Immunology
Moderna: from secretive platform company to vaccine superstar
Moderna Therapeutics has never really been a typical biotech. Sure, nowadays it is world famous thanks to its COVID-19 vaccine, […] June 23, 2021 · V-Bio Ventures
Malaria vaccine candidate shows promise for African children
Despite decades of research, scientists have so far been unable to develop a fully effective vaccine for malaria. Now, a […] June 16, 2021 · BioVox
Record-breaking pollen levels linked to increased risk of COVID-19
Increased pollen concentrations are correlated with higher rates of COVID-19. Hot on the heels of record-breaking European pollen counts, this […] March 10, 2021 · BioVoxOnco-immunology Company Pan Cancer T Launched as Spin-off from Erasmus Medical Center
– Dutch biotech company developing first-in-class T-cell Receptor (TCR) T-cell therapies – Seed investment by Swanbridge Capital and Van Herk […] February 8, 2021 · Turnstone Communications
One year of COVID-19: a look back at 2020 and where we are now
One year on from the emergence of SARS-COV-2 in Wuhan, China, this novel coronavirus continues to devastate the world. Since […] January 27, 2021 · BioVox
Decades-old discoveries cause paradigm shifts in modern medicine
Complete paradigm shifts in medicine are rare, but there have nevertheless been several major examples in the past hundred years. […] December 16, 2020 · V-Bio VenturesNewton Biocapital I invests in Perseus Proteomics Inc. in Japan to develop therapeutic antibodies for the treatment of blood cancers
Brussels, Belgium / Tokyo, Japan – 1 December 2020 – Newton Biocapital I (“Newton”), a life sciences investment fund active in Europe […] December 1, 2020 · Turnstone Communications
Vascular dysfunction meets immune suppression
November 4, 2020 · BioVoxMontis Biosciences appoints Karen Zinkewich-Péotti as Chief Executive Officer
Leuven, Belgium, 29 September 2020 – Montis Biosciences, a discovery stage biotech company focused on novel immuno-oncology therapeutics targeting the […] September 29, 2020 · Turnstone Communications
Countering COVID-19 with llama antibodies
Last month, VIB spin-off ExeVir Bio raised €23 million to advance a llama-derived antibody against COVID-19. The company is based […] August 31, 2020 · BioVox
A novel approach to neurology could bring relief to people in pain
In August 2020, V-Bio Ventures announced their investment in Biodol Therapeutics, a French start-up looking to make a difference to […] August 31, 2020 · V-Bio VenturesBiodol Therapeutics receives EUR 4.5 million to progress its novel pain medication in a Series A led by V-Bio Ventures
V-Bio Ventures, a leading Belgian life sciences VC, invests in Biodol Therapeutics, a French biotech specialized in next-generation chronic pain […] August 31, 2020 · V-Bio VenturesNewton Biocapital I invests in J-Pharma Co., Ltd. in Japan focusing on drug development targeting L-type Amino Acid Transporter 1 (LAT1) for cancer and autoimmune diseases
Brussels, Belgium / Tokyo, Japan – 27 August 2020 – Newton Biocapital I (“Newton”), an investment company in life sciences, […] August 27, 2020 · Turnstone Communications
To prevent another pandemic, we need to improve our relationship with animals
The new coronavirus did not come as a bolt from the blue. For many years, the World Health Organization (WHO) […] June 8, 2020 · BioVox
Fundamental research leads to treatment breakthrough in rare genetic diseases
A basic research breakthrough is improving patient lives, as researchers realized their rare genetic condition could be treated by repurposing […] June 8, 2020 · BioVox
Talking T cells with David Masopust
Immunology is a complex but vitally important branch of the life sciences. Earlier this year, we attended a Keystone Symposia […] June 8, 2020 · BioVox
New immune system gene discovered in a Flemish boy
Researchers studying a rare disease have identified a new gene responsible for human immune system regulation. An international collaboration combined […] November 26, 2019 · BioVox
Fresh insights into the future of cell therapy
The first edition of Science for health was held in the heart of Brussels on September 11 with a focus […] September 23, 2019 · BioVoxGalapagos-Gilead billion-dollar deal: beyond the numbers
Last month, Galapagos sealed a 5-billion-dollar deal with Gilead. Now that the dust has started to settle, we’re taking a […] August 27, 2019 · BioVox
Living on the edge: the challenge of doing things differently in cell therapy
Belgian company Celyad is a trailblazer in oncology: its T cell therapies based on NK receptors are cutting edge even […] July 17, 2019 · BioVox
Edible antibodies to prevent and treat gut diseases
Belgian researchers have developed edible antibodies that can prevent gut bacterial infections. Normally antibodies need to be injected, but the […] June 27, 2019 · BioVox
Miracle microchips improving cell therapy manufacturing
A microchip engineer might seem like an odd fit for a keynote speaker at an event focused on cell therapy, but at Science for health Peter Peumans will [...] June 14, 2019 · BioVox
A microbiome solution for type 1 diabetes?
