KyooBe Tech GmbH - 08/10/2020 Next generation vaccine production For decades, conventional inactivated vaccines have been produced by killing pathogens with toxic chemicals. However, this process often changes the surface structure of the pathogens to such an extent that the immune system is only able to induce a weak response. KyooBe Tech GmbH is offering a method that uses low-energy electrons to inactivate pathogens. Vaccines produced this way are much higher quality, making them safer and more effective.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/next-generation-vaccine-production
Mosses for pharmaceutical production - 16/09/2020 Factor H as a therapeutic option for viral diseases - including COVID-19 The search for drug candidates for COVID-19 diseases is well underway. Factor H, which is part of the innate immune system, might also be a future therapeutic option. The Freiburg-based biotech company eleva has developed a technology for producing this human protein in moss cells. The active ingredient, which might also have a regulatory effect in other diseases, is currently undergoing preclinical testing.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/factor-h-therapeutic-option-viral-diseases-including-covid-19
Atriva Therapeutics - 21/10/2020 COVID-19 pioneer drug in Phase II clinical trial - with double the power The effective treatment of people with severe COVID-19 is a major goal during the corona pandemic. ATR-002, an oral small molecule that targets RNA viruses such as influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2, has a dual effect: it impairs viral propagation and also has an immunomodulatory effect. And what’s more, due to its unique cellular mechanism of action, the efficacy of Atrivia Therapeutics’ drug candidate is not reduced by virus mutations and…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/covid-19-pioneer-drug-phase-ii-clinical-trial-double-power
Inside the fight against COVID-19 - 28/10/2020 A new immunotherapeutic agent for treating severe COVID-19 cases Apogenix, a Heidelberg-based biopharmaceutical company specialising in innovative immunotherapeutics, has initiated a Phase II clinical trial with asunercept, the company’s lead drug candidate for treating severe cases of COVID-19. The fusion protein blocks the CD95-ligand-mediated death of epithelial cells in the lung and thus prevents damage to the organ.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/new-immunotherapeutic-agent-treating-severe-covid-19-cases
Freudenberg Filtration Technologies - 01/10/2020 Coronavirus thwarted: with filters against aerosol spread Filter technology can effectively remove microorganisms such as the new coronavirus from aerosols. A team of experts at Freudenberg Filtration Technologies develops and produces filtration solutions that effectively reduce the spread of viruses in cars, industrial plants and public buildings. The company’s filter technology for reducing the viral load is a reliable method for enabling people to stay in closed rooms with a high density of people.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/coronavirus-thwarted-filters-against-aerosol-spread
Press release - 18/01/2021 How a protein variant could explain resistance to sleeping sickness drug A specific variant of the surface protein VSG of African trypanosomes, the causative agents of sleeping sickness, is associated with resistance to the important drug Suramin. Scientists at the German Cancer Research Center have now been able to find a possible explanation for the formation of resistance based on the crystal structure of this protein variant.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/how-protein-variant-could-explain-resistance-sleeping-sickness-drug
Lab-on-a-chip - 11/11/2020 Microfluidic platform for the best possible cancer therapy Every tumour and every patient is different, and there are individual reactions to drugs as well as the problem of resistance. Patient-specific cancer treatments require innovative and cost-effective approaches. The TheraMe! consortium has developed a novel instrument: a combination of microfluidic experiments and mathematical modelling for use in cancer precision medicine to prevent incorrect therapy options.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/microfluidic-platform-best-possible-cancer-therapy
Press release - 07/01/2021 CureVac and Bayer join forces on COVID-19 vaccine candidate CVnCoV Bayer has signed a collaboration and services agreement with CureVac, a biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of transformative medicines based on messenger ribonucleic acid. Under the terms of the agreement, Bayer will support the further development, supply and key territory operations of CureVac´s COVID-19 vaccine candidate CVnCoV. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/curevac-and-bayer-join-forces-covid-19-vaccine-candidate-cvncov
Press release - 11/01/2021 CureVac’s COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate, CVnCoV, Demonstrated Efficient Protection of Non-Human Primates During SARS-CoV-2 Challenge Infection CureVac N.V., a global biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of transformative medicines based on messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), today announced the publication of preclinical data demonstrating the induction of robust antibody and T cell responses of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, CVnCoV, in non-human primates. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/curevacs-covid-19-vaccine-candidate-cvncov-demonstrated-efficient-protection-non-human-primates-during-sars-cov-2-challenge-infe
