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We kick off the very first episode of 2026 with a major legal development. This week, the former CEO of CytoDyn was sentenced to 30 months in prison, more than a year after being convicted on multiple charges including four counts of securities fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and three counts of insider trading. Also, we examine recent investments in artificial intelligence by several major drugmakers, and where they are hoping the technology can make an impact. Then, the latest from 10x Genomics and its plans to expand into clinical diagnostics through new collaboration. And for some research news, a new study that explores how functional forms of amyloid can create stable memories.   Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news.  Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base:    Ex-CytoDyn CEO Sentenced to 30-Month Prison Term on Fraud, Insider Trading By Alex Philippidis, GEN, January 27, 2026 Pharma Bets Big on AI Platforms with Flurry of New Year Deals By Fay Lin, PhD, GEN Edge, January 22, 2026 JPM: Nvidia Launches AI Collaborations with Eli Lilly, Thermo Fisher By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, January 13, 2026 Clinical Ambitions: 10x Expands Beyond Research with Trio of Collaborations By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, January 26, 2026 Chai’s the Limit for AI Antibody Designer After $130M Series B Funding By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, December 16, 2025 Lilly Expands AI Ties to Insilico, from Customer to Drug Discovery Partner By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, November 10, 2025 How Brain May Deliberately Form Amyloids to Turn Experiences Into Memories GEN, January 26, 2026 Touching Base Podcast  Hosted by Corinna Singleman, PhD    Behind the Breakthroughs  Hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the final episode of 2025, the GEN team came together to reflect on some of the stories over the last year that they each found impactful. Some of the stories were covered in GEN’s December issue, but our editors took the time to discuss some topics in a bit more depth during the podcast. The discussion began with an update on the progress of AI use in drug discovery. Cell and gene therapy was a big topic with the positive outcome for Baby KJ, while Sarepta dealt with a rollercoaster of a year with their DMD treatment, Elevidys. Research and biotech in Africa are growing and the discussion ranged from challenges to promise in research and development on the continent. This year’s NIH budget cuts and impacted institutions rounded out the conversation. Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Fay Lin, Phd, Kevin Davies, Phd, John Sterling, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news.  Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base:    GEN Editors Reflect on Six of the Biggest Stories of the Year By Alex Philippidis, Savannah Wiegel, Fay Lin, PhD, Kevin Davies, PhD, Uduak Thomas, and Julianna LeMieux, PhD, GEN, December 4, 2025 StockWatch: Sarepta Says Deaths of Two Elevidys Patients Posted on FDA Database Unrelated to Treatment By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, August 10 StockWatch: As Prasad Exits FDA, Analysts See Benefit for Sarepta, CGT Stocks By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, August 3 FDA Probes Death of Brazilian Boy Linked to Sarepta’s Elevidys GEN Edge, July 27 Second DMD Patient Dies After Treatment with Sarepta Gene Therapy By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, June 15 DMD Patient Dies After Treatment with Sarepta Gene Therapy By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, March 18 From The Editor in Chief John Sterling, December Issue of GEN   Gene Therapy in Africa The State of CRISPR & Genome Editing Summit, June 11, 2025 TOP 50 NIH By Alex Philippidis, GEN, December 4, 2025 FDA Cell & Gene Therapy roundtable: Cell and Gene Therapy Leaders Tell FDA: “Believe in American Solutions” By Alex Philippidis, and Kevin Davies, PhD, GEN Edge, June 5, 2025 Scientists in NYC Rally to Defend and Stand Up for Science By Corinna Singleman, GEN, March 10, 2025 Touching Base Podcast  Hosted by Corinna Singleman, PhD    Behind the Breakthroughs  Hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stories on lung organoids and autism were some of the most read this week. We kicked things off by digging into recent breakthroughs in both areas including an automated method for manufacturing iPSC-derived lung organoids and how a combination of supplements reduced autism-linked behaviors in mice. Still on the topic of new research, we discussed how a protein in the extracellular matrix helps muscle stem cells repair aging muscles. In business news, the bidding war between Lundbeck and Alkermes over Avadel Pharmaceuticals has ended. We talk about the possible implications of Lundbeck’s decision to back out and next steps for Alkermes. Then we dive into Protego Biopharma’s recent fundraising round, and efforts to develop small-molecule pharmacological chaperones that modulate protein stability in disease.     Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news.    Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base:    Lung Organoids Generated in Bulk Using Stirred Bioreactor Technology GEN, December 1, 2025 Autism-Linked Behaviors in Mice Reduced by Nutrient Trio GEN, December 3, 2025 Muscle Stem Cells Bolstered by ECM Protein Tenascin-C GEN, December 5, 2025   Protego Closes $130M Series B to Fund Pivotal Trial of AL Amyloidosis Candidate By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, December 3, 2025 Lundbeck Ends Bidding War for Avadel, After Alkermes’ Up-to-$2.37B Offer By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, December 1, 2025 Touching Base Podcast  Hosted by Corinna Singleman, PhD    Behind the Breakthroughs  Hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nasal vaccines show new promise for human papillomavirus (HPV) to address cervical cancer and whooping cough. In business news, Korro's stock craters 81% as AATD interim Phase I/II results miss expectations. Additionally, Johnson & Johnson acquires Halda to expand their cancer pipeline while Merck acquires Cidara to boost antivirals. Lastly, the inaugural Genetic Agency Technology Conference (GATC) hosted by Dyno Therapeutics brought together a diverse group of researchers, entrepreneurs, and patient advocates to discuss the mission of genetic agency, or an individual’s ability to take action at the genetic level to live a healthier life.    Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news.    Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base:    Cervical Cancer May Be Treatable with Intranasal Nanogel Vaccine GEN, November 15, 2025 Novel Nasal Spray Vaccine for Pertussis Shows Promise By Corinna Singleman, PhD, GEN, November 12, 2025   StockWatch: Korro Craters 81% on Data; Patient Death Sours Analysts on Intellia By Alex Philippidis, GENEdge, November 16, 2025 J&J Expands Cancer Pipeline with $3B Halda Acquisition By Alex Philippidis, GENEdge, November 18, 2025 Merck to Acquire Cidara for $9.2B, Bolstering Antiviral Pipeline  By Alex Philippidis, GEN, November 15, 2025   AI Meets Genetic Agency at Dyno GATC 2025 By Fay Lin, PhD, GENEdge, November 14, 2025 Genetic Agency on Display at GATC 2025 By Kevin Davies, PhD, and Fay Lin, PhD, GEN, November 13, 2025 Dyno GATC Announces AI Agents, Muscle Capsid, and Manufacturing Partner By Fay Lin, PhD, GEN Edge, November 11, 2025   Touching Base Podcast  Hosted by Corinna Singleman, PhD    Behind the Breakthroughs  Hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

uniQure's “game changing” data announced in September, which showed significant slowing of Huntington’s disease (HD) progression in patients treated with its gene therapy candidate AMT-130, may not be enough to secure FDA approval. We also discuss Recursion's pivotal leadership transitions, as Najat Khan, PhD, chief R&D officer and chief commercial officer, is set to take over as the company's CEO effective January 1. The AI drug developer has made big bets filling the biology data gap and recently announced a "Google Map of the brain" to advance neurodegenerative disease targets. In open-source AI for drug discovery, the release of the latest Boltz model, BoltzGen, advances the platform from structural predictions to the design of "any" therapeutic modality, all available for commercial use.    Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news.      Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base:     uniQure Staggers as FDA Questions Data for Huntington’s Gene Therapy Candidate  By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, November 3, 2025     StockWatch: uniQure Shares Reach Five-Year High on “Game Changing” Huntington’s Data  Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, September 28, 2025    Gene Therapy Significantly Slows Huntington Disease Progression  GEN, September 24, 2025    Recursion, Roche Unveil Microglia Map of Neuro Disease Targets  By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, October 29, 2025    BoltzGen Democratizes AI Therapeutic Design, Expands Druggable Universe  By Fay Lin, PhD, GEN, October 27, 2025    The State of AI in Drug Discovery On Demand      Touching Base Podcast   Hosted by Corinna Singleman, PhD     Behind the Breakthroughs   Hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD      Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are gearing up for our annual AI in Drug Discovery summit in a few days. So, for this episode, we focused on some recent AI news coverage. First, GEN senior editor Fay Lin, PhD, visited Seattle recently for some AI-focused meetings. She discusses her experiences in the Emerald City including an exclusive in-person interview with Nobel laureate, David Baker, PhD, on what’s real and what’s hype when it comes to using AI to design proteins de novo.  Then we discuss new research from University of California, San Diego, that used machine learning to identify networks of genes that could be targeted to reprogram cancer stem cells. We also go over some early studies that point to a possible drug candidate for colon cancer.       Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news.     Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base:      Brunkow, Ramsdell, Sakaguchi Win Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for Peripheral Immune Tolerance   Uduak Thomas, GEN, October 6, 2025      AI in Protein Design: Hype vs. Reality Explained by David Baker   By Fay Lin, PhD, GEN, October 20, 2025       Nobel Anniversary: David Baker Keynotes STEM Fundraiser by ARCS Foundation Seattle   By Fay Lin, PhD, GEN, October 14, 2025        AI Treatment Reprograms and Triggers Cancer Stem Cells to Self-Destruct   GEN, October 20, 2025        The State of AI in Drug Discovery Registration      Touching Base Podcast   Hosted by Corinna Singleman, PhD     Behind the Breakthroughs   Hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Metal-organic frameworks and peripheral immune tolerance were the big winners of the Nobel prizes in chemistry, and in physiology or medicine, respectively. In this episode of the podcast, we discuss the winners and the impacts of their discoveries. Then we move over to some business news where we discuss a novel gene therapy for Huntington’s disease from uniQure that made waves recently. Early clinical trial data for AMT-130 showed that it could meaningfully slow the progression of the disease by as much as 75%. Also in business news, a new partnership involving Arbor Biotechnologies and Chiesi Group aims to develop gene editing therapies to target rare liver diseases. Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news.  Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base: Brunkow, Ramsdell, Sakaguchi Win Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for Peripheral Immune Tolerance Uduak Thomas, GEN, October 6, 2025 Metal-Organic Frameworks Win the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Julianna LeMieux, PhD, GEN, October 8, 2025 Gene Therapy Significantly Slows Huntington Disease Progression GEN, September 24, 2025   StockWatch: uniQure Shares Reach Five-Year High on “Game Changing” Huntington’s Data Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, September 28, 2025   Chiesi, Arbor Target Rare Liver Diseases in Up-to-$2.1B Gene Editing Collaboration Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, October 8, 2025 Touching Base Podcast Hosted by Corinna Singleman, PhD Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GEN has been at the forefront of biotech and bioprocessing news for over 40 years. Last week, editor in chief, John Sterling and deputy editor in chief, Julianna LeMieux, PhD, attended BioProcess International (BPI). This annual meeting is a hallmark event for GEN, where we attend talks, speak with a multitude of bioprocess companies, and keep up to date on the latest products and news for the year. John and Julianna discuss their experience at this year’s event. Additionally, GEN held its first ever client appreciation reception this year at BPI and Julianna describes the atmosphere. Join GEN editors John Sterling, Julianna LeMieux, PhD, and Corinna Singleman, PhD for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news.  Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base: Boston’s Bioprocessing Buzz: GEN Reports Live from BPI 2025 Julianna LeMieux, PhD and John Sterling, GEN, September 18, 2025 Top 10 U.S. Biopharma Clusters 2025 Alex Philippidis, GEN, August 1, 2025 Top 10 Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations 2025 Alex Philippidis, GEN, September 15, 2025 Touching Base Podcast Hosted by Corinna Singleman, PhD Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Novartis has agreed to license and develop Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals’ preclinical stage small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapy ARO-SNCA, a potential treatment for Parkinson’s disease and other synucleinopathies, plus additional targets. Two stories this week covered very different types of cell reprogramming techniques for therapy development. The first approach may overcome the time delays and safety risks of traditional immunotherapies, especially for patients with aggressive, late-stage disease. Meanwhile, electrical stimulation of macrophages could represent a new therapy to boost the body’s own repair processes in a range of injury and disease situations. Finally, Eli Lilly saw its shares climb 5% this past week after announcing that its history-making oral obesity candidate, orforglipron, aced the Phase III ATTAIN-2 trial. Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news. Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base: The State of Biotech Summit Registration Novartis Commits Up to $2.2B toward Developing Arrowhead siRNA Therapy Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, September 2, 2025 Off-the-Shelf Immunotherapy Demonstrates Multipronged Attack Against Cancer GEN, August 29, 2025 Human Macrophages “Reprogrammed” by Electrical Stimulation to Encourage Faster Healing GEN, September 2, 2025 StockWatch: Analysts See $10B+ in Sales for Lilly Oral GLP-1 Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, September 1, 2025 Touching Base Podcast Hosted by Corinna Singleman, PhD Behind the Breakthroughs Hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode explores two frontiers: space travel and artificial intelligence. First, we discuss a study testing whether mouse sperm cryopreserved and stored in the International Space Station could still produce healthy offspring back on Earth. It’s a question with real implications for the future of deep space missions and even space tourism. Then, we turn to recent advances in AI. We talk about a machine-learning model trained to predict more effective nanoparticles for delivering RNA vaccines and therapies. Also, we learn about an AI model that designs peptides for challenging targets in cancer and neurodegenerative disease without needing detailed protein structures.    Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news.  Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base:  The State of Biotech Summit Registration  Space Station Stem Cells Successfully Produce Healthy Mice  GEN, August 18, 2025  COMET's Rocket Speed: AI-Designed Nanoparticles Accelerate mRNA Therapies  GEN, August 18, 2025  Protein Language Model Hits Undruggable Targets, No Structure Required  By Fay Lin, PhD GEN, August 14, 2025  Touching Base Podcast  Hosted by Corinna Singleman, PhD  Behind the Breakthroughs  Hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of GEN's Touching Base spotlights the unexpected relationship between breathing low oxygen and restoration of neuron function in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. In addition, a single gene therapy injected at birth now offers lasting protection from HIV in infant rhesus macaques. Rounding out our episode, we discuss key factors shaping this year’s A-List of Top 10 U.S. Biopharma Clusters and recap the regulatory conflict surrounding Sarepta Therapeutics’ Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) gene therapy, Elevidys®—including the departure of Vinay Prasad, MD, the FDA official behind the agency’s brief get-tough approach. Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news.  Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base: GLP-1 Drug Semaglutide Linked to Reduced Muscle Strength in Mice GEN, August 6, 2025 Out of Thin Air: Hypoxia Reverses Parkinson’s Symptoms in Mice By Fay Lin, PhD GEN, August 6, 2025 Early Gene Therapy Provides Lasting HIV Protection in Newborn Primates GEN, July 30, 2025 StockWatch: As Prasad Exits FDA, Analysts See Benefit for Sarepta, CGT Stocks By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, August 3, 2025 Sarepta to Resume Shipping DMD Gene Therapy to Ambulant Patients By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, July 28, 2025 Sarepta Under Scrutiny, AstraZeneca’s Big Bet, and AI vs. IDRs By Alex Philippidis, Uduak Thomas, Fay Lin, PhD, Corinna Singleman, PhD, GEN, July 25, 2025 About Face: Sarepta to Pause Elevidys Shipments Temporarily By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, July 21, 2025 Touching Base Podcast Hosted by Corinna Singleman, PhD Behind the Breakthroughs Hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD The State of Biotech Summit Registration Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarepta has temporarily paused shipments of Elevidys, its FDA-approved treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In this episode of GEN's Touching Base, we discuss the company’s response to the tragedies associated with its DMD therapy as well as with a new therapy for limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. Also in this episode, big updates from AstraZeneca including a $50 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing and R&D, a heartwarming story about preventing mitochondrial disease involving eight babies from the U.K., and from the lab of Nobel Prize winner David Baker, PhD, AI that designs drugs for previously “undruggable” proteins. Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news. Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base: About Face: Sarepta to Pause Elevidys Shipments Temporarily By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, July 21, 2025 StockWatch: Sarepta Shares Nosedive after LGMD Gene Therapy Patient Dies By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, July 20, 2025 Sarepta Axes 500, 36% of Workforce, in Restructuring after DMD Patient Deaths By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, July 16, 2025 AstraZeneca Commits $50B More to U.S. Manufacturing, R&D Projects By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, July 22, 2025 AstraZeneca’s New $300M Plant Provides Control of Cell Therapy Production By Gareth John Macdonald, GEN, May 14, 2025   Beyond Baby KJ: Next Steps in Manufacturing Genome Editing Cures GEN Live, July 30, 2025 Mitochondrial Disease Milestone: Eight Babies Born Free of Disease via Pronuclear Transfer By Julianna LeMieux, PhD GEN, July 16, 2025 Undruggable No More: AI Hits Disordered Proteins, Unlocks Therapy Targets By Fay Lin, PhD GEN, July 18, 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Merck & Co. has acquired Verona Pharma for $10 billion in a deal designed to expand the pharma giant’s portfolio of cardio-pulmonary disease treatments. In a step toward virtual cell benchmarking, the Arc Institute has launched the Virtual Cell Challenge to evaluate the ability of transcriptome AI models to generalize to new cell contexts for therapeutic applications. Fujifilm rebrands life science companies to position itself as a drug development leader. Additionally, AAV-OTOF gene therapy shows promise in restoring hearing loss while a new proteomics tool gleams insight into telomere repair. We wrap up our episode with highlights from BIO 2025, as FDA Commissioner Martin Makary, MD, shared his vision for a “New FDA” focused on accelerating drug applications, industry partnerships, and applying AI. Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news. Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base:   Merck to Acquire Verona Pharma for $10B, Adding Fast-Growing COPD Drug By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, July 9, 2025 Arc Institute Launces Virtual Cell Challenge to Accelerate AI Model Development By Fay Lin, PhD, GEN Edge, June 26, 2025 End-to-End: Fujifilm Rebrands Life Sciences Companies, Positioning Itself as Drug Development Cycle Leader By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, July 8, 2025 AAV-OTOF Gene Therapy Trial Restores Hearing in Both Children and Adults  By GEN, July 7, 2025   Proteomics Tool Sheds Light on Cancer Cells’ Telomere Repair Tactics By GEN, July 7, 2025   Makary Calls for “New FDA” at BIO; Defends Agency’s Spring Job Cuts By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, June 18, 2025 Cell and Gene Therapy Leaders Tell FDA: “Believe in American Solutions” By Kevin Davies, PhD, and Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, June 5, 2025   Behind the Breakthroughs Podcast Hosted by Jonathan D. Grinstein, PhD Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Acast BIO 2025, Huge Virtual Cell Dataset, AI-Designed De Novo Proteins BIO 2025 is off and running. GEN editors discuss the size and scope of the bustling conference hall and share excitement about the week’s talks and panels. News from BIO includes the announcement of Lilly’s acquisition of Verve Therapeutics. Editors discuss the implications of industry-backed therapeutics amid cautious investors and public sentiment. In the realm of AI, Xaira Therapeutics, a $1 billion-backed AI drug discovery unicorn, has capped its first year by releasing the largest publicly available Perturb-seq dataset to support its virtual cell initiative. Additionally, AlphaDesign, a new AI-driven framework, accelerates the creation of functional de novo proteins, moving protein design toward custom therapeutics and precision medicine.   Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Uduak Thomas, and Fay Lin, PhD, for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news.  Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base Lilly to Acquire Verve Therapeutics for Up to $1.3B By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, June 17, 2025   Second DMD Patient Dies After Treatment with Sarepta Gene Therapy By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, June 15, 2025 Danon Disease Patient Dies in Rocket Gene Therapy Trial By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, May 27, 2025 Xaira Therapeutics Releases Largest Perturb-Seq Dataset to Power the Virtual Cell By Fay Lin, GEN Edge, June17, 2025 AI-Designed Proteins Created De Novo with New AlphaDesign GEN, June 17, 2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A gene therapy clinical trial for Danon disease run by Rocket Pharmaceuticals has been suspended following the death of a patient. MIT and Recursion have released Boltz-2, an open-source tool that predicts molecular binding affinity at newfound speed and accuracy, aiming to democratize commercial drug discovery. Intellia Therapeutics saw its stock nosedive late last week after a patient in its Phase III trial of the CRISPR-based therapy experienced non-lethal liver toxicity. In other news, a therapeutic plasma exchange regimen combined with intravenous immunoglobulin reduced some biomarkers of biological age in humans. Sanofi has agreed to acquire Blueprint Medicines for up to $9.5 billion, and a universal CAR T cell therapy was produced by applying CRISPR gene editing to cells donated by healthy individuals.    Join GEN editors Corinna Singleman, PhD, Alex Philippidis, Fay Lin, PhD, and Uduak Thomas for a discussion of the latest biotech and biopharma news.     Listed below are links to the GEN stories referenced in this episode of Touching Base    Danon Disease Patient Dies in Rocket Gene Therapy Trial  By Alex Philippidis, GEN, May 27, 2025    Boltz-2 Released to Democratize AI Molecular Modeling for Drug Discovery  By Fay Lin, PhD, GENEdge, June 6, 2025    StockWatch: Intellia Stumbles on News of Patient’s Severe Liver Toxicity  By Alex Philippidis, GEN, May 30, 2025    The State of CRISPR Summit Registration  https://bit.ly/CRISPR25    Plasma Exchange in Humans Reduces Biological Age by Over Two Years   GEN, June 1, 2025     Sanofi to Acquire Blueprint Medicines for Up to $9.5B  By Alex Philippidis, GEN Edge, June 2, 2025    "Universal" CAR-T Immunotherapy Targets Relapsed/Refractory Blood Cancers  GEN, May 30, 2025  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.