Press release - 05/09/2017 Cell marking opens up a window into the body A new and particularly reliable method for marking cells can simplify research into diseases such as myocardial infarction, diabetes or Alzheimer's and reduce the use of test animals: Scientists from the University of Tübingen have developed a method by which they can target specific cell types in mice and monitor their behavior using positron emission tomography (PET). PET-based cell tracking allows scientists to observe complex life…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/cell-marking-opens-up-a-window-into-the-body
Article - 22/08/2017 Transgenic mice in influenza research – risk assessment and vaccine development A research team from Freiburg is developing a method for identifying human influenza viruses of animal origin. This could potentially improve measures taken to prevent imminent pandemics. The researchers are working with genetically modified mice. Transgenic mice also play a role in the development of a ’universal’ influenza vaccine. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/transgenic-mice-in-influenza-research-risk-assessment-and-vaccine-development
Article - 04/07/2017 Ruxolitinib – successful graft-versus-host disease treatment Graft-versus-host disease is a serious complication in leukaemia patients who have been given a blood stem cell transplant from a genetically different person. Prof. Dr. Nikolas von Bubnoff and Prof. Dr. Robert Zeiser from the Department of Haematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation at Freiburg University Medical Centre initiated a Germany-wide study to show that an active substance called ruxolitinib has a promising therapeutic effect.…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/ruxolitinib-successful-graft-versus-host-disease-treatment
Article - 26/06/2017 Hope for mRNA vaccines despite damper The pressure is on to develop novel vaccines based on messenger RNA and aimed at combating cancer and protecting against pandemics. Although mRNA vaccination as a cancer monotherapy has suffered a setback this year, the industry is nevertheless confident that it will succeed because of existing proof that mRNA vaccines stimulate the body's immune defence.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/hope-for-mrna-vaccines-despite-damper
Press release - 23/05/2017 TolerogenixX secures seed funding and completes Phase I clinical trial TolerogenixX GmbH has developed a patented and clinically tested cell therapy technique for individualised immunosuppression in transplant patients. The technique enables the targeted disabling of undesired reactions caused by the immune system’s defences. As a seed stage investor, High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) will finance this innovative technique and the preparations for Phase II of the clinical trial, which begins in spring 2018. Further…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/tolerogenixx-secures-seed-funding-and-completes-phase-i-clinical-trial
Article - 18/05/2017 ImmuStick – novel rapid test for identifying disease pathogens In some situations such as in the food and pharmaceutical industries or hospitals, a test to identify disease pathogens can be vital. At present, such tests are relatively time-consuming and can take hours or even days to produce results, depending on the pathogen. Scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in Stuttgart are currently developing a rapid test called ImmuStick which is as easy to use…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/immustick-novel-rapid-test-for-identifying-disease-pathogens
24 - 30 April 2017 European Immunization Week From 24 till 30 April 2017 is "European Immunization Week" – the BIOPRO provides information about this topic. Influenza pandemics are dangerous and can claim many lives. Children and the elderly in particular run a high risk of developing influenza-related complications, because their immune system is often weakened by the virus. In Germany, annual vaccination against seasonal influenza has therefore been recommended for these target…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/european-immunization-week
Article - 20/09/2016 CRISPR-Cas has more surprises in store Since 2012, a DFG-funded research group called FOR1680 has been studying CRISPR-Cas, an immune system that unicellular bacteria and arachaea use to protect themselves against attacks from viruses and plasmids. Prof. Dr. Anita Marchfelder, a molecular biologist at Ulm University and coordinator of the FOR1680 research group, and many other researchers were surprised to find that prokaryotes incorporate the genetic material of enemies as a kind of…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/crispr-cas-has-more-surprises-in-store
Article - 05/09/2016 Apogenix: immuno-oncological protein drugs for the treatment of malignant diseases Apogenix AG, a biopharmaceutical company from Heidelberg that specialises in immuno-oncology, develops protein drugs that target central signalling pathways involved in regulating the growth, migration and apoptosis of malfunctioning cells and thus offer novel treatment options for cancer and other malignant diseases.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/apogenix-immunonkologische-proteinwirkstoffe-gegen-maligne-erkrankungen
