Category Archives: Biotechnology

PRESS RELEASE

Algenex advances insect-based vaccine production technology in human health

Madrid, May 5, 2020.- Algenex SL (or the Company), a private biotechnology company delivering disruptive technologies for recombinant biologics production, announces that it is advancing the application of its CrisBio-based vaccine production technology in human health.

Building on its expertise in the production of proteins for veterinary vaccines, Algenex has started to produce biotechnology products for the development of human vaccines and other applications using CrisBio, its proprietary and patent protected Baculovirus vector-mediated expression platform that harnesses the power of insects to act as natural single-use bioreactors. CrisBio is a versatile and robust alternative to current bioreactor-based expression technologies and offers additional benefits including linear scalability, reduced production costs and increased productivity, reaching gram per litre yields.

Algenex has deep expertise in the production of proteins for the production of vaccines for zoonotic diseases that can be transferred to humans. The Company has completed a proof of concept study in avian influenza, a zoonotic disease with potential to turn into a global pandemic. In this study, Algenex demonstrated its ability to develop a fully functional and safe vaccine in only four months, using animal models, an experience upon which it now intends to build to join the fight against pandemics.

According to Animal Health Europe, more than 2.2 million people die every year from zoonosis, with 75% of new infectious diseases affecting humans coming from animals, such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

Algenex CrisBio technology is able to produce proteins for vaccines more efficiently, economically and rapidly than current available bioreactor-based expression technologies, said Dr. Jos Escribano, founder and CSO of Algenex. As a result, Algenex is ideally positioned to produce and supply large quantities of proteins to pharmaceutical companies developing and manufacturing vaccines quickly and at competitive prices. This would enable widespread immunization, in particular in countries with weak economies and less advanced public health systems.

By expanding the use of our CrisBio technology into human health, we are now able to fully exploit the potential of this platform, said Claudia Jimnez, General Manager of Algenex. With CrisBio we are able to produce a new vector for the development of a potential new vaccine in less than two months. The insects we use as bioreactors are easy to rear in almost unlimited quantities and in a short period of time, allowing almost immediate and unlimited scalability once the parameters for the production have been defined.

For further information, please contact:

AlgenexClaudia JimnezGeneral ManagerT: +34 91 452 4941cjimenez@algenex.com

About Algenex

Algenex is a private biotechnology company developing disruptive baculovirus-based technologies for the production of recombinant biologics. Algenex first two platforms, TopBac and CrisBio, are based on baculovirus-based expression systems and have demonstrated their capacity to transform recombinant protein production through a process that provides almost unlimited and immediate scalability of manufacturing, production flexibility, simplicity and versatility while being extremely cost efficient.

To date, Algenex work has centred mainly on the development and production of veterinary vaccines, with > 200 molecules successfully produced in collaboration with public and private partners, including multiple international pharmaceutical companies. The first dossier for a veterinary vaccine produced in CrisBio is currently being reviewed by EMA.

Algenex has now expanded the application of its proprietary and patented technologies into human health in order to fully exploit the potential of its platforms.

For more information, please visit http://www.algenex.com

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Algenex advances insect-based vaccine production technology in human health - GlobeNewswire

International Biotechnology Trust (IBT) invests primarily in US-based drug-makers with a global reach that meet a medical need for consumers. IBT is also the only biotech trust which caters to income-seeking investors, offering an attractive dividend of 4% of NAV as well as the potential for rapid capital growth.

Led by Carl Harald Janson, a medical doctor by background, IBTs investment team seeks out those businesses which can produce strong top-line growth. For this they need intellectual property which gives them pricing power and a competitive edge or monopoly. More than half the portfolio is invested in companies working in the specialisms of oncology (the treatment of cancer) and rare diseases, where barriers to entry are high. For example, one of the largest positions in the fund is in Vertex. A growth story in the treatment of rare diseases, it dominates the cystic fibrosis space, treating around 90% of patients.

At the geographical level, the fund is heavily skewed towards the US, the home of the biotech industry. It is well diversified across the market-cap spectrum, and holds, directly and indirectly, approximately 100 companies at different stages of development working in a range of therapeutic areas. The portfolio is predominantly in large and mid-caps, although it also holds some small-cap companies of less than $1bn in size.

Alongside the names in its listed company portfolio, IBT also has a smaller portfolio of unquoted biotech stocks, most of which are held through an investment in a venture fund, SV Fund VI. This unquoted portfolio has proven itself to be an excellent diversifier, making a significant contribution to performance last year when biotech stocks as a whole struggled.