Few things unite us the way trying to help a sick child does. Children living with the burden of type […] December 14, 2018 · Janssen Pharmaceutica
argenx signs billion-dollar deal with Janssen
Another Belgian biotech on the up and up: argenx just closed a billion-dollar deal with Janssen Pharmaceutica for their antibody […] December 4, 2018 · Turnstone Communications
Saving lives through fundamental research: James Allison wins Dr. Paul Janssen Award 2018
Dr. James Allison has dedicated his career to improving our fundamental understanding of how the adaptive immune system works. Much […] September 18, 2018 · Janssen Pharmaceutica
Uncovering the secrets of inflammasomes
Mohamed (Mo) Lamkanfi made the jump from academia to industry a mere eight months ago, to pursue a career with […] August 21, 2018 · Janssen Pharmaceutica
New beta cell antigens discovered in Type 1 diabetes
A study published just last week has unveiled several new antigens implicated in Type 1 diabetes. In an ongoing project, […] August 7, 2018 · Turnstone Communications
Galapagos and MorphoSys to receive up to EUR 850mil in deal with Novartis
Galapagos (Belgium) and MorphoSys (Germany) recently announced that they have entered into an exclusive global license agreement with Novartis. The […] July 31, 2018 · BioVox
Damya Laoui at the forefront of cancer immunotherapy
Photo copyright: VUB / Thierry Geenen Last year, Damya Laoui received the prestigious American MIT-prize for young innovators under 35 […] July 3, 2018 · BioVox
Curing hay fever - ASIT Biotech allergy vaccines
The sun is shining, the grass is green, but hay fever season is at its peak! Many people (myself included) will spend a lot of money on antihistamines and [...] June 12, 2018 · Turnstone Communications
UCB psoriasis drug approved for use in mothers
The UCB core drug CIMZIA® has just been approved by European Medicines Agency (EMA) for use in pregnant and breastfeeding […] March 19, 2018 · Turnstone Communications
Caitlin Gillis at VIB - Foreign Scientist in Belgium
Caitlin Gillis left the sunshine and warmth of Australia a few years ago to come live Europe. After a stint […] March 18, 2018 · BioVox
The biggest killer after malaria - How to tackle RSV?
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) annually threatens many babies and there is currently no drug or vaccine to combat the disease. […] February 19, 2018 · Turnstone Communications
Celyad: CAR-T cells with natural killer skills fight cancer
Celyad, based in Mont-Saint-Guibert (Belgium), was originally established in 2004 as a company active in regenerative cell therapy. However, two […] January 9, 2018 · Turnstone Communications
Curing coughs: understanding the development of asthma using dust mites
Winter is upon us and many people will be suffering from colds and coughs. However, very few of these coughs […] December 18, 2017 · BioVox
Vaccinating against cancer with dendritic cells
Founded as a spin-off from the French Blood Bank, PDC*line Pharma is focused on developing immunotherapeutic vaccines. These vaccines contain [...] November 12, 2017 · Turnstone Communications
Diagnosed with lung cancer
A patient diagnosed with lung cancer should brace for the worst. Prognosis is often very disappointing. While in many cancers […] October 16, 2017 · Turnstone Communications
Very promising cancer treatment: RNAi immunotherapy
RXi Pharmaceuticals was co-founded by Craig Mello, PhD, the co-recipient of the 2006 Nobel Prize in Medicine for the discovery […] October 10, 2017 · BioVox
ImmunXperts: your partner for in vitro assays in cancer immunotherapy
Although immunotherapy in cancer is booming, it isn’t by any measure an easy field to navigate. Many oncology ventures willing to explore this new terrain [...] October 9, 2017 · Turnstone Communications
Dendritic cells boosted with mRNA form promising cancer immunotherapy
With its expertise in mRNA production and knowledge of the biology of dendritic cells, eTheRNA has developed TriMix, a new […] September 11, 2017 · Turnstone Communications
IDO 1: a promising new target for immunotherapy
iTeos Therapeutics started in 2012 as a spin-off from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (LICR), one of the top […] June 12, 2017 · Turnstone Communications
Immunotherapy: a paradigm shift in cancer treatment
An excerpt from the BioVox White paper on Cancer Immunotherapy.
