The times in which biotechs dominate the orphan drug market are over. A report from business intelligence provider Evaluate Ltd. concludes that only three in ten OD developers are still biotech SMEs.

Henrik Luessen, @ Promethera

Henrik Luessen is taking over as Chief Business Officer at Promethera Biosciences SA, Belgian developer of cell-based meds. He will be responsible for identifying and executing strategic corporate development initiatives and licensing agreements.

Jörn Andreas, © Probi

Lund-based probiotics expert Probi AB has appointed Jörn Andreas as new CFO. He will replace Niklas Brandt, who in turn will take over responsibility for IT infrastructure and IR as CIO. 

© Bernd Lammel/BIOCOM AG

Around 130 antibiotics experts joined the 10th Berlin Conference on 24th February to highlight high dynamics of European AMR activities. 

Oncopeptides' CEO Jakob Lindberg, © Oncopeptides AB

Swedish cancer med developer Oncopeptides AB has raised SEK649m (€68m) in an IPO at Nasdaq Stockholm.

Wanted: the next generation of antibiotics killing Gram-negative bugs, © Scharvik/istockphoto.com

Several promising antibiotic candidates, developed by ENABLE and its partners, are rapidly approaching the pre-clinical development stage. The European consortium is now seeking new partners to proceed with non-clinical studies.

BaseLaunch event in Basel, @ BaselArea.swiss/Matthias Mangold

BaseLaunch, a new life sciences accelerator in Basel, has been kicked off. Its mission: to bring the most promising healthcare projects and ventures to Europe’s leading life sciences hub.

Acinetobacter biofilm, © Centers of Disease Control, Atlanta, US

While governments worldwide discuss to pay premiums to pharma companies offering novel antibiotics that fight multiresistant pathogens, Roche has extended  its discovery deal with British Discuva Ltd.

Kyriakos Mikellis, @ KEFEA
Pfizer’s Cyprus Business Manager Kyriakos Mikellis has been re-elected for the next two years as president of the Cyprus Association of Research and Development Pharmaceutical Companies (KEFEA). 
Matthias Baumann, © Noxxon AG

Starting in  May, Matthias Baumann will be new Chief Medical Officer of immunotherapy specialist Mologen AG. His primary goal will be preparing Mologen’s DNA cancer therapy lefitolimod for market launch.