Healthcare industry

Press release - 12/10/2011

Dioxin-like Chemical Messenger Makes Brain Tumors More Aggressive

Scientists from German Cancer Research Center and Heidelberg University have discovered a new dioxin receptor-coupled metabolic pathway which weakens the immune system and promotes the growth of malignant gliomas. Glioma is the most frequent and most malignant brain tumor in adults. In Germany, about 4,500 people are newly diagnosed with glioma every year.

Press release - 30/01/2011

Door opener for influenza viruses

An international group of researchers, including scientists from the University of Tübingen, has deciphered mechanisms that enable the initiation and also the inhibition of influenza virus infections. The importin alpha-7 variant plays a crucial role in the ability of influenza A viruses to infect humans.

Press release - 15/11/2011

CureVac, Sanofi Pasteur and In-Cell-Art collaborate on a $33.1 million project

CureVac GmbH today announced the signing of several agreements with Sanofi Pasteur S.A., the vaccines division of Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY). Under these agreements, CureVac and Sanofi Pasteur will further develop and apply CureVac’s proprietary RNActive® technology platform to the development of vaccines against several infectious diseases.

A consortium of leading life-science venture capital funds invests € 18.5 million in the German medical diagnostics company Curetis AG. This financing will enable Curetis to complete development of its innovative diagnostic products through to market entry.

Press release - 10/12/2012

Cocktail boosts immune cells in fighting cancer

Natural killer cells (or NK cells), as part of the body´s immune system, can effectively fight cancer. Unfortunately, they quickly lose their aggressiveness and hence are unable to reject solid tumors. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) have now discovered a cocktail consisting of three different immune mediators that leaves NK killer cells active over a long period of time. In mice,…

Worldwide less than 10000 people suffer from Gauchers disease which is the most common lysosomal storage disease. Genzyme has been offering the drug Cerezyme for the treatment of this rare genetic disease since 1994. The companys subsidiary in Constance markets and sells this enzyme replacement therapy in Europe and Asia. The active substance is produced in Chinese hamster ovary cell cultures.

Press release - 14/01/2010

First Population-wide Evidence: Colonoscopy Protects From Cancer

Persons who have had a colonoscopy in the past ten years are much less likely to be diagnosed with advanced precancerous stages of bowel cancer. Particularly on the left side of the colon, the risk for cancer and precancerous stages is dramatically reduced, as scientists of the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) have found out. Their results underline the great potential of colonoscopy for preventing bowel…

Press release - 26/11/2014

Curetis Closes EUR 14.5 Million Extension of Series B Financing

Curetis AG wins new investors QIAGEN and LSP-HEF, committing EUR 7 million. Hence Curetis is well financed into 2017. Curetis AG, a developer of next-level molecular diagnostic solutions, today announced it has closed a EUR 14.5 million extension of its Series B financing round, which was originally led by HBM Partners in April 2013.

Press release - 12/10/2009

"EuroPro+MeD" - a new European Medtech Network has been created - aimed at boosting progress and development

Under the working title of "EuroPro+MeD", which stands for European Prosthesis + Medical Devices, BioRegio STERN Management GmbH, Germany, Pôle Technologique de Haute-Champagne, (PTHC) France and the Medical Cluster, Switzerland have signed a strategic partnering agreement to boost joint cross-border cooperation projects between their respective companies and research institutes in the field of medical technology. The partnership was…

Press release - 17/12/2009

Germany Starts Its Part in the International Cancer Genome Project

German scientists will participate in the largest and most ambitious biomedical research project since the Human Genome Project. Coordinated by the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ), the German participants of the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) will start their work in early January. Their aim is to analyze the molecular causes of childhood brain tumors.

Proposals must be submitted prior to 7th May 2008.

CureVac GmbH has entered into a partnership with the Department of Urology University of Florida Gainesville U.S. to jointly advance its lead candidate CV9103 into the clinical development. The alliance covers preclinical studies and a US phase III trial.

A new Clinical Research Unit at the University of Ulm is to investigate the early inflammation response and the positive impact on the immune system in casualty injuries. The insights gained will be transferred to patients.