Roughly two-thirds of the development of new drugs happens within smaller companies, while two-thirds of their commercialisation happens in large companies. This explains why merger and acquisition activity is so frequent within the biotech space. For IBT, this has been a happy side effect of choosing the strongest companies with the best valuations: 16 of the portfolios holdings have been M&A targets since 2017, with an average 58% premium paid on the deals.

Biotech is naturally volatile because a companys fortunes can pivot on the results of a single drug trial. IBTs managers attempt to reduce the impact of binary events that could send share prices up or down. What this means in practice is that they will reduce their exposure before the results of a critical trial, for example. While they might lose out on some of the last bit of outperformance from a stock by doing this, it also means they wont be so affected by a sharp share price fall if the trial ends unsuccessfully.

The International Biotechnology Trust is the only one of its peers to pay a yield. Following a dividend policy introduced in 2016, the dividend of 4% of NAV per annum is paid from capital effectively converting some of the underlying holdings capital growth into income each year making the trust a compelling option for income-seekers as well as growth investors. Given that this dividend is paid from capital, it is not contingent on receipt of income from underlying portfolio companies.

Delivering an annualised return of 15% a year over the last decade, biotechnology has outperformed the annualised 8.75% return from the MSCI World over the long term*. The sector offers diversification, innovation and compelling growth potential for those investors willing to take some risk over the long term.

*Source: SharePad and MSCI (annualised % change of the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index versus the MSCI World 28/02/2010- 28/02/2020)

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Harness the power of biotech for income and growth in uncertain times - What Investment

BEER-SHEVA, Israel, May 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, which is responsible for the current COVID-19 pandemic, is transmitted between people mainly via respiratory droplets, but it is known that the virus remains stable on various surfaces for days. One of the first indications for this came from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, where active virus particles were found even 17 days after the ship was evacuated. In light of the possibility that the virus can spread through contaminated surfaces, it is important to be able to sterilize surfaces with high contamination potential, such as doorknobs, elevator buttons or handrails in public areas in general, and in hospitals and clinics in particular. However, current disinfectants are mainly based on chemicals such as poisonous sodium hypochlorite (bleach) or alcohol, both of which provide only a temporary measure until the next exposure to the virus.

Prof. Angel Porgador, from the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics at Ben-Gurion University (BGU) and the National Institute of Biotechnology in the Negev (NIBN), and Dr. Mark Schvartzman, the Department of Materials Engineering at BGU, are developing novel surface coatings that will have a long term effect, and contain nanoparticles of safe metal ions and polymers with anti-viral and anti-microbial activity.

Certain metals can be lethal, even in small quantities, for viruses and bacteria and are not poisonous to humans. In proof of concept experiments, in which also PhD students Yariv Greenshpan and Esti Toledo, and postdoc Guillaume Le Saux participated, the researchers assessed the effect of surfaces coated with nanoparticles of various metals on the infectivity of lentiviruses, which belong to the HIV family, in human cells. Findings show that surfaces coated with copper nanoparticles strongly block infection of the cells by the virus. These ongoing experiments show a huge potential for copper ions in preventing surface-mediated infection with SARS-CoV-2.

Based on these findings, the researchers are developing anti-viral coatings that can be painted or sprayed on surfaces. The coatings are based on polymers, which are the starting materials of plastics and paints, and contain nanoparticles of copper and other metals. The nanoparticles embedded in the polymer will enable controlled release of metal ions onto the coated surface. Studies show that these ions have a strong anti-viral effect, which can eradicate virus particles that adhere to the surface. Because the release of ions is extremely slow, the coating can be effective for a long period of time weeks and even months, and it will reduce the infectivity of the virus particles by more than 10-fold.

Josh Peleg, CEO, BGN Technologies, said, "The need to develop anti-viral coatings has greatly increased recently, with the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, and this need will likely remain high even after the pandemic ends, due to increased awareness. In addition, the product will be efficient as a general anti-viral and anti-bacterial coating. It can be applicable for medical settings, as an anti-pathogenic substance in places with increased risk of contamination, such as hospitals, but also for home use, and in public spaces such as schools, airports, public transportation and cinemas. We see a widespread and multidisciplinary academic commitment for finding solutions to currently medical and financial challenges as well as to the challenge of returning to normalcy once the pandemic wanes."

The research activity of Prof. Porgador and Dr. Schvartzman is part of the coronavirus research task force, founded by Prof. Daniel Chamovitz, President of BGU. To support this activity, it was decided to divert research funds in order to find rapid solutions for various challenges associated with the coronavirus pandemic. This invention received the support of the Israel Innovation Authority, in response to a call for proposals for coping with the coronavirus. The project is one of 27 proposals submitted to the Israel Innovation Authority by BGN Technologies, the technology transfer company of BGU, based on innovative and diverse inventions of researchers at BGU and the National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev (NIBN) for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19.

