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Amy LeBlanc

The inspiring potential of gene therapy in neurology

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.

biotope by VIB: helping biotech startups take root in the ecosystem

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: time to reverse nerve damage in patients undergoing chemotherapy or with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease

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.

Gene therapy pioneer Dr. Katherine High on the past and future of the field

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.

Dr. Ajit Shetty: breaking down barriers in the life sciences

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.

Dualyx: restoring the body’s balance in autoimmune diseases

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.

VIB: a new focus on data science with Christine Durinx at the helm

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.

CRISPR takes the ‘bitter’ out of Belgian endives and chicory

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-dently into the future!

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 has all the ingredients to be number one for real-world data in healthcare

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 insights on sharing health data

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).

Inari: shaking things up in the agriculture business

Inari Agriculture has been awarded the 2020 Newcomer of the Year Trophy by Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT). Inari (US) opened its first foreign R&D branch in Ghent’s biotech valley just over a year ago. Since then, the Belgian team has been hard at work developing plants that can address both growing global food requirements and climate change. They’re approaching the challenge with both the latest genetic techniques and with a fresh perspective on how a business should be run.

Predictions for Belgian Biotech in 2020

With the Belgian biotech landscape blooming, BioVox reached out to some of the investors in our network to see what their predictions are for the coming year. From trends to companies to keep an eye on, here’s their take on 2020!

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 produced by the whole bacterial colony, rather than the individual bacteria themselves. Because this results in non-resistant bacteria outcompeting their antibiotic resistant neighbors, the strategy does not promote the development of further resistance.

Signposts inspired by bat sonar improve self-driving robots

To improve sonar navigation systems used by self-driving robots, researchers from Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany have turned to nature for an ingenious solution. By studying the relationship between bats and flowers, scientists found that the plants were reflecting a specific sonar signal to guide the bats. They used this concept to create artificial sonar signposts.