Elicera develops CAR-T against solid tumours – may become the first in the world

Today, there are five EU-approved CAR-T therapies, all focused on different types of blood cancer, but no one has yet succeeded in making the method work against solid tumours. At Gothenburg-based Elicera, they are working relentlessly to succeed in that field as well. “It is the largest field, and the potential is enormous,” says the company’s CEO Jamal El-Mosleh.

CAR-T therapies give continued hope: “Almost half of the patients have become disease-free”

When the first CAR-T therapies appeared, hopes were raised for the effective treatment for critically ill cancer patients. After a somewhat sluggish start, about 90 patients in Sweden have now been treated with this method. “Almost half of them have become disease-free, at least of those treated with Yescarta, which are the ones I know best,” says Gunilla Enblad, Chairman of the national working group for CAR-T treatment.

Samuel Lagercrantz: Immunotherapy against cancer is still in its early stages

For more than 100 years, researchers have tried to target the body’s own immune system to fight cancer cells. They have occasionally been laughed at and ridiculed by the medical establishment. However, from our perspective today, we can sum it up with the saying: He who laughs last laughs best, writes Samuel Lagercrantz in an editorial.

Björn Arvidsson: ”We need to change perspective”

If you say “life science” to a person on the street and ask them to explain what it is, you will probably get no good answer. The same question to your network will generate as many versions as the people you ask. Most likely, we will miss many opportunities with our lack of communication, writes Björn Arvidsson in a column.

A new international stem cell research centre has been created in Copenhagen

A new centre for stem cell research opened to the public in January. The Novo Nordisk Foundation backs the initiative with the ambition that the centre will advance new medical technology and new stem cell therapies.

Ny modell ger ytterligare stöd för munskydd: ”Ger ett utmärkt skydd”

Forskare vid bland annat Chalmers har tagit fram en modell för att mäta hur virus färdas genom luften – och hur effektivt munskydd är för att hindra smittspridning. Deras slutsats: rätt munskydd, buret på rätt sätt, ger ett utmärkt skydd.

Marie Gårdmark: Finally, it’s time for a revision of the EU pharma legislation

A challenge for the EU Commission is to deliver a new framework that will also take care of another “pillar” of the pharmaceutical strategy, namely, to ensure that new medicines will be available for all citizens in Europe, writes Marie Gårdmark in a column.

Lundbeck behind the first EU-approved intravenous migraine treatment

A preventive, intravenous treatment for migraines has been approved in the EU for the first time.

Life Science Sweden´s international issue is on its way

A new issue of Life Science Sweden is on its way to print, packed with news, interviews and reports.

Study: An objective diagnosis of constant tinnitus may be possible

A new method that measures brain activity during sound stimulation can make it possible to objectively diagnose and identify people who suffer from constant tinnitus, which was demonstrated in a study made by researchers at the Karolinska Institute.

Patient som fick grishjärta återhämtar sig – inga tecken på avstötning

Den amerikanske man som fick ett genmodifierat grishjärta transplanterat i början av året återhämtar sig fortfarande på sjukhus. Efter fem veckor syns inga tecken på avstötning, enligt läkare.

“Together Stockholm-Uppsala and Medicon Valley can make Scandinavia a leading life science region”

“Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland all have national life science strategies, but the Swedish strategy is the only one explicitly emphasizing the Nordic dimension. But what if the leading life science nations, Denmark and Sweden, joined forces, took the lead and pioneered Nordic life science collaboration? Wouldn´t we then be able to "bake a bigger cake?", writes Anette Steenberg and Ulf G. Andersson in a debate article.

The route to vaccines for everyone: “We did not just sit around and wait”

The pandemic was in full swing, and no one knew when or even if a vaccine would come. At that point, the Swedish Minister of Social Affairs called with a proposal, and Richard Bergström did not hesitate. “I already had a notion that this would work,” he

Anna Törner: Success requires bold decisions!

“Doing things right is fine, but doing the right things as soon as possible is even better”, writes Anna Törner in a column.

Giulia Gaudenzi: Innovation for good

"I challenge the innovator landscape to take a mental leap. Relying on innovation-solely to end inequality is not enough, therefore consciously and purposively – we need to engage bravely with the politics of poverty and scarcity. Even in life sciences", writes Giulia Gaudenzi in a column.

Statssekreteraren: ”Pandemin har satt ljuset på bristerna inom äldreomsorgen”

Bara veckor innan världen lamslogs av pandemin inrättade regeringen Äldreforskarrådet. Rådet ska höja kunskapsnivån inom äldreomsorgen och minska gapet mellan äldreomsorgen och akademin. Nyligen träffade Maja Fjaestad, statssekreterare hos socialminister Lena Hallengren (S) rådet.

Svensk Life Science – Vi måste göra kakan större!

De fyra nordiska länderna, Sverige, Danmark, Norge och Finland har alla nationella life science-strategier, men Sverige är det enda landet som nämner det nordiska samarbetet i sin, skriver Ulf Andersson, vd för Medeon Science Park och Anette Steenberg, vd för på Medicon Valley Alliance i en debattartikel.

Markus Lingman: ”Ingen hälsodata, ingen ledande life science”.

Under måndagen gick den nationella life science-konferensen av stapeln för att uppmärksamma och påskynda arbetet för att Sverige ska bli en ledande life science-nation.

Sixera inleder klinisk studie för behandling mot sällsynt hudsjukdom

Det svenska biotechbolaget Sixera Pharma har inlett rekrytering till sin första kliniska studie av läkemedelskandidaten SXR1096. Målet: att utveckla den första effektiva behandlingen av den sällsynta och allvarliga hudsjukdomen Nethertons syndrom.

Pharma Outsourcing igång på Stockholm Waterfront

Forskare kan ha hittat svaret på varför inte alla får covid-19

Trots exponering för sars-cov-2 får vissa ändå inte covid-19. Nu har forskare en teori om vad de beror på.

Studie: Bättre effekt med kombination av vektorvaccin och mRNA-vaccin

En kombination av Astra Zenecas vektorvaccin och ett mRNA-vaccin minskar risken att insjukna i covid-19 jämfört med två doser av vektorvaccinet, enligt en studie vid Umeå universitet.

Tummen upp från EMA för Cantargias cancerläkemedel

Lundabaserade bioteknikbolaget Cantargia har fått ett positivt utlåtande från den europeiska läkemedelsmyndigheten EMA om särläkemedelsstatus för nadunolimab vid behandling av bukspottskörtelcancer.

Svensk kandidat mot sällsynt leversjukdom beviljas särläkemedelsstatus i USA

Camurus läkemedelskandidat mot leversjukdomen PLD har beviljats särläkemedelsstatus av den amerikanska läkemedelsmyndigheten FDA.