newsdigest
February
In this section, biotechnologie.de has summarised a number of recent and relevant biotech news from the past month:
Green biobank in Freiburg puts mosses on ice +++ German-American regenerative medicine initiative launched +++ Qiagen developing cancer biomarkers +++ Targeted weapon in the battle against atherosclerosis +++ Swiss biotech company invests 20 million euros in Heidelberg
Green biobank in Freiburg puts mosses on ice
A unique repository for moss varieties has been established at the University of Freiburg.
Mutants of the Bryophyta moss Physcomitrella patens manufactured in locations worldwide will be collected and stored in nitrogen tanks at the site. The mosses in the planned “International Moss Stock Centre” (IMSC) in Freiburg will available for the requirements of the international research community. Safe long-term storage of living materials such as cells or whole organisms, and the worldwide exchange of these materials between research groups, is an increasingly important issue in the life sciences. To be able to independently verify published experiments, other researchers depend on being able to examine the exact same living materials in their own laboratories. To promote this free exchange, ever more journals are demanding that cell lines and organisms described in publications are stored – in living form – in an international resource centre. The moss Physcomitrella patens is hugely popular as model organism among plant researchers. Two years ago in an international consortium, Freiburg-based scientists headed by biotechnologist Ralf Reski decoded the complete genome of the moss, and more recently discovered a new gene regulation mechanism. Meanwhile Physcomitrella patens is used around the world as a model system for systems biology as well as synthetic biology. For over ten years, Reski and his staff have been developing a procedure in cooperation with BASF AG for the permanent storage of genetically modified mosses. The plants are placed in suspended animation using liquid nitrogen. “We now have long experience with our own developed method of moss cryopreservation. Even after over ten years of storage, we can thaw out the frozen samples and bring them back to life,” says Reski. There have been no failures in the process to date. Mosses play an increasingly important role in biotechnology as producers of complex biopharmaceuticals, says the researcher: “Through cooperation with a variety of companies, we understand their special requirements. Thus, the IMSC also offers professional storage of commercially important moss lines, such as Master Cell Banks, for example.” The IMSC is financially supported not only by Reski’s Chair for Plant Biotechnology, but also by the Freiburg Centre for Biological Signaling Studies (BIOSS).
German-American regenerative medicine initiative launched
Germany and the US have signed an agreement for an in-depth scientific and technical cooperation that will focus on regenerative medicine, among other areas. Annette Schavan signed a corresponding framework agreement in Washington on 18 February, alongside Germany's ambassador to the United States, Klaus Scharioth, and the Deputy Secretary of State, James B. Steinberg. The agreement will form the basis of new projects aimed at developing innovative ways of establishing joint norms and standards. The private sector will be involved in this process in order to improve the competitive position of participating companies as well as their market access in the United States. One of the key topics is Health Research, which also takes in regenerative medicine. To this end, the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) has launched a funding initiative aimed at promoting joint collaborative projects in regenerative medicine between German and US teams. The aim of the collaboration will be to further develop methods and procedures, and to scientifically evaluate these and thus better address the therapeutic potential of these novel methods of treatment. A ‘memorandum of understanding’ with the Californian Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the world's largest funding body for stem cell research, has been in place since October 2009. This enables German researchers or research institutions to participate in bidding invitations from the CIRM in the context of US-German cooperation. Four bidding invitations are planned for this year for a variety of topics. The first is currently underway; preliminary sketches must be submitted by 18 March. It will also be possible for American researchers and research institutions to participate in German publications in the framework of German-American cooperation. Thereby, the BMBF supports only the German contribution within a partnership. Eligible to apply are small and medium-sized businesses, clinics specialising in regenerative therapies, and research institutions receiving joint basic funding from federal and state governments. Further US partners are being lined up in addition to the CIRM.
