Cera and uMed Announce New Partnership
Cera, Europe’s largest HealthTech provider, has partnered with uMed’s automated living registry platform to bring clinical trial recruitment into patients’ homes. The collaboration leverages Cera’s network of over 2.5 million monthly home‑care visits and uMed’s regulated digital consent platform to reach “invisible” cohorts such as the housebound elderly. By digitising screening and enrollment, the partnership aims to boost diversity and real‑world relevance in life‑science research. The initiative supports decentralized trials while remaining GDPR‑compliant.
PSMA PET Imaging’s Proliferation Produces Uptick in Aggressive Treatment for Prostate Cancer
Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET imaging, FDA‑approved in 2021, has rapidly displaced conventional bone scans among U.S. insurers, becoming the dominant diagnostic tool for advanced prostate cancer by 2023. A national Blue Cross Blue Shield claims analysis of nearly 6,000...
Beacon Therapeutics Reports P-II (DAWN) Trial Data on Laru-Zova in X-Linked Retinitis Pigmentosa (XLRP)
Beacon Therapeutics presented 12‑month data from its Phase‑2 DAWN trial of laruparetigene zovaparvovec (laru‑zova) in patients with X‑linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP) who previously received an AAV‑RPGR gene therapy. The study showed sustained gains in low‑luminance visual acuity (LLVA) and microperimetry mean...
Semaglutide Race: Torrent Grabs 38% Market Share
Torrent Pharma has seized a 38% share of India’s generic semaglutide market within a month of launch, generating about ₹17 crore ($2 million) in April sales. Generic semaglutide revenue reached ₹44 crore ($5.3 million), while total market sales—including Novo Nordisk’s innovator—hit roughly ₹89 crore ($10.7 million)....
FDA’s Expedited Drug Reviews Are Hailed in some Quarters but Other Approval Practices Are Problematic
In July 2025 the FDA launched the Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher (CNPV) pilot to slash drug review times from six‑to‑eight months down to one‑or‑two months, issuing 17 vouchers for therapies ranging from cancer to cholesterol drugs. Commissioner Marty Makary later...
Follistatin-344: Myostatin Signaling, Tissue Plasticity, and Molecular Modulation Research
Follistatin-344, a 344‑amino‑acid precursor of the follistatin family, binds and neutralizes key TGF‑β ligands such as myostatin and activins. Structural studies show it wraps these ligands, preventing receptor engagement and downstream SMAD signaling. In pre‑clinical models, overexpressing Follistatin‑344 or its...
Odyssey Raises More than $300M as Biotech Goes Public
Odyssey Therapeutics completed a Nasdaq debut, raising $279 million by selling 15.5 million shares in its initial public offering. The biotech, focused on autoimmune‑disease therapeutics, priced the offering at $18 per share, above the $16.50 low end of its range. Proceeds will...
Blood Test May Improve Early Tuberculosis Detection Among Household Contacts
A prospective study of more than 2,000 household contacts in Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Mozambique evaluated the Cepheid Xpert MTB‑HR blood test, a three‑gene host‑response assay, for early tuberculosis detection. The assay demonstrated good accuracy in identifying active TB and showed...
Study Finds Rapamycin May Undermine Exercise Gains in Older Adults
Researchers led by Dr. Brad Stanfield reported that older adults taking a low weekly dose of rapamycin gained less muscle strength and physical function from a structured exercise program than those on placebo. The findings suggest the popular anti‑aging drug...
Revolution Medicines' Daraxonrasib Doubles Survival in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer
Revolution Medicines announced that its experimental KRAS inhibitor daraxonrasib doubled overall survival for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer in a Phase 3 trial. The FDA has granted expanded‑access permission, allowing the drug to be used outside trials while regulators review the...
Roche to Acquire PathAI for Up to $1.05 B, Accelerating AI‑Driven Diagnostics
Roche announced a definitive agreement to buy U.S. digital‑pathology specialist PathAI for up to $1.05 billion, with $750 million paid upfront and up to $300 million in milestone payments. The deal, expected to close in the second half of 2026, aims to fuse...
Why Not Do Random Testing in Randomized Trials Designed to Measure Risk of Infection?
The post argues that randomized trials measuring infection risk, such as the recent Moderna flu study, rely on symptom‑driven testing rather than random testing of all participants. This selective approach inflates reported efficacy by omitting mild or asymptomatic cases and...
