A financing agreement with the European Investment Bank will allow the French cancer specialist Nanobiotix to borrow up to €40m through loan – money the company needs to boost its research, development and innovation activities.

Morphosys has named Jennifer Herron President of MorphoSys US Inc. to build up sales presence overseas.

The EU Court of Justice has ruled that plants created using novel genome editing methods will be classed as genetically modified organisms and therefore have to follow the strict EU guidelines for GMOs.

Irish Nabriva Therapeutics plc has acquired San Diego-based antibiotics developer Zavante Therapeutics for 8.2 million shares plus US$97.5m in milestone payments.

US gene editing expert Sangamo Therapeutics is set to acquire French biotech TxCell in an all-cash buyout of €72m on a debt- and cash-free basis.

Analysts say Roche’s bispecific antibody Hemlibra will rock the US$15bn haemophilia A market, given that it may circumvent therapy resistance that affects the 30% of patients who form antibodies against recombinant factor VIII products. European Biotechnology spoke with Dr. Gallia Levy, Associate Group Medical Director at Roche, who led clinical development of Hemlibra.

Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (Sobi) has signed a €387 deal with Swiss drug developer Novimmune for a late stage antibody targeting a rare haematology disorder.

European biotechs Morphosys and Galapagos have handed over their joint atopical dermatitis programme MOR106 to Novartis for up to €945m. The Swiss pharma giant aims to strengthen its commitment to lead immuno-dermatology, the company said.

The Innovative Medicines Initiative has launched a new Antimicrobial Resistance Accelerator Programme after Novartis announced its retreat from antibiotics research only days ago.

Roche announced today that the US-American Food and Drug Administration FDA has granted Breakthrough Therapy designation for the Swiss pharma giant’s mAb combination therapy for liver cancer.