Infectious diseases
VC opportunities for impact in the face of climate disaster
Venture capitalists have a vital role to play in guiding our planet’s future. By investing in technological advances that remediate […] September 7, 2022 · V-Bio VenturesKU Leuven spin-off AstriVax raises € 30 million to build vaccine platform
• Closing on € 30 million, AstriVax has raised the largest amount of seed capital in the history of spin-offs […] August 25, 2022 · V-Bio Ventures
Bacterial biofilms: cooperative bugs cling to food surfaces even after cleaning
Current cleaning and disinfection practices in food industries are insufficient to destroy unwanted bacteria lurking on surfaces, according to recent […] August 17, 2022 · SciMingo
miDiagnostics launches its CE-IVD certified ultra-fast COVID-19 PCR test
Leuven, Belgium, 2 May 2022 – miDiagnostics, a fast-growing POC diagnostics company announces the launch of its CE-IVD certified ultra-fast COVID-19 PCR […] May 2, 2022 · Turnstone CommunicationsmiDiagnostics welcomes Nicolas De Clercq as its new Chief Financial Officer
Leuven, Belgium, 30 March 2022 – miDiagnostics, a fast-growing POC diagnostics company backed by Belgian Family Offices, announces today that Nicolas De […] March 30, 2022 · Turnstone Communications
Antimicrobial Resistance – the hidden killer we’re ignoring
Antimicrobial Resistance has become an enormous challenge for global health, yet remains largely ignored by companies. As this deadly race […] March 16, 2022 · V-Bio Ventures
Long COVID: what it means for the life sciences industry and other chronic conditions
Long COVID is a less talked-about aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet its impact on society is already profound. Although […] December 15, 2021 · V-Bio Ventures
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
Lessons learned from COVID-19: how do we prepare for the next pandemic?
Although the crisis has not yet passed, COVID-19 has already taught us many valuable lessons. This past year has tested […] March 10, 2021 · Turnstone Communications
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 · BioVoxPreventive saliva test for detecting the COVID-19 virus is now available to companies and organizations
Ghent, Belgium, 23 February 2021 – The Ghent company Biogazelle and the medical laboratory Labo Nuytinck (Ghent, Evergem), together with […] February 23, 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 · BioVoxeTheRNA and China Grand Pharma enter a strategic collaboration in the Greater China Region focussed on eTheRNA’s proprietary mRNA development products and manufacturing capabilities
Niel, Belgium, 1 December 2020 – eTheRNA immunotherapies NV (“eTheRNA”) announced it has entered into a strategic cooperation and product […] December 2, 2020 · Turnstone CommunicationsV-Bio Ventures invests in new start-up Animab in a EUR 3.4 million Seed Financing to improve health and performance of livestock animals
Gent, Belgium, 27 October 2020 – Today V-Bio Ventures announces its investment in Animab, a new venture spin-off from VIB, in a EUR […] October 27, 2020 · V-Bio Ventures
UAntwerp researchers find cause for mysterious nodding syndrome
For decades, researchers have been trying to uncover the cause of nodding syndrome, a mysterious and deadly form of epilepsy […] September 30, 2020 · BioVox
Countering COVID-19 with llama antibodies
In July 2020, VIB spin-off ExeVir Bio raised €23 million to advance a llama-derived antibody against COVID-19. The company is […] August 31, 2020 · BioVoxV-Bio invests into ExeVir Bio to accelerate development of new treatment conferring broad protection against Covid-19
Ghent, Belgium, 28 July 2020 – Today V-Bio Ventures announces its investment in a EUR 23 million Series A financing into ExeVir Bio. […] July 28, 2020 · V-Bio Ventures
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
Belgian clinical trials for COVID-19
With COVID-19 cases soaring into the millions, and a vaccine still a ways off, patients are desperate for a treatment. […] May 5, 2020 · BioVoxBiogazelle initiates large-scale testing of COVID-19 in Belgium
Ghent, Belgium, April 2, 2020 – Biogazelle NV, a CRO specialized in RNA analytics, has announced the initiation of large-scale testing of patient samples for SARS-CoV-2. [...] April 2, 2020 · Turnstone Communications
Potential impact of the corona crisis on the life sciences industry
This article was authored by Christina Takke from V-Bio Ventures Over the past few months, every news headline has focused […] March 26, 2020 · V-Bio Ventures
University Hospital Ghent and VIB are testing medication to treat COVID-19-associated respiratory illness
University Hospital Ghent and VIB are assessing a drug called Leukine® to treat patients with respiratory illness associated with COVID-19. Major medical centers in [...] March 25, 2020 · BioVox
ElmediX wants to stop coronavirus by heating patients in a controlled manner
Mechelen, Belgium, 24 March 2020 – The coronavirus has brought the whole world to a standstill. The Belgian company ElmediX wants to contain the virus with intensive [...] March 24, 2020 · Turnstone Communications
Janssen Pharmaceutica and Filliers Distillery make disinfectant hand gel
Pharmaceutical company Janssen Pharmaceutica and gin distillery Filliers Distillery are making disinfectant hand gel from Sunday. They will distribute it among the Belgian hospitals. March 24, 2020 · Janssen Pharmaceutica
