German biotech, Ovo Labs, claims breakthrough treatment could nearly halve chromosome errors in eggs, potentially transforming success rates for women over 35. < Back First Human Egg ‘Rejuvenation’ Offers Hope for Older IVF Patients German biotech, Ovo Labs, claims breakthrough treatment could nearly halve chromosome errors in eggs, potentially transforming success rates for women over 35. For women over 35 undergoing IVF, the statistics are sobering: ~35% of all their eggs contain abnormal chromosome numbers (aneuploidy), a primary driver of treatment failure and miscarriage. The figure rises to ~90% at age 44. Research presented in Edinburgh this week at the British Fertility Conference suggests this age-related defect might be reversible, marking what could be the first successful rejuvenation of human eggs. Ovo Labs , a Munich-based biotech startup focused on improving IVF outcomes, has revealed first-time efficacy data showing that microinjections of a single protein, EmbryoProtect 1 (EP1), can significantly reduce chromosome abnormalities in eggs donated by fertility patients. The treatment targets a vulnerability that emerges as eggs age, when the molecular ‘glue’ holding chromosomes together begins to weaken. In a preclinical study involving over 100 eggs from patients aged 22 to 43, admittedly a small sample size for a preclinical trial, the proportion of eggs showing defects dropped from 53% in control samples to 29% in those receiving the protein injection. For women over 35, the improvement was similarly pronounced, though statistical significance was limited by the small sample size of just nine eggs in this age group. Although this data has not been through peer-review yet, these findings are of great importance to IVF for women with repeated problems in IVF. ‘Overall we can nearly halve the number of eggs with [abnormal] chromosomes. That’s a very prominent improvement,’ said Prof Melina Schuh, a director at the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences in Gottingen and co-founder of Ovo Labs. ‘Most women in their early 40s do have eggs, but nearly all of the eggs have incorrect chromosome numbers. This was the motivation for wanting to address this problem.’ The findings are generating cautious optimism among the scientific and fertility community, and, of course, experts are rightly calling for more comprehensive data before drawing firm conclusions. Professor Richard Anderson, Elsie Inglis Professor of Clinical Reproductive Science at the University of Edinburgh, called the results potentially transformative. "Being able to treat eggs to make this process work better would be a huge advance, and is what Ovo Labs are claiming to be able to do," he said, though he cautioned that "the details are rather sketchy" and emphasized the need for confirmatory clinical trials addressing safety issues. The decline in egg quality drives a steep drop in IVF success rates as women age. The problem stems from meiosis, the specialised cell division that occurs in sex cells. But in older eggs, Schuh’s team has discovered , the chromosome pairs begin loosening at their midpoint well before fertilisation. This causes the X-shaped structures to drift chaotically rather than lining up properly, resulting in uneven splits that produce embryos with too many or too few chromosomes - aneuploidy. This leads to failed implantation, miscarriage, or chromosomal disorders like Down syndrome. Schuh and colleagues previously identified that a protein called Shugoshin 1 (SGO1), which appears to function as a molecular glue for chromosome pairs, declines sharply with age. Their latest experiments in both mouse and human eggs suggest that restoring this protein through microinjection can reverse the premature separation problem. Professor Robin Lovell-Badge of the Francis Crick Institute recognised the significance of these early results and, interestingly, was keen to understand why Schuh’s lab focused on SGO1 rather than SGO2 as previous research has indicated that there is a clear link between SGO2 and age-related aneuploidy. Dr Güneş Taylor of the University of Edinburgh, who was not involved in the research, described the findings as "really promising.", noting that "if there's a one-shot injection that substantially increases the number of eggs with properly organised chromosomes, that gives you a better starting point." Ovo Labs was founded in 2025 by Schuh along with co-CEOs Dr Agata Zielinska and Dr Oleksandr Yagensky, and is now working toward clinical trials. The company builds on more than two decades of research from Schuh's laboratory, which has published extensively on egg biology in top-tier journals including Science, Cell, and Nature. Dr Zielinska emphasized the potential impact for patients who currently face repeated IVF cycles with limited prospects for success. "Currently, when it comes to female factor infertility, the only solution that's available to most patients is trying IVF multiple times so that, cumulatively, your likelihood of success increases," she said. "What we envision is that many more women would be able to conceive within a single IVF cycle." If validated in clinical trials, the EP1 treatment could result in an additional one million babies born through IVF annually worldwide, potentially the most significant advance in IVF success rates in decades. Professor Antonio Pellicer, founder of IVRMA, the world's largest IVF clinic network, described the approach as "scientifically grounded and could not be more clinically relevant." Aside from intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), there are currently no treatments involving microinjections into eggs, but Schuh's team does not anticipate major safety hurdles and is in discussions with regulators about trial design. A critical question for future research will be whether the observed improvements in chromosome organisation translate into embryos with fewer genetic errors and, ultimately, higher live birth rates. The approach would not extend fertility beyond menopause, when the ovarian reserve is depleted. However, for the growing population of women attempting conception in their late 30s and 40s, the prospect of improved egg quality represents a potential paradigm shift in reproductive medicine. Author BioFocus Newsroom Previous Next

