Industry News Roundup for February, 2016: Biotech

A novel self-enhanced electrochemiluminescence immunosensor based on hollow Ru-SiO2@PEI nanoparticles for NSE analysis

Poly (ethylenimine) (PEI) and Ru(bpy)32+-doped silica (Ru-SiO2) nanoparticles were simply mixed together to prepare a novel self-enhanced electrochemiluminescence (ECL) composite of Ru-SiO2@PEI. The hollow Ru-SiO2@PEI nanoparticles were used to build an ECL immunosensor for the analysis of neuron specific enolase (NSE). PEI not only assembled on the surface of Ru-SiO2 nanoparticles through the electrostatic interaction to act as co-reactant for Ru(bpy)32+ ECL, but also provided alkaline condition to etch the Ru-SiO2 nanoparticles to form the hollow Ru-SiO2@PEI nanoparticles with porous shell. The unique structure of the Ru-SiO2@PEI nanoparticles loaded both a large amount of Ru(bpy)32+ and its co-reactant PEI at the same time, which shortened the electron-transfer distance, thereby greatly enhanced the luminous efficiency and amplified the ECL signal. The developed immunosensor showed a wide linear range from 1.0 × 10−11 to 1.0 × 10−5 mg mL−1 with a low detection limit of 1.0 × 10−11 mg mL−1 for NSE. When the immunosensor was used for the determination of NSE in clinical human serum, the results were comparable with those obtained by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. The proposed method provides a promising alternative for NSE analysis in clinical samples.

Source: Nature.com

Bial's Fatal Clinical Trial in France Had Already Caused Deaths of Dogs in Earlier Tests

PARIS – An experimental chronic pain treatment that caused one death and left five others with possible brain damage in a French clinical lab was believed to be related to deaths in dogs in earlier clinical testing, the Telegraph of London reported this morning.

The Telegraph reported the details of the canine deaths were not reported by the laboratory conducting the tests for Portugal-based Bial-Portela were not disclosed due to “industrial secrecy.” The trial was being conducted by Bial, a clinical research organization in Rennes, France. Citing a report in the French paper Le Figaro, the Telegraph said a “number of dogs” died and others suffered neurological damage in preclinical trials of the drug. Bial has refused to reveal information about the preclinical data and the canine deaths.

Source: biospace.com

Bacteria take 'RNA mug shots' of threatening viruses

Scientists from The University of Texas at Austin, the Stanford University School of Medicine and two other institutions have discovered that bacteria have a system that can recognize and disrupt dangerous viruses using a newly identified mechanism involving ribonucleic acid (RNA). It is similar to the CRISPR/Cas system that captures foreign DNA. The discovery might lead to better ways to thwart viruses that kill agricultural crops and interfere with the production of dairy products such as cheese and yogurt.

Source: Sciencedaily.com

This is collected by Creative BioMart.