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Discovery and research

Will the looming pharma patent cliff start driving a super cycle of biotech deals?

After several years of dismal market activity, 2024 is already looking up for deals in the pharmaceutical industry, with a recent flurry of billion-dollar mergers and acquisitions. Is this trend being driven by the impending loss of revenue caused by soon-to-expire blockbuster drug patents? And what does it mean for earlier-stage biotech startups?

Navigating between patient privacy and healthcare innovation

The emergence of artificial intelligence and machine learning accelerates research and innovation across various sectors, particularly in healthcare. The potential for the development of innovative diagnostic tools and therapies based on insights from health data is limitless. However, progress should never compromise the privacy of patients. It’s a delicate balance that is essential to maintain.

From successful conception to a healthy family – Belgian research raises the bar for IVF

Belgium is one of the top countries in the world for in vitro fertilization (IVF). Despite the high cumulative success rates of these interventions, disproportionally little attention has been given to the health of both mother and child during and after pregnancy. With the HEART (High risk for pre-Eclampsia after Assisted Reproductive Technology) project, Belgian researchers strive to understand why some women have an increased risk for pre-eclampsia after IVF and whether biomarkers can be identified to estimate these risks early in pregnancy or even before conception. They aim to raise the standard from successful conception to improved child and maternal health.

This vagina-on-chip model holds the potential to advance yeast infection research

While a vast majority of women experience vaginal yeast infections, research has fallen short in providing an effective treatment approach. However, hope has emerged recently with the development of new model systems that allow exploration of the complex vaginal environment. Organ-on-chip models enable researchers to examine the interactions between human cells and microbes in a more accurate manner, offering the potential for the development of new therapies.

Nutritional labels “in the wild”: how they affect your snack choice

Barely any people stick to a three-meals-a-day plan. Snacking is part of our culture and can even contribute to a healthy diet when choosing the right snacks. But your appetite doesn’t always agree about what’s the “right” snack. Your hands automatically reach for those candy bars, instead of a handful of nuts. Therefore, we investigated whether two different nutritional labels – calorie labels and the Nutri-Score – can nudge you in the right direction.

Beyond gluten-free: a hopeful future for those who suffer from Celiac disease

Gluten-free dietary products contain more sugar and fats but fewer nutrients and are generally more expensive. A gluten-free diet can even lead to social isolation and stigmatization. Scientists are thus looking for a way that allows people with celiac gluten intolerance disease to enjoy the benefits of gluten in a safe manner.

Pioneering Belgian project ATHENA paves the way for Real-World Data reuse in research and personalized care

ATHENA, a VLAIO-funded multi-stakeholder project, clears the path for increased reuse of Real-World Data in scientific research and healthcare, by introducing innovative solutions and responding to current technical and governance challenges. The project has made significant strides in the field of oncology by developing groundbreaking privacy-preserving machine learning techniques for predictive analytics. The project findings will be presented and discussed at the ATHENA symposium on November 23rd, 2023.

Belgium – nurturing innovation at the interface of biology and technology

The ´Science for health´ congress gathers local and global experts in Brussels on November 28 to discuss how to adapt healthcare to current challenges, combining cutting-edge technology with biology and place Belgium at the forefront of healthcare innovation.

Belgian breakthrough in endometriosis research captures investors’ attention

Even though endometriosis impacts millions of women globally, the condition remains poorly understood and researched, leading to delayed diagnosis and lack of effective treatment. Encouragingly, there are promising recent developments in the field coming from Belgium. Professor Hugo Vankelecom’s research group at KU Leuven uses advanced cellular models, known as organoids, to delve into the disease and expedite the drug discovery process. The Danish BioInnovation Institute now offers the team an incubation program to pave the way towards industrial success.

Key steps for impactful communication

New advances in the life sciences shouldn’t be kept in the dark. Whether you are an academic publishing a paper, a researcher with a breakthrough drug, or an entrepreneur with the next big biotech innovation, you want to reach your audience and achieve your goals. However, it can be hard to know how to go about it. So let’s break it down and examine some of the key considerations for impactful science communication.

One event, uniting Belgium’s regions

BioWin and MEDVIA are two Belgian organizations which support and promote health innovation in Wallonia and Flanders. This year, these two clusters have come together to jointly organize the event Science for health on the topic of ‘biology meets technology’. In this dual interview, Ann Van Gysel (MEDVIA) and Sylvie Ponchaut (BioWin) discuss the differences between their regions and how they are working to improve cross-border collaboration in Belgium.

Intelligent dentistry: AI is making surgeries safer

The AIPLANT project aims to reduce complications from dental implant surgery using AI-based preoperative planning. The project is a collaboration between the Centre for Dentomaxillofacial Imaging at UZ Leuven, AI startup Relu, and Xentro Dental. 

Health data standardization: What FHIR can do for you!

Patient data is a treasure trove of information, vital to tailoring individual care pathways and generating profound insights to enhance healthcare more broadly. However, achieving interoperability among the diverse systems employed by various healthcare providers remains a critical challenge. Data standards like FHIR can help to streamline the secure exchange and seamless integration of healthcare data across these different systems. This article will take you through the FHIR framework and how it could be used by your organization.

Belgium needs boldness for healthcare innovation

This year, Science for health will explore the inspiring innovations at the interface of biology and technology. The event will bring together academics, industry leaders, and policymakers to explore the newest treatment platforms and factories of the future. BioVox spoke to Werner Verbiest, member of the event’s Scientific Committee, about the topic and why collaboration is so key right now.

Pharmaceutical market access: how real-world data fuel better health beyond clinical trials

Studies of a drug's effectiveness and safety don’t end with clinical trials – they extend beyond market access when the true value of a drug is demonstrated in a real-world setting. Based on this information, factors such as availability, pricing, and reimbursement are adjusted. To study the actual worth of a treatment, we require real-world data (RWD) from a large and diverse patient population. By actively sharing this information with stakeholders, we can fuel further research and innovation, and even help to inform decision-making on a population level. But in order to unlock the full potential of our patient data, all members of the ecosystem have to work together.