicles were collected. Eumelanin production was initiated by placing the collected pellicles into eumelanin development buffer. A set of pellicles were held back from eumelanin production and placed into an acetate buffer containing 0.5gl1 tyrosine and 10M CuSO4 at pH 3.6 to act as a negative control. Melanated and unmelanated pellicles were sterilized by placing them in 70% ethanol overnight. Pellicles were then washed in distilled water to remove leftover ethanol and salt. Pellicles were then dried flat using a heated press set to 120C and 1ton of pressure. This process on average leads to a 98% reduction in mass of the pellicle. To facilitate this drying and prevent the pellicles from sticking to the press, pellicles were sandwiched between three layers of filter paper. Wettability tests were conducted using a KRUSS EasyDrop with 1l of water. Each contact angle measurement was derived from the average contact angle from ten back-to-back water drop images taken within 10s of drop contact with the pellicle surface.

K. rhaeticus ptyr1 was inoculated into 15-cm square Petri dishes containing 50ml of HS-glucose media, with 0.5gl1 tyrosine, 10M CuSO4 and 340gml1 chloramphenicol. After incubating at 30C for 7 days, pellicles were collected and cut into half. One half was placed into an eumelanin development buffer to initiate eumelanin production and the other half into an acetate buffer containing 0.5gl1 tyrosine and 10M CuSO4 at pH 3.6 to prevent eumelanin production. After 24h of shaking at 30C, melanated and unmelanated pellicles were removed from their respective buffers and sterilized in a 70% ethanol solution overnight. Pellicles were then washed in distilled water to remove ethanol and salts left over from the eumelanin development processes. Pellicles were then dried flat using a heated press set to 120C and 1ton of pressure. This process on average leads to a 98% reduction in mass of the pellicle. The 35-mm-long dog-bone test specimens were cut out of the dried cellulose using a Zwick ZCP 020 manual cutting press. Pellicle specimen ends reinforced with a card using Everbuild Stick 2 superglue. Dots were marked on the surface of each specimen for the optical measurement of displacement. A silver pen was used to dot melanated cellulose to generate the necessary contrast for optical measurement of displacement. Tensile tests were conducted with a Deben Microtest Tensile Stage using a load cell of 200N and cross-head speed of 0.5mmmin1.

The unmelanated pellicle was prepared by placing it into an acidic acetate buffer at pH 3.6, which prevented eumelanin synthesis and incubated in identical conditions to the melanated pellicle in the eumelanin development buffer bath. Melanated and unmelanated pellicles were prepared for SEM through the following steps. Unsterilized pellicles were placed in a 20% ethanol solution and shaken gently for 1h before being removed and placed into a 40% ethanol solution and shaken gently. This process was repeated for 60%, 80% and 100% ethanol solutions to ensure the maximum replacement of water with ethanol from the cellulose matrix. Pellicles were then flash-frozen in liquid nitrogen and freeze-dried until completely dry. The fully dried pellicles were then fixed on aluminum studs, sputter coated with gold and imaged at 5kV with a Zeiss Auriga Gemini FEG FIB-SEM.

K. rhaeticus ptyr1 and K. rhaeticus ctyr1 were separately inoculated into 3ml of HS-glucose media containing 2% (vol/vol) cellulase and 340gml1 chloramphenicol and grown shaking at 30C until turbid. The turbid cultures were then pelleted by centrifugation, washed with 1ml PBS and split into two separate 1.5ml centrifuge tubes. The cells were then pelleted again. One pellet was resuspended with 500l eumelanin development buffer to initiate eumelanin production and the other pellet was resuspended with 500l PBS to keep the cells unmelantated. The cells were incubated over 24h at 30C by which point the tube containing the cells in eumelanin development buffer had turned black. To prepare the microscope slides, 1l of melanated and unmelanated cells were placed on separate 1% agarose pads and imaged on a Nikon Ti-EX1 invert microscope with a 40 objective lens. Cells were imaged in bright field with no phase contrast to accurately represent the shade of the cells.

K. rhaeticus WT, K. rhaeticus ptyr1 and K. rhaeticus ctyr1 were inoculated into two-well deep well plates containing 50ml of HS-glucose media, with 0.5gl1 tyrosine, 10M CuSO4 and 340gml1 chloramphenicol. After 10days of incubation at 30C, pellicles were collected and placed into eumelanin development buffer. After 24h, pellicles were sterilized through autoclaving. Pellicles were then placed in a 20C freezer for 24h to minimize compression during sectioning. The frozen pellicles were sectioned by hand using a Leica DB80LX blade and imaged using a macro lens (Leica) on an RS Pro lightbox.

K. rhaeticus ptyr1 and K. rhaeticus ctyr1 were inoculated into 12.516.5cm2 two-well glass container with 200ml of HS-glucose media with 0.5gl1 tyrosine, 10 CuSO4 and 340gml1 chloramphenicol. After incubation for 7days at 30C, pellicles were collected. Eumelanin production was initiated by placing the pellicles into eumelanin development buffer. After 24h of shaking at 30C, pellicles were removed from the buffer and sterilized in 70% ethanol solution overnight. Pellicles were then washed in distilled water to remove ethanol and leftover salts. To make the material pliable after drying, replicate pellicles were placed in 0% or 5% glycerol solution overnight. Pellicles were then dried flat using a heated press set to 120C and 1ton of pressure. To facilitate this drying and prevent the pellicles from sticking to the press, pellicles were sandwiched between three layers of filter paper. Water spotting tests were adapted from ISO 105-E07:2010 standard. Eumelanated pellicles were secured onto an RS Pro lightbox, and 50l of distilled water was spotted onto each sample in triplicate. Pellicles were imaged before, immediately after and 16h after water spotting and assessed for color change.

A custom projection rig was built to project light onto the growing pellicle (Extended Data Fig. 7b). This held an acetate transparency that contained various components that would test the quality of the patterning in the pellicle. The image transparency was designed in Adobe Illustrator and printed on an HP LaserJet 500 MFP M570. Four acetate transparencies were stacked atop each other to form the final transparency. This was then sealed between glass slides and secured to the upper laboratory loop clamp. The pellicle container was sterilized and filled with 500ml of HS-glucose media, containing 0.1% (wt/vol) arabinose, 1% (vol/vol) ethanol and 170gml1 chloramphenicol. The media was then inoculated with a 1-ml K. rhaeticus pOpto-T7RNAP*(563-F2)-mCherry glycerol aliquot, and a glass lid was placed on top of the container. This glass lid was warmed before placement to prevent condensation forming on it and distorting the projection. The LED lamp was then turned on, and the lens shuttered with a piece of black card. After 3days at ~30C, a thin pellicle had formed. The lens was uncovered and the image from the transparency focused on the pellicle. Once the pellicle had been exposed to the projected image for 3days, it was collected and scanned using a FLA-5000 fluorescence scanner (Fujifilm). Image analysis was conducted using the OpenCV Python library.