Article - 22/08/2016 Ad-O-Lytics – a new biotech start-up from Ulm A few years ago, Florian Kreppel developed a therapeutic approach that combined genetic vaccines with molecular address labels. It worked quite well, but the resulting product did not have the anticipated immunising properties and was put on the backburner. Now Kreppel's group of researchers is nearing completion of another project. The researchers plan to use a patented virotherapeutic platform technology for cancer treatment to establish a…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/ad-o-lytics-a-new-biotech-start-up-from-ulm
Article - 18/08/2016 Chronic viral infections of the liver Hepatitis B and hepatitis C are two of the most common infectious diseases in the world. They often take a chronic course and carry a high risk of progressing to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. A new transregional collaborative research centre involving scientists from Heidelberg and Freiburg is looking into how hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses, which have different symptoms and treatments, are able to evade the immune system and allow…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/chronic-viral-infections-of-the-liver
Article - 21/07/2016 New anticancer drugs – hop compounds have the potential to treat cancer Secondary hop compounds appear to have a positive effect on the immune system and therefore have the potential to be used for the treatment and prevention of cancer. However, the bioavailability of hop compounds in the human body is relatively poor. Researchers from Hohenheim and Tübingen are therefore looking for a way to increase their absorption rate.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/new-drugs-for-the-treatment-of-cancer-hop-compounds-have-the-potential-to-treat-cancer
Article - 19/07/2016 Licence to kill – the enormous potential of CAR T cells With 6 million euros of EU funding, the CARAT project aims to optimise a technology called CAR T that is used to equip T cells with antibody fragments and specifically direct them to destroy cancer cells. The CARAT consortium comprises a multinational team of experts from the Institute for Cell- and Gene Therapy at the Freiburg University Medical Center led by Prof. Dr. Toni Cathomen and seven partner institutions. Cathomen’s team is developing…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/licence-to-kill-the-enormous-potential-of-car-t-cells
Press release - 14/07/2016 Study in Peer-Reviewed Journal Vaccine Demonstrates Decoding Mode of Action of mRNA Vaccines CureVac AG, the most clinically advanced mRNA company, today announced that a study of its RNActive® technology was published in the renowned, peer-reviewed journal Vaccine. The study demonstrated a mechanistic insight into the mode of action and rationale for the use of messenger RNA (mRNA) for the development of multiple vaccines.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/study-in-peer-reviewed-journal-vaccine-demonstrates-decoding-mode-of-action-of-mrna-vaccines
Article - 11/07/2016 The toxin of natural killer cells Natural killer cells kill tumour cells by injecting the protein HMGB1, which blocks the production of cellular energy by aerobic respiration. Researchers from Heidelberg have elucidated this previously unknown cancer defence mechanism and are now in the process of developing a new immunotherapy for treating cancer patients.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/the-toxin-of-natural-killer-cells
Article - 23/06/2016 The body’s immune system loosens artificial joints Hip and knee endoprostheses are not nearly as long-lasting as their natural counterparts. Dr. Ulrike Dapunt from the University Hospital Heidelberg’s Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology has now discovered that it is not the bacterial activity or secretions that lead to the degradation of bone during chronic inflammation, but rather local host defence mechanisms.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/the-bodys-immune-system-loosens-artificial-joints
Article - 20/06/2016 Activation of the innate immune system against metastatic colorectal cancer Researchers from Heidelberg have shown that instead of fighting cancer cells, macrophages of the innate immune system promote the growth of metastases in people with metastatic colorectal cancer. They have also shown that a signal inhibitor used to treat HIV infections reactivates macrophages so that they gain the ability to destroy cancer cells. A clinical phase I study has confirmed the antitumoral effects of this drug.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/activation-of-the-innate-immune-system-against-metastatic-colorectal-cancer
Article - 02/05/2016 Hepatitis C: a new starting point for vaccine development With approximately 150,000 infected people in Germany, hepatitis C is a common disease for which therapies, but no vaccine, are available. Dr. Tobias Böttler from the Freiburg University Medical Center and his team are exploring the body’s immune response to the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and have found valuable information that could be used for vaccine development.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/hepatitis-c-a-new-starting-point-for-vaccine-development
Article - 22/02/2016 Generating malaria parasite gene deletion mutants The fight against malaria is one of the targets of goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (ensuring healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages). The research carried out by Prof. Dr. Frischknecht and Mirko Singer from the Centre for Infectious Diseases at Heidelberg University Hospital is one of several steps towards eradicating malaria. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/generating-malaria-parasite-gene-deletion-mutants
