MOFs! Cambridge University spinout Vector Bioscience has been awarded a £2.2 million non-dilutive investment from the European Innovation Council Transition Challenge to become the first company taking metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)-based technology for RNA delivery into the pharmaceutical market. Horizon Europe, the drama that keeps on giving. The UK government seems skeptical about the value of the program and the cost of British participation. Crucially, such reluctancy comes right after calls by UK scientists for Britain to re-enter the program. Unlike in Maya Angelous poem, the Horizon is not leaning forward. More on RNA delivery. Sixfold Bioscience has been awarded a £890,000 Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst grant to advance its machine learning-driven RNA delivery system. GSK is also doubling down on oligonucleotides. The pharma company has decided to end its investment in cell and gene therapy and instead focus on genetic targets, e.g. its recent $170 million collaboration with Wave Life Sciences for its preclinical RNA editing therapy targeting alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. More reasons to celebrate at GSK’s headquarters. Following recommendation of Pfizer’s Abrysv, the US FDA Advisory Committee has granted support for for Arexvy, GSK’s respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine candidate. There are currently no RSV vaccines approved. More on listed companies Alderley Park-based Redx Pharma and (AIM: REDX) has acquired the rather struggling US-based Jounce Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: JNCE). Did you guess it? Farewell! The combined group (Redx Inc.) will be listed on NASDAQ. If retaining late stage companies in UK public markets seems difficult, targeting GPRCs is no less challenging. Cardiff-based Antiverse has raised £2.5 million funding to advance its machine learning-enabled computational drug discovery platform that models antibody-GPCR interactions. Two on tackling pancreatic cancer. Edinburgh-based Medannex has been granted Orphan Medicinal Product positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency for its monoclonal antibody, and Guildford-based SiSaf has entered a collaboration with the University of Leipzig to develop its miRNA-carrying silicon-stabilised hybrid lipid nanoparticles. DigitalHealth.London has opened applications to its flagship Accelerator and Octopus Ventures has launched its Evolution to Entrepreneurship Programme. Interesting readings featuring the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and its recently publish paper: A New National Purpose: Innovation Can Power the Future of Britain; Synconaand its brand new CEO Chris Hollowood discuss the current biotech markets, and the at the time largest biotech stock market debut company which now closing the shop, among others. Music by Mark Knopfler [standing ovation] and your excuse for a Saturday stroll with the St Botolph’s Church Lunchtime Concerts. Let’s dive in!

Cardiff-based Antiverse has raised £2.5 million investment. The round was participated by new investors InnoSpark, AngelHub, Kadmos Capital and Tomorrow Scale, as well as existing investors, Tensor Ventures, Deep Science Ventures, Ed Parkinson and Development Bank of Wales. The company was founded in 2017. It is developing a machine learning-enabled computational drug discovery platform that models antibody-antigen interactions. The company indicates its platform can create cell lines with high receptor counts, up to 1 million per cell. Antiverse currently focuses on targeting GPCRs. The company has announced the identification of a set of antagonist to two structurally distinct GPCR which are able to block GPCR’s activity. The proceedings of the round will be used to developing the most promising antibodies candidates in order to make them into therapeutic assets. machine learning to model

Cambridge-based Five Alarm Bio has raised £500,000 in seed funding. The investment was led by Cambridge Angels, Meltwind, o2h Ventures, SyndicateRoom, and other angel investors, with support from KPMG Acceleris. It follows a £360,000 Biomedical Catalyst grant from Innovate UK awarded last year. The company was founded in 2016 and is developing small molecules to tackle how age-associated chemical damage accumulates in cells and tissues. The funding will drive proprietary research into novel compounds that extend healthy lifespan of cells and tissues, with therapeutic potential across a broad range of age-related diseases.

London-based Ascend Gene & Cell Therapies has raised funding (undisclosed details). The company is currently backed by Monograph Capital. It supports cell and gene therapies development and manufacturing, as well as its progression to clinical and commercial scale. Ascend is also advancing its own internal pipeline of therapeutics and technologies.

