By Martha Henry
Harvard recently entered into a licensing agreement with Aldatu Biosciences for exclusive use of the PANDAA technology. Using PANDAA, Aldatu, a biotech start-up based at LabCentral in Cambridge, is developing a rapid HIV drug-resistance test for patients failing first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART).
We wanted to update you on Dr. Iain MacLeod, another young HAI researcher, who is building a biotech start-up around a rapid HIV drug-resistance test that he and Dr. Christopher Rowley developed in the Essex Lab. Continue reading
By Martha Henry
Over 12 million people are currently taking antiretroviral (ARV) treatment for HIV. That number is expected to rise to 15 million by 2015. An unfortunate consequence of the global scale up of treatment is an increase in drug resistance, which can render a drug regimen ineffective.
About 10% of people fail treatment ever year. In areas like southern Africa, where the burden of HIV is greatest, the cost of drug resistance testing is prohibitively high. “There is a need for cost-effective, efficient techniques for the detection of HIV drug resistance,” said Dr. Mark Wainberg, Director of the McGill University AIDS Centre and an expert on HIV drug resistance. Continue reading
Martha Henry, Editor of Spotlight, sat down with MacLeod and Raiser to discuss their recent biotech start-up.
You recently won the grand prize of $40,000 for the Deans’ Health & Life Sciences Challenge hosted by the Harvard Innovation Lab (i-lab). What is your product?
MACLEOD: Our product is a rapid HIV drug-resistance test focusing on six drug-resistance mutations that are most likely to impact antiretroviral therapy in resource-limited areas. Continue reading