Development of the genomDE genome database - 04/12/2020 Whole genome sequencing for diagnosing rare diseases Grouped together, rare diseases are by no means a rare phenomenon; however, they are rarely correctly diagnosed and rarely properly treated. In most cases, there is no effective medication available. Rare disease centres staffed by experts have been set up in many German cities to speed up the often long and painful search for the right diagnosis and treatment. Whole genome sequencing is a component of general healthcare, used to identify…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/whole-genome-sequencing-diagnosing-rare-diseases
New method for analysing blood samples - 26/11/2020 Personalised therapy monitoring for malignant melanomas Immunotherapy has greatly improved the survival chances of patients with malignant melanoma. A study has now begun at the Department of Dermatology at the University Hospital of Tübingen to develop a way to monitor the course of treatment as effectively as possible. It involves personalised monitoring using liquid biopsies in addition to conventional PET/CT examinations. This analysis procedure of blood samples could enable closer monitoring of…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/personalised-therapy-monitoring-malignant-melanomas
Article - 14/01/2021 Newly discovered RNA as growth driver in liver cancer Non-coding RNA (ncRNAs) molecules that do not encode proteins have many different functions, and some are associated with certain diseases. Prof. Dr. Sven Diederichs from the German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research and the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg has been conducting research into these molecules at the Freiburg University Medical Centre and discovered a ncRNA that regulates cell proliferation in cancer cells.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/newly-discovered-rna-growth-driver-liver-cancer
Infection control - 07/01/2021 Gene accordions as potential markers for pathogenic properties Bacteria must react to changes in the environment in order to survive. This is partly done by adapting genetic material, for example by multiplying and shortening individual genome segments. The research group led by Dr. Simon Heilbronner from the Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine at the University of Tübingen has shown that these so-called gene accordions are frequently found in the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/gene-accordions-potential-markers-pathogenic-properties
Digitalisation in Medicine - 08/12/2020 DiHeSys takes steps towards application Digital Health Systems GmbH (DiHeSys) has completed its founding phase and entered a new stage of development. This is reflected in the arrival of a new managing director, a strategic cooperation and its first pilot projects.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/dihesys-takes-steps-towards-application
Press release - 24/02/2021 Disease progression in childhood cancer: Lengthening of telomeres promotes relapse Neuroblastoma can spread relentlessly or shrink spontaneously. Scientists from the Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the University of Heidelberg and the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg have shown that some malignant neuroblastomas employ a trick to avoid cell death: they use a special mechanism to lengthen the telomeres at the end of their chromosomes. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/disease-progression-childhood-cancer-lengthening-telomeres-promotes-relapse
Press release - 28/01/2021 Carl Zeiss Foundation funds Interdisciplinary practice Study at Heidelberg University with the sum of approximately of 4.5 Million Euros Can interconnected digital assistance systems enhance the quality of life of people in older age? Scientists in an interdisciplinary research project at Heidelberg University are exploring this question in a representative practice study. The participating researchers want to investigate how well these technical aids can be used and what benefit they achieve.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/carl-zeiss-foundation-funds-interdisciplinary-practice-study-heidelberg-university-sum-approximately-45-million-euros
Press release - 01/02/2021 Targeting a rapid market breakthrough for new vaccine production method In a so-called inactivated or killed vaccine, the virus particles it contains are first rendered inactive by means of the toxic chemical formaldehyde. A better way of achieving this, however, is to irradiate the pathogens with low-energy electrons. Four Fraunhofer Institutes have now developed a new method of vaccine production based on this technique that is not only quicker but also guarantees a higher quality of product. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/targeting-rapid-market-breakthrough-new-vaccine-production-method
Press release - 09/02/2021 New rapid test to detect coronavirus antibodies developed An international research team involving the universities of Paraná and Tübingen has developed a rapid test that can reliably identify Covid-19 antibodies in the blood within minutes. As the researchers report in the journal ACS Sensors, the new process is based on a simple measuring principle making it easy to carry out without expensive instruments, and is therefore suitable for use at mobile testing centers or by laboratories.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-rapid-test-detect-coronavirus-antibodies-developed
Press release - 17/02/2021 A new piece of the HIV infection puzzle explored Researchers from EMBL and Heidelberg University Hospital combine high-resolution imaging to observe the infection process in cell nuclei, opening the door for new therapeutics.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-piece-hiv-infection-puzzle-explored
