Influenza, an acute viral infection, affects hundreds of thousands of people a year and puts an enormous strain on healthcare providers globally. The last pandemic flu outbreak in the UK – swine flu – was in 2009 when it claimed 457 lives. While previous pandemics have been even more severe, there is a heightened risk of more severe pandemics in the future.

The scientific collaboration used a research method known as “Human Viral Challenge Studies”, where healthy volunteers are infected with influenza virus, and their immune responses closely monitored in an isolation unit.

These were important to the research, published online in Nature Medicine, as they allowed the healthy volunteers to be held in “sterile” isolation conditions and ensured they had no existing infections. The volunteers were then “challenged” with influenza
virus, with blood samples being taken at regular intervals to observe how their immune systems responded to the viral infection.

Researchers discovered that the immune systems produced various types of T-cells (part of the immune system that kills both viral particles, and cells infected with viral particles). Notably, the T-cells responded to peptides associated with the
internal structures of the influenza viruses.

Unlike the external structures of influenza virus, that mutates very rapidly and creates a new strain of virus most years, the internal structures change very slowly over a long period of time. These internal structures are found in all strains of influenza virus – thus, a vaccine that targets such peptides may provide immunity against all strains of influenza, including seasonal (yearly), avian
(bird), and swine flu, for many years.

A vaccine against these peptides would activate the T-cell immune response – which is able to respond much more rapidly than vaccines that activate an antibody response.

Dr Tom Wilkinson, Senior Lecturer in Respiratory Medicine at the University of Southampton, who led the study, says: “Influenza is a virus that we know has a global impact, and the threat of further pandemics is a real one. Most influenza vaccines only protect us against known influenza strains by creating antibodies in the blood but the influenza virus has the ability to rapidly change itself
and new strains can emerge which rapidly spread across the globe by escaping this immunity.

“We have found that there is an important role for T-cells that recognise the flu virus, which if harnessed could protect against
most or even all strains of seasonal and pandemic flu. Through this discovery we hope to improve vaccines for future strains of influenza; and potentially protect against the next pandemic. However there is more to do to translate these findings into new approaches to treatment.”

“Current flu vaccines are very good at producing antibodies against flu, but not so good at generating a lasting immunity involving T-cells,’ says Professor Sir Andrew McMichael, Director of the Medical Research Council (MRC) Weatherall Institute of Molecular
Medicine at Oxford University. “The big question is: if we had a pandemic involving a much more severe virus than the swine flu we saw, what would we do in the six months it takes to develop an effective vaccine? This study suggests that vaccines stimulating a T-cell response might be an option, but there remains a lot to do to be certain of this approach.”

Dr Rob Lambkin Williams, Chief Scientific Officer of Retroscreen, adds, “It is great to see the quality of data produced using the challenge study technique. Knowing that the volunteers were only infected with the viral strains that the research team had introduced, takes the guess work out of such research. The immune response observed in these volunteers was as a direct result of the virus to which they
had been exposed. This quality of data will have the potential to rapidly speed up the rate that we are able to create a universal vaccine for
influenza.”

Retroscreen’s Chief Executive Officer, Kym Denny said: “Retroscreen is delighted that our scientists and doctors have been able to work so closely with two leading universities. This work significantly expands our understanding of the immune response to influenza infection; this could be key in the fight against a future pandemic.”

Finally, Professor John Oxford, President, Scientific Director and founder of Retroscreen and Professor of Virology at St Bartholomew’s and the Royal London Hospital, Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry said: “Dedicated volunteers in our isolation unit have helped us to open a window into why some people get flu and others do not and even better to formulate a new vaccine.”

The study was funded by the University of Southampton, the MRC and Retroscreen Virology Limited.

http://www.retroscreen.com/index.php/news-releases/121-universal-vaccine-for-influenza

There is currently vast investment opportunity within Biotechnology. It is a sector that is confusing to many; therefore there is currently a lack of investment within the area. Gradually overtime people will understand the sector more and then the possibility of the greatest return will diminish.

Samuel Isaly, investment manager of the Worldwide Healthcare Trust (WWH) states that “the largest subset of catalyst-driven investment opportunities that we are finding continues to be in the biotechnology sector, in which we see a combination of high growth rates, attractive valuations, clinical catalysts, product pipelines, new product launches and M&A activity”.

