University of Zurich

Celebrating its golden anniversary, Nikon Small World honors a stunning photo of brain tumor cell structures, advancing our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases. MELVILLE, N.Y., Oct. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nikon Instruments Inc. today announced the winners of the 50th annual Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition, celebrating five decades of excellence in microscopy and digital imaging. This year's first place prize was awarded to Dr. Bruno Cisterna, with assistance from Dr. Eric Vitriol of Augusta University, for his groundbreaking image of differentiated mouse brain tumor cells, highlighting the actin cytoskeleton, microtubules, and nuclei. This image reveals how disruptions in the cell's cytoskeleton – the structural framework and "highways" known as microtubules – can lead to diseases like Alzheimer's and ALS. Continue Reading Differentiated mouse brain tumor cells (actin, microtubules, and nuclei) Dr. Cisterna's research revealed that profilin 1 (PFN1), a protein crucial for building the cell's structure, plays a key role in maintaining the microtubule highways essential for cellular transport. When PFN1 or related processes are disrupted, these highways can malfunction, leading to cellular damage similar to what is observed in neurodegenerative diseases. "One of the main problems with neurodegenerative diseases is that we don't fully understand what causes them," said Dr. Cisterna. "To develop effective treatments, we need to figure out the basics first. Our research is crucial for uncovering this knowledge and ultimately finding a cure. Differentiated cells could be used to study how mutations or toxic proteins that cause Alzheimer's or ALS alter neuronal morphology, as well as to screen potential drugs or gene therapies aimed at protecting neurons or restoring their function." His patience and determination were crucial in capturing his image. "I spent about three months perfecting the staining process to ensure clear visibility of the cells. After allowing five days for the cells to differentiate, I had to find the right field of view where the differentiated and non-differentiated cells interacted. This took about three hours of precise observation under the microscope to capture the right moment, involving many attempts and countless hours of work to get it just right." The hard work behind this discovery underscores its significance, bringing researchers closer to answers that could potentially transform millions of lives. "After three years of research, we finally published our findings four months ago in the Journal of Cell Biology, and there's still more work to be done," said Dr. Cisterna. "I'm deeply passionate about scientific imaging; I've been following the Nikon Small World contest for about 15 years. It's an incredible contest that highlights the beauty of photomicrography but also inspires continued exploration and innovation in the field." Eric Flem, Senior Manager, CRM and Communications at Nikon Instruments, shares a similar perspective on the competition. "At 50 years, Nikon Small World is more than just an imaging competition – it's become a gallery that pays tribute to the extraordinary individuals who make it possible. They are the driving force behind this event, masterfully blending science and art to reveal the wonders of the microscopic world and what we can learn from it to the public." He went on to add, "Sometimes, we overlook the tiny details of the world around us. Nikon Small World serves as a reminder to pause, appreciate the power and beauty of the little things, and to cultivate a deeper curiosity to explore and question." Second place was awarded to Dr. Marcel Clemens for his image of an electrical arc between a pin and a wire, produced by applying a potential difference of 10,000 volts. Third place was awarded to Chris Romaine for his image of a cannabis plant leaf. The bulbous structures are trichomes, or hair-like plant appendages, and the bubbles inside are cannabinoid vesicles, fluid-filled, blister-like structures. In total, Nikon Small World recognized 87 photos out of thousands of entries from scientists and artists across the globe. The 2024 judging panel included: Adrian Coakley, Director of Photography at National Geographic Books Michelle S. Itano, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology and Director of the Neuroscience Microscopy Core at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Emily Petersen, Photography Managing Editor at Science Magazine Clare Waterman, Ph.D., Cell Biologist and Member of the National Academy of Sciences Jennifer C. Waters, Ph.D., Director of the Core for Imaging Technology & Education at Harvard Medical School Samantha Yammine, Ph.D., Neuroscientist and Science Communicator For additional information, please visit , or follow the conversation on Facebook, Twitter @NikonSmallWorld and Instagram @NikonInstruments. NIKON SMALL WORLD WINNERS 1st Place Dr. Bruno Cisterna & Dr. Eric Vitriol Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University Department