Jyrki Katainen, Competitiveness Vice-President of the EC and Research Commissioner Carlos Moedas preseting Horizon Europe in June. Picture: Audiovisual Service of the EC

In Brussels, European Commissioners Jyrki Katainen and Carlos Moedas proposed a budget increase of 25% for the next European Research and Innovation programme Horizon Europe (2021-27) compared to Horizon 2020. Insummer, however, the EC’s High LevelGroup recommended a budget of at least €120bn.

VarmX will use the combination of a €7.5m Series A financing co-led by BioGeneration Ventures (BGV) and Dutch regional development company InnovationQuarter plus an €5m innovation credit from  the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO.nl) to develop a modified blood coagulation factor X to prevent severe bleeding in haemophilia patients.

The EMA’s CHMP recommended nine medicines including six orphan medicines for EU market approval on Friday. 

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EuropaBio’s Executive Board and General Assembly of Members this week confirmed the appointment of Tjerk de Ruiter as Chairman of the association.

Stefan Löfås. Picture: Symcel

Symcel has announced the appointment of two new board members; Erik Walldén and Stefan Löfås. Both will play a key role in the company’s corporate strategy to grow business in the research market and develop solutions for clinical diagnostics.

German and US researchers have designed a mouse model that exactly mimics the mechanisms of hepatitis infection in men.

Agribiotech lobby group ISAAA reports that global GMO acreage has grown to 189.8 million hectares in 2017 -3% or 4.7 million hectares more than in 2016.

Ecteinascidia turbinata. © PharmaMar SA

Roche’s Japanese arm Chugai today returned all rights from a 2016 licence agreement on the RNA polymerase II blocker lurbinectedin to Spanish oncology specialist PharmaMar SA.

Thomas Videbaeck. Picture: Novozymes

How do novel technologies affect the world’s largest enzyme producer? At the GBS, European Biotechnology asked Thomas Videbaeck, PhD, COO and Executive VP Research, Innovation and Supply.

© NodThera Ltd.

Selvita spin-out NodThera Ltd raised £28 million (€31.8m) in a Series A financing round led by Sofinnova Partners and 5AM Ventures and co-financed by Epidarex Capital and F-Prime Capital Partners.