A custom rig using a commercial LED projector (ViewSonic M1) was built to project light onto the growing pellicle (Extended Data Fig. 7e). The rig was draped with blackout fabric to remove outside light. A time-lapse image was designed in Adobe Illustrator to test how long a given pellicle would need to be exposed to light before an identifiable change in pigmentation could be observed. In this image, blue is represented by an RGB value of (0, 0, 255), cyan by (0, 255, 255), white by (255, 255, 255) and black by (0, 0, 0) (Fig. 4h). The pellicle container was sterilized and filled with 1l of coconut water media, containing 1% (wt/vol) arabinose, 0.5gl1 l-tyrosine, 10M CuSO4, 1% (vol/vol) ethanol and 200gml1 spectinomycin. The media was then inoculated with a 1-ml K. rhaeticus Opto-T7RNAP(563-F1)-tyr1 glycerol aliquot and the culture container was covered with foil. While this version of the optogenetic rig did contain a heater, in practice, we found this was only effective at heating the growth area by 12C above room temperature. After 8days at near room temperature (~20C), a thin pellicle had formed. The foil was then removed, the projector focused on the surface of the pellicle and the 80-h video started. After 80h, the pellicle was collected and placed into a 300400mm Eurobox containing 2l of concentrated eumelanin development buffer and left to develop in stationary conditions at 30C until a discernible pattern could be identified. The pellicle was then washed in dH2O to remove eumelanin that had not accumulated within the pellicle. Densitometry scans of the pellicle were taken using an Amersham Typhoon scanner (GE) and set to the digi-blue digitalization setting.

K. rhaeticus Opto-T7RNAP strains carrying the pT7-mCherry plasmid and K. rhaeticus pOpto-T7RNAP*(563-F2)-mCherry were cultured, in darkness, shaking in 3ml of HS-glucose media with 2% cellulase, containing either spectinomycin at 200gml1 or chloramphenicol at 340gml1 depending on the plasmid. When all cultures had become turbid, the OD600 was measured and cultures were all either diluted or concentrated to an OD600 of 1, before being inoculated (a ratio of 1:10) into a 96-well deep well plate containing 270l HS-glucose media with 2% cellulase and either 0, 1, 10 or 100mgml1 of arabinose. Where appropriate, spectinomycin at 200gml1 and chloramphenicol at 340gml1 were added to the wells. After 18h of shaking growth at 30C in darkness, cells were split across two clear 96-well plates, diluted 1:2 into fresh media with a matching arabinose concentration. One plate was placed onto a shaker under a blue LED flood light and the other plate was wrapped in foil and placed on the same shaker. Both plates were sealed with a Breath-Easy sealing membrane. After 6h in the two lighting conditions at 30C and fast shaking, the cells were placed into a plate reader, and red fluorescence in each well was measured using ex of 590nm and em of 645nm as well as cell density at OD600.

The Opto-T7RNAP K. rhaeticus strains carrying the pT7-tyr1 plasmid and K. rhaeticus pOpto-T7RNAP(563-F1)-tyr were cultured in the same manner as the mCherry strainswith the exception that the HS-glucose was supplemented with 0.5gl1 tyrosine and 10M CuSO4. The approach to exposing the cells to blue light was also the same as the mCherry strains, except, after 6h of exposure time, the two plates were entered into the eumelanin production assay procedure. The two plates were placed onto the OT-2 deck and samples from both plates were mixed with eumelanin development buffer in a 384-well reaction plate. Each well in the two 96-well plates was sampled twice in the 384 reaction plate to give two technical replicates for each well. These two replicates were then averaged during analysis.

Further information on research design is available in the Nature Portfolio Reporting Summary linked to this article.

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Self-pigmenting textiles grown from cellulose-producing bacteria with engineered tyrosinase expression - Nature.com

image:

The bacteria grown and dyed wallet

Credit: Tom Ellis/Marcus Walker/Imperial College London

Researchers at Imperial College London have genetically engineered bacteria to grow animal- and plastic-free leather that dyes itself.

In recent years, scientists and companies have started using microbes to grow sustainable textiles or to make dyes for industry but this is the first time bacteria have been engineered to produce a material and its own pigment simultaneously.

Synthetic chemical dyeing is one of the most environmentally toxic processes in fashion, and black dyes especially those used in colouring leather are particularly harmful. The researchers at Imperial set out to use biology to solve this.

In tackling the problem, the researchers say their self-dyeing vegan, plastic-free leather, which has been fashioned into shoe and wallet prototypes, represents a step forward in the quest for more sustainable fashion.

Their new process, which has been published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, could also theoretically be adapted to have bacteria grow materials with various vibrant colours and patterns, and to make more sustainable alternatives to other textiles such as cotton and cashmere.

Lead author Professor Tom Ellis, from Imperial College Londons Department of Bioengineering, said: Inventing a new, faster way to produce sustainable, self-dyed leather alternatives is a major achievement for synthetic biology and sustainable fashion.

Bacterial cellulose is inherently vegan, and its growth requires a tiny fraction of the carbon emissions, water, land use and time of farming cows for leather.

"Unlike plastic-based leather alternatives, bacterial cellulose can also be made without petrochemicals, and will biodegrade safely and non-toxically in the environment.

Designer collaboration

The researchers created the self-dyeing leather alternative by modifying the genes of a bacteria species that produces sheets of microbial cellulose a strong, flexible and malleable material that is already commonly used in food, cosmetics and textiles. The genetic modifications 'instructed the same microbes that were growing the material to also produce the dark black pigment, eumelanin.

They worked with designers to grow the upper part of a shoe (without the sole) by growing a sheet of bacterial cellulose in a bespoke, shoe-shaped vessel. After 14 days of growth wherein the cellulose took on the correct shape, they subjected the shoe to two days of gentle shaking at 30C to activate the production of black pigment from the bacteria so that it dyed the material from the inside.

They also made a black wallet by growing two separate cellulose sheets, cutting them to size, and sewing them together.

As well as the prototypes, the researchers demonstrated that the bacteria can be engineered using genes from other microbes to produce colours in response to blue light. By projecting a pattern, or logo, onto the sheets using blue light, the bacteria respond by producing coloured proteins which then glow.

This allows them to project patterns and logos onto the bacterial cultures as the material grows, resulting in patterns and logos forming from within the material.

Co-author Dr Kenneth Walker, who conducted the work at Imperial College Londons Department of Bioengineering and now works in industry, said: Our technique works at large enough scales to create real-life products, as shown by our prototypes. From here, we can consider aesthetics as well as alternative shapes, patterns, textiles, and colours.

"The work also shows the impact that can happen when scientists and designers work together. As current and future users of new bacteria-grown textiles, designers have a key role in championing exciting new materials and giving expert feedback to improve form, function, and the switch to sustainable fashion.

Greener clothes

The research team are now experimenting with a variety of coloured pigments to use those that can also be produced by the material-growing microbes.

The researchers and collaborators have also just won 2 million in funding from Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), to use engineering biology and bacterial cellulose to solve more of fashions problems, such as the use of toxic chromium in leathers production lines.

Professor Ellis said: Microbes are already directly addressing many of the problems of animal and plastic-based leather, and we plan to get them ready to expand into new colours, materials and maybe patterns too.

We look forward to working with the fashion industry to make the clothes we wear greener throughout the whole production line.

The authors worked closely with Modern Synthesis, a London-based biodesign and materials company, who specialise in innovative microbial cellulose products.

This work was funded by Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and BBSRC, both part of UKRI.

Nature Biotechnology

Self-pigmenting textiles grown from cellulose-producing bacteria with engineered tyrosinase expression

2-Apr-2024

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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Plastic-free vegan leather that dyes itself grown from bacteria - EurekAlert

According to the latest research by Nova One Advisor, the global biotechnology market size was valued at USD 1.54 Trillion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 5.68 Trillion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 13.95% from 2024 to 2033

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The market is driven by strong government support through initiatives aimed at the modernization of regulatory framework, improvements in approval processes & reimbursement policies, as well as standardization of clinical studies. The growing foothold ofpersonalized medicineand an increasing number of orphan drug formulations are opening new avenues for biotechnology applications and are driving the influx of emerging and innovative biotechnology companies, further boosting the market revenue.