Prof. Angel Porgador said, "The current coronavirus is transmitted not only through droplet spray but also via various surfaces that can convey the virus from one person to another. Furthermore, research shows that the virus remains viable on various surfaces for extended periods of time, of days and even longer. Therefore, there is a clear need for durable anti-viral coatings that can be sprayed or painted on surfaces, just like paint or varnish, and that will prevent viral transmission. These surfaces can include handles, buttons, railways or any other public surface that poses increased danger, in particular in places with a high concentration of potential carriers, such as hospitals or clinics. It is important to remember that we are developing coatings that will be effective not only against the coronavirus but also against other viruses, as indicated in our proof of concept experiments, and also against bacteria, so they will be relevant for a wide range of applications."

Dr. Mark Schvartzman commented, "While current surface disinfection methods rely mostly on substances that are poisonous for people, such as bleach, or on substances that evaporate readily being based on alcohol, the coating that we are developing is based on metals that are toxic for viruses or bacteria, but completely human friendly. It should be noted that until now using such metals for anti-viral applications has encountered significant challenges due to the nature of the metals, such as the tendency to oxidize and corrode. Nanoparticles provide a solution to these obstacles. Another advantage of nanoparticles is the large surface area to volume ratio, which results in an efficient anti-viral surface area using a relatively small amount of metal. Additionally, nanoparticles of anti-viral metal can be easily embedded in a polymer that can coat the relevant surfaces for extended periods of time."

About BGN Technologies

BGN Technologies is the technology company of Ben-Gurion University, Israel. The company brings technological innovations from the lab to the market and fosters research collaborations and entrepreneurship among researchers and students. To date, BGN Technologies has established over 100 startup companies in the fields of biotech, hi-tech, and cleantech as well as initiating leading technology hubs, incubators, and accelerators. Over the past decade, it has focused on creating long-term partnerships with multinational corporations such as Deutsche Telekom, Dell-EMC, IBM, PayPal, Cincinnati Children's Medical Center, Merck, Sigma and Bayer, securing value and growth for Ben-Gurion University as well as for the Negev region. For more information, visit the BGN Technologies website.

About NIBN

The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev Ltd. (NIBN), a unique research institute located within Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), is the first self-organized, independent research entity established under the auspices of a university in Israel.

The NIBN was established as a company in November 2009 through a trilateral agreement between the Israeli Government, Mr. Edgar de Picciotto, and Ben-Gurion University.

The mission of the NIBN is to conduct multi-disciplinary applied research guided by a clear biotechnology vision, to bridge the gap between basic and applied innovative research, and facilitate the commercialization of novel ideas and technologies developed by NIBN researchers.

Research at the NIBN is focused in several key areas: cancer, infectious diseases, autoimmune and metabolic diseases, human genetic disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and applied biotechnology, including AgBio. The decision to focus on these topics combines existing strengths and resources unique to the NIBN and BGU. For more information, visit the NIBN website

Media Contact:

Tsipi HaitovskyGlobal Media LiaisonBGN TechnologiesTel: +972-52-598-9892E-mail: tsipihai5@gmail.com

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Scientists at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Develop Anti-Coronavirus Surface Coating Based on Nanomaterials - BioSpace

By Bassey Inyang

The Biotechnology Society of Nigeria (BSN) has announced that it has put in place measures to work with the federal government, through the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-19 and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) towards containing the spread of the deadly virus in the country.

The society said that already, its members have established, A BSN Covid-19 Response Committee comprising highly competent Nigerian scientists to help the countrys efforts towards strategically containing the effect of this pandemic in the short and medium term.

The BSN made its offer to help in the fight against the pandemic known through a press release Monday.

BSN, in the statement signed by Prof. Benjamin Ewa Ubi and Mr. Yarama Ndirpaya, the National President and National Secretary respectively, as well as 10 other members indicated that it have already communicated with the PTF on Covid-19, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the NCDC on the activities they have evolved to support the fight towards containing the spread of the Covid-19.

According to BSN, some of the measures include the mobilisation of its members and their intellectual resources at developing efficacious drugs for the successful treatment of patients that have contracted the Covid-19 as well as working towards the development of a vaccine that can be used in eliminating the virus.

The statement read in part: As partners in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, BSN has been developing a national response strategy to the crisis to advance different intervention areas where it can contribute in mitigating the resultant disruptions and shocks, as its contribution to safeguarding our country from the deadly novel coronavirus.