Cambridge-based Vector Bioscience has been awarded a £2.2 million non-dilutive investment from the European Innovation Council Transition Challenge. Vector Bioscience was span out of the University of Cambridge in 2021. It currently focuses on nanoparticles as drug delivery vehicles. The company has developed a technology platform for the targeted delivery of macromolecules, particularly RNA delivery, using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Vector aims to become the first company to take the MOF-based technology platforms for RNA delivery into the pharmaceutical market. MOFs might be a promising platform for RNA delivery as the nanoparticles protect RNA from degradation and increase its solubility and bioavailability. The grant will fund the commercialising efforts for its RNA-based cancer therapies.

London-based Sixfold Bioscience has been awarded a £890,000 Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst grant. The funding will support the development of Mergo, Sifold’s machine learning-driven RNA delivery system. The platform allows for biocompatible nano-architectures with precise chemical profiles to guide the RNA to selected organs and currently uncatered cell types. The project will leverage Pharmidex and Medicines Discovery Catapult preclinical development and in vivo imaging expertise, whereas Sixfold will contribute with its own high-throughput RNA synthesis and preclinical screening capabilities. The aim is to generate further preclinical data for Sixfold’s lead candidate (RNA delivery system for an undisclosed non-hepatic disease). Sixfold was co-founded in 2017 by Dr Perdrix Rosell and Dr George Foot.

London-based Nutissu Labs has been awarded a £170,000 grant from the UK Office for Veterans' Affairs' Health Innovation Fund. The grant will allow to further develop Nutissu’s e-plaster technology and progress to patient trials. e-plaster is a miniaturised electrotherapy device designed to promote tissue healing and improve wound repair and recovery. The Veterans Health Innovation Fund aims to improve the UK's capability to save lives and support veterans with physical and mental health conditions.

Cambridge-based Drishti Discoveries has been awarded $500,000 from the US ALS Association through its Lawrence and Isabel Barnett Drug Development Program. The program provides up to $500,000 over two years to support the preclinical assessment of emerging ALS therapies in preparation for clinical testing. The grant will be used to advance the company’s proprietary technology to silence the ATXN2 gene and preserve motor function in ALS mouse models in the pursuit of developing a long-term treatment for ALS. The project will be carried out in collaboration with the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience

LifeArc has awarded £3 million to de-risk and accelerate around 30 innovative early research projects focusing on rare diseases. The awards have been distributed across six UK universities. Each university was awarded a £500k LifeArc Pathfinder Award. The Pathfinder Award provides early-stage grant funding for researchers to run early studies testing novel scientific ideas for diagnosing and treating a wide spectrum of rare diseases. The six universities chosen were University College London, University of Birmingham, University of Edinburgh, University of Manchester, University of Newcastle, and the University of Sheffield. They are each undertaking their own selection process to allocate the funds to different research approaches.

Whitburn-based Mi:RNA Diagnostics has been awarded $200,000 in funding as part of its participation in US Leap Venture & Studio Academy (Cohort 7). MI:RNA Diagnostics has developed early detection technology for the veterinary market that uses microRNA biomarkers and machine learning to accurately identify disease through blood sample analysis.

UK companies are shifting their stock market listings to the US due to a larger, deeper market, higher valuations, and the prospect of a government willing to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on infrastructure. The lack of interest from UK-based investors in their home market, particularly pension funds, is cited as a major reason for the exodus. The article also highlights the difficulties faced by the London's stock market in attracting and retaining companies, despite the British government's attempts to lure businesses away from rival exchanges.