The COVID-19 pandemic has positively impacted the biotechnology market by propelling a rise in opportunities and advancements for drug development and manufacturing of vaccines for the disease. For instance, in 2021, over 11 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine were produced globally, resulting in vaccination of about half of the worlds population within a year. Furthermore, the success of mRNA vaccines and accelerated approval processes have led to a surge in vaccine-related revenues, as evident by a combined revenue generation of around USD 31.9 billion in 2021 from Moderna, Pfizer/BioNTech, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

Expanding demand for biotechnology tools for agricultural applications including micro-propagation, molecular breeding, tissue culturing, conventional plant breeding & development of genetically modified crops, among others, have boosted the market growth. Moreover, genetically modified crops and herbicide-tolerant & insect resistant seeds are witnessing an increasing popularity and are contributing to the market growth. Rise in adoption of tissue culture technology for production of novel rice variants and disease- & pest-free banana varieties in regions of South Asia and Africa, and use of the technology for cloning of disease-free and nutritious plant varieties have propelled the agricultural applications for biotechnology.

The market is also driven by the presence of strong clinical trial pipeline and funding opportunities available in tissue engineering and regeneration technologies. As per the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine, companies developing cell and gene therapies raised over USD 23.1 billion investments globally in 2021, an increase of about 16% over 2020s total of USD 19.9 billion. Clinical success of leading gene therapy players in 2021, such as promising results from an in vivo CRISPR treatment for transthyretin amyloidosis, developed by Intellia Therapeutics and Regeneron, are significantly affecting the market growth.

Rising demand for clinical solutions for the treatment of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, age-related macular degeneration, and almost all forms of arthritis are anticipated to boost the market. Major firms are investigating and developing pipeline products for diabetes and neurological disorders, such as Parkinsons & Alzheimers diseases, various types of cancers and cardiovascular diseases. For instance, according to clinicaltrials.gov, as of January 2021, there were 126 agents in clinical trials for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, with 28 treatments in phase III trials.

Life sciences and healthcare sectors are experiencing a widespread use of fermentation technology and have positively impacted the market growth. Several modifications and advancements in the conventional bioreactors, such as introduction of simplified bioreactors and vortex bioreactors have led to improvements in the fermentation technology and growth in its adoption. Furthermore, vortex bioreactors have also been improvised for wastewater processing, to offer an enhanced operational feasibility. These modifications and improvement in fermentation technology are expected to accelerate market growth in the near future.

CAR T andTCR T-cell therapiesare being explored as potential treatment options against chronic viral infections, such as HIV, hepatitis B, and SARS-CoV-2. For instance, scientists at Duke-NUS Medical School are evaluating the use of T-cell therapy in combating the COVID-19 infection. The scientists have demonstrated that TCR-redirected T cells exhibit a functional profile comparable to that of SARS-specific CD8 memory T cells obtained from patients who have recovered from the infection. Such investigations are anticipated to spur further research prospects in this domain and drive the market growth.

Biotechnological techniques includingstem celltechnology, DNA fingerprinting, and genetic engineering, among other, are gaining significant traction since past few years. Technological advancement in stem cell therapeutics, increasing demand forbiologics, and a growing focus on the development of personalized medicines have resulted in a growing market for stem cell technologies. DNA fingerprinting applications are on the rise in forensic science, and for investigation of family relationships in animal populations as well as measurement of the extent of inbreeding. Similarly, genetic engineering and cloning techniques are being increasingly used in animal breeding and for manufacturing of complex biological substances.

Key Takeaways:

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TYPES OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

Like the stripes of the rainbow, the different biotechnology applications are grouped generally into seven colours orresearch and development areas.In this section, we highlight the most relevant of each of them.

To these typologies, four further sub-categories with corresponding colours have more recently been added:

Biotechnology Market Trends

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Biotechnology Market Size in the U.S. 2024 to 2033

The U.S. biotechnology market size was valued at USD 246.18 billion in 2023 and is anticipated to reach around USD 763.82 billion by 2033, poised to grow at a CAGR of 11.90% from 2024 to 2033.

North America accounted for the largest share of 41% in 2023. The regional market is witnessing growth due to several factors, such as the presence of key players, extensive R&D activities, and high healthcare expenditure. The region has a high penetration of genomics, proteomics, and cell biology-based platforms that is accelerating the adoption oflife sciences tools. Furthermore, rise in prevalence of chronic diseases and rising adoption of personalized medicine applications for the treatment of life-threatening disorders is expected to positively impact the market growth in the region.

Asia Pacific is expected to expand at the fastest growth rate from 2024 to 2033. The growth of the regional market can be attributed to increasing investments and improvement in healthcare infrastructure, favorable government initiatives, and expansion strategies from key market players. For instance, in February 2022, Moderna Inc. announced its plans for a geographic expansion of its commercial network in Asia through opening of four new subsidiaries in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. In addition, biopharmaceutical collaborations, such as Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals and Huadong Medicines strategic collaboration for development and commercialization of Kiniksas ARCALYST and mavrilimumab in the Asia-Pacific region are expected to drive the market growth.

Segments Insights:

Technology Insights

DNA sequencingheld a significant market share of 17.53% in 2023 which can be attributed to declining sequencing costs and rising penetration of advanced DNA sequencing techniques. Government funding in genetic research has enabled a rise in applications of sequencing for better understanding of diseases. For instance, in May 2021, a USD 10.7 million NIH grant was awarded to the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, for investigation of the genetic basis of Alzheimers disease.

Nanobiotechnology is expected to grow at a significant growth rate from 2024 to 2033 owing to an increase innanomedicineapprovals and the advent of advanced technology. For instance, applications of theranostics nanoparticles have gained impetus for enabling prompt diagnosis and customization of treatment options for multiple disorders at once. Factors such as low toxicity, smaller size, and chemical plasticity of nanoparticles have proved to be beneficial for overcoming the limitation associated with conventional routes of generic drug administration. Furthermore, tissue engineering and regeneration medicine held a significant share due to government and private investments in the field, along with high healthcare spending and presence of significant number of mature and emerging players in this space. These factors are expected to drive the segment growth over the forecast period.

Application Insights

The health application segment accounted for the largest share in 2023. Growing disease burden, increasing availability of agri-biotech & bio-services, and technological developments in bio-industrial sector are expected to drive the segment growth. In addition, the segment growth is also fueled by significant advancements in the fields ofArtificial Intelligence(AI),machine learning, andbig data, which are expected to increase penetration of bioinformatics applications, especially in industries such as food and beverages.

Moreover, collaborative efforts and partnerships aimed at development and commercialization of new therapeutic platforms and molecules are anticipated to drive the market growth. For instance, in January 2021, Novartis collaborated with Alnylam for exploring the application of the latters siRNA technology for development of targeted therapy for restoration of liver function. Similarly, in September 2021, AstraZeneca and VaxEquity collaborated for development and commercialization of self-amplifyingRNA therapeuticsplatform to explore novel therapeutic programs. Furthermore, growing demand for biosimilars and rising applications of precision medicine are expected to boost segment growth during the forecast period.

Regional Insights

North America accounted for the largest share of 41% in 2023. The regional market is witnessing growth due to several factors, such as the presence of key players, extensive R&D activities, and high healthcare expenditure. The region has a high penetration of genomics, proteomics, and cell biology-based platforms that is accelerating the adoption oflife sciences tools. Furthermore, rise in prevalence of chronic diseases and rising adoption of personalized medicine applications for the treatment of life threatening disorders is expected to positively impact the market growth in the region.

