Startup Scout 2 Aug 2019 This Biotech Uses Messenger RNA to Treat Lethal Lung Inflammation Based close to Berlin, Germany, the biotech startup Pantherna Therapeutics is developing a messenger RNA drug to treat a life-threatening lung condition that requires mechanical ventilation. Mission: To develop a messenger RNA (mRNA) drug to treat acute respiratory distress syndrome, an inflammatory lung reaction that kills up to half of patients with the condition. Acute […] August 2, 2019 - 4 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 31 Jul 2019 Wellington Partners Raises €210M to Invest in European Life Sciences VC firm Wellington Partners has raised its fifth fund dedicated to investing in life science companies, with a major focus on those located in German-speaking countries. Wellington Partners has well surpassed its initial target of €150M for its fifth life sciences fund. With a total €210M raised, this new fund is more than double the […] July 31, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
More News! 25 Jul 2019 German Biotech Breath Therapeutics Acquired in Deal Worth up to €500M The Italian company Zambon has acquired the German biotech Breath Therapeutics for up to €500M, getting hold of its treatment for a rare lung disease known as popcorn lung. The deal includes an upfront payment of €140M and up to €360M upon reaching undisclosed regulatory milestones. Zambon will take over the development of a treatment […] July 25, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 16 Jul 2019 Boehringer Ingelheim Acquires Cancer Vaccine Biotech in €325M Deal The German giant Boehringer Ingelheim has acquired the Swiss company AMAL Therapeutics and its cancer vaccine technology in a deal worth up to €325M. The deal includes €225M in upfront and developmental milestone payments, as well as up to €100M in undisclosed commercial milestone payments. AMAL’s vaccine development pipeline includes five preclinical programs. The lead […] July 16, 2019 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
Interview 6 May 2019 2019 Will Be a “Year of Realism” for Biotech Investments Biotech investors regularly jump on new crazes, including the microbiome and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing. At BIO-Europe Spring 2019, Regina Hodits, Managing Partner at German VC firm Wellington Partners Life Sciences, spoke to us about the firm’s realistic approach to biotech investment. Biotechnology is an industry with high risks and high rewards. Before a medical biotech […] May 6, 2019 - 6 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 30 Apr 2019 Cosmetics Giant Acquires German Biotech’s Spider Silk Cosmetics Arm The Swiss Givaudan, one of the largest cosmetics, flavors and fragrances companies in the world, has acquired the cosmetics business of AMSilk, a biotech company that uses genetic engineering to produce spider silk proteins in bacteria. Silk is a valuable material in the cosmetics industry, used to offer protection against pollution and keep cosmetic […] April 30, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
Startup Scout 15 Mar 2019 This Biotech Wants You to Age Well Age is a risk factor in many diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. The UK biotech Samsara Therapeutics thinks that it can make drugs that can prevent multiple conditions at once by targeting the aging process itself. Mission: To develop drugs that target the biological mechanisms underlying aging. Slowing the aging process seems like […] March 15, 2019 - 4 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 8 Mar 2019 Flu Resistant to Antivirals? This Biotech Has a Drug for That We are visiting the medieval German city of Tübingen this week. It hosts the biotech Atriva Therapeutics, which is developing antiviral drugs for influenza that can circumvent drug resistance. Mission: To make antiviral drugs that, unlike conventional drugs, target the host cell instead of the virus. This can prevent the virus from building resistance to […] March 8, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 18 Feb 2019 Tuberculosis Treatment Kills Bacteria with Their Own Suicide Toxin A European academic research collaboration has found a new potential weapon against antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis: its own toxins. Many types of bacteria, such as the pathogen responsible for the deadly lung disease tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, use toxins to stay alive. For example, these toxins can be useful when the bacteria are starved or infected by viruses, […] February 18, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 28 Jan 2019 Update: US District Court Rules Against MorphoSys’ Cancer Immunotherapy Patents Update (01/02/2019): MorphoSys has agreed to end its long-running legal battle with Genmab and Janssen, after the US District Court of Delaware declared three of its cancer immunotherapy patents invalid. MorphoSys began the dispute over Darzalex (daratumumab), Genmab and Janssen’s approved antibody therapy for the blood cancer multiple myeloma. MorphoSys alleged that Darzalex infringed on three of […] January 28, 2019 - 3 minutesmins - By Dani Bancroft Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 5 Nov 2018 Series C Bags German Company €17M for Irregular Heartbeat Treatment Omeicos Therapeutics has secured €17M in a Series C round to fund clinical development of its lead treatment for irregular heartbeat. Robert Fischer, CEO of the German biopharmaceutical company, told me that getting the attention of investors such as the Dutch company Forbion, which led the round, was just as helpful as the money itself. […] November 5, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 10 Oct 2018 Cancer Immunotherapy Phase I on Hold After Patient Death The German biotech Affimed has halted two Phase I trials of its cancer immunotherapy after three patients suffered neurotoxicity due to the treatment, causing the death of one of them. Affimed was testing its immunotherapy AFM11 in 33 patients diagnosed with white blood cell cancer in two Phase I trials. One trial tested the therapy […] October 10, 2018 - 2 minutesmins - By Jonathan Smith Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email