Drawing from insight and experiences of its several professionals in different fields of scientific endeavours, BSN is positioned to contribute to slowing down the transmission of the virus, and its management.

The society counts on her members with expertise in various fields (e.g. food and agricultural biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, environmental biotechnology, and medical biotechnology; and would harness their talents in supporting national efforts towards containing Covid-19 and mitigate its impact in our country.

Pointing out the roles the BSN can play effectively in containing the Covid-19 in the country, it said: Recognising that biotechnological tools and approaches are deployed to achieve robust outcomes in arresting the spread of the virus, and its attendant consequences in the short and medium term, BSN offers itself to play key roles in the following areas: Present qualified members to undertake coordinated and reinforced laboratory testing of Covid-19, starting from simple collection of qPCR analysis.

Galvanize BSN members to develop alternative testing techniques that will speed up testing of Covid-19 samples. Besides the use of RD testing for Covid-19, key members of BSN are in the process of developing alternative testing kits capable of detecting antigens from Covid-19 samples.

Those members are willing to support government efforts in synergy with NCDC and other relevant authorities.

Stressing that members of the BSN were working on possible medicinal remedy to the Covid-19, it said: Currently, various herbal therapies known to be efficacious against viral infections and symptoms of Covid-19 are being developed (and other herbal remedies have also been identified and proposed for further validation).

A specific case in point is that of one of our members who has successfully submitted an anti-Covid-19 mixture to the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) for further evaluation following efficacy study of the mixture on different viruses of the respiratory tract and other organisms.

Continuing the BSN said its members who are molecular biologists are willing to contribute their expertise towards curtailing the Covid-19 pandemic, and that a team from one of BSN affiliated laboratories in Benin is currently developing and evaluating cost effective PCR diagnostics to circumvent the shortage of functional qPCR machines in the country.

BSN further disclosed that among other measures, some of its members have begun researches in vaccine development using various biotechnology and molecular biology techniques to collaborate with all relevant bodies including the private sector towards fast-tracking the development and use of innovations to combat the pandemic.

It commended the federal government and its agencies for the efforts they have put so far in combating the Covid-19 pandemic, and curbing the spread of its devastating effect on the lives of Nigerians and the nations economy.

The members of the BSN also condoled with President Muhammadu Buhari and families of Nigerians who have lost their loved ones to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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BSN to Work with FG to Contain Covid-19 - THISDAY Newspapers

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Myst Therapeutics (Myst), a preclinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing selected TIL-based autologous T cell (PuriT) therapy products for cancer, announced the appointment of George Smith, PhD, MBA as Vice President of Business Operations. Dr. Smith, who brings to Myst over 20 years of successful drug development experience at both biotechnology and global pharmaceutical companies, was previously the founder and lead for the Cell and Gene Therapy Center and Senior Director Portfolio and Innovation at IQVIA. Prior to IQVIA, he led R&D programs at Pfizer for 14 years and built multiple successful start-ups.

"Dr. Smith's vast experience in drug development from conception to approval will be instrumental to advancing Mysts PuriT products through multi-center clinical trials and on to registration," said TJ Langer President and Chief Executive Officer of Myst Therapeutics. "We are very pleased to welcome him to the Myst management team."

At IQVIA, George founded and built the Cell and Gene Therapy Center, a group of cell and gene therapy (CAGT) experts focused on preclinical, clinical and commercial development of CAGT therapeutics. He also led due diligence programs. Prior to IQVIA, he led R&D programs, scientific groups and translational medicine for the Antiviral and Therapeutic Vaccine Therapeutic Areas at Pfizer. He has helped build multiple successful start-ups, including Althea Technologies and K2 Biopharma. George is currently on the advisory board for Visicell Medical. "The innovative PuriT approach shows tremendous potential for inducing significant and durable remissions," said Dr. Smith. "Myst has a promising product pipeline and a very experienced management team. I am thrilled to join them in developing this new cancer modality."

Dr. Smith received his Doctorate from the University of California, San Diego based on his work at the Salk Institute and his MBA from the Rady School of Business at UCSD. He is an author of over 10 peer-review publications and has been a speaker at over 50 conferences.

About the PuriT Platform

Clinical evidence has demonstrated that a patients' tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) recognize tumor specific molecules, traffic to the tumor, respond to tumor antigen, and selectively eradicate tumors. Clinical studies using these cells have shown durable objective clinical responses in patients with advanced metastatic disease, including refractory melanoma, breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer. Mysts PuriT platform builds on these successes by enriching and rejuvenating TIL to further improve responses. These encouraging results highlight PuriT as an emerging modality capable of providing personalized therapy options for patients spanning a broad spectrum of diseases.