Asia Pacific is expected to expand at the fastest growth rate from 2024 to 2033. The growth of the regional market can be attributed to increasing investments and improvement in healthcare infrastructure, favorable government initiatives, and expansion strategies from key market players. For instance, in February 2022, Moderna Inc. announced its plans for a geographic expansion of its commercial network in Asia through opening of four new subsidiaries in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. In addition, biopharmaceutical collaborations, such as Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals and Huadong Medicines strategic collaboration for development and commercialization of Kiniksas ARCALYST and mavrilimumab in the Asia-Pacific region are expected to drive the market growth.

Recent Developments

Some of the prominent players in the Biotechnology Market include:

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2021 to 2033. For this study, Nova one advisor, Inc. has segmented the Biotechnology market.

By Technology

By Application

By Region

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Biotechnology Market Size to Reach USD 5.68 Trillion by 2033 - BioSpace

The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) at the National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health (NIH) performs research on computational biology and creates and maintains information systems and computational tools for the biological research community. The NCBI is seeking a Program Head to manage the ClinicalTrials.gov project, a critical, highly visible, informational NIH resource, by providing leadership and technical and scientific direction in support of the transparency and disclosure of clinical research studies and their results. ClinicalTrials.gov contains information about ongoing and completed clinical studies from sponsors in the U.S. and abroad. It consists of a study registry and results database. The registry allows prospective participants to find information about recruiting studies of interest, enables researchers to characterize the clinical research landscape, provides an official repository for publicly declaring study protocol details, and facilitates the tracking of study completion and results disclosure. The results database, which complements journal publication, allows researchers to find complete, structured summary results based on the prespecified protocol for studies in an area of interest, thereby mitigating publication bias and selective reporting. This position directs program activities to optimize the value of the resource to stakeholders, while ensuring it meets policy and legal requirements. As of December 2023, ClinicalTrials.gov has over 473,000 study records, and over 61,000 records with results. More than 100,000 visitors use the website daily to find and learn about clinical studies. The data submission system, PRS (Protocol Registration and Results database), has about 20,000 unique logins per month and over 250,000 users. The Program Head manages over 40 scientific, technical, and administrative staff, is active in conducting and publishing research, participates in numerous scientific and policy activities and collaborations, and serves in an external advisory capacity.

Position Requirements

Candidates may be U.S. citizen, must have either a Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, and must have experience in clinical trials methodologies, drug development procedures and clinical trials registries. The successful candidate will have demonstrated the skill and ability to direct, organize, and coordinate complex research and development projects and will have exceptional technical competence. Candidates should also have excellent communication skills and a proven ability to successfully engage with others to create useful resources and to achieve shared objectives. Salary and benefits are competitive, commensurate with education and experience.

How to Apply

Visit http://www.USAJobs.gov and access the detailed vacancy announcement https://www.usajobs.gov/job/778732800 beginning April 27th, 2024.Applications must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. on May 1st, 2024.

Email ncbijobs@ncbi.nlm.nih.gov with questions or for more information about the position. Email Doug Bruno (douglas.bruno@nih.gov) with questions regarding how to apply. Visit NLM Careers to learn more about NLM and how you can play a role in this exciting and dynamic research organization.

HHS, NIH, and NLM are equal opportunity employers. DHHSandNIHareEqualOpportunityEmployers

Originally posted here:
Head of ClinicalTrials.gov job with National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information ... - The Chronicle of Higher...

Gezeiten is a new skincare brand that takes its name from the German word for the ebb and flow of the sea tides. It is a fitting name, not only because the German-born brand uses marine extracts and mineral-rich, sub-oceanic water concentrate to create its products. But also because they are tailored to work harmoniously with the bodys natural rhythms for optimal results.

(Image credit: Courtesy of Gezeiten)

The brand was founded by two families: husband and wife Michaela and Michael Hiltebrandt, who are both scientists and creative brother and sister duo Charles and Claire Zurheide Bals. Collectively, they were drawn together by a belief that the skincare market is oversaturated with products, few of which deliver the results they promise. So they joined forces in the hopes of hitting on the secret that other brands were missing. We are interested in exploring human origins and revisiting how our skin functions as an organism, says the team over email. And also where we are headed, as human kind. This is precisely what has really driven our scientific journey with Gezeiten.

(Image credit: Courtesy of Gezeiten)

The result is a range of five products: a day cream, a night cream, a protecting serum, a rejuvenating serum and a seven-day treatment set. Each is formulated with the brands patented Earth Marine CellTech Complex, which is designed to prevent skin ageing at a cellular level by replenishing the skin barrier, supporting the skins natural healing process, detoxifying and hydrating.

The brand worked with biotech and marine biology experts to ensure that the formulation works; but they also recognised that to create truly cutting-edge and effective skincare, they had to ensure the ingredients were delivered to the skin at the most opportune moments. To do that, they developed daytime and nighttime formulations with time release functions to support the skins specific needs during the daytime stress phase and the nighttime regeneration phase.

(Image credit: Courtesy of Gezeiten)

By incorporating chronobiology (the study of the bodys rhythms) into the formulations, Gezeiten ensures that the products work to fill in the gaps a demanding, urban life creates, particularly when it comes to our disrupted sleep cycles. A major problem of our modern lifestyle is a disturbed circadian rhythm, which leads to skin disorders such as hypersensitivity of the skin, inflammation, eczema, and ultimately premature skin ageing, say the Gezeiten team.

(Image credit: Courtesy of Gezeiten)

We are focusing on synchronising disrupted circadian rhythms to maintain overall skin health, they continue. Sleep is important, but so is the quality of sleep and the stress we are exposed to. Cortisol levels also harm the skin, as does our lifestyle. The world has changed so much over the thousands of years and the skin is still the same. It is the interplay of different components that determines the quality and health of the skin. We take them all into account in the development of our current and future products.

(Image credit: Courtesy of Gezeiten)

After a month of use, the skincare starts syncing with the skins natural 28-day regeneration cycle, with a noticeable reduction of fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation, as well as an increase in moisture.

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Our approach has led us to look at skin from a 360-degree point of view, says Gezeiten. So observing how the body works, active ingredients, the latest technologies on the market, and taking sustainability into account at every step, we have created a skincare range, but also the blueprint of skincare for the new age.

gezeiten.com

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Gezeiten's biotech skincare works in harmony with your circadian rhythm - Wallpaper*

Under the revised regulations, developers have the option of requesting a permit and/or a regulatory status review of a plant developed using genetic engineering that has not been previously evaluated and determined to be nonregulated. This process replaces the petition process in the preexisting regulations. When a developer requests a regulatory status review, APHIS evaluates whether the plant requires oversight based on the characteristics of the plant itself rather than on the use of a plant pest in its development. If a plant developed using genetic engineering is found to be unlikely to pose a plant pest risk, APHIS will not require regulation under 7 CFR part 340. If APHIS is unable to reach such a finding, it will regulate the plant and it would be allowed to move only under permit. Once APHIS determines that a plant is not regulated, subsequent transformation events using the same plant-trait-mechanism of action combination would not be regulated.

RSR evaluates plant pest risk based on:

RSR will include one or two steps, depending upon the plant.

STEP 1(APHIS will complete Step 1 in 180 days)

Evaluate the characteristics of the plant developed using genetic engineering relative to an appropriate comparator plant to identify whether a plausible pathway to increased plant pest risk exists and the corresponding factors of concern.

NOTE: A developer can request both a permit and that APHIS complete the second step in the process.

