The latest Investing Matters Podcast with Jean Roche, Co-Manager of Schroder UK Mid Cap Investment Trust has just been released. Listen here.
Lindy Durrant is in today's Sunday Mirror. I'm having problems with the link but I've been out and bought a paper and the article and picture is there.
'British Scientists have begun clinical trials on a potentially game changing corona virus vaccine. The vaccine which could provide immunity for six years differs from others currently in development in that it requires far fewer top up jabs because it targets a different part of the immune system. We can also reveal that a leading pharmaceutical company has already agreed to manufacture the vaccine which is being developed at Nottingham University, if it is ruled safe. There are high hopes it will be licensed because the scientists behind it have already used the same technology to develop an effective skin cancer jab. Patients suffering from melanoma received an injection sparking the growth of t cells which recognize and destroy cancer cells. Professor Lindy Durrant who is leading the research said, T cells also kill virally infected cells. This could provide longer term immunity against coronavirus. Our proposal is that you would need to be vaccinated less frequently. If you have good T cell memory, it should last longer. It could potentially last five to six years.
'Because the DNA vaccine has already been shown to be safe and effective in humans, we can fast track'
Professor Durrant's team has already begun testing the jab on mice and human trials could begin in Autumn if investment is secured.
Coronavirus: All you need to know about the pandemic in Nottinghamshire
'Virologists at the University of Nottingham have also discovered some parts of the novel coronavirus that they believe may create an immune response and prevent future infection.
Nottingham's universities will be lending their expertise in the race to develop an effective and safe vaccine for the Covid-19 virus in the coming months.
Experts from both the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University will be assisting Scancell Holdings Plc, which develops immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer.
The company will be adapting its cancer vaccine to develop a new vaccine to prevent future infection by the novel coronavirus, which causes covid-19.'
https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/coronavirus-you-need-know-pandemic-4135430
Excellent article in the sciencemag.org which has been tweeted by Scancell.
'T cells found in COVID-19 patients ‘bode well’ for long-term immunity'
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/t-cells-found-covid-19-patients-bode-well-long-term-immunity
One of our members Scancell is taking a different approach to developing a vaccine. Working with the University of Nottingham, the team is hoping to produce a vaccine which induces both durable T cell responses and virus neutralising antibodies, with the possibility of starting human trials this Autumn.
https://www.bioindustry.org/news-listing/ceo-updatemonday-11-may.html
Scancell in the Daily Mail
SMALL CAP MOVERS: Coronavirus crisis shines a light on small-cap pharma groups like Scancell
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/investing/article-8277797/Coronavirus-crisis-shines-light-small-cap-pharma-groups-like-Scancell.html
Scancell is one of the leading Biotech companies to tackle Covid19
https://twitter.com/scancellpharma/status/1258339542526054401
Scancell is featured in the Research Professional News
https://researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-innovation-2020-5-nottingham-universities-join-race-to-develop-covid-19-vaccine/
'There was also fresh hope for a vaccine yesterday as a leading cancer immunotherapy doctor revealed she was developing one that could start human clinical trials in the autumn.
Prof Lindy Durrant, of Nottingham University, said: “It is based on a vaccine we use in cancer. We try to stimulate a strong T cell response.
“T cells kill cancer but they also kill virally infected cells."'
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/uk-scientists-back-pre-existing-21964331
I emailed all three Nottingham MP's with regards Lindy Durrant and her work at the Nottingham Universities. They have around 70,000 twitter followers between them!
This evening Lilian Greenwood the Member of Parliament for Nottingham South has put out a really nice tweet about Lindy and her team.
'Incredible work by Professor Lindy Durrant and colleagues at
@UniofNottingham
. Very proud of the role our universities are playing in these difficult times and why they need support from Government.'
https://twitter.com/LilianGreenwood/status/1256614027230396416
Part of today's Times article is in this evenings Arab news.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1668581/world
Scancell's #COVID19 Vaccine and Prof Lindy Durrant in The Times this morning $SCLP
https://twitter.com/scancellpharma/status/1256496468237717504
Great find Balerno.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/coronavirus-vaccine-scientists-to-try-dna-treatment-8hn7bl9ln
Lindy explains how Scancell is developing its Covid 19 vaccine on BBC Radio Nottingham at 2 hrs.54mins
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p088w772
A nice article on the Nottingham post website this morning.
https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/scientists-nottingham-universities-identify-parts-4079052
'Panmure Gordon thinks Scancell's approach could win out in the long run'
https://twitter.com/scancellpharma/status/1253975397739442177
Universities in Nottingham to play a key role in the development of a potential DNA vaccine against COVID-19
https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/news/covid19-vaccine
Interview with Cliff on Proactive Investor.
https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/918083/scancell-holdings-ceo-discusses-new-research-programme-into-coronavirus-vaccine-918083.html
Scancell have done their first pinned tweet, which means today's brilliant news will stay at the top of their twitter profile.
https://twitter.com/scancellpharma
Last Sunday I sent Scancell an email,
'Hi Richard
Thanks for your reply about BioTrinity.
I am aware Notingham University are involved in the new clinical research study, led by Oxford University, helping with the development of the covid 19 vaccine and I was wondering, because of Scancell's expertise in vaccine development, whether you have been approached to help in any way?
Finally and most importantly, I hope yourself, your family and everyone at Scancell are all in the best of health, especially as it is such a difficult time for many families who are losing loved ones.
Kind Regards
C'
I had a reply at 7.10am this morning from Richard,
'Dear C
I hope that you will enjoy reading today's RNS. I am sure that you will understand why I was unable to respond beforehand.
Best wishes
Richard'
Last week I emailed Scancell with regards BioTrinity 2020. This year it takes place between April 28th - May 1st and due to covid 19 it will be staged using a virtual platform. I asked if Scancell was going to take part and also if everyone was fit and well.
I received a reply from Richard,
Hi C
The virtual platform will be less effective than usual and we have some doubts about value for money for this and other such conferences when more progress can generally be made in face to face meetings.
We are all well at the moment thank goodness and hope you are too.
Best wishes
Richard