The rapid development of antibiotic resistance has become a major public health issue that could soon kill 10 million people annually. One promising alternative to ineffective antibiotics has been around for almost a century – bacterio­phages. The microbe-killing viruses are used in medicine in Georgia, Poland and Russia, but have been neglected by western doctors. Now pressure is mounting on global health authorities to put the option back on the table. 

Evotec AG and Celgene Corporation have entered into a strategic drug discovery and development partnership to identify new therapeutics in oncology.

Marc Wolff has been named Chief Financial Officer of Aldevron, a provider of plasmid DNA manufacturing, protein production and antibody discovery services. Mr. Wolff will lead the global finance and accounting team across all Aldevron sites in the U.S. and Europe.

Bioeconomy industry experts  gave a mixed outlook for biomaterials in mid-May in Cologne where about 200 stakeholder joined  the 11th International Conference on Bio-based Materials.

Researchers at LMU Munich have unraveled a new strategy of colon cancers to evade targeted therapies. 

CAR-T cell therapy specialist Kite Pharma, now part of Gilead Sciences, has expanded its cell therapy manufacturing footprint in Europe. A 117,000 square-foot facility in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands, will be operational by 2020. 

CAR-T cell developer bluebird bio Inc. has extended its potential US$1bn deal with cancer neoantigen TCR specialist MediGene by two new targets adding US$500m potential revenues to the licence agreement.

British drug maker AstraZeneca’s IL-5Ralpha blocker benralizumab did not reduce exacerbations significantly compared to placebo in patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

A research team headed by Jean-Christophe Leroux from ETH Zurüch has created the first-ever 3-D printed mouth guard that could deliver drugs to the wearer and is highly customizable, in terms of drug release and design. 

Horizon Discovery Group plc has announced the appointment of Terry Pizzie as Chief Executive Officer and Board Director with immediate effect.