Dreams of simple, reliable and scalable processes for the much-hyped cell therapy market have generated demand for cost-effective, GMP-compliant manufacturing methods. The drug-screening market is also hungry for material that will allow the establishment of human cell disease models. A growing number of companies are now trying to coax induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into specific cells needed for clinical trials. Others are seeking the same goal through direct transdifferentiation protocols. What method will prove superior?
Wellington Partners: Sideways move
AppointmentsKarl Naegler, who has been a partner at the investment company Gimv since 2011, has joined the competition. He is now Managing Partner at leading European venture capital firm Wellington Partners.
BioNTech acquires Neon at cheapest for $67m
Latest NewsmRNA cancer neoantigen specialist BioNTech AG is set to buy all shares of Neon Therapeutics, Inc. expanding its pipeline of neoantigen-targeting therapies and getting foothold in the US.
New stromal target overcomes cancer resistance
Latest NewsBritish researchers have identified several small molecule drugs that sensitized B cell cancers to chemotherapy and extended survival in mouse models.
Astellas and Adaptimmune team up in CAR-T development
Latest NewsAdaptimmune Therapeutics plc and Japanese Astellas Pharma, Inc. have signed a discovery partnership to develop off-the-shelf allogeneic T cell-based cancer therapies from stem cells.
Illumina embraces Roche
Latest NewsTwelve years after Roche’s $6.8bn hostile takeover bid for Illumina, the companies have entered into a 15-year partnership to boost personalised NGS-based cancer testing.
Incyte licenses Morphosys’ tafasitamab in US$2bn deal
Latest NewsIncyte Corp. has signed a global license agreement for commercialisation of Morphosys AG’s anti-CD-19 programme tafasitamab.
Novadiscovery takes off with €5 Series A financing
Latest NewsIn silico clinical trials pioneer Novadiscovery SA has raised €5m in a series A financing led by Swiss Debiopharm Innovation Fund.
Playing God with the fates of cells
BackgroundDreams of simple, reliable and scalable processes for the much-hyped cell therapy market have generated demand for cost-effective, GMP-compliant manufacturing methods. The drug-screening market is also hungry for material that will allow the establishment of human cell disease models. A growing number of companies are now trying to coax induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into specific cells needed for clinical trials. Others are seeking the same goal through direct transdifferentiation protocols. What method will prove superior?
Alderaan Biotechnology raise €18.5m in Series A financing
Latest NewsFollowing a €1.5m seed financing in 2017, cancer specialist Alderaan Biotechnology SAS has raised €18.5m in a Series A round led by Advent France Biotechnology and Medicxi.
North Sea Therapeutics raises US$40m in Series B
Latest NewsNorthSea Therapeutics BV has raised US$40m to provide proof-of-concept of its NASH drug icosabutate.