< Back 23rd – 26th June, 2024 Edinburgh, Scotland ESACT 2024 The 28th edition of the annual European Society for Animal Cell Technology Meeting takes place in Edinburgh this year. Previous Register now Next

$8B acquisition brings late-stage bispecific antibody petosemtamab into Genmab’s pipeline, accelerating shift to a wholly owned model with potential blockbuster launches by 2027. < Back Genmab to Acquire Merus in $8B Deal, Adding Breakthrough Oncology Asset to Late-Stage Pipeline $8B acquisition brings late-stage bispecific antibody petosemtamab into Genmab’s pipeline, accelerating shift to a wholly owned model with potential blockbuster launches by 2027. Genmab A/S (Nasdaq: GMAB) has announced plans to acquire Merus N.V. (Nasdaq: MRUS) in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $8.0 billion, marking a major step in Genmab’s evolution toward a fully owned, late-stage pipeline model. Under the agreement, Genmab will acquire all outstanding shares of Merus for $97.00 per share, a 41% premium over Merus’ September 26 closing price. The deal, unanimously approved by both companies’ boards, is expected to close in early Q1 2026 pending customary conditions, including a minimum 80% tender of shares. Strategic fit: strengthening Genmab’s late-stage pipeline The acquisition brings Merus’ petosemtamab, an EGFRxLGR5 bispecific antibody currently in Phase 3 trials for head and neck cancer, into Genmab’s portfolio. The asset has already received two Breakthrough Therapy Designations from the FDA and showed promising Phase 2 data at ASCO 2025, with both response rates and median progression-free survival outperforming standard of care. Genmab expects petosemtamab to launch as early as 2027, subject to trial outcomes and regulatory approvals, with blockbuster potential and a forecast of at least $1 billion in annual sales by 2029. The company also plans to expand development into earlier lines of therapy and additional indications. “This acquisition clearly aligns with our long-term strategy,” said Jan van de Winkel, Ph.D., President and CEO of Genmab. “Petosemtamab has the potential to be a transformational therapy for patients living with head and neck cancer. With our proven track record in clinical development and commercialization, we are confident we can unlock its promise while accelerating Genmab’s evolution into a global biotechnology leader.” Bill Lundberg, M.D., President and CEO of Merus, added: “Genmab has the right vision and experience to advance petosemtamab in recurrent and metastatic head and neck cancer and beyond. I’m proud of the Merus team for pioneering our Multiclonics® platform and advancing a product candidate with the potential to make a real difference for patients.” Financial details and outlook The acquisition will be funded through a mix of cash on hand and approximately $5.5 billion in non-convertible debt financing underwritten by Morgan Stanley. Genmab expects the transaction to be EBITDA accretive by 2029, while maintaining its target to deleverage to under 3x gross leverage within two years of closing. The transaction does not affect Genmab’s FY2025 guidance, with an updated 2026 outlook to be shared alongside year-end results in February 2026. Industry impact The deal underscores a broader industry trend of biopharma companies seeking to consolidate late-stage oncology assets with strong commercial potential. For Genmab, best known for its antibody expertise and collaborative business model, the acquisition of Merus signals a decisive pivot toward a wholly owned portfolio, with four proprietary programs on track to support multiple launches by 2027. Author BioFocus Newsroom Previous Next

< Back LIVX 2026 8th – 10th December, 2026 Dubai, UAE Hosting the most powerful global ecosystem for longevity, biotech, and investment. ! Widget Didn’t Load Check your internet and refresh this page. If that doesn’t work, contact us. Previous Next

< Back 19th – 12th August, 2024 Boston, MA Bioprocessing Summit The summit bring's together thought leaders and pioneers in bioprocess R&D, scale-up, quality, and analytics. Explore cutting-edge research, exchange insights with industry experts, and chart the course for advancements that will shape the future of bioprocessing. Previous Register now Next

Aiming to Redefine the Data Foundations of AI-Driven Drug Discovery, the landmark initiative partners with Anthropic, Ultima Genomics, PacBio and NVIDIA to generate and model biological data at an unprecedented scale. < Back Basecamp Research Launches the Trillion Gene Atlas Aiming to Redefine the Data Foundations of AI-Driven Drug Discovery, the landmark initiative partners with Anthropic, Ultima Genomics, PacBio and NVIDIA to generate and model biological data at an unprecedented scale. Basecamp Research has announced the launch of the Trillion Gene Atlas, an ambitious global initiative designed to address one of the central bottlenecks in AI-enabled drug discovery: the scarcity and narrow scope of biological training data. Introduced this week at SXSW in Austin and NVIDIA GTC in San Jose, the Atlas aims to expand known evolutionary genetic diversity by 100-fold, collecting genomic data from more than 100 million species across thousands of global sites. The scale of the project places it among the most significant biological