Tom Bulford, a fund manager in the City of London and in Hong Kong for the past twenty years also believes that biotechnology is the next red hot sector. He suggest that the race is on, because as more and more research money is being directed to biotechnology, more products are hitting the market and therefore investment opportunities are being missed by private investors.

Tom Bulford currently writes a twice weekly newsletter called The Penny Sleuth. This provides private investors with his free analysis of the penny share market.

Manchester-based Nanoco said the criteria for achieving the milestone included a performance life of at least 50,000 hours.

Nanoco’s quantum dots have the potential to be used in next-generation TV screens, lighting and solar cells.

The firm said it would now begin production of a 1kg batch of the dots, which will result in a milestone payment of two million US dollars (£1.27m).

It has already shipped 1kg of red quantum dots for the same customer. Nanoco’s client intends to combine the red and green dots with blue light-emitting diodes to produce a source of white light with multiple potential applications.

Chief executive Michael Edelman said: “We are delighted to have demonstrated that the performance of these green quantum dots meets our customer’s specification as it marks an important step towards the customer’s launch of a marketed product.

http://http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/business/s/1472486_nanoco-performance-triggers-1m-dollar-payment?s_cid=business%20bulletin-20120131%20(1045)

“The current financial year is proceeding well,” Rowley is set to tell shareholders later today. “We continue to make good progress with our commercial relationships, our technology, our manufacturing capability and our company infrastructure.”

The business reported a pre-tax loss of £3.2m in the year to 31 July 2011, compared with a loss of £1.4m last year. Revenues for the same reporting periods also fell from £2.94m to £2.64m.

But Rowley added: “In our commercial relationships we are making good progress across our LED and solar projects, including the final stages of development of green quantum dots for a major Japanese corporation. In addition, we are in discussions with further potential commercial partners.

“To accommodate our increasing level of activity we recently signed a lease to a further 12,500 sq ft of laboratory space at our Manchester head office. We have also recently received planning permission for the Kilo Lab production facility in Runcorn.”

http://www.insidermedia.com/insider/north-west/63550-nanoco-chairman-hails-progress

The Manchester University spin-out business, a world leader in the manufacturing of cadmium-free quantum dots, which have the potential to be used in next generation TV screens, today told shareholders it is continuing to make good progress in commercialising its technologies.

Chairman Peter Rowley said: “The current financial year is proceeding well. We continue to make good progress with our commercial relationships, our technology, our manufacturing capability and our company infrastructure.

“In our commercial relationships we are making good progress across our LED and solar projects, including the final stages of development of green quantum dots for a major Japanese corporation. In addition, we are in discussions with further potential commercial partners.

“To accommodate our increasing level of activity we recently signed a lease to a further 12,500 sq ft of laboratory space at our Manchester head office. We have also recently received planning permission for the Kilo Lab production facility in Runcorn.

“We look forward to the future with confidence.”

AIM-listed Nanoco claims to be the only company in the world capable of making dots in industrial quantities and has a product development agreement worth more than £500,000 with a major Japanese LCD television maker.

It also recently completed the first phase of a solar cell development program with Tokyo Electron, with an agreement in place to start phase two.

In the year to July 31, it reported a pre-tax loss of £3.2m, compared with a loss of £1.4m last year, while turnover in the same period dropped from £2.9m to £2.6m.

http://http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/business/technology/s/1468278_nanoco-grows-laboratory-space?s_cid=business%20bulletin-20111216%20(973)

Highlights

· The Placing proceeds will potentially enable the Company to progress its key programmes through a range of key value inflection points;

- fund the development of further applications of the vascular patch through a mixture of preclinical and clinical studies;
- develop the porcine heart valve product and seek regulatory approval for a decellularised version of an existing bioprosthetic heart valve;
- progress existing meniscus project towards CE approval and initiate ligament development programme targeted at anterior cruciate ligament repair;
- progress the advanced woundcare area with the development of dermis products; and
- fund expanded teams in product development, quality assurance, regulatory affairs and manufacturing as well as overheads and costs of a planned move into larger premises.

· The Placing Price represents a discount of approximately 2.7 per cent. to the closing mid-market share price of the Company on 7 December 2011;

· The Placing has attracted both existing and new investors and includes a significant investment in the Company by Invesco Asset Management Limited;

· The 181,818,182 Placing Shares will represent approximately 38.6 per cent. of the existing issued share capital of the Company prior to the issue of the Placing Shares;

· The Placing is conditional, inter alia, on Resolutions being passed at a general meeting of the Company to grant the directors of the Company authority to allot the Placing Shares and disapply pre-emption rights in connection with the allotment of the Placing Shares; and

· The Placing has been fully underwritten by Peel Hunt LLP who are acting as sole nominated adviser and broker.

