News and Trends 17 Jul 2020 Russian Hackers Launch Cyber Attack on Covid-19 Vaccine Developers The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in the UK stated this week that several organizations involved in Covid-19 vaccine development in the UK, US, and Canada have been targeted in a cyber attack by a Russian hacking group known as APT29. The NCSC says that APT29, also known as ‘the Dukes’ or ‘Cozy Bear,’ is […] July 17, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Helen Albert Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 17 Jul 2020 Two UK Startups Raise Seed Funding to Revolutionize Cancer Treatment Unfazed by the financial turmoil caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Edinburgh-based firm Macomics and University of Cambridge spinout Spirea have each closed seed rounds this week to finance the development of novel cancer immunotherapies and more precise forms of chemotherapy. Macomics bagged €3.5M (£3.2M) in seed funding from the transatlantic VC firm Epidarex Capital […] July 17, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Kostas Vavitsas Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 17 Jul 2020 Danish Wound Healing Biotech Raises €20M to Accelerate US Rollout Reapplix, a Danish biotech focusing on developing wound healing technology, has raised €19.8M in equity funding to commercialize a treatment for diabetic foot ulcers in the US. The company also announced it has received Medicare reimbursement instructions that it will receive an average of €1,420 ($1,623) for each patient in the US that receives its […] July 17, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Helen Albert Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 16 Jul 2020 European Biotech Stocks Shine Amid 2020 Market Slump As the Covid-19 pandemic leads us to the worst financial crisis in decades, normally volatile biotech stocks are outperforming most other sectors of the economy. Experts say this trend is likely to continue. Financial markets are in flux and according to a recent study by the Boston Consulting Group, the global economic slump caused by […] July 16, 2020 - 4 minutesmins - By Victor Kotsev Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 14 Jul 2020 Amryt Makes Nasdaq Debut to Fund Rare Disease Treatments UK-based biopharmaceutical Amryt Pharma has listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market in a move to increase its US presence as it commercializes treatments for rare diseases such as the skin condition epidermolysis bullosa. The company did not raise any extra capital by releasing new shares in this debut, as is typical for most listings. But it […] July 14, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Victor Kotsev Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 14 Jul 2020 €32M Series B to Fund Bleeding Medication Inspired by Snake Venom The Dutch biotech VarmX will use the proceedings of a €32M Series B to take a blood clotting protein drug into clinical trials by 2021, as well as strengthening its manufacturing and R&D capabilities. More than 10 million patients in the US and Europe at risk of blood clots and strokes receive blood thinners that […] July 14, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Kostas Vavitsas Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 13 Jul 2020 Sanofi Enlists Cell Therapy Firm Kiadis in €875M Immuno-Oncology Deal The Dutch biotech Kiadis Pharma has licensed an off-the-shelf cell therapy program to the pharma giant Sanofi for up to €857.5M in a deal aiming to develop a combination immunotherapy for the blood cancer multiple myeloma. The preclinical-stage cell therapy that Kiadis licensed is based on genetically modifying donor immune cells called natural killer cells, […] July 13, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By David Wilson Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 13 Jul 2020 Forbion Raises €185M to Fuel Late-Stage European Biotechs The Dutch life sciences venture capital firm Forbion has bagged €185M in the first closing of a fund aimed at investing in late-stage European biotech companies, which often struggle to raise capital. The main mission of Forbion’s fund — named the Growth Opportunities Fund — is to invest in European life sciences companies raising their […] July 13, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By David Wilson Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 13 Jul 2020 The Three Obstacles Stopping Cell Therapy Becoming Mainstream While there are now more cell therapies on offer than ever before, there are obstacles still preventing them from becoming widely used. Cell therapy holds enormous promise for treating many different diseases. However, the field has also seen controversy regarding therapies using embryonic stem cells, as well as problematic fraud cases. Some forms of cell […] July 13, 2020 - 9 minutesmins - By Helen Albert Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 10 Jul 2020 Life Sciences Fund Launches with €76M to Invest in Nordic Biotech Stockholm and Copenhagen-based Eir Ventures has announced the closure of its first fund at €76M, which will be used to invest in biotechs and other life science companies, with a focus on the Nordics. The fund is backed by Saminvest, a venture capital company founded by the Swedish Government; Vækstfonden, the Danish state’s investment fund; […] July 10, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Laura Cowen Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 9 Jul 2020 €18M to Fund First-in-Class Systemic Sclerosis Drug One of the largest biotech placements in the Nordic countries this year will accelerate the development of a first-in-class drug for chronic inflammation conditions such as systemic sclerosis that lacks the cardiovascular risks of current medications such as aspirin. Swedish biotech Gesynta Pharma raised €18.2M (SEK 190M) in a placement supported by returning investor Industrifonden […] July 9, 2020 - 2 minutesmins - By Victor Kotsev Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 8 Jul 2020 Osivax Raises €32M to Develop Universal Coronavirus and Influenza Vaccines Osivax, a Lyon-based biotechnology company, secured €17.5M from the European Innovation Council and €15.1M from Bpifrance. The funding will be used to develop vaccines that protect from all current – and even future – flu and coronavirus outbreaks. Most current vaccines have a specific target protein they work against. They train the immune system to […] July 8, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Kostas Vavitsas Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email