Armata Pharmaceuticals Wins FDA Fast Track for AP‑SA02 Bacteriophage Therapy
Armata Pharmaceuticals announced that the FDA granted Fast Track designation to its AP‑SA02 bacteriophage candidate for complicated Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia. The status promises more frequent agency interaction and a rolling Biologics License Application review, positioning the drug for accelerated approval...
Esperion Therapeutics Inc (ESPR) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Esperion Therapeutics reported a strong Q1 2022 performance, with total revenue jumping 135% year‑over‑year to $18.8 million, driven by product sales up 109% to $13.4 million and partner revenue soaring 244%. The company achieved 32% cost‑savings in operating expenses and reduced R&D...
Screening for Photoreceptor Survival
Researchers used human retinal organoids to screen compounds that affect cone survival under glucose starvation. They identified two kinase inhibitors, CS‑KI‑1 and CS‑KI‑2, targeting CK1 and MAPK11, that protected cones and rods in vitro and in a mouse model of...
AI Unifies Fragmented Spatial Multi‑omics Into Comprehensive Tissue Atlases
A new AI-powered method integrates fragmented spatial multi-omics data, enabling unified tissue atlases and accurate prediction of unmeasured molecular layers across diverse tissues and species. bioinformatics
AI Tool Unifies Fragmented Cell Maps Into Spatial Atlases Across Tissues
A new AI-driven framework called SpaMosaic unifies fragmented spatial multi‑omics datasets by aligning RNA, protein, chromatin accessibility and histone‑modification layers across batches and technologies. The tool combines contrastive learning with graph neural networks, outperforming existing integration methods on mouse brain...
Amplia Therapeutics Launches New Narmafotinib Ovarian Cancer Study with ANZGOG
Amplia Therapeutics announced the launch of the PRROSE investigator‑initiated trial, testing its FGFR inhibitor narfotininb together with carboplatin and paclitaxel in high‑grade serous ovarian cancer patients who responded poorly to initial platinum therapy. The study will enroll 15‑20 participants, prioritize...
Finger‑prick Blood Test Accurately Detects Active TB, Predicts Risk
A finger-prick blood test measuring immune response can accurately detect active tuberculosis and moderately predict future disease in household contacts, offering potential for more targeted TB screening and prevention. tuberculosis
ART Reverses HIV‑Induced Aging, Cutting Years Off Biological Clock
Great news for HIV positive patients. A study presented at ESCMID Global 2026 found that untreated HIV can accelerate biological aging by up to a decade, but antiretroviral therapy can reverse this effect by nearly four years within about 18...
Macrophages Use Cell Volume Changes to Sense Danger and Amplify Inflammation
Researchers at the University of Manchester found that loss of the volume‑regulated anion channel (VRAC) prevents macrophages from correcting swelling under hypo‑osmotic stress, triggering type I interferon signaling and amplifying inflammation. The swelling reprograms gene expression toward antiviral and pro‑inflammatory pathways....
Spermidine Halts Liver Fibrosis by Cell Signal Remodeling
Researchers have demonstrated that spermidine, a naturally occurring polyamine, can halt the progression of liver fibrosis by reprogramming cellular signaling pathways. In mouse models, spermidine treatment reduced collagen deposition and restored normal liver architecture within eight weeks. The study identified...
Two Mechanisms Vie to Deliver First Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy Drug
The article is BioCentury’s cookie policy, outlining five cookie categories—strictly necessary, functional, marketing, advertising, and analytics—and describing their purposes for site operation, personalization, outreach, and data collection. It explains how each type works, the data it handles, and the impact...
Astellas Touts Data From Early Test of Stem Cell-Derived Eye Therapy
Astellas Pharma announced early-stage data from its stem cell‑derived retinal therapy, aimed at treating age‑related macular degeneration (AMD). In a small cohort receiving the highest dose, patients showed statistically significant gains in best‑corrected visual acuity and no serious safety signals....
Novel Nanoparticle Therapy Using Manganese Could Improve Cancer Treatment
Researchers at the University of Michigan and MD Anderson have engineered a manganese‑based nanoparticle named CRYSTAL that activates the cGAS‑STING immune pathway without provoking systemic inflammation. Preclinical studies across several tumor models, including advanced triple‑negative breast cancer, demonstrated robust, sustained...