Press release - 23/04/2010

Ernst & Young: "German Biotechnology Report 2010"

During the global crisis in 2009, the revenues, number of companies and the number of employees in the German biotechnology industry remained unchanged from the previous year. However, considerable progress was made in terms of product development and market admissions. As in the previous year, 2009 saw a strong slump in terms of equity financing. Investments in research and developments fell. Collaborations and strategic alliances acted as…

Press release - 02/02/2012

Colorectal cancer: Phase II results with cancer vaccine IMA910 are positive

immatics biotechnologies GmbH, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing advanced therapeutic vaccines that are active against cancer, announced positive results from its Phase II clinical trial with IMA910 in patients with advanced colorectal cell carcinoma (CRC) which were presented at the Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in San Francisco. IMA910 comprises 13 tumor-associated…

Press release - 28/07/2009

Fostering enthusiasm for successful entrepreneurship

BioRegio STERN Management GmbH has honoured the winning projects in the regional “Science2Start” competition. A panel of experts awarded a total of 2,250 euros for the most innovative ideas with marketing potential. The winners celebrated their success with approx. 240 visitors of the annual summer event jointly organised by BioRegio STERN Management GmbH, the Society for the Promotion of Biotechnology Stuttgart/Tübingen/Neckar-Alb e.V. and PUSH!…

The German Parliament decided in favour of relaxing the restrictions on the import of stem cells. Martina Keller-Ullrich spoke with the pharmacologist Prof. Dr. Marcel Leist the only Baden-Württemberg scientist authorised to carry out research involving embryonic stem cells.

Press release - 12/05/2009

Gene variant responsible for defective communication in the brain

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are psychological diseases that are both common and severe. The causes of these diseases are largely unknown. It has been known for some time that certain hereditary factors enhance the risk of developing schizophrenia or a manic-depressive disorder. Researchers from the ZI in Mannheim and the Department of Medicine Psychology at the University of Bonn have managed to identify the effects of such gene variants…

The German regulatory authority has approved the Clinical Trial Application CTA to begin a Phase I clinical study with RNActive - derived mRNA vaccine CV9103. It will be tested in patients with hormone-refractory metastatic prostate cancer.

A new report by European Commission scientists gives a full picture of preimplantation genetic diagnosis PGD. Parents need better information on genetic testing of IVF embryos.

Press release - 09/07/2010

Cytonet: where the German economy pulsates

The Top 100 distinguishes the most innovative companies in Germany. And this year Weinheim-based Cytonet GmbH Co. KG is among their number. Resourceful employees the courage to try new things and creative research spirit have taken this particular SME to the very top right into the list of the 100 top innovators in Germany.

Today marks an important step for ELIXIR, Europe’s emerging research infrastructure for life-science information, as five countries plus the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to catalyse the implementation and construction of ELIXIR. The memorandum has been signed by Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom, and more countries are planning to join in the near future. All…

Press release - 30/06/2009

febit First to Offer Newly Published Mouse Genome on a Chip for DNA/RNA Detection and Enrichment

In the near future, Next-Generation Sequencing technologies will lead to a rising number of completed genomes of model organisms and other species of interest, as demonstrated by the updated mouse genome. This accelerated development will generate a variety of tools available in the short term for the application of the new data into experiments. febit’s technology enables the conversion of new sequence data into biochips for gene expression…

Press release - 24/06/2010

febit Announces Operational Restructuring

febit today announced a restructuring as a consequence of its strategic focus on blood-based microRNA biomarker discovery febits major business development in 20092010 and on partnerships and intellectual property IP commercialization. The new focus includes the collaboration and provision of high-end services for clinical researchers in academia diagnostic companies and the pharma industry. The operational restructuring resulted in a reduction…

Press release - 16/11/2012

ERC Advanced Grant for immunobiologist from the University of Freiburg

Prof. Dr. Michael Reth has been awarded an Advanced Grant of the European Research Council ERC. The 2.24 million Euro award will be used to fund research over the next 5 years. The Albert-Ludwigs-University scientist wants to use this special funding to explore the nanoscale organization of proteins in biological membranes. With his nanoscale explorer program Reth and his group wish to obtain new insights into membrane processes of normal and…