of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine Augusta, Georgia, USA Differentiated mouse brain tumor cells (actin, microtubules, and nuclei) Super-Resolution 100X (Objective Lens Magnification) 2nd Place Dr. Marcel Clemens Verona, Veneto, Italy Electrical arc between a pin and a wire Image stacking for the pin and wire combined with long exposure for the electrical arcs 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) 3rd Place Chris Romaine Kandid Kush Port Townsend, Washington, USA Leaf of a cannabis plant. The bulbous glands are trichomes. The bubbles inside are cannabinoid vesicles. Image Stacking 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) 4th Place Dr. Amy Engevik Medical University of South Carolina Department of Regenerative Medicine & Cell Biology Charleston, South Carolina, USA Section of a small intestine of a mouse Fluorescence 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) 5th Place Thomas Barlow & Connor Gibbons Columbia University Department of Neurobiology and Behavior New York, New York, USA Cluster of octopus (Octopus hummelincki) eggs Darkfield, Stereomicroscopy, Focus Stacking 3X (Objective Lens Magnification) 6th Place Henri Koskinen Helsinki University Helsinki, Uudenmaan lääni, Finland Slime mold (Cribraria cancellata) Image Stacking, Polarized Light, Reflected Light 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) 7th Place Gerhard Vlcek Maria Enzersdorf, Austria Cross section of European beach grass (Ammophila arenaria) leaf Brightfield, Image Stacking 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) 8th Place Stephanie Huang Victoria University of Wellington School of Biological Sciences; School of Psychology Wellington, New Zealand A neuron densely covered in dendritic spines from the striatum of an adult rat brain Confocal, Deconvolution, Image Stacking 60X (Objective Lens Magnification) 9th Place John-Oliver Dum Medienbunker Produktion Bendorf, Rheinland Pfalz, Germany Pollen in a garden spider (Araneus) web Image Stacking 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) 10th Place Jan Martinek Charles University Department of Experimental Plant Biology Prague, Czech Republic Spores of black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) Confocal 63X (Objective Lens Magnification) 11th Place Dr. Ferenc Halmos Bánd, Veszprém, Hungary Slime mold on a rotten twig with water droplets Image Stacking 0.7X - 4.5X (Objective Lens Magnification) 12th Place Daniel Knop Oberzent-Airlenbach, Hessen, Germany Wing scales of a butterfly (Papilio ulysses) on a medical syringe needle Image Stacking 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) 13th Place Paweł Błachowicz Bedlno, Świętokrzyskie, Poland Eyes of green crab spider (Diaea dorsata) Image Stacking, Reflected Light 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) 14th Place Marek Miś Marek Miś Photography Suwalki, Podlaskie, Poland Recrystallized mixture of hydroquinone and myoinositol Polarized Light 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) 15th Place Sébastien Malo Saint Lys, Haute-Garonne, France Isolated scales on Madagascan sunset moth wing (Chrysiridia ripheus) Darkfield, Image Stacking, Reflected Light 40X (Objective Lens Magnification) 16th Place Marek Miś Marek Miś Photography Suwalki, Podlaskie, Poland Two water fleas (Daphnia sp.) with embryos (left) and eggs (right) Darkfield, Polarized Light 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) 17th Place Dr. Frantisek Bednar Svosov, Zilinsky, Slovak Republic Stonewort algae (Chara virgata) reproductive organs - oogonia (female organs) and antheridia (male organs) Darkfield 4X (Objective Lens Magnification) 18th Place Alison Pollack San Anselmo, California, USA An insect egg parasitized by a wasp Image Stacking, Reflected Light 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) 19th Place Alison Pollack San Anselmo, California, USA Seed of a Silene plant Image Stacking, Reflected Light 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) 20th Place Dr. Bruno Cisterna & Dr. Eric Vitriol Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University Department of Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine Augusta, Georgia, USA Early stage of mouse neuroblastoma cell differentiation (actin, microtubules, and mitochondria) Super-Resolution 100X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Christopher Algar Hounslow, Middlesex, United Kingdom Brine shrimp Darkfield, Image Stacking, Polarized Light 4X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Dr. Kseniia Bondarenko University of Edinburgh Institute for Immunology and Infection Research Edinburgh, MidLothian, United Kingdom Acute-stage parasites of Toxoplasma gondii in a human skin cell Expansion Microscopy, Confocal, Deconvolution 100X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Dr. Anja de Lange University of Cape Town Neuroscience Institute & Department of Human Biology Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa Astrocytes surrounding a blood vessel in a thin slice of human brain Confocal 40X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Dr. Amy Engevik Medical