Amy LeBlanc

Beer, chocolate, and… biotech! When it comes to life sciences, Belgium excels. It consistently ranks as one of the world’s top countries for innovation and R&D. But Belgians are generally a modest bunch: despite being part of a world-class ecosystem, few tend to broadcast that news abroad, or even within our own borders. As a consequence, the Belgian science sector doesn’t receive the recognition it deserves. Which is where BioVox comes in!
Dr. Monica Bennett is Head of Gene Therapy Unit at Novartis, the company behind the world’s only gene therapy approved for a neurological indication. Zolgensma treats children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a genetic condition where infants with the most severe type rarely survive past their first few years of life. We spoke to Dr. Bennett about her experience working with SMA kids and their families, and the inspiring potential of gene therapy in other neurological diseases.
VIB’s new incubator program biotope fosters early biotech startups looking to impact people’s lives through agrifood innovation. Based in the heart of a flourishing ecosystem, biotope supports young companies looking to de-risk their technology, build a viable business case, and connect with expert scientists, industry leaders, and investors. The aim is to create mutual benefit for both the ecosystem and the entrepreneurs – providing the region with an influx of talent and innovation, and the startup teams with the support and brains they need to grow and succeed.
Augustine Therapeutics is a VIB and KU Leuven spin-off developing innovative therapies for peripheral and central nervous system disorders. The company initially focused on treating Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, and recently added a major indication to their lead program after finding strong evidence that their drug candidate can also reverse nerve damage caused by chemotherapy. Augustine Therapeutics aims to initiate clinical trials by 2024.
Dr. Katherine High is one of gene therapy’s pioneers, who has contributed to a long list of firsts in the field. As President of Spark Therapeutics, Dr. High led the team that developed Luxturna ­– the first FDA-approved gene therapy in the world and the first to be approved in both the US and Europe. Prior to that, her trailblazing clinical work with adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors helped paved the way for many subsequent gene therapies. Today, Dr. High continues her cutting-edge work as President of Therapeutics at gene therapy company AskBio, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bayer AG. We spoke with Dr. High about the evolution of this fascinating field, which has the potential to provide transformational therapies for so many people with otherwise untreatable genetic diseases.
A veteran of the life sciences industry, Dr. Ajit Shetty continues to have a huge impact on the ecosystem both in Belgium and abroad. Several years after his retirement from top positions in Janssen Pharmaceutica & Johnson and Johnson (as Chair and previously as Managing Director), Shetty is still actively involved in the industry. Awarded the title of Baron by King Albert II of Belgium in 2008 for his services to the sector, and the recipient of Trends ‘Manager of the Year 2004’ and the Life-Time Achievement Award by India (his country of birth), Shetty is a living legend who is still busy shaping the world’s future.
Belgian start-up Dualyx is developing a novel approach with the potential to treat a wide range of autoimmune disorders. The method uses llama-derived antibodies to flip a master switch and create regulatory T cells, which help restore order to overzealous immune systems.
Christine Durinx has been appointed as the new co-Managing Director of the world-class life sciences research institute VIB. Taking over from Jo Bury, Durinx joins VIB’s other co-Managing Director Jérôme Van Biervliet in ushering in a new era of discoveries increasingly driven by data science.
Researchers have identified the bitter substances in Belgian endives and chicory. Using the gene-editing technique CRISPR/Cas9, they have also succeeded in eliminating them. The result is a less bitter vegetable that may be more appetizing to children and adults alike. The catch? Outdated EU gene editing laws present a major roadblock for any company looking to actually produce the vegetables in Europe.
Confo Therapeutics is a rising star in Belgium, featured on several local and international lists of up-and-coming biotechs. The company, launched in 2015 as a spin-off of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and VIB, is now taking the big step from the preclinical to the clinical stage with a GPCR drug for neuropathic pain.
Belgium is home to one of the world’s strongest health clusters and has long been ranked as the best country in the EU for clinical trials. However, if Belgium is to maintain this attractive clinical trial environment – and its quality healthcare system – the country needs to improve its position regarding the reuse of health data for research. BioVox spoke with Ingrid Maes from Inovigate about an upcoming report on Belgium’s real-world data initiatives and legislation, and how the country compares with the rest of Europe.
Knowledge for Growth is Belgium’s largest life sciences conference, and with a mix of thought leaders from across the ecosystem, always has a finger on the pulse of current topics. This year, the event focused heavily on data science, with a range of keynote talks and sessions dedicated to the important topic. One of the afternoon panels in particular, Understanding Data, held a lot of insights from Liesbet Peeters (Prof. Biomedical Data Sciences at Hasselt University) and Bart Vannieuwenhuyse (Data Sciences Lead at Janssen Benelux Campus).
Progress in the use of patient healthcare data is going slow for most countries, but some are racing ahead and setting the bar high. In Israel, the healthcare provider Maccabi has developed a system where researchers can access decades of medical records without compromising patient privacy. This incredible trove of medical data has given rise to groundbreaking academic and industry research, improving the lives of people around the world.
A woman opens her front door and looks to the sky to judge the weather. It’s sunny and inside her contact lenses, tiny microchips switch on layers of liquid crystals to protect her eyes from the bright light. Satisfied she won’t need a raincoat, the woman steps onto the street and goes about her day. It might sound like the start of a sci-fi novel, but this is the reality of Azalea Vision’s smart tech.
Data without science is nothing; just 1s and 0s, floating around a cloud waiting for someone to make sense of them. Data science is the process of extracting value from data, using advanced analytics tools. Enormous amounts of health information are being gathered every second, and we are rapidly getting better at decoding it: turning bytes into insights that can be used to improve the lives of patients. But the pace, methods and ethics of data science adoption varies dramatically between countries and regions. Why should we care about keeping up?