About Myst Therapeutics

Myst Therapeutics Inc. is a privately held, pre-clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of novel cancer immunotherapy products designed to harness the power of a patients own immune system to treat solid tumors. Myst is developing technologies to enable, scale and improve adoptive cell therapies with a focus on improving clinically effective neoantigen enriched T cell therapies for solid tumors. Myst has combined methods of identifying neoantigen reactive T cells from tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) with Mysts proprietary technologies and expertise in the development and manufacturing of cell therapies. We believe this combination will enable Myst to rapidly advance and commercialize highly promising and innovative therapies, addressing a wide range of advanced solid tumors.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200504005109/en/

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Myst Therapeutics Appoints George Smith as Vice President of Business Operations - BioSpace

This report focuses on Global Food Biotechnology Market status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market, and key players. The study objectives are to present the Food Biotechnology Market development in the United States, Europe, and China.

In 2019, the global Food Biotechnology Market size was million US$ and it is expected to reach million US$ by the end of 2025, with a CAGR of during 2025-2025.

The report also summarizes the various types of Food Biotechnology Market. Factors that influence the market growth of particular product category type and market status for it. A detailed study of the Food Biotechnology Market has been done to understand the various applications of the usage and features of the product. Readers looking for scope of growth with respect to product categories can get all the desired information over here, along with supporting figures and facts

Get Sample: https://www.lexisbusinessinsights.com/request-sample-129360

Top Key players: ABS Global, Arcadia Biosciences, AquaBounty Technologies, BASF Plant Science, Bayer CropScience AG, Camson Bio Technologies Ltd, Dow AgroSciences LLC, DuPont Pioneer, Evogene Ltd, Hy-Line International, KWS Group, Monsanto, Origin Agritech Limited, and Syngenta AG

Food Biotechnology Market: Regional Segment Analysis.

This report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamics. It offers a forward-looking perspective on different factors driving or limiting market growth. It provides a five-year forecast assessed based on how the Food Biotechnology Market is predicted to grow. It helps in understanding the key product segments and their future and helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making an in-depth analysis of market segments.

Key questions answered in the report include:

What will the market size and the growth rate be in 2026?

What are the key factors driving the Global Food Biotechnology Market?

What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the Global Food Biotechnology Market?

What are the challenges to market growth?

Who are the key vendors in the Global Food Biotechnology Market?

What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the Global Food Biotechnology Market?

Trending factors influencing the market shares of the Americas, APAC, Europe, and MEA.

The report includes six parts, dealing with:

1.) Basic information;

2.) The Asia Food Biotechnology Market;

3.) The North American Food Biotechnology Market;

4.) The European Food Biotechnology Market;

5.) Market entry and investment feasibility;

6.) The reports conclusion.

All the research report is made by using two techniques that are Primary and secondary research. There are various dynamic features of the business, like client need and feedback from the customers. Before (company name) curate any report, it has studied in-depth from all dynamic aspects such as industrial structure, application, classification, and definition.

The report focuses on some very essential points and gives a piece of full information about Revenue, production, price, and market share.

Food Biotechnology Market report will enlist all sections and research for every point without showing any indeterminate of the company.

Reasons for Buying this Report

This report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamics

It provides a forward-looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining the market growth

It provides a six-year forecast assessed based on how the market is predicted to grow

It helps in understanding the key product segments and their future

It provides pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitors

It helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making an in-depth analysis of market segments

TABLE OF CONTENT:

1 Report Overview

2 Global Growth Trends

3 Market Share by Key Players

4 Breakdown Data by Type and Application

5 United States

6 Europe

7 China

8 Japan

9 Southeast Asia

10 India

11 Central & South America

12 International Players Profiles

13 Market Forecast 2025-2025

14 Analysts Viewpoints/Conclusions

15 Appendix

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Global Food Biotechnology Market Research With Size, Share, Trends, Top Manufacturers, Regional Analysis, Business Growth, Applications, Emerging...

We will always remember a world before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the novel coronavirus began making its way across the globeinfecting over a million people, killing thousands and straining food supply chainsfew individuals in developed nations worried about going hungry, let alone the threat posed by infectious disease. How things have changed in just a few short months.

Terrible as our current predicament is, it has afforded us an opportunity to rethink our relationship with technology and the importance of scientific innovation in helping us achieve higher standards of living. We now wonder what kind of world we can and should collectively shape. As the pandemic progresses and catapults us into to uncertain territory, the question worth asking is this: will we learn from our trying experience and embrace agricultural technology to build a more thoughtful, just and sustainable world, or return to our pre-COVID ways of thinking until the next pandemic rears its ugly head?

