arGEN-X advances a third therapeutic antibody program into preclinical development: http://t.co/hBB8aUOQ
posted 16 hours ago
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The Hagen Desert Farming Project (HDFP), a humanitarian initiative designed for the most environmentally challenged northern states in Nigeria and the industrial crop technology company, QUINVITA announced today they have entered into a major strategic Jatropha development alliance. Under the signed agreement, as a member of the QUINVITA knowledge platforms for breeding, cultivar development and agronomy, HDFP will access the QUINVITA PRO (QVP) seed cultivars for planting in the project. Both companies agree that this relationship will provide the basis for an extensive collaboration on the testing and demonstration of different Jatropha lines, especially selected for adaptation to West‐Africa and appropriate agronomy, applicable by out‐growers who will be engaged by the HDFP. read more
Ablynx [Euronext Brussels: ABLX] today announced that it has been granted an extended Certificate of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) from the Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAMHP) in Belgium for its new GMP unit at its headquarters in Ghent, after having been inspected in November 2011. read more
Great news to start 2012. Top journals Nature and Science are featuring research from VIB researchers at Vrije Universiteit Brussel in their 2011 highlights. Nature features Jan Steyaert’s work on G-protein-coupled receptors & Science highlights Jeroen Raes’s gut research. read more
Researchers of VIB and UGent have discovered a new approach to preventing septic shock, an often fatal extreme inflammatory reaction of the body. It is the most frequent cause of death at intensive care departments in hospitals. In sepsis, acute inflammation is attended by low blood pressure and blood clots, causing the organs to stop working. Only recently, the Brazilian football legend Socrates, died of the consequences of this condition. In a new study in the top journal Immunity, Peter Vandenabeele and colleagues of VIB-UGent described how blocking a particular form of cell death (necroptosis) fully protects mice against this fatal inflammation. read more
VIB has submitted an application for a field experiment with genetically modified maize. The maize becomes taller than conventional maize – at least in a greenhouse. The field experiment is to show whether or not the maize also becomes taller under normal agricultural conditions and whether the plants are suited to be planted closer together. This could contribute to a higher yield. The permit is requested for three seasons, starting in 2012. The field experiment will be carried out in Wetteren on grounds of the Agriculture and Fisheries Research Institute (ILVO), a scientific institution of the Flemish government. read more
Despite advanced genome technologies, it remains a major challenge to identify small variations between the hereditary material (DNA) of different individuals with certainty. VIB scientists connected to the K. U. Leuven and the University of Antwerp describe in Nature Biotechnology a method that makes it possible to trace genetic variations in the DNA with a high degree of certainty. read more
arGEN-X, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of human monoclonal antibodies from its proprietary SIMPLE Antibody™ platform, announced today it has received a grant of €1.3 million to further advance its powerful discovery platform for addressing challenging disease targets. The grant was awarded by the Institute for the Promotion of Innovation by Science and Technology in Flanders (IWT), and is the third award the Company has received from the institute, totalling €4.1 million to date. read more
The discovery of effective biomarkers in cancer will have a significant impact on disease management. With the role of the blood-based prostate cancer biomarker PSA (prostate specific antigen) surrounded by controversy, new and more effective biomarkers of this leading cause of death in men are urgently needed. Epigenetic changes are closely linked to cancer and hold promise for prostate cancer diagnosis and management, the authors of a meta-analysis, published online in the leading urology journal, The Prostate (The Epigenetic promise for prostate cancer diagnosis. The Prostate. doi: 10.1002/pros.22459), have concluded. read more