Alderley Park-based Redx Pharma and (AIM: REDX) has acquired US-based Jounce Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: JNCE) The companies have announced a recommended business combination via an all-share merger transaction. Redx focuses on small molecules for the treatment of cancer and fibrotic diseases and the emerging area of cancer-associated fibrosis whereas Jounce specialises in cancer immunotherapy. The group will have a strong clinical pipeline and expertise in the discovery and development of highly selective therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and fibrotic disease. The highest priority will be the development of RXC007, RedX’s lead candidate, a next-generation selective ROCK2 inhibitor, currently in Phase 2a study in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The combined group, called Redx Inc., will be listed on Nasdaq and led by Redx CEO Lisa Anson. The transaction is expected to complete in Q2 2023, subject to approval from Redx and Jounce shareholders and regulatory approvals. Redx Shareholders are expected to own approximately 63% and Jounce shareholders approximately 37% of the share capital of the combined group.

The UK government plans to increase the revenue clawback rate paid by pharmaceutical companies on the Statutory Scheme for Branded Medicines from 24.4% to 27.5%, despite warnings from the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) and other pharmaceutical companies. The ABPI has cautioned that the proposed rate rise would send the worst possible signal to global investors and boardrooms at a time when UK life sciences are already facing significant challenges. The UK government has released its own report explaining why it wants to raise the rates to 27.5% this year. The changes will limit the growth of medicine sales to 1.1%, and the NHS will save between £17 million and £19 million by 2023.

The Horizon Europe saga continues. UK scientists welcomed the prospect of the UK rejoining Horizon Europe, the EU's €96 billion science programme, as per the deal between the UK and the EU on post-Brexit trading rules for Northern Ireland. The UK has been excluded from EU research grants for over two years, which has damaged collaborative relationships with colleagues in member states and ended a crucial source of investment. Talks on re-entry are expected to take between six and nine months, during which new financial arrangements will be worked out, and the UK will decide which parts of Horizon Europe to participate in and to what extent. However, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is hesitant about rejoining. Sunak is reportedly skeptical about the value of the program and the cost of British participation. The UK was expected to contribute £15 billion for the seven-year program, but three years have already passed, and the two sides must now agree on the amount that the UK will provide. Sunak's reluctance comes despite calls by UK scientists for Britain to re-enter Horizon, which they see as crucial for research, investment, and making the UK a "science superpower."

London-headquartered Spex Capital has launched a new €100 million healthtech fund. The fund will invest from seed to Series A, up to a ticket size of €5 million. Spex Capital aims to accelerate the adoption of tech in global healthcare, with a focus on innovations that overcome global healthcare challenges. Spex Capital was founded in 2021 by Claudio D’Angelo and has already closed 10 investments in the healthtech space. The firm has an ongoing partnership with MedCity to connect private industry with partners in the NHS, the charity sector, and research institutes.

A UK entrepreneur group has urged the government to enhance SEIS and EIS, two initiatives that offer tax breaks to promote startup investment. According to a report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Entrepreneurship, the government needs to do more to support these initiatives, including improving communication between HMRC and the startup and investor community. The report also recommended reforming financial health eligibility rules, arguing that the current system unfairly restricts access to funding for early-stage companies that are initially unprofitable but have great potential to succeed through investment. The open letter, signed by 200 UK entrepreneurs, also called for greater clarity from the government over the future of the investment schemes.

DigitalHealth.London has opened applications to its flagship Accelerator programme. It aims at supporting the next generation of digital health companies in transforming health and care. The programme's goal is to speed up technology adoption in London's NHS and empower patients to manage their health while relieving high pressure on services. This NHS-delivered programme has supported 143 digital innovations that have made an impact on the NHS and social care. During Accelerator support, over 600 additional contracts have been signed by companies. The programme was also named Accelerator of the Year at the UKBAA Angel Investment Awards 2022. It is geared towards digital health companies with a product or service that has high potential to meet the challenges facing the NHS and social care.

Octopus Ventures has launched the Evolution to Entrepreneurship Programme to support founders working on pre-seed/seed stage deeptech for enabling a sustainable planet. It is a 3-month part time program free of charge with a strong focus on engaging with target markets and technology testing. The programme will likely lead to investments of £500,000-£1 million (subject to Investment Committee approval).