Expert interview - 03/03/2021 Healthcare movers – the future of Baden-Württemberg's healthcare industry The 'Healthcare Movers 2020 - Baden-Württemberg Report' reveals the potentials and challenges Baden-Württemberg healthcare companies encounter as the digital transformation of the healthcare market progresses. In an interview with Dr. Ariane Pott from BIOPRO, the authors of the report, Beatus Hofrichter and Dr. Ursula Kramer, explain what is required to take the major step towards becoming a digital avant-garde company.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/healthcare-movers-future-baden-wuerttembergs-healthcare-industry
Article - 17/02/2021 Whole blood model enables development of early warning system for sepsis Sepsis is a life-threatening disease that can be treated all the more successfully the faster therapy is initiated. It is not just the infection itself that is so dangerous, but a dysregulated response of the immune system. Physicians at Ulm University Hospital have now developed an animal-free test system that can be used to research the disease and develop innovative diagnostic tools to quickly assess a patient's sepsis risk and optimise…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/whole-blood-model-enables-development-early-warning-system-sepsis
Press release - 25/01/2021 Protein anchors as a newly discovered key molecule in cancer spread and epilepsy Certain anchor proteins inhibit a key metabolic driver that plays an important role in cancer and developmental brain disorders. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the University of Innsbruck, together with a Europe-wide research network, discovered this molecular mechanism, which could open up new opportunities for personalized therapies for cancer and neuronal diseases. They published their results in the journal Cell.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/protein-anchors-newly-discovered-key-molecule-cancer-spread-and-epilepsy
Article - 10/03/2021 Faster to single cells using miniature grinder Tissue cells are needed for medical diagnostics, cell therapies and tissue engineering, among other things. A novel tissue grinder gently and automatically dissociates cells from tissue. In November 2020, the newly founded biotech company Fast Forward Discoveries GmbH (FFX) delivered its first tissue grinders to customers.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/faster-single-cells-using-miniature-grinder
Press release - 15/03/2021 How novel pathogens may cause the development of colorectal cancer Do BMMFs, the novel infectious agents found in dairy products and bovine sera, play a role in the development of colorectal cancer? Scientists led by Harald zur Hausen detected the pathogens in colorectal cancer patients in close proximity to tumors. The researchers show that the BMMFs trigger local chronic inflammation, which can cause mutations via activated oxygen molecules and thus promote cancer development in the long term.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/how-novel-pathogens-may-cause-development-colorectal-cancer
Press release - 03/03/2021 New Baden-Württemberg network to reduce animal experiments A new network has been set up in Baden-Württemberg aimed at reducing animal experiments as well as further improving animal welfare. It combines new approaches and measures at the state’s biomedical research locations, which are expected to limit stress in laboratory animals and steadily reduce the number of animals used in research in line with the 3R principles of Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-baden-wuerttemberg-network-reduce-animal-experiments
Press release - 04/03/2021 Induced pluripotent stem cells reveal causes of disease Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) are suitable for discovering the genes that underly complex and also rare genetic diseases. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), together with international partners, have studied genotype-phenotype relationships in iPSCs using data from approximately one thousand donors.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/induced-pluripotent-stem-cells-reveal-causes-disease
Press release - 11/03/2021 Researchers recommend earlier start of breast cancer screening with family history of ovarian cancer Women have an increased risk of breast cancer if they have a family history of this disease. However, the risk may also be higher if first-degree family members have another type of cancer, according to a study by a team of scientists and physicians from the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg, the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD), as well as international colleagues. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/researchers-recommend-earlier-start-breast-cancer-screening-family-history-ovarian-cancer
Article - 17/03/2021 Epigenetic switches in bacteria as biosensors The analysis of pathogen biomarkers and biomarkers for the diagnosis of diseases can be crucial for health. However, the detection of pathogens and diseases depends on a sensitive and reliable method that delivers rapid results. Biosensors have such properties. Researchers at the Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry (IBTB) at Stuttgart University have constructed an epigenetic circuit composed of plasmids that might make it…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/epigenetic-switches-bacteria-biosensors
