GBReport - December 2024
Global Biotech Revolution
Inspiring and Developing future leaders in biotech & healthcare Join us: https://shorturl.at/Gjh0M
❗️News From the GBR Team - VoT Comes to an End!
🚨 Biotechnology News
💸 US Biotech IPOs
📈 Tech Trends
💡 Did You Know?
📕 Learning About GLP-1 Current and Future State
🙌 Tips for Entrepreneurs
🔬 What is it like to be a Health Copywriter?
❗️News From the GBR Team - VoT comes to an end (Sponsored by BeiGene)
2 months - 30 masterclasses - 106 participants - 14 winners
The Voices of Tomorrow (VoT) is an online global bio-innovation competition that aims to inspire, empower, and develop the next generation of bioentrepreneurs and business decision-makers.
I have gained invaluable experience about the venture world by taking part in the Venture Capital Track of the VOT competition held by GBR. The mentor assigned to us was very helpful in facilitating our team discussions and preparing our investment thesis. - Keshav Todi, VoT VC Track
The initiative is designed to offer practical experience and hands-on training at the intersection of science and business, allowing participants to emerge with the entrepreneurial and problem-solving skills to make a real-world impact in the biotech industry.
Divided into 3 learning tracks (Entrepreneurship, Consulting and Venture Capital), participants have worked in teams to solve selected case studies provided by our partners. They were also provided masterclasses (such as talks about medical affairs, investments, AI in Biotech, or Consulting basis) led by industry leaders and mentoring sessions.
Being part of the VoT consulting track was an immensely enriching experience. The masterclasses delivered by experts from the healthcare and consulting industries offered invaluable insights, covering everything from market research techniques to the transformative role of AI in healthcare. Beyond the knowledge gained, I was grateful for the networking opportunities that allowed me to connect with like-minded peers and industry professionals. Working with my team and our mentor to tackle a complex case was a challenging yet rewarding journey. Overall, VoT provided a fantastic platform to grow both personally and professionally. - Donald Ting Heng Rong, VoT Consulting Track
🚨 News
Promising CART-Cell Therapy for Pediatric Diffuse Midline Gliomas
From the 13 participants enrolled, the 11 that received intravenous GD2-CART infusion had an average age of 15 and H3K27M mutation in either DIPG or sDMG.
4 displayed a reduction in the tumour size by half, and one displayed a completely disappearance of the tumour. 9 of the 11 showed reduced tumour size and neurological functional benefits. These 9 had received additional doses of CART cells.
Now, the therapy has been given the regenerative medicine advanced therapy designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The findings were published in Nature on November 13th.
Treating Type-1 Diabetes With Stem Cells
Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease where immune cells attack their own beta cells, as they recognize them as foreign.
The current treatment consists of insulin injections, however, novel options are being developed. In 2023, the islet transplantation was approved by the FDA.
With embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells, scientists can grow islets in the lab with functional insulin-producing cells, and then transplant them into the person with diabetes.
This has already been tested in a woman who received the reprogrammed cells and started producing insulin in less than 3 months.
💸 US Biotech IPOs
The Biotech IPO market had its peak in 2021, when more than 100 biotechs raised almost $15B in total.
However, in 2022 the frenzy stopped. Stock prices of the newly public companies dropped significantly in accordance with the broader industry decline. The number of IPOs slowed down, and last year, only 19 drug companies went public.
In 2024, the biotech US IPO market has seen some uplifts. With the expectation of the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates in Q1, the investments were more appealing. However, when it became clear that the US Fed had no immediate plans to lower interest rates, activity came to a standstill—at least until September.
📈 Tech Trends
CAR T-Cell Therapy
T cells are collected from a patient’s blood. In the laboratory, these cells are genetically modified by inserting a Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) gene, which produces a protein expressed on the cell membrane. This protein enables the modified T cells to recognize specific proteins or antigens on the surface of cancer cells. The CAR T cells are then expanded in vitro and administered back to the patient intravenously.
Recommended by LinkedIn
T-Cell Receptor (TCR) Therapy
TCR therapy is an innovative cancer immunotherapy that utilizes a patient's T cells to attack cancer. The process involves modifying T cells to display specialized T-cell receptors (TCRs) capable of identifying and binding to tumor-specific antigens presented by cancer cells.
Differently from CART cells that target antigens in the cell surface, TCR can detect intracellular proteins that are processed and presented via a major histocompatibility complex (MHC).
This therapy is mainly used as an immunotherapy against cancer.
💡 Did You Know...
📕 Learning About...
The Story of GLP-1 - Insights from Lotte Bjerre Knudsen
Earlier this Autumn, we were honored to host Lotte Bjerre Knudsen, Chief Scientific Advisor at Novo Nordisk, for a thought-provoking discussion on the groundbreaking GLP-1 class of drugs. As a co-inventor of liraglutide and a leader in biology research programs for semaglutide, Lotte shared her journey in developing therapies that have revolutionized treatment for diabetes and obesity.
The event explored the transformative potential of GLP-1 agonists beyond their initial indications, with emerging applications in cardiovascular health, kidney disease, and even Alzheimer’s.
Lotte also reflected on the evolving landscape of gender and diversity in STEM, sharing her experiences as a young inventor in the 1990s. She highlighted significant progress in areas like parental rights and workplace inclusivity, noting a shift in how women are perceived—from being labeled "passionate" to being recognized as ambitious and driven professionals.
This event offered a rare glimpse into the mind of a pioneering scientist, blending technical insights with personal reflections.
Walther Traberg, PhD, Novo Nordisk Consulting - GBR Ambassador
Next Steps in GLP-1 Treatment - From Obesity and Diabetes to Heart
With the high success of GLP-1 for weight loss, pharmaceutical companies are in a frenzy to further develop this line of drugs. This has opened up two main avenues of research and development.
On one hand, companies are allocating resources to research new targets that are even more effective than GLP-1 alone. This includes the development of combination therapies, such as tirzepatide, which incorporates both GLP-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) in a single molecule, and can potentially have superior effects on glucose lowering and weight loss. Regarding administration methods, researchers are exploring alternatives to injections. An oral alternative of GLP-1 is now available, and a novel hydrogel formulation is being developed that may allow for dosing once every four months.
On the other hand, new indications for GLP-1-based therapies are being researched. Studies have shown that these drugs reduce the incidence of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events and can delay the progression of kidney disease in individuals with Type 2 diabetes. Clinical trials are even underway for the use of these drugs in patients with neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and addiction.
While these findings are promising, the use of these drugs for new indications still requires further research.
🙌 Tips For Entrepreneurs
Spin Outs
🔬 Being a Health Copywriter With...
What is a Health Copywriter’s Role?
The role consists of the creation of campaigns for new product launches, digital strategy for customer acquisition and retention, and health content creation for various media channels, consumer insights research, direct response marketing.
Stay updated on both marketing and innovations in the supplement industry. Aim to attend trade shows and engage in genuine networking, as the best opportunities often come through referrals.
What Does the Progression Look Like?
Start by offering services, even for free, to a website or company to gain experience. Meanwhile, take courses in copywriting, marketing, and CRM to gain knowledge. Build a portfolio and share it with your network. Typically, you start as a junior copywriter, become a mid-level after 2 years, and progress to senior and coordinator roles.
Global Biotech Revolution aims to inspire future leaders, build communities and develop young talent in biotech and healthcare.
Do you want to be highlighted in the next GBReport? Contact us on Linkedin!
Great to read about all the voluntary work and successes of the Global Biotech Revolution team
Senior Health Copywriter • Digital Strategist • Biotechnologist
1moHappy to collaborate with this amazing newsletter 😁