data-generation efforts since the Human Genome Project. By combining large-scale sequencing partnerships with next-generation compute infrastructure, Basecamp plans to condense what would traditionally require decades of data collection and analysis into less than two years. Addressing a Structural Data Bottleneck in AI Drug Development Although recent advances in model architectures and compute have pushed the boundaries of biological AI, progress is increasingly constrained by the limited diversity of publicly available datasets. Nearly all current sequence-based foundation models are trained on variations of the same underlying repositories, many of which contain fewer than 250 million sequences drawn from a narrow fraction of Earth’s biodiversity. “The Trillion Gene Atlas expands the genetic landscape available for model training by orders of magnitude,” said Glen Gowers, Co-founder and CEO of Basecamp Research. “This level of diversity unlocks modelling behaviours that simply aren’t possible with today’s datasets.” The Atlas builds on the company’s EDEN foundation models, released earlier this year, which were trained exclusively on BaseData™, Basecamp’s proprietary genomic database. Already more than ten times larger than all public resources combined, BaseData has provided EDEN with access to richer evolutionary context than any existing model. Early validation work has demonstrated: Zero-shot functional activity in primary human T-cells Programmable gene insertion (aiPGI) enabling targeted gene restoration AI-designed antimicrobial peptides with a 97% hit rate against priority pathogens Therapeutic candidate generation directly from a disease prompt These results revealed new scaling behaviours: as biologically diverse training data increases, model capability accelerates sharply, outpacing improvements achievable through model size alone. “EDEN showed that biological AI scales differently from language or images,” said Phil Lorenz, CTO of Basecamp Research. “High-quality, context-rich data is the key enabler. The Trillion Gene Atlas pushes this principle to an entirely new level.” A Global Biodiversity Network Built for Industrial-Scale Discovery The Atlas is supported by a network of scientific collaborators across 31 countries, developed by Basecamp over the past six years. This infrastructure enables high-quality genomic data collection from remote and biodiverse ecosystems that remain largely absent from public datasets. The company employs a combination of: Off-grid sequencing technologies Specialised regulatory frameworks to ensure compliance with emerging Digital Sequence Information (DSI) requirements Access and Benefit-Sharing agreements that support local research and capacity building As part of the launch, Basecamp announced new partnerships in Chile, Argentina, and an expanded programme in Antarctica, marking one of the most geographically comprehensive biodiversity sampling networks in existence. This model ensures that benefits, technological, scientific, and economic, flow back to partner regions, while enabling responsible and large-scale genomic discovery. Industrial Sequencing Meets Accelerated Compute The feasibility of the Trillion Gene Atlas rests on parallel advances in sequencing throughput and AI-accelerated compute. Ultima Genomics: Ultra-High-Throughput Short-Read Sequencing Ultima’s UG200 Series platform provides the scale and economics required for trillion-gene-level initiatives. “Biology has long been constrained by a lack of data at scale,” said Gilad Almogy, Founder and CEO of Ultima Genomics. “Our platform was designed specifically to enable projects of this magnitude.” PacBio: High-Accuracy Long Reads for Full Genomic Context PacBio’s HiFi sequencing will contribute high-accuracy long-read data capable of resolving strain-level variation in complex samples. “HiFi data provides a robust foundation for biological AI models to learn from nature with the necessary fidelity,” said Christian Henry, PacBio’s President and CEO. NVIDIA: Accelerating Petabase-Scale Genetic Processing On the compute side, NVIDIA’s accelerated infrastructure, including Parabricks and CUDA-X libraries, will reduce genome assembly and annotation timelines from decades to months. Tasks that previously required 20 years of compute are expected to be completed in under two years, enabling continuous model training on the expanding dataset. Toward an End-to-End AI Therapeutic Design Engine Anthropic joins the initiative as part of its broader effort to integrate Claude into scientific workflows. By connecting Claude’s reasoning capabilities with EDEN’s generative biology engine and NVIDIA’s accelerated processing, the partners aim to create an integrated system capable of: Interpreting complex biological and clinical datasets Identifying therapeutic hypotheses Designing candidate therapeutics across multiple modalities The ultimate aim is a seamless, agentic workflow, from interpreting disease data to proposing validated molecular interventions. A New Foundation for AI-Enabled Drug Discovery The Trillion Gene Atlas sits at the intersection of three large-scale capabilities: global data collection, advanced sequencing, and accelerated model training. Together, these elements form a foundation for biological AI systems that learn directly from the full breadth of life on Earth, rather than the limited genetic subsets available today. If successful, the initiative has the potential to reshape early drug discovery, making therapeutic design faster, more systematic and more predictable, across gene therapy, immunology, infectious disease and beyond. By expanding the evolutionary information available to AI by another 100-fold, Basecamp Research is positioning the Trillion Gene Atlas as a new reference point for the next decade of programmable biology. Author BioFocus Newsroom Previous Next