Health Calla Lily joins $50m Wellcome Leap programme to advance targeted UTI treatment London-based women’s health company will evaluate its Callavid drug delivery platform as part of a programme targeting antibiotic resistance. Read More The Risk AI Poses to Public Health AI systems make industries more efficient, but also pollute our air and water. Future regulation should take public health into account. Read More Combat Medical Highlights Patient Impact of HIVEC HEAT Trial at AUA 2026 Phase 3 HIVEC® HEAT study presented at AUA 2026 highlights progress toward FDA registration and the potential for bladder-preserving treatment in high-risk NMIBC patients. Read More A New Device Could Improve How Progesterone is Delivered in Early Pregnancy A first-in-human trial for a tampon-like intravaginal drug delivery platform arrives at a moment when England's newly published Women's Health Strategy is calling for exactly this kind of patient-centred innovation. Read More Qureight Appoints Board to Advance AI Imaging for Pulmonary Hypertension Trials Cambridge-based imaging CRO brings together seven global experts to guide development of non-invasive AI endpoints. Read More Collaborating Across Sectors to Eliminate Cervical Cancer Uniting innovation, equity, and cross-sector collaboration to scale prevention, expand access, and turn cervical cancer into the first cancer eliminated worldwide. Read More Load more

Strategic collaboration combines Innovent’s early-stage oncology innovation platform with Pfizer’s global development and commercial capabilities across 12 cancer programs. < Back Innovent Biologics and Pfizer Forge $10.5 Billion Oncology Partnership Strategic collaboration combines Innovent’s early-stage oncology innovation platform with Pfizer’s global development and commercial capabilities across 12 cancer programs. Innovent Biologics and Pfizer have entered into a major global strategic collaboration aimed at accelerating the development of next-generation oncology medicines, in a deal valued at up to $10.5 billion. The agreement will focus on the research and development of 12 early-stage and de novo cancer therapies spanning antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and multispecific antibodies, reflecting growing industry demand for novel targeted cancer treatments and continued interest from multinational pharmaceutical companies in Chinese biotech innovation. Under the terms of the collaboration, Innovent will receive an upfront payment of $650 million and will be eligible for up to $9.85 billion in development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments. The company may also receive tiered royalties on approved products, while select programmes will involve profit-sharing arrangements in the United States and Europe. The partnership combines Innovent’s discovery and early clinical development capabilities with Pfizer’s global development infrastructure, regulatory expertise and commercial reach. Analysts have described the deal as one of the largest recent cross-border oncology partnerships involving a Chinese biotechnology company. The collaboration spans 12 programmes, including eight Innovent-originated assets and four discovery-stage programmes proposed by Pfizer. The portfolio includes antibody-drug conjugates featuring differentiated payload technologies and multispecific antibodies designed to engage immune targets through novel mechanisms. Innovent will lead development activities through Phase 1 clinical trials using its proprietary oncology discovery platform and early-stage development infrastructure. Pfizer will subsequently assume responsibility for later-stage global development. Four programmes will be jointly developed globally, with both companies sharing development costs and co-commercialisation rights in the U.S. and Europe. Innovent will retain commercial rights in Greater China for those assets. Additional programmes will be licensed exclusively to Pfizer outside Greater China or globally, depending on the asset structure. The agreement reflects increasing confidence among multinational pharmaceutical companies in China’s biotechnology sector, particularly in oncology, where Chinese developers have rapidly expanded their capabilities in antibody engineering, clinical development and translational research. “This agreement brings together best-in-industry expertise of Pfizer and Innovent to advance novel cancer medicines to patients at a global scale,” said Dr. Hui Zhou, Chief R&D Officer (Oncology Pipeline) at Innovent. “By leveraging both companies’ complementary resources, we can develop our early-stage oncology pipeline with greater speed and impact to help bring innovative therapies to patients more efficiently worldwide.” Jeff Legos, Chief Oncology Officer at Pfizer, said the collaboration aligned with the company’s broader strategy to strengthen its oncology pipeline through external innovation partnerships. “This collaboration brings together two highly complementary engines of innovation with a shared ambition to move faster, go further and deliver truly transformative medicines to patients who are waiting,” Legos said. The deal further strengthens Pfizer’s oncology portfolio, which has increasingly focused on ADCs and immune-engaging biologics as the company seeks to build on recent cancer franchise growth. Industry observers note that the collaboration also highlights the continuing globalisation of oncology R&D, with Chinese biotech companies increasingly serving as sources of early-stage innovation for large pharmaceutical companies. Founded in 2011, Innovent has grown into one of China’s leading biopharmaceutical companies, with 18 marketed products and multiple late-stage oncology and immunology programmes. The company already maintains partnerships with several multinational healthcare groups, including Eli Lilly, Roche, Takeda and Sanofi. The transaction remains subject to customary regulatory approvals. Author BioFocus Newsroom Previous Next