Article - 15/02/2016 Bacteria – a treasure box for genetic engineers Bacteria have developed a versatile defence system to protect themselves against viral infections. One of these defence tools, known as CRISPR/Cas9 system, is currently hogging the headlines as it promises to revolutionise the way genetic material can be modified. Prof. Rolf Backofen from the Institute of Bioinformatics at the University of Freiburg has managed to classify the defence system of all bacterial species sequenced to date. This will…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/bacteria-a-treasure-box-for-genetic-engineers
Article - 08/02/2016 MalVa GmbH – a protein cocktail that could potentially produce a high protection malaria vaccine MalVa GmbH was founded as a spin-off company of Heidelberg University Hospital around five years ago and its aim is to develop an effective and safe inactivated vaccine against malaria. MalVa GmbH’s innovative strategy to combat this infectious disease involves a cocktail of several parasite antigens. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/malva-gmbh-a-protein-cocktail-that-could-potentially-produce-a-high-protection-malaria-vaccine
Article - 19/01/2016 Innate immune defence: using peptides against fungi and bacteria Part of the human immune defence relies on antimicrobial peptides. These peptides, so-called defensins, are present in the gastrointestinal tract where they play a role in the pathogenesis of Crohn’s disease. Prof. Jan Wehkamp and his team of researchers at the University Hospital in Tübingen study how this knowledge can be put to good use for the treatment of Crohn’s and other diseases.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/innate-immune-defence-using-peptides-against-fungi-and-bacteria
Article - 07/01/2016 New protein helps B cells generate an effective immune response The human immune system plays a key role for human health. Dr. Gina Fiala, a scientist in Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schamel’s team in the Department of Immunology at Freiburg University, has discovered Kidins220/ARMS in B cells. Kidins220/ARMS is part of the adaptive immune system where it plays a key role in the maturation of B cells.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/kidins220-hilft-b-zellen-bei-der-immunabwehr
Article - 24/11/2015 Researchers from Tübingen set out to thwart viral survival strategies Around two thirds of people carry the JC polyomavirus, a normally harmless virus that, in immunocompromised patients, can evade the body’s defences and cause a fatal brain infection. An international research network has now found a way to activate the immune system and attack the virus.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/researchers-from-tuebingen-set-out-to-thwart-viral-survival-strategies
Article - 23/11/2015 Double-secured immune protection against plant attackers Plants have sophisticated defence mechanisms to help them fight off all kinds of pathogens. A group of researchers led by Dr. Gabriel Schaaf at the University of Tübingen’s ZMBP has now discovered that plants’ immune response is more similar to the innate immune system of humans and animals than previously thought. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/double-secured-immune-protection-against-plant-attackers
Article - 19/11/2015 Immune cells are reprogrammed in Alzheimer’s brains Scientists from the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research at the University of Tübingen are pursuing an innovative treatment approach for Alzheimer’s disease using immune cells to eliminate the protein deposits that are the hallmark of Alzheimer’s. Dr. Jonas Neher and his team tested whether exchanging brain-specific immune cells with fresh, more active cells has a positive effect on the disease. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/immune-cells-are-reprogrammed-in-alzheimers-brains
Article - 04/11/2015 DNA capture molecules wanted for cells Artificial blood vessels made of special polymers are no longer a pipedream. However, one problem that needs to be solved is that the artificial vessels have to be compatible with tissue. One solution could be to dupe the body into thinking that the artificial vessels are real by coating their inside walls with the patient’s own cells. Researchers from Reutlingen have developed a microfluidic chip that identifies molecules that can capture the…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/dna-capture-molecules-wanted-for-cells
Vaccine development - 02/11/2015 A new vaccine could prevent influenza epidemics Influenza pandemics are dangerous and can claim many lives. Children and the elderly in particular run a high risk of developing influenza-related complications, because their immune system is often weakened by the virus. In Germany, annual vaccination against seasonal influenza has therefore been recommended for these target groups for quite a few years now. However, producing vaccines is costly and time-consuming. Researchers at the University…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/a-new-vaccine-could-prevent-influenza-epidemics