The UK government has released the England Rare Diseases Action Plan 2023. It outlines 16 actions taken in 2022 to improve the lives of people living with rare diseases, including changes to the UK National Screening Committee and extensive public engagement for a whole genome sequencing research study. The plan also sets out 13 new actions to address areas of need. It includes commitments to increase data sharing, improve services for rare diseases, and address health inequalities, among other goals. The initiatives are supported by funding for research initiatives, including the MRC-NIHR UK Rare Disease Research Platform and NIHR Biomedical Research Centres.

LifeArc is sponsoring five Daphne Jackson Fellowships in honour of Aisling Burnand CBE. Each fellowship will be open to professionals returning to life sciences research following a career break. The first fellowship, the 2023 award, will be available to researchers specialising in motor neuron disease or chronic respiratory infection. The further four fellowships will open for applications in each subsequent year until 2027, with each fellowship aligned to LifeArc's Translational Challenges in areas of complex health needs such as global health, paediatric oncology, and rare diseases.

Edinburgh-based Medannex has been granted Orphan Medicinal Product positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency for its monoclonal antibody MDX-124. MDX-124 has been designed for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. EMA’s decision was driven by non-clinical data showing inhibition of tumour growth and improved survival, as well as powerful synergy between MDX-124 and current standard of care treatments including cisplatin, paclitaxel, gemcitabine and 5-FU. The designation provides Medannex with special incentives in the EU, including regulatory fee reductions and 10 years of marketing exclusivity once MDX-124 gains full approval. Medannex currently focuses on exploiting the therapeutic potential of targeting annexin-A1.

Guildford-based SiSaf has entered a collaboration with the University of Leipzig to develop Bio-Courier targeted miRNA for the treatment of cancer. SiSaf is developing its Bio-Courier silicon-stabilized hybrid lipid nanoparticles (sshLNPs). The collaboration will initially focus on pancreatic cancer and will combine SiSaf’s expertise in RNA delivery and the University of Leipzig’s expertise in miRNA targeting and therapeutic approaches in cancer, led by Prof Achim Aigner. SiSaf will develop miRNA Bio-Courier formulations that will be tested in pancreatic cancer models in Professor Aigner’s laboratory. This novel delivery method aims to address one of the bottlenecks in miRNA replacement , i.e. low efficient delivery. Under the terms of the agreement SiSaf has an exclusive option to acquire a worldwide license to a patent by the University. Financial terms of the agreement are not disclosed.

The Barts Cancer Institute and the Francis Crick Institute have recently published research on the potential of vitamin B5 to improve red blood cell production in patients with Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). MDS is a type of blood cancer characterised by a stem cell disorder that imperils the production of healthy red blood cells. The study found that the enzyme COASY plays a critical role in regulating red blood cell production in the bone marrow. Partial loss of the enzyme in MDS patients severely disrupts red blood cell production, leading to anemia. The researchers tested treatments including vitamin B5 supplementation and found that they could increase the maturation of red blood cells. Another metabolite, succinyl-CoA, was also found to have potential in increasing the production of red blood cells when combined with existing drugs. Findings from the study suggest that vitamin B5 could be combined with existing treatments to improve outcomes for patients with MDS.

Hampton-based Touchlight has announced the first FDA clearance of an Investigational New Drug application utilising doggybone DNA (dbDNA). Within the trial now planned by one of Touchlight’s partners, dbDNA will be used as an in vitro transcription template for mRNA production in the manufacturing of a cell therapy product. The trial sponsor has operational facilities across the US. Touchlight is a CDMO focused on DNA services and enzymatic DNA production.