< Back 23rd – 24th October, 2024 Philadelphia, PA 5th Human Factors Engineering & Usability Studies Congress As regulatory expectations for medical devices, combination products, and IFUs are constantly being updated, it is more essential than ever for human factors and usability professionals to be able to rely on cross-functional teams. But are you fully prepared to get the best feedback from colleagues who got their design experience from other sectors, such as aviation, automotive, or military? And have you fully kept up with the psychological understandings required to learn the most from your user groups? DGE invites you to its 5th Human Factors Engineering & Usability Studies Congress – the industry’s most trusted and in-depth meeting on the technical, regulatory, and teamwork skills that your product pipeline needs Previous Register now Next

New technology promises a safer and more precise way of treating genetic disorders. < Back Advancements in Genome Editing: Zinc-Finger Conditioned Recombinases New technology promises a safer and more precise way of treating genetic disorders. In the context of genome editing, precision is paramount. Recent work spearheaded by Professor Frank Buchholz and his research team has produced an innovation that primes the biotechnology industry for a major advance in precision genome editing. The technique revolves around the creation of a zinc-finger conditioned recombinase—a novel molecular tool that seamlessly combines the targeting advantages of programmable nucleases with the precise DNA editing capabilities of recombinases. The method involves the integration of a zinc-finger DNA-binding domain into recombinases, rendering them inactive until engagement with the target site occurs. The impact of this breakthrough is due to the improvements this technology makes on the existing genome editing techniques, which are limited in their precision. It brings closer the prospect of therapeutic gene editing and the creation of precision enzymes devoid of reliance on natural DNA repair mechanisms, thereby presenting a safer and more adaptable approach to correcting pathogenic genetic mutations. Seamless Therapeutics GmbH, an emerging biotech stemming from the Buchholz lab, is strategically positioned to capitalize on this new technology, by translating these findings into therapeutic applications. The company has secured an exclusive licensing agreement with TU Dresden for the novel technology, empowering Seamless to expand its recombinase platform. This technology is poised to redefine the landscape of gene editing and precision medicine by offering a safer and more precise approach, with the potential to develop a diverse pipeline of disease-modifying product candidates. 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

The funding will help complete non-clinical safety and efficacy studies, setting up ABX-01 for a first-in-human clinical trial planned for early 2026. < Back Centauri Therapeutics Secures $5.1M Boost from CARB-X to Advance Novel Antimicrobial into Clinical Trials The funding will help complete non-clinical safety and efficacy studies, setting up ABX-01 for a first-in-human clinical trial planned for early 2026. Centauri Therapeutics, a UK-based biotechnology company specialising in immunotherapy, has received an additional $5.1 million from the Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) to accelerate the development of its lead antimicrobial compound, ABX-01. This latest award brings CARB-X’s total financial commitment to Centauri’s ABX-01 programme to $12.3 million since 2019. The initiative is part of CARB-X’s global mission to tackle the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a crisis projected by the World Health Organization to cause 10 million deaths annually by 2050 if left unchecked. Centauri announced the selection of its first clinical candidate for ABX-01 in March of this year. The broad-spectrum antimicrobial is designed to address multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections, particularly in the lungs of severely ill and immunocompromised patients. These infections are among the most difficult to treat and represent a significant cause of hospital-acquired mortality worldwide. ABX-01 is built on Centauri’s proprietary Alphamer ® platform, which merges two distinct antimicrobial strategies into a single molecule. The compound not only directly kills bacteria but also enlists the body’s immune system, using mechanisms such as complement fixation and phagocytosis to clear the infection. This dual-action approach could represent a breakthrough in dealing with drug-resistant pathogens, particularly given the dwindling pipeline of effective new antibiotics. Dr. Jennifer Schneider, Chief Executive Officer of Centauri Therapeutics, underscored the importance of the partnership with CARB-X, commenting that “The unwavering scientific and financial support from CARB-X has provided stability to Centauri as a company, expanded understanding of our Alphamer platform, and enabled us to progress the ABX-01 programme from discovery, through early development, and is now providing a smooth and continuous path towards First in Human clinical studies. We are thankful for CARB-X and their continued engagement and confidence, which has allowed us to move a step closer to delivering a much needed therapeutic for serious, drug-resistant Gram-negative infections, even in the most clinically vulnerable patients.” From an industry perspective, the ABX-01 programme is notable because of its focus on Gram-negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Klebsiella pneumoniae , and Acinetobacter baumannii . These pathogens are infamous for their resistance to multiple drug classes, including carbapenems — often considered antibiotics of last resort. Few experimental therapies in development address Gram-negative infections effectively, and those that do often suffer from limitations such as poor safety profiles or limited spectrum of activity. Dr. Erin Duffy, Chief of Research and Development at CARB-X, emphasised the organisation’s long-standing support for Centauri: “We have been proud to support Centauri, beginning with answering key questions on the approach and continuing with the drug discovery that has led to the lead asset of ABX-01 and its progression towards building a dossier to support its advancement into first in human clinical trials.” While pre-clinical results have been promising, the true test will come in human studies, where safety, tolerability, and efficacy in severely ill patients will need to be demonstrated. If ABX-01 meets these milestones, it could become one of the most important additions to the limited arsenal against Gram-negative superbugs in decades. As AMR continues to rise, successes like this will be essential not only for individual patients but also for global health security. Author BioFocus Newsroom Previous Next