Professors of Product Development from UAntwerp are looking at emergency production of mouth masks
At the University of Antwerp, twelve product developers are working day and night to develop oral masks. “Together with industrial partners, we try to set up an [...] March 24, 2020 · BioVox
The long-distance race for a corona vaccine
Developing a vaccine takes a long time and occurs in different phases. A virus spreads quickly and unpredictably. Therefore, the outcome is a gamble for anyone in the race for the corona vaccine. March 24, 2020 · BioVox
Gates Foundation commissions large coronavirus study from KU Leuven
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is to provide samples of 15,000 therapeutic molecules to the Gasthuisberg hospital at the University of Leuven, to aid research into therapies to combat the coronavirus COVID-19, De Standaard reports. March 24, 2020 · BioVox
VIB achieves important milestone in the development of a COVID-19 drug
Earlier this year, the lab of Xavier Saelens (VIB-UGent) announced the discovery of a unique antibody that is capable of binding the virus that causes COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2). [...] March 24, 2020 · BioVox
Augustine Therapeutics: bridging the valley of death with VIB Discovery Sciences
Augustine Therapeutics is one of VIB’s latest spinoffs, developing a first-in-class drug for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. The company recently announced a seed-funding [...] February 26, 2020 · V-Bio Ventures
Battling antibiotic resistance: new strategy targets bacterial slime
Researchers have developed a new antibacterial strategy that weakens bacteria by preventing them from cooperating. The method involves attacking the protective biofilm [...] January 22, 2020 · BioVox
HIV breakthrough at UZ Gent leads to new hope for a cure
When patients take HIV medication, a small amount of the virus nonetheless stays hidden in the body, preventing a cure. […] September 23, 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
Deadly mosquitoes are invading Europe
Due to climate change, two species of tropical mosquitoes are spreading into Europe at increasing rates. Their presence is linked to a range of tropical viruses [...] April 3, 2019 · BioVox
Battling antibiotic resistance: a new protein powered solution
The discovery of antibiotics fundamentally changed healthcare in the 20th century. Deadly infections suddenly became treatable and millions of lives […] November 27, 2018 · BioVox
CD3 as co-creator of drugs with academia and pharma
The Center for Drug Design and Discovery (CD3), based in Leuven, bridges the gap between innovative biomedical research emerging from […] May 28, 2018 · Turnstone Communications
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
WHO report ranks deadly diseases in need of drugs
The World Health Organization recently released a report outlining the imminent threat of antimicrobial-resistant diseases. In the midst of such […] February 19, 2018 · BioVox
Watch out for Lyme disease!
Summer is coming, it’s getting warmer, and you’re planning on outdoor activities. Unfortunately, ticks are getting out there as well, […] May 22, 2017 · BioVox
Coris Bioconcept diagnoses antibiotic resistance
With almost 20 years of experience, Coris BioConcept knows the world of infectious disease diagnostics inside and out. Their straightforward chromatography-based [...] January 16, 2017 · BioVox
Mosquito Wars
Mosquitoes are carriers of a range of crippling diseases, posing an enormous global health burden. Because current methods based on insecticides are inadequate, new tools are urgently needed. Widely different companies are tackling the problem of mosquito control from very different angles; who will be successful in getting a grip on these tiny flying terrors? A view by V-Bio Ventures.
January 12, 2017 · V-Bio Ventures
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
Colistin: breaking the last line of antibiotic defense
A first case of colistin resistance has been described in the US. This is troubling news, since colistin is used as a last-resort drug in combating infections [...] June 21, 2016 · BioVox
Mosquitoes, the Zika virus and the threat for pregnant women: the buzz continues
Over the past months, the Zika virus has been spreading across Middle and South America. Zika has long been considered […] February 1, 2016 · BioVox
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 · BioVox
RSV or the flu? Now you know it immediately
Janssen Diagnostics has developed a molecular diagnostic test which will be used with the Biocartis’ Idylla™ platform, to determine Influenza […] December 7, 2015 · Janssen Pharmaceutica
Preventing cervical cancer: vaccinating or freezing?
The group of human papillomaviruses has over 100 types, of which at least thirteen can cause cancer. The virus is […] November 9, 2015 · BioVox
A perspective of the future - Towards a cure for cancer and much more
‘Within 10 years we will be able to cure cancer’. A bold statement? Paul Stoffels (CSO J&J) doesn’t think so. […] August 24, 2015 · Janssen Pharmaceutica
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 Pharmaceutica
Ebola diagnostics – faster, safer, and more accurate
“Last year the Ebola outbreak kick-started the development of a fast and accurate Ebola test to be used with Biocartis’ […] July 28, 2015 · Janssen Pharmaceutica