Microfluidics in medical technology - 24/03/2021 Ultra-compact: valves with shape memory actuators Karlsruhe-based company memetis shows that this is possible. Intelligent components for controlling fluids open up huge potential in the medical technology and biotechnology sectors - from vaccine development and cell line analysis to drug research and point-of-care solutions.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/ultra-compact-valves-shape-memory-actuators
Press release - 24/02/2021 Supposedly "silent" mutation with serious consequences So-called silent mutations have no effect on the composition of a protein. They are therefore not considered to promote cancer. However, scientists from the German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), partner site Essen, now describe in a case of kidney cancer an overlooked silent mutation with a major impact on prognosis.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/supposedly-silent-mutation-serious-consequences
Press release - 04/03/2021 CureVac and Novartis Sign Initial Agreement on Manufacturing of COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate, CVnCoV CureVac N.V. (Nasdaq: CVAC), a global biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of transformative medicines based on messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), and Novartis AG announced today that they have signed an initial agreement for the manufacturing of CureVac’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate, CVnCoV. Preparations for the start of production, technology transfers and test runs are already underway. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/curevac-and-novartis-sign-initial-agreement-manufacturing-covid-19-vaccine-candidate-cvncov
Quantum Technology Ulm - 08/04/2021 Diamonds for life sciences innovations The world's first commercial quantum computer,’IBM Q System One’, is now in operation in Ehningen near Stuttgart. This is a major leap forward in quantum technology in Germany. It marks the point at which conventional computers reach their limits. The University of Ulm is involved in three of six collaborative projects being funded by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Housing Construction.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/diamonds-life-sciences-innovations
Article - 14/04/2021 Calling for quality seal for implants Today's seniors are older and more active, which is why implants remain in the body longer and are subjected to greater strain than before. Improved surfaces are expected to ensure that the implants heal and integrate into the bone optimally. In an interview with BIOPRO, Dietmar Schaffarczyk, CEO of Konstanz-based stimOS GmbH, explains why a voluntary quality seal makes sense and gives consumers a better chance of recognising high-quality…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/calling-quality-seal-implants
Press release - 24/03/2021 Liver cancer: which patients benefit from immunotherapy? Immunotherapy using checkpoint inhibitors is effective in around a quarter of patients with liver cancer. However, to date, physicians have been unable to predict which patients would benefit from this type of treatment and which would not. Researchers from the German Cancer Research Center have now discovered that liver cancer caused by chronic inflammatory fatty liver disease does not respond to this treatment. On the contrary: in an…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/liver-cancer-which-patients-benefit-immunotherapy
Press release - 13/04/2021 Evotec’s BRIDGE “beLAB2122” leverages academic innovation from our region Evotec SE announced today the launch of beLAB2122 in the Rhine- Main-Neckar region to efficiently advance first-in-class therapeutic concepts into investable drug discovery projects. Mediated and supported by BioRN, Evotec’s newest BRIDGE brings together the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (“EMBL”), the German Cancer Research Center (“DKFZ”), the Goethe University Frankfurt, Heidelberg University and the University of Tübingen.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/evotecs-bridge-belab2122-leverages-academic-innovation-our-region
Article - 10/06/2021 New study: vaccine therapy for treating patients with chronic leukaemia Personalised peptide vaccination is expected to improve the treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. A research team from Tübingen has started a Phase I clinical trial with CLL patients who will undergo ibrutinib treatment. Other leukaemia sufferers as well as cancer patients in general are also expected to benefit in the long term.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/new-study-vaccine-therapy-treating-patients-chronic-leukaemia
Press release - 19/03/2021 New single-cell analysis of leucemic stem cells A new method allows stem cells and cancer stem cells to be studied at the single cell level and the resulting cell clones to be traced directly. Studying thousands of individual cells in parallel, the researchers combined the analysis of the genomic cancer mutations with the associated expression profiles.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-single-cell-analysis-leucemic-stem-cells
Press release - 30/03/2021 Celonic and CureVac announce agreement to manufacture over 100 million doses of CureVac's Covid-19 vaccine candidate, CVnCoV CureVac N.V., a biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of transformative medicines based on mRNA and Celonic Group, a premium biopharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization specializing in the development and production of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products and mammalian cell line-expressed bio-therapeutics, announced their partnership for the production of CureVac’s mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate, CVnCoV.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/celonic-and-curevac-announce-agreement-manufacture-over-100-million-doses-curevacs-covid-19-vaccine-candidate-cvncov