Our food during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

On April 5, 2020, The UN Food and Agriculture Ogranization (FAO) alerted the world about a looming food crisis as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Closed borders to migrant workers, disruption in the food supply chain and economic recession are likely to cause havoc in food production and delivery. Like healthcare workers, farmers and other food supply chain workers are our bloodline. Without agricultural workers, most of us would starve, yet modern society values them so little as to virtually ignore the issues they face.

People can stop doing many things in this time of global pandemic, but they cannot stop eating. Could malnutrition and starvation raise their ugly heads again in Europe, where food (which is mostly imported) has been abundant since the end of World War II? It is unthinkable, but to avert this outcome, we need efficiency and innovative technology to continue fueling large-scale, sustainable agriculture and drive a gentler, less aggressive bioeconomy to support our environment. But the developed world is pursuing these policies at a dangerously slow pace.

In Europe, compared to more impoverished regions of the world, only a very small percentage of the population is engaged in agricultural production. If cheap prices and food wastage are good indicators, the sense of where food comes from and the many perils farmers go through to produce and commercialize it seems to have been lost in sophisticated urban societies with a preference for organic, chemical-free, GMO-free, natural food and other such products.

We seem to understand little about where wheat, rice, maize, sugar, oil, coffee, cacao for chocolate, coconut oil, bananas or avocados come from. While we pick our inexpensive tropical fruit from our local supermarket shelves and check to see if it has a Rainforest Certified sticker, I wonder how many of us know about the lengths banana farmers in Ecuador or Honduras go to produce Sigatoka-free bananas, or rust-free coffee (both are fungal pathogens deadly to these crops) without using fungicides and fertilizers the crops require to stay healthy and produce reasonable yields. Like human epidemics, crop and animal epidemics exist too, and most people never hear or worry about them.

Our anti-chemical stance when it comes to food production is crippled by an embarrassing double standard. Many of us believe farmers are irresponsible for using pesticides and fertilizers to grow healthy crops, yet we wouldnt try to overcome a severe case of COVID-19 with good intentions, prayers and cups of hot tea with lemon and honey! Wed happily accept a state-of-the-art treatment prescribed by our doctors.

But perhaps its time we consistently live up to our convictions. If we think farmers dont need genetically engineered pest-resistant or drought-resistant crops, maybe we should manage COVID-19 in the future without a genetically engineered vaccine as well, opting for the slow, conventional route of vaccine development, or worse, no vaccine at all, like some fringe activists advocate.

I dont call out this double standard to be clever. We all acknowledge, most scientists included, that agricultural companies and farmers may abuse the use of agrochemicals to safeguard yields, and that we need to find alternatives to potentially harmful pesticides when possible. The broader point is that biotech crops are a crucial part of that effort.

There is also agreement that we need to use less land, energy, water and fewer agricultural inputs to promote sustainable agriculture, slow down climate change and maintain healthy biodiversity, which ultimately will help our species survive into the future. Genetically engineered crops contribute to all these goals.

I applaud the slow food and urban farming movements, because these are important and creative initiativesyet they are mainly solutions for affluent societies. They dont work nearly as well for poor societies that need efficient industrial agriculture, especially to feed densely populated cities.

Agriculture vs. the environment

Should we go back to our imagined idyllic farming past? I dont think we can with a population of seven billion people that continues to grow. The industrial revolution started in Europe in the 18th century and brought significant social changes that resulted in an increase in population and urbanization. In 18th century Europe, small-scale farming gave way to intensive, efficient and large-scale agriculture that was required to feed an ever-growing urban population of new professionals and factory workers that no longer worked in the fields, often producing poor yields.

The explosive population growth in Europe and North America began much earlier than in less developed regions of Asia, Africa and Latin America, which are still growing today. Towards the late 20th century and after recovering from two world wars, Europes main problem was not feeding more people, but maintaining a healthy population and boosting economic growth (food could be imported) to maintain a high standard of living.

The poorer countries in the East and South watched the Wests industrialization and increase in wealth with wonder and, naturally, wanted to emulate this glorious path out of poverty and into progress. These nations began to copy rich countries shortly thereafter. Their populations grew exponentially, which small-scale subsistence agriculture could no longer support. People left the fields and moved to cities in search of jobs. Spectacular advances in the 1960s and 1970s in agricultural science collectively known as the Green Revolution greatly increased agricultural output and averted famine, especially in Asia and Latin America.

