• Copyrights
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Shop
  • Fun Box
Biostandups | Connecting Science, Biotechnology & Healthcare
  • Home
  • Bio News
    • Bio Research
    • Bio Tech
    • Health, Food and Fitness
    • Agriculture
    • Public Health and Issues
    • Earth and Environment
    • Pharmacy
    • Women Health
  • Bio Woman
    • Face of the month
    • Raising talents
    • Voice of Women
    • WISE
  • Bio Business
    • Startup Guide
    • Entrepreneurship
  • JOB POSTINGS
    • Study at University
    • Organizations
    • Fellowships / Grants
    • Opportunities for Freshers
    • Awards/Prizes/Medals
  • Bio Protocols
    • Basic Protocols
    • Multiple Research Protocols
    • Video Protocols
    • Protocol Exchange
    • Thesis/Paper writing tools
  • Bio Events
  • About Us
    • Founding Team
    • Advisory Board
    • Partners
    • Editors
    • Contributors
    • Sponsors
    • Donate Us
    • Media Room
  • Contact us

“SpyBiotech” bags $5.01 million for developing a ‘Biotech Superglue’ vaccines

Victor Babu/04 Apr, 17/669/0
Startups

Google Backs Another Biotech Startup: This One Wants to Develop a ‘Biotech Superglue’ to Create New Vaccines. 

GV, formerly Google Ventures, the venture fund backed by Alphabet/Google, participated in a $5.01 million (4 million British pounds) investment in a company called SpyBiotech. No, the company doesn’t have anything to do with espionage, Internet browser histories, or Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. SpyBiotech focuses on the so-called “super glue” that combines two parts of the bacteria that causes strep throat.

Spun out of Oxford University, based on research performed by its Department of Biochemistry and the Jenner Institute, the company hopes it can use its science to develop vaccines. When the bacteria that cause strep throat are separated, they are attracted to each other and attempt to reattach. Business Insider writes, “SpyBiotech is hoping it can use this principle to develop vaccines, rather than virus-causing bacteria, that will bind onto viral infections. It believes this technology can be particularly effective in quickly developing vaccines for fast-spreading epidemics.” 

“We view this superglue technology as a game changer to enable faster development of effective vaccines against major global diseases,” said Sumi Biswas, associate professor at the Jenner Institute at Oxford University, to Business Insider. “We are excited to begin the journey of taking this versatile and innovative approach forward and moving our new vaccines from the laboratory to human clinical testing.”

The name of the company comes from one of the bacteria that can cause strep throat, impetigo and other infections, Streptococcus pyogenes, often shorted to Spy. When Spy is split into a peptide (SpyTag) and its protein partners (SpyCatcher), they are attracted to each other. The researchers then isolated the “glue” that creates that attraction, and believe it can be used to bond vaccines together.

According to TechCrunch, “It plans to use this glue first to bond antigens not to actual pathogens, but to virus-like particles, replacing other techniques that have in the past been deemed too imprecise and ineffective.”

“We see the Spy technology as the missing link in rapid and robust VLP vaccine design and see GV as a natural co-investment partner to take this forward,” said Lachlan MacKinnon, principal at OSI, to TechCrunch. “We are privileged to be working with four founders who bring such an impressive combination of academic prowess and clinical-stage experience to the company.” OSI is Oxford Sciences Innovation, Oxford University’s own venture fund, which was one of the SpyBiotech investors as well. 

The four founders of SpyBiotech are Biswas along with Mark Howarth, professor of Protein Nanotechnology; Simon Draper, professor of Vaccinology; and Jing Jin, a Principal Investigator at The Jenner Institute.

This investment marks GV’s thirteenth European investment since it started in June 2014. According to London-based partner Tom Hulme, about half of GV’s investment in Europe are biotechnology and life sciences. Overall, about a third of GV’s investments are in life sciences.

“SpyBiotech punctuates research that’s been developing for some time here at Oxford, and is a testament to the benefits of collaboration between our departments and institutes,” said Carolyn Porter, Deputy Head of Technology Transfer at Oxford University Innovation, in a statement. “Oxford is playing a leading role in developing the next generation of vaccines, and SpyBiotech—and other spinouts working in this sector—showcases the potential impact the University can have on the wider world.”

The article was written by Mark Terry, BioSpace.com Breaking News Staff for PharmaLive. Click HERE. Read more about SpyBiotech HERE.

Share
populars

Global water crisis and 12 companies trying to...

04 Apr, 17

How to Find Great Co-Founders for Your Startup...

04 Apr, 17

Related Posts

Bio NewsBio Tech

BACTERIA THAT EATS METAL, PROCESSES CARBON ACCIDENTALLY...

Bio NewsMicro BiologyPublic Health and Issues

Gut bacteria improve type 2 diabetes risk prediction

Health, Food and Fitness

Stem cell therapy: why we need to be suspicious about...

mm
Victor Babu
Contributing Author Biotechnologist Undergraduate at Qis NNR & CL Collage

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

View more jobs >>

Face of the month - February

A career in research is always challenging more so because the techniques and technologies are changing fast. One has to keep updated about the kind of work going on globally. Securing grants for your research is however the toughest challenge. Mentoring students and solving their problems also becomes quite challenging at times. - Dr. Charu Lata

Raising Talents

The moment he granted me a seat, the news spread like anything. The principal called Mr. Sahu and almost every person laughed at me. I was a very simple girl from middle-class family. Many unwanted suggestions poured in. But I think I was destined to be here. Days went by. At the end of every year, a mining student has to go for training in mines.

Most Viewed

Bio TechCareer

Best List of Biotech Internships in India

Agriculture

Evolution of Fruits and Vegetables –...

Most Commented

5 biologists to receive Elsevier Foundation...

06 Sep, 16

Career Talks on Biotechnology and Bioinformatics

04 Jan, 17

World Health/Biotech News

[wp-rss-aggregator limit="50" pagination="false"] View more >>

News By Category

  • Agriculture (73)
  • Bio News (146)
  • Bio Tech (103)
  • Career (40)
  • Earth and Environment (101)
  • Health, Food and Fitness (125)
  • Innovation & Technology (35)
  • Interview Series (11)
  • Micro Biology (1)
  • Pharmacy (98)
  • Public Health and Issues (144)
  • Startups (61)
  • Uncategorized (3)
  • Women Health (78)
  • Women in STEM (9)
  • Women safety (1)

Archives

  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • July 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016

Recent Posts

BACTERIA THAT EATS METAL, PROCESSES CARBON...

22 Jul, 20

Gut bacteria improve type 2 diabetes risk...

06 Jul, 20

Stem cell therapy: why we need to be suspicious...

24 Jun, 20

PHAR-EAST 2020

The 3rd edition of Phar-East is happening in Singapore from 31 March to 1 April 2020. It is your chance to network with over 1,000 leading experts from across Asia and gain insights about the latest trends in the pharma and biotech industry.

  • Home
  • Our Mission
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Memberships