Press release - 23/03/2021 CureVac’s COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate, CVnCoV, Demonstrates Protection Against SARS-CoV-2 B.1.351 Variant (South African Variant) in Preclinical Challenge Study CureVac N.V., a global biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of transformative medicines based on messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), today announced the publication of preclinical data demonstrating that their COVID-19 vaccine candidate, CVnCoV, protects against challenge infections with the SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern B.1.351 and a strain of the original SARS-CoV-2 B1 lineage (BavPat1) in a transgenic mouse model.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/curevacs-covid-19-vaccine-candidate-cvncov-demonstrates-protection-against-sars-cov-2-b1351-variant-south-african-variant-precli
Press release - 24/03/2021 Vaccination against mutated protein tested in brain tumor patients for the first time Tumor vaccines can help the body fight cancer. Mutations in the tumor genome often lead to protein changes that are typical of cancer. A vaccine can alert the patients' immune system to these mutated proteins. For the first time, physicians and cancer researchers from Heidelberg and Mannheim have now carried out a clinical trial to test a mutation-specific vaccine against malignant brain tumors.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/vaccination-against-mutated-protein-tested-brain-tumor-patients-first-time
Article - 29/04/2021 Nanobodies for determining neutralising antibodies after corona infection After contact with a pathogen, ideally our immune system generates neutralising antibodies to prevent a future infection. With NeutrobodyPlex, scientists from Reutlingen and Tübingen have developed a highly specific test procedure based on single-domain antibodies (nanobodies) that can be used to easily and reliably determine the quality of the immune response against the novel coronavirus.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/nanobodies-determining-neutralising-antibodies-after-corona-infection
Gene regulation - 20/07/2021 The many faces of the epigenetic regulator MOF Epigenetic modifications play a crucial role in coordinated gene transcription, and are required for a fertilised egg cell to be able to develop into an organism with different cell types. Dr. Asifa Akhtar from the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg has been studying the essential epigenetic regulator protein MOF for 20 years.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/die-vielen-gesichter-des-epigenetischen-regulators-mof
Article - 22/06/2021 Using virtual reality in the clinic to rehabilitate patients with cognitive disorders Outdated and inadequate methods of neurological rehabilitation are still being used for patients with neurological diseases or injuries – and what’s more, the treatment is usually too late. This is because cognitive training is especially important in the critical phases when the brain is particularly plastic. The Heidelberg-based company living brain proves that early treatment is possible using an extremely innovative method – with concentrated…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/using-virtual-reality-clinic-rehabilitate-patients-cognitive-disorders
Article - 31/05/2021 Tracking down tumour-associated pain in pancreatic cancer Pancreatic cancer comes along quietly: unnoticed for a long time, it often triggers excruciating pain as the tumour progresses. This pain is associated with cancer cells invading pancreatic nerves. Dr. Michael Hirth from Mannheim University Hospital has shed some light on the complex communication between cancer cells and nerve cells. His findings could eventually be used for personalised pain therapies.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/tracking-down-tumour-associated-pain-pancreatic-cancer
Article - 08/07/2021 Individual operation risk assessment by the Cognitive Medical Assistant Despite modern surgical techniques and anaesthetic procedures, serious complications can occur during surgical interventions. An interdisciplinary team at Heidelberg University Hospital has launched a project called the Cognitive Medical Assistant (German: Der Kognitive Medizinische Assistant, KoMed for short), designed to better assess the individual risk of these interventions. The project’s goal is to systematically and comprehensively analyse…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/individual-operation-risk-assessment-cognitive-medical-assistant
Press release - 25/05/2021 How “paralyzed” immune cells can be reactivated against brain tumors Brain tumor cells with a certain common mutation reprogram invading immune cells. This leads to the paralysis of the body's immune defense against the tumor in the brain. Researchers from Heidelberg, Mannheim, and Freiburg discovered this mechanism and at the same time identified a way of reactivating the paralyzed immune system to fight the tumor.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/how-paralyzed-immune-cells-can-be-reactivated-against-brain-tumors
Press release - 14/04/2021 Engineering T cells for cancer therapy efficiently and safely Genetically enhancing a patient's immune cells by adding therapeutic genes to them outside the body is regarded as a promising new treatment approach in oncology. However, the production of these therapeutic cells using viruses is not only expensive but time-consuming. Researchers at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have developed an innovative non-viral vector that can efficiently introduce therapeutic genes into immune cells. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/engineering-t-cells-cancer-therapy-efficiently-and-safely