CHO Playbook Gibco™ CHO Cell Culture Solutions for Biomanufacturing The success of biopharmaceutical manufacturing relies on a controlled, scalable and high-yield production process. Cell culture is an essential component in the manufacture of vaccines, therapeutic proteins and antibodies. So, to maintain product consistency and improve quality, researchers must fine tune at each step to maximize the potential of the cell line. This compendium offers guidance and solutions for the culturing of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells for robust large-scale biomanufacturing. To learn more about how you can unlock your edge in cell therapy, visit: thermofisher.com/performance First name Last name Country Email Company Job title Do you work on protein therapeutics? Choose an option Are you interested in learning more about scaling up your cell culture process? Choose an option I acknowledge and agree to the use of my contact information to receive messages about offerings by BioFocus, its brands, affiliates and/or third-party partners, consistent with the BioFocus Privacy Policy View privacy policy. Read playbook

Aim higher to reach new peaks. Preparing your cell culture workflow to scale for success. As workflows scale up toward clinical and commercial production volumes, failures or unexpected outcomes can result in costly delays for biologics developers. This article shares how to proactively consider factors such as the medium and feed system, the manufacturing workflow, and the choice of supplier, to help reduce the risk of delays, mitigate unforeseen costs, and rapidly deliver the needed therapeutic to patients. Learn more on how you can aim higher, reach new peaks, and scale your processes with confidence, download now. First name Last name Country Email Institution City Would you like to have a Thermo Fisher Scientific bioprocessing specialist contact you for a quote, demo, sample, or to provide technical support? Choose an option I acknowledge and agree to the use of my contact information to receive messages about offerings by BioFocus, its brands, affiliates and/or third-party partners, consistent with the BioFocus Privacy Policy Read article

< Back 12th December, 2024 Cambridge, MA 2024 Advancing Drug Development Forum This forum is designed to allow free-flowing dialogue and plenty of time has been woven throughout the day to assure interactive quality networking. The forum strives to attract and stimulate dialogue with key opinion leaders in biotech and pharma, executive leadership, senior directors, consultants, and a close network of CROs and CDMOs to further explore together novel solutions, promising technology breakthroughs and hearing how the entrepreneurial industry leaders are introducing and incorporating novel approaches in small molecule drug development, changing timelines and ROIs. Hear for yourself, how you can speed up your timelines and improve your product quality. Previous Register now Next