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$3 billion deal: Merck has announced the acquisition of Eyebio, a cutting-edge biotechnology company specializing in innovative treatments for eye diseases. < Back Merck Group’s Strategic Acquisition of Eyebio Enhances Ophthalmology Portfolio $3 billion deal: Merck has announced the acquisition of Eyebio, a cutting-edge biotechnology company specializing in innovative treatments for eye diseases. Merck has announced the acquisition of Eyebio , a cutting-edge biotechnology company specializing in innovative treatments for eye diseases. This acquisition aligns with Merck's broader vision of expanding its therapeutic offerings and addressing unmet medical needs in the ophthalmic arena. Eyebio has garnered attention for its groundbreaking research and development in ocular therapies, particularly in areas such as retinal diseases and ocular surface conditions. The company's pipeline includes several promising candidates that target prevalent and debilitating eye disorders, positioning Eyebio as a leader in the ophthalmology biotech space. By acquiring Eyebio, Merck aims to integrate these advanced therapies into its existing portfolio, enhancing its capabilities to deliver novel treatments to patients suffering from vision-threatening conditions. The deal underscores Merck's commitment to innovation and its strategic focus on expanding its specialty care segment. Eyebio is backed by Kate Bingham, UK venture capitalist who was appointed chair of the UK Vaccine Taskforce back in 2020 during the COVID pandemic. Bingham and Eyebio CEO, David Guyer, predict that Eyebio’s lead drug (Restoret—currently in early-stage trials) could revolutionise treatment of the world’s primary forms of blindness. “This agreement reflects the hard work of the talented EyeBio team, led by Dr. Guyer, who through this agreement have placed Restoret on a defined development path to patients” - Kate Bingham. “As a subsidiary of MSD, EyeBio will be positioned to tap into the resources and infrastructure needed to support the clinical, regulatory and commercial development of these candidates and help bring them to patients worldwide” - Dr. Guyer. The acquisition is expected to provide a robust boost to Merck's R&D pipeline, bringing in Eyebio's advanced technologies and expertise. This strategic integration aims to leverage Merck's global infrastructure and commercial capabilities, expediting the delivery of Eyebiotech's innovative treatments to the market. With the deal being valued at up to $3 billion USD, the move is a significant step towards reinforcing Merck's leadership in the ophthalmology field. Industry analysts anticipate that this acquisition will drive substantial growth for Merck, given the increasing demand for effective eye disease treatments in an ageing global population. Author BioFocus Newsroom Previous Next

< Back 15th – 17th October, 2024 Toronto, Canada The MedTech Conference The MedTech Conference in Toronto, Canada, October 15-17, 2024, will help you look ahead and create new possibilities. Featuring world-class speakers, a cross-cutting educational program, invaluable networking and next-level technology, this forum for transformational ideas is a can’t-miss event for the industry’s prominent and most promising companies. Previous Register now Next

< Back Metabolomics and Markers: Insights into Biological Ageing Study unveils a network of metabolic markers associated with rapid and healthy ageing. Assessing biological age, much more so than chronological age, holds immense significance for understanding healthspan and developing targeted interventions. Several studies have explored aging indicators using "omics" data and recent metabolomic analyses have offered novel insights into age-related diseases and longevity. However, many studies are limited in scope, either by the number of metabolites profiled or by their reliance on chronological age. One such study utilising this metabolomic approach to determining biological age was recently conducted by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh. Looking to distinguish chronological aging from biological age, this study, in a first for the field according to the authors, used a cohort that had a negative correlation between biological and chronological aging, thereby allowing for the isolation of metabolic changes that likely occur during biological aging. Remarkably, the study identified a panel of 25 metabolites, termed the HAM index, that robustly predicted healthy biological aging. Importantly, this predictive power remained unaffected by demographic and lifestyle factors such as gender, race, and smoking status. Among the key findings, acylcarnitines emerged as pivotal players in regulating