This week we explore a partnership between a large biopharma and a machine learning startup. In addition, we look at a non-commercial approach to address the global COVID-19 vaccine shortage, a major mRNA-focused acquisition, a temporary pause on factory inspections, and finally, 55 new drug approvals in ... READ MORE >
life sciences
Five things to know in life sciences: Week of Dec. 13
This week, Pfizer announced another major investment in manufacturing capacity in the United States. Its investment in a new facility is focused on tackling the unique challenges in manufacturing gene therapies. We also look at the possibility of replacing glasses with eye drops, crowdsourcing cancer ... READ MORE >
Five things to know in life sciences: Week of Dec. 6
This week a new investment fund is starting that is focused on the modest goal of extending human life. We also look at new leadless pacemakers, using illustrated stories to make the complexity of clinical trials easier for patients to understand, and studying the common cold as a window into future ... READ MORE >
Five things we don’t know about omicron: Week of November 29
This week it is unavoidable not to mention omicron and so we’ve decided to dedicate our issue of “5 things in life sciences” to this very topic. In a twist from all of the articles about “what we know” about the new variant, however, we thought the community would be better served to talk about what we ... READ MORE >
5 things to know in life sciences: Week of November 15
This week we look at the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of a virtual reality system to treat chronic lower back pain. We also explore a new round of anti-amyloid drugs seeking FDA approval to treat Alzheimer’s disease, a sustainable method to manufacture pharmaceuticals, another deal to license ... READ MORE >
5 things to know in life sciences: Week of November 1
The life sciences industry saw the first meaningful activity around drug pricing reform as Democratic lawmakers included language in their domestic spending package. At the same time, innovation and investment continue to exemplify the life sciences ecosystem. By the way, we’re a little late in getting ... READ MORE >
5 things to know in life sciences: Week of October 25
This week we explore a nanotube sensor capable of detecting COVID-19 in five minutes. We also look at a new method that has the potential to improve gene editing systems, a new blood screening test for detecting early stages of cancer, an artificial intelligence startup focused on improving new drug ... READ MORE >
5 things to know in life sciences: Week of Oct. 18
For the first time, researchers at New York University have successfully transplanted a genetically engineered kidney from a pig into a human patient. This is a remarkable milestone as animal organs have traditionally been rejected by humans. The development could play a critical role in the treatment of ... READ MORE >
5 things to know in life sciences: Week of October 11
Even in normal times, being the head of a major agency like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration would be challenging. These are far from normal times, so challenges will likely be even greater for the person expected to be nominated by President Biden. This week we also look at preparing for a pandemic ... READ MORE >
5 things to know in life sciences: Week of October 4
For the first time, artificial intelligence developed by DeepMind, one of the world’s premier AI labs, has been used to significantly advance scientific research. The project, known as AlphaFold, uses AI to predict the configuration of a protein. With an estimated 10300 configurations, the task is highly ... READ MORE >