University of South Carolina Department of Regenerative Medicine & Cell Biology Charleston, South Carolina, USA Intestinal villi Fluorescence 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Daniel Evrard Aywaille, Liege, Belgium Vinyl player needle on scratched vinyl disk Image Stacking, Polarized Light 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Randy Fullbright Fullbright Studio Vernal, Utah, USA Agatized dinosaur bone Image Stacking 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Dr. David Maitland St. Andrews, Fife, United Kingdom Transverse section of rachis (stem) of bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) 5X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Angus Rae Australian National University Centre for Advanced Microscopy MacGregor, Australian Capital Territory, Australia Autofluorescence in the face of a little two-spotted ladybird (Diomus notescens) Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Dr. Igor Robert Siwanowicz Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), Janelia Research Campus Ashburn, Virginia, USA Antenna of a mole crab Confocal 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Jochen Stern Mannheim, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany Golden bug eggs on a sage leaf Image Stacking 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Dr. Bruce Douglas Taubert Glendale, Arizona, USA Ocelli between the compound eyes of a yellow jacket Reflected Light 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Kevin Terretaz CRBM-CNRS Montpellier, Hérault, France Mosquito cells in culture with fluorescent markers for DNA and microtubules Confocal 63X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Sherif Abdallah Ahmed Tanta University, Faculty of Science Department of Zoology Tanta, Egypt, Arab Republic Anterior section of palm weevil Image Stacking 4X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Anne Patricia Algar Hounslow, Middlesex, United Kingdom Mosquito larva Darkfield, Image Stacking, Polarized Light 4X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Florian Alonso University of Bordeaux BioTis-INSERM U1026 Pessac, Gironde, France Mouse aortic endothelium stained for beta-catenin (green), laminin (purple), smooth muscle actin (red), and Hoechst (cyan) Confocal 63X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Didier Barbet Club Français de Microscopie Bailly, France Fracture surface of mica (mineral) Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Timothy Boomer WildMacro.com Vacaville, California, USA Slime mold (Prototrichia metallica) Image Stacking 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Zhang Chao National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China Beach sand Reflected Light 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Joshua Coogler Dallas, North Carolina, USA Moss sporophyte with spores (green) Image Stacking 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Nikky Corthout & Miranda Dyson VIB (Flanders Institute of Biotechnology) Center for Brain and Disease Research Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium Fruit fly (Drosophila) brain vasculature Confocal, Fluorescence, Image Stacking, Super-Resolution 25X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Nadia Efimova Amicus Therapeutics Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Dandelion pappus Confocal, Fluorescence 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Laurent Formery & Dr. Nathaniel Clarke Stanford University Department of Molecular and Cell Biology Pacific Grove, California, USA Nervous system of a young sea star Confocal, Fluorescence 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Karl Gaff Dublin, Ireland Larva of a midge fly (Chironomidae) Darkfield, Image Stacking, Polarized Light 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Nick Gatford University of Oxford Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (NDCN) Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom A network of dopaminergic neurons generated from human stem cells Super-Resolution 63X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Saikat Ghosh National Institutes of Health NICHD Bethesda, Maryland, USA Human neurons Confocal 40X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Gerd A. Günther Düsseldorf, Germany Cross section of a beach grass (Ammophila arenaria) leaf Fluorescence 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Anna-Mari Elisabeth Haapanen-Saaristo University of Turku Turku Bioscience Centre / Cell Imaging & Cytometry Core and Zebrafish Core RAISIO, Varsinais-Suomi, Finland Nutrient storage cells in a tardigrade Confocal 25X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Martin Hein Lions Eye Institute Physiology and Pharmacology laboratory Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia Abnormal blood vessel formation in a human retina with severe diabetic retinopathy Confocal 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Wen Jie Ji Yin Works The Bureau of Microworld Exploration Beijing, China Integrated circuit chip Reflected Light 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Ted