Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster, gave input to the hearing on the changes to the Biotechnology Act in order to promote cancer innovation in Norway.

Research on gene-edited embryos allowed

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Important cancer research into gene-edited human embryos will now be possible in Norway

Research on gene-edited human embryos will now be allowed in Norway, after a majority agreement has been reached among parties in the Norwegian Parliament. The news was given at a press conference on Thursday, when representatives from the three political parties Arbeiderpartiet, Fremskrittspartiet and Sosialistisk Venstre presented the amendments to the Biotechnology Act (“bioteknologiloven”). This is the act relating to the application of biotechnology in medicine.

The changes to the Biotechnology Act are good news for cancer patients and researchers, as they allow for research into gene-edited human embryos. This will give us important knowledge about how cancer arises and how to develop effective treatments against cancer.

Oslo Cancer Cluster gave input to these changes, during a hearing on 6 February 2020 at the Ministry for Health and Care Services. We emphasised that it is important that the regulations are in line with technological developments to promote research, so that we in the future have improved access to personalised cancer diagnostics and treatments.

“These are important changes to promote cancer innovation in Norway. It will help accelerate research into new cell therapies, which will benefit cancer patients both here in Norway and abroad,” said Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster.

Gene technology is an important area in cancer research, with many recent break-through discoveries. By gene-editing human embryos, researchers can develop personalised cancer treatments and diagnostics.

Cell division in embryos and uncontrolled cell division in cancer cells is regulated by the same genes. That is why research on gene-edited human embryos will give us valuable knowledge about genetic diseases like cancer.

Gene technology can be used to create genetic changes and give us more knowledge about cell division. For example, researchers can insert genetic markers in DNA and follow the cell’s development from stem cell to cancer cell. They can also produce mutations in an embryo and study how cancer develops at an early stage.

You can read more about cancer research and gene-editing on the Cancer Research UK Science Blog.

It is important to note that the embryos used for research and gene-editing are not allowed to be implanted in a female uterus for pregnancy. This is in line with the current Swedish regulations on gene-edited human embryos.

The fact that gene-editing human embryos will be allowed in Norway means that we can attract world-class cancer clinical studies and deliver new personalised treatments to cancer patients.

The Norwegian Parliament (“Stortinget”) will officially vote on the amendments on 26 May 2020 and we will follow any further developments closely.

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New member: Adjutec Pharma

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Image of Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park

In this article series, we will introduce the new members of our oncology cluster.

Antibiotic resistance is one of the treats for cancer patients’ survival. Meet our new member Adjutec Pharma, a company with new technology against multi-drug resistant bacteria.

Multi-drug resistant bacteria are spreading across the globe and cannot easily be treated with antibiotics. Cancer patients are an especially vulnerable group, because their immune systems may be extra susceptible to different bacteria and virus while undergoing treatment.

In Norway, new technology has been developed to combat multi-drug resistant bacteria. We asked the founder of the company Adjutec Pharma, Professor Pål Rongved, to tell us more about this new tecknologi.

Who is Adjutec Pharma and how are you involved in health and cancer?

Antibiotic resistance can render modern medicine useless, if new technology is not found. The biotech start-up AdjuTec Pharma AS was established in 2019 by the main grounder, Professor Pål Rongved, UiO, to develop their cutting edge technology (ZinChel). Their compounds have proved very effective as low-toxic adjuvants in combination with last resort antibiotics against a wide range of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. These are increasingly spreading across the globe. These bacteria are at the top of the WHO’s list of 12 ‘priority pathogens’, representing the most dangerous bacteria in the world.

Why did Adjutec Pharma become a member of Oslo Cancer Cluster?

“About 20 % of the cancer patients are dying from infectious diseases, making the technology highly relevant for the cancer clinic. The OCC Incubator is a unique partner for networking and a number of services that aids exchange of expertise, comprises a spectrum of companies, institutions and organizations. This gives a valuable opportunity to contribute to aiding the cancer patients with their secondary infections, and further stimulates research collaborations,” said Rongved.

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