300 AMR experts met at ESCMID-ASM conference in Lisbon. © BIOCOM AG

New antibiotics on the block

Around 300 international AMR experts met at ESCMID-ASM drug development conference in Lisbon to discuss the latest progress in the field. 

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Adaptimmune's workflow to make SPEAR cells with optimised TCRs. © Adaptimmune Therapeutics Ltd

Adaptimmune raises US$100m

Oxford-based Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc has raised US$100m in a registered direct offering of American Depositary Shares (ADS).

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© Celgene

CAR-Ts: Novartis wins UK

The NHS England announces it will reimburse Novartis’ CAR-T cell therapy Kymriah as treatment for children with B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) that are refractory, in relapse post-transplant or in second or later relapse. 

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Joe Anderson. Picture: Arix Bioscience plc

Changes at Arix Bioscience

Arix Bioscience, a healthcare and life science company, today announces planned changes to its executive team to prepare for its next phase of growth and development. Dr Joe Anderson, who has served as Chief Executive Officer of Arix since its inception in 2016, will transition to Chief Investment Officer. He will continue to Chair the Investment Committee and as of today, September 4 2018, will step down from the Board of Arix. Executive Chairman of Arix, Jonathan Peacock, will assume corporate and operating responsibilities and, working closely with the Board of Arix, will lead the process of recruiting a Chief Executive Officer.

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Functionalised exosome with drug payload. © Evox Therapeutics Ltd

Evox raises €37m in Series B round

Exosome drug delivery specialist Evox Therapeutics Ltd has closed a €37.1m (£35.5m) Series B financing round led by Redmile Group and significant contributions from GV (Google Ventures) and Cowen Healthcare Investments.

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Joanna Dupont, EuropaBio's new Secretary General. Picture: EuropaBio

New Secretary General & Directors at EuropaBio

EuropaBio today confirmed the appointment of Joanna Dupont-Inglis as its new Secretary General.
Commenting on this promotion, EuropaBio chair, Tjerk de Ruiter, said Joanna has an excellent track record of leadership and engagement in this sector. Her experience will be valuable in working together with an increasingly broad community of stakeholders to ensure that the benefits of biotech can be accessed in Europe”.

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Approved (bold) and experimental therapies for aTTP. © NEJM doi: 10.1056/NEJMe1515876

Sanofi gets the EU’s ok for caplacizumab

The EU approved Sanofi’s Cablivi (caplacizumab) as the first antibody therapeutic to treat acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP) on Friday. 

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Ultraviolet radiation causes accumulation of collagen in the skin of mice deficient in the Cockayne syndrome group B (CSB) protein. © M. Majora et al., Science Translational Medicine (2018)

Cancer drug cures orphan disease skin damage

An FDA-approved cancer drug stops light sensitivity of the skin in Cockayne syndrome (CS), an ultra-rare hereditary disease characterised by premature aging, German researchers report.

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German Research Minister Anja Karliczek and Economics Minister Peter Altmaier make a joint statement on the founding of the Agency for Jump Innovations following the meeting of the Federal Cabinet. © BMBF / Hans-Joachim Rickel

Germany to pump €1bn into breakthrough innovation

Germany’s government announced that it will create an agency for breakthrough ("jump") innovation to foster technology transfer of risky research projects with high market potential into products.

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How OAB symptoms emerge. © atlanticurologyclinics.com

Urovant Sciences licenses OAB gene therapy

Urovant Sciences has licensed the global commercialisation rights for Ion Channel Innovations‘ gene therapy hMaxi-K for patients with overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms who have failed oral pharmacologic therapy.  
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