John Samuel, Executive Chairman of Tissue Regenix, said:

“We are delighted to announce this material funding round which will transform our balance sheet and gives us the firepower to leverage our innovative technology platform. As well as allowing the Company to develop a range of products simultaneously following the established medical device regulatory route, this commitment from both existing and new investors is a significant endorsement of the commercial potential of our broad product pipeline. We are also pleased to note that the planned expansion of key teams will potentially lead to the creation of up to 30 high quality medical technology jobs in Yorkshire. The Directors continue to believe that our tissue products’ ability to retain biomechanical and regenerative capabilities on implantation provides us with an attractive platform from which we aim to become a significant global player in regenerative medicine.”

http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail.html?announcementId=11057093

In addition, its patent for orthopaedic development programme dCELL Meniscus was granted. The company’s balance sheet shows a pre-tax loss of £1.3m, caused by ongoing product investment and low turnover of £108,000, which was largely grant money. Antony Odell, Tissue Regenix managing director, said: “Tissue Regenix has continued to build on last year’s achievements by further adding to our clinical data in support of the dCELL platform as well as concluding a deal with our Brazilian development partners that will enable us to develop our technology faster and more cost effectively.

“Additionally, through this deal we have opened up new opportunities with the acquisition of the global rights (excluding Brazil) to a pipeline of innovative products, including a number of potential near-term revenue generating opportunities.

“A registry study is being set up in the UK to provide clinical support for the dCELL Vascular Patch which was showcased at the European society of Vascular Surgery in Athens in September.

“With exciting new products in development and a healthy financial position, we believe we are well positioned for growth within the exciting regenerative medicine space.”

http://www.insidermedia.com/insider/yorkshire/60116-tissue-regenix-making-good-progress-commercialisation/index.html

Nanoco claims to be the only company in the world capable of making dots in industrial quantities. Highlights of the period have included the signing of a follow-on product development agreement, worth more than £500,000, with a major Japanese LCD TV manufacturer. Nanoco also completed phase one of a solar cell development program with Tokyo Electron, and has signed an agreement to start phase two.

It agreed a joint development deal with a world-leading lighting company to produce LED lighting systems. And its Runcorn quantum dot factory was designed and built on time and on budget. Nanoco delivered its first 1kg of red dots to a Japanese customer, triggering a payment of more than £1.2m. The company holds cash and deposits of £17.1m, compared with £5.68m last year.

Dr Peter Rowley, Nanoco’s Chairman, commented: “During the year we made major steps in the development and commercialisation of our technology.

“We built and commissioned our first manufacturing plant, made significant progress in our commercial contracts and strengthened our balance sheet for the next stage in our development.

“Our momentum has continued in the current year and we look forward to achieving further technical and commercial progress in the months ahead.”

Nanoco, which is yet to make a profit, reported revenues of £1.14m for the six months to January 31, 2010, down from £1.6m on the same period last year, with losses of £1.65m, up from £470,000

by James Ferguson

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/business/technology/s/1462031_nanoco-group-continues-to-build-momentum

The new deal follows the successful completion of the first phase of the project, which began in June, 2010.
The second phase is expected to take 12 months and will focus on further improving the performance of the solar cells.
Under the terms of the agreement, Nanoco will receive milestone payments.

Nanoco chief executive Michael Edelman said: “We are delighted to enter the second phase of this joint development agreement after exceeding all of the milestones in the initial phase.

“We have been particularly pleased with progress to date, which underlines the potential of our technology in the solar power sector to replace highly capital intensive processes with high-tech chemistry.”

Work is also ongoing to incorporate Nanoco’s technology in next-generation TV screens and LED lights.
It has a factory in Runcorn and is currently designing a new £10m factory with increased capacity, which should be fully-operational by 2013.

Nanoco, which is yet to make a profit, reported revenues of £1.14m for the six months to January 31, 2010, down from £1.6m on the same period last year, with losses of £1.65m, up from £470,000

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/business/s/1460526_nanoco-extends-deal-with-japanese-partner