June 12, 2017 · BioVox
Lars Klareskog pushes rheumatology beyond symptomatic treatment
Over the years, the perception of inflammatory diseases has changed drastically. The advent of cytokine inhibitors meant great improvement to many patients, especially those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. However, these treatments remain symptomatic. Together with Janssen Pharmaceutica, world-renowned rheumatologist Lars Klareskog is ready to take the research and treatment of inflammatory joint disease to the next level.
June 12, 2017 · Janssen Pharmaceutica
Macrophages to protect you from asthma
It has long been known that exposure to microbes can play a protective role against the subsequent development of asthma. Researchers from GIGA of the University of Liège provide an explanation and propose to use this discovery to set up a strategy of cell therapy to treat asthma in humans. Their discovery is published in Immunity.
April 17, 2017 · Turnstone Communications
MyCartis barcodes biological samples
MyCartis is an early-stage company that was founded in September 2014 when Pronota (Ghent, Belgium) and the Biocartis Evalution Business unit […] April 17, 2017 · BioVox
A guinea pig: your perfect partner to produce monoclonal antibodies
SynAbs is a young UCL spin-off company, founded in September 2015 with the support of Walloon life science incubator WBC, […] March 14, 2017 · Turnstone Communications
Confo Therapeutics: Drugging the Undruggable
Llama single-domain antibodies have found yet another application, one that Confo Therapeutics is fully exploiting. Ablynx is developing Nanobodies®, AgroSavfe […] December 13, 2016 · V-Bio VenturesThe choroid plexus: where inflammation meets neurology
We write about change — about impact and consequences, about discoveries and the people behind them. This time, we introduce […] November 14, 2016 · Turnstone Communications
Arming cells with a cancer vaccine
In immunotherapy, the patient’s own immune system is activated to fight cancer cells. Such strategies have been pursued for a […] October 14, 2016 · Turnstone Communications
Jeroen Pollet in Texas - Belgian scientist living abroad
Houston (Texas, USA) has been home to Jeroen Pollet since August 2011. He arrived as a Fulbright scholar; now he is an assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) [...] October 14, 2016 · BioVox
CAR-T: The T-cell training program to fight cancer
Immunotherapy is by far the hottest topic in the cancer research world. One immune approach in particular has created high […] July 14, 2016 · BioVox
All in on cancer immunotherapy
Founded in 2011, iTeos Therapeutics began its activities at the end of 2012. Active in the field of cancer immunotherapy, […] June 13, 2016 · Turnstone Communications
SynAbs brings rats to antibody market
Antibodies have become a cornerstone of modern research and in vitro diagnostics, generating yearly revenues close to 2 billion dollars. […] January 18, 2016 · Turnstone Communications
Faeces transplant as treatment for Crohn's disease
Crohn’s disease is a complicated chronic disorder, the complexity of which has only become clear during the last decade. It […] January 18, 2016 · Turnstone Communications
Tuberculosis - The Hidden Disease
Pott’s disease, consumption, scrofula, white plague; tuberculosis (Tb), a disease almost as old as civilization itself, has had many names […] December 14, 2015 · BioVoxGrowing up on a farm protects from asthma
The research team at the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) headed by Bart Lambrecht and Hamida Hammad has shown that […] October 12, 2015 · Turnstone Communications
Better and cheaper treatment of Crohn’s disease: BIOCYCLE
Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease, which is becoming increasingly prevalent in the developing world. It’s an […] October 12, 2015 · Turnstone Communications
The success of adipose stem cells
Cell therapy specialist TiGenix has announced that their product for the treatment of complex perianal fistulas, Cx601, has met the […] September 21, 2015 · BioVox
The Ebola Vaccine: a work in progress
Maria Grazia Pau has more than 15 years of experience in vaccine research and is currently working at Janssen Vaccines […] August 21, 2015 · Janssen PharmaceuticaEngineered immune cells to fight cancer
Our own immune T-cells can be one of the best defense lines against cancer. Walloon biopharmaceutical company Celyad is using […] June 18, 2015 · Turnstone Communications
Nanobodies®: small magical molecules for big difficult diseases
One of Belgium’s established biotech companies, Ablynx, has developed an innovative platform to produce small therapeutic proteins, called Nanobodies. These […] June 1, 2015 · Turnstone Communications
MS slowly but surely unravels its secrets
Piet Stinissen is Professor and Dean at the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences at the University of Hasselt, where […] June 1, 2015 · Turnstone Communications