Partnership Adds High Security to Health Passports


CPE has started shipping orders from for the fi rst phased release of 50M COVI-PASS™ Digital Health Passports to both the private sector and Governments in over 15 countries, including Italy, Portugal, France, Panama, India, the US, Canada, Sweden, Spain, South Africa, Mexico, United Arab Emirates and The Netherlands.


The COVI-PASS™ Digital Health Passport works on an intelligent colour mapping system (green, amber, red) to authenticate and validate a COVID-19 test providing test history and relevant health information. This allows for accurate data metrics to assess those who have tested positive and negative and the location only of their testing. The COVI-PASS™ Digital Health Passport can be used as an authenticated gateway for Public Services, Businesses and Employees to manage a safe return to work, life, and safe travel.


Louis-James Davies


International Digital Health Technology fi rm Circle Pass Enterprises (CPE) has signed a deal with British cybersecurity company VST Enterprises Ltd (VSTE) for incorporation of its VCODE® Security technologies into its Digital Health Passports that are to be paired with approved testing kits.


VST Enterprises CEO Louis-James Davis said; “We are delighted to be working with CPE to supply our VCode® & VPlatform® technology and Digital Health Passport to create COVI-PASS™. It is also very encouraging that so many Governments and Enterprises across the world are engaging and using the COVI-PASS™ Health Passport and approved testing kits. We fi rmly believe that the digital Health Passport alongside Government approved testing


kits is the key to removing the lockdown restrictions in a gradual and controlled way. The current technology being trialled using bluetooth and proximity apps is fundamentally fl awed because of its privacy issues of real time tracking, the security and data breaches which we are already seeing and (that are) being reported and the reticence for citizens to uptake and download the tracing app.”


The Manchester-based company has held advanced discussions with senior UK Government offi cials, NHSX the technology arm of the NHS and the Home Offi ce about its cyber security technology.


Circle Pass Enterprises COO and Co Founder Adam Palmer said; “One of the many unique features of the VCode® cyber security is that the VCode® technology can be scanned from up to 100 metres ensuring its social distancing compliance is robust and making it the only choice for a safe and secure digital health passport. We are seeing unprecedented levels of interest from Governments, Businesses and major sporting organisations for the COVI-PASS™ solution.


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Partnership


undertakes Landmark Microbiome Study


Synthetic Immunotherapy Edges towards Market


Cancer immunotherapy producer Tollys, developer of TL-532 the fi rst specifi c agonist of Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) cancer immunotherapy, has closed a Series A funding round totalling €2.3 million ($2.5 million). This brings the total amount raised to €6.4 million ($6.8 million) since the company was founded in 2015. Current shareholders and new private investors joined the round. The proceeds will be used to advance the preclinical development of TL-532. The proceeds will be used to manufacture TL-532 and launch the regulatory safety studies required before entry into clinical trials in bladder cancer by late 21/early 22.


Three new executives have also joined the company’s president Jacques-François Martin on the board of directors. Independent members Dr Dino Dina, a former CEO of Dynavax corporation and of Chiron Vaccines and Mr Philippe Goupit, a biotech and pharmaceutical industry veteran, are joined by Ms Céline Baque Saint-Olive, CEO of Noraker and a representative of Tollys private investors.


Trevor Lawley Mike Romanos Cancer Research UK, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS


Foundation Trust (CUH), and microbiome-based therapeutics and biomarkers business Microbiotica are collaborating to identify and develop microbiome co-therapeutics and biomarkers for cancer patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Two clinical studies are involved: MELRESIST, a completed class-leading melanoma study, and MITRE, a major landmark study in melanoma, lung and renal cancer, involving 1,800 patients, specifi cally designed for evaluation of microbiome and other biomarker effects.


The MITRE study is being co-led by Dr Trevor Lawley, Microbiotica’s co-founder and CSO and Dr Pippa Corrie, Consultant in Medical Oncology at CUH. It involves comprehensive patient sample collection, data collection and biochemical analysis, with mass culturing of patient gut bacteria, microbiome sequencing and machine learning analysis.


Mike Romanos, Co-founder and CEO, Microbiotica, said: “Checkpoint inhibitors have already impacted the lives of many cancer patients for the better but fewer than half of patients respond. There is strong evidence that response rates can be increased through manipulation of the microbiome and Microbiotica’s platform has already been able to identify consistent bacterial signatures predictive of drug response in melanoma for the fi rst time.


Tony Hickson, Chief Business Offi cer, Cancer Research UK, said: “Cancer Research UK is always looking at the most promising new science to advance the treatment of patients, and we believe that the microbiome represents a very exciting new area that could play a major role in cancer therapy. We believe this partnership is very well placed to do the quality of science required to identify the specifi c link between the gut microbiome and checkpoint inhibitors in multiple cancers. We look forward to working with the excellent teams in Microbiotica and Cambridge University Hospitals to progress new microbiome medicines and biomarkers toward the clinic.”


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“Tollys is excited to have attracted the support of its series A investors and to have three new highly experienced industry executives on our board,” Jacques-François Martin said. “This is a strong endorsement of our company, our vision and our capabilities in delivering on TL-532, a new cancer immunotherapy which has demonstrated much promise.”


TL-532 is a specifi c TLR3 agonist with a triple mechanism of action: it induces the death by apoptosis of cancer cells, which releases a myriad of tumour specifi c antigens, while also activating the immune system to mount a T-cell immune response against these tumour


antigens and fi nally it modifi es the tumour microenvironment by producing cytokines and chemokines, which are unfavourable to tumour development. The newly generated T-cells then kill the remaining cancer cells and prevent the recurrence of caner via a vaccination mechanism.


While the TLR3 receptor is a validated cancer target, TLR3 agonists have yet to reach the market. TL-532 is the fi rst synthetic TLR3 agonist with a fully defi ned double-stranded RNA sequence, making it easier to manufacture. As such, TL-532 has the potential to be best-in-class and fi rst-to-market, the Lyon-based company said.


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World’s Strongest Persistent Magnet Delivered to ETH Zürich


An ultra-high fi eld spectrometer for solid state NMR, developed by Bruker was delivered in May to Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich in Switzerland. The installation and qualifi cation of the Avance™ NEO 1.2 GHz NMR system is expected to take several months.


Professor Beat Meier at ETH stated: “We are thrilled to be the fi rst institution to receive a 1.2 GHz NMR spectrometer with a unique confi guration geared towards solid-state NMR. Our research is focused on developing solid-state NMR techniques to study materials and biological systems, as well as fundamental phenomena in physical chemistry. On the applications side, the 1.2 GHz spectrometer will be used to characterise the structure and dynamics of biological systems, including proteins fi brils, some of which are linked to diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. We will also study viruses, such as hepatitis B and C, or SARS-


CoV-2, as well as motor proteins, and other large biomolecules.


Professor Alexander Barnes in the Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences at ETHsame department added “Pushing structural biology into a truly endogenous cellular context will require access to the highest-end technology we can imagine and build. Extremely high magnetic fi elds will be a cornerstone of the advanced instrumentation we need to drive the fi eld of magnetic resonance into an even more exciting and impactful future. Bruker’s 28 Tesla magnet will be a ‘high-altitude’ base-camp here in Switzerland, at which we can develop and refi ne our ability to increase NMR sensitivity through the development of pulsed dynamic nuclear polarisation (DNP) and ultra-high frequency (>200 kHz) magic angle spinning, using our new spherical rotors.”


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