STEP 2(APHIS will complete its entire evaluation within 15 months)

Evaluate the identified factors of concern involving the plant developed using genetic engineering to determine the likelihood and consequence of the plausible increased plant pest risk.

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Regulatory Status Review | Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service - USDA APHIS

Forbion, the European life sciences venture capital firm from The Netherlands, announced its participation in oversubscribed Series B financing in Capstan Therapeutics Inc. and Engrail Therapeutics. Both companies are located in San Diego, USA.

Forbion is throwing a few million into the ring in order to participate in oversubscribed financing rounds in the USA. Both Series B financings have obviously generated a great deal of interest and both have exceeded their own targets. And both companies are based in San Diego, California (USA). And both times Forbion joined as a new investor.

Engrail Therapeutics announced the close of an oversubscribed $157m Series B financing round on 19th of March. The round was co-led by new investors F-Prime Capital, Forbion, and Norwest Venture Partners, with participation from RiverVest Venture Partners, Red Tree Venture Capital, funds managed by abrdn Inc., Ysios Capital, Longwood Fund, Eight Roads Ventures, and existing founding investor Pivotal Life Sciences. Since its inception in 2019, the Company has raised over $220m. Engrail is a precision neuroscience company focused on the development of transformational therapies in anxiety disorders, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and rare neurodegenerative diseases.

With strong financial backing from highly sophisticated and dedicated life science investors, we are well positioned to deliver multiple value-creating milestones. Notably, we look forward to completing our ongoing ENX-102 phase 2 study in generalized anxiety disorder and advancing the rest of our pipeline into clinical development, said Vikram Sudarsan, Ph.D., president and CEO of Engrail Therapeutics. Jasper Bos, Ph.D. (Forbion) joined the board of directors at Engrail.

Only one day later at the same place, with some of the same actors, Forbion announced its participation as a new investor in the closing of a $175m oversubscribed Series B financing in Capstan Therapeutics, Inc.

The Series B financing was led by RA Capital Management, with additional participation from new investors Johnson and Johnson Innovation, Mubadala Capital, Perceptive Advisors, and Sofinnova Investments. Capstans brings together some high-ranking corporate ventures of major pharmaceutical companies in existing investors Alexandria Venture Investments, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Leaps by Bayer, Novartis Venture Fund, OrbiMed Advisors, Pfizer Ventures, Polaris Partners, and Vida Ventures who also participated in the round. Capstan is a biotechnology company dedicated to advancing in vivo reprogramming of cells through RNA delivery using targeted lipid nanoparticles (tLNP). The Company also announced the appointment of Forbion General Partner Nanna Luneborg, PhD, MBA, to its Board of Directors. Commenting on her appointment to the Capstan BoardNanna Luneborg said, We are delighted to join the outstanding team and investor syndicate at Capstan Therapeutics. Capstan is pioneering in vivo CAR-T therapy, eliminating the need for ex vivo cell modification, and with the potential to create a scalable, off-the-shelf product to the benefit of patients across multiple different diseases.

Capstan marks the tenth investment from Forbions Growth Opportunities II Fund which raised 600m in 2023. However, the almost simultaneous large investments in the USA are not yet sufficient evidence of a general trend at Forbion to orientate its activities more transatlantically. A portion of the total amount from previous funds was always reserved for the USA.

See the rest here:
Forbion participates in US financing rounds - European Biotechnology News

DUBLIN, April 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The"Manufacturing and Supply Deals in Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology 2019-2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Manufacturing and Supply Deals in Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology provides a detailed understanding and analysis of how and why companies enter manufacturing and supply deals. Fully revised and updated, the report provides details of manufacturing and supply deals from 2019 to 2024.

The report provides access to manufacturing and supply deal payment terms as announced between the parties. This data provides useful insight into the payment and other deal terms. Understanding the flexibility of a prospective partner's negotiated deals terms provides critical insight into the negotiation process in terms of what you can expect to achieve during the negotiation of terms. Whilst many smaller companies will be seeking details of the payments clauses, the devil is in the detail in terms of how payments are triggered and rights transferred - contract documents provide this insight where press releases and databases do not.

This report contains a comprehensive listing of manufacturing and supply deals announced since 2019 as recorded in the Current Agreements deals and alliances database, including financial terms where available, plus links to online copies of actual manufacturing and supply contract documents as submitted to the Securities Exchange Commission by companies and their partners.

The initial chapters of this report provide an orientation of manufacturing and supply dealmaking and business activities.

Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the report, whilst chapter 2 provides an overview and analysis of the trends in manufacturing and supply as well as a discussion on the merits of the type of deal.

Chapter 3 provides an overview of the structure of manufacturing and supply deals.

Chapter 4 provides a review of the leading manufacturing and supply deals since 2019. Deals are listed by headline value. Where the deal has an agreement contract published at the SEC a link provides online access to the contract via the Current Agreements deals and alliances database.

Chapter 5 provides a comprehensive listing of the top 25 most active manufacturing and supply dealmaker companies. Each deal title links via Current Agreements deals and alliances database to an online version of the full deal record, and where available, the actual contract document, providing easy access to each deal record on demand.

Chapter 6 provides a comprehensive and detailed review of manufacturing and supply deals organized by company A-Z, therapy, technology and industry type signed and announced since 2016 where a contract document is available. Contract documents provide an indepth insight into the actual deal terms agreed between the parties with respect to the manufacturing and supply deal.

The deal directory includes a comprehensive listing of all manufacturing and supply deals announced since 2019. Each listing is organized as a deal directory by company A-Z, therapeutic area and technology type. Each deal title links via hyperlink to an online version of the deal record including, where available, the actual contract document.

Key Benefits

Manufacturing and Supply Deals in Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology includes:

Analyzing contract agreements allows due diligence of:

Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

Chapter 1 - Introduction

Chapter 2 - Trends in manufacturing and supply dealmaking 2.1. Introduction 2.2. Definition of manufacturing and supply deal 2.3. Trends in manufacturing and supply deals since 2019 2.3.1. Manufacturing and supply dealmaking by year, 2019-2024 2.3.2. manufacturing and supply dealmaking by phase of development, 2019-2024 2.3.3. Manufacturing and supply dealmaking by industry sector, 2019-2024 2.3.4. Manufacturing and supply dealmaking by therapy area, 2019-2024 2.3.5. Manufacturing and supply dealmaking by technology type, 2019-2024 2.3.6. Manufacturing and supply dealmaking by most active company, 2019-2024 2.4. Reasons for entering into manufacturing and supply partnering deals 2.5. The future of manufacturing and supply deals

Chapter 3 - Overview of manufacturing and supply deal structure 3.1. Introduction 3.2. manufacturing and supply agreement structure

Chapter 4 - Leading manufacturing and supply deals 4.1. Introduction 4.2. Top manufacturing and supply deals by value

Chapter 5 - Top 25 most active manufacturing and supply dealmakers 5.1. Introduction 5.2. Top 25 most active manufacturing and supply dealmakers

Chapter 6 - manufacturing and supply deals including contracts directory 6.1. Introduction 6.2. manufacturing and supply deals with contracts 2019-2024

Deal directory Deal directory - manufacturing and supply dealmaking by companies A-Z Deal directory - manufacturing and supply dealmaking by therapy area Deal directory - manufacturing and supply dealmaking by technology type

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/2zj9s3

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Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology Manufacturing and Supply Agreements Trends Report 2024 with Directory of ... - PR Newswire

Key Financial Results

All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period

Revenue missed analyst estimates by 4.0%. Earnings per share (EPS) exceeded analyst estimates by 1.4%.

