Don't miss out on the latest business and technology news for chemical engineers, featuring select items in relation to Food, Pharmaceuticals & Bioengineering!
Viewpoint: Don't overlook benefits of food processing
Bristol-Myers Squibb's supplemental biologics license application for Opdivo, or nivolumab, as a treatment for patients with small cell lung cancer with disease progression after two or more previous lines of therapy was accepted under FDA priority review status with an Aug. 16 PDUFA date. The application was backed by data from the Phase I/II CheckMate-032 study, in which single-agent Opdivo yielded an overall response rate of 10%, a median overall survival of 4.4 months and a one-year OS rate of 33% in 98 previously treated SCLC patients.
Starship Technologies robots are delivering on campus
Starship Technologies is launching its autonomous delivery robots to US and European college and corporate campuses. The robots use infrared and ultrasonic sensors, along with cameras, to deliver food orders.
Aurobindo bids to purchase Novartis' generics drug dermatology business
Hyderabad, India-based Aurobindo Pharma submitted an initial $1.6 billion bid to purchase Novartis' dermatology generics drug business, which includes dermatology brands plus the company's production facilities and other infrastructure.
Swedish researchers develop bone glue
Researchers at Sweden's KTH Royal Institute of Technology have developed a bone adhesive that uses a dental bonding technique to repair bone fractures and could help people with osteoporosis. Results of a study involving rat models was published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.
FDA expands indication of Pfizer's Lyrica
Pfizer's Lyrica, or pregabalin, was approved by the FDA as an adjunctive therapy for patients ages 4 years and older who have partial onset seizures. The drug was previously approved for the management of neuropathic pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy and spinal cord injury, fibromyalgia and postherpetic neuralgia.
AstraZeneca, SWIBCo to develop stem cell therapies for heart
AstraZeneca and SWIBCo, the parent company of Procella Therapeutics and catheter injection developer Smartwise, will collaborate to develop stem cell therapies to treat portions of the heart damaged by myocardial infarction. Under the terms of the deal, AstraZeneca will pay SWIBCo an upfront payment of an undisclosed amount, plus research collaboration costs, clinical development milestones of up to $320 million and commercial threshold payments if any therapies are marketed.
Takeda to acquire Shire for $62B
Takeda Pharmaceutical of Japan has agreed to purchase biotech firm Shire for $62 billion. The acquisition will boost Takeda's product development pipeline in the rare diseases, blood-derived therapies, oncology, gastroenterology and neuroscience sectors.
Various industries increase use of stronger, greener bioplastics
Greener and more durable bioplastics are increasingly being used in consumer goods, automotive and electronics, such as Electrolux refrigerators, Lego bricks and the TU/ecomotive student team's electric vehicle. However, cost, poor performance at high temperatures and a limited supply hinder the widespread use of bioplastics in food service.
Young scientist makes bioplastic from shrimp
A bioplastic produced from prawn shells and a sticky protein from silkworm silk was invented by Angelina Arora, a 15-year-old high-school student in Australia. Arora was able to produce a flexible yet strong fabric by mixing the protein with chitin from the shrimp.
Sources: Trump could consider ethanol exports in biofuel quotas
President Donald Trump might allow ethanol exports to count toward the biofuel volumes required under the Renewable Fuel Standard and has expressed his support to expanding the sale of gasoline that contains higher blends of ethanol, according to two sources. The ethanol industry criticized the export plan, arguing that Renewable Identification Numbers are intended to be for domestic use.
Biochemist talks about CRISPR gene-editing technology
Biochemist Jennifer Doudna, who pioneered the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology, details how she started her career in biotechnology, which "began as a very small scale project in my lab," she said. Doudna also stressed that biochemists involved in gene-editing technology should apply responsible stewardship, adding that she learned that "we needed to engage with other people to discuss and try to ensure the responsible use of this work."
Immunotherapy being tested on human, canine brain cancer
M032, an oncolytic herpes simplex virus being tested on adult and pediatric brain tumors, will also be tested on canine brain tumors in a multiuniversity study. "Brain tumors in dogs and humans are remarkably similar ... [and] it is not unreasonable to assume that the dog will be a highly useful model of human brain tumors," said veterinarian Renee Chambers, a neurosurgeon and professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Could biotech be the next trend in the flavor category?
As supply constraints and pricing issues continue to affect flavor producers, biotech-based products could create solutions, said Andreas Fibig, CEO of flavor producer IFF. "I hope that through the angle of sustainability we will come to the stage when people will come to realize that some of the biotech solutions are more sustainable," he said.
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