Article - 06/07/2015 Using mosses to produce medicines Human disease can be treated with substances from traditional medicinal plants or with molecular pharming products. Molecular pharming uses genetic engineering techniques to insert genes into plants or animals that would otherwise not express these genes. These transgenics can then be used to produce therapeutic proteins such as antibodies. Dr. Eva Decker from the University of Freiburg and her team have now successfully produced a key protein of…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/using-mosses-to-produce-medicines
Article - 11/05/2015 How Lactobacillus bacteria fight Candida albicans infections Fungal infections of skin and mucous membranes are relatively common. Around 75 percent of the human population lives with Candida albicans, a fungus that has no harmful effects in people with an intact immune system that can fight off systemic infections. However, in people with immune systems that have been weakened by antibiotics or radiotherapy for example C. albicans infections can lead to sepsis which may even be life-threatening. Prof. Dr.…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/how-lactobacillus-bacteria-fight-candida-albicans-infections
Overview Basic research The latest articles, press releases and dossiers on basic research in Baden-Württemberghttps://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/research
Overview Red biotechnology The latest articles, press releases and dossiers on red biotechnology in Baden-Württemberghttps://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/biotech
Overview Pharmaceutics The latest articles, press releases and dossiers on pharmaceutics in Baden-Württemberghttps://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/pharma
Dossier - 13/04/2015 Boosting the immune system can improve cancer prevention and treatment The activation of the body’s immune system to fight cancer is not only a promising therapeutic concept, but is already used in medical practice. The first immunotherapies have been approved and many more are either in the experimental stages or already undergoing clinical testing. Vaccines to prevent certain types of cancer are already being used successfully around the world.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/boosting-the-immune-system-can-improve-cancer-prevention-and-treatment
Press release - 01/04/2015 Migrating immune cells promote nerve cell demise in the brain The slow death of dopamine-producing nerve cells in a certain region of the brain is the principal cause underlying Parkinson's disease. In mice, it is possible to simulate the symptoms of this disease using a substance that selectively kills dopamine-producing neurons. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have now shown for the first time in mouse experiments that after this treatment, cells of the peripheral immune…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/migrating-immune-cells-promote-nerve-cell-demise-in-the-brain
Article - 30/03/2015 How psychological stress weakens the immune system Too much stress makes you sick – this is the widely held opinion. But exactly how chronic psychological stress affects our body is not yet fully understood. This is the question Dr. Annette Sommershof and her team from the University of Konstanz are trying to answer. The scientists are exploring stress-related changes in the immune system and have found evidence for the observation that long-term stress weakens the immune system, resulting in…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/how-psychological-stress-weakens-the-immune-system
Article - 09/03/2015 Treating cancer by activating the immune system Vaccines that prevent infection with cancer-causing viruses are already available. Moreover, the development of therapeutic vaccines for the treatment of a number of other cancers is well under way. These vaccines not only prevent the development of cancer, but also treat early stages of cancer. Antigen-armed antibodies have long been used in vaccines against infectious diseases, and can now also be used for treating cancer. https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/treating-cancer-by-activating-the-immune-system
Press release - 06/03/2015 The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation invests €46 million in CureVac The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and CureVac announced that the foundation has made a commitment to invest €46 million in CureVac, a leading clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company specializing in mRNA-based vaccine technologies. As part of the agreement, the foundation will also provide separate funding for several projects to develop prophylactic vaccines based on CureVac’s proprietary messenger RNA platform. In addition, CureVac’s…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/press-release/the-bill-melinda-gates-foundation-invests-46-million-in-curevac
Article - 16/02/2015 Therapeutic vaccines against brain tumours Therapeutic cancer vaccines have the potential to boost the immune system's ability to destroy tumour cells. Cancer researchers around the world are intensively studying the potential of this therapeutic concept and initial positive results have been obtained. Cancer researchers from Heidelberg have developed a vaccine that triggers an immune response against a protein that is mutated in brain cancer. The vaccine, which successfully arrested…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/therapeutic-vaccines-against-brain-tumours