Looking ahead, revenue is forecast to grow 18% p.a. on average during the next 3 years, compared to a 24% growth forecast for the Biotechs industry in China.

Performance of the Chinese Biotechs industry.

The company's shares are up 2.6% from a week ago.

It's still necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with Yantai Zhenghai Biotechnology, and understanding this should be part of your investment process.

Find out whether Yantai Zhenghai Biotechnology is potentially over or undervalued by checking out our comprehensive analysis, which includes fair value estimates, risks and warnings, dividends, insider transactions and financial health.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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Yantai Zhenghai Biotechnology Full Year 2023 Earnings: EPS Beats Expectations, Revenues Lag - Simply Wall St

If you're interested in broad exposure to the Healthcare - Biotech segment of the equity market, look no further than the First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology ETF FBT, a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 06/19/2006.

While an excellent vehicle for long term investors, passively managed ETFs are a popular choice among institutional and retail investors due to their low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency.

Sector ETFs also provide investors access to a broad group of companies in particular sectors that offer low risk and diversified exposure. Healthcare - Biotech is one of the 16 broad Zacks sectors within the Zacks Industry classification. It is currently ranked 5, placing it in top 31%.

Index Details

The fund is sponsored by First Trust Advisors. It has amassed assets over $1.18 billion, making it one of the larger ETFs attempting to match the performance of the Healthcare - Biotech segment of the equity market. FBT seeks to match the performance of the NYSE Arca Biotechnology Index before fees and expenses.

The NYSE Arca Biotechnology Index is an equal dollar weighted index designed to measure the performance of a cross section of companies in the biotechnology industry that are primarily involved in the use of biological processes to develop products or provide services.

Costs

Expense ratios are an important factor in the return of an ETF and in the long term, cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts, other things remaining the same.

Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.56%, making it on par with most peer products in the space.

Sector Exposure and Top Holdings

Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure that minimizes single stock risk, investors should also look at the actual holdings inside the fund. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.

This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Healthcare sector--about 100% of the portfolio.

Looking at individual holdings, Grifols, S.a. (adr) GRFS accounts for about 4% of total assets, followed by Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. RARE and Iqvia Holdings Inc. IQV.

The top 10 holdings account for about 36.19% of total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

The ETF has lost about -2.71% and is up about 0.50% so far this year and in the past one year (as of 04/01/2024), respectively. FBT has traded between $132.50 and $160.46 during this last 52-week period.

The ETF has a beta of 0.67 and standard deviation of 21.95% for the trailing three-year period, making it a high risk choice in the space. With about 31 holdings, it has more concentrated exposure than peers.

Alternatives

First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Thus, FBT is a good option for those seeking exposure to the Health Care ETFs area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.

SPDR S&P Biotech ETF XBI tracks S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Index and the iShares Biotechnology ETF IBB tracks Nasdaq Biotechnology Index. SPDR S&P Biotech ETF has $7.45 billion in assets, iShares Biotechnology ETF has $7.64 billion. XBI has an expense ratio of 0.35% and IBB charges 0.45%.

Bottom Line

To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.

Zacks Investment Research

Read more from the original source:
Should You Invest in the First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology ETF (FBT)? - TradingView

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image:

Martine Rothblatt PhD, JD, MBA, Chairperson and CEO of United Therapeuticsand inventor of SiriusXM Satellite Radio.

Credit: United Therapeutics Corporation

University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) DeanMark T. Gladwin, MD, announced today thatMartine Rothblatt PhD, JD, MBA, Chairperson and CEO of United Therapeutics, and inventor of SiriusXM Satellite Radio, will deliver the keynote address for this years graduating medical student class. The UMSOM MD graduation ceremony will take place at the Hippodrome Theatre on Thursday, May 16, 2024.The ceremony will begin at 1:00 pm. Details for faculty members arehere. Details for students/guests arehere.

Dr. Rothblatt is a trailblazing pioneer of several innovations in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and satellite communications. After developing SiriusXM, she founded United Therapeutics, in an effort to find a cure for her daughters life-threatening illness, pulmonary arterial hypertension. Under Dr. Rothblatts leadership, United Therapeutics, headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland, has become a large biotech company focused on engineering cell biology to develop new therapeutics and manufactured transplantable organs. Its monoclonal antibody has been approved to treat neuroblastoma, and its genetically modified pig hearts and kidneys were the first to be transplants into humans.

The biotech company funded and helped establish the Cardiac Xenotransplantation Program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, which led to the worlds first two transplants of genetically-modified pig organs into living patients. Both patients were transplanted with pig hearts to treat their terminal heart failure and lived for more than a month.

The historic procedures were performed at the University of Maryland Medical Center byBartley Griffith, MD, Professor of Surgery and The Thomas E. and Alice Marie Hales Distinguished Professor in Transplantation at UMSOM andMuhammad M. Mohiuddin, MD, Professor of Surgery and Scientific/Program Director of the Cardiac Xenotransplantation Program at UMSOM.

We are thrilled to have Dr. Rothblatt address this distinguished class of up-and-coming physicians, said Dr. Gladwin who is the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor and Dean of UMSOM, and Vice President for Medical Affairs at University of Maryland, Baltimore.Her contributions and groundbreaking developments in addressing lung disease, cancer, and the chronic organ shortage have had an immeasurable impact on the field of medicine. Shes a role model for our medical students, demonstrating that if you have the will to have a substantial impact, you can make it happen.

An attorney-entrepreneur, Dr. Rothblatt is a tireless advocate for human rights. In 1992, she led the International Bar Associations efforts in drafting the Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights and has been a leading advocate for transgender acceptance. For her impacts in satellite communications, she was elected to the International Institute of Space Law and has represented the radio astronomy communitys scientific interests before the Federal Communications Commission.

Celebrated as a visionary, thought leader, and published author, Dr. Rothblatt is named One of 100 Greatest Living Business Minds byForbesand Most Powerful LGBTQ+ People in Tech byBusiness Insider.Her pioneering book,Your Life or Mine: How Geoethics Can Resolve the Conflict Between Private and Public Interests in Xenotransplantation, anticipated the need for global virus bio-surveillance and an expanded supply of transplantable organs. She is also the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Maryland Tech Council.

Dr. Rothblatt is currently the inventor and co-inventor on nine U.S. patents, with additional applications pending.

She earned her PhD in Medical Ethics with a thesis in xenotransplantation from the Royal London College of Medicine and Dentistry and earned her JD and MBA from UCLA. She also studied astronomy at the University of Maryland College Park.

About the University of Maryland School of Medicine

Now in its third century, the University of Maryland School of Medicine was chartered in 1807 as the first public medical school in the United States. It continues today as one of the fastest growing, top-tier biomedical research enterprises in the world -- with 46 academic departments, centers, institutes, and programs, and a faculty of more than 3,000 physicians, scientists, and allied health professionals, including members of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences, and a distinguished two-time winner of the Albert E. Lasker Award in Medical Research. With an operating budget of more than $1.2 billion, the School of Medicine works closely in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical Center and Medical System to provide research-intensive, academic, and clinically based care for nearly 2 million patients each year. The School of Medicine has more than $500 million in extramural funding, with most of its academic departments highly ranked among all medical schools in the nation in research funding. As one of the seven professional schools that make up the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus, the School of Medicine has a total population of nearly 9,000 faculty and staff, including 2,500 students, trainees, residents, and fellows. The School of Medicine, which ranks as the8th highestamong public medical schools in research productivity (according to the Association of American Medical Colleges profile) is an innovator in translational medicine, with 606 active patents and 52 start-up companies. In the latestU.S. News & World Reportranking of the Best Medical Schools, published in 2023, the UM School of Medicine isranked #10 among the 92 public medical schoolsin the U.S., and in the top 16 percent(#32) of all 192 public and privateU.S. medical schools. The School of Medicine works locally, nationally, and globally, with research and treatment facilities in 36 countries around the world. Visitmedschool.umaryland.edu

News article

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Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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Biotechnology CEO and inventor of SiriusXM Satellite Radio Martine Rothblatt to deliver graduation address to the ... - EurekAlert

With a median price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of close to 9x in the Biotechs industry in Hong Kong, you could be forgiven for feeling indifferent about Shandong Boan Biotechnology Co., Ltd.'s (HKG:6955) P/S ratio of 7.7x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/S.

