Victor Kotsev, Author at Labiotech.eu

About

Victor Kotsev is a reporter-at-large. He does all things business, technology, and international politics, with a special focus on health and biotech. He has spent most of the 2010s covering the Balkans and the Middle East for the likes of USA Today, Globe and Mail, and Fast Company, primarily out of Istanbul.

Articles by Victor Kotsev

News and Trends 24 Sep 2021

Breath Testing To Be Tapped by UK Pioneer with €50M Fundraising

After years of under-fulfilled promise, breath tests for cancer, liver disease, and respiratory conditions appear to be taking off with UK biotech Owlstone Medical raking in almost €50M (£42M) in an oversubscribed Series D funding round. The round, whose original target was about €43M, was led by the Hong Kong-based Horizons Ventures and was joined […]

September 24, 2021 - 3 minutesmins - By Victor Kotsev

Expert Advice 20 Sep 2021

What Makes a Good Chief Financial Officer in the Biotech Industry?

A chief financial officer in the life sciences needs to develop their skills beyond technical expertise. Catherine Moukheibir shares her advice for CFOs in biotech drawing from her experience being one and hiring people for that position. Catherine Moukheibir’s career in biotech spans two decades. She has been a chief financial officer (CFO) twice, and […]

September 20, 2021 - 8 minutesmins - By Victor Kotsev

Chikungunya vaccine clinical trial Valneva

News and Trends 19 Aug 2021

Chikungunya Vaccine First to Succeed in Phase III Trial

In a significant step in the fight against tropical disease, the mosquito-borne viral disease chikungunya may become preventable with a new vaccine candidate from French biotech Valneva that just passed phase III trials. The results of the phase III trial revealed that a single dose of the live attenuated vaccine developed by Valneva induced the […]

August 19, 2021 - 3 minutesmins - By Victor Kotsev

News and Trends 3 Aug 2021

Oral and Nasal Covid-19 Vaccines Hit Clinical Testing

Oramed’s jab-free oral Covid-19 vaccine is one of many in the form of pills, powders, or sprays that may hit the market in the next few years, which could dramatically expand vaccine rollout and uptake. An Israeli team is preparing to start trials of what could be the first Covid-19 vaccine pill. The vaccine consists […]

August 3, 2021 - 5 minutesmins - By Victor Kotsev

Expert Advice 2 Aug 2021

The Path to Becoming a Chief Medical Officer in the Biotech Industry

Life science researchers with an entrepreneurship inclination are often attracted to leadership positions with a focus on medical science. Daniel Chung shares his journey to becoming the Chief Medical Officer of the biotech startup SparingVision. Within a biotech company, a Chief Medical Officer (CMO) typically oversees and sets the company’s strategy and direction regarding the […]

August 2, 2021 - 6 minutesmins - By Victor Kotsev

danish biotech neurodegenerative alzheimers 1

News and Trends 20 Jul 2021

Danish Dementia Startup Launches Amid Maturing Nordic Biotech Scene

Muna Therapeutics debuted with the Danish biotech sector’s biggest-ever Series A round earlier this month. This showcases the rapid growth taking place in the biotech industry in the Nordic region. Muna Therapeutics’ €62M ($73M) investment was co-led by the Danish investor Novo Holdings through its early-stage arm Novo Seeds. The startup was first set up […]

July 20, 2021 - 4 minutesmins - By Victor Kotsev

News and Trends 14 Jul 2021

EMA Market Approval Rate for Small Biotechs Skyrocketed Last Year

The success rate for small biotechs applying for regulatory approval from the EMA has risen by over 100% since 2016, which analysts partly attribute to increased access to sophisticated technology and funding. According to a recent announcement from the EMA, the regulator greenlit a whopping 89% of applications for marketing authorization for new medicines from […]

July 14, 2021 - 3 minutesmins - By Victor Kotsev

News and Trends 30 Jun 2021

GSK Raises Eyebrows in Checkpoint Inhibitor Megadeal with iTeos

Analysts are abuzz over GSK’s co-development deal with immuno-oncology specialist iTeos Therapeutics earlier this month, wondering if it overpaid for the Belgian company’s next-generation checkpoint inhibitor. GSK’s oncology deal with iTeos earlier this month centered on an antibody drug that blocks an immune checkpoint called TIGIT. The candidate is currently in phase I testing for […]

June 30, 2021 - 5 minutesmins - By Victor Kotsev

News and Trends 17 Jun 2021

FDA Approval of Biogen’s Drug Boosts European Alzheimer’s Space

The FDA shocked many life sciences observers by greenlighting Biogen’s treatment candidate for Alzheimer’s last week. Yet, for much of the Alzheimer’s disease community on both sides of the Atlantic, the decision also brings cautious hope. Controversy recently erupted when the FDA conditionally granted accelerated approval to Biogen’s aducanumab, making it the first approved treatment […]

June 17, 2021 - 6 minutesmins - By Victor Kotsev

Ziphius Vaccines Covid 19 pandemic vaccine treatment

News and Trends 1 Jun 2021

Next-Generation mRNA Vaccine Technology Unveiled in Series A Round

Messenger RNA vaccines have been at the forefront of the global struggle against the Covid-19 pandemic over the past year. Now scientists are working to upgrade the technology: enter the stage of saRNA, or self-amplifying RNA vaccines. Among the frontrunners to introduce saRNA technology is the Belgian startup Ziphius Vaccines, which recently raised €29.3M to […]

June 1, 2021 - 4 minutesmins - By Victor Kotsev

carbios bioplastic avantium Industrial plant sustainability environment

News and Trends 18 May 2021

Avantium and Carbios Capitalize on Growing Bioplastics Demand

As the EU phases out a wide range of single-use plastics this year, investor interest is steadily increasing for adopting easily recyclable or bio-based plastics. In recent weeks, European biotechs Carbios and Avantium have taken big steps towards meeting rising demand. With millions of tons of plastic waste littering the ocean floors, truly solving our […]

May 18, 2021 - 5 minutesmins - By Victor Kotsev

Sabine Dandiguian biotech company culture

Expert Advice 28 Apr 2021

How to Build a Successful Company Culture in Biotech

Company culture can be essential to the success of a biotech company. Sabine Dandiguian, Managing Partner at the life sciences VC firm Jeito Capital, shares her experience building a thriving company culture in the life sciences. Company culture is “something very special” that borders on collective intelligence, says Sabine Dandiguian. There are some basics to […]

April 28, 2021 - 8 minutesmins - By Victor Kotsev

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