Edwin Klumper of Lytix Biopharma has stepped down from his role as CEO. The board has decided to promote Head of R&D Øystein Rekdal to the position of CEO.

Entasis Therapeutics Inc (Waltham, USA) and non for profit organisation GARDP (Geneva, Switzerland) have initiated Phase III testing of the novel antibiotic zoliflodacin to treat infections with the WHO priority pathogen N. gonorrhoea.

British cell therapy expert Mogrify Ltd has appointed Jane Osbourn as Chair of the Board. Osbourn will also become a Member of the Scientific Advisory Board and support Mogrifiy’s executive team in therapeutic programme selection, industrial partner development, mentoring and investor relations.

BASF SE has strengthened its capabilities in recombinant production of natural ingredients by acquiring Dutch Isobionics BV and collaborating with Conagen Inc.

290 participants from 18 nations at the late summer edition of the European Chemistry Partnering in Düsseldorf

  • High level or participation from Southern and Eastern Europe
  • Attendance record and more than 500 arranged networking meetings
  • 4th European Chemistry Partnering will take place on 27 February 2020 in Frankfurt
  •  Podcast of the panel discussion “Digitization Networking in Chemistry” available soon

An antimicrobial molecule produced by the human microbiota gut may help fight drug-resistant infections.

German Tacalyx GmbH has baged €7m in seed financing to generate antibodies that home in on tumour-antigene specific carbohydrates (TACAs) of glycans.

Evotec SE and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd have entered a strategic drug discovery collaboration potentially worth $850m.
Under the agreement, Evotec will develop at least five small molecule discovery programmes against targets identified by Takeda in oncology, gastroenterology, neuroscience and rare diseases. Takeda will have the option to assume responsibility at lead series and upon Evotec delivering a pre-clinical candidate.
Under the terms of the collaboration, Takeda will pay Evotec an undiclosed upfront fee to get access to its platforms. Additionally, Evotec is eligible to receive pre-clinical, clinical, and commercial milestones that can total in excess of $170 m per programme as well as tiered royalties on future sales.

The important link for bioprocess scale-up!

At its September meeting, the EMA’s CHMP recommended three innovative medicines for EU market approval.