R&D

A better influenza defence?

AmVac AG and Bayer Innovation GmbH have teamed up to develop a "new generation" of influenza vaccines by producing antigens in tobacco plants. According to the companies, switching the production base to plants and utilizing patented technology will enable shorter expression times compared with current methods.

http://www.amvac.ch/

Pigs save our stomachs

New hope could be offered to sufferers of stomach ulcers thanks to pigs and a group of researchers from Belgium. A previously unidentified bacterium present in some biopsies has been successfully cultured for the first time, and researchers will now determine how the bacterium causes the disease and whether it is resistant to antibiotics. The work could lead to better treatment options — for pigs as well as humans.

http://www.sgm.ac.uk/

Europe's big biobank initiative

Genetic materials will be shared in search for new treatments

Featuring 50 participants from 21 different countries and more than 150 associated organizations, the European Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure could allow scientists to understand the biology behind any disease. The initiative, recently launched at the EU Parliament, aims to share access to samples of blood, tissue, DNA, proteins, and other human and genetic materials. It presents the EU with a chance to gain competitiveness, and become more attractive for future research and investment from the pharmaceutical industry.

The scientists involved with the project believe that the formation of the biobank network will aid the search for cures for devastating diseases, such as HIV, cancer and Alzheimer's, with the latter becoming increasingly prevalent as the European population ages. Gert-Jan van Ommen, Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board for the new infrastructure, says that the initiative will allow doctors and scientists to "avoid the constant trial and error process to find an effective treatment by using customized cures that target different types of patients, which will result in better health, as well as socio-economic benefits."

The project has already received approval for €5 million through the Seventh Framework Programme. During the next 2 years, the scientists involved will undertake preparatory work regarding management, legal framework, financing, ethical guidance, intellectual property and data protection, among other relevant technical matters. The biggest concerns are data protection and the quality of the samples. Data security for biobanks is only based on national legislation, which the project's coordinating team believe must be harmonized to protect the scientific data from nonscientific use. Regarding quality, common standards will be established for future collections. However, it is believed that it is equally important to prepare an inventory of what is already available and the potential uses for existing samples, even if they are not in the best condition.

http://www.biobanks.eu/

The Luxembourg project

The government of Luxembourg intends to increase the pace of innovation in molecular biology, systems of biology and personalized medicine through an initiative that will see the creation of a new bioscience centre. The government will work with three US-based biomedical companies — the Partnership for Personalized Medicine, the Institute for Systems Biology and the Translational Genomics Research Institute — and invest more than €120 million. As well as improving the health of its own citizens, it also hopes to accelerate the global pace and integration of biomedical research, education and commercial development around the world.

The initiative includes the formation of a centralized biobank/tissue repository, two major projects to further research in the field of molecular biology and a project to demonstrate the effectiveness of new diagnostic tests for the earlier detection and treatment of lung cancer.

http://www.gouvernement.lu/

First microRNA medicine

Santaris Pharma, a Danish biopharmaceutical company, has commenced a Phase I human volunteer trial that will represent the world's first study of microRNA medicine to be tested in man. The drug utilizes the company's Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA) technology, which is the first true conformational analogue of RNA. LNA drugs are taken up more efficiently by cells and tissues, overcoming many of the delivery problems of RNAi to date. They are also more resistant to degradation when administered systemically.

"The mechanism of action of this drug represents a potential breakthrough in medical science," says Keith McCullagh, President and CEO of the company. "The ability to switch off the functions of particular microRNAs may enable clinicians to modulate entire networks of genes associated with disease or ill-health."

http://www.santaris.com/