Birmingham-based PBD Biotech has been granted a patent by the African Intellectual Property Organisation (OAPI) for its Actiphage incipient tuberculosis diagnostic. The patent covers the French-speaking countries of West Africa. Actiphage is a diagnostic for early-stage infection and provides evidence that a person is carrying an active infection that will progress to full disease unless treated. It is a phage-based blood assay, the researchers reported the first concordant evidence to demonstrate associations of Mtb bacteraemia with progressive phenotypes of latent infection and active pulmonary tuberculosis

Cambridge-based CN Bio has launched the PhysioMimix Single-organ Higher Throughput System. It is a scalable solution that combines a significantly reduced cost-per-chip with increased run capacity. The system has been designed to overcome adoption barriers currently limiting the use of predictive human liver models within drug discovery workflows. This enables its use within earlier stages where larger-scale comparative studies that investigate the efficacy, disposition or safety of lead candidate drugs are required. The new technology enables the benefits of human-relevant Organ-on-a-Chip insights to be realised earlier in drug discovery, facilitating more confident decision-making and the potential recovery of overlooked therapeutic candidates.

Oxford-based ONI has appointed Paul Scagnetti as Chief Executive Officer. Scagnetti brings over 25 years of experience in the life science and technology markets, and his appointment is expected to drive the company's future growth and expand its reach to new customers and markets. Prior to joining ONI, Paul was Vice President of Corporate and Business Development at Illumina. ONI focuses on improving market accessibility to super-resolution microscopy. Its first product, the Nanoimager, is the world's first desktop, super-resolution, single-molecule imaging platform capable of visualising and tracking individual molecules in complex systems such as nanoparticles, living cells, and tissue with 20 nm resolution.

Durham-based Nevrargenics has appointed Dr Heather Allinson, RTTP as Chief Operations Officer and Company Secretary. Prior to joining the company, Dr Allinson was Senior Technology Transfer Manager at the Durham University, where she held various roles of increasing responsibility. Nevrargenics is developing medicines for ALS, frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.

London-based Adnovate Clinical has appointed Andrew Rankin, PhD as Chief Development Officer and Board Director. Prior to Adnovate, Andrew was Vice President, Global Development at Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc and Vice President, Global Development Strategy at Regeneron. He was the Global Clinical Development Program Leader for Development & Regulatory Approval for Relpax (migraine in adults), Revatio (Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension), Kanuma (Lysosomal Acid Lipase Disorder), Evkeeza (Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia), and Praluent(myocardial infarction, stroke, and unstable angina).

London/Hong Kong-based Prenetics Global Limited has announced the formation of a new Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) to provide strategic input and clinical expertise to help guide Prenetics’ diagnostic cancer genomics platform. The SAB includes a diverse group of highly respected experts in oncology and genomics, each with unique expertise and backgrounds in the field of precision oncology. Members of the board include Prof Tony Mok (Chairman of the Department of Clinical Oncology of Chinese University of Hong Kong, non-executive director of AstraZeneca), Prof Pasi Jänne (medical oncologist at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School), Prof Pan-Chyr Yang (President of Taiwan University), Dr Hua-Chien Chen (Co-founder and the Chief Scientific Officer of ACT Genomics), Dr Frank Ong (Chief Medical Officer for Prenetics and Interim CEO for ACT Genomics), and Dr Lawrence Tzang (Co-Founder of Prenetics).

Devra Leeves has been appointed as the new David Goldmon Visiting Professor of Innovation and Enterprise at the University of Newcastle. Leeves is currently CEO at Vertual Ltd and has over 30 year of experience in tech and pharma industry. Currently, she is the Chair at Atelerix, Audit Spectrum X, IoD-East Yorkshire, and is Non Executive Director at Cambridge Cognition PLC.

Kadans Science Partner has submitted a planning application for a new laboratory and office building at Merlin Place, Cambridge. The building has been designed to be flexible and adaptable to changing scientific requirements, with a focus on enhancing space and light. The development will provide robust lab infrastructure and a communal space for the Cambridge North Cluster, encouraging collaboration and innovation. Kadans aims to bolster its presence and facilities within the world-leading Cambridge cluster, which suffers from a chronic lack of lab space.

