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GW pharma medical cannabis

News and Trends 26 Jun 2020

UK Loosens Controls on GW’s Cannabinoid Epilepsy Drug

A cannabinoid medication marketed by GW Pharmaceuticals for the treatment of severe forms of epilepsy will be more easily available to patients in the UK after the drug was moved to the least strict classification by the country’s Home Office. The medication — branded as Epidyolex in the EU and Epidiolex in the US — […]

June 26, 2020 - 4 minutesmins - By Victor Kotsev

hemophilia

News and Trends 26 Jun 2020

CSL Behring Nabs UniQure’s Hemophilia Gene Therapy for up to €1.8B

Big pharma CSL Behring will pay the Dutch gene therapy developer uniQure an upfront of €400M for the global rights to a phase III-stage gene therapy for the blood disorder hemophilia B. Under the terms of the agreement, uniQure will complete an ongoing phase III trial of the gene therapy, with topline results expected […]

June 26, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith

glutamate umami novozymes alternative meat

News and Trends 25 Jun 2020

Novozymes Launches Eco-Friendly Umami Flavoring Made with Enzymes

As consumers demand more and better plant-based alternatives to meat, the Danish biotech company Novozymes has released an environmentally friendly way of producing umami flavorings using enzymes rather than chemical methods. Umami is the savory taste often associated with cooked meat. This flavor is triggered by an amino acid called glutamic acid, which is often […]

June 25, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Kostas Vavitsas

biogeneration ventures biotech startups

News and Trends 24 Jun 2020

Dutch VC Raises €105M to Nurture European Biotech Startups

Biogeneration Ventures (BGV) has raised €105M for its fourth early-stage biotech fund, which aims to team up with academic institutions across Europe to create medical biotech companies. The fund, called BGV-IV, exceeded the amount the firm expected to raise. It attracted investors in previous funds back to the table such as the US big pharma […]

June 24, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Helen Albert

uk epidarex biotech startup

News and Trends 22 Jun 2020

Epidarex Capital Targets UK Biotech with €112M Venture Fund

The transatlantic life science VC Epidarex Capital has closed its third fund at a value of €112.7M, which will be used to build new biotech companies from emerging hubs across the UK. The ‘Epidarex Capital III UK LP’ fund is based on a €55.2M (£50M) commitment from the British Business Bank. The remainder comes from […]

June 22, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Laura Cowen

psoriasis skin affibody

News and Trends 22 Jun 2020

Swedish Biotech’s Psoriasis Drug Beats Placebo in Phase II

A new class of drug developed by the Swedish biotech company Affibody has proved better at treating symptoms of psoriasis than a placebo in a phase II trial, leading the company to develop the candidate for other conditions such as uveitis and psoriatic arthritis. The phase II study enlisted 108 patients with psoriasis, a chronic […]

June 22, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By David Wilson

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Agricultural biotechnology

In Depth 22 Jun 2020

The Age of Agrochemicals is Ending: It’s Time for Agricultural Biotechnology

As Europe moves to reduce its reliance on agrochemicals in the farming system over the next 10 years and beyond, a crucial question emerges: what replaces them? Agricultural biotechnology could provide the answer. The use of agrochemicals — pesticides, fertilizers, and plant growth enhancers — has been crucial to humanity over the last century. They’ve […]

June 22, 2020 - 9 minutesmins - By Farhan Mitha

pharmamar jazz pharmaceuticals lung cancer

News and Trends 19 Jun 2020

Cancer Drug Inspired by Sea Animal Gets FDA Green Light

The Spanish company PharmaMar’s stock price has shot up by 30% as its cancer drug lurbinectedin was given accelerated approval for the second-line treatment of metastatic small cell lung cancer in the US this week. Lurbinectedin will be marketed under the brand name Zepzelca and will be made commercially available in the US in early […]

June 19, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Manuela Callari

etherna covid 19 vaccine cancer

News and Trends 18 Jun 2020

Belgian mRNA Vaccine for Covid-19 Receives €34M Series B Boost

Belgian biotech eTheRNA has secured €34M in Series B funding to progress to the clinic its Covid-19 vaccine candidate and cancer immunotherapies made from messenger RNA. The company’s five existing investors contributed to the round, including Dutch VC firm LSP, and the Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, based in Germany. Four new investors also contributed — […]

June 18, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Helen Albert

tumor cancer immunotherapy alderaan biotech

News and Trends 17 Jun 2020

€30M Series A to Fund Spanish Biotech’s Anti-Metastasis Cancer Drug

A Series A round closed by Barcelona-based startup Ona Therapeutics will finance the preclinical development of a drug that prevents cancer from spreading in the body by targeting the metabolism of cancer cells. The round was supported by returning investor Asabys Partners, as well as new European investors including Alta Life Sciences, Bpifrance, Fund+, and […]

June 17, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Victor Kotsev

universal cancer vaccine mrna biontech personalized medicine

News and Trends 17 Jun 2020

German Government Invests €300M in mRNA Biotech CureVac

The Federal Republic of Germany will invest €300M in CureVac, the homegrown biotech that is developing a vaccine for Covid-19 using messenger RNA technology. The unusually large investment will be made through the state-owned bank Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau, which will gain a 23% stake in the company. “CureVac retains complete operational and strategic independence,” Franz-Werner […]

June 17, 2020 - 4 minutesmins - By Helen Albert

covid testing cover

In Depth 17 Jun 2020

How is European Biotech Rising to the Covid-19 Testing Challenge?

Diagnostics have been thrown into the spotlight in the Covid-19 pandemic because of their instrumental role in preventing further infections. However, developing a test for Covid-19 isn’t an easy task. What exactly is needed to make a good Covid-19 test, and how are European biotech companies working to fill this need? While the development of […]

June 17, 2020 - 10 minutesmins - By Mark Livingstone

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