Qiagen developing cancer biomarkers
The North Rhine-Westphalia-based biotechnology company Qiagen has been commissioned by the US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer to develop a test for a specific type of brain tumor. As Qiagen announced on 4 February, the biomarkers are set to be used in combination with a vaccine against glioblastoma, currently being developed by Pfizer. Pfizer acquired the rights from Celldex Therapeutics for the vaccine PF-04948568 for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) immunotherapy in April 2008. The substance is being tested in a phase II clinical trial for the treatment of newly diagnosed GBM. With 25,000 new cases every year, GBM is the most common kind of malignant primary brain tumour in adults. PF-04948568 is based on a small protein that closely governs a glioblastoma-mutated variant of a receptor on the surface of nerve cells. By docking to the receptor, the vaccine marks the nerve cells for the immune system. However, the receptor mutates in only 25 to 40 percent of GBM cases, meaning that treatment is not always meaningful. With the diagnostic test, currently being developed by DxS in Manchester, England, patients eligible for the immunotherapy will be able to be identified in advance. Qiagen acquired DxS in September 2009. The RNA of the mutated receptors is detected in tumor tissue using real-time PCR technology. Qiagen has its official seat in Venlo in Holland. However, most employees are based in Hilden, North Rhine-Westphalia. Market watchers see the cooperation as further confirmation that the company has mastered the transformation from laboratory supplier to developer of molecular diagnostics.
Targeted weapon in the battle against atherosclerosis
In experiments on mice, scientists from Aachen University have discovered a means of early-stage diagnosis and targeted treatment for atherosclerosis, ahardening of the arteries. Esther Lutgens from the Institute for Molecular Cardiovascular Research at the Rheinisch-Westfälische Technical University Aachen discovered a molecule in the human immune system some years ago that may serve as a key to a successful treatment of atherosclerosis. If this CD40L molecule is inhibited, it not only suppresses the growth of plaques that form on the inner wall of the arteries, but the inflammation that causes pieces of the plaque to break off and close off the arteries during infarction is also suppressed. Suppressing the formation of the molecule is not the solution for the researchers, however. This is because the molecule is vital for the body’s immune defences. Therefore, Lutgens is searching for a means of preventing the molecule from reinforcing plaque formation and inflammation that does not interfere in its role in the immune system. In the Journal of Experimental Medicine (online, 25 January 2010), the researcher has now reported on a discovery that could indeed enable this delicate balancing act. As she was able to determine following studies on blood vessels in humans and in genetically altered mice, there is a signal that enables the molecule CD40L to allow the growth and break-up of plaque. This transmission signal is the receptor adapter protein known as TRAF6.The detection of the CD40-TRAF6 axis in blood serum could provide early signs of vascular disease. Lutgens is hoping to develop not only a biomarker, but also a therapy. The ideal solution would be a drug that suppresses the CD40-TRAF6 axis, whilst fully retaining the important immune function of the CD40 molecule. Lutgens is hopeful. “We are extremely confident that in the coming years our research will result in a drug on the market for the treatment of atherosclerosis,” said the scientist.
Swiss biotech company invests 20 million euros in Heidelberg
The Swiss biotechnology group Octapharma will be relocating its biopharmaceutical subsidiary from Munich to Heidelberg. Octapharma Biopharmaceuticals GmbH is investing a total of 20 million euros in new buildings at the new location in the Heidelberg Technology Park. Marguerre Wolfgang, Chairman of the Octapharma Group, said the move had been made as a result of the greater commitment of the authorities in the Neckar region. “In contrast to Munich, Heidelberg was able to offer us a location that exactly met our expectations. The proximity to the university, the exchange with other research companies and institutions, and not least the excellent cooperation with the city of Heidelberg were decisive for us.” Biopharmaceuticals Octapharma is specialised in the development of human proteins derived from genetically modified cells. The most advanced of these is a product for haemophilia, a bleeding disorder. A genetically engineered clotting factor VIII based on human cells will shortly enter clinical phase II trials, according to Octapharma. The company will use the entire fourth construction stage at the Heidelberg Technology Park, which covers a total of 4,500 square meters. A first construction phase, scheduled for completion in autumn 2011, will create space for about 70 employees for the move from Munich, many of which will be newly recruited. A second construction phase, to be completed in 2012, will increase the total floor space to 5,500 square meters. The mayor of Heidelberg Eckart Würzner declared his delight at the development: “I am very pleased with the investment from Octapharma – it shows that Heidelberg can provide the optimal conditions for companies in science and the life sciences. The attractive location factors of our technology park also allow us to compete on an international level.”