View our latest analysis for Shandong Boan Biotechnology

Shandong Boan Biotechnology could be doing better as it's been growing revenue less than most other companies lately. One possibility is that the P/S ratio is moderate because investors think this lacklustre revenue performance will turn around. However, if this isn't the case, investors might get caught out paying too much for the stock.

There's an inherent assumption that a company should be matching the industry for P/S ratios like Shandong Boan Biotechnology's to be considered reasonable.

Taking a look back first, we see that the company grew revenue by an impressive 20% last year. Still, revenue has barely risen at all from three years ago in total, which is not ideal. Accordingly, shareholders probably wouldn't have been overly satisfied with the unstable medium-term growth rates.

Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 40% per annum as estimated by the only analyst watching the company. With the industry predicted to deliver 69% growth per annum, the company is positioned for a weaker revenue result.

With this in mind, we find it intriguing that Shandong Boan Biotechnology's P/S is closely matching its industry peers. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited growth expectations and are willing to pay up for exposure to the stock. These shareholders may be setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/S falls to levels more in line with the growth outlook.

Using the price-to-sales ratio alone to determine if you should sell your stock isn't sensible, however it can be a practical guide to the company's future prospects.

Given that Shandong Boan Biotechnology's revenue growth projections are relatively subdued in comparison to the wider industry, it comes as a surprise to see it trading at its current P/S ratio. When we see companies with a relatively weaker revenue outlook compared to the industry, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the moderate P/S lower. This places shareholders' investments at risk and potential investors in danger of paying an unnecessary premium.

You always need to take note of risks, for example - Shandong Boan Biotechnology has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.

If strong companies turning a profit tickle your fancy, then you'll want to check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a low P/E (but have proven they can grow earnings).

Find out whether Shandong Boan Biotechnology is potentially over or undervalued by checking out our comprehensive analysis, which includes fair value estimates, risks and warnings, dividends, insider transactions and financial health.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Read more:
Investor Optimism Abounds Shandong Boan Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (HKG:6955) But Growth Is Lacking - Simply Wall St

Shining a light on the illegal wildlife trade

Cameron Murray, BSc, BVMS, working with wildlife in Africa (Image Courtesy of Cameron Murray)

Away from the 4 small animal veterinary practices he co-owns, Cameron Murray, BSc, BVMS, has a strong interest in wildlife conservation. Starting with his involvement with SAVE African Rhino Foundation he is now also a director of the charity organization Nature Needs More, which is focused on demand reduction projects to diminish the illegal global wildlife trade.

Murrays passion for wildlife conservation has led him to playing a vital role in raising awareness of wildlife trafficking and educating veterinarians about how they can help make a difference. Nature Needs More works on tackling the key systemic enablers of the illegal wildlife trade, including consumer demand for wildlife products and the deficiencies in the legal trade system under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

To give an understanding of the scale of the wildlife trade on a global basis, legal trade is currently estimated to be worth as much as USD$260-320 billion annually and if you include illegal trade this may be as high as USD$500 billion. The legal trade is monitored, regulated and managed, however that the legal and illegal trade are currently functionally inseparable, and until steps are taken to modernize the management of legal trade, the issue of illegal trade will remain an unwinnable battle, Murray explained to dvm360. Through Nature Needs More, were advocating for a program of modernization of CITES. This is because the landmark Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services report of 2019, suggested that 1 million species in the world face extinction, and that direct exploitation through trade was the biggest single threat to marine species and the second largest behind habitat loss for terrestrial and fresh water species.1

Analysis of CITES wildlife trade records and published literature has revealed massive numbers of animals are traded live every year, with many presumably destined for the exotic pet market. These records highlight the staggering numbers of species caught up in the global wildlife trade, with over 500 species of birdapproximately half of which are parrots, almost 500 species of reptilemostly turtles, lizards and snakes, and over 100 species of mammalmostly carnivores and primates, said Murray. For Australia this has particular relevance for our reptiles, which can be relatively easily smuggled. Sadly, smuggling Australian native species is considered a low-risk crime and there is significant financial motivation for criminals to illegally export Australian wildlife for the overseas exotic pet trade.

fieldofvision/stock.adobe.com

A 2021 report compiled Australian seizure data and international online trade data pertaining to shingleback lizards, found that all 4 subspecies were involved in illegal trade.2 This is important as 2 of these shingleback subspecies come from very limited ranges and populations. As such, a trade of this nature poses a real threat to species survival and biodiversity loss. All of us should be concerned with regard to the issues of biodiversity loss but in addition, the trade in wildlife also raises issues around animal welfare, zoonotic disease spread, biosecurity issues and more, Murray said.

Veterinarians can play an important role by having a stronger voice for change in the trade of wildlife, and as veterinarians we are well placed to play a stronger lead in the area. We should also be aware of the fact that there is active poaching of native species and be vigilant to this possibility. We also have an opportunity to see that penalties associated with wildlife crime are more of a deterrent and finally, I would encourage everyone to look behind the management systems of wildlife trade and consider joining me in advocating for a modernization of CITES, Murray added.

After working as a veterinarian for almost a decade, Peter Lau, BSc (Hons), BVMS, MBBS, FRACP, PhD, changed his focus and graduated in human medicine in 2007 before becoming a specialist medical oncologist. Currently based at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research in Perth, Lau and his colleagues Jonas Nilsson PhD, and Zlatibor Velickovic, PhD, are now at the forefront of cancer research in Australia with cellular immunotherapy for human melanoma patients.

Cell therapy using Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) involves surgically removing a patients melanoma deposit, extracting out the T cells or lymphocytes which act against the cancer. We then grow those cells in a specialized laboratory expanding them to extremely high numbers in the order of billions. Patients are admitted into hospital, receive chemotherapy and then are injected with the TIL treatment which destroys the tumor. The technology for cellular immunotherapy was developed in Europe and the US but is not currently available in Australia. Our recent grant funding will go towards manufacturing this treatment for the first time in Australia, Lau explained exclusively to dvm360.

For decades metastatic melanoma has been a terrible cancer to treat but with immunotherapy such as pembrolizumab we can now literally save lives. These conventional immunotherapies dont work in all patients hence the need for new treatments like cell therapy. We do have a way to go in terms of curing everyone from the disease but cell therapy research like this can help close that gap. Its very satisfying to be at the forefront of treatment and cancer research.

Although Lau no longer works as a clinical veterinarian, he credits his early career in the veterinary profession with setting him up for success in the adjacent field of human medicine. My interest in immunology started a number of years ago listening to a talk from professor [Peter Doherty, PhD] at an Australian Veterinary Association Conference many years ago. Professor Doherty originally trained as a veterinarian and made key discoveries in how the immune system recognizes cells infected with viruses which led to a Nobel Prize. It was quiet an inspirational talk and I ended up in medicine as a result. Vet training did teach me a lot about persistence which is really needed with research, Lau said. Canine melanoma is also treated with similar drugs as we use in humans so its quite nice to see the benefit of these immunotherapies for our 4-legged friends.

