20161130-pressrelease-pharmatio.jpg

Pharmatio GmbH, already established in the monitoring and site liaison of clinical trials, has restructured its services. With Clinical Trial Liaison, the sponsors of clinical trials can ensure the patient recruitment and effectiveness of their clinical trials. The Clinical Trial Task Force masters difficult or unforeseen challenges in clinical trials, and High Quality Monitoring ensures that Pharmatio ensures all-­time inspection readiness of clinical trial sites.

John Crowley © Merus

Dutch immuno-oncology company Merus has appointed John Crowley its Chief Financial Officer. Former CFO Shelley Margetson has been elevated to Chief Operating Officer. 

Li Zhou © TxCell

French cellular immunotherapy company TxCell has hired ex-Novartis Lab Head Li Zhou to lead its CAR-Treg programmes. Zhou was appointed Vice President Cell Engineering in October.

After AstraZeneca removed its NSCLC drug osimertinib from the German market following a benefit assessment of German health technology assessor G-BA negatively impacting price negotiations, the German oncologist association DGHO accuses the G-BA not to act in the best interest of lung cancer patients.

Ex-DG Research Director Dr. Christian Patermann, who co-authored the Lodz Declaration, at the European Bioeconomy Congress Lodz 2016. © Marshal's Office of the Lodzkie Region

While DG Research has delayed its update on the European Bioeconomy Strategy and Action Plan until next June, the Central and Eastern Bioregions presented a blueprint that proposes key actions aimed at integrating the goals of the European Commission’s circular economy and the bioeconomy strategies.

Targovax

Norwegion immuno-oncology play Targovax has promoted Øystein Soug, previously the company’s Chief Financial Officer, to the role of Chief Executive Officer. He succeeds Gunnar Gårdemyr, who has stepped down.

Jürgen Dressel and Helmut Buschmann
When the European Patent Office created the Early Certainty Initiative, it looked at the needs of its customers to obtain its IP quickly. However, 25% of all patents granted in Europe come from the life sciences sector where products have long development periods and high failure rates before proof of concept. European Biotechnology spoke with stakeholders from Big Pharma and biotech on how the obligation to examine and grant a patent within 12 months could impact them.