Article - 09/02/2015 Joining forces to develop anti-cancer immunotherapies No cancer therapy is currently achieving such promising results as immunotherapy. The German Cancer Research Center and Bayer HealthCare have established a joint laboratory to develop novel immunotherapies that selectively reactivate the body’s own immune system and incite it to attack tumour cells, thereby supporting the faster translation of concepts from the laboratory into clinical application.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/joining-forces-to-develop-anti-cancer-immunotherapies
Article - 26/01/2015 Pooling efforts against infectious diseases in Germany Over 150 scientists at various locations throughout Germany work together as part of the German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF). The centre focuses on the development of new diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic methods for treating infectious diseases. Scientists from the University and University Hospital of Tübingen and the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology are also part of the project. The researchers from Tübingen are…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/pooling-efforts-against-infectious-diseases-in-germany
Article - 22/12/2014 The immune system – both weak and overreactive in the absence of CTLA4 The ability to recognise a pathogen and combat it effectively is certainly one of the most complex and sophisticated processes the human body has evolved. People with an immunodeficiency or autoimmune disease may have a genetic defect in one of the genes involved in the immune response. Working with immunologists from London scientists Desire Schubert and Prof. Dr. Bodo Grimbacher from the Centre for Chronic Immunodeficiency CCI at the Freiburg…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/the-immune-system-both-weak-and-overreactive-in-the-absence-of-ctla4
Article - 15/12/2014 From HIV structure to new AIDS therapies The building blocks of the viral protein capsid are rearranged as HI viruses mature into infectious AIDS-causing agents. Researchers from Heidelberg have made these structural changes visible on the molecular level. The findings could potentially be used for developing much-needed new AIDS therapeutics.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/from-hiv-structure-to-new-aids-therapies
Article - 24/11/2014 Lipid zipper triggers bacterial invasion Millions of people die each year from infections both in developing and industrial countries. There is still no effective treatment for a large number of diseases caused by pathogens. In order to treat infectious diseases effectively, we need to understand the mechanisms that bacteria use to infect human cells. The cytoskeleton of the host cell usually plays a key role in this process. Researchers at the University of Freiburg have discovered a…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/lipid-zipper-triggers-bacterial-invasion
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 - 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 - 08/09/2014 Thomas Boehm – pushing back the frontiers of knowledge The comparison of different animal species enables us to understand the crucial principle of immune defence on condition that the right investigative approach is chosen. Prof. Dr. Thomas Boehm director of the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg has been doing just this for many years. Based on insights into fundamental immune system functions Boehms research is aimed at developing new strategies for the diagnosis…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/thomas-boehm-pushing-back-the-frontiers-of-knowledge
Article - 18/08/2014 VAXIMM: Vaccines that impede cancer growth VAXIMM GmbH, a young biotechnology company from Mannheim, Germany, specialises in the development of vaccines for cancer treatment. The company’s first product candidate, VXM01, is a live oral vaccine that targets the VEGFR-2 receptor and hence the blood supply of tumours. VXM01 is currently undergoing clinical testing in pancreatic cancer patients.https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/vaximm-vaccines-that-impede-cancer-growth
Article - 24/03/2014 Vaccine against papillomaviruses protects from skin cancer Papillomaviruses are thought to cause non-melanoma skin cancer in people exposed to UV radiation, especially those who have suppressed immune systems. Researchers from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the Charité University Hospital in Berlin have developed a vaccine that protects mice against such skin tumours. The vaccine is even effective in mice that have previously been infected with papillomaviruses and that have suppressed…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/news/vaccine-against-papillomaviruses-protects-from-skin-cancer
Dossier - 10/03/2014 Cancer therapy and cancer diagnostics Thanks to improved diagnostics and therapy, today’s cancer patients can live considerably longer than patients several years ago. Nevertheless, some cancers, especially the strongly metastatic ones, are difficult to treat. Therapies targeting immune cells or cancer stem cells could potentially improve the current situation. The early detection and classification of tumours is crucial for the successful treatment of the disease, and molecular…https://www.gesundheitsindustrie-bw.de/en/article/dossier/cancer-therapy-and-cancer-diagnostics