The Oxford Science Park has been granted planning approval for three new laboratory and office buildings. This will provide 400,000 sq ft of grow-on space for the Park's occupiers and new companies from the global life sciences sector. The development is expected to create highly skilled local jobs and boost the regional economy and the first stage is expected to completed by the end of 2024. The project will target “Excellent rating” under the construction industry's sustainability standard, with a focus on sustainable design and carbon reduction during construction.

Lancashire-based Invibio Biomaterial Solutions (part of Victrex PLC) has opened a new product development facility in Leeds. The expansion will enable Invibio to support a broader range of medical device Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEMs) to co-develop and launch innovative polyether ether ketone polymer implantable devices, whilst meeting growing manufacturing volume demands. The product development centre offers Invibio partners and customers access to specialist polymer expertise in research, product development and marketing.

Cambridge-based Source BioScience has opened a new genomics and precision medicine unit at Vision Park in Histon, Cambridge. This will strengthen its laboratory services portfolio for the life science industry. The facility will offer next-generation sequencing, Sanger sequencing, bioinformatics, and molecular genetic services. In addition, it will help the company partner with pharmaceutical, academic, and biotech organisations to achieve their research goals. The company is planning to increase its headcount and introduce new technologies.

Shanghai-based Sanyou Biopharmaceuticals is planning to expand globally and open facilities in Cambridge, UK, as part of its strategy. The Contract Research, Development, and Manufacturing (CRDMO) company has already opened operations in the greater Boston area of the US and is seeking to collaborate with the world's best biotech startups and allied ventures. The company's UK location will be based at the Cambridge Innovation Centre and will offer flexible office space and meeting facilities to promote cross-fertilization between biotech ventures and the academic excellence of Harvard and MIT.

Cambridge-headquartered AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/NASDAQ: AZN) has entered into a $63 million global exclusive license agreement with KYM Biosciences for CMG901. CMG901 is a potential first-in-class antibody drug conjugate currently in Phase 1. It targets Claudin 18.2, a protein present in tight junctions thought to be a gastric cancer target. The candidate has been designed for the treatment of solid tumours. CMG901 includes an anti-Claudin 18.2, a protease-degradable linker, and a cytotoxic small molecule monomethyl auristatin E. KYM Biosciences Inc. is a joint venture established by affiliates of Keymed Biosciences (70%) and Lepu Biopharma (30%). Under the terms of the agreement, AstraZeneca will be responsible for the research, development, manufacture, and commercialisation of CMG901 globally. The deal includes additional development and sales-related milestone payments of up to $1.1bn to KYM Biosciences as well as tiered royalties up to low double digits. This deal comes 10 months after AstraZeneca entered the gastrointestinal cancer space by paying $25 million upfront plus up to $325 million in milestones to Harbour BioMed for global rights to a CLDN18.2xCD3 bispecific antibody. Legend Biotech, Amgen, BioNTech and Astellas have developed full spectrum biologic modalities targeting Claudin18.2.

London-headquartered GSK plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) has decided to end its investment in cell and gene therapy and instead focus on genetic targets. GSK recently axed cell therapy deals with Lycell and Immatics. The company believes that genetically validated targets have a higher chance of becoming medicines and has invested in oligonucleotides as a way to target these genes. GSK has spent $170 million to collaborate with Wave Life Sciences, which offers three RNA-targeting modalities, and is pursuing patients with lower baseline hepatitis B surface antigen levels using olignucleotides as an antisense. The most promising one in the deal is WVE-006, a preclinical RNA editing therapy targeting alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, an inherited disorder that can cause lung and liver disease. GSK is also pursuing other oligonucleotide therapies for broader disease areas.

London-based OKYO Pharma (LSE/NASDAQ: OKYO) has announced OK-101 has cleared customs in the United States and is ready for use in the upcoming Phase 2 clinical trial. The trial is expected to begin in Q1 2023 and top-line data is anticipated to be released in Q4 2023. OK-101 is a is a lipid conjugated chemerin peptide agonist of the ChemR23 GPCR. It is designed as a therapy for inflammation and neuropathic pain in the eye.

