Press release - 05/11/2014 Orphan drug status for Synovo's immune modulator SYD003 The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have granted orphan drug designation to Synovo's investigational compound SYD003, a first in class tumour-targeted immune modulator.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/orphan-drug-status-for-synovo-s-immune-modulator-syd003
Article - 03/11/2014 Modern biogas plant in a picturesque landscape Biogas plants have become well-known sights throughout Germany and are usually built according to standardised concepts. The biogas plant that is currently being constructed in the village of Zermatt below the Matterhorn presented the GICON Großmann Ingenieur Consult GmbH planners with a particular challenge. The geographical and climatic conditions of the area and seasonal waste variations due to seasonally fluctuating tourist numbers required…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/modern-biogas-plant-in-a-picturesque-landscape
Article - 03/11/2014 Dementia and the prion principle Prions are misfolded proteins that are associated with diseases such as BSE, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and scrapie. What makes prions particularly dangerous is their ability to induce properly folded proteins to convert into misfolded prion forms. This principle seems to be more widespread than previously thought. Dr. Mathias Jucker from the University of Tübingen and his American colleague Lary Walker from Emory University have put forward a…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/dementia-and-the-prion-principle
Article - 27/10/2014 Proteins for technical applications The aim of the Technofunctional Proteins (TeFuProt) innovation alliance is to develop in an environmentally compatible way new products with high earnings potential by using proteins from agricultural residues. As part of the alliance, the lubricant company FUCHS EUROPE SCHMIERSTOFFE GmbH from Mannheim will add modified rapeseed proteins as non-toxic additives to its product portfolio. The use of proteins from renewable raw materials contributes…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/proteins-for-technical-applications
Article - 27/10/2014 Takeda GmbH in Singen – pharmaceutical development and production under one roof From stomach protection agents to drugs for the treatment of respiratory distress in preterm infants – Singen-based Takeda GmbH plays an important role as a competence centre for drugs in liquid and semi-solid dosage form within the Japanese pharmaceutical company’s global network. Besides the production of around 68 million packages per year, the company’s production site in Singen also focuses on drug development. The company’s CMC Centre…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/takeda-gmbh-in-singen-pharmaceutical-development-and-production-under-one-roof
Article - 20/10/2014 Michael Schindler: HI virus and host interactions Prof. Dr. Michael Schindler explores the interaction between viruses and their human host cells on the molecular level. His specific interest is HI virus infections and the mechanisms the virus uses to attack the human immune system. Schindler’s eventual aim is to identify a new target for the therapy of HIV infections. In April 2014, Schindler was appointed head of the Department of Molecular Virology of Human Infectious Diseases at the…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/michael-schindler-hi-virus-and-host-interactions
Article - 20/10/2014 QIAGEN Lake Constance – pocket-sized laboratories for the efficient identification of pathogens Quick, simple and decentralized – this is how QIAGEN Lake Constance GmbH envisages diagnostics applications in the future. The Stockach-based QIAGEN subsidiary develops test systems for point-of-need diagnostics, i.e. tests that can be carried out in close proximity to the sample collection point, for example in GP surgeries. They enable the rapid identification of pathogens, and as a result the timely initiation of suitable treatment.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/qiagen-lake-constance-pocket-sized-laboratories-for-the-efficient-identification-of-pathogens
Article - 20/10/2014 First ever eye gene therapy close to clinical testing There are many different retinal diseases simply because many different steps of the visual process can be affected. However, they all have one thing in common: correction of the relevant defective gene currently provides the only possibility of permanent cure. Prof. Dr. Mathias Seeliger and his group of researchers at the Institute of Ophthalmic Research at the University Hospital in Tübingen is specifically focused on the development of gene…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/first-ever-eye-gene-therapy-close-to-clinical-testing
Article - 13/10/2014 Crude mushroom solution to degrade micropollutants and increase the performance of biofuel cells Sabine Sané, a doctoral student in the Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK) at the University of Freiburg, has developed a concept that shows how micropollutants can be degraded in wastewater and how the latter can serve as a valuable source of raw materials. She is one of four researchers who have been awarded the 2014 Huber Technology Prize “Future Water” with a purse of 10,000 euros. Her concept is based on an enzyme that is secreted…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/crude-mushroom-solution-to-degrade-micropollutants-and-increase-the-performance-of-biofuel-cells
Article - 13/10/2014 Concepts for breaking the smoking habit Giving up smoking would mean an estimated 30 percent reduction in cardiovascular disease and a 90 percent reduction in cases of lung cancer, and that’s just in men. There are many arguments for giving up smoking. However, despite being highly motivated, many smokers fail to do so. Professional help is therefore available in the form of behavioural- and pharmacotherapy. The relevant guidelines in Germany have just been amended and now recommend a…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/concepts-for-breaking-the-smoking-habit
Article - 13/10/2014 Personalised cancer therapy based on microRNA analysis microRNAs are not just required for the regulation of gene expression, their expression signatures also allow conclusions to be drawn on the type and progression of cancer. Sensovation AG is therefore working with partners from industry and clinical research to develop an automated microRNA analysis platform that can detect and evaluate microRNA signatures faster than has previously been possible. The system is designed to make it easier to…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/personalised-cancer-therapy-based-on-microrna-analysis