Kinsman Rochester Institute of Technology Photosciences Department Rochester, New York, USA A common house cat claw Polarized Light 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Daniel Knop Oberzent-Airlenbach, Hessen, Germany Opening of a hibiscus flower (Hibiscus moscheutos) exposing the pollen in four stages, each ten minutes apart Image Stacking 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Daniel Knop Oberzent-Airlenbach, Hessen, Germany Dorsal part of cuckoo wasp (Hedychrum gerstaeckeri) abdomen Image Stacking 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Håkan Kvarnström Bromma, Sweden Peacock plume feather Epi-Illumination, Image Stacking 4X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Ewa Langner Washington University in St Louis Department of Medicine - Renal Division, Mahjoub Lab St Louis, Missouri, USA Mouse embryonic kidney showing interstitial fibroblasts (yellow), tubular epithelium (cyan), and nuclei (magenta) Confocal, Fluorescence, Image Stacking 40X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Amir Maqbool Lovely Professional University Department of Zoology Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India Small fly killed by "zombie fly" fungus (Entomophthora muscae) Image Stacking 2X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Robert Markus University of Nottingham School of Life Sciences, Super Resolution Microscopy Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom Dandelion (Traxacum officinale) cross section showing curved stigma with pollen Confocal 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Robert Markus, Dr. Zeeshan Mohammad, Dr. Sarah Pashley & Dr. Rita Tewari University of Nottingham School of Life Sciences, Super Resolution Microscopy Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom Malaria parasites and mouse blood cells - tubulin (green), all proteins (purple), DNA (red) Confocal 63X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Jan Martinek Charles University Department of Experimental Plant Biology Prague, Czech Republic Spores of a black Bagnoli truffle (Tuber mesentericum) Confocal 63X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Guillermo Moya Johns Hopkins University Department of Biology Baltimore, Maryland, USA Neuronal axons connecting to the muscles of the iris and the cornea Confocal, Fluorescence 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Jacek Myslowski Wloclawek, Kujawko-Pomorskie, Poland Water mite (Arrenurus) Fluorescence, Image Stacking 6.3X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Aryah Nagarajan Falmouth University Institute of Photography Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom Spores releasing from the sori of a Polypody fern (Polypodium vulgare) Reflected Light, Transmitted Light, Focus Stacking 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Thomas Neumann Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany Ink dot on Japanese washi paper Brightfield, Image Stacking 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Satu Paavonsalo & Dr. Sinem Karaman University of Helsinki Individualized Drug Therapy Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, Helsinki, Finland Helsinki, Finland Blood vessels (color gradient) and endothelial cell nuclei (white) in the intestinal villi of a mouse Confocal 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Uwe Lange Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany Pollen on the compound eyes of a fly Image Stacking 60X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Marko Pende MDI Biological Laboratory Murawala Lab Bar Harbor, Maine, USA Ladybug (Coccinellidae) on a clover (Trifolium repens) Confocal, Fluorescence, Image Stacking 4X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Felice Placenti FP Nature and Landscape Photography Siracusa, Sicilia, Italy Potato tuber sprout Image Stacking, Reflected Light 1X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Alison Pollack San Anselmo, California, USA Slime mold (Lamproderma arcyrioides) Image Stacking, Reflected Light 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Gonzalo Quiroga Artigas CRBM-CNRS Montpellier, Herault, France Tardigrade (Hypsibius exemplaris) Confocal 40X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Chris Romaine Kandid Kush Port Townsend, Washington, USA Bract (part of the plants reproductive structures) of a cannabis plant. The bulbous glands are trichomes. Image Stacking 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Adolfo Ruiz De Segovia PARTICULAR Madrid, Spain Plant root Fiber Optic 2X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Yurim Seo, Dr. Mark Looney & Dr. Simon Cleary University of California, San Francisco Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine San Francisco, California, USA Lymphatic vasculature (cyan) and vessels (red) of a mouse lung Confocal 4X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Leo Serra University of Cambridge Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom Leaves arising from thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) meristem Confocal 