lipid metabolism, with distinct patterns observed between rapid agers and healthy agers. Elevated levels of acylcarnitines associated with β-oxidation were characteristic of healthy agers, while rapid agers exhibited heightened levels of dicarboxylic fatty acids (DCAs), indicating increased ω-oxidation. The balance between these pathways may significantly influence biological age, with potential implications for healthspan and longevity. Further analysis revealed specific metabolites, such as eicosenoylcarnitine and β-cryptoxanthin, as potential markers of healthy aging. Eicosenoylcarnitine, in particular, demonstrated a strong discriminatory power between healthy and rapid agers, suggesting its potential as a biomarker for assessing biological age. Similarly, β-cryptoxanthin, a carotenoid found in fruits and vegetables, showed associations with reduced risk of age-related diseases, highlighting its role in promoting healthy aging. Additionally, the study shed light on the influence of gender on aging, with distinct metabolic signatures observed between male and female healthy agers. Notably, very long-chain acylcarnitines were elevated in female healthy agers, indicating active peroxisomal activity associated with increased longevity. Conversely, male healthy agers exhibited higher levels of degraded products of oxidized proteins, suggesting efficient degradation and removal of accumulated oxidative damage. Exploration of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors uncovered potential indicators of rapid biological aging, with elevated levels of CCL-2/MCP-1 and cystatin C observed in rapid agers. The strong association between these factors and age-related pathologies underscores their potential as biomarkers for assessing biological age. While the study offers valuable insights into biological aging, it also acknowledges certain limitations, including sample size constraints and potential confounding factors such as the intestinal microbiome and dietary influences. Future research endeavors will undoubtedly build upon these findings, expanding our understanding of the intricate mechanisms underlying aging and paving the way for targeted interventions to promote healthy aging. In conclusion, this study unveiled a distinct network of metabolites and inflammatory markers associated with rapid and healthy aging. Moving forward, leveraging this knowledge to develop multifaceted interventions targeting metabolic processes holds promise for enhancing the healthy lifespan of the aging population. Author BioFocus Newsroom Previous Next

Cambridge biotech’s Activace™ platform offers a scalable, DNA-preserving method to unlock cancer biomarkers from liquid biopsies < Back Tagomics Breakthrough Study Showcases New Epigenomic Profiling Technology in Cell Reports Methods Cambridge biotech’s Activace™ platform offers a scalable, DNA-preserving method to unlock cancer biomarkers from liquid biopsies Cambridge-based biomarker discovery company Tagomics Ltd. has unveiled a groundbreaking study that could reshape the way scientists study the human epigenome and advance liquid biopsy diagnostics. Published this week in Cell Reports Methods , the peer-reviewed paper highlights the company’s Active-Seq technology, the foundation of its proprietary Activace™ platform, which enables genome-wide profiling of unmethylated DNA with unprecedented precision. The research, titled “Genome-wide profiling of unmodified DNA using methyltransferase-directed tagging and enrichment” , builds on work from the University of Birmingham. It demonstrates how Tagomics’ enzymatic approach to epigenomic profiling can identify biomarkers linked to cancer and other diseases by targeting unmethylated DNA regions, critical signals often missed by current technologies. Traditional methods for measuring DNA methylation, the chemical modifications that regulate gene activity, have long been a challenge in liquid biopsy applications, where only trace amounts of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) are available. Active-Seq sidesteps these limitations with a conversion-free workflow that preserves the DNA sequence and works with inputs as low as one nanogram. Integrated into the streamlined Activace platform, this approach allows for scalable, high-resolution analysis across large patient cohorts. In their colorectal cancer study, Tagomics scientists used Active-Seq to detect thousands of abnormally methylated genomic regions, both hyper- and hypomethylated, in tumour-derived samples. These signals, strongly associated with cancer biology, could enable earlier detection and improved characterisation of disease through non-invasive blood testing. The study also points to the potential of this technology to trace the tissue of origin of cfDNA, a key hurdle in liquid biopsy diagnostics. Dr. Robert Neely, Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of Tagomics, called the publication a “major milestone” for the company: “We show that our platform enables the sensitive detection of unmethylated genomic regions, which are key markers for DNA tissue of origin,” Neely said. “This paper highlights the insights our approach can deliver into the biology of cell-free DNA, and we’re excited about the opportunities it opens up for cancer diagnostics and patient safety monitoring.” With Activace positioned as a scalable solution for biomarker discovery, Tagomics is aiming to push the boundaries of epigenomic research and accelerate the development of liquid biopsy diagnostics for oncology and beyond. Author BioFocus Newsroom Previous Next