Press release - 25/05/2021 From harmless skin bacteria to dreaded pathogens The bacterium Staphylococcus epidermidisis primarily a harmless microbe found on the skin and in the noses of humans. Yet some strains of this species can cause infections – in catheters, artificial joints, heart valves, and in the bloodstream – which are difficult to treat. These bacteria are often resistant to a particularly effective antibiotic, methicillin, and are among the most feared germs in hospitals.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/harmless-skin-bacteria-dreaded-pathogens
Press release - 17/05/2021 New findings in genome research The working group around Dr. Philipp Rathert at the Institute for Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry investigates the regulation of epigenetic networks of certain cancers and ways of treating them. The working group published its new findings in April. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/new-findings-genome-research
Press release - 21/04/2021 Atriva Therapeutics to Speed up Development of COVID-19 Drug with Federal Funding Atriva Therapeutics GmbH, a company that is pioneering the development of therapies for the treatment of viral infections, has secured up to €11.4 million in federal funding. The company, founded in 2015, announced today that it was selected for research funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Atriva will use the funds to advance its drug ATR-002 towards market maturity as quickly as possible.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/atriva-therapeutics-kann-dank-foerdermitteln-covid-19-medikament-schneller-entwickeln
Signal mechanisms in inflammatory processes - 18/05/2021 Newly discovered substances activate the inflammasome in macrophages Low-grade chronic inflammation caused by components of the innate immune system may increase the risk of developing a variety of diseases in the long term. In their search for the signalling mechanisms underlying these inflammatory processes, Prof. Dr. Olaf Groß' research group at the Freiburg University Medical Centre discovered new active substances with immunostimulatory properties that may open up additional possibilities in cancer…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/newly-discovered-substances-activate-inflammasome-macrophages
Press release - 10/06/2021 Nose2Brain – Active substances without detour through the nose into the brain Effective drugs for the treatment of diseases of the central nervous system do exist. However, the blood-brain barrier, which protects the brain as the body's control center, makes it especially difficult for therapeutic biomolecules to pass through. Thus, researchers from an international consortium coordinated by the Fraunhofer IGB have spent the last four and a half years developing a novel system in the EU project "N2B-patch"…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/nose2brain-active-substances-without-detour-through-nose-brain
Press release - 23/06/2021 Blood stem cells make brain tumors more aggressive For the first time, scientists from the German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) partner site in Essen/Düsseldorf have discovered stem cells of the hematopoietic system in glioblastomas, the most aggressive form of brain tumor. These hematopoietic stem cells promote division of the cancer cells and at the same time suppress the immune response against the tumor. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/blood-stem-cells-make-brain-tumors-more-aggressive
Press release - 17/06/2021 To fear or not - how does the brain switch? Which neurons in the brain mediate fear responses - and how do they flip the switch when the danger is over? The research team of Prof. Ingrid Ehrlich at the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems (IBBS), Department of Neurobiology studies these questions. Their latest results obtained in collaboration with scientists at the Friedrich Miescher Institute in Basel (Switzerland), the National Institute of Health (USA), and Innsbruck…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/fear-or-not-how-does-brain-switch
Press release - 26/05/2021 Memetis continues its path to become a technology leader in Shape Memory driven miniature valving – Fluid-o-Tech S.r.l. invests an undisclosed amount to support memetis’ growth and development The Deep-Tech Start-Up memetis GmbH from Germany, which produces the world’s most compact and lightest commercially available valves driven by shape memory alloys, announces a new partnership with Fluid-o-Tech S.r.l., an Italian innovation and market leader in the field of fluid-pumps. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/memetis-continues-its-path-become-technology-leader-shape-memory-driven-miniature-valving-fluid-o-tech-srl-invests-undisclosed-a
Press release - 16/06/2021 CureVac Provides Update on Phase 2b/3 Trial of First-Generation COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate, CVnCoV CureVac N.V. (Nasdaq: CVAC), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of transformative medicines based on messenger ribonucleic acid (“mRNA”), today announced results of the second interim analysis of its international pivotal Phase 2b/3 study in approximatively 40,000 subjects (the HERALD study) of CureVac’s first-generation COVID-19 vaccine candidate, CVnCoV.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/curevac-provides-update-phase-2b3-trial-first-generation-covid-19-vaccine-candidate-cvncov
