If you ask founders what determines whether they raise capital, most will give you the same answer: great science, compelling clinical data, a large market opportunity and a sensible valuation. For a long time, I would have given exactly the same answer, but I no longer do. After years of working with biotechnology companies, I have come to believe that those factors determine whether a company deserves investment, but they do not necessarily determine whether it gets the opportunity to be evaluated in the first place. Here’s why.
RougeTx launches with $58M to tackle rare bleeding disorder
Latest NewsDutch biotech RougeTx has launched with a $58 million (€52 million) series A to take its lead drug RTX-001 toward first-in-human testing in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). The round was co-led by BioGeneration Ventures, Angelini Ventures and Kurma Partners, with the European Investment Bank (EIB) participating through Angelini’s Aurea co-investment vehicle.
Genmab and AbbVie’s bispecific antibody halves progression-or-death risk in lymphoma trial
Latest NewsGenmab and AbbVie’s bispecific antibody epcoritamab, added to R-CHOP chemoimmunotherapy, cut the risk of progression or death by 51% in a Phase 3 trial in newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
“AI biotech” is no longer a useful category for investors
Background, Latest NewsAI has transformed drug discovery, but the “AI biotech” label has become increasingly misleading. Kurma Partners proposes an investment framework that distinguishes three fundamentally different models — each building a different asset, creating value in a different way and requiring a different investment lens.
WhiteLab secures $26M to expand AI-designed gene delivery assets
Latest NewsFrance’s WhiteLab Genomics has raised $26 million (€23 million) in Series B financing to expand experimental validation of its AI-designed gene delivery technologies and build a portfolio of assets it can own and license.
Fundraising: Why relationships matter more than ever
Latest News, OpinionIf you ask founders what determines whether they raise capital, most will give you the same answer: great science, compelling clinical data, a large market opportunity and a sensible valuation. For a long time, I would have given exactly the same answer, but I no longer do. After years of working with biotechnology companies, I have come to believe that those factors determine whether a company deserves investment, but they do not necessarily determine whether it gets the opportunity to be evaluated in the first place. Here’s why.
CSL backs Swiss Alentis’ claudin-1 bet with up to $1.6bn deal
Latest NewsAustralian biopharma company CSL has entered an exclusive global partnership with Basel-based Alentis Therapeutics to co-develop and co-commercialize lixudebart, an investigational antibody targeting claudin-1. CSL will pay Alentis $355 million upfront and the Swiss biotech is eligible for up to another $1.2 billion in commercial milestone payments. Once the drug reaches the market, global profits will be split 55% to CSL and 45% to Alentis. What is the deal all about?
Genmab’s Phase 2 data strengthens case for $1.8B ProfoundBio bet
Latest NewsGenmab’s rinatabart sesutecan (Rina-S) delivered durable responses in a Phase 2 trial in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, providing encouraging validation for the centerpiece of its $1.8 billion acquisition of ProfoundBio.
Designing biologics for commercial success
slider, Sponsored PublicationsJustyna Adamczyk, Associate VP Integrated MS&T at Rezon Bio, discusses why integrating development and manufacturing strategies is key to improving late-stage efficiency and commercialization readiness.
The Bridge to your success
slider, Sponsored PublicationsCustomized Enzymes and Reagents from New England Biolabs. Creating the right partnership is essential when pioneering a new life science product.
Novartis bets up to $7.8B on Abogen’s mRNA autoimmune therapy
Latest NewsNovartis is paying China’s Abogen Biosciences $575 million (€512 million) upfront for global rights to ABO2203, an experimental treatment that uses mRNA to make a B-cell-depleting drug inside the patient’s body.