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Igor Robert Siwanowicz Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), Janelia Research Campus Ashburn, Virginia, USA Aster anther cross section with pollen grains (green) Confocal 40X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Igor Robert Siwanowicz Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), Janelia Research Campus Ashburn, Virginia, USA Floret of a common chicory with pollen grains (spiky balls) Confocal 40x (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Luna Šošo Zdravković, Michael Surala & Christian Madry Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin Institute of Neurophysiology Berlin, Germany Pyramidal neuron in mouse hippocampus Confocal, Fluorescence, Image Stacking 30X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Bruce Douglas Taubert Glendale, Arizona, USA Mid-tibial tuft on a male orchid bee, used to attract mates Reflected Light 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Maxime Teixeira Laval University Department of Molecular Medicine Québec, Canada Cultured monkey kidney cells labeled for tubulin (blue) and actin (orange) showing pathological accumulation of alpha-syn aggregates (red) Confocal, Deconvolution, Image Stacking, Super-Resolution 100X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Theo Theune Oost-Souburg, Zeeland, Netherlands Abdominal skin of a tick that engorged with blood Image Stacking 50X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Grigorii Timin & Dr. Michel Milinkovitch University of Geneva Department of Genetics and Evolution Geneva, Switzerland Skin scales of a snake embryo stained with Fast Green dye Confocal 63X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Steven A. Valley Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) Entomology Lab Albany, Oregon, USA Immature male damselfly (Calopteryx aequabilis) Image Stacking, Reflected Light 5X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Dr. Bruno Vellutini Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics Dresden, Saxony, Germany Gene expression patterns in a drain fly embryo (Clogmia albipunctata) with an open eggshell Confocal 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Susannah Waxman & Dr. Ian Sigal University of Pittsburgh Department of Ophthalmology Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA Optic nerve head collagen of a pig Image Stacking, Multiphoton 25X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Shao Yang Beijing Miteyide Culture Co., Ltd. Beijing, China Fiber of nylon stockings Polarized Light 5X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Chew Yen Fook Woodend, Waimakiriri, New Zealand Graffiti from Berlin Wall stone section Image Stacking, Top Illumination 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Chew Yen Fook Woodend, Waimakiriri, New Zealand Water mite (Hydrachna sp.) Darkfield, Image Stacking, Polarized Light 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Elkhan Yusifov & Dr. Martina Schaettin University of Zurich Department of Molecular Life Sciences Zurich, Switzerland Developing nervous system in the eye of a 7-day-old chick embryo Stereomicroscopy 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) IoD Ou Zhilei Guangdong Radio and Television Guangzhou, Guagndong, China Stamens of flowers (Anemone cathayensis Kitag. ex Ziman & Kadota) Image Stacking 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) About Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition The Nikon Small World Competition is open to anyone with an interest in photography or video. Participants may upload digital images and videos directly at . For additional information, contact Nikon Small World, Nikon Instruments Inc., 1300 Walt Whitman Road, Melville, NY 11747, USA, or phone (631) 547-8569. Entry forms for Nikon's 2025 Small World and Small World in Motion Competitions are available at . About Nikon Instruments Inc. Nikon Instruments Inc. is the US microscopy arm of Nikon Healthcare, a world leader in the development and manufacturing of optical, digital imaging technology and software for biomedical applications. For more information, please visit or contact us at 1-800-52-NIKON. SOURCE Nikon Instruments Inc. WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

ZURICH, Oct. 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Somagenetix AG, a pioneering biotech company dedicated to revolutionizing gene therapy for phagocyte disorders, announced today the initial closing of its Series A financing round, raising CHF 10 million. The round was led by Vi Partners, a renowned venture capital firm specialized in life sciences and technology investments. Among others, existing investors Schroders Capital, Zürcher Kantonalbank and Verve Ventures also participated to this financing round. The funds will enable Somagenetix to advance its leading gene therapy-candidate, SGX-001, into a clinical trial for the treatment of p47 Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD). CGDs are a group of inherited immunodeficiencies with recurrent life-threatening infections. The condition is caused