Press release - 06/07/2021 High-throughput metabolic profiling of single cells Scientists from the EMBL and the German Cancer Research Center have presented a new method for generating metabolic profiles of individual cells. The method, which combines fluorescence microscopy and a specific form of mass spectroscopy, can analyze over a hundred metabolites and lipids from more than a thousand individual cells per hour. Researchers expect the method to better answer a variety of biomedical questions in the future.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/high-throughput-metabolic-profiling-single-cells
Press release - 12/07/2021 Hijacked immune activator promotes growth and spread of colorectal cancer Through a complex, self-reinforcing feedback mechanism, colorectal cancer cells make room for their own expansion by driving surrounding healthy intestinal cells to death - while simultaneously fueling their own growth. This feedback loop is driven by an activator of the innate immune system. Researchers from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the University of Heidelberg discovered this mechanism in the intestinal tissue of fruit…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/hijacked-immune-activator-promotes-growth-and-spread-colorectal-cancer
Digitalisation - 04/08/2021 Eye check for all - quick and easy thanks to artificial intelligence Many eye diseases are already easily treatable, if they are detected in time. But waiting months for an ophthalmologist’s appointment seems to be the norm - that is, if you can get to see a specialist at all. The Tübingen-based start-up eye2you wants to improve this situation: it has developed a mobile retinal examination device involving a smartphone and AI. It can be used by family doctors, diabetologists and nursing staff and thus help to…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/eye-check-all-quick-and-easy-thanks-artificial-intelligence
Workplace of the future - 10/08/2021 Intelligent body support system for surgery staff Operating room staff often spend hours in strenuous postures, which has a significant impact on concentration and quality of work. While operating room equipment is increasingly networked, state-of-the-art medical technology, conditions for operating room staff trail way behind. The start-up company Hellstern medical offers an effective solution for serious pain, fatigue and incorrect interventions.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/intelligent-body-support-system-surgery-staff
Press release - 13/07/2021 Breakthrough in research on age-related macular degenerationtion Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the commonest cause of blindness in developed countries affecting seven million in total in Germany, from which 500,000 people are suffering from late stage disease, around half of whom are registered as visually impaired. There are two forms of AMD, ‘wet’ and ‘dry’. There are currently no treatments available for the dry form of the disease (geographic atrophy).https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/breakthrough-research-age-related-macular-degenerationtion
Press release - 15/07/2021 Mechanism for differentiation of specific immune cell types discovered Under certain conditions, our immune system can efficiently fight off infectious diseases and cancer. T cells, especially the gamma delta T cell type, play an important role in this. The issue is that this cell type is extremely infrequent in the human body. Researchers at the University Hospital Tübingen, the University of Heidelberg and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) have now succeeded in finding the cause for the formation of…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/mechanism-differentiation-specific-immune-cell-types-discovered
Press release - 16/08/2021 Blood-based micro-RNAs indicate the risk of colorectal cancer The risk of colorectal cancer can be predicted more accurately by determining seven blood-based micro-RNAs (miRNAs) than by using traditional methods - and can be done so many years before a diagnosis is made. In a current study, researchers from the German Cancer Research Center and the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg show that miRNA profiles provide greater predictive accuracy than genetic or lifestyle-based risk…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/blood-based-micro-rnas-indicate-risk-colorectal-cancer
Press release - 26/07/2021 Vaccination against hereditary colorectal cancer successful in mice Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center and Heidelberg University Hospital have for the first time been able to delay the development of hereditary colorectal cancer with a protective vaccination. Mice with a hereditary predisposition to colorectal cancer survived significantly longer after vaccination than unvaccinated animals. Combining the vaccination with an anti-inflammatory drug increased the protective effect.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/vaccination-against-hereditary-colorectal-cancer-successful-mice
Press release - 20/08/2021 Innovative Drug Discovery New drugs are intended to help stop viral zoonoses – infections that jump from animals to humans. To study suitable inhibitors, Prof. Dr Christian Klein from the Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology (IPMB) of Heidelberg University is receiving funding in the amount of 450,000 euros from the Volkswagen Foundation. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/innovative-drug-discovery