< Back Sanome Partners With NHS Trusts to Deploy AI-Powered Clinical Intelligence for Earlier Infection Detection MEMORI, a CE-marked AI clinical decision support tool, is being rolled out at two UK NHS hospitals to help clinicians spot hospital-acquired infections sooner. Sanome , the London-based health tech company behind MEMORI, an AI-powered clinical decision support tool that helps clinicians detect hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) earlier, has announced two major hospital partnerships to improve patient care. Earlier this year, MEMORI became the UK’s first multimodal Class IIb CE-marked AI Software as a Medical Device for infection prediction. The Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability and East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust have each selected Sanome’s MEMORI platform to support earlier detection of HAIs and clinical decision-making. This comes at a time when health services prepare for soaring pressures during the winter months, with rising admissions, workforce shortages, and seasonal infection spikes placing clinicians under mounting pressure to take swift and decisive action to prevent serious conditions like hospital-acquired infections from escalating. HAIs remain one of the most serious and costly challenges facing the NHS, contributing to over seven million additional patient bed days and £2.7 billion in annual care costs. Early detection is critical for preventing deterioration, easing clinical pressures, and improving patient outcomes. MEMORI analyses real-time patient data using explainable clinical AI to identify emerging infection risk, with early studies showing the potential to surface life-threatening HAI predictions up to three days earlier than standard practice. By flagging high-risk patients sooner and providing clear, actionable insights, the platform helps clinicians recognise deterioration earlier and deliver the right care at the right moment. Embedded directly within electronic patient records (EPRs), MEMORI brings these insights into clinicians’ existing workflows, enabling earlier, more confident decision-making. The Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability, one of the UK’s leading specialist centres for long-term and complex neurological conditions, will become the first specialist neuro facility to embed MEMORI into routine patient care. Patients with complex neurological conditions are among the most vulnerable to infections and associated complications; in fact, more than six in ten of those admitted to intensive care units contract at least one HAI during their stay. Through integration with the PatientSource EPR, MEMORI will support earlier detection across four wards initially, enabling clinicians to intervene sooner for a highly vulnerable patient population where timely action is essential. In addition to the deployment of MEMORI in specialist neurological care, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, one of England’s largest acute trusts, is also partnering with Sanome to integrate real-time AI insights directly into its EPR system to support early recognition of deteriorating patients. This collaboration lays the groundwork for a scalable new model for safe, secure access to real-time NHS data, supporting thousands of patients across multiple hospital sites. “Partnering with leading healthcare organisations like the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability and East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust marks another major step towards bringing earlier, data-driven infection detection into everyday care for every patient,” said Benedikt von Thüngen, Founder and CEO of Sanome. “Working closely with clinicians, we’ve co-created a platform that not only flags those at risk but fits seamlessly into existing workflows. Our aim is to equip frontline teams with the actionable insights they need to intervene sooner and protect patients, at the same time relieving pressure on already-stretched resources.” Bedside go-live dates at both sites in specialist neurological care are scheduled for the coming months, with additional NHS deployments planned throughout 2026 as Sanome continues to expand its footprint across UK healthcare. Author BioFocus Newsroom Previous Next

< Back Kandu Health and Neurolutions Merge to Transform Stroke Recovery Kandu, Inc. merges Kandu Health and Neurolutions to create an innovative, integrated approach to stroke recovery, combining advanced technology with personalized, at-home care. Kandu Health and Neurolutions have announced their merger, creating a new company—Kandu, Inc.—aimed at transforming stroke rehabilitation. The merger combines Neurolutions’ innovative brain-computer interface (BCI) technology with Kandu’s AI-driven telehealth services to provide a more integrated, accessible solution for stroke recovery. This move is expected to significantly improve care for stroke survivors, offering continuous, at-home rehabilitation and support. The newly formed Kandu, Inc. has also secured $30 million in financing, co-led by Ally Bridge Group and AMED Ventures, which will help expand its services. The company will use this funding to further enhance its telehealth platform, provide better caregiver support, and continue developing its groundbreaking technology for motor recovery. Neurolutions’ FDA-cleared IpsiHand® System, a BCI device that helps stroke survivors regain motor function, has already proven effective in improving limb movement for patients in the chronic phase of recovery. By merging with Kandu Health, the companies now offer a more comprehensive care model that combines cutting-edge technology with personalized rehabilitation at home. Kandu, Inc. aims to fill a gap in stroke recovery care, where patients often face fragmented treatment and high readmission rates. The merger brings together telehealth rehabilitation, therapy monitoring, and support for both patients and caregivers, helping to improve patient outcomes and quality of life. “This merger positions us to lead in stroke recovery,” said Leo Petrossian, CEO of Neurolutions, who will head the new company. “We now have the opportunity to offer stroke survivors the tools they need to enhance their recovery and regain independence.” With the merger, Kandu, Inc. is already seeing positive results. Early reports show that many patients who received its services achieved independent living within 90 days, with reduced hospital readmissions compared to traditional rehabilitation models. The company’s approach focuses on making stroke recovery more effective and accessible, offering a holistic and personalized care plan that goes beyond just medical treatments. Kandu, Inc. is set to redefine stroke rehabilitation by combining cutting-edge technology with patient-centered care, improving the recovery process for survivors and providing crucial support for their families. Author BioFocus Newsroom Previous Next