Drug Discovery & Development
Scientists achieve milestone in animal-free production of biologics
For the first time, scientists have successfully produced sugar-based biologic molecules utilizing bacteria, without the need for animal products. The paper, published in Nature Communications on March 2, describes the production of a common designer polysaccharide, chondroitin sulfate. Read More
Single-cell RNAseq differentiates cancer stem cells from healthy stem cells
Researchers have described a new single-cell RNA-sequencing approach, leveraging genomic and mitochondrial DNA mutations, that has the potential to differentiate normal stem cells from cancer stem cells. The article detailing the approach was published in Nature Communications on March 1. Read More
Janssen COVID-19 vaccine becomes 3rd authorized in U.S.
Janssen Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine has received an emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The move allows the vaccine to be distributed in the U.S. for the prevention of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 in individuals 18 years of age or older. Read More
FDA committee gives nod to Janssen COVID-19 vaccine
A single-shot COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson's Janssen Biotech subsidiary received a positive recommendation today from a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee. Should the FDA grant the product emergency use authorization, the vaccine candidate will become the third to be made available in the U.S. Read More
New open-access toolkit helps research labs study SARS-CoV-2
One of the most important factors in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic is large-scale scientific collaborations and knowledge sharing. One international group of researchers has made its simple, robust toolkit available to laboratories around the globe that are unaccustomed to working with coronaviruses. The details can be found in a PLOS Biology paper published on February 25. Read More
Clinical pipeline promises effective 2nd-generation COVID-19 vaccines
Despite the small number of COVID-19 vaccines that have been granted emergency use authorizations by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to date, many biopharmaceutical companies are continuing to push new vaccine candidates toward regulatory approval. The slow rollout of approved vaccines has created the need for second-generation products with the potential to accelerate the world's return to something approaching normalcy. Read More
Automated flow cytometry can expedite the discovery and development of next-gen drugs
Automated flow cytometry workflows outperform manual gated techniques by reducing variability among samples, while still achieving a high degree of accuracy. Automated workflows offer a number of advantages to pharmaceutical companies that can integrate them to accelerate drug discovery and development. Read More
New technique detects unique folding patterns in RNA of SARS-CoV-2
Scientists have developed a new technique for determining alternative structural RNA shapes of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. These self-regulatory segments of RNA, called switches, could serve as potential antiviral drug targets, according to a communication published in Nature Methods on February 22. Read More
The next generation of COVID-19 vaccines: Gallo on next steps
What will the next generation of COVID-19 vaccines look like? In the first of a two-part series, The Science Advisory Board spoke with pioneering virology researcher Dr. Robert Gallo to get his thoughts on what a next-generation COVID-19 vaccine might look like, and which candidates are in the running for marketing authorization. Read More
mRNA vaccines are successful for COVID-19. But what about cancer?
Advances in platform technology for the development of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines have led to the authorization of several COVID-19 vaccines. But scientists are also working on developing mRNA vaccines to protect against or treat other diseases, such as cancer. This includes a hydrogel-based RNA vaccine, the design of which is discussed in an article published in Nano Letters on February 1. Read More
Conferences
Pittsburgh Conference (Pittcon)
March 8-12
Online
Genomics of Rare Disease
March 22-24
Online
BioProcess International US West
March 29-31
Online
BioProcess International Asia
April 5-8
Online
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting
April 10-15
Online
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