Article - 13/10/2014 Data mining is likely to play an increasing role in clinical development Data mining still plays a minor role in the research-based pharmaceutical industry. But this is likely to change in the future. Mathematician Hans-Jürgen Lomp predicts that exploratory data analysis will be used to a greater extent in the future. Lomp is the Global Head of Statistics in Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co KG’s Department of Medical Data Service and Biostatistics in Biberach.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/data-mining-is-likely-to-play-an-increasing-role-in-clinical-development
Press release - 09/10/2014 Stefan Hell - Nobel Prize in Chemistry For the second time a researcher at the DKFZ has been awarded the highest distinction in science: Professor Stefan Hell, director of the Max-Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen and department head at the DKFZ, has been awarded this year´s Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his pioneering work in the field of ultra high resolution fluorescence microscopy. This follows the 2008 Nobel Prize in Medicine for Harald zur Hausen.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/stefan-hell-nobel-prize-in-chemistry
Article - 06/10/2014 Biobased lubricants with convincing technical properties The performance and application range of biobased lubricants is growing ever broader. Several biolubricants have been placed on the market, including plant-oil based products and synthetic plant-based lubricants. In this article, Rolf Luther from FUCHS EUROPE SCHMIERSTOFFE GmbH in Mannheim talks about the technical properties and potential application areas of biolubricants, some of which have been shown to be superior to conventional crude…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/biobased-lubricants-with-convincing-technical-properties
Part 2 - 06/10/2014 Expert interview: How are the prices of innovative diagnostic and medical devices determined? While there are specific regulations in Germany for the reimbursement of medicines, funding for molecular diagnostics products is complex and virtually non-existent. There is hardly any medical insurance cover for medical devices, which therefore tend to be sold on the open market. The question therefore arises as to how a reasonable price can be determined for innovative diagnostic methods and tools. In the second part of the interview conducted…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/expert-interview-how-are-the-prices-of-innovative-diagnostic-and-medical-devices-determined
Dossier - 30/09/2014 Industrial biotechnology: a challenging change to the raw material base Biogenic raw materials have never been as popular as they are now. Efforts to tap renewable carbon resources are already underway, despite the fact that new oil drilling technologies are boosting fossil fuel stockpiles. In the medium term, industry will have to expand its raw materials base, and in the long term it may have to renew it completely. Industrial biotechnology is one of the key technologies in the transition from an economy based on…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/dossiers/industrial-biotechnology-a-challenging-change-to-the-raw-material-base
Article - 29/09/2014 myPOLS Biotec UG - made-to-measure enzymes for diagnostics and research The company myPOLS Biotec UG, a spin-off from the University of Konstanz, specializes in services involving DNA and RNA polymerases and creates artificial enzymes by evolution in test tubes. These next-generation polymerases can be used for many research and diagnostics applications. myPOLS Biotec’s polymerases are promising enzymes for future applications with the potential to make the detection of pathogens and DNA analysis faster and easier. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/mypols-biotec-ug-made-to-measure-enzymes-for-diagnostics-and-research
Article - 29/09/2014 Andrei Lupas – fascination for the complex world of proteins Prof. Dr. Andrei Lupas is a molecular biologist and director of the Department of Protein Evolution at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Developmental Biology in Tübingen. He became fascinated by the incredible complexity of proteins early on during his scientific career. His work focuses on the use of laboratory and computational methods to solve the question as to how a simple amino acid chain becomes a protein ‘nanomachine’. Lupas and his…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/andrei-lupas-fascination-for-the-complex-world-of-proteins
Part 1 - 22/09/2014 Expert interview: How are the prices of new pharmaceuticals determined? Healthcare in Germany is quite good. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies carry out research in order to improve it further. The question is, how can a fair price for innovative drugs be determined? BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg GmbH has talked to Dr. Manfred Caeser, a specialist in pricing and reimbursement at LSCN Ltd.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/expert-interview-how-are-the-prices-of-new-pharmaceuticals-determined
Article - 22/09/2014 Heike Frühwirth brings engineering methods into the hype about algae Heike Frühwirth is not terribly taken by the euphoria surrounding the potential of algae. She knows better as she has become aware of the potential pitfalls from her own personal experience. Frühwirth was born in the Austrian city of Graz where she also studied process engineering. She has been in charge of process engineering under the industrial biotechnology study programme at Biberach University of Applied Sciences since 2012. She specializes…https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/heike-fruehwirth-brings-engineering-methods-into-the-hype-about-algae
Guest article - 22/09/2014 Experience report: Six months Shanghai Sebastian Giese, a doctoral student at the University of Freiburg, spent six months in Shanghai with funding from a Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts China scholarship. Below, Sebastian tells us about his impressions of the country and its people and his experiences in the megacity.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/experience-report-six-months-shanghai