Cambridge-headquartered AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/NASDAQ: AZN) is expanding its research footprint in Canada by bringing 500 highly-skilled scientific and high-tech jobs to the Greater Toronto Area. The investment will contribute to AstraZeneca's Research & Development Hub in Mississauga, which focuses on leading global clinical studies in areas including breast, lung and prostate cancer, COVID-19, and chronic kidney disease. It also includes the creation of a new Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease Development Hub, which focuses on rare disease research.

London-headquartered GSK plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) has received support from the US FDA Advisory Committee for Arexvy, GSK’s respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine candidate for adults over 60 years old. The US FDA Advisory Committee recently recommended Abrysv, Pfizer's RSV vaccine. The FDA will make a final decision on approval for both vaccines. The RSV vaccine contains a recombinant subunit prefusion RSV F glycoprotein antigen combined with GSK's proprietary AS01E adjuvant. There are currently no RSV vaccines approved anywhere in the world. GSK’s RSV older adult vaccine candidate is also under regulatory review by the European Medicines Agency, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and several other regulators, with decisions expected in 2023.

The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change has published A New National Purpose: Innovation Can Power the Future of Britain. It states UK needs a radical reshaping of the state, with a policy agenda that prioritises science and technology at its core. The report outlines the necessary reforms to achieve milestones in 10 key areas: 1) reorganising the centre of government to drive this science and technology agenda across government and public services; 2) building foundational AI-era infrastructure, including government-led development of sovereign general-purpose AI systems; 3) creating an Advanced Procurement Agency (APA) with a specialised mandate to find opportunities for public-sector innovation; 4) Incentivising pensions consolidation and encouraging growth equity by making the pension capital-gains tax exemption applicable only to funds with over £20 billion under management that allocate a minimum percentage of their funds to UK assets; 5) reforming technology transfer offices (TTOs) to encourage more university spinouts; 6) increasing public research and development (R&D) investment to make the UK a leader among comparable nations within five years, coupled with reforms to the way our institutions of science, research and innovation are funded and regulated to give more freedom and better incentives; 7) investing in new models of organising science and technology research, including greatly expanding the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA); 8) pursuing broader and fast moving planning reforms to support critical infrastructure projects; 9) mainstreaming new technologies in education; and 10) building stronger global partnerships. Enjoy the reading.

Good science must survive in challenging markets! Syncona has published a piece on the challenges faced by the biotech sector in 2022 and the potential difficulties that may arise in 2023. Chris Hollowood, Syncona CEO, believes the market will improve but it will still be a buyers' market, with investors and pharma companies remaining highly selective about the assets they choose to pursue. Partnerships and M&A will play an important role in bringing innovative treatments to patients in the coming years.

The at the time largest biotech stock market debut is now shutting fown and liquidating all its assets. What can we learnfrom Rubius Therapeutics?

LifeArc has published a piece covering the story of Robbie, a nine-year-old with a rare genetic neurodegenerative disease known as AP-4 Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia subtype SPG47. The article highlights the pioneering gene therapy research of Prof Mimoun Azzouz from the University of Sheffield, which has received funding from LifeArc's Philanthropic Fund to produce gene therapy batches under clinical grade manufacturing required to move on to clinical trials in the near future.

Trends from the Trenches Podcast has talked to Dr Andrew Hopkins (Exscientia CEO) who traces the origins of his AI-driven drug discovery company to his time working in the steel industry, where he learned about the power of commerce and industry. Hopkins recognised the pharmaceutical industry as an information industry and sought to push it toward modern computing and machine learning approaches. Exscientia has since raised $350 million in its IPO and is about to launch its fourth platform-designed drug into the clinic.

Over the last decade, only 15 cell and gene therapies have received approval in Europe. Labiotech has published a piece outlining some of the reasons underpinning the scarcity.