VetChip, an Australian animal biotechnology company, won the 2024 Pet Care Innovation Prize, earning a cash prize and support from Purina. VetChip was 1 of 5 pet care startups from across the world that pitched their businesses to pet industry influencers and investors at the recent Global Pet Expo in Orlando, Florida.

The biotechnology company is dedicated to improving animal health and welfare through pioneering technology that monitors, analyses, and detects pet health issues. VetChip cofounder and veterinarian Garnett Hall, BVSc (Hons), travelled to the US for the event.

Garnett Hall, BVSc (Hons),VetChip co-founder (Image courtesy of VetChip)

"The VetChip team and I are extremely grateful for the support we have received from Purina through the Pet Care Innovation Prize. Developing technology like ours is incredibly difficult, and partnerships with leading animal health and technology companies are essential for us, said Hall exclusively to dvm360.

2024 is off to a great start, and the remainder of this year will see us commence pre-commercial trials in several of our key markets. I am looking forward to using our technology to improve the health, welfare and performance of military dogs and and performance horses before the end of the yearmore to announce soon.

VetChip has developed an innovative implantable smart microchip for animals that can monitor the animals temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate and tissue oxygenation. VetChip has many applications, including in companion animal practice, for primary producers enabling better herd health management, and for in equestrian sports and horse-racing.

References

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Veterinary scene down under: Australian animal biotechnology company wins 2024 Pet Care Inno-vation Prize, and ... - DVM 360

The Initiative Boosting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU offers the promise, although not yet the commitment, for biotechnology in the EU at the scale and vision needed for global significance. EuropaBio looks inside and to the future.

Dr Claire Skentelbery is the Director General of EuropaBio.

Ambition, vision and urgency are the calls from EuropaBio for this promising initiative. The next Commission must combine long-term vision and bold ambitions with immediate and urgent attention to resolve existing barriers to growth. The world is accelerating industrial outputs from biotechnology, and we need to move with it. EuropaBio will be a partner and champion every step of the way to deliver Europes biotech future. Dr Claire Skentelbery, Director General of EuropaBio.

Europe welcomed the Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative on March 20. It brought recognition from the EU that biotechnology is one of the major global technologies shaping our health, food, and providing an industrial footprint with innovation, sustainability and resilience. The Initiative also recognizes the main bottlenecks, regulatory fragmentation, access to finance, value chain obstacles and informed public recognition.

Finally, it recognised the economic footprint of biotechnology and its vital role within a globally competitive region. Between 2008 2021, employment growth from biotech was seven times higher than Europes average, Gross Value Added grew 1.5 times as quickly, and productivity was 2.5 times higher. Europes research has thrived within biotechnology, creating thousands of start-ups, and enabling companies of all sizes to mature economic and societal value.

Let us not be modest about what biotech achieves. Healthcare biotechnology is becoming the primary source of new therapies, bringing previously untreatable diseases within reach, and transitioning from manage to cure with increasing frequency, freeing patients, families and healthcare systems.

Industrial Biotechnology holds the key to sustainable and innovative manufacturing, delivering novel products and more sustainable replacements, reducing reliance on fossil resources including energy, relieving pressure on ecosystems and strengthening supply chains, including food production, which are essential as the world aims to both ameliorate and adapt to climate change.

From Initiative to implementation

This is not the first policy roadshow for biotechnology in Europe. Way back in 2007, the Lead Market Initiative opened with the statement Developing an innovation-driven economy is crucial for competitiveness and in 2024, whilst biotech is showing its commercial speed, the EU lags other global regions for biotech performance.

This Initiative, released in the closing days of the current Commission has to take root, grow and flower quickly. It must rapidly transform rhetoric into policy and legislation action for competitiveness, enabling innovators to thrive, and creating long-term investment into infrastructures, employment, and skills in Europe. The ambition for a Biotech Act is laudable, but there is urgency for action now. Reports tomorrow are not a substitute for progress today.

A global game is Europe a player?

Europe is late to the game in recognizing and utilising biotechnology and biomanufacturing. EuropaBio has watched global regions publish comprehensive, funded, time and target-driven strategies, with the US, China, Japan, India and the UK building from their strong science foundations. The winners of this global race for biotechnology will hold primary market positions for novel medicines, resilient local manufacturing, and global supply chains, all underpinned by high value, high employment and high skills technology. It is essential that the EU is in this race to be a player rather than a customer.

The Initiative acknowledges the importance of global dialogue, shaping biotechnology above Europe. The WHO, WTO, Convention on Biological Diversity and its Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, as well as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework are all part of a harmonised global framework for biotechnology where the EC must have a clear voice.

Call it by its name

The Initiative directly references important applications and components of biotechnology; food and feed, environmental remediation, novel and alternative molecules for application across processes and sectors, advanced healthcare, with terminology including microorganisms, enzymes, mRNA, ATMPs, biorefineries, and bio-based products. This needs to continue and expand (fermentation is notable by its absence) as part of the visibility and recognition of biotechnology for all stakeholders, including policymakers at national and European level and the citizens whom benefits already reach.

Legislation for biotechnology innovation today

Recognising biotechnology innovation should be integral to our own legislative DNA, and yet at EU and Member State levels, we are already tying our own shoelaces together:

Built for biotechnology, built for Europe

The Initiative rightly identifies regulation as a critical component for economic and societal success of such a cross-cutting frontier technology. Complex, uncertain and opaque regulatory pathways create a market pathway too slow, costly and vague for investment.

Europe needs a future-looking and cross-cutting framework built for biotechnology, recognising its unique requirements and not retrofitting its systems built for chemistry, and streamlining and removing obstacles in existing regulations.

The introduction of regulatory sandboxes and simplified, accelerated pathways to market recognising the parameters of biotechnology are core to this. Regulation must mature alongside innovation and is part of successful industrial growth from Europes strong research base. An EU Biotech Hub will also provide welcome additional support for companies in navigating the complex and often overwhelming regulatory framework in all sectors.

The Initiative importantly identifies regulatory obstacles that arise at national or other governance levels which impede an effective single market which is urgent to address now. As the Enrico Letta report comes closer to publication, there is a risk of single market fragmentation for biotechnology products and processes through lack of coherence across the EC and MS. This represents an opportunity for Europe to lead global coherence for biotechnology.

Beyond regulations, the proposed Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) review brings a much needed focus on the sustainability benefits from products through the assessment of fossil-based and bio-based products to ensure equivalence. Biomass is another vital conversation for Europe as part of the initiative, with a fundamental need for sustainable, including primary, biomass. This creates a pathway for delivery for biotechnology throughout the value chain, from innovation to market and consumer.

A framework for finance

The Initiative addresses finance but must be more ambitious for investment growth, particularly for scale up and technology maturation to market, and it must also be explicit and vocal on technologies that it seeks to champion if the EU is to lead informed and engaged public narrative. Europes investment landscape is more fragmented and conservative than other regions.

Improving the investment landscape to enable the creation, financing, and maturation of European biotech companies will contribute to the restoration of the innovation ecosystem but also other industries. The easier emerging and small biotech will find it to secure investment and partners in Europe, the more likely they will be to stay and grow in Europe.

EuropaBio will be a travelling partner for the Initiative, from its promising early days to its delivery through legislation and implementation, with success measure in ambitions achieved and benefits measured for people and planet.

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Ambition and urgency: Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU - EURACTIV