Thinking up tomorrow's medicine

Oniris and the Davis University in California signed a partnership agreement in July 2011.

The SME TcLand Expression, located in Nantes and assisted by Atlanpole Biotherapies, contributes to a project within the framework of the Innovative Medicine Initiative (IMI) program, financed by the European Commission and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), in which 9 big pharmaceutical firms, as well as 25 academic laboratories, take part.

In September 2011, Atlantic Bio GMP (EFS-ABG), field of activity of the EFS (French Blood Institution), delivered its first production of innovative therapy medicine, a viral vector : l’AAV4 RPE65. This innovative therapy medicine is currently used as part of an ongoing clinical trial at Nantes University Hospital to evaluate the safety and feasibility of this type of treatment. According to the results, a therapeutic alternative for Amaurosis Leber, which inevitably leads to blindness in adulthood, could be proposed.

Sophie Derenne, before taking up her duties in the management of GBS, was deputy coordinator of the cell engineering unit of the EFS Nantes since January 2009 and interim pharmacist in charge and responsible for quality management of ABG (Atlantic Bio GMP) since May 2010.

For 6 years, Keosys, a Nantes SME, member of Atlanpole Biotherapies cluster, has offered to groups working on clinical research into cancer its expertise in medical imaging and tele*imaging with renowned French and European institutions, through the implementation of centralized proofreading platforms of examinations made in the context of early multicenter clinical studies (stages I-II).

The Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) of the European project TERM, Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, has met recently in London with the consortium, to express its views on the proposals for a vision statement. The SAB has confirmed the challenges that the consortium had previously identified, and strongly supports the priorities proposed and shared by all members of the TERM consortium. Once adopted and launched, they should definitely contribute to a strengthening of Europe’s position in this promising field.

Created in June 2010, this new R&D company for dental solutions, assisted by Atlanpole, raises 400 000 Euros to private investors. At the end of 2011, Dental-Moving launched Easy Macro View (EMV), the first intra-buccal endoscope equipped with a sensor with a diameter of only 3,4 millimeters. Bringing real clinical help and comfort to the dental practitioners, EMV is used at a distance of only 12 mm from the area to treat and thus enables the practitioners to look very closely the pathology which is to be treated.

Looking for a training in bioproduction in compliance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards ? Find news and training offered by Biopractis in Nantes.

C4C is a project driven by the company CellForCure (a subsidiary of the Laboratory of Biological Fractionation - LFB) and jointly labeled by the Atlanpole Biotherapies Cluster. The project aims to set up the first French technical department dedicated to the industrialization of cell therapies. The objective is to produce self/allogeneic medicines in cell therapy and to confirm this successful demonstration by the production of 5 medicines in innovative therapy (MTI). The purpose is to organise a French industrial sector in cell therapy. This project will eventually facilitate the treatment of many diseases such as some types of diabetes and cancer : heart failure or incontinence could in the future be treated by replacing failing cells by operating cells.

Created in 2002 and assisted by Atlanpole for 5 years, AtlanStat has been managed by Nadine Godfroid-Hugonet since its origin and now employs 25 people. At the heart of its business is the provision of service in the setting-up and statistical analysis of clinical trials for the pharmaceutical and food industries.

In-Cell-Art, a company member of Atlanpole Biotherapies, is involved in a collaborative project called EMER IT. This project will apply In-Cell-Art’s nanocarrier technologies to the development of specific polyclonal immunoglobulins [F(ab’)2] against life-threatening pathogens such as Ebola, Nipah, or Avian Flu H5N1. This consortium will also develop and validate DNA vaccines formulated with In-Cell-Art’s nanocarriers against an equine infection. These projects will lead to the proof of concept about the new applications of In-Cell-Art’s nanocarrier technologies for immunization against life-threatening pathogens, safe immunogen production, and horse vaccination.

On March 7th & 8th this year, Atlanpole, Atlanpole Biotherapies and the French LES (Licensing Executive Society) organized a training session in licensing for innovative companies. Report.

The fifth call for proposals by Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) was launched March 6, 2012 by the Federation of European pharmaceutical industry in consultation with the EC.

The Quanticardi project consists in developing the use of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in the field of cardiology in Europe. The project has been funded by the French government and accredited by Atlanpole Biotherapies as part of the cluster’s radiopharmaceuticals theme. Quanticardi is led by the company Lemer Pax, with Keosys, Arronax and the University of Nantes’ Subatech, IRCCyN and CRCNA groups as project partners. The project has considerable medical and economic potential.