Press release - 16/07/2021 Corona test with cotton swab To diagnose an infection with the coronavirus, usually a throat swab is taken and genetic viral material detected by using a highly sensitive PCR. To date, more than 65 million of these tests have been performed in Germany alone. Due to the massive increase in testing worldwide and simultaneous loss of production, there was a significant shortage of test materials in the early stage of the pandemic.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/corona-test-cotton-swab
Optimised peptides against infections and cancer - 07/10/2021 New bioactive ingredients from the peptidome treasure chest Peptides are increasingly coming into scientific focus for application in diagnostics and therapy. The human body is full of these protein fragments, but only a fraction have been characterised. So there is enormous potential for discovering new biologically active substances that can help in the fight against bacteria, viruses and cancer. A collaborative research centre at Ulm University Hospital is on the trail of these promising fragments.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/new-bioactive-ingredients-peptidome-treasure-chest
PixelBiotech GmbH - 27/07/2021 Searching for tracks with cytogenetics and AI The startup Pixelbiotech combines fluorescence techniques with artificial intelligence to detect DNA and RNA in medical samples. HuluFISH is the name of the method, which allows for countless applications - from detecting viral infections, such as COVID-19 or African swine fever virus, to the quality control of gene and immunotherapeutic procedures in cancer medicine.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/searching-tracks-cytogenetics-and-ai
Personalised medicine - 16/09/2021 Pharmacogenomics enables individualised drug prescription Every person is unique, and their reaction to medications can be just as individual. For this reason, unexpected side effects occur time and again with common drugs, sometimes with life-threatening consequences. At the Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute for Clinical Pharmacology (IKP) in Stuttgart, the influence of hereditary factors on these harmful reactions is being investigated in order to enable individualised therapies.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/pharmacogenomics-enables-individualised-drug-prescription
3R-Center - 18/08/2021 Putting alternatives to animal testing into practice Animal experiments are still central to biomedical research. However, it has become increasingly clear that not all of them are absolutely necessary. Alternative techniques exist. The new 3R-Netzwerk Baden-Württemberg is now seeking to promote these more vigorously - and improve animal welfare in cases where alternatives to animal testing are not available.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/putting-alternatives-animal-testing-practice
Press release - 16/09/2021 Organ twin: a “flight simulator” for surgeons Cyber Valley researchers have created medical educational tools that could potentially train the surgeons of the future, much like flight simulators train pilots. The team developed a range of artificial organ phantoms to serve as training platforms for surgeons. Thanks to the structured data of experienced medical professionals, a quantitative and objective assessment of a trainee’s skills can be assessed in real time.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/organ-twin-flight-simulator-surgeons
Press release - 16/08/2021 Heidelberg is calling for life sciences start-ups As a dominant part of southern Germany’s life-science industry hub, Heidelberg will soon have a life-science startup incubator of its own. BioLabs, the premier US network of managed co-working lab space, will open its first German branch in the Heidelberg Innovation Park (hip). On August 16, representatives of city and state governments, BioLabs and the life-science industry celebrated the Heidelberg BioLabs groundbreaking.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/heidelberg-calling-life-sciences-start-ups
Press release - 14/09/2021 Bridging antibodies plus enhancer can destroy breast cancer cells Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) have developed antibodies that have two antigen-binding sites and can couple cancer cells with effector cells of the immune system. In laboratory tests, these bridging antibodies, together with an enhancer antibody, were able to specifically mobilize the body's own immune defenses and destroy breast cancer cells.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/Bridging-antibodies-plus-enhancer-can-destroy-breast-cancer-cells
Press release - 21/09/2021 Antibiotic levels measurable in breath for first time A team of engineers and biotechnologists at the University of Freiburg has for the first time shown in mammals that the concentration of antibiotics in the body can be determined using breath samples. The breath measurements also corresponded to the antibiotic concentrations in the blood. The team’s biosensor – a multiplex chip – will in future enable personalized dosing of medicines against infectious diseases on-site.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/antibiotic-levels-measurable-breath-first-time
Press release - 02/09/2021 Award-winning science: Cancer-promoting metabolic pathways as targets of new therapies Christiane Opitz, scientist at the German Cancer Research Center, is being awarded this year's Ita Askonas Prize of the European Federation of Immunological Societies. Opitz has discovered how tumor cells use certain metabolites to protect themselves against the immune system. Her research findings may provide important clues for the development of new therapeutic concepts.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/award-winning-science-cancer-promoting-metabolic-pathways-targets-new-therapies