Mozza Foods Targets Late 2028 Launch for Soybean-Grown Casein
Mozza Foods, a California molecular‑farming startup, plans to commercialize casein proteins harvested from genetically engineered soybeans by late 2028, pending USDA field‑crop approval and an FDA GRAS filing. The company has raised roughly $24 million and is targeting a technical milestone...
Ultrasound Waves Rupture COVID-19 and Flu Viruses without Damaging Cells
Researchers at the University of São Paulo have shown that high‑frequency ultrasound waves (3–20 MHz) can rupture the envelopes of SARS‑CoV‑2 and H1N1 viruses while leaving human cells unharmed. The effect, termed acoustic resonance, exploits the spherical geometry of enveloped viruses,...
STING Pathway Emerges as New Cancer Immunotherapy Frontier
The number of new potential ways to rev up the immune response to cancer keeps expanding. Today it's STING-ing it. @ScienceMagazine https://t.co/p9g0Mmc8kG https://t.co/LbKfODQkO1
CAPR Sues NS Pharma over Launch Delays, Pricing Disputes
$CAPR is suing NS Pharma, its deramiocel commercial partner. Capricor alleges NS Pharma is not doing enough to prepare for commercial launch + some pricing mishegas. 8K https://t.co/7iFyLRhKsq
G-Link CAR-T Delivery Platform Showcased at ASGCT
Vyriad unveiled its G‑Link CAR‑T delivery platform at the ASGCT meeting, showcasing a modular protein adapter that repurposes existing lentiviral vectors for in‑vivo use. The technology promises to cut development timelines by eliminating extensive vector redesign and to boost transduction...
FDA Approval of DOR/ISL Expands HIV Treatment Options Beyond INSTIs: Amy Colson, MD, MPH
The FDA has approved Idvysno, a two‑drug regimen of doravirine and islatravir (DOR/ISL), marking the first HIV therapy that omits both integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) and tenofovir. Clinical trials showed non‑inferior viral suppression at 48 weeks compared with standard...
Single Psilocybin Dose Triggers Month-Long Brain Changes and Mood Boosts
Researchers at the University of California‑San Francisco and Imperial College London reported that a single 25 mg dose of psilocybin produces measurable increases in brain entropy and white‑matter integrity that persist for at least a month, while participants report heightened insight...
Oculis Gains FDA SPA for PIONEER-1 Trial of Privosegtor in Optic Neuritis
Oculis Holding AG announced that the U.S. FDA has granted a Special Protocol Assessment for its PIONEER-1 Phase 3 trial of Privosegtor in optic neuritis. The SPA confirms the study design and primary endpoint, moving the company closer to a...
Polygenic Risk Score Predicts Eight Cardiovascular Conditions
A new polygenic risk score (PRS) predicts eight cardiovascular conditions, including coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation, with odds ratios as high as 41.0. The assay, orderable from a blood or saliva sample, was validated in 53,306 participants and demonstrated...
International Team Launches Hantavirus Vaccine Development
JUST IN: Scientists from the UK, US, and South Africa formed a team to develop a hantavirus vaccine, per BBC
Early Postoperative Inflammatory Markers Predict Major Complications After Rectal Cancer Surgery
A prospective cohort of 98 rectal cancer patients measured CRP and NLR at 24 and 48 hours after surgery. Elevated CRP at 48 hours strongly predicted major complications, while NLR showed no significant predictive value. Open surgery was linked to...
Molecular Quantum Nanosensors Map Temperature Inside Living Cancer Cells
A team from Japan's National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology introduced molecular quantum nanosensors (MoQNs) that map temperature and radical activity inside living cancer cells with 0.3 °C precision, a threefold boost over existing nanodiamond probes. The breakthrough promises finer...
The BioPharm Brief: Breakthrough Signals in Cancer, Duchenne, and RNA Medicine
Aptevo Therapeutics reported an 87% clinical benefit rate and 81% remission in its Phase 1b AML RAINIER study, combining mipletamig with venetoclax and azacitidine. Entrada Therapeutics disclosed positive Phase 1/2 data for ENTR‑601‑44, showing functional gains and increased dystrophin in Duchenne patients...
FDA Approves Otarmeni, First Gene Therapy to Restore Hearing in OTOF‑Related Deafness
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared Regeneron’s Otarmeni, the first gene‑therapy drug to treat genetic hearing loss. The treatment targets OTOF‑related deafness, a condition that affects roughly 200,000 people globally, and promises to restore natural hearing when administered...
Gene Therapy Restores Walking After Paralysis
Researchers at the University Hospital Cologne used a designer cytokine, hyper‑interleukin‑6 (hIL‑6), delivered via an AAV2 viral vector into the motor cortex of mice with spinal‑cord contusions. The protein traveled transneuronally to brainstem serotonergic neurons, prompting intact fibers to sprout...
DUET Trial: Low-Sodium Oxybate Significantly Consolidates Nighttime Sleep Architecture in Narcolepsy
The phase‑4 DUET trial showed that low‑sodium oxybate (LXB, Xywav) markedly consolidates nighttime sleep in narcolepsy type 1 and type 2 patients. Objective polysomnography recorded a 45‑minute increase in deep N3 sleep, 13 fewer stage transitions and three fewer awakenings per night....
Human Antibodies Identified That Have Potential To Prevent and Treat Measles Virus
Scientists at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology have isolated the first human monoclonal antibodies that can neutralize measles virus. The antibodies, derived from a vaccinated donor, bind the virus' hemagglutinin and fusion proteins, blocking entry into cells. In a...
Cellular Origins Collaborates with Immatics on Automation for Cell Therapy Manufacturing
Cellular Origins has partnered with immuno‑oncology firm Immatics to integrate its Constellation® automated mobile robotic platform into select steps of Immatics’ cell‑therapy manufacturing workflow. The joint effort will test how robotics can boost efficiency, scalability and cost‑effectiveness for next‑generation therapies,...
Stem Cell-Derived Islet Therapies Target Type 1 Diabetes Challenges
Sana Biotechnology is leveraging hypoimmune cell engineering to create allogeneic, stem‑cell‑derived pancreatic islet‑like cells that can evade both adaptive and innate immune attacks. The company aims to deliver a single intramuscular injection that restores normal blood‑sugar control for type 1 diabetes...
Aptevo Reports Strong Remission Data in Frontline AML Trial as RAINIER Study Advances Toward Phase 2
Aptevo Therapeutics disclosed Phase 1b data from its RAINIER trial, showing mipletamig combined with venetoclax and azacitidine achieved an 87% clinical benefit rate and an 81% composite remission rate in 31 frontline AML patients. The regimen produced a 65% complete remission...
Targeting Ischemic Disease with DiaMedica CEO Rick Pauls — Episode 254
DiaMedica Therapeutics, led by CEO Rick Pauls, is advancing a recombinant KLK1 protein to treat ischemia‑driven diseases such as preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, and acute ischemic stroke. The podcast episode highlights the company’s focus on restoring vascular blood flow and...
Polyphasic in Vitro Characterization of the Pigment-Producing Microfungus Rhodotorula Sp. For Potential Application as a Probiotic in Mariculture
Researchers isolated a pigment‑producing Rhodotorula sp. from mangrove leaves in southern India and applied a polyphasic in‑vitro framework to assess its probiotic suitability for mariculture. The strain generated 0.73 g L⁻¹ dry biomass, accumulated up to 398 µg g⁻¹ carotenoids, and displayed strong antioxidant...
Asembia AXS26: How Drug Innovation Could Strain Access Systems
In a follow‑up interview at the Asembia AXS26 summit, Aradigm Health CEO Will Shrank warned that emerging therapies priced above $1 million per patient could overwhelm existing market‑access and financing frameworks. He highlighted upcoming treatments for type 1 diabetes, wet macular degeneration...
Opentrons Debuts Simulation and Visualization for AI-Generated Lab Workflows
Opentrons Labworks introduced Protocol Visualization for Flex, a new simulation and visualization layer built into Opentrons App version 9.0 and slated for release in April 2026. The tool lets scientists preview AI‑generated, Python‑API, or Protocol Designer workflows in a dynamic virtual deck,...
Remembering J. Craig Venter, PhD
In this tribute episode of Touching Base, host Corinna Singelman and Gen editors John Sterling and Kevin Davis reflect on the life and legacy of biotech pioneer J. Craig Venter, who recently died at 79. They recount Venter's groundbreaking role...