Like in Europe and North America, agriculture also became industrialized and mechanized: irrigation systems were installed, plant breeding produced more and better varieties of crops and chemical fertilizers and pesticides were developed. The paradigm was what the plant needed (water, food, no competition from weeds and no pests), the plant got, so farmers changed the plants environment to suit its needs. For once, Malthus and his dire predictions of population growth exceeding food production were proved wrong.

With a misguided sense that we had enough food for everyone, many commentators adopted the mantra that the worlds remaining food-shortage problem was one of distribution, not of insufficient production. Agricultural innovation after doing so much good, paradoxically, became the main enemy of the environment and biotechnologists the bad guys.

Public funding for agricultural research and extension dwindled in most countries and the slack was picked up mainly by the private sector. The Monsantos of the world were born and were universally hated. Nonetheless, the agricultural biotechnology revolution had begun, with an important paradigm shift from the Green Revolution. Instead of changing the environment to suit the plant, the plant could be adapted to a changing environment by genetic engineering and the use of microbes.

Europe slows the biotech revolution

By the late 20th century, the rules to industrialization had changed dramatically, mainly in the European Union, which also dominated the UN agencies for food and the environment.

New and stringent agricultural policies came from this affluent food-importing region, with repercussions for everybody else during the first years of the 21st century, after genetically modified crops were first commercialized.

EU and UN programs provided aid funding for biosafety projects related to environmental conservation in many developing countries in Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America. Most programs came with strings attached to the new European policies on agricultural biotechnology. Generous funds were disbursed to ministries of the environment (not agriculture), although the programs were concerned with new agricultural technologies.

Bizarrely and very unfortunately, agriculture and biotechnology became the environments worst enemies under these UN programs. The term biosafety was borrowed from microbiology, yet the programs were not designed to promote biosafety against crop, animal or human pathogens to avert pandemics like SARS, avian flu or COVID-19, but to safeguard the environment, including human and animal health, against the perceived risks of biotechnology.

Specifically, the biosafety guidelines for genetically modified crops (or Living Modified Organisms) developed through conventional genetic engineering were designed to manage the (exaggerated) biological risks set by the Convention of Biological Diversity, through its famous Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety of Biotechnology.

Most developing countries, trained in biosafety of biotechnology by generous European and UN programs blindly adopted Eurocentric guidelines to the detriment of local agriculture and the environment. Without appropriate policies and lacking incentives for innovation from demanding markets and low prices, they are stuck with outdated and low-yielding technologies that cause great damage to the environment.

Today, many countries in Latin-America like Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Guatemala, are trying to change their ill-conceived and hopelessly outdated legislation as demands increase to solve urgent food production problems. The last decade has also witnessed fast development of other biotechnologies that can aid these efforts, such as CRISPR genome editing and gene drives that span medical, veterinary, environmental and industrial applications. Shaping biotechnology policies from ministries of the environment makes no sense in these circumstances.

Will coronavirus be a game changer?

Maybe a couple of decades ahead of the biotech revolution, the information technology or infotech revolution (Al, IoT, 3D printing, robotics and drones, blockchain) took over a globalized world. Now we have entered a third era of the agritech revolution, where exponential technologies merge to change forever the way we live and grow food. This technical progression unsettles and scares many people who view the technological future with great distrust and angst.

Then SARS-Cov-2 appeared (not as a surprise to many scientists) and changed everything, for better or worse. I personally believe it will be for the better in the long term. For a start, people everywhere are interested in learning a little about biology and virology, including IT programmers who could be inspired to learn the flawless biological designs of nature and incorporate them into their work.

In the 2020s, the approach of synthetic biology and the increasing involvement of newly trained young bioengineers in both industrialized and developing countries will create a domestication and democratization of biotechnology. It is imperative not to tie the hands of this second generation of biotechnologists with ill-conceived ideas of risk and precautionary policies. Instead, it is key to craft robust, pragmatic, science-based and coherent biotechnology policies, for the successful development of the bioeconomy and to maintain human, animal and environmental health.

The mantra that there is enough food and we only have a problem of distribution is not valid today. The tools of biotech and infotech have already been developed and deployed in certain regions to address the unique challenges they face. They will be able to grow food efficiently in future times of crisis, provided they arent made to face more regulatory hurdles. Do we envisage a better and fairer post-COVID world, or will we return to business as usual and keep the status quo of social inequality? The choice is ours, more now than ever before.

Maria Mercedes Roca is a Latin-American/British virologist and biotechnologist. She splits her time between Mexico and Bolivia and wrote this article during lockdown from the UK.