by genetic defects leading to functional impairments of phagocytes, a type of white blood cells, rendering them unable to kill pathogens. The current standard of care is stem cell transplant, which is only available upon finding an immunologically compatible donor. The preclinical development of p47-CGD gene therapy is currently supported by the Wyss Zurich Translational Center. Prof. Dr. Janine Reichenbach, co-founder of Somagenetix, said: “To date, my team at the University of Zurich has developed a best-in-class lentiviral gene therapy platform for phagocytes, as well as achieved successful preclinical validation of our approach to curing CGD, and we look forward to starting clinical application of SGX-001 during 2026.” Alongside this Series A raise, Dr. Andrin Oswald has been appointed CEO. Dr. Oswald brings over two decades of pharmaceutical leadership experience to the team. He served in a variety of CEO and Board roles in small and large pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Oswald holds a doctorate in medicine from the University of Geneva, Switzerland. Dr. Andrin Oswald, CEO of Somagenetix AG, commented: “I am excited to have joined Somagenetix. With this financing we will be able to advance the company to the clinical stage. Once validated in CGD, the underlying technology has the potential to cure patients with a wide range of phagocyte-related severe diseases.” Dr. Diego Braguglia, Managing Partner at Vi Partners, added: “Vi Partners participation in Somagenetix is an investment in the future of personalized medicine. By harnessing cutting-edge lentiviral gene therapy technologies, Somagenetix is positioning itself at the forefront of innovation that has the potential to transform lives on a global scale. We are proud and excited to support a company that is leading the change towards a healthier tomorrow.” About Somagenetix AG Founded in 2019, as a spin-off of the University of Zurich (UZH), Somagenetix AG is at the forefront of gene therapy innovation, focused on curing phagocyte disorders with a one-time treatment. The company’s proprietary platform technology overcomes the limitations of traditional gene therapies by ensuring unprecedented safety and cellular specificity while providing long-term therapeutic effectiveness. Somagenetix has built a best-in-class gene therapy platform with currently three IP assets. About Wyss Zurich Translational Center The Wyss Zurich Translational Center (Wyss Zurich) is a joint accelerator of the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich). It was established to foster translational research focused on developing treatment protocols and clinical therapies, as well as novel technologies and intelligent systems. For more information, please visit www.wysszurich.ch. About Vi Partners Vi Partners is one of the oldest VC Investors in Central Europe. Vi Partners is supporting the innovation ecosystem in healthcare and technology in Switzerland and neighboring countries since over 2 decades. Vi Partners has built an exceptional network of entrepreneurs, managers, syndicate partners and academic thought-leaders. Vi Partners has leveraged own entrepreneurial wisdom with a strong track record of venture investing in early-stage healthcare and technology companies. Contact Information: Marius HerrmannHead of Operations Somagenetix AGinfo@somagenetix.comwww.somagenetix.com Media requestsMC Services AGKatja Arnold / Dr. Regina LutzTel.: +49 (0)89 210 228 0E-mail: somagenetix@mc-services.eu

TUESDAY, Sept. 3, 2024 -- Time from approval to reimbursement of new drugs varies between countries and is shortest in Switzerland and Germany, both of which include health technology assessment decisions that are not used in the United States, according to a study published online Sept. 3 in the Annals of Internal Medicine . Camille E.G. Glaus, J.D., from the University of Zurich, and colleagues examined time from approval to reimbursement of new drugs in the United States and European countries. New drugs approved in the United States, the European Union, England, and Switzerland between Jan. 1, 2011, and Dec. 31, 2022, were identified, and reimbursement status and dates were extracted as of Dec. 31, 2023. The study included 290 drugs approved by all regulatory bodies. The researchers found that the median time from approval to reimbursement was 5.8, 7.4, 9.2, 12.9, and 17.7 months in Switzerland, Germany, the United States, France, and England, respectively. France had the highest reimbursement rate one month after approval (25.9 percent), followed by Switzerland and England (9.7 and 0.7 percent, respectively); at one month, the United States and Germany had no drugs reimbursed. Germany, the United States, and Switzerland had the highest reimbursement rates of 74.3, 70.7, and 62.8 percent, respectively, at one year after approval; in England and France, the rates were 37.1 and 49.0 percent, respectively. "Our findings suggest that incorporation of a health technology assessment system and drug negotiation process in the United States would not necessarily result in longer time until reimbursement," the authors write.