Touching Base

Episode 9 (February 16, 2024): Using CRISPR-Cas9 technology, British animal genetics firm Genus has generated a population of pigs that are resistant to the deadly porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus. Exscientia has fired its founder, CEO, and principal executive officer Andrew Hopkins, PhD, and removed him from the company’s board, after it concluded that he engaged in “inappropriate” relationships with two employees. Julianna LeMieux, PhD, Deputy Editor in Chief at GEN, provides a recap of her time at AGBT 2024.Plus, an interview with Christian Henry, president and chief executive officer at PacBio. Listed below are key references to the GEN stories, media, and other items discussed in this episode of Touching Base: CRISPRed Pigs: Precision Porcine Gene Editing Combats PPRS Virus ThreatBy Uduak Thomas, GEN, February 14, 2024 Exscientia Fires CEO for “Inappropriate” Relationships with Two EmployeesGEN, February 13, 2024 Sun, Spatial, and Sequencing: A Report from the First Day of AGBTBy Julianna LeMieux, PhD, and Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD, GEN, February 7, 2024NanoString CSO Joe Beechem Insists the Company “Not Going Anywhere”By Julianna LeMieux, PhD, GEN, February 8, 2024  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gene therapy updates for rare diseases by Intellia and Ultragenyx, Novo Holdings' acquisition of Catalent for $16.5B to keep up with drug demand, NanoString bankruptcy after patent infringement lawsuit, and an interview with Simon Barnett on advancing biotech's digitization and the intersection of machine learning and biophysics in structural biology.

Episode 7 (February 2, 2024): Simplify Genomics launches genome interpretation platform, COUR’s nanoparticles for autoimmunity, gene replacement therapy for heart condition, CG Oncology and ArriVent IPOs; an interview with Nautilus Biotechnology co-founders, Sujal Patel and Parag Mallick.Listed below are key references to the GEN stories, media and other items discussed in this episode of Touching Base:Human Longevity Spin-Out Aims to Tap into Variant Interpretation MarketBy Uduak Thomas, GEN, January 31st, 2024Light My Fire: COUR Raises $105M Series A to Advance Tolerogenic Nanoparticles for AutoimmunityBy Jonathan Grinstein, GEN Edge, January 30th, 2024 Gene Replacement Therapy Halts Fatal Arrhythmogenic Condition in MiceGEN, January 30th, 2024 StockWatch: IPO Revival? CG Oncology, ArriVent Raise a Combined $555MBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, January 28th, 2024       Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 6 (January 26, 2024): 11-year-old regains hearing after gene therapy; Kyverna uses blood draw instead of apheresis for CAR T manufacturing; DNA production technology with GSK and Elegen, StockWatch with Nvidia and Recursion; an interview with renowned cardiologist, Eric Topol, MD Listed below are key references to the GEN stories, media and other items discussed in this episode of Touching Base:  Gene Therapy Restores Hearing in 11-Year-Old After Just One MonthGEN, January 24th, 2024 GSK and Elegen Team Up to Develop DNA-Based Medicines and VaccinesBy Jonathan Grinstein, GEN Edge, January 24th, 2024Blood Brothers: Kyverna Reinvents Autologous CAR T Manufacturing from Blood Draw By Jonathan Grinstein, GEN Edge, January 24th, 2024 StockWatch: Nvidia Jumps 24% on Recursion, Amgen AI Partnerships By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, January 21st, 2024 Five Deaf Children Have Hearing Restored by AAV-Based Gene TherapyGEN, January 25th, 2024 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 5 (January 19, 2024); RNAs to address Alzheimer’s disease; monkey cloned via somatic cell nuclear transfer; Cytokinetics stock roller coaster; an interview with founder and CEO of 1910 Genetics, Jen Nwankwo, PhD.Listed below are key references to the GEN stories, media and other items discussed in this episode of Touching Base:· Alzheimer’s Disease Linked to Toxic Short RNAsGEN, January 18, 2024.·   Rhesus Monkey Cloned via Somatic Cell Nuclear TransferGEN, January 16, 2024.·   StockWatch: M&A Talk Fuels Cytokinetics Stock Roller CoasterBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, January 16th, 2024.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 4 (January 12, 2024): Takeaways from the J.P. Morgan Health Care conference: Illumina, Danaher, 10x, Empress Therapeutics; an interview with Liberate Bio’s Shawn Davis and Walter Strapps. Listed below are references to relevant GEN stories discussed in this episode of Touching Base: JPM: Illumina’s new CEO spells out 2024 priorities, presents preliminary Q4 2023 results By Alex Philippidis, GEN, January 10, 2024. JPM: Prime Medicine eyes 2024 IND for first prime editing therapy By Alex Philippidis, GEN, January 9, 2024 JPM 2024: Veracyte’s C2i genomics acquisition adds AI readouts to liquid biopsy testing By Jonathan D. Grinstein, GEN, January 8, 2024 JPM: More M&A “firepower” in store for 2024, EY predicts By Alex Philippidis, GEN, January 8, 2024  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 3 (January 5, 2024): Interview with Co-founder and CEO of Moonwalk Biosciences and former CTO of Illumina, Alex Aravanis; Neuro gene therapy with Novartis and Voyager; GEN reporters look forward to the 2024 J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference Listed below are key references to the GEN stories, media and other items discussed in this episode of Touching Base:Novartis, Voyager Ink Up-to-$1.3B Expansion of Neuro Gene Therapy CollaborationBy Alex Philippidis, GEN, January 2, 2024.Moonwalk Biosciences Raises $57M to Edit the EpigenomeBy Uduak Thomas, GEN, January 4, 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guest Rahul Kakkar, President and CEO of Tome Biosciences, discusses AI lab partners, mRNA vaccines in Africa, and Moderna's cancer vaccine data.

Episode 1 (Week ending December 8, 2023): Nevan Krogan (UCSF) mapping autism pathways; Nvidia’s latest AI partnership; CAR-T regulations; epigenome editing; mRNA therapeutics.References to the GEN stories, media and other items discussed in this episode of Touching Base:·        Autism’s Molecular Mechanisms Uncovered through Protein-Protein Interaction NetworkBy Julianna Lemieux, GEN, December 5, 2023.·        Rhapsody in B: Tune Therapeutics Presents Data for Hepatitis B Epigenetic SilencerBy Jonathan Grinstein, GEN Edge, December 6, 2023.·        Nvidia Looks to Genentech for its Next Leap in AI Drug DiscoveryBy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, November 28, 2023.·        StockWatch: CAR-T Shares Mostly Flat as FDA Probes Risk of New CancersBy Alex Philippidis, GEN, December 1, 2023·        Perfect Pitch: Genome Editing Pioneer Fyodor Urnov on Commercializing CRISPR Therapies and Epigenomic Tuning {VIDEO}GEN Edge, August 30, 2023·        Press release: John Crowley appointed President & CEO of BIOBiotechnology Innovation Organization·        BIO CEO Rachel King Outlines Industry’s Challenges on “Close to the Edge”GEN multimedia, April 26, 2023 ·        The First CRISPR Drug: Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ Casgevy Wins U.K. Approval for Sickle Cell DiseaseGEN, November 16, 2023 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.