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Viewpoint: COVID-19 food shortagesWhy the pandemic is a warning to embrace agricultural technology - Genetic Literacy Project

SAN FRANCISCO, May 04, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) UNITY Biotechnology, Inc. (UNITY) [NASDAQ:UBX], a biotechnology company developing therapeutics to extend healthspan by slowing, halting or reversing diseases of aging, today announced it will report financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2020, on Thursday, May 7, 2020 after NASDAQ market close.

UNITY will not conduct a conference call in conjunction with the financial results press release.

About UNITYUNITY is developing therapeutics to extend healthspan with an initial focus on cellular senescence. UNITY believes that the accumulation of senescent cells is a fundamental mechanism of aging and a driver of many common age-related diseases. Cellular senescence is a natural biological state in which a cell permanently halts division. As senescent cells accumulate with age, they begin secreting inflammatory factors, proteases, fibrotic factors, and growth factors, that disturb the tissue micro-environment. This collection of secreted proteins is referred to as the Senescence Associated Secretory Phenotype, or SASP. UNITY is developing senolytic medicines to eliminate senescent cells and thereby stop the production of the SASP, which UNITY believes addresses a root cause of age-related diseases. By stopping the production of the SASP at its source, UNITY believes senolytic medicines could slow, halt, or reverse diseases such as osteoarthritis and age-related eye diseases. More information is available atwww.unitybiotechnology.comor follow us onTwitter.

InvestorsEndurance AdvisorsPeter Rahmer / Mike Zanoni[emailprotected] / [emailprotected]

MediaCanale CommunicationsJason Spark[emailprotected]

GlobeNewswire,is one of the world's largest newswire distribution networks, specializing in the delivery of corporate press releases financial disclosures and multimedia content to the media, investment community, individual investors and the general public.

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UNITY Biotechnology, Inc. to Announce First Quarter 2020 Financial Results - ForexTV.com

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Global Biotechnology Separation Systems Market 2020 | What Is The Estimated Market Size In The Upcoming Years? Cole Reports - Cole of Duty

The ARK Genomic Revolution Multi-Sector Fund (CBOE: ARKG) is already trouncing basic biotechnology and healthcare ETFs and historical data suggest that even if a recession lingers, ARKG could prove durable.

SVB Leerink analyst Geoffrey Porges recently pointed out in a note to clients that biotechnology and pharmaceutical benchmarks topped the broader market during the 2001 recession, the global financial crisis, and during the current economic malaise.

On average, the biotechnology Indexes declined -1% during the three economic downturns, compared with the pharmaceutical indexs -10% and the S&P 500 indexs -20%, reports Josh Nathan-Kazis for Barrons.

ARKG is a credible long-term investment. Over the past three years, the fund is up nearly 105% or more than triple the returns of the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index over the same span. During that period, the ARK fund more than doubled the aforementioned S&P 500 Health Care Index

Some predictable catalysts explain ARKGs potential durability in a recession.

People need their medicine, even in a recession. Porges cited published papers showing that pharmaceutical sales volume stayed steady in the U.S. during the 2008-09 recession, according to Barrons.

The ARK Investment teams process tries to focus on innovation and takes advantage of market inefficiencies. For example, the market easily can be distracted by short-term price movements, losing focus on the long-term effect of disruptive technologies.

Genomic sequencing is changing the way biological information is collected, processed, and applied. ARKG is focused on the disruptive innovations that are increasing precision, restructuring health care, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and enhancing the quality of life, according to ARK Invest.

The ARK Investment teams process tries to focus on innovation and takes advantage of market inefficiencies. For example, the market easily can be distracted by short-term price movements, losing focus on the long-term effect of disruptive technologies.

Related:Big Growth Awaits a Golden Genomics ETF

Our analysis of historical recessions suggested that the biotech and pharma indices (and stocks) significantly outperformed the broad market (S&P 500), despite the greater P/E multiple compressions in the healthcare indices, writes SVBs Porges.

ARKG also offers some of the best CRISPR exposure of any ETF on the market. CRISPR-based innovations to accelerate given the technologys ease of use, cost-efficacy, a growing body of research surrounding its safety and AI-powered CRISPR nuclease selection tools. CRISPR could also be utilized to address some of the most prominent healthcare problems, which opens up a significant investment opportunity in monogenic diseases.

For more on disruptive technologies, visit our Disruptive Technology Channel.

The opinions and forecasts expressed herein are solely those of Tom Lydon, and may not actually come to pass. Information on this site should not be used or construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any product.

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This Biotechnology ETF Could Be the Place to Be in a Recession - ETF Trends