Cergentis, a genomics company that develops and commercializes kits and services based on its proprietary Targeted Locus Amplification (TLA) technology, today announced the completion of a successful analytical validation study in lymphoma to show the benefits of TLA for the detection of clinically relevant translocations in tumor biopsies. The results of this study, performed in collaboration with researchers from Hubrecht Institute and lymphoma experts of 5 Dutch pathology labs (UMCU, Amsterdam UMC, UMCG, LUMC and LabPON), have now been published in Nature Communications.

The FFPE-TLC approach promises to revolutionize lymphoma diagnostics and as the technology fits a standard targeted NGS workflow and allows for detection of all clinically relevant mutations, both small and large, in a single diagnostic test. This is especially relevant for precious needle biopsies with limited material available, opening opportunities to improve diagnoses and patient treatments for many more cancer types.

With the help of the EU Horizon 2020 SME grant, awarded in 2018, and its partners, Cergentis has successfully developed the TLA technology specifically for formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor biopsies: FFPE-TLC. FFPE-TLC technology employs the inherent DNA crosslinking and fragmentation of FFPE tissue which, combined with conventional capture enrichment and next generation sequencing (NGS), allows to detect large structural variation in the DNA of a tumor sample over much wider genomic regions than standard NGS technologies, improving robustness and sensitivity. The PLIER algorithm, developed in parallel, allows for automated detection of these structural rearrangements from FFPE-TLC NGS data, providing a major step forward in this field.

The published study shows that FFPE-TLC has clear advantages over FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) analysis, the most common used method for translocation detection in lymphoma diagnostics, yielding more information, showing better sensitivity and higher resolution. Prof. Daphne de Jong, hematopathologist at Amsterdam University Medical Centre and one of the collaborators:

“The FFPE-TLC approach can greatly improve lymphoma diagnostics and promises to be the hoped-for alternative for cumbersome FISH analyses.”

FFPE-TLC proves to be a robust assay which also has clear benefits over targeted NGS methods as it provides an automated analysis workflow and enables detection of translocations independent of the exact fusion sequence.

“We are very proud of the results of this technological breakthrough. In collaboration with thought leaders at Hubrecht Institute and renowned clinical institutions, we have demonstrated the value of FFPE-TLC technology for cancer diagnostics.”

Joris Schuurmans, CEO of Cergentis, stated.

“With this recognition in hand we are set out to make the technology available for use in pathology labs to help improve diagnosis of patients suffering from lymphoma and other cancer types.”

Source: Cergentis (Press release)

Nu onze vaccinatiecampagne op stoom is en we dankzij de dalende infectiedruk voorzichtig onze maatregelen versoepelen, begint ook de reflectie en bezinning op “de Nederlandse corona-aanpak”.

In Trouw en de Volkskrant trappen huisarts Berend Jansen en oud CBG-voorzitter Bert Leufkens af met hun inzichten over de Nederlandse coronakeuzes. Voor beide heren staat centraal dat we in een situatie als deze zo snel mogelijk, zo veel mogelijk mensen -mondiaal- van een werkzaam vaccin moeten voorzien. En hoe medisch-wetenschappelijk verantwoord ook, precies aan dat doel zijn we volgens beide heren met onze keuzes voorbij gegaan. Want vooruitlopend op de kennis over de werkzaamheid en bijwerkingen, zijn twee nog altijd veilige en effectieve vaccins afgeserveerd, met grote gevolgen voor het vertrouwen van de samenleving in andere vaccins.

Reflecterend op het vaccinatiebeleid vraagt HollandBIO zich af of wetenschappelijke adviesraden en overheden in pandemische tijden niet veel meer in samenwerking zouden moeten optreden, in plaats van in elke lidstaat individueel te adviseren of beoordelen welk vaccin naar wie gaat. Zouden we niet beter af zijn als we hier op Europees -of misschien zelfs globaal- niveau afspreken over maken, daarbij vanaf dag 1 rekening houdend met de impact en toegankelijkheid van vaccins op minder bevoorrechte delen van de wereld? Prikken wat de pot schaft dus, alleen dan in optima forma.

Lonza announced the expansion of its collaboration with Moderna, a biotechnology company pioneering messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics and vaccines. The expanded collaboration will further extend the manufacture of the drug substance for the COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna and provides for the installation of a new manufacturing line for drug substance production at Lonza’s Geleen (NL) site.

The new production line in Geleen (NL) will complement Lonza’s existing drug substance production network for COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna and deliver a crucial manufacturing step to increase overall drug substance output. As such, the new production line will contribute to the supply of up to an additional 300 million doses per year, at a 50ug dose, once operating at full capacity. 

In May 2020, Lonza and Moderna announced a ten-year strategic collaboration agreement to enable the manufacture of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine and additional Moderna products in the future. Since then, Lonza has installed three production lines at its Visp (CH) site and one production line in Portsmouth (US). In April 2021, Lonza and Moderna entered a new agreement to add three further production lines at its Visp (CH) site. 

The new production line in Geleen (NL) is expected to be operational by the end of 2021. Lonza will leverage its existing infrastructure in Geleen (NL) to provide fast build-out and ramp-up of operations.

Source: Lonza (Press release)

MIMETAS, the global leader in human-relevant organ-on-a-chip models, has just opened their Phenotypic Screening Center. The center facilitates large-scale screening campaigns on Organ-on-a-Chip models, a powerful technology that improves the human physiological relevance of cultured tissues by utilizing microfluidic techniques. In contrast to other Organ-on-a-Chip platforms, the MIMETAS OrganoPlate^® technology offers the scalability and the throughput needed for drug discovery studies.

“We are very proud to open up this new center,” said Jos Joore, CEO of MIMETAS. “Our new Phenotypic Screening Center facilitates high-throughput organ-on-a-chip screening combined with high-content imaging and machine learning data analysis to identify drug candidates for today’s unmet medical needs. Our customers understand that human-relevant disease models should be at the basis of every drug discovery effort. Moreover, these cutting-edge technologies stimulate the creativity and purpose of our scientists to make a difference in the lives of patients.”

Largest Organ-on-a-Chip compound screen

MIMETAS recently reported a successful 1,546 compound screen in duplicate on a 3D angiogenesis assay in the OrganoPlate^® 3-lane 64. Promising hit compounds from this screen are currently under investigation. “To our knowledge, this is the largest organ-on-a-chip screen ever reported,” explained Joore. “We partner with large pharmaceutical companies, that need our disease model screening expertise, and can bring promising candidates to the clinic fast. In this way, we make sure that we bring novel drugs to patients in the most efficient manner.”

New energy-neutral laboratory

The brand-new screening center is located in the new head office of MIMETAS at the shore of the Old Rhine, the ancient northern border of the Roman Empire. It is the first energy-neutral laboratory building in the Netherlands. This sustainable building has accomplished a 40% carbon dioxide reduction by reusing materials from a former Leiden University complex. Joore adds: “It is highly inspiring to perform our research surrounded by materials recycled from labs where Nobel-prize winners have done their groundbreaking science.”

Source: MIMETAS (Press release)