Collaboration leverages AI-driven predictive modeling to cut AAV stable cell line development timelines by up to 70%, reducing cost and accelerating path to clinic. < Back Cytiva and WhiteLab Genomics Partner to Accelerate AI-Driven Stable Cell Line Development for AAV Collaboration leverages AI-driven predictive modeling to cut AAV stable cell line development timelines by up to 70%, reducing cost and accelerating path to clinic. Stable cell line development has long been a bottleneck in AAV-based genomic medicine manufacturing. A new collaboration between Cytiva and WhiteLab Genomics aims to change that, using artificial intelligence to cut development timelines and costs by as much as 70%. WhiteLab Genomics will apply its proprietary AI-driven predictive modeling platform to improve stable cell line clone selection through in silico simulations, enabling faster and more reliable outcomes. Coupled with Cytiva’s established expertise in AAV production platforms, the collaboration is designed to help drug developers move candidates into the clinic and toward commercialization more efficiently. “Through the integration of AI-driven predictive modeling into AAV development workflows, we aim to reduce development timelines and associated costs by up to 70%,” said David Del Bourgo, CEO and Co-Founder of WhiteLab Genomics. “That efficiency is critical as the industry pushes toward more scalable, commercially viable genomic therapies.” According to Cytiva, the approach will not only save time and cost but also help manufacturers meet regulatory expectations around consistency and scalability. “Genomic medicines will be critical to address some of the world’s greatest health challenges,” said Emmanuel Abate, President of Genomic Medicine at Cytiva. “By combining Cytiva’s experience with WhiteLab’s technology, we intend to help manufacturers reach clinical and regulatory milestones faster, ultimately benefiting patients worldwide.” With mounting pressure across the industry to shorten time to IND and accelerate commercialization, the partnership highlights the increasing role of AI in optimizing advanced therapy workflows. Author BioFocus Newsroom Previous Next

Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman accept the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. < Back The Science Behind the 2023 Nobel Prize for Medicine Winners Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman accept the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Sitting in a tiny office at the University of Pennsylvania (UoP) after years of refused grants, luckless research, and threats of demotion, it would be fair to say that Katalin Karikó never thought she would be accepting the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, the most prestigious award a scientist can be granted, only a decade later. Along with fellow UoP researcher and long-time collaborator, Drew Weissman, what began as a shared interest in spurring on inoculative medicine soon blossomed into a technology that would help immunise the world against COVID-19. Their work in modifying mRNA enabled effective COVID-19 vaccines to be developed at a critical speed, averting millions of deaths and transforming vaccine technology for the better. Not everything was smooth sailing, however. It would be difficult to forget the wave of anti-vaccine scepticism that took hold during the pandemic. Attitudes typically associated with conspiracy theorists were parroted by news stations, opinion pieces, and that one relative on social media posting about how they ‘just don’t trust it’. The movement was fuelled in part by the impressive speed with which the technology was developed—after all, don’t vaccines usually take years to create? How on earth did they put this one together so quickly, when the pandemic had the world brought virtually to a standstill? The COVID-19 vaccine was by no means made from scratch. Rather, the mRNA technology that Karikó and Weissman pioneered was decades old. The two began studying together in the early 1990s, focussing on in vitro synthetic mRNA technology and, in particular, a paper published in 2005 . Though eventually recognised as a seminal achievement, the paper first received little attention, only being picked up by a then-obscure journal called Immunity . Within it lay a monumental discovery: incorporating modified nucleosides into messenger RNA dramatically abates the activation of toll-like receptors in dendritic cells. Cytokine levels produced in the inflammatory immune response are remarkably lower or completely eliminated, and the path for future designs of therapeutic RNAs was suddenly much clearer. In other words: changing the building blocks of mRNA and delivering it into the body produces an immune response that is not harmful to the recipient, but can train the immune system to recognise future infections. So, how did we change the building blocks of the building blocks of life, to create the COVID-19 vaccine? The focal point of this experiment is messenger RNA— which is a variant of ribonucleic acid, a single-stranded molecule present in most living cells that is essential for nearly all biological functions. The main role of mRNA is, at its simplest, to relay information from the DNA to the cell cytoplasm. There, it is translated into a polypeptide chain, which eventually forms a protein. Dendritic cells are the body’s line of defence against pathogens. They are responsible for activating lymphocytes, among a wide range of other adaptive mechanisms, which wouldn’t be possible without the presence of toll-like receptors - a class of proteins typically expressed on dendritic cells, which recognise incoming microbes and induce inflammatory responses through triggering cytokine production. That last part is important, as it would be what would trip Karikó and Weissman up in their research for years to come. Prior to all this, vaccine synthesis had typically used weakened or deactivated viruses to develop immunity in the body, a costly and slow process that typically requires multiple injections to reach a decent level of immunisation. The introduction of modified mRNA, though revolutionary, would prove just as time-consuming. Karikó and Weissman found themselves on the right track with introducing foreign mRNA into human cells, but while protective antibody counts increased, inflammation and enzyme counts did too, damaging the mRNA beyond repair. It wouldn’t be until the inflammation hurdle was overcome through modifying uridines that real progress would be made. In her column in Nature’s 2021 Journal Club, Karikó details how the breakthrough was made by replacing uridine - one of the nucleosides within mRNA - with pseudouridine, a similar-structured molecule that translated well and rendered the RNA non-immunogenic. The delivery of mRNA was also facilitated by the addition of lipid nanoparticles: a long-studied phenomenon in the nanomedicine community, these nanoparticles are formulated from four types of lipids, measure approximately one hundred nanometers across, and surround the mRNA like a protective shell. Their low pH then enables endosomal escape once administered, allowing the mRNA into the cytoplasm, and then dissolving once empty. With a low toxicity rate and minimal immunogenic properties, lipid nanoparticles are themselves also undergoing their own medical revolution as an ideal drug delivery system. Both of these features were included in the development of COVID-19 vaccines. The mRNA approach had a myriad of advantages: years of tried and tested research, a history of clinical trial success against similarly-structured RNA viruses, and a way to completely circumnavigate growing and killing the virus for vaccine usage at all. The next key to manufacturing the COVID-19 virus was in the spike proteins. These are the proteins that cover the surface of a virus (and, yes, are quite literally spike-shaped) which facilitate entry into healthy cells. The mRNA COVID-19 vaccines contain the modified mRNA and the genetic material of those specific spike proteins. The former is taken in by the cells, which then replicate the proteins so that the immune system can recognise the virus should a person come into contact with COVID-19 again. So yes, it was an extremely fast development. By late 2020, Moderna and BioTech (who partnered with Pfizer) were both authorising and rolling out tens of millions of doses of their vaccines, with the mRNA technology not only streamlining the creation but enabling the vaccines to be continually updated with each new variant of COVID-19 we’ve seen. The future of mRNA technology against other stubborn viruses looks promising - the potential for immunisation against malaria, influenza, and even HIV has seen new hope. Perhaps most incredible is the role that mRNA can play in personalised cancer vaccines - tailoring mRNA to an individual’s tumour in order to train their immune system to attack it could pave the way for a whole new world of cancer treatments. It goes to show what not only incredible minds, but incredible perseverance, can achieve. Karikó and Weissman’s work through the years was consistently hampered by disinterest from researchers, an inability to secure funding and, in Karikó’s case, even being faced with complete dismissal from her job. And yet, their work has seen over five billion people vaccinated against COVID-19, and the basis of a whole field of disease inoculation to come. We’re already seeing some of that potential come into the scientific fold, with neither scientists taking their foot off of the gas in terms of applying their research. Weissman has already published a paper with his peers demonstrating how their gene-editing machinery can be delivered into bone marrow stem cells , paving the way for treating diseases in which stem cells play a key part in recovery. Speaking to Scientific American , he emphasised the versatility of the technology, and its “applicability to thousands of other bone marrow diseases”, as well as its possible expansion to “liver, to lung, to brain, to every other organ therapeutics”. As Weissman puts it, ‘the future is now’, and with the increased recognition and acclamation that comes with winning the most prestigious prize in science, research in this field is only going to accelerate. Author Eloise Walker , freelance contributor Previous Next