News and Trends 22 Jul 2020 Inhaled Treatment Reduces Severe Covid-19 Risk by 79% An experimental Covid-19 treatment that is delivered directly to the lungs via a nebulizer reduced the risk of mortality and the need for mechanical ventilation in a phase II trial. In the trial, the lead candidate of UK-based biotech Synairgen drove down by 79% the risk of severe disease symptoms such as requiring mechanical ventilation […] July 22, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Victor Kotsev Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 22 Jul 2020 Artificial Intelligence: A Superpower in the Fight Against Covid-19 The rapid spread of Covid-19 around the world has left drug developers with limited time to identify drug candidates to fight the virus. Amid this crisis, artificial intelligence has proven its value as a tool to make drug discovery faster and cost-effective. Drug discovery is an expensive, long-winded process. Taking a drug from discovery to […] July 22, 2020 - 8 minutesmins - By David Kirk Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 21 Jul 2020 Global €870M Fund Launched to Address Antimicrobial Resistance A global collaboration including the pharmaceutical industry and public funders such as the European Investment Bank has committed to investing €870M ($1B) in tackling the growing crisis of antibiotic-resistant superbugs. So far, over 20 pharmaceutical companies globally have contributed to the fund, called the AMR Action Fund. They are joined by other organizations such as […] July 21, 2020 - 3 minutesmins - By Manuela Callari Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
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