Patent Box Initiative

Thinking Inside the Box

Nick Beckett and Diogo Duarte de Oliveira of CMS Cameron McKenna reflect on the impact of the UK's Patent Box initiative on drug discovery, contrasting the policy with similar European initiatives.

Strategy for UK Life Sciences

A Promising Start

Glyn Edwards of the BioIndustry Association analyses the British Government’s recently announced Strategy for UK Life Sciences, and suggests what else needs to be done to foster further growth for the industry.

Communication Strategies

In Prime Position

Establishing a clear message and positioning strategy is essential in a climate of increasing M&A activity. Joleen Schultz at 321 Medical Launch looks at how to stand out from the crowd.

Portfolio Management

Enhancing Strategic Focus

Translational research institutions carry unique portfolio management needs. Jan-Philipp Kruse and Markus Thunecke of Catenion, and Jesús M Hernandez at CIMA set out key strategies to best utilise funding and encourage commercial success.

Novel Platforms

Next Generation

Oligonucleodies have reached a pivotal moment in their development, with FDA approvals expected soon. Peter Sazani of AVI BioPharma presents novel approaches to the development of RNA-targeting therapeutics using next-generation chemistries.

Innovation in Personalised Medicine

Unlocked Potential

Slow progress in the field of personalised medicine belies the wealth of data and tools available to researchers. Håkon Haaheim of HUNT Biosciences AS looks for a shift in perspective that could bring new results.

Gene Genie

Steve Williamson of the North of England Cancer Network and Northumbria Healthcare Trust, and Jonathan Robinson of NewGene Ltd present a unique partnership model that spells success for developing molecular and genetic tests.

Analytical Methods

Go With the Flow

ADCC and CDC are effective and reproducible mode of action assays that enables researchers to reliably compare the bioactivity of therapeutics, as Ulrike Herbrand and Simone Scotti of Charles River Biopharmaceutical Services GmbH discuss.

Storage and Processing Technology

Handled with Care

As drug discovery shifts away from small molecules, Simon Sheard at Brooks Life Science Systems looks at how automated handling can be adapted to address the challenges posed by biologic samples, including storage at ultra low temperatures, processing widely variable samples and quality control.

Screening Libraries

Full Screen Ahead

Antibody Discovery

Take the Lead

Jos Raats and Guido Jenniskens of ModiQuest Research explore how B cell selection and phage display, when used in tandem, provide a highly efficient platform for antibody selection.

Regulatory Challenges

Changing of the Tides

G Susan Srivatsa of ElixinPharma navigates current guidelines for novel therapeutics and explores how these apply to the development of oligonucleotides.

Drug Reprofiling

Old Drug, New Tricks

Attempts at reprofiling drugs include wet lab and in silico initiatives, some taking a rational approach, others opting for brute force. Jordi Naval Chamosa and José Manuel Mas of Anaxomics weigh up these strategies.

Regional Focus: Denmark

Up Close and Personal

Rasmus Beedholm-Ebsen at Invest in Denmark explores the factors that make Denmark ideally placed to push forward developments in personalised medicine.

Biomanufacturing: European CMOs

Opportunity Beckons

Big Pharma is increasingly investing in biologics, causing demand for biopharmaceutical manufacturing capacity to soar. Aiswariya Chidambaram at Frost & Sullivan surveys the current landscape and identifies where future opportunities exist for CMOs within Europe.

Biomanufacturing: Cell Lines

Contamination Control

Virus contamination can occur in the manufacture of even the most well-characterised cell lines. Andy Bailey of ViruSure GmbH examines recent examples of this and considers how future contamination can be avoided.

Quality Control: Analytical Methods

Good Vibrations

Todd Strother at Thermo Fisher Scientific discusses NIR spectrometry as an effective method for simple, precise and rapid testing of raw materials for biopharmaceutical manufacture, taking the identification and quantification of phosphate salts used for the manufacture of ultra-high purity cell culture buffers as an example.

How to be a Biotech Dragon

EBR talks to Jim Reid, Chairman and CEO of Sistemic, about the status of the biotech industry.