News and Trends 11 May 2017 Celyad gets FDA Fast Track to Tackle Heart Failure with Cell Therapy Celyad has received Fast Track Designation from the FDA for C-Cure, a cell therapy aimed to treat heart failure with the patient’s own stem cells. Celyad is confident that the announcement of Fast Track Designation from the FDA will help it accelerate the search for a partner to develop C-Cure, a cell therapy for ischemic […] May 11, 2017 - 1 minutemin - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 10 May 2017 Roche’s Checkpoint Inhibitor Misfires in Late-Stage Trials Roche’s drug tecentriq just failed a late-stage Phase III study in bladder cancer, raising questions about its future as an anticipated blockbuster. Roche and Genentech have been pushing their checkpoint inhibitor tecentriq onto the market last year, going for a number of different indications including bladder cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). After the FDA handed out accelerated approval in May 2016, […] May 10, 2017 - 3 minutesmins - By Melanie De Almeida Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
Interview 10 May 2017 Video: Meet the CEO fighting Cancer with Mycobacteria Clara talked to Linda Summerton, CEO of Immodulon Therapeutics, about the company’s project of applying the microbiome to immuno-oncology. As R&D efforts in the microbiome gain traction, Clara talked to the head of one of the most valuable companies in the UK, Immodulon Therapeutics. When asked about Forbes’ valuation of her company at £400M, Linda Summerton laughed, “That’s […] May 10, 2017 - 3 minutesmins - By Evelyn Warner Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
In Depth 10 May 2017 Incentivizing Charity: A New Way to Fund Cancer Research Here’s what we learned from a lecture by finance guru Roger Stein on a new cancer research funding model at the Charité BIH Entrepreneurship Summit in Berlin. “I’m not a scientist. I can’t build a drug. I’m never going to have enough money to fund even one of those [clinical] trials. But…all of us together […] May 10, 2017 - 4 minutesmins - By Evelyn Warner Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
More News! 9 May 2017 British Biotech Startup Partners with Takeda to Advance its T Cell Platform GammaDelta Therapeutics and Takeda have formed a strategic collaboration to develop a novel T cell platform, which is based on gamma delta (γδ) T cells. Based in London, GammaDelta Therapeutics builds on the work of Adrian Hayday and Oliver Nussbaumer of Kings College London and The Francis Crick Institute. Backed by the huge British VC […] May 9, 2017 - 2 minutesmins - By Melanie De Almeida Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 8 May 2017 The EU Approves New Treatment for a Rare Pediatric Cancer Update (08/05/2017): The European Commission has granted marketing authorization to Apeiron Biologic’s APN311 in the rare pediatric cancer neuroblastoma. Originally published on 27/03/2017 Apeiron Biologics has announced that the EMA’s CHMP has recommended the approval of APN311 for immunotherapy of high-risk neuroblastoma. Apeiron Biologics is a Vienna-based biotech company developing immunological approaches to treat cancer. […] May 8, 2017 - 3 minutesmins - By Melanie De Almeida Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 8 May 2017 Immunocore Boosts its Collaboration with GSK with new Lead Compound Immunocore has singled out a new lead candidate in its immuno-oncology discovery program with GSK, triggering an undisclosed milestone payment to Immunocore. Based in Oxford, Immunocore is one of the hottest biotechs in the immuno-oncology space, which was able to raise one of the largest European private funding rounds ever (€300M) and is backed by […] May 8, 2017 - 2 minutesmins - By Melanie De Almeida Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
Interview 4 May 2017 Video Interview: This Biotech Wants to Take Over the NOTCH Space Cellestia, based in Basel, is a biotech spin-off from EPFL, developing new compounds targeting the NOTCH pathway for the treatment of cancer. Its CEO, Michael Bauer, talked to Philip at our recent meetup in Basel and explained what sets Cellestia apart from other players in the field. Cellestia was founded in 2014, based on the […] May 4, 2017 - 3 minutesmins - By Melanie De Almeida Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 3 May 2017 Immuno-oncology Pioneer Enters the Clinic with its RNA-based Therapy Rigontec has announced the start if its first-in-human Phase I/II study with its pioneering RNA-based candidate, RGT100, in solid tumors and lymphoma. Rigontec, based in Munich, is exploring RNA’s applications in immuno-oncology. Since the company was founded in 2014, it has raked in an impressive €30M in series A funding. Now, only 3 years later, the biotech is […] May 3, 2017 - 2 minutesmins - By Melanie De Almeida Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 3 May 2017 New Immuno-oncology Biotech Gets a €20M Series A Funding Boost Imcheck Therapeutics from Marseille has just completed a €20M Series A funding round, backed by big investors like the Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund (BIVF). The French biotech Imcheck Therapeutics was founded in 2015 as a spin-off from the Paoli-Calmettes Cancer Institute (IPC) in Marseille and is developing next-generation immunomodulatory antibodies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. […] May 3, 2017 - 2 minutesmins - By Melanie De Almeida Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 3 May 2017 Unexpected Side Effects: Are we Ready for the Rise of Immunotherapies? As immunotherapies are moving from large academic centers to clinics across the world, doctors are realizing that releasing the breaks of the immune system comes with serious risks – and that research on its adverse effects is lagging behind. This week, AstraZeneca’s anti-PD-L1 antibody durvalumab received FDA approval to treat patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma, making […] May 3, 2017 - 4 minutesmins - By Melanie De Almeida Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 2 May 2017 Novartis Gains Access to Celyad’s allogenic CAR-T cell patents Belgian Celyad is giving Novartis access to its IP for the production of allogeneic CAR-T cells in a non-exclusive license agreement, worth up to €88M. Celyad is developing “off-the-shelf” therapies, based on engineering donor-derived allogeneic T cells. Despite a recent public dispute with its key rival Cellectis regarding the validity of Celyad’s US patents, Novartis has now entered a non-exclusive […] May 2, 2017 - 2 minutesmins - By Melanie De Almeida Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email