News and Trends 11 Jan 2017 Phase II Failure: CureVac’s CEO explains Missed Efficacy Endpoint Money doesn’t guarantee success, even if it’s heavy investment from the likes of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Ingmar Hoerr explains what it means for mRNA therapeutics. In a blow to the field of mRNA, the German billion-euro biotech CureVac has reported the Phase II failure of its lead candidate at JP Morgan. Aimed at prostate cancer, CV9104 did not […] January 11, 2017 - 4 minutesmins - By Evelyn Warner Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 11 Jan 2017 Merck expands its Oncology Pipeline beyond Checkpoint Inhibitors Merck is diversifying its oncology portfolio with four new programs licensed from Vertex Pharmaceuticals, including multiple DNA damage and repair drugs. Merck has entered a licensing agreement with Boston-based Vertex Pharmaceuticals for the worldwide rights to four oncology programs. Merck has paid €220M ($230M) upfront for two clinical-stage DNA damage and repair candidates and two additional […] January 11, 2017 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 11 Jan 2017 Dutch Biotech Takes over Sustainable Coca Cola Bottles Project Avantium has acquired Liquid Light, getting hold of the last piece of technology it requires to create the next generation of sustainable Coca Cola bottles. Avantium, a spin-off from Shell located in Amsterdam, is one of Coca Cola’s choices to develop its next-generation plastic bottles made 100% from plant-based materials. The biotech is now stepping up […] January 11, 2017 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 10 Jan 2017 Stem Cells in your Teeth can be Stimulated to Naturally Repair Cavities Researchers from the UK have described a new treatment for cavities that could get rid of fillings and cements by employing an Alzheimer’s drug. Most of us have visited the dentist to fill a cavity. The usual procedure involves removing the damaged area and replacing it with mineral materials. But what if you could let […] January 10, 2017 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 10 Jan 2017 Qiagen acquires Multi Omics Company to boost its Bioinformatics services Qiagen is entering the promising field of multi-omics data analysis with the acquisition of a bioinformatics company from the US. Qiagen, an upstart looking to break into the field of next-generation sequencing (NGS), has just announced the acquisition of US-based OmicSoft for an undisclosed amount. This transaction will upgrade Qiagen’s bioinformatics services, which will now include multi-omics data analysis and software […] January 10, 2017 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 9 Jan 2017 Top European VC and CRO fund Young Metabolic Disease Biotech Eternygen has received €8M in a Series A round led by Epidarex Capital that will be used to advance its pipeline in collaboration with Evotec. Eternygen is a young biotech in Berlin focusing on the treatment of metabolic diseases. The company has now raised €8M in Series A, led by Scottish biotech VC Epidarex Capital. Among the […] January 9, 2017 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 9 Jan 2017 German Immuno-Oncology Biotech partners up with Biotech Giant Amgen Immatics and Amgen have inked a deal to develop bispecific drug candidates for cancer that could reach over €1B in milestones. Immatics, an immuno-oncology biotech in Tübingen, Germany, has signed an agreement with biotech giant Amgen. Immatics will receive €28.5M ($30M) upfront and up to €475M ($500M) per program and Amgen will be responsible for clinical development, manufacturing and […] January 9, 2017 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 6 Jan 2017 Servier offers up to €1.7B for Dual Cancer Checkpoint Inhibitors Servier has signed a deal that could give it access to up to eight bispecific drug candidates with immuno-oncology applications from Pieris Pharmaceuticals. Servier, one of France’s biggest pharma companies, is offering up to €1.7B to US-based Pieris Pharmaceuticals. The team will initially develop five programs that can be later expanded to up to eight. For […] January 6, 2017 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 6 Jan 2017 ‘Packaged’ CRISPR Systems to Standardize novel Biomedical Research There’s a growing appetite to refine and standardize CRISPR protocols, as its application expands into different areas of genomic research. The Wellcome Trust and Desktop Genomics have recent advances to make it more efficient and controllable. Outside of the high-stakes world of therapeutic CRISPR, which has enjoyed gambling-like investment and whose legal future is unfolding in court, this […] January 6, 2017 - 3 minutesmins - By Denise Neves Gameiro Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 5 Jan 2017 Shire sells its RNA platform to a US-based Biotech Shire has sold its RNA therapy program to a smaller biotech that wants to accelerate the development of products from the platform. The Irish drug giant Shire is giving its MRT program, which includes two mRNA platforms and 12 employees, to US-based RaNA Therapeutics. In exchange, Shire will receive an undisclosed share of equity in the biotech as well […] January 5, 2017 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 4 Jan 2017 Cold Sore Cure Company enters the Antibiotic Resistance fight AiCuris is developing a new antibiotic that might bring hope for patients in which all options to fight infections have been exhausted. AiCuris, a German company leading the fight against infectious diseases, is now entering clinical trials with a new antibiotic. The candidate, AIC499, is a β-lactam effective against a broad range of Gram-negative multi-drug resistant […] January 4, 2017 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email
News and Trends 4 Jan 2017 This British Biotech is buying its way into the Crowded NASH Space Tiziana Life Sciences is acquiring candidates to gain leverage in the profitable NASH market, where there’s currently a fierce competition. Tiziana Life Sciences, a biopharmaceutical company from London, is planning to enter the competitive space of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). To gain leverage over bigger companies fighting to enter a market expected to hit a massive €38B ($40B) by […] January 4, 